I really loved this episode.
While the past couple of weeks have been slightly less exciting than the first half of the season, I love that the show is digging deeper into its characters’ pasts because that seems to be a million times more interesting than what’s happening in the present.
Philip threatening Connor into releasing the video he has of the Murder Mansion Night (name still under debate) didn’t exactly feel quite as thrilling as intended, mostly because it’s hard to be scared by a character who hasn’t had more than a few minutes of screen-time. Also because I believe Annalise when she says mommy is going to take care of it.
Luckily, we have the flashbacks to keep us entertained. I still can’t get over how fun it is seeing a pregnant Annalise work with young Frank and Bonnie while married to a much more romantic Sam – even if it means having to endure Annalise’s horribly hilarious hairdo. The show is having so much fun with these characters’ pasts, throwing little bits and pieces at us while being structurally consistent with the present-time stuff. Being consistent has never been this show’s strongest suit as it’s usually jam-packed with overcrowded storytelling, but I appreciated the way it cut its narrative this week by taking Annalise and Frank away for the Wes mystery in Ohio (via flashback) while simultaneously having Laurel and Wes there as well, trying to solve that exact same mystery.
And boy was the Laurel/Wes dynamic interesting. Not only do we finally get some insight into what makes Laurel tick (a very, very bad father apparently), but the two also share a kiss! How To Get Away With Murder has always been a crazy, surreal show but even I thought they would never go there. Luckily, though, it didn’t go past the kiss (which seriously gave me huge incest vibes) and the two acknowledged how weird it was. Phew.
Then there was that bombshell of an ending. Of course Laurel found out something during her investigation with Wes in Ohio and of course she confronted Annalise about it, but I can’t deny how shocking it was to learn that Wes murdered his own mother when he was a kid. Perhaps that final scene is misleading and we learn there’s more to the story, but there’s no negating how jaw-dropping this reveal is at the moment. It adds so much more complexity to the Annalise/Wes mystery which has certainly been the season’s most intriguing arc. Now all I want is to see when Eve enters the story.
Sneaky Courtroom Bits
– This show is still not a very well-written one, often relying on shocking twists and turns to keep its audience interested, but it’s still fun as hell.
– Loved Annalise manipulating Connor into saying he needs her help. Ending the conversation with “finally you remember your manners” was icing on the cake.
– I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed the Wes/Laurel dynamic (before they were kissing in the car obviously). Everything from sharing bits from their secretive pasts to Laurel buying them both airplane tickets using her father’s credit cards was very amusing.
– So Wes’ real name is Christophe Edmond.
– Again, Nate is absolutely useless and I can’t seem to understand this show’s infatuation with him, or with Annalise/Nate as a couple. They cannot be endgame, right?
– It’s no secret I’m loving the flashbacks more than the present-day stuff, especially when this week is filled with Catherine and Caleb scenes that make me want to doze off.
– I genuinely thought Rose (Wes’s mother) was going to walk into that courtroom, surprising Annalise and everyone, by giving a live testimony. Not complaining, though, because I love when this show surprises me.
– Annalise cooking in the kitchen? That’s not something you see every day.
– Adam Arkin plays a good villain, but does this guy even age at all?
– Connor wants to move to Silicon Valley with Oliver and start over, which makes me believe that Oliver will be dead and/or turned into a murderer by season’s end. I kind of can’t wait.
– I need to know what happened to Annalise’s baby!
Amusing Keating One-Liners
Annalise: I never wanted children. Never even crossed my mind till I turned your age, and everyone asking “When? Why not? You’ll feel different when the baby’s in your hands. It’s the greatest experience of your life”. Now I have five of them and I know. It’s the worst experience of my life.
Annalise: Go! Have sex, get drunk, whatever makes you happy because we don’t know what the hell is gonna happen tomorrow.
Wes: They killed her. When she didn’t testify.
Laurel: And made it look like a suicide? You sound like Asher.
Laurel: Stop being so nice. It makes me feel weird.
Conclusion
A consistent and entertaining hour topped by a brilliant cliffhanger. I can’t wait for next week.
Chris Rating
B+