It’s amazing how this show still hasn’t gone off the rails yet. With over a dozen crazy twists on a weekly basis last season, no one would blame the writers for driving this show off a cliff. But even when it’s difficult to get attached to these characters or the insanely unrealistic world they live in, Murder is still one of the most entertaining shows on television.
The third season immediately gives us answers in regards to last year’s cliffhanger: Annalise is pretty sure Frank killed Wes’s father. While we have yet to actually prove that, it’s still an intriguing twist to have one of the main characters be this season’s Big Bad, even if he only did this (or might have done it) to avenge Annalise’s baby being killed by Mahoney. Sure, it sounds nutty and convoluted, but it’s still oddly amusing to watch Annalise and Frank go head to head this season.
Less successful is whatever weekly case the writers managed to cram into the 40-minute premiere. How To Get Away With Murder never excelled in incorporating a legal case into its episodes while simultaneously telling a heavily serialized story, but this weakness was much more glaring here because of everyone’s lack of interest in the case, whether it’s the viewers or the characters themselves. Does the Iraqi refugee father even win at the end? Who knows?
As expected, there’s a killer twist in the hour’s closing minutes. Rather than giving us another murder mystery to obsess over for the next few weeks, the show brilliantly hides the identity of the character who dies at the Keating house fire that erupts in the flash-forward. Annalise’s terrified reaction makes this an even bigger head-scratcher than usual, and what we’re left with is a compelling twist on the who-done-it mystery. Have you started speculating yet, too?
Murderous Bits
– Frank is seriously unrecognizable after he shaves! I don’t suppose anyone was actually shocked he’s still alive though.
– Annalise taking Wes out to the woods was highly uncomfortable. Glad to see their relationship is still that of the incestuous, awkward kind.
– I must have not paid a lot of attention to the promos this year because I still thought Annalise finding flyers of her face with the word KILLER printed on them kind of chilling. Especially in the teaser when it’s preceded by Annalise telling her students “you finally get to be me”.
– On that note, didn’t those flyers look like promotional photos for the season?
– Hilarious detail: the mystery person Annalise was secretly texting (later revealed to be the guy Annalise hired to find Frank) ends his messages with “XOXO”. Seriously, you’re supposed to be terrifying, dude!
– Laurel has a new look. I like it!
– “When I look at you, I see Frank” is Wes’ version of sexy talk. Laurel did not look happy.
– Look, there’s another student taking part of class discussions now! His name is Drake and, naturally, he’s a sleaze. Very fitting with this show’s world.
– Annalise and Connor at the rooftop kiddie pool: epic!
– Annalise still being Annalise: she hires Oliver immediately after promising Connor not to do so, then tells him that Sweet O deleted his Stanford acceptance letter.
– While I’m not really attached to the Oliver/Connor relationship, their breakup felt very real. It’s fascinating to watch Connor desperately cling on because he assumes it’s is a healthy relationship while Oliver has the exact opposite opinion on the subject matter.
– Hilarious: Micheala and Asher are still sleeping together!
– The hour repeatedly flashes back to glimpses of how our characters spent their summer, but we never see what Bonnie was up to! What are you hiding, B?
– Wes’ new girlfriend Maggie is…normal. She rides a bike and is a hugger!
– The obvious victim is Nate, right? He’s easily disposable and has been pretty useless for over a season and a half now. So clearly, it’ll be someone else that Annalise cares about – or appears that she cares about; that final scene could just be a show, you know. So glad to have this show back!
Courtroom Exchanges
Laurel: The flyer.
Asher: It says ‘killer’ on it.
Annalise: I’ve been called worse.
Annalise: We’re good people now. Say it to yourself until you believe it.
Annalise: (about the ‘killer’ flyers) At least they chose a good photo.
Michaela (to Asher): My perfect breasts are in your face, and you wanna talk about the case?
Michaela: I’m a grown-ass woman. I can’t be having sex in dorm rooms.
Asher: Uh, of course you can. Otherwise, you’re just discriminating against me ‘cause I’m poor.
Michaela: Welcome to America.
Connor: We’re gonna win this case, right?
Annalise: Who da hell knows, we need to talk about your boyfriend.
Annalise: You were never normal. You just didn’t know it until now.
Must-Download Tunes
We Are The Ones by Son Lux
Conclusion
A strong start to what should be another thrilling and exciting season of television.
Chris Rating
B+
I'm with you on the Nate theory. Also, Maggie is probably Wes' sister. There's got to be some kind of f*cked-up going on there.
Oh, didn't even consider that! Could be!
I don't understand why Annalise and her students are still associated with each other. It is becoming less believable after the number of tragedies, lies, and secrets between them. A permanent separation should have happened long before now. But that would mark the end of the show.
So true. I've come to accept this show even though it's completely unrealistic and I have zero attachment to any of the characters. As long as the twists don't become convoluted, it's just brainless fun!