Players in motion has always been key to storytelling in ABC's How To Get Away With Murder, and in last night's second episode of the drama's third season, some big moves were made. Angela Robinson wrote this episode which was directed by Zetna Fuentes.
Let's leave the flash forwards on the sideline for a moment and begin with Annalise. She had barely begun her new teaching format that was introduced last week when she was hauled in front of the university's board and suspended while the investigation into who was responsible for the flyers depicting her as a killer is worked through. Annalise didn't take that lying down, immediately threatening to sue and to go to the media. Annalise also spent more time than usual with Nate, having him look into Frank's whereabouts after her presumed hitman was killed by Frank. Frank also answered the phone when Annalise called, but nothing giving away his whereabouts was revealed.
Frank himself looks worse for wear. The special effects and make-up team did a brilliant job detailing the cuts and bruises on his face. His only major story development consisted of a staged car accident in which he placed the body of Annalise's hitman at the wheel. The car later went up in a ball of flames, and Frank is in the wind once more.
Congratulations Mr. Walsh.
With last week's episode giving Wes the spotlight, Annalise presented a parole case to her class, with Connor earning the top job. Jack Falahee was outstanding in this episode, portraying a damaged Connor who was given his marching orders by ex-boyfriend Oliver, but he went on to succeed in having Irene Crowley released from prison after around 3 decades for the murder of her husband. Connor had a rough time organising his fellow classmates, but he proved he can channel his flighty, over-emotional side for good in the end.
Asher and Michaela followed the same track in this episode, and their hidden romance developed quite rapidly, with some R18 moments thrown in. These two spent more time dealing with their own drama than anyone else's, with neither contributing to much else. Asher wants to make their relationship public, but Michaela doesn't. Aja Naomi King and Matt McGorry played off each other in a way I didn't think could be done convincingly, so hats off to them here. Connor knows the pair are screwing, as Michaela so eloquently stated, as he will now reside temporarily with Michaela since his breakup with Oliver.
I can't be in a relationship with somebody who's literally the opposite of everything I stand for.
Like last season, Laurel continues to fascinate me, and this was no different last night. She is the only student with a significant connection to Frank, and it once again showed. Laurel also has fantastic chemistry with Wes, and it looks increasingly likely that this will be recognized at some stage this season.
Bonnie featured sparingly in this hour, just like last week. The cases of the week haven't demanded her input, but it seems her role in the story at this point is to play the back channels and cruise just off the radar. She independently sought Laurel's phone records and showed Annalise she continues to call Frank. Her moment with Laurel while playing pool was cleverly set up, but it's unlikely Bonnie's stern words will quell Laurel's relentless search for answers. Her advice to Laurel was pretty interesting, however:
There are worse things than murder, Laurel. You don't know that, and that's a good thing.
Finally, Wes. His new girlfriend, Maggie, was present once again, and the pair really do make a cute couple. It was surprising to see Maggie taking the flyers defaming Annalise more seriously than anyone else was, and she had a valid theory concerning the situation as well. We also got a peek at her background as she briefly mentioned being around cadavers during class. Though the deceased Sam Keating had a medical background, it's possible Maggie specializes in medicine or even pathology. That's surely not a coincidence. I expect to see this exploited in the near future. Laurel and Wes confirmed Maggie has a clean background, but that stands for nothing on this show.
Wes himself had a strange old hour. Annalise asked him if he would move into her home. He cited fear as a possible reason, but Annalise confessed to in effect being lonely. Wes turned the offer down, but turned up with pizza later on anyway. Laurel also learned that Annalise had Eve keeping tabs on the Mahoney investigation, and duly passed that onto Wes.
The overall storyline took a smaller step forward than I anticipated from a season's second episode. In a nutshell, no one is any closer to identifying the source of the flyers, but Annalise was suspended as a precaution, though she will keep teaching her students anyway. Frank did his thing to stay off the radar, and people are still looking for him.
Like most episodes of How To Get Away With Murder, the best bits come at the start and at the end. In the episode's opening seconds, Annalise was being interviewed in an ambulance at the scene of her burning house. We learn Annalise's car has been in the driveway all day, and the police, naturally, had to question her whereabouts and possible involvement.
Be a monster, that's fine, but don't be a dumb-ass as well.
In the episode's final minutes, just as promised in last week's episode promo, one character would be confirmed alive. First up, it was Oliver. He came barging through the barrier to comfort Annalise just as she was about to be led away in handcuffs. But before she was, she handed him a phone and told him to wipe it clean.
The phone doesn't look like one we've seen before. Importantly, Annalise told Oliver to wipe its contents, not destroy it. That means it's sought after by someone, but its contents are incriminating. It's a breadcrumb which has been taken out of play. The question now is who is following the trail, and where does it lead? Did Annalise lift the phone from the body under the sheet? It's unlikely, and it makes a better story if it wasn't. Lifting phones and other possessions from dead bodies is done all the time in the world of film and television, so something different would be a welcome change.
In all, this episode focused on character development and getting their relationships moving as opposed to story development. Wes and Annalise along with Maggie, Laurel and Bonnie along with Frank, Asher and Michaela, and Oliver and Connor were the key focus points. Connor was in the spotlight for the case of the week. The episode was fast-moving, but tidy and well executed. There's so much more to come this season, and that's a very exciting thought.
Thanks as always for reading. Find out all you need to know about next week's episode of How To Get Away With Murder here, including the press release and promo. The comments section is open down below, so please head down there and share your thoughts and theories - they're always fascinating to read and discuss!
