TV Review: How to Get Away with Murder 3×04 “Don’t Tell Annalise”

AJ: Who do you think will be revealed this week as being safe? I’m going to go a limb and say Connor (maybe out of my own affection for the character/ignorance). I think this might be the case because they’ve declared two characters we don’t have as big of attachments to with Bonnie and Oliver first and now they’ll need to do one that really grabs our interest. That coupled with the fact that the promos have focused on Oliver/Connor make me think they’ll do a bait and switch type of move. But I might just be naive and hopeful.

AJC : I was thinking the same thing, and it’s also probably safe to say that the majority of the audience is hoping Connor (and/or Oliver, maybe we’ll get a double reveal as the season picks up pace in its midsection) is in no way harmed in all of the crazy. The heavy emphasis on their relationship within the episodes and in the teasers would make that relief so much sweeter, and would make total sense. That being said, however, maybe this episode is where we get a hint at who ISN’T safe instead. They could be playing toward our sympathies and our adoration of Connor in particular, building up the anticipation, but leave us hanging to get the a-OK and instead flip to who HAS been (in some way) harmed in the house fire. And now with the knowledge that there are two bodies instead of just one, even having one reveal of who isn’t safe still leaves us questioning. Let’s say Asher is shown to not be safe; that still leaves one more body, and it could be that of one of our favorites.

AJ:I keep forgetting that there’s another person in a critical state . But yeah I keep feeling like Asher is the only character to kill off that wouldn’t seem like a dumb idea.

AJC: I’m so invested in Annalise, Connor, Laurel, and Michaela that I’m just like, “Who actually cares about anyone else?” That’s the one aspect between season three and season one that doesn’t hold up. We’d seen a lot of similarities linking back to the “roots” of season 1. Liking all the characters was a season 1 thing. Season 3? Not so much. Lots of soot, smoke inhalation, and burns. Were they trapped or trying to save someone?

AJ: My guess is that they were trapped at the wrong time. It’s just a matter of if that person was someone we like or not.

And OH MY GOD EVE. I didn’t expect to see her this season for some reason.

AJC: Even the good aspects (or not-so-bad aspects) of season 2 were wiped from my mind.

AJ: These men are so out of their league

AJC: It’s complicated.” Please say the B word. She’s likely bisexual.

AJ: And Eve and Annalise are the superior couple the show needs after the decoupling of Oliver and Connor

AJC: Powerful, hilarious, and sure of themselves. And they both look fantastic, as always. Annalise demonstrating the glorious heel kick removal unique to a long night.

AJ: Even Shonda Rhimes shows are afraid of the B word….how ridiculous. Annalise is such a wonderful character at both her lowest and highest and this was a wonderful opener to demonstrate that.

AJC: Which is surprising, because Grey’s was SO open about using it.

AJ: This. guy. is .the.worst

AJC: Can he be 1/2 of the bodies? Please?

AJ:Confirmed the worst….Maybe he”ll be the one under the sheet?

AJC: Just GET RID.

AJ: Even for this show giving Asher a case seems like a reach in practicality. Annalise can’t possibly think this is a good idea?

AJC: Matt McGorry acting out a character who is a bad actor… I love.

AJ: Are you getting second hand embarrassment too?

AJC: The embarrassment is real and so amusing.

AJ: SUSPENSION. If “gross misconduct” is slapping the shit out of a pervert/murderer than I hope she raises hell.

AJC: DITTO!

AJ:If it were me I would have gone all Anne of Green Gables and broken a desk over his head.

AJC: Can’t help but think this would’ve been overlooked if it was a male/male interaction. “Boys will be boys”?

AJ: Exactly. Nailing it on the head. They have it out for Annalise and she’s a WOC so she’s an easy target.

AJC Cards are unfairly stacked against her (even though she admittedly isn’t a great person, what with the murdering and lying, but still) and it’s disheartening because she’s so obviously fantastic at what she does.

AJ: And in that moment, she was doing what I hope anyone would’ve done to that scumbag. Exactly! But in the case we’re able to separate who we see her as as the audience and what the characters around her see which is a passionate, highly skilled lawyers. Anyone who says that wouldn’t do that might immediately be on my shit list. Ooooh she told him it was Bonnie and not Eve. Tricky.

AJC: Sneaky Annie!!! Nearly didn’t catch that, since it was so casual.

AJC: As much as I can’t care about Bonnie, I’m glad she literally put Asher in his place.

Confirmed: Asher has Teenage Brain Disease

AJ: Um, Laurels casual power suit is AmAHZing.

AJC: “Where are you going?” Wes, why do you care? Everything about S3 Laurel is murdering my entire existence.The hands on the hips. Badass.

AJ: Right? She is killing the look. And Wes’s weird interest in her-just like her weird interest in him-is a major turn off.

AJC: Yeah Frank, stay in your lane.

AJ: It just seems like a forced way to couple all of these characters together. (More like, Frank, stay off screen.)

AJC: It makes no sense. Not even cringe-y, just completely ridiculous and kind of annoying.

AJ: They don’t even have chemistry. Laurel has more chemistry with Michaela.

AJ: Do you feel a disconnect to the case plot? I feel like they might have introduced it too quickly this episode instead of giving it room to breathe. I keep wanting them to speed up and show us the in between scenes with the group interaction more.

AJC:Was just about to say that! It feels rushed and a bit half-baked. While the “baddie of the week” formula worked so well in season 1, I think it only did because it was a great way to introduce us to the characters in a professional setting while revealing traits about them and showing us their development. The past cases have been awesome to watch, but we’re far more invested in the characters now, and I’m wanting more of the main plot.

AJ:I agree! I definitely think a case of the week can still work on a week to week basis if, like you said, it explores previously un-explored traits of the characters. Especially since we still know so little about them.But this one just seems a bit tacked on.

AJC: Maybe I’m being selfish, but I’d love to not have the big reveals for the season come in the last episode and a half, so I’m also wanting them to speed it up. Since we are hitting the middle, maybe this is a half-and-half episode that’ll mark the transition to focusing on the main mystery more. (Fingers crossed.0*)

AJ:Yup. Asher’s my vote for “under the sheet” status. I think holding all the big reveals to the last episode is kind of just a cheap tactic But yes, fuck Asher and his straight male ignorance and entitlement to speaking for others problems. On the plus side-MORE Eve and Annalise? Heart eyes for days.

AJC: I can’t even say he’s trope-y. He’s a perfect depiction of actual manchildren. Eve + Annalise alwaysI get scummy, yucky vibes from Frank always.

AJ: I’m glad to hear Annalise actually vocalize that she wants to make someone pay rather than cloak and dagger it when she pretends her intentions are always good. She’s gone through a world of pain and she deserves to sometimes feel entitled to her less than pure thoughts. Of course she is resentful and looking to lash out. Also, I love how Eve is always in red and Annalise in green. It strikes a nice contrast. (I’m eating up your words sorry).

AJC: Same here! Often, she doesn’t explicitly state that she’s [insert emotion here]. She goes the more collected (if you could call it that) route and keeps her hurt hidden. So good to see her just BE an emotion. No explanation.I hadn’t noticed that, but now I’m gonna look for patterns in everyone!

AJ:For them the colors have always stood out to me and knowing what reds usually mean and, similarly, green it makes for a delightful feast for the eye.

AJC: But, to be fair, that’d just end in me drooling over the cast.

AJ: I mean like we don’t do that anyway. They’re all sooooooooo dreamy.

AJC: Jack Falahee is man-crush forever.

AJ: Right? Especially with the longer hair this season. We’re shallow. I’m glad we can both admit we want him to live just to bask in how gorgeous he is. Character development be damned.

AJC: I think I’d feel a lot worse if he played an Asher character. I couldn’t allow myself to melt. Thankfully, he’s my one of my fave characters in the show as of right now. Double win!

Good and good-lookin’: Connor Walsh’s tagline.That certainly makes it easier

AJC: GOODBYE MEGGY. I’m bored of you. Oh my god what is happening in this discussion.

AJC: The irony of it coming immediately after me gushing about his character.

AJ: Oh my god Connor.

AJC: C O N N O R

AJ: Responsible sex? I guess that’s good right ?

AJC: Go for it, bud. Live ya life.

AJ: But don’t be self-destructive about it either I guess?

AJC: Could easily spiral out into something volatile. Hopefully not. (Really, really hopefully.) If not by the end of this episode, certainly the next. This can’t stand.

AJ:Everything about Connor stresses me out.

AJC: He’s turned me into one of “those” television watchers re: male characters: “He’s my son and my husband and my best friend. I must protect him.”

AJ:I understand completely.

AJC: Laurel/Wes snoozefest.

AJ: I can barely even pay attention when they’re onscreen together.

AJC:  It’s my wine-sipping cue.

AJ: That and every time something stressful happens right?

AJC: *CHUGS WINE LIKE A HEATHEN *”You don’t know me.”

AJ: RIGHT? Mine might be empty soon. Why was Nate just so terrible?

AJC: Nate, why? Why?

AJ:That seemed like a jump of narrative right?
*refill time.

AJC: *True Colors plays softly in the background*

AJ: His beauty doesn’t distract me from his betrayal of Annalise.

AJC: It was such a sour turn so quickly. He went from “Need any help?” to “You will die alone in this house and no one will care. You’re a cancer.” That wasn’t off-the-cuff; that’d been him all along.

AJ: Exactly. It really painted him in a different light…Do you instantly tune out when Bonnie takes the stand? Although this might be illuminating for the character.

 AJC: Definitely. I go full Charlie Brown.But wow. I didn’t realize how much I wasn’t picking up during this episode. In terms of the case at least

AJ: It does seem like an episode they should have done last season though.

AJC: Either I was distracted, or it wasn’t pieced together that well. (Totally the former.) I’m glad that they went hard in the direction the did though opposed to last week where they almost didn’t take it seriously enough

AJ: Woowww Annalise. Way to turn the tables.

AJC: Would’ve helped the likability and development of Bonnie and Asher. I’m glad they highlighted it, and went full-on. It’s so important.

AJ: Yeah I think it would have aided the two greatly as well in terms of character development.

AJC: I love Annalise. I have no coherent thoughts. Such a clever turn.

AJ:She is so clever.I’m so glad that she took something some dude said about it her negatively and turned it into something triumphant.

AJC: That’s very much her brand”It was Nate’s idea.” Bless.

AJ:I’m so heart broken right now that Annalise and Eve aren’t going to have a happy ever after.

AJC: No, no, no. Eve, don’t be Oliver.

AJ: Even if it’s healthier for Eve.

AJC: If we love her, we must let her go.

AJ:Annalise is having a tough week. But yes. We must even though I don’t want to say goodbye. What gorgeous acting on display! This is the closest to emotional (not stressed) that the show has gotten me.

AJC: I can feel my heart breaking.

AJ: Don’t GO! Oh my god I’m genuinely moved.

AJC:This is so beautiful.

AJ: Maybe it’s the wine? But who cares!!

AJC: Let yourself be loved.” Regardless of their sexual history, highlighting the nuances of female/female relationships is so important — and this show consistently does it so well. That moment was a flashbulb for me. I’ll remember that fondly. It was so wonderfully and subtly showed just how well these two women know and understand each other. There was such a pain in the idea of their parting but an understanding too that it’s the healthiest option for Eve.

AJ: Right? I am so happy that the show isn’t just about tantalizing a male audience with women making out. It’s about showing real representation of bisexual women on television who have genuine connections and relationships with one another.  It’s such a rarity onscreen today.

AJC: Though I wish they wouldn’t shy away from actually saying it, I’m so glad for the way bisexuality is represented and not entirely hidden. It’s fantastic.

AJ: Agreed. Them being open and proud of bi-representation would be a lot stronger I’m still not happy that they’re broken up but I am glad they’re showing the realities of a messy break up.

AJC: I audibly giggled at that. I’m 14.

AJ:Same here! It’s not all “I’ll make him jealous and he’ll want to get back together.”

AJ: Woah what the hell?!So are we supposed to feel differently about Frank now since he’s trying to get payback for Bonnie’s sake?

AJC: Frank doing evil to do good?vIt definitely hasn’t changed my feelings.

AJ:Me either but I guess, objectively it does make him more interesting? Are we supposed to believe he went through a similar trauma?

AJC: Possibly!

AJ: My heart is stopping.

AJC: I CAN’T BREATHE. WHAT.

AJ: What the hell.

AJC: WHO IS THE SHE

AJ:I don’t know how to feel.

AJC: OH GOD NO. I have full-body chills. 

AJ:Who is the father. She is pregnant? Laurel is pregnant? Who is under the sheet? It can’t be connor. Okay. Deep breath. Okay. Ending questions.
1. Who is the father of Laurels child.
2. Who is the next to be saved.
3. Who do we think is dead
4. Any other episode thoughts.

AJC:1. Possibly Wes? There might be a reveal as to why they’re acting so tense with one another. 2. I’m hoping to everything holy Connor gets the clear. I know we won’t get that, but I want it. Michaela is probably the actual reveal. 3. My bet is on Wes. If he’s the father, perhaps there were emotions intertwined in the circumstances between her getting trapped/running back to attempt to rescue him, or why they were in the house together in the first place. 4. This was a great improvement from last week. The moving moment between Annie and Eve, that sharp-sour mini meltdown from Nate, how they handled male rape, the clever twist of Annalise’s alcoholism, the gorgeousness of the cast, AND THAT ENDING. Even with the little moments that were uninteresting, which are the same uninteresting moments as always (Bonnie/Frank/Asher), it was all really great. Probably my favorite episode of the season thus far.

AJ: 1. I guess it has to be Franks due to timing? But I guess really it could be a surprise but the time we find out. 2. I think that Connor HAS to be the next saved since they’ve been doing so much lead up with Oliver and this would make for a passionate, sweeping reunion between the two.3.  I think Nate is an absolute gonner after this episode but I’ve been known to be wrong since I thought Bonnie would be the one to bite it and she was one of the first safe. 4. The episode I thought overall was kind of weak until the last 15 minutes which were breathlessly fast paced and emotive.

Rating: 8/10