S01.E10: Hello Raskolnikov

[Tara Ariano]

The day after Sam's murder finds Annalise's students joining the search for her missing husband, but a surprise visitor in town could complicate their efforts to keep their story under wraps.

[SimoneS]

At first, I was just "eh," but then I got into the episode. It was such a great twist having Lauren turn on Connor and Michaela. I was suspicious when she agreed to go with them to confess, but I was not certain. Surprisingly, Lauren is toughest of all of them. She won't break or even bend.

 

So Annalise told Frank. She must need his help covering everything up. Has Wes told her that they did not properly dispose of Sam's body? 

 

I am becoming  more and more convinced that Annalise already knew that Sam was the father of Lila's baby and that she killed Lila after he went to see her. I can't believe that Annalise kept Sam's ring. That is so crazy.

 

I really like Wes and Rebecca. They are both a bit off which makes them a nice couple.

Edited January 30, 2015 by SimoneS

[mtlchick]

Viola Davis gives the best "I will CUT YOU" looks (as in walking out of the bathroom stall.)  It's stuff like this that justifies her win at the SAG Awards.

 

I must have missed the news that Marcia Gay Harden was coming on but as Sam's sister?  Let the scenery chewing begin! 

[discoprincess]

 

I must have missed the news that Marcia Gay Harden was coming on but as Sam's sister?  Let the scenery chewing begin! 

I'm here for this!

 

Weren't some people wishing that Viola had another actor worthy enough to go toe to toe with her on this show? It looks like she may have a worthy (acting) opponent. ;)

Edited January 30, 2015 by discoprincess

[bantering]

I don't have a hard time following the show in general, but I think the two month break affected me a bit, because I was trying to jog my memory as to who knew what as the episode was unfolding. The show made things clear as the episode was going along, but I did feel a bit disoriented at the start of the show, not because of the writing, but because of the long break. This show relies on a good working memory to some degree when new episodes start rolling in.

 

Analise looks better with the new hairstyle. 

 

Lauren is tough, but her hypocrisy is starting to bug me. At least the other ones aren't so self-righteous with their boyfriends/girlfriends.  The new softer toned down personality of the guy....oh, here's where my memory isn't working so well because of the two month break....the gay guy does make him seem somewhat more endearing. I swear I knew all of the names by the time the last season ended, but gosh these kinds of long breaks are really annoying to my brain.

Edited January 30, 2015 by bantering

[wanderingstar]

I enjoyed that. Didn't realize how much I missed this show and these characters.

 

I continue to love Wes & Annalise's dynamic. I thought it was interesting that she told him "I'm not helping you; I'm helping myself." I wonder to what extent that is true. She has always seemed to have a soft spot for him.

 

I'll always be here for Annalise's Death Glare.

 

Felt bad for Asher when Bonnie dismissed their night together.

 

Loved the hell out of that Annalise/Nate scene in his car. Can't help it, I like them together, though I totally wouldn't be surprised if he becomes suspicious of her again.

 

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Kan. Damn, Arjun Gupta is FINE!

[lulee]

I'm here for this!

 

Weren't some people wishing that Viola had another actor worthy enough to go toe to toe with her on this show? It looks like she may have a worthy (acting) opponent. ;)

Yeah, I just want to pat that prosecutor on the head after she confronts Anneliese.

[Artsda]

Compared to the Scandal episode before this, this was amazing. 

 

Frank was just dumb blurting out basically that he knew in the crowded courthouse hall. I wonder if Lauren wanting to go back to the other boyfriend is something that Annalise ordered her to do? Like Connor's statement to the police and Micheala going on like normal to her fitting. The scene went from Annalise telling them to let her help them to the 3 of them following the leader. 

 

Annalise was so confident Frank went to the sorority house. I just think if he was there, may be he wasn't alone. Or maybe she went with his laptop?

 

The bathroom scene was awesome, I just wanted Annalise to calmly point out. Being a monster would be killing someone, or letting an innocent girl go to jail for someone else's crime.

 

Really liked the ending with the Keating 5 being given a scenario that was basically them. Except Asher, who is still clueless.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Artsda

[KaveDweller]

Are we supposed to consider it fact that Sam killed Lila? Because I am not convinced.

[lulee]

Are we supposed to consider it fact that Sam killed Lila? Because I am not convinced.

Until and unless we see him tossing her lifeless body in the watertower, I'm not convinced either.

[JAYJAY1979]

An overall satisfying episode with the surprise arrival of marcia Gay Harden.  Let the clash of the acting goddesses begin!

 

With that said, the show should start getting the ball rolling on season 2's plotlines.  With only a few episodes left, now would be the time to get that started now.  I think this show and Scandal need a strong soap writer, or at least a breakdown writer to better plot the shows.  Too much focus on the main A story with no strong B and C to support it and then take over as the A story when the previous A story has resolved itself.

[ShadowSixx]

Loved Anni walking out of the bathroom stalls and shutting those two women up who was bad mouthing her. Most shows just have the character stay in the stall and listen, but Anni came right on out.

 

Laurel was a big hypocrite towards Frank in regard to him having a girlfriend while she was with her bf as well. So she really just needs to shut up. Frank needs to equally shut up at the courthouse, he might as well shout it from the rooftops.

 

Poor Asher, he's like the black sheep of everyone. Bonnie dismissed him. He's not going to be part of the murder investigation.

 

I'm glad Connor brought up the cop that saw them at Anni's house, so wonder when they're going to find that cop. Reason I like Connor and Michaela, they want to protect themselves and don't blame them since Wes and Anni are keeping secrets from them too.

 

I'm kind of up and down on Marcia Gay Harden, but I'll give her a shot on this show, I did like her character on Law & Order: SVU.

[Waldo13]

I find the show riveting and very well acted. Viola is amazing. But I don't understand why are the police treating Sam's disappearance as though it was a murder and not just a missing person. At least that what I was gathering by their interrogations. I hate that there is only 3 more episodes left to the season. After a long layoff than 3 episodes and than another layoff. Is ABC trying to kill a really good show?

[discoprincess]

When I first saw Marcia Gay Harden's character, I thought she was going to be the first Mrs. Sam Keating. I can't wait for the backstory (I hope it's good!).

 

By the way, that street address for the sorority house in real life would totally supposed to have been on Spruce Street instead of Spruce Road (although the 3900 block would have been more accurate).

 

Is ABC trying to kill a really good show?

 

Where could the show go from here in a second season (if it's renewed)?

Edited January 30, 2015 by discoprincess

[Ms Blue Jay]

Not excited about Marcia Gay Harden.  I enjoy scenery chewing a la Taraji P. Henson.  I do not care for Marcia's style and never ever have.  For me, she's not anywhere even near Goddess Viola's league, sorry.  I get they were trying to do a cliffhanger, but the sister of the husband is back, am I supposed to be shaking in my boots?  It's fucking Annalise.... she can handle it.....

 

Anyways, I'm glad "our" show is back.

 

Matt McGorry is an amazing actor I think.  Everything he does on this show and on Orange, he breaks my heart.  It's rare to see an actor like this.   Just constant vulnerability.

 

I'm a big fan of Wes, but amongst my circle of friends, I stand alone in that :)

 

Somehow I forgot that Nate existed and he's like my favourite part of the show (besides Viola).  More Viola/Nate sex please, it raises the show up to an A+++ for me, that would be great.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[jjj]

By the way, that street address for the sorority house in real life would totally supposed to have been on Spruce Street instead of Spruce Road (although the 3900 block would have been more accurate).

 

Yes, when I saw "Spruce Road," I remembered this is supposed to be in Philadelphia!  I spent a lot of time in the 4000 blocks of Spruce Street back in the day at Penn! 

 

So, the preview said "only three more episodes until the season finale" -- not sure if that means 3 or 4 more episodes, but that is not much.  Hope they resolve things rather than rely on a cliffhanger in the hope of ginning up support for another season. 

Edited January 30, 2015 by jjj

[rexytheking]

At this point there are a few things still wrong with the story:

 

-I highly doubt Annalise would tell Frank, no matter how much she trusts him. It's just too risky of a move. He can't "help" her in any way and telling him simply adds unnecessary chaos. Of course, I doubt she knew Frank would be an idiot and go straight to Laurel about it. But still think it was a much more abridged version of the actual story that was told. 

 

-Annalise kept the ring...why... this is going to be the thing that puts her in jail. Mark my words. 

 

-Wes finally showed some emotion this episode!!! He actually is human. He hasn't freaked out (emotionally) like any of the others up until this episode, so it's good to see that he's starting to realize the sheer magnitude of what he did. Though given the chance, I'd think he'd do it again...

 

-Laurel...oh laurel. I don't believe that she's that strong or level headed. In my opinion she's the scariest of the bunch, including Keating. She was completely fine throughout the entire thing. Her stunts with Frank all seemed...calculated. Like she was controlling him to be her alibi, with the timing and the trophy. She was quite obvious with the backstabbing though. I think it's fair to say most people saw that coming. 

 

-Viola is a surprisingly bad liar, at least Annalise is. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if she took Sam's phone, drove to all these places and killed Lila herself. I mean it makes sense. She has the motive. She just didn't have the guts to kill her husband herself. Now that Wes and them did her dirty work for her, she just goes with it. I'm somewhat doubting the legitimacy of the scene where she cries over Sam's body. It seemed to all go according to her plan. The only problem with this theory is that she seems to be legitimately helping Wes and the others out of the murder. If she truly just wanted him dead, what's wrong with pinpointing it on her students? 

 

-Also I just have to point out the sheer bone-chilling awesomeness when Annalise walked out of that bathroom stall. 

[cooksdelight]

The bathroom scene was my favorite. Absolute perfection, the look Annalise gave those harpies.

Asher reminds me of anyone from The Office. I didn't feel badly for him that Bonnie shot him down. She probably wishes she'd never gotten drunk that night.

I posted in the Speculation without spoilers thread regarding the murder. I'm hoping this gets resolved during this season so we can start with a new mystery in the second. I love this show for all the unexpected twists.

[Seelouis]

 I enjoyed the ride, but honestly, I don't think there was one thing in this episode that was legally sound.  

[Bean421]

Matt McGorry is an amazing actor I think.  Everything he does on this show and on Orange, he breaks my heart.  It's rare to see an actor like this.   Just constant vulnerability.

 

I'm a big fan of Wes, but amongst my circle of friends, I stand alone in that :)

 

 

 

Scoot over and make room for me.

 

I loved that we finally saw Wes show some emotion about this cluster.  His relationship with Anna is so fascinating. The way she was trying to reassure him was almost like a lover but maternal. Clearly this is a damaged young man so maybe we're supposed to think his relationship with Rebecca is weird, not OTP.

[Tiger]

I hate that there is only 3 more episodes left to the season. After a long layoff than 3 episodes and than another layoff. Is ABC trying to kill a really good show?

This spring "season" is six episodes over five weeks. Season Finale airs Feb 26th 9-11.

Starting last night ABC is new all night every night through the summer when Rookie Blue, The Whispers and some other show will be TGIT Summer. It's aftually a fantastic programming strategy that ABC has now on Mon & Thu to have almost all new programming on the nights all year long, except for those Castle and Murder repeats.

[LydiaMoon1]

You know, I wasn't really loving this show before the break.  I'm actually surprised by how much I liked it last night.

Top three reasons HTGAWM was better:

1. Annalise was gorgeous with her new hair, slightly less makeup, and a MUCH less constricting wardrobe. 
2. The choppy, back-and-forth timeline splicing, ala Damages, was gone.  It made the episode so much easier to watch.  I hope we get a simple linear timeline and sequential storytelling from now on.
3. Color, Color Everywhere! Black, White, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Hispanic. There was so much color on last night.  I LOVED it!

 

Honorable Mention:

Annalise and Nate (they sizzle)

 

One question though.

Why was Conner being so nice to Michaela?

[discoprincess]

The bathroom scene was my favorite. Absolute perfection, the look Annalise gave those harpies.

 

Those women stood there uncomfortably waiting (like me at home! )for Annalise to say something, but she never did. Ha.

[cooksdelight]

Proof that looks CAN kill. :)

[lulee]

The ring may not implicate anyone in Sam's death - Anniliese could say that Sam had left it as a sign that he was leaving their marriage.

[Ljohnson1987]

This show continues to amaze me. Wouldn't it be a conflict of interest for Annelise to take on Sam's case, of he's her husband? Yeah, I know he's dead, but that didn't seem right.  The Keating Five is kind of stupid. They didn't give Annelise enough credit for what she knew. 

[Ljohnson1987]

I want Annelise and Wes to hook up so badly. Their tension is unmistakable. They want each other. 

[Joimiaroxeu]

I want Annelise and Wes to hook up so badly. Their tension is unmistakable. They want each other.

Oh no, I can't get behind that. I'm still betting that Wes is Sam's kid and him hooking up with Annalise would be creepy, IMO. The question is, if Wes really is Sam's "love child" does he know? Annalise probably does and that could explain her simultaneously mocking yet protective attitude toward him.

 

TPTB behind this show fixed a lot of the issues posters here and other forums had been complaining about, and they fixed them fairly quickly. I'll be quite surprised if both Viola and the show don't get Emmy nods.

 

Shallow sartorial comment: was Michaela's wedding gown ridiculous or what? I know she's marrying into an upper crust family but with that over-the-top dress you'd think it was going to be a royal wedding. I wonder if her future MIL has given her approval (since she seemed to be the type who's very concerned about appearances)?

[Primetimer]

The interns try to keep their story straight, but they're not all on the same page.

Read the story

[bantering]

Laurel was pretty smart to figure out that Wes knew more than he he was letting on. Because Analise wanted everybody not named Wes and Rebecca to be kept in the dark about how she was pulling the strings, I was a bit perplexed as to why Frank let Lauren know that he knew what was going on.

 

Did Michaela and the other guy (whose name I can never remember) actually say they were going to pin the murder on Rebecca and Wes, or is that something Laurel lied about to get Wes to tell her everything she knows?

 

And does Laurel actually want the Indian guy? Or ....is there some other plan at work there? Does the Indian guy know that she cheated?

 

Because of Rebecca's smug facial expressions, which are kind of weird for someone we're supposed to perceive as innocent,  I keep thinking she did something to Lila.

Edited January 30, 2015 by bantering

[Waldo13]

I really don't think that Annalise told Frank the whole story no matter how much she trusts him. The more people that know the more people have the chance to slip up or have something to hold over your head. After all the show is called HTGAWM and many people are caught by confiding in someone or bragging about a crime. I don't think Frank would be that stupid to confront Laurel in public. I'm glad that Conner and Michaela saw the error in their ways after being so squirrelly. The DA is the type to convict no matter what and I'm pretty sure she would not cut them a break.

For me, keeping the ring is a good thing because it could show that Tom took it off before he left. Still, there is no body and no evidence of foul play then why aren't they showing them trying to track Tom down.

[FormerMod-a1]

I really don't think that Annalise told Frank the whole story no matter how much she trusts him. ...

 

I agree.  In fact, I'm not even sure she told him about the murder.  He never said what he knew, he just said he was offended Laurel hadn't told him/trusted him.  

[kikaha]

I had a different take on the bathroom scene.  Annalise commits crime after crime.  From planting evidence, to implicating innocent people, and now orchestrating the coverup of a homicide.  She regularly cheats on her husband (after cheating with him in his first marriage), yet goes ballistic when he does the same.  She manipulates everyone in sight, lies to them, puts their futures at risk to advance her own schemes. 

 

I.e. she is much more a monster than those gossipy women can imagine. 

[JenE4]

The Scooby Gang is going to out themselves the way they can't shut their traps in public. They were standing on the Keatings' porch tallking about how they killed Sam WHILE the police officers are walking in and out of the house one foot away from them collecting evidence. They couldn't have stood any closer to the foot traffic if they tried! They couldn't at least scoot down to the edge of the porch or something?! And then all of the courtroom chats and the phone calls from the police station: "We're in trouble! Your SIL is here"--while the officer and the SIL are standing right there! Gah! That drove me insane throughout the episode. They're all going to all of this trouble for a cover-up, but why don't you just confess right in front of 35 police officers, the judge, the DA, the snoopy SIL, etc. every chance you get! I was surprised Michaela didn't blurt out to the seamstress, "Yeah, I haven't been able to eat since I participated in the murder and cover-up of my professor's husband! Er, I mean, yeah, finals! Stress!" And then Annalise with her finals question: "Hey, there, kids, let's just say we have four people (not my interns of course!) who worked together to dispose of a body, how would they get away with it?" This show!

On the plus side, I loved Annalise's sparkly purple lip gloss that she had on in the interrogation scene at the beginning of the episode. I would never be able to pull off that color, but it was gorgeous on her. And, I agree with those who think she has a nicer wig now. It was a much softer look on her. So, I suppose it's like before she wanted to come off as hard-nosed defense attorney/professor with that severe angled cut, and now she needs to come off as the innocent woman grieving for her murderous husband on the lam. But, this was all the next day, so how'd she suddenly get a new wig?

Edited January 30, 2015 by JenE4

[Julie23]

I actually thought everyone acted "in character" - Connor freaking out and taking low-self-esteem Michaela with him. Laurel  and Wes being the strong ones, clueless Asher and of course Annalise being bad-ass. No way did she tell Frank everything. One thing that was not mentioned - is Michaela's ring still missing? How is she going to explain that to her fiancé?

[TVHappy9463]

All hail queen Viola! The addition of Marcia Gay Harden is genius.  This show never fails to satisfy, granted not everyone's acting is on par with Miss Davis, but they all do a good enough job. I don't think Sam killed Lila, the knowing looks between Wes and Rebecca after they walked out of court make me think their is something else going on, that has yet to be revealed.  All in all very satisfied with the show's return.  

[kikaha]

 

Connor freaking out and taking low-self-esteem Michaela with him

 

I think Michaela is the opposite of low self-esteem.  But Connor and she clearly don't have the temperament to handle this kind of pressure. 

[truthaboutluv]

I strongly debated watching this show when it returned which is why I didn't bother watching last night and hesitated a long time before watching it today. Viola is amazing and I enjoy watching Annalise's crazy but there are many things that I hate about the show right now. I still can't stand Rebecca and don't give a shit about her and Wes as a couple and can't stand him when attached to her. I'm sick of her 90's emo "I haven't had a bath in years" look and his dumb, doh face around her annoys the fuck out of me. Still don't give a shit about Frank and definitely don't give a shit about Frank and Laurel.

 

But what bothers me most is my continued annoyance at how the others got themselves in that stupid situation in the first place. The whole time Connor was telling Michaela why they should go to the police and how they could get out of any culpability, all I could think was "gee dumbass, all that should have been obvious to you before you allowed yourself to be talked into the cover up and became a full on accessory by hacking the man's body to pieces." Not to mention when they were in Wes' ugly apartment discussing all the ways they couldn't prove Sam did murder Lila or even knew she was pregnant and all I could think was "again, should have thought of all this before just listening to Wes and going to the man's house, instead of calling the damn police if they had suspicions and thought Rebecca was in danger." The stupidity of the whole situation just makes it hard for me enjoy the show. 

 

Still, all that said, for the most part it was a decent hour of television. Things moved quickly and nothing really dragged. So the lines between the Keating 4 (since Asher and his white boy trying to sound black self is completely clueless - although it will be hilarious if he's the one who figures out what's going on) are clearly drawn. Despite their often antagonistic relationship, Connor and Michaela are trusting each other more in this and well Laurel has been creepily loyal to Wes for some time now for whatever reason.

 

And Connor and Michaela should have known that the minute they went to her about going to the cops. It was also not surprising to see Connor and Michaela be the first to almost crack as they were the most shaken up that night. Wes and Laurel both almost seem sociopathic in their quiet, almost too calm demeanor. Speaking of Laurel, I thought it was interesting that prior to Wes letting her know Annalise knew, I almost felt like she was trying to throw suspicion onto Annalise both in her interrogation and her comments to Frank.

 

I am like others in still not believing Sam murdered Lila. I think that's the big twist that is still to come. I would still love for it to be Rebecca and not just because I can't stand her but again I would love to see Wes' dumb face if he finds out all this started because of his obsession with a girl who was guilty after all. The thing that I always come back to with Rebecca is Griffin's story of what happened the last time he saw Lila and what the true nature of his and Rebecca's relationship was. I'm not sure if it was just sloppy writing on the writers' part that they've forgotten and dropped or if it is evidence placed for the twist coming later.  What I'm referring to is Griffin's story that the last time he saw Lila was her walking in on him high and getting it on with Rebecca and his later realizing Rebecca set it up to happen that way.

 

We never saw Rebecca being specifically questioned about that version of what happened. Then later in the season she drops that lie about Griffin raping her that Wes was upset about because he knew it was clearly a lie. When she's confronting him about being mad about that when he had no problems with the phone being planted in Griffin's car, she asks Wes if it's because he's jealous she was with Griffin. That to me confirmed there had been something sexual between them.

 

Yet that's never explored or questioned and in the flashbacks where she was supposedly Lila's good friend, she gave no indication that she was sleeping with Griffin and instead seemed to be ragging on him to Lila. I also wondered why she was so certain Griffin didn't know Lila was sleeping with Sam or anyone and I can see it if Griffin always talked about Lila saving herself to Rebecca while they were hooking up. I just still think there's more to Rebecca's story. 

Edited January 30, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[Chicago Redshirt]

Where could the show go from here in a second season (if it's renewed)?

Before we started focusing on the big "Who killed Sam/who killed Lila" mysteries, most episodes were Cases of the Week. I think they could either revert to more of that format or introduce a new crop of interns/new mystery or go in a whole bunch of different directions.

 

One question though.

Why was Conner being so nice to Michaela?

 

Connor is a manipulator and he realizes how deep they are now. When he initially starts to crack, Laurel (I think) points out that if any one of them tries to go to the police and fess up, the rest of them will just point to that person as the true killer. So it's a combination of the Prisoner's Dilemma and Mutually Assured Destruction.

 

He realizes the only way out of that game is to make it so that he gets enough people on his side before he makes his move. So of the four, who is he going to approach. Wes is out of the question, because he lurves! Rebecca. Laurel is a relative longshot. Michaela is the best choice since she's most visibly freaked out by this, she's Shooting Star, and she is most likely to be swayed by Connor logic that if they act now they can get some semblance of their planned lives on track. If he gets just Michaela on board, it's 2 on 3 (Wes, Laurel and Rebecca), and so he wants to bring Laurel on the team. He figures that he has enough leverage to do that. Unfortunately for his plan, Laurel rattied them out to Wes, and by proxy to Annalise. 

[tennisgurl]

I am really interested in seeing where the show goes in its second season. I, like a lot of people here, don't actually think that Sam killed Lila. That could last for another season, but what after that? A new case every season? I would like to get more background on the Keating 5, it seems like, despite all getting a lot of screen time, we don't know a lot about them or their history. Some bits and pieces have been thrown out (Michaela is from a disadvantaged background, Connor went to boarding school and might have issues with his family, Wes`s mom killed herself), but I would really like to know more.

 

Watching Annalise is just so fascinating to me. I can never tell if anything she says is true, or if shes manipulating the people around her. Especially her weird ass relationship with Wes, which seems a little more sub-texty than what is comfortable. Is it on purpose?  

[mikem]

I'm so glad that we don't have the repetitive flashbacks anymore!

 

I think that Frank was referring to something else when he confronted Laurel, and she thought it was about Sam's murder but it wasn't.  I think it might have been about how she said that Sam was hitting on her.  (Did Sam ever hit on Laurel?  I don't remember.)

 

I really like the prosecutor character and the actress who plays her.  She's the one we can hiss at without mixed feelings.  Every soap needs an out-and-out villain, and she fits the bill just fine.

[Chaos Theory]

Well didn't they crack like an egg? It is actually kinda funny how quickly they broke.

Loved the bathroom scene with the snotty women when Annalise just walked out of the stall, washed her hands and left like the boss she is.

Edited January 31, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Calamity Jane]

I'm so glad that we don't have the repetitive flashbacks anymore!

 

I think that Frank was referring to something else when he confronted Laurel, and she thought it was about Sam's murder but it wasn't.  I think it might have been about how she said that Sam was hitting on her.  (Did Sam ever hit on Laurel?  I don't remember.)

 

I really like the prosecutor character and the actress who plays her.  She's the one we can hiss at without mixed feelings.  Every soap needs an out-and-out villain, and she fits the bill just fine.

She was awesome as the villain on Orange is the New Black, too. 

[Ikki]

I'm glad a few people have already mentioned the bathroom scene-- that was my favorite moment of the episode. The Bathroom Stall of Overheard Insults is such a standard trope, and I always get so frustrated when characters just stand there hidden until the people leave and then be sad about it. I always want characters to do what Annalise did-- probably because I was once in that situation and did so (though not nearly as fiercely as she did, I'm sure).

[JAYJAY1979]

I am curious about the abandoning of the case of the week element...but I think that was the weakest part of the show. Scandal could do cases of the week but this show seems better built for multi episode mysteries. Just wish that hints about next seasons direction would start

[EyesGlazed]

You know, I wasn't really loving this show before the break.  I'm actually surprised by how much I liked it last night.

Top three reasons HTGAWM was better:

1. Annalise was gorgeous with her new hair, slightly less makeup, and a MUCH less constricting wardrobe. 
2. The choppy, back-and-forth timeline splicing, ala Damages, was gone.  It made the episode so much easier to watch.  I hope we get a simple linear timeline and sequential storytelling from now on.
3. Color, Color Everywhere! Black, White, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Hispanic. There was so much color on last night.  I LOVED it!

 

Honorable Mention:

Annalise and Nate (they sizzle)

 

This.  I was getting tired of the show's frenzied pace and cardboard characters.  While I still think the show is too Shondalized -- meaning too much plot frantically crammed into every episode, too many "watch me push the envelope!" sex scenes, too many characters who never have a moment of normal behavior -- this episode was quite an improvement.  Also I'm eager to watch Marcia Gay Harden.  If TPTB keep it up, I may keep watching.

 

I really like the prosecutor character and the actress who plays her.  She's the one we can hiss at without mixed feelings.  Every soap needs an out-and-out villain, and she fits the bill just fine.

That actress is Alysia Reiner, who played the assistant warden on the first season of Orange Is The New Black.  She was terrific in that as well as a superbad, sexy politician type who was a crook but also kind of cool.

Edited January 31, 2015 by EyesGlazed

[twoods]

I don't know how they can retcon that Rebecca did it. She was at the house so she can steal incriminating info from Sam's computer so she would have evidence to help her. It doesn't make sense if she was really the killer.

I wonder how they will get away with all of this, but only a few episodes left to figure some of it out. Glad to have this show back- I missed all the soapiness of it. I'm one of the few fans of Wes (not Rebecca) so I hope he doesn't get caught.

[truthaboutluv]

I am curious about the abandoning of the case of the week element...but I think that was the weakest part of the show. Scandal could do cases of the week but this show seems better built for multi episode mysteries. Just wish that hints about next seasons direction would start

 

Judging by the promo for next week's episode, I don't think they've entirely abandoned the case of the week element. And ymmv but I'm one of those that actually like it. I think the show does need this element because if the episodes focus entirely on the murder of Sam/who really killed Lila/who's lying about what, then it increases the chances of it becoming very convoluted and hokey really, really fast. I think they need something somewhat removed from the big mysteries to keep the show going for awhile. Sort of a way to give the larger mystery breathing room.

 

I don't know how they can retcon that Rebecca did it. She was at the house so she can steal incriminating info from Sam's computer so she would have evidence to help her. It doesn't make sense if she was really the killer.

 

 

I don't understand this.  Her trying to find evidence that would make someone else look guilty makes a lot of sense if she's the real killer because she gets suspicion thrown off her entirely which is what happened this past episode. Sam was proven to be the father of Lila's baby, video footage showed him at a clinic with her proving he not only knew but was trying to convince her to have an abortion and his phone coordinates place him on campus near the sorority house around the time she would have been killed. So it seems perfectly logical he killed her except there is still no solid DNA for example on Lila's dead body proving Sam murdered her. However it was all enough to get charges against Rebecca dropped. 

 

I'm not saying for certain that Rebecca will turn out to be the killer, especially considering how the creators have spoken about the character in media interviews and the impression I've gotten that they actually intended and believe that one, people actually like her and two, like her and Wes together (yeah, no...). I also think the theories about Bonnie being the murderer makes a lot of sense. I'm just saying it wouldn't shock me if Rebecca was guilty because there are a few things that still point to her or at least make me question her that's either just sloppy writing on the writers' parts or tiny drops of evidence they've laid down.

 

Not to mention it would be a brilliant twist. A lot of this started because of Wes' obsession and determination that Rebecca was innocent and a victim of her circumstances and it would be something if all the time she was guilty and helping her got Sam who an asshole sure, but innocent of murder, killed and dragged three other people down in their actions. 

Edited January 31, 2015 by truthaboutluv

[cooksdelight]

I also think the theories about Bonnie being the murderer makes a lot of sense.

Why would Bonnie want to frame Sam for the murder, if he didn't do it? The real killer did a lot of work to make sure it looked like Sam is the guilty party. I put out my theory in the speculation thread, didn't want to get off the episode topic here.

[truthaboutluv]

Not to get too into speculation but my theory of Bonnie being guilty doesn't include her framing Sam for it. I just think she murdered Lila probably due to her weird feelings for both Sam and Annalise and Lila was a threat to them both. And we know she not only knew of Lila's existence but suspected exactly why she came to Annalise's determined to speak to her. Two, I don't think the real killer went to a lot of work to make sure Sam looked guilty. I think all the things found out about Sam in this episode were conscious actions taken by him. And they all make him look very, very guilty but it's still all circumstantial if you think about it. Thing is, I think most of what the DA had against Rebecca and Griffin was circumstantial as well. So faced with someone with far more compelling circumstantial evidence pointing to their guilt, they had to drop the charges.

 

I thought it was clear in the mid-season finale that Sam was lying and very much knew Lila had been pregnant so the DNA of the fetus matching and his trying to convince her to have an abortion all make perfect sense. I also think his lying about where he was and coming back to Philadelphia had to do with Lila but probably to try and convince her again to abort the child, not kill her. The fact is Sam's own actions do make him seem incredibly guilty because it gives him motive and opportunity but there is still no evidence far as I know that he spoke to, saw Lila that night and no evidence of his DNA on her dead body. So I don't think the real killer set it up to make Sam look guilty - he made himself look guilty.

 

Did Michaela and the other guy (whose name I can never remember) actually say they were going to pin the murder on Rebecca and Wes, or is that something Laurel lied about to get Wes to tell her everything she knows?

 

 

I'm pretty sure their plan was to go to the cops and tell them what happened which essentially would mean putting the murder on Wes and Rebecca. Connor's comment was that Rebecca was the one who went into Sam's home uninvited (which is true) and Wes dealt the fatal blow (which is also true) and they were just bystanders. Now who knows if they would have left out their part in the cover up which certainly increases their culpability. I have to say though, as a person who can't stand Rebecca and hates Wes when he's up Rebecca's ass, I was totally in support of Connor and Michaela willing to sell them down the river. 

 

Because of Rebecca's smug facial expressions, which are kind of weird for someone we're supposed to perceive as innocent,  I keep thinking she did something to Lila.

 

 

While I definitely think there's way more to her and her story with Lila, I think the smug look was just poor acting on the actress' part. 

 

But, this was all the next day, so how'd she suddenly get a new wig?

 

 

You clearly haven't met many black women who wear wigs - they very rarely ever just have one. Annalise probably has a whole collection - ones for certain weather, events, etc

Edited January 31, 2015 by truthaboutluv