Future Seasons Wishlist: How to Wish Upon a Star

[jasmynpaige97]

I'm quite ashamed. Despite my love for this show, the drama, the sex, and bad ass lawyers I have been slacking on watching the show consistently. Season 1 I absolutely loved, I finished the season in 2 days, I literally talked like I was one of the students\lawyers in training, I felt like these were my pals back in college that's how involved and dedicated I was to season 1 and I was so sad to see the second season wasn't on netflix so I started watching the second season and I think i only made it to like episode 4 before I was like "fuck this shit" That and the new season of American Horror Story had just aired so I was bouncing back and fourth trying to keep up with both shows but for some reason i just can not get into season 2 very well. What are your thoughts?

[wanderingstar]

This is a hard one for me. I LOVED season 1 so much I watched it 3 times. I have also love love loved S2. I feel like the writers upped the stakes for all the characters in a big way in the second season.

That said, S1 just edges it for me, maybe because of the novelty.

[helenamonster]

I liked S1 just fine (enough to come back and be excited for S2, at any rate) but I think so far S2 has been a vast improvement over S1 in pretty much every way. We know the characters a little better now so I care more when good and bad things happen to them. The procedural element is still there occasionally but when it is used I think the show is doing a better job of weaving it into the larger story arc. And the stakes have been raised in a major way that also manages to make sense based on in-show logic and character motivation. Overall I just find the show to be even sexier, funnier, and more interesting now than last season, which is saying a lot because I was pretty much hooked on everything in S1.

 

I think the major pro that S2 has going for it is that S1 just presented us with a lot of questions and ambiguity, but S2 is coming through with answers. Well, as many answers as can be expected from this show. We understand a little bit more about the relationship between Bonnie and Annalise. The Keating 5 are becoming more fleshed out with peeks into their backgrounds. And while we still don't know the exact connection between Annalise and Wes yet, we do finally know that there is one. One of the things that frustrated me during S1 was that I couldn't tell if I was supposed to think Annalise was Wes's mother, if she wanted to fuck him, or if the actors just had this weird energy that was not originally intended. But the answer to that question, such as it is, is much more interesting than the 2 alternatives that most people I think were bouncing back and forth between last season. I just have a lot more confidence in this show to get things right this season now that I'm more comfortable with how it works.

[Chicago Redshirt]

Although I'm overall happy with both seasons, S1 required far more idiot plotting than S2 so far. (By idiot plotting, I mean that the plot can only work if everyone involved is an idiot.)

 

Frank's killing of Lila only works if he is idiot enough to try to sneak into and out of a sorority house in the middle of the night.

 

Rebecca's being a suspect only works if she is a) idiot enough to get in the water tank, b) idiot enough to go cross town wet c) idiot enough to decide to drug Rudy d) idiot enough to "confess" rather than tell the truth to the police and e) idiot enough to lie to her own defense attorney.

 

The killing of Sam requires a) Rebecca being idiot enough to attempt to check on Sam's computer by breaking into a house where she goes every day b) her being idiot enough to carry on with the burglary when Sam's home rather than just playing it off and waiting for any of the infinite opportunities she has to steal his data c) The M4 not calling the police at any time before, during or after the encounter d) Rebecca being idiotic enough to try to walk out with the flash drive in her hands rather than in a pocket, her bra, her panties etc. e) the M4 not calling Annalise any time immediately before the encounter f) Annalise giving spectacularly bad advice to the M4.

 

I'm not sure that there is much in S2 that so requires idiocy to work.

 

It also seems that S2 has fewer classroom scenes and fewer Cases of the Week, which gives it a more streamlined feel.

 

At the same time, I was more invested in the Who killed Lila and Who killed Sam mysteries than the Who killed the Hapstalls one.

[project90]

what i have found out about next season so far feel free add in anything you find

 

After the second season finale, it was confirmed that every series regular was expected to return for the third season. TVLine announced on March 18, 2016, that Conrad Ricamora playing Oliver Hampton had been upgraded to a series-regular for the third season

 

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Peter Nowalk talked about what will happen in the third season. Regarding Frank's disappearance he commented "Yes, I can see the three-piece suits and the hair product all falling apart. It’s more what Frank feels about himself". When talking about the trust between Annalise and Frank, Nowalk said that "...Frank has two choices: To run away and hope she never catches him, just to cut bait; or he can try to win his way back. That’s a long road." Charlie Webber commented on Frank's whereabouts as he said to Entertainment Weekly "I think he’s hiding, and I think he’s alone. If he does have a lifeline, I don’t think it’s Laurel.

Regarding Laurel, Nowalk said that Laurel's backstory with her family will be explored in the upcoming season, "I feel like it’s very present. The promise of our show is that we won’t dangle things out too long. The likelihood is yes. We’ve raised that question too many times not to answer it sooner than later." Michaela's backstory will also be explored as Nowalk said "We have so much to explore with her. Aja is so talented. I’m just excited to really delve into her personal life next year." Talking to The Hollywood Reporter Nowalk said that the show will explore both Annalise and Nate's relationship and both their families

[project90]

Here, “HTGAWM” creator Pete Nowalk answers burning questions about the finale, plus teases what’s to come in Season 3.

 

 

How soon will the mystery of who-shot-Wallace be revealed in the new season?
There are two options for me — it’s either in the first minute in the show, or that’s a longer mystery because it’s a more complicated story.

 

 

My theory is that Frank is the one who shot Wallace in order to get redemption with Annalise. What do you think about that theory?

I will say that makes a lot of sense. If Frank decided I need to make good with Annalise, I’m going to get rid of one of the most evil men in her life and I’m going to show her that I’m on her side. Exactly that makes sense, but sometimes on the show, it’s our goal to do what no one expects and sometimes we just do what makes sense. It’s not a bad theory at all, and I have a theory as well and I’m going to meet with the writers in the next few months and we’re going to hash it out and see what idea we like best. It’s all up in the air.

Wes obviously didn’t have a relationship with Wallace, but still, his father was shot right in front of him and his blood was splattered all over his face. How will that affect Wes?

One year ago, I would have said Wes would have fallen apart and down a spiral, but I think he’s been through so much hell now, he’s much tougher. The thing I’m really excited to explore now is what is his relationship with Annalise now. They’ve been on such opposite sides because she’s been aggressively protecting him, but also hiding a secret from him, but now that everything is out on the table, he has to decide whether to trust her. He’s alone so I think there’s a version where they grow much closer and they work together so that’s what is really appealing to me right now.

 

Whether or not Frank shot Wallace, he is missing. Is he actually gone or will he come back?

 

There’s a very good option that he’s gone for good — that he fled to South America and will hide away from Annalise forever. That bag has a lot of money and he hasn’t touched it this whole time. He’s been atonning for that sin for these past ten years without Annalise even knowing it. Or, he’s going to try to win her love back. Those are just two options. There’s a big mystery still of who was he before he met Annalise. What happened between him and Sam beyond that secret that they kept in the hospital? Those are all stories I want to keep telling and explore. We’ve only now just revealed one secret so there’s got to be a lot more.

 

What does Annalise mean when she tells Bonnie “he needs to go” — does she want Frank dead?

 

I think that’s a really good question, but I will not answer that question because I think it’s up to the audience. I didn’t know how Viola was going to perform it. I just trusted that she would in her own way, and I think she probably has one meaning for it. This is the biggest betrayal of her life, besides Sam being involved in Lila’s murder. For her, in that moment, she does not see a way to forgive Frank or even a desire to forgive Frank. Instead, it’s the opposite. It’s this desire to see him go — however you want to interpret that. We’ll reveal more about that next season.

 

If Frank is back, what is the relationship between him and Bonnie going to look like? A lot has changed.

 

Bonnie is going to have to chose sides basically. Bonnie is like, Annalise, we can forgive Frank, it was Sam’s fault! She’s trying to be the peacemaker. And Annalise is like, hell no! Bonnie is basically going to have to chose a side in this war and I don’t know which one she’ll chose. Within that, there’s also the mystery of how did Bonnie and Annalise first met and who is Bonnie most loyal to.

In the new season, do you want to explore Bonnie’s backstory just as much as you did with Frank’s this season?
Both of their backstories, we’ve hinted at certain things, but we haven’t shown it. The storylines that I have in my head are very rich and complex, so I don’t know when we’ll tell them, but I think they are worth seeing.

 

Speaking of backstory, why did you want Annalise to visit her childhood home?

 

A few reasons. I wanted to bring Cicely back obviously this season, and she wasn’t available until our finale because she was doing a play. I knew I wanted Annalise to find out that Frank killed Lila. She’s been betrayed by another man, and who is she going to go to? She can go to Eve, but I feel like Annalise’s only choice is to flee town. And then also, I just love the challenge and the weirdness of changing the show’s energy and changing the location. The finales with the way we’ve done them, they’re high-intensity and exciting and I just wanted to do something different. It was scary and really hard doing that storyline, but for me, I always respond to the biggest challenge so that was my goal.

 

Why did the Hapstall case end how it did with Caleb being the killer, and him ultimately taking his own life?

 

For a while, I felt like it was too expected that it would be Caleb — the one who we got to know better and the one that Michaela fell for. I just thought that people may see it coming. But in the end, it felt like the thing that made the most sense and obviously, sometimes we go for surprise, but for me I just wanted it to make sense. We didn’t provide clear-cut evidence, like in the real world you never actually know — you know people are charged with murder and put in jail, but there’s always the chance that they didn’t do it — so I think we gave as much evidence as they would have gotten in the real world just to prove that he did it, and I think that his suicide basically answered the question. He gave up.

 

Is the Hapstall case done, or will it bubble up again in Season 3?

 

I’d say it’s 95% done. If anything, it will just be small little things that we would maybe touch upon to make it feel real, but that case was always designed as a case of the season so the case is closed in my mind right now. But you never know what will happen, but I really wanted a clean slate to start next year.

 

Next season, will there be a long case like the Hapstalls or will it be back to the case-by-case format?

 

I don’t know to be honest. What I feel strongly about the show is that we don’t have to follow a formula. We can always mix it up. We had just a few less cases of the weeks this year just because we had so much to accomplish with revealing what happened to Annalise’s baby and her connection to Rose. I feel like the show works best when we’re balanced and you don’t really know what coming, but to me, there’s no rules.

 

You said you’re excited about having a clean slate, but what storylines from the first two seasons will continue into Season 3?

 

It’s been important to me since the beginning to not have things happen to these characters and forget about them happening. I put a lot of faith in the audience that they’ll want to keep up so it’s a balance — I don’t want it to get too complicated and for people to have to remember every little thing that happens, but my favorite shows always took into account the character’s pasts, and with these actors, they’re always wanting to dig more into their characters and their backstory. It’s about making their characters feel believable and possible and those are the stories that I really want to continue. I want to find out who Laurel’s father is, I want to find out who Michaela’s adopted family is and how that ties into who they are.

 

Wes still hasn’t come full circle with the Rebecca storyline. Will that arc be brought back?

 

That’s all up for grabs, as it would be in real life. Secrets sit for 20 years and then they flare up in a moment, like Annalise’s baby did. You never know. I just don’t want to overwhelm the audience with nitty-gritty details.

 

Asher and Michaela have been hooking up. Are you going to continue to explore that relationship?

 

I think definitely. I don’t think that characters can just pretend that things have never happened like they said. We just left Michaela now realizing that she has kind of fallen for a serial killer. Asher is actually a really kind, chill, good guy. I think when he says to her “You’re really something,” she doesn’t hear that enough in her life and I’m not saying that she should go for him, but I think in her state, she’s really desperate and sad and alone so I get her going towards him. And I really get him falling for her because she’s a challenge for him. Bonnie dumped him and he’s trying to get over Bonnie and Michaela is this amazing challenge and I think Asher probably needs that.

 

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/how-to-get-away-with-murder-finale-season-3-spoilers-1201732085/

Edited March 20, 2016 by project90

[wanderingstar]

For season 3, I'd love to see Wes and Annalise talk it out about him shooting her. That shooting was one of the main reasons they didn't interact much in the second half of season 2. Which is a shame - because Wes/Annalise is probably my favorite relationship on the show. 

 

I'd also like to get more info on how Annalise and Bonnie met, as well as some insight into the twisted nature of their relationship.

 

And of course, I want my Laurel/Wes hookup. They don't have to be a couple, but gimme at least one hot hookup between them!

[RedheadZombie]

This thread is a great idea. Thanks for starting it. I'm wondering if it should be labeled as speculation with spoilers. I don't have a problem with the posted links, but there are very mild spoilerish details, and some people rigorously avoid those.

[Happytobehere]

After the second season finale, it was confirmed that every series regular was expected to return for the third season. TVLine announced on March 18, 2016, that Conrad Ricamora playing Oliver Hampton had been upgraded to a series-regular for the third season

 

 

While I'm glad Oliver is being upgraded, I think keeping all the cast is a mistake. HTGAWM is the type of show that thrives on cast changes, the audience should never get too comfortable with any of the Keating five or Nate for that matter. Obviously VD is irreplaceable, I think Frank might be as well, but he needs to be pulled out of Laurel's orbit, he lost some of his fierceness when paired with her. Not yet sure about Bonnie. I think she both loves and hates Annalise, so she can be disposable.