How to Get Away with Murder: Season 1 Review

I had extremely low expectations for this show when I first started watching it. I normally never watch network TV shows (other than NBC’s amazing Hannibal). I just feel like, why waste my time on something that can’t really push the envelope the way HBO and Showtime television can?
Well, fortunately Shonda Rhime’s latest production (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal), How to Get Away with Murder surpassed my expectations. The first couple episodes I wasn’t thrilled with, but as the season went on and the characters and plot developed things became really interesting. HTGAWM doesn’t reinvent the wheel or anything, but it is thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable.

Just because.

The best thing about the show is of course Viola Davis. She is a great actress and it is wonderful to see her finally have a role worthy of her talents. Annalise Keating is quite a complicated character. She doesn’t always make sense or seem very human. But Viola’s portrayal gives her dimensions that make Annalise both admirable, horrifying, and worthy of pity. I’ll be very surprised if she doesn’t get away with an Emmy this fall (see what I did there? ;))

More Asher love.

HTGAWM is kind of guilty pleasure viewing. It reminds me of a late night, scandalous soap opera. Some of the plot points and characters are over the top, but if you throw logic out the window the show is quite fun. Some of the twists and turns are genuinely shocking (that finale!), so it is always fun to discuss the next day. At first the characters all seemed quite shallow and stereotypical (well other than Annalise). For a while I couldn’t really differentiate the students from one another. But it was really fun to see them all blossom in their own unique ways. At first Connor (Jack Falahee) was my favorite. And while I still like him he has been surpassed by the wonderful, pathetic, hilarious Asher (Matt McGorry). Asher has so many quote worthy and gif worthy moments that I can’t mention them all here. But he is truly something special (take that however you want). Laurel (Karla Souza) was very annoying and boring at first. But it gradually became apparent that she is actually the most intelligent of all the students. Although she did sleep with Frank (Charlie Weber) … And Frank! Well he was also quite boring until maybe the last 5 minutes of the finale. I think he’ll become a lot more interesting next season. It is kind of ironic, but Wes (Alfred Enoch), the most important of all the students, the most important character after Annalise, is as boring and dull as he was at the beginning. I think it is partly the fault of the actor not being good or charismatic. But Wes has always been written as a bit of a clean slate, someone the audience can project themselves into.

Who dunnit this time?

The highlight of the entire season had nothing to do with Annalise or the students. It all came down to Mama (Cicely Tyson). Wow, what a scene stealer! She was so hilarious and fun to watch. Cicely is the perfect person to play Annalise’s mother. Hopefully she’ll be back next season!
How to Get Away with Murder ended up being very fun to watch this winter. Hopefully next season will be just as fun. Rating for Season 1: 7.5/10

So let’s speculate, who killed Rebecca? My money is on Laurel at this point.

How to Get Away with Murder: Episode 9; Kill Me, Kill Me, Kill Me.

Ding Dong the Dick is dead.

So I finally got around to watching the winter finale of HTGAWM (it takes me a full 30 seconds to type that). Nearly two weeks late, but I recently started a new job, so I’m a little behind on blogging.
Anyways this ended up being a pretty good episode. Although it didn’t start out that way. The crime this week is Sam’s murder.The first three thirds were pretty easy to see coming as most of it had already been alluded to in past episodes. I was starting to hate Annalise and her pathetic need/love of Sam (Tom Verica), her a**hole husband. And then near the very end of the episode as Wes says to Sam’s body “I’m so sorry” Annalise utters the words “Don’t be.” And I was excited and enamored with the show again. Annalise’s pathetic, sappy voice mail to her husband was just an act! She’s actually glad he is dead (as is the audience). Hopefully for the rest of the season (which doesn’t air again until the end of January) will see more of the strong Annalise than the weak one.

Kill me, kill me, kill me.

Tidbits:
• The fight between Annalise and Sam at the beginning of the episode was pretty juicy! I’m glad they got all that out before Sam dies. It was satisfying to hear Annalise tell Sam about her affair with Nate. And Sam finally told the truth. Great scene from both actors.
• I’m still not totally convinced Sam is the one that killed Lila. He never actually admitted to it. Maybe Annalise did it…
• “You want the truth? You’re nothing but a piece of ass, that’s what I saw…That’s all you’re good for, dirty, rough sex, you disgusting slut.” Whoa Sam, you married someone that you found that repulsive?

Wes may have dealt the final blow, but everyone (excluding Asher, finally it’s good to be the outcast!) is implicated.

• I was right, Wes kills Sam to protect Rebecca.
• “I’m like the most grown up grown up ever compared to your dumb asses.” Said like a true grown up with face paint on Asher.
• Asher’s pissed that his trophy got stolen then he says “Screw it” and parties it up. He knows how to live in the present.
• Annalise and Cop Boy Toy Nate have hot sex. This is a great improvement over Sam. Although it would be nice if Annalise could find a guy that’s single for once.
• Bonnie is making out with some old dude in order to forget about being fired. But then she’s like fuck it, I want some young dick, and calls up Asher. Bravo Bonnie!
• The Bonnie/Asher sex scene is very funny. “Just come here you idiot.” I feel bad for Asher though. He doesn’t seem to realize that he’s being used.

Well, Frodo still has the ring on at this point. (I think Michaela is more of a Gollum though).

• “Enough about the ring, Frodo.” Connor to Michaela who was dumb enough to lose her engagement ring the night she is involved in a murder. This girl is so dumb, how can she even attend law school? They’ll all get caught just because of that ring.
• Frank’s girlfriend broke up with him. Tell someone who cares. And actually, why did she break up with him now if he has had a long string of affairs that she knew about?
• Oliver is kind of cute without the glasses.
• I was hoping Connor could fix things with Oliver. But he just fucks them up even more.
• Annalise emerges without her hair and make-up done in front of everyone. That must have been a shocker for the students.
• Annalise believes Sam has ‘fled.’
• Annalise turns out to be one of TVs great sociopaths.

“Don’t be.”

Season rating so far: 8/10

I don’t normally watch this kind of TV show (I’m more an HBO/Showtime kind of girl), but I really enjoy How to Get Away With Murder. Yes, it is a little ridiculous at times and not very realistic. But it’s enjoyable. It keeps me guessing and intrigued. I think it must be very difficult to write a compelling TV show. This one has succeeded so far in keeping my interest. But I do wish some of the characters were developed more, especially Annalise. Hopefully the rest of the season is just as captivating.

Season MVP so far: Viola Davis, who else? This woman has given a flawless performance all season. Give her all the Emmys and Golden Globes already.

Even Wes is like yeah, give her all the awards (gif courtesy of popinsomniacs.tumbler.com)

How to Get Away with Murder: Episode 7; He Deserved to Die.

Asher has such a way with words.

“Voodoo penis.” One of few highlights this episode. Okay, I’ve been pretty slow with my HTGAWM (WTF????) recaps these days. But at least I’m getting this one up before tonight’s new episode! Okay, last week’s episode was pretty boring, one of the worst ones to me. It seemed like nothing happened until the revelation at the very end. I think this episode was boring because it’s the ‘Rebecca’ episode. And she is extremely unlikeable and annoying. I agree with Annalise when she calls Rebecca a ‘terrorist.’ This episode she holds everything interesting about the show hostage.
Tidbits:
• Did Rebecca kill Sam? She says she did it and her story makes sense but… I think she might be taking the fall for Wes. I could see him killing Sam in order to avenge Annalise and protect Rebecca. I think that would be more interesting anyways.
• Asher (Matt McGorry) is my new favorite character, sorry Connor. He just has all the funny lines these days. “Play on playa.”
• Annalise reveals that she had a series of miscarriages previously. There’s some heavy handed fore-shadowing for you.
• I love how Asher hugs the trophy to him during class.
• “You forgot his name and he’s still into you? What, do you have some sort of voodoo penis?” hahahaha, Asher, you so funny. I also love how he admires Connor and his skills, “I’m so mad I wasn’t born gay.”
• How can Annalise’s Cop Boy Toy still get her any information? I thought he was fired or demoted or something.
• “This works on women as well as men.” You can say that again Connor (Jack Falahee).
• “Hey, uh, there seems to be a problem with my phone…your number’s not in it.” Asher’s pick up line.
• “She said leave.” At this point Bonnie is not showing any favoritism or interest in Asher… so how the hell do they end up screwing?!
• The bitching between Annalise and that other female lawyer was pretty funny.

Wes (Alfred Enoch) and Rebecca (Katie Findlay).

• Rebecca and Wes finally have sex. That’s nice and all, but I’m still waiting for Annalise to pounce on him.
• The Wes/Rebecca sex scene is contrasted with Lila’s second autopsy…eww, way to kill the mood!!!

Yeah, Oliver is one lucky bastard.

• Connor goes to give Oliver flowers, but some big, sexy guy answers the door instead. Nerdy Oliver gets all the hot guys!!
• Laurel admits feelings for Bearded Dude Whose Name I Forget. They also finally get it on.
• Cop Boy Toy and Rebecca align against Sam.
• Of course Ice Queen (Bonnie) interrupts Sam and Annalise potentially getting it on. She must stand at the door with her ear to the key hole.
• Lila was pregnant! And it can’t be by her chaste, Christian boyfriend who had taken a vow of silence…. It was you Sam!! Shocker!! (Not really, but whatev)
• Sam is a dirt bag, but Annalise will never break up with him. Hard to like her when she consistently lets him walk all over her.

How to Get Away with Murder: Episode 6; Freakin’ Whack-A-Mole.

This was a good episode, although not the most exciting. If last week was the Laurel episode, this week was the Asher episode. Of all the students Asher (Matt McGorry) has stood out the least. This episode fleshes him out, but at the end of the day he is still a boring character. Although he can dance quite well (and hilariously).

Work it, Asher!

A highlight of the episode for me was the scene in which Annalise tells Sam,“I need you. Don’t you get that?” I like how gradually the show has shown how truly vulnerable and weak Annalise is. Her attitude in the court room and in her public life is a drastic contrast to how she feels on the inside. She has such low self-esteem that she clings to a cheater face husband who may also be a murderer. You can tell in this scene, and it’s because of Viola’s acting, that she hates herself for this weakness. It will be interesting to see how she falls apart when Sam is dead.
Tidbits:
• “You’re disgusting. You disgust me!” Wes to Annalise. The look on her face is like her whole world has fallen apart. And I guess it has since no one seems to like her anymore.
• “La-la-la-loser.” Asher made a funny. Haha.
• “The justice system doesn’t always reward the ones that tell the truth, but the ones with the power to make their own.” Sad, but true.
• “’Cause when I filed the petition I didn’t know you were screwing some white whore!” Annalise telling it like it is. When is she really going to crack? We’re getting close. After Sam’s murdered?
• Does Ice Queen aka Bonnie (Liza Weil) always eavesdrop on Annalise and Sam? Methinks she does.

Bitch, you don’t fool me. Bonnie (Liza Weil) and Sam (Tom Verica).

• Speaking of Bonnie she tells Sam “It’s for Annalise. I’d do anything for her.” Bitch, please! If you mean you would screw her husband for her, then yes. Otherwise STFU.
• Wet, half naked Wes answers the door when Annalise comes a knockin’. When are they going to take care of this sexual tension?!
• Annalise tells Wes, “We missed you in class.” By ‘we’ you mean ‘me,’ right, Annalise?
• I like how everyone knows Wes is the teacher’s pet. The kids probably have a betting pool on when Wes and Annalise are going to bone.
• “Wow, someone have daddy issues?” “Someone have a gay fiancé?” Hahaha, I love this little squabble between Michaela and Connor. When are they really going to have it out? My money’s on Connor, by the way.
• Ice Queen tells Laurel to back off of Frank and quit leading him on. And maybe IQ should stop leering at Sam 24/7.
• “You tapping that ass, or what?” Connor to Wes about Rebecca. I love Connor.
• Asher freaks out at everyone, runs towards them, and ends up tripping over a bunch of boxes. Hilarious. I have to agree with Connor when he says, “That’s the best thing I’ve seen in days.”
• I love how hard Annalise goes after that Senator. It gave me goose bumps.
• Annalise’s client gets released pretty quickly. Definitely not how that would go down in the real world.

Annalise is trying to protect both Sam and Rebecca (and therefore Wes).

• Annalise is setting up Lila’s boyfriend for her murder. It’s her way of proving to Wes that she can protect both Sam and Rebecca. But her Boy Toy Cop knows what she’s up to.
• Asher and Bonnie are sleeping together? Whaaaat?????? That came out of nowhere! She is such a hypocrite. Bonnie always rags on Frank for sleeping with the students when she’s as much of a dog as he is. She is quickly becoming my most hated character on this show. I think she may be the true villain on this show, possibly killing Lila because she was jealous of her fling with Sam.