The review I wrote earlier (http://jorahandal.tumblr.com/post/131297875794/fans-get-shanked-for-42-minutes-how-to-get-away) Last night’s episode of How To Get Away With Murder was downright boring. The momentum from the season 1 finale has dissipated completely and the show now wanders without any clear direction, and wherever it’s supposed to be going it’s doing so very slowly.
This episode’s case had only one interesting thing: Annalise’s insane client, played by famed ex-child actress Sammi Hanratty (she’s 20 now, but that’s the equivalent of a Hollywood 15-16). While Hanratty’s performance was neither riveting nor spectacular, it’s a certain highlight for the episode, given that she’s a well known face in the industry and her character opens the door to the issue of high school bullying, and that on occasion it goes way out of hand.
Another thing this episode does is further analyse Annalise’s using of the Keating 5, and whether or not she brainwashes them. By setting Connor against Annalise because of this issue, and once again displaying her immorality regarding her clients, she continues to set every one of her allies, subordinates and various “puppies” against herself. While the issue of defense lawyers working for the accquital of guilty clients is not a new issue for legal dramas, it’s something that deserves a great deal of debate. Annalise herself claims that the took a vow to defend their client to the best of their abilities and while that is the truth, I don’t think it got the appropiate in-depth discussion it deserves. If you’re intigued by this subject I recommend you watch The Good Wife 1x13 “Bad”, 1x22 “ Hybristophilia” and basically every episode that features Dylan Baker playing the riveting wife-killer Colin Sweeny. The main problem of this episode’s dealing with the issue is portraying Annalise as ruthless, selfish, borderline-sociopathic and immoral. This way, it just seems that she doesn’t care about her client’s guilt at all and whether she will kill again, as long as she gets paid.
Probably the only thing about this episode that deserves praise is the plot line involving Nate’s dying wife Lia. In what was probably the most unorthodox exchange between a woman and her husband’s mistress, she contacted Annalise and asked her for assistance in her suicide. This is another very interesting and controversial issue that could have been explored a lot more, if it wasn’t for the constant disctractions that plagued the episode. Though Annalise’s final conversation with Nia was perfect, the foundations of her argument where new and as such, felt out of place.
I think about it a lot, killing myself. I have ever since I was a child. A lot of times, I think the world would be a much better place without me in it. But I don’t do it. You’re a better woman than me. And if I don’t deserve to die, then you definitely don’t. I’m sorry you feel alone in your pain, but so do I. So does everybody. That’s life.
This would have been perfect if we had actually seen Annalise considering suicide in the first place. Without it, the scene felt almost empty. This is another thing that could have been great if it wasn’t for poor execution.
I was dissapointed that Asher’s Tiffany-related secret was not revealed, but it’s probably for the best. If whatever happened had been revealed in 2x04 it probably have felt extremely weak and out of place. All of Asher’s scenes in this episode felt hollow because we don’t know what the Trotter Lake incident is, but that is an unfortunate sacrifice that the writers had to make. You can’t always have the plot coincide with the perfect moment in a character’s evolution for a big reveal.
Meanwhile, Frank, Laurel and Bonnie remained almost useless. Michaela’s only development was (apparently) having a crush on accussed parent-killer Caleb Hapstall. Meanwhile, Catherine was confirmed to be a virgin, which kind of puts to bed the rumours about her incestuous relationship with Caleb. Finally, Wes, Levi and Nate continue to uncover more information about Rebbeca’s death, only for Annalise to witness Nate and Wes plotting together.
Without any clear direction or strong driving force, this episode was definetely the worst of the season (so far) and probably of the entire series. The pace is extremely slow, and the writers seem to be repeating themselves (Michaela’s relationship with Caleb would be the equivalent to Wes and Rebecca). While not unbearable, it was certainly dissapointing. It pains me to give it a 6, but it’s just how it is. Better luck next time How to Get Away With Murder.
Review by JoacoBlockedParent2015-12-15T17:13:12Z
The review I wrote earlier (http://jorahandal.tumblr.com/post/131297875794/fans-get-shanked-for-42-minutes-how-to-get-away)
Last night’s episode of How To Get Away With Murder was downright boring. The momentum from the season
1 finale has dissipated completely and the show now wanders without any clear direction, and wherever it’s supposed to be going it’s doing so very slowly.
This episode’s case had only one interesting thing: Annalise’s insane client, played by famed ex-child actress Sammi Hanratty (she’s 20 now, but that’s the equivalent of a Hollywood 15-16). While Hanratty’s performance was neither riveting nor spectacular, it’s a certain highlight for the episode, given that she’s a well known face in the industry and her character opens the door to the issue of high school bullying, and that on occasion it goes way out of hand.
Another thing this episode does is further analyse Annalise’s using of the Keating 5, and whether or not she brainwashes them. By setting Connor against Annalise because of this issue, and once again displaying her immorality regarding her clients, she continues to set every one of her allies, subordinates and various “puppies” against herself. While the issue of defense lawyers working for the accquital of guilty clients is not a new issue for legal dramas, it’s something that deserves a great deal of debate. Annalise herself claims that the took a vow to defend their client to the best of their abilities and while that is the truth, I don’t think it got the appropiate in-depth discussion it deserves. If you’re intigued by this subject I recommend you watch The Good Wife 1x13 “Bad”, 1x22 “ Hybristophilia” and basically every episode that features Dylan Baker playing the riveting wife-killer Colin Sweeny. The main problem of this episode’s dealing with the issue is portraying Annalise as ruthless, selfish, borderline-sociopathic and immoral. This way, it just seems that she doesn’t care about her client’s guilt at all and whether she will kill again, as long as she gets paid.
Probably the only thing about this episode that deserves praise is the plot line involving Nate’s dying wife Lia. In what was probably the most unorthodox exchange between a woman and her husband’s mistress, she contacted Annalise and asked her for assistance in her suicide. This is another very interesting and controversial issue that could have been explored a lot more, if it wasn’t for the constant disctractions that plagued the episode. Though Annalise’s final conversation with Nia was perfect, the foundations of her argument where new and as such, felt out of place.
I think about it a lot, killing myself. I have ever since I was a child. A lot of times, I think the world would be a much better place without me in it. But I don’t do it. You’re a better woman than me. And if I don’t deserve to die, then you definitely don’t. I’m sorry you feel alone in your pain, but so do I. So does everybody. That’s life.
This would have been perfect if we had actually seen Annalise considering suicide in the first place. Without it, the scene felt almost empty. This is another thing that could have been great if it wasn’t for poor execution.
I was dissapointed that Asher’s Tiffany-related secret was not revealed, but it’s probably for the best. If whatever happened had been revealed in 2x04 it probably have felt extremely weak and out of place. All of Asher’s scenes in this episode felt hollow because we don’t know what the Trotter Lake incident is, but that is an unfortunate sacrifice that the writers had to make. You can’t always have the plot coincide with the perfect moment in a character’s evolution for a big reveal.
Meanwhile, Frank, Laurel and Bonnie remained almost useless. Michaela’s only development was (apparently) having a crush on accussed parent-killer Caleb Hapstall. Meanwhile, Catherine was confirmed to be a virgin, which kind of puts to bed the rumours about her incestuous relationship with Caleb. Finally, Wes, Levi and Nate continue to uncover more information about Rebbeca’s death, only for Annalise to witness Nate and Wes plotting together.
Without any clear direction or strong driving force, this episode was definetely the worst of the season (so far) and probably of the entire series. The pace is extremely slow, and the writers seem to be repeating themselves (Michaela’s relationship with Caleb would be the equivalent to Wes and Rebecca). While not unbearable, it was certainly dissapointing. It pains me to give it a 6, but it’s just how it is. Better luck next time How to Get Away With Murder.