This episode keeps viewers hooked until the very last word.

by Andrea Braxton

As advertised, the final nine words of the latest How To Get Away With Murder episode were worth the wait. I don’t think anyone could have resisted at least a gasp at the show’s astonishing revelation.

Let’s start with the boring stuff. Frank still wants Laurel. Nate breaks the law to investigate where Sam was on the night of the murder. Frank and Bonnie bet that Michaela will crack under the pressure of balancing her academics and work at Annalise’s firm; Asher continues to make me wonder why he is on the show. Now, on to the juicy details.

Connor is the main student featured in this episode. During the scenes set in the future, he proves that Michaela isn’t the only student capable of having a meltdown. However, as far as actual plot, nothing really happens in the future besides Connor’s panic attack. In the present, Connor continues to be both sexually demanding and cold toward Oliver, his…lover? Boy toy? Sex buddy? Connor doesn’t like labels. Oliver hints at wanting a real relationship, but Connor proves that relationships aren’t his strong suit.

The court case, as usual, serves to both entertain and reveal characters’ issues with trust (Annalise) and commitment (Connor). Annalise’s longtime client has been accused of insider trading, and it’s up to the team to play detective and figure out who actually bought the incriminating stock. The client points out that although she has known Annalise for years, she barely knows anything about her. “Do you trust anyone?” she asks. “Do you even trust Sam?” Annalise’s response is to dodge the question, which I think shows that the answer is no.

The court case reveals that, at this point, sex is the only investigative tool that Connor has. Through seduction, Connor finds out that the client’s personal assistant is part of a group of employees who illegally purchased the stock. Connor’s research also results in the assistant committing suicide, and once Oliver discovers his methods, he ends their fragile relationship. But nothing is more important than solving the case to anyone on the team. By grilling the suspects and flat-out lying, Annalise and company are able to prove their client’s innocence.

The episode also includes Rebecca’s bail hearing. In the last episode, Rebecca confesses to Lila’s murder on tape, but the prosecution won’t let Annalise see the tape until Bonnie is able to blackmail someone at police headquarters. When they prove that Rebecca was coerced into confessing, Rebecca is able to go free. She tells Annalise that she confessed partly because Wesley told her that Griffin was going to pin the murder on her. Wesley is kicked off the case for this, until he gets Rebecca to tell him why she has Lila’s phone. He is quickly reinstated as Rebecca’s confidant, and I’m sure Annalise will use Wesley’s growing romance with her client to her advantage.

After Wesley shows Annalise what is on Lila’s phone, we get what I think is the most powerful scene in the episode. At home, Annalise pulls of her wig, her fake eyelashes, and wipes off all of her makeup. The woman underneath looks vulnerable and weary. We see the Annalise that she hides under toughness and self-confidence. Completely exposed, Annalise utters the anticipated final nine words to Sam: “Why is your penis on this dead girl’s phone?” If that doesn’t make you want to watch the next episode, I don’t know what will.

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Andrea Braxton graduated from the University of Missouri in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and an English writing minor. She lives in Baltimore, MD and works as an editorial assistant for an educational publishing company. Andrea wrote recaps for TV shows for the VoxTalk blog, and if she could, she would watch TV all day. She’s addicted to Netflix and any show with a good cast and tons of drama. She has a publishing blog at http://abraxtonwriter.wordpress.com.

Photo courtesy of NBC.