If you would like to read my review of last week’s episode, click here.
Synopsis: Annalise is confronted with disturbing news involving one of Isaac’s patients. Meanwhile, the investigation into Wes’ murder comes to a head, and details of the whereabouts of Laurel’s baby are revealed. (IMDB)
Writer: Joe Fazzio
Director: Rob Hardy
Rating: TV-14
Running Time: 43mins
Now that was intense. HTGAWM is at its best when things are at its worst for these characters and this episode was that from beginning to end. This was some exciting television as we witnessed the events leading to the flashforward that had teased us so far this season from multiple perspectives so keep up.
The episode started with Oliver at the party where he got a phone call that prompted him to take an elevator down to a lower floor where he met Laurel, Asher, and Michaela huddled around a dead body. Of course we didn’t know their identity right away as at the end of the last episode, Oliver told Connor the truth about everything so Connor had to confront everyone else. Meanwhile, Annalise met with Bonnie who wanted her back because Bonnie loved Annalise but Annalise wanted none of it. Isaac also confronted Jacqueline for confronting Annalise.
Connor thought they were all crazy. He then called out Frank who tried to choke him. Connor was now going to the party. At the party, Michaela tried to take Tegan’s purse but was unsuccessful. Simon took a few shots at Connor. Laurel waited for a phone call while Frank was setting Simon up. Annalise and Laurel were reflecting on what’s happened to them. Laurel got a phone call, Annalise went back to Isaac, and Bonnie went to Nate’s to drink.
Annalise told Isaac that she wanted him back. Simon was drunk and apologized to Oliver while admitting that he was only doing it because he was jealous of Connor for being with Oliver. When they started to have second thoughts about setting up Simon, Michaela reminded them of what Simon had done to them. Isaac couldn’t be Annalise’s therapist again because of what she knew about him. Annalise made her plea but she had to go when Connor called her to tell her what was going on.
Michaela got Tegan’s purse before she was to give a speech so Oliver and Laurel had to get her keycard, enter the server room, and get the files before Tegan finished her speech. Simon was suspicious of Michaela. The system was more complicated than Oliver anticipated with files on different servers so they had to download files from all the servers. Oliver’s earlier phone call came from Connor who was looking for him. Connor warned him that Annalise now knew everything so that was why Oliver took the elevator down to warn the others. The body that Oliver saw was Simon which was his first dead body so it prompted an appropriate reaction.
Before that, after Oliver and Laurel got the files, Laurel and Asher asked Oliver to plant the keycard on Simon by taking advantage of the fact that he had feelings for him. Meanwhile, Simon confronted Laurel, Asher, and Michaela about what was going on. Laurel offered to pay but he just wanted to know what was in her bag. Simon got her bag and pulled a gun out of it. As the others tried to approach him, Simon stepped back, tripped, and shot himself in the head.
As Laurel, Asher, and Michaela tried to figure out what to do, Laurel got a call from Annalise that she didn’t answer and Oliver walked in on them, warned them about Annalise, and then saw Simon’s body. Oliver tried to save him while Michaela was more concerned about Laurel. She planted the keycard on Simon and she thought to make Simon’s death look like a suicide. As Annalise was heading back to her hotel room, she called Frank to scold him about his involvement. Michaela went back to the party covered in blood and crying for help. She also told Connor to meet up with Laurel.
Before Annalise got into her room, she heard someone in pain. After Laurel left the party, she was taking a taxi home but after she listened to a voicemail from Annalise she decided to go there instead. As she walked into the hotel, Laurel was dripping blood and continued to bleed profusely while in the elevator. Frank hit her stomach when he shoved her off of him while he was choking Connor. When it got worse, the elevator stopped near Annalise’s floor, leaving her trapped and in pain. Her phone had no signal so she cried for help and then fainted.
Annalise heard her and opened the door, however, she couldn’t open the gate. She called the ambulance but they were still minutes away. Annalise tried to wake her up. She was frantic with the 911 operator as she tried to get to Laurel’s baby through the gate. Meanwhile, Simon was in surgery and the police arrested Asher. While Connor called Michaela to try and find Laurel, Dominic was listening. Annalise got the baby out and while she was performing CPR on the baby, the doctors were performing CPR on Simon. Annalise got extremely emotional, wanting the baby to live after she had lost hers while Simon died on the operating table.
As the title card appeared at the end, a baby cried.
Overall, this was an amazing episode that was both intense and thrilling to watch from beginning to end and featured an incredible performance by Viola Davis in the final scene. It gave us most of the answers while leaving some for us to ponder until the show returns early next year. The party incident isn’t quite over yet so it will be interesting to see how these characters will react after what has happened and whether they will ultimately succeed.
Score: 10/10
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
