'How To Get Away With Murder' Continues To Take Our Breath Away

Shonda can do no wrong.

Spoilers obviously abound below for Season 2, Episode 4 of "How to Get Away with Murder," "Skanks Get Shanked."

Not sure when we're going to end an episode of "HTGAWM" this season where we're not screaming at the TV, but that hasn't happened yet, and it doesn't look like it will.

Several things went right this episode -- there was a crazy case at hand, Annalise had to deal with Nate's wife (finally), Michaela grew some courage, Wes did some detective work, Asher betrayed everyone and the flash-forward was suspenseful as all get out.

Normally, we here in "HTGAWM" recap land don't care about the case at hand. But a crazy teen trio that killed their friend? Yeah, that finally got our attention.

On a personal level, Annalise finally met with Nate's cancer-ridden wife, Nia, who we've been wondering about for years. And, to be honest, this confrontation was a bit disappointing. Where was the outrage, like from Addison on "Grey's" or Mellie on "Scandal," that we've come to know and love from Shonda wives that have been cheated on?

She did ask Annalise to find her pills that would kill her, but that's just not what we expect, as viewers, from Nia after so many episodes of buildup. She should want to kill or wound Annalise -- not sympathize with her. She's one of the few women who should be able to bring Annalise to her knees and didn't do it.

But the rest of the episode revolved around the evolution of Michaela. The girl who was a stuttering, crying mess last murder (note how casually we throw around the term "last murder") is cold, calm and collected in the future murder fast-forward. Although taking a call on your cell that pins you near the murder scene is a rookie move. Someone hasn't listened to "Serial" recently.

In the case this week, she's on point -- excelling under pressure, despite Annalise pushing her to use her boobs to get her way. She gets to the truth of the matter with the siblings, finding out that the sister, Catherine, is a virgin (are we really doing a virginity test, ABC? Really?) in order to disprove the incest claims. And at the end of the episode, she might even be sleeping with the hot brother client, Caleb. While not professionally great, at least she's going for what she wants.

Back to the case of the week: turns out the girl that the Keating crew is defending is a murderous sociopath. Connor shows a flash of a soul and tips off the DA to her insanity, eventually standing up to Annalise himself. And that's where one of the best twists of the episode came -- Annalise threatened to expose Connor's car, which has Sam's blood in it.

The above brings us to a greater point -- this show does best when it builds on the crimes committed last season. There is so much unresolved from the last major murder, and the resulting building tension makes the sophomore season of this drama tick.

The final conversation with Nate's wife, Nia, which revolves around Annalise lecturing her on her pain, was a bit off. Once again, Annalise just really doesn't have a leg to stand on with this woman. Should she give her the drugs to die? Absolutely not. But should this conversation have gone differently? Yes.

In "What's Asher feeling guilty about this week?" news, the kid signed a plea deal to protect himself over whatever happened with him at Trouter Lake. But for Bonnie to lie for Annalise and say she killed Sam is insane. What will poor Asher do? Throw his plea deal away for the woman he loves, or forge on ahead for his own greater good?

And then even worse -- or better, really -- Annalise sees Wes and Nate conniving after Wes figures out, with Levi's help, that Rebecca is probably buried in a cemetery nearby. Gig is up, though, boys -- Boss Annalise knows. Prepare for all hell to break loose.

And then to the flash-forward: the kids are all upset because either they are mad Annalise isn't dead or think she will die. It's hard to tell, but assuredly future flash-forwards will reveal what side the kids fall on.

As for Michaela -- she ends the episode with her alleged client-lover hottie. Two boyfriends makes up for that one unfaithful fiancé, right? We're looking forward to seeing her continue to evolve this season.

On a logistical note, we only have four more weeks till we catch up with the flash-forward, but 11 more episodes. Does that mean we have half a season of Annalise Keating vengeance on the Keating quartet, plus Nate? Can you imagine anything better?

Odds and Ends

  • Connor's analysis of Annalise's bullying was on point.
  • An episode without Oliver is a sad thing.
  • Wes has a tendency to really trust people he met like 20 minutes ago. Why, we will never know.
  • In Shondaland PSA news, this week, it was parents learning about the smartphone app that looks like a calculator and hides all kinds of things on teens' phones. Hopefully, your teen is hiding innocent things instead of murder evidence.
  • Michaela was adopted?!?!
  • Bonnie and Frank should have their own show.
  • Laurel should have subtitles when she speaks in Spanish.
  • Was anyone else offended by Annalise telling Michaela to use her sexuality?
  • "Damn Cloud, worst thing ever invented," is Annalise's best line this episode.
  • That time Nate apologized for his wife to his mistress? We could not even.
  • We want all of Annalise's clothes this episode.
  • Anyone know the song in the last minutes of the episode?
  • It's incredibly ridiculous that the sister referred to her "virginity test" as passing.

"How to Get Away with Murder" airs on Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

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