How to Get Away With Murder – Stay Strong, Mama

By: Dustin Bradley

ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” was all new and Mr. Castillo is back and causing trouble for the kids and Laurel. Annalise is back at it with the class action suit with a little help from Connor. And Bonnie is still out for blood with Annalise. Let’s dive into Stay Strong, Mama.

We open with dual scenes of Annalise’s (Viola Davis) session with Dr. Isaac (Jimmy Smits) and the doctor’s own therapy session. After last week’s session with Bonnie (Liza Weil), Isaac is ashamed that he breached “doctor-patient privilege,” but he wants to continue his sessions with Annalise because she too has lost a child. His friend/therapist Jacqueline (Kathryn Erbe) tells him that he needs to cut his losses with Annalise and send her to someone else since she triggers him so much. But he refuses.

Over in Bonnie’s world, she has been reassigned to a different case after a win against Annalise. She also got visited by Dr. Isaac who tries to convince her to continue therapy but with someone else. I don’t know why his aim is here or if he genuinely wants her to be better.

Connor (Jack Falahee) is continuing to work with Annalise on the class action suit. This week they have to deal with D.A. Denver (Benito Martinez) trying to take away the home of one of Annalise’s former cell mates, Claudia (Yolanda Ross), which will force mother and children out on the streets. Annalise and Connor fight back and eventually hold a press conference where Claudia’s son calls out the D.A.’s office for trying to ruin the life of innocent bystanders. Connor realized this episode that he actually enjoys the work that he and Annalise are doing and that maybe she isn’t as awful as he once thought.

The “Antares” case is still on. Michaela (Aja Naomi King) and Oliver (Conrad Ricamora) begin to freak out when a major meeting is held at the lawfirm. They believe it’s about the hack that they facilitated a few episodes ago. Little do they know that it actually is about the return of Mr. Castillo (Esai Morales) and his plan to take Antares public. This also means that they have to put up a better firewall at the firm and the only way to get through it would be to manipulate and jeopardize Tegan’s (Amirah Vann) career once again. A plan that Michaela is very hesitant on.

Laurel believes he is doing this to not only gain more money, but also to continue his coverup of his involvement in Wes’ murder. After some clever investigating, Asher (Matt McGorry) is finally in the know about everything that Michaela, Laurel and Oliver have been up to. He brought a nanny cam to Laurel and confronted Michaela about her lying about working late and being Laurel’s Lamaze partner. Even after she tells him the truth he still leaves and moves in with Bon-Bon and Frank (Charlie Weber).

Speaking of Frank, he passed his LSAT and is determined to be apart of Laurel and her baby’s life. They kiss and I cried – not out of happiness but out of frustration because this ship is my Olitz (Olivia and Fitz from “Scandal,” a fellow TGIT ABC show). Like Olitz, the “Flaurel” ship is a part of the fandom that you either fully support or fully despise. I am in the latter camp and I always have been. Flaurel is not my ship and I hope the writers don’t make us go down this road again. Even if Frank is on the road to change.

Remember Jacqueline? Well, we find out that she is actually Dr. Isaac’s ex wife after she approaches Annalise outside her apartment. This can’t be right. Or legal, right? Well, this leads into our flash forward which finally reveals a piece of Annalise’s whereabouts on “The Night of the Missing Baby.” She is hauled up in a shower, bloodied and completely in shock.

WHAT DO DR. ISAAC AND HIS EX HAVE TO DO WITH THAT NIGHT? WHAT DID ASHER DO TO LAND IN JAIL? WHERE ARE CONNOR AND OLIVER THAT NIGHT? OR FRANK FOR THAT MATTER?

Let’s see if we get answers to those questions tonight on ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” at 10/9c. Don’t forget to tweet with us and share your thoughts on tonight’s episode and this season!