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How to Get Away With Murder Recap: Quite Frankly

How to Get Away With Murder

Not Everything’s About Annalise
Season 3 Episode 11
Editor’s Rating 4 stars

How to Get Away With Murder

Not Everything’s About Annalise
Season 3 Episode 11
Editor’s Rating 4 stars
Viola Davis as Annalise. Photo: Mitch Haaseth/ABC

Sometimes I feel like I’m being tricked by How to Get Away With Murder. There are moments when I don’t know if what I’m watching is actually a good show, or if I’m just mesmerized by Viola Davis and her eyes. I feel like we don’t talk enough about her eyes. Her eyes, you guys.

Anyway, this was one of those episodes. I think it was good. It felt straightforward and focused, but I’m not so sure. It begins with a blue-tinged flashback of Frank and Wes sitting in Frank’s car, parked in an alley. Wes tells Frank that the police are investigating Annalise, and that he might cooperate with them. Frank and Wes engage in some dick-measuring about Laurel and it’s all very exhausting. Wes taunts Frank because he knows Annalise would never let Frank hurt him — or would she? Frank is telling the police about the events of that day at the same time Annalise is being taken to the police station. Frank’s story is that he found out Laurel was pregnant with Wes’s child and he snapped. Sure, that could work.

The police start questioning Annalise about Frank, and she will not cooperate until they get her a lawyer. She also admits to murdering Elvis, which everyone just ignores. Annalise doesn’t understand that they’re trying to get information about Frank and not accusing her of murdering him. Since they can’t get any corroboration for Frank’s story, the police are going to let him go. He’s not happy about it, so he leads them to some footage of Wes getting into his car. Well, that changes things.

President LaGuerta is meeting with the Keating Gang to “console” them about the “tragic” death of their “friend.” Michaela’s decided that all of this is just a show to make sure none of the gang sues the university. She also believes that Annalise is being framed. Meanwhile, Bonnie is trying to comfort Annalise, and she’s working on dropping the charges. Annalise decides this is the perfect moment to list the ways Bonnie has (recently) failed her.

The prosecutor’s office is scrambling to find evidence to put SOMEONE in jail. Nate arrives and he’s dispatched again to interview Laurel, who is coming down from her latest opium binge. Nate asks her one question and she kicks him out. Laurel, you’re going to have to do way better than that. Meggy is pulling off her best Ellis Boyd impression and peeking around the corner, watching Frank leave. Meanwhile, Bonnie is meeting with the Keating gang to help dig up evidence about Frank. SOMEONE IS GOING TO JAIL, DAMMIT. The more we get down to it, Bonnie is a terrible lawyer. I would love a late reveal that Bonnie isn’t actually a lawyer, but just three very sad blonde cats in her oversized blanket coat. Connor reveals to the gang that he told Oliver about Sam’s death because … love? Michaela decides that she’s going to use this episode as her Scandal audition reel, because it’s her job to fix it.

The Keating Gang goes to see Oliver to ask him to hack into the DNC — er, the DA’s office. Michaela sits him down, makes vague threats, and reminds Connor that they’re in this particular situation because of his big mouth. Oliver understands and hacks into the DA’s office to find out exactly what they’ve got on Annalise. We get flashes of what’s happening to Annalise and Nate. The DA is at a loss, because if the press finds out they wrongfully indicted Annalise, they’re in for a world of pain. Annalise takes her first shower in prison, and the other inmates are hassling her because she killed one of her students. Annalise stands up to the bullies and Nate offers to go talk to Frank. Annalise gets some help from the other old lady cellmate who gives her the gift of a razor. Oooh … thank … you?

Back at Oliver’s house, he manages to hack into the e-mails, and once you look past all the references to print articles and wanting to order crème brûlée, there’s a whole giant file on Annalise. The DA’s office is trying to connect Annalise to anyone who has ever gone missing in this small town. Remember Rebecca? If I have to watch a flashback with Rebecca and Wes, I’m gonna flip.

Bonnie shows up to find out exactly what Oliver knows and takes the info to Annalise. They’re not going to stop coming for her until she’s behind bars for good. The only solution now is to lean into the whole “Frank did it” thing. Annalise doesn’t want to lie. OH, NOW? NOW YOU DON’T WANT TO LIE? OKAY, ANNALISE.

Bonnie’s bright idea is to offer a deal to the DA’s office: Annalise will offer them information about Frank’s “crimes” in return for her freedom. Instead, the DA just baits Annalise into snapping about Wes. Well, there goes that bright idea. Bonnie tells Laurel that she’s the only one who can fix this.

From there, we’re treated to another masterclass in wig-and-weave acting by Viola Davis, when she takes the prison razor blade to cut her pretty new weave out! Bless this woman and her face and hands and brain and heart.

Asher comforts Michaela for being such a sexy Olivia Pope-type all day to protect them. She finally relents and he puts on a German (I think) masseuse character to please her. I’m not not here to yuck anyone’s yum, but it does seem fun and pretty healthy. Connor shows up to Oliver’s house and Connor apologizes for getting Oliver into this completely avoidable situation again. The two admit they need each other in a way that I’m not exactly sure is so healthy.

The police go to talk to Laurel, and she tells them that Frank knew about her baby with Wes just a few days before he went to pick Wes up from the police station. She says she remembered things since she’s stopped riding that sweet, sweet morphine dragon. She remembers that she saw someone in the basement. That someone was … FRANK. Duh.

Frank is arrested again. Bonnie visits Annalise in prison and tells her that, yes, Frank is being charged … but as Annalise’s co-conspirator. Oh, hell. Annalise says that’s okay, because she deserves this, and Viola Davis gives us FACE as we go back into the flashback. Wes gets out of Frank’s car in the blue past and Frank calls someone to let them know they’ve got a “puppy problem.” The person on the other end of the line? Bonnie. She’s the one giving Frank orders. OKAY, HERE WE GO AGAIN.

How to Get Away With Murder Recap: Quite Frankly