Why am I forced to do anything other than watch amazing women in amazing suits destroy puny little men over a conference table or in the courtroom? Who cares where we are in the Laurel or Connor drama cycle? Are we in the “reckless sex” phase or “ruin a perfectly fine relationship” phase? Why am I watching Asher fill out an internship application? But watching Annalise run over people or see her go toe-to-toe with Jimmy Smits? Can we ship the majority of the Keating Gang to an island where they deal with their bullshit and we just watch Annalise talk into a tape recorder? Also, can we just stay in the present? It’s plenty interesting.
There is a lot happening in this episode. Annalise is getting ready to launch her class-action suit at the same time that a law professor is introducing the topic. How convenient for the narrative. Annalise needs plaintiffs, and she needs money. So she goes to Laguerta to ask her to hire Annalise as her lawyer for her divorce. Annalise offers to do it for free if she can’t get Laguerta a better deal. Bonnie is meeting with the DA and she’s offering to review the public defender’s cases so it’s not a bad look for the DA, who is running for attorney general. Every plan in this episode is a run-on sentence.
Laurel is super horny and she still wants Michaela to spy on her dad’s company. Michaela offered to use her IT access to peer into the files, but her every move is tracked. Michaela is ready to go into a negotiation with her high-powered lawyer mentor. Turns out, the client is Laguerta, and Annalise is there as co-counsel. Laguerta’s husband kept a record of every time she was intoxicated and is threatening to reveal a video he took of her while she was on the floor puking. She says it was the night he told her he wanted a divorce — he set her up. The high-powered lawyer wants her to play it safe, but Annalise wants her to go full Daenerys. It’s time to go full Daenerys.
Oliver is meeting with Connor’s dads and finds out that Connor came out at 12, and that inspired Connor’s biological dad to come out. His dad just wants to be there for him. Bonnie and Laurel clash when Laurel finds out the DA is running for attorney general. The DA sees Laurel and finds it suspicious that suddenly more of the Keating Gang is in his office. Bonnie says that he can’t fire Laurel. She’s pregnant, and the last thing he wants is a discrimination lawsuit.
Annalise is sending off the countersuit to Laguerta’s husband’s lawyer, but she gets distracted. She’s trying to do three things at once while she’s waiting for her therapy session with Jimmy Smits. Michaela keeps calling her, and Jimmy Smits says maybe she’s trying to distract herself or pay a penance for something. Yeah, for Jasmine, Annalise says. No, for Wes.
UGH. WES.
Jimmy Smits tells Annalise that suicide leaves survivors with a ton of guilt, and Annalise questions if he’s trying to sabotage her recovery by bringing this up. I’m accusing him of sabotaging my good time by bringing up Wes. Annalise finally answers her call from Michaela and goes into the office. Annalise sent the countersuit to the president of the university, and Laguerta is on the phone begging for her job. The high-powered lawyer asks if Annalise was ever good at her job. Annalise promises to fix it.
Frank offers her a suitcase of money but Annalise realizes it’s dirty money. (The money he accepted to kill her child.) She throws him out. He picks up Laurel later, and she has sex with him in his car. FINE.
Annalise gets an email from Jimmy Smits, where he’s given her a good progress report and suggests that she’ll be able to continue to practice law. This email gives her a That’s So Raven moment, and she gets an idea for Laguerta’s case. She says that they’re able to obtain his therapist’s notes if he’s alleging emotional distress as a result of Laguerta’s drinking. There’s got to be evidence of something they can use against him. At first, they think they’ve found evidence of his infidelity, but Laguerta knows who this mysterious “Sue” is. It’s their former money manager and they have evidence that Laguerta’s husband was hiding his money away well in advance of their divorce. That’s illegal, bitch. Annalise’s strategy was so bold and paid off so handsomely that the high-powered lawyer offers to get her a job. Michaela tells Annalise to stay away because she wants something for herself. Annalise says she’s just looking for a new mommy figure.
Connor meets with his dad and tries to push him away, and his dad tells him he doesn’t think Oliver is the right match for him. Cue the internal turmoil from Connor.
Now it’s time for the final montage!
Jimmy Smits narrates another report about Annalise but this one is not flattering. Nate confronts Annalise and she says she’s doing it for the right reasons. Laurel looks at the donor list for the DA’s campaign and finds a dead employee for her father’s company. Bonnie thinks that Annalise is gunning for the public defender’s job. Jimmy Smits finishes up his report and meets a new patient: Julie. He opens the door and it’s BONNIE.
Fast-forward to a cool-toned future and Jimmy Smits is comforting Michaela in the hospital, and he rejects a call from Julie a.k.a. Bonnie. Bonnie is going into an office and asks to see the witness. It’s the law firm where Michaela is interning and the witness is Oliver.
So Connor’s dead? Right?
