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A Lawyer's Guide to HTGAWM Season 2, Episode 4: Murder Club

By Casey C. Sullivan, Esq. on October 16, 2015 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

So we've made it through another week of How to Get Away With Murder, the best worst show on television, and it looks like Annalise might survive this season as well. Though the theme of this season is "who shot Annalise?" everyone's favorite Crim Law prof. might live to see season three.

This week's episode featured no sex scenes, no shots of Annalise chugging warm vodka, and only a few glaring legal errors. That doesn't sound like the HTGAWM we've come to know. Here's your spoiler-filled recap:

Annalise Kevorkian

After the requisite flash forward to Annalise's near-death in the Hapstall castle (more on that later), the episode begins with a request for a mercy killing. Annalise is at home, taking a leisurely sitz bath and contemplating her life, when she gets a call from Nate's wife Nia, who you may remember is in the hospital, dying of cancer. She swings by the oncology ward.

Cut to Nia: "What kind of woman could be with a man when his wife is dying? That's not a judgment. I admire your strength." Think that's unbelievable? Nia graciously gives Annalise permission to love Nate, but with one catch. Annalise must help her die. Annalise goes right up to the edge, even procuring life ending drugs, but pulls back at the last minute. It looks like assisted suicide is a step too far for Annalise.

Murder Club

The main legal drama of the day was the very Heathers-inspired trial of a high school girl who killed her best friend. Here, we get the typical, last minute game changing evidence. As Heather 2 testifies that Heather 1 (actually named Zoe) made the gang stab their friend 52 times, the prosecution shows up with video of the girls giggling about the murder and Zoe suggesting who to kill next. It's one happy, teenaged murder club.

Sure, that evidence wasn't turned over to the defense, but hey, Heather 2 was worried that it would make her look guilty. That's a good enough reason to toss out the rules of criminal procedure, right?

The video is admitted, Zoe freaks out, and her true inner-sociopath is displayed: "You think you're anything without me? You're nothing. You're just some basic bitch who better watch her back. That's right -- you're next, whore!"

The scene was a good reminded that HTGAWM didn't win an Emmy for writing.

Those Pesky Kids

Speaking of sociopaths, young Connor is starting to think that Annalise might be one. Annalise might have a surefire plan to get away with murder, but she's also a master manipulator, Connor argues, ruling over the law students with:

1. Bullying and intimidation in class.
2. Keeping the students trapped in her world, focused only on her needs.
3. Making them work day and night.
4. Creating a cult of superiority where aspiring lawyers are pitted against each other.

So, he basically described life as a first year associate.

When it's discovered that Connor slipped the prosecution Zoe's video, Annalise begins to realize that her group of murderous misfits might be slipping away from her. The title of tonight's episode was "Skanks Get Shanks," but Annalise quickly reminds Connor of the only rhyme that matters: snitches get stitches. She threatens to pin Nate's murder on Connor if he doesn't start cooperating.

Annalise's own murder club is falling apart. Asher is well on his way to making a deal with D.A. Parks, selling out Annalise for immunity over whatever happened on Trotter Lake. But who shows up to throw a kink into the gears? Bonnie, of course, claiming that she, not Annalise, killed Sam.

The Menendez Trial

Michaela is sent to dig up the dirt on the Menendez twins. Michaela is smart, Annalise insists, and she's got boobs. Caleb should like boobs. So much for the show's progressive sexual politics.

Michaela's looks don't exactly win the day, but she does succeed at making one breakthrough. Catherine, the Menendez sister, is a virgin, so there can be no twincest between the siblings.

Who Shot Annalise?

Whoever it was, they did a bad job. At the start of the show, paramedics arrive to the Hapstall house and it's becoming more and more obvious that Annalise will survive. (D.A. Park will not. She's declared dead.)

Who shot Annalise is becoming increasingly a question of who killed Rebecca. Wes keeps getting closer to the answer, thanks to help from Nate and Levi, ostensibly Rebecca's step-brother. Wes, Nate, and Levi believe they found the cemetery where Frank had Rebecca tossed after Annalise killed her. We're led to believe that the three are plotting Annalise's downfall.

Cue the flash forward and we're back to Laurel, Was, Connor and Michaela fleeing the scene in Nate's cop car. Michaela gets a call, plays it cool, and is soon returning to her apartment to meet up with -- Caleb? Caleb Menendez-Hapstall? Maybe it's not Rebecca's death that lead to Annalise's shooting after all...

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