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'How To Get Away With Murder' Review: Season 1, Episode 11

By Mark Wilson, Esq. on February 06, 2015 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Things heat up in this week's episode of #HTGAWM as Sam's sister comes snooping around, asking all these crazy questions like "Where's Sam?," "Why aren't you looking for Sam?," and "Did you kill Sam?" What a busybody.

We also learn how the gang spent Christmas break, and then Annalise treats us to a new lesson: How not to represent your client -- if you want to keep your law license, that is.

Vodka and Pie

So, Annalise didn't have such a good break. Though she told her sister-in-law she spent Christmas with her mother, it appears that she spent it with Detective Lahey, then spent New Year's alone at a hotel, drinking little vodkas from the fridge and eating pie. She's sobbing the whole time, but hey -- vodka and pie! Save those tears for court.

The arrival of Sam's sister prompts some difficult questions that Annalise really can't answer. Where did Sam go? "I 'unno." Why aren't you looking for him? "Probably 'cause he doesn't want to be found. He did just kill a girl, you know. We'll never find him. Leave me alone!"

Eventually, Annalise confesses that she lied about when she found out that Sam was having an affair. She avoids suspicion by claiming she told the police it was that night in order to save her law license! (It would be awfully bad if she was representing Goth Girl the whole time she knew Sam might be the culprit, apparently.)

Brilliant! Apparently, Sam's sister has a big ol' soft spot for selfish people, because that placates her. For now.

Meanwhile, the gang had its own troubles over Christmas break. Connor had to face the fact that he really does have a thing for his "hacker" hook-up buddy. (Also, having a "hacker" boyfriend is way cheaper than having to pay for an Apple Genius.)

Laurel does that thing that every 1L on break does: Go back home and impress the family with her enormous database of first semester knowledge. Is bludgeoning someone with a golf club really "aggravated battery"? (No one cares.)

The Worst Ethical Violation Ever

Annalise and the gang play fast and loose with ethics, but last night's episode included The Worst Ethical Violation Ever.

The "case of the week" involved a man keeping some teenage girls hostage in his basement, with his wife's assistance. Fine, whatever; in criminal defense, we call that "Thursday." The twist comes when we learn that a previous teenage hostage had a stillborn baby -- at least that's what the wife told her husband; in reality, she took the baby somewhere else to raise it.

The wife (Annalise's client) wouldn't give up the location of the baby until she got a plea deal. Disgusted and aggravated, Annalise finally got the plea agreement, the wife told everyone where the kid was, and life went on.

Except that Annalise lied to her about the plea deal. There was no plea deal! That was a crazy make-'em-up to get the wife to reveal where the kid was. Wife is going to prison and Annalise drops the mike by saying she's withdrawing as counsel and walking out of the room.

Are you crazy? Sure, helping kids get away with murder is one thing, but violating the duty of loyalty to your client? Oh, Annalise, clearly being an accessory after the fact to Sam's murder has given you a thirst for crime. Stop her before she kills again!

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