'How To Get Away With Murder' Review: Season 1 Finale

By Mark Wilson, Esq. on February 27, 2015 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

What an episode it was! Actually, the "season finale" of #HTGAWM comprised two back-to-back episodes, but that doesn't matter. We figured out who killed Lila, what the deal was with (former law student) Rudy Walters, and why you shouldn't mess with Frank.

The season ended on a cliffhanger, and another murder, meaning The Gang will be back next season for more hijinks. But if they're 2Ls, why will they still be taking Annalise's class? Is this going to turn into a "Saved by the Bell" situation where The Gang is in law school for five years?

I Need an Old Priest and a Young Priest

There's a Case of the Week, but does anyone really care? The short, short version is that Father A killed Father B (their actual initials -- is this a final exam?) because Father A found out that Father B was molesting a kid. Father A pleads guilty, then he pleads not guilty, then he pleads guilty again because he's just got such horrible guilt.

Anyway, priest/penitent privilege, et cetera. On to the murder!

And Now for Something Completely Different

Really you came to see what would happen to Goth Girl. Did she kill Lila? The Gang decides to sort this out the only way they know how: kidnapping. When that doesn't go so well, they get Annalise involved, and she decides to sort this out the only way she knows how: a "trial" (think: moot court in her living room/law office) to find the flaws, if any, in Goth Girl's story.

This part of the show is actually a pretty good exercise in what "reasonable doubt" is. Sure, The Gang comes up with some pretty interesting explanations for what Goth Girl was or wasn't doing the night of Lila's death, but as Annalise points out, that's all speculation. Maybe her actions all have innocent explanations after all? (Giving Rudy Walters some hallucinogenic drugs, though, turned out not to be such a good idea.)

Finally, we get to the story of what really happened that night. Turns out Sam isn't so innocent after all. He didn't strangle Lila himself, but he did call Frank to come and do the dirty work for him. #WhoKilledLila? Turns out Frank did it.

Goth Girl appears to escape from the basement she's being held in, but as we find out at the end of the episode, that's all a ruse: She's been killed herself; Frank finds her body behind the stairs. The second season will have to answer the question #WhoKilledRebecca? (Though I'm hoping we can start a hashtag for #WhoKilledGothGirl).

Episode Superlatives

Best Quote: "Sam killed Lila. ... That's the version of the truth that makes the most sense and will let us move on." -- Annalise, helping a weeping Wes through his nervous breakdown.

Worst Place to Go on a Date: To the clinic to get tested for HIV. If you thought Connor was the one who was going to test positive, you got punk'd! Turns out it was poor, sweet Oliver. Don't you know by now that on this show, it's always the person you least suspect?

Most Manipulative: It's a three-way tie! Basically everyone is manipulating everyone else in this episode. Bonnie manipulates "OITNB" Guy to get Detective Lahey out on bail. Goth Girl threatens to call up the police officer who saw The Gang exiting the house on the night Sam was killed. And Laurel actually found Michaela's engagement ring, but hid it so that Michaela would keep quiet about Sam's murder.

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