Our favorite corrupt lawyer is back, along with her two sidekicks and murderous interns for season four of How To Get Away With Murder (I will never get use to that long ass title). In season three, we lost our beloved, yet annoying protagonist, Wes, who was murdered by a family friend of Laurel’s, then half-broiled in the explosion of Annalise’s house. In my opinion, the season ended pretty lightweight. All the answers we really needed for the entire series were answered, and the cliffhanger the writers did leave us with felt a bit removed from the core of the show. But yet again, I’m here for another season, to solve another possible gruesome mystery, mostly because of the talented actors involved. No matter how far gone the storyline may be, everyone consistently brings their A game, and that’s the real treat of this show.

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER - "I'm Going Away" - In the wake of Wes' tragic death, Annalise returns to her family home to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, and realizes that, in order to rebuild, she must make a tough and shocking decision. Meanwhile, "the Keating 4" all face an uncertain future while Laurel becomes obsessed with finding out what actually happened to Wes the night he died. In a flash-forward, a terrifying crime is committed and everyone is a suspect on the highly anticipated season four premiere of "How to Get Away with Murder," THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Mitch Haaseth) VIOLA DAVIS — Photo: ABC/Mitch Haaseth

The premiere episode of season four jumps off with Annalise sending a text to her remaining interns—Laurel, Michaela, Asher and Connor. She invites them to a dinner at a restaurant called Haywood. Nobody knows why she sent the invite, but according to Asher, it must be important because the ritzy restaurant has four dollar signs on Yelp.

We cut to Laurel walking around Middleton University with her sexy, but extremely sketchy dad. She confesses to him that she was pregnant, but decided to have an abortion. Her father seems to be somewhat concerned, but then randomly asks a stranger to take a photo of the two, commemorating the time they are having together. They both are excellent liars, and it shows when they put on the most cheerful fake ass smiles I have ever seen, and then remove them immediately after the photo is snapped.

Later in the day, Laurel is tardy to Annalise’s dinner, but once she approaches the table, she notices that each of the interns, herself included, have an envelope sitting in front on them. We’re quickly left in suspense of the contents, being transported back in time a week earlier.

Annalise is on a plane minding her business when a zaddy across the aisle shoots his shot at Ms. Keating. She doesn’t use, going as far as telling him that her name is Bonnie. Zaddy, who properly introduces himself as Desmond, is persistent though, handing her a napkin with his digits on it (old school mack technique).

Annalise’s flight takes her to her childhood home, a place she has made a habit to visit in dire times. Nothing has changed and she’s back for that same reason. Life has beaten down and broken our girl and she needs the escape. This visit though, she also comes with an idea to send her mother to a memory care center (think a nursing home for people with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia—what Annalise’s mother is struggling with—and other cognitive impairments). Her mom isn’t here for it. Annalise explains that it’s for her safety, to which her mom claps back and tells her that she knows nothing about safety because people have been dying under her watch every damn day! No lies told.

Later that night, constant bearer of bad news, Bonnie, calls. She tells Annalise that Hannah Keating, the sister of her deceased husband, if suing for the toasted house, which will result in the insurance money being slowed down by months. This rightfully stresses Annalise more than she already is and prompts her to look for a local AA meeting. No luck in there, so instead, she gives zaddy (Desmond, from the airplane) a ring (old school mack skills prevailed).

Annalise and zaddy meet in the lobby of his hotel. He offers her a drink at the bar, but she declines and makes it very clear that she’s only there #ForTheD. The two take it up to the room where the games begin. It’s getting hot and heavy, in a very awkward way, when zaddy’s phone rings. Annalise, assuming she knows what’s up, rises off the bed and heads for the door. She’s just trying to sex the pain away, and a wife calling ruins the mood for her. Turns out that it’s zaddy’s daughter. But Annalise is over it, assuring complete closure by telling poor Desmond that her name isn’t even Bonnie, it’s Annalise, bitch. Hardcore. Heartless.

Next, we’re bombarded with more mother and daughter scenes between Annalise and Ophelia. I understand that these serve as great character development, but since day one, they’ve been nothing but snooze feasts for me. They require Viola Davis and the legendary Cicely Tyson to serve dramatic, powerhouse performances, because without that, there would be no incentive to sit through the drawn-out moments. But I digress.

Before Annalise heads back to Philadelphia for the dinner she set up with the interns, she, accompanied by her sister and father, takes her mom to the memory care center for a quick tour. The place costs $5000 a month, which prompts me to pray that the fire insurance check comes through soon for Annalise.

Back in Philly, Annalise attends a scheduled hearing. A few haters are trying to disbar our favorite corrupt lawyer for violating her probation, getting caught drunk. Bonnie, acting as the defense attorney, isn’t having any of it and tries to argue that the alcohol test results were inaccurate. Annalise intercepts and lives in her truth, confessing that she was indeed drunk, but that she had the world on her shoulders—she lost her home, beloved teaching job and, most heartbreaking, a student. She points out, and pleads, that since everything else has literally been taken away from her, why not let her keep the law license?

Finally, at the fancy dinner that night, she informs the remaining interns that she won her trial. Laurel briskly steals her thunder though, telling the table a different story than the one she told her father earlier in the day: no abortion went down. She is still pregnant with Wes’ baby, and is keeping it. Annalise, not one to ever be out-shined, reveals that inside each of their envelopes is a letter a recommendation. She is letting the interns go—and they are surprisingly pissed. Well, everyone except Connor, who simply says “thank you” before leaving the table.

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER - "I'm Going Away" - In the wake of Wes' tragic death, Annalise returns to her family home to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, and realizes that, in order to rebuild, she must make a tough and shocking decision. Meanwhile, "the Keating 4" all face an uncertain future while Laurel becomes obsessed with finding out what actually happened to Wes the night he died. In a flash-forward, a terrifying crime is committed and everyone is a suspect on the highly anticipated season four premiere of "How to Get Away with Murder," THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Mitch Haaseth) LIZA WEIL, JACK FALAHEE, VIOLA DAVIS, MATT MCGORRY, AJA NAOMI KING — Photo: ABC/Mitch Haaseth

After all the (now, former) interns storm out the restaurant, Bonnie tries to comfort Annalise, but surprise! She slips her a letter of recommendation, sending her packing as well. We get a voice-over of Annalise reading each of the letters, and I must say that she did that! All the letters truly slayed. I did wonder, though, how helpful the letters would be in securing each of the characters new jobs, now that Annalise’s reputation is in the pits.

The individual reactions to each of the letters varied, but the most interesting was Laurel, who after reading hers, gives a look of “whatever.” She’s more into her upcoming baby, and a recent text from her father. It’s the picture they took earlier with “I love you,” in Spanish, attached. Laurel types back, “Why did you kill Wes?” But wisely, she deletes and settles for less of a bombshell, finally replying, “I love you too.”

Unfortunately, three months later, things are looking pretty terrible for Laurel—her unborn baby is no longer in her belly. And now, a new mystery commences: What happened to Laurel’s baby?

How To Get Away With Murder is a very complicated and detailed show. Recapping each episode could easily turn into a rachet dissertation, so in the name of attempting to be as brief and concise as possible, I omitted some minor moments. But just for kicks: The guy selling Asher and Michaela the mattress was hot. Please ABC, give him a recurring role. Connor explaining to Oliver why he didn’t want to accept the marriage proposal was really cute and reasonable. Props to him. On the other hand, I’m very torn about Connor’s new hair. And is that a whore house Annalise is living in now? The way the lady pitching the place was describing it sounded very suspect…

Let me know if there was anything you noticed that I might have missed. See you all next week!

HTGAWM

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