HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER “The Baby Was Never Dead” (S5E3): When Is It Coming Together?
How To Get Away With Murder seems to be in no rush to get into the thick of it. When you look where we ended last week’s episode, and the point we reach concluding episode three, the revelations are few and far between. In fact, titular reveal aside, “The Baby Was Never Dead” is very much a frustrating filler episode – and it’s a little concerning have one so early on into a series run.
We all know how much How To Get Away With Murder loves its symbolism, and the cold-open operates in reminding audiences of our protagonists’ dark secrets, scored to a discussion on ‘what makes a psychopath a psychopath’. Say what you want about the show but it does well getting into the character’s frame of mind, clearly illustrating to us what makes them tick; the opening monologue is on-the-nose but it’s damn effective, catching audiences up with the psyche of the Keating Four and beyond.
HTGAWM’s case of the week is a straightforward, run-of-the-mill murder case: a CEO is accused of killing his work partner but Annalise won’t have the support of her students this time, as the government – still peeved with her class action suit – are forcing them through an ethics exam before they can rejoin her in court. It gives Annalise (Viola Davis) an opportunity to flex as the defence, and reminds us of her more ruthless side – she’s literally after anyone to pin this on. Elsewhere, Laurel is concerned with baby Christopher’s behavioural development, Frank is investigating Gabriel and Nate digs into Bonnie’s baby’s disappearance and Michaela thinks everybody hates her. There’s a lot going – but none of it is very satisfying.
“If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit!”
“The Baby Was Never Dead” waits until the perfunctory flash forward – we’re not about two months away – before really advancing the narrative and even then, we’re so used to the series misdirecting and deceiving us that we’re taking it all with a pinch of salt. #WhoDiedAtTheWedding is looming large at the moment, with every week teasing a handful of possibilities while narrowing the field; it’s a shame that we have to wait until the final moments of the episode to get the thrilling drama we came for.
It doesn’t help that my favourite character – Connor – is basically letting the grass grow under his feet at the moment. He’s chewing the scenery and despite the best, charming efforts of Jack Falahee, it’s concerning that the writers seem to be taking the character in no clear direction; sure, his wedding is the mid-season end game but what will the cost be? Let’s hope they find something for him to do quickly; Oliver’s storyline seems to be hotting up now, and it would be great for Connor’s to follow suit.
“It’s hard to think ethically when he’s around”
It’s especially disappointing that Connor has fallen out of focus for such a throwaway storyline concerning Laurel and Christopher. Her anxieties over his maturing feel misplaced in the episode, a needless throwaway ‘placeholder’ until something pulls her back to Frank and her character arc roars back into focus. Between this, Bonnie’s baby and Frank’s scrutinisation of Gabriel, there’s a lot going on – but none of it seems to be going anywhere. It’s quite hollow really and we’re treading ground until the inevitable happens and the drama intensifies.
Viola Davis is unsurprisingly tremendous (but we say that week-in, week-out) and the show isn’t deserving of her talents this week. Erika Harrison’s disappointing script simply struggles in advancing the narrative suitably and that’s likely the fault of the wider season’s path: this case-of-the-week format will work for some but those welcoming of the more complex journey of yester-series will find the current set-up lacklustre at best.
In Conclusion: The Baby Was Never Dead
Without the usual excitement of a How To Get Away With Murder hour and with little in the way of narrative development, “The Baby Was Never Dead” seems like a filler episode we usually get in the middle of a season, not the third episode of a brand new batch. All the storylines are serviceable but they struggle to come together in a way that thrills as the series has so successfully done before.
How To Get Away With Murder airs on Thursday night on ABC.
Any update on who you thought died at the wedding?
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