Okay, here is my take on things so far. This may be useful down the road, or not. Your opinions may vary. Please share with me. And forgive me, I’m writing at 5 am because I went into the world yesterday and got hit by one of my narcolepsy things when I got home. I hope I am making sense. I know this will be the water cooler talk for the day and I wanted to have something up.
Setting: Philadelphia, Middleton Law School, Courtrooms, Good Places to Dump Bodies.
Characters:
Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) Keating is a law professor and practicing criminal defense attorney. Keatings opening line is “I don’t know what terrible things you’ve done in your life up to this point, but clearly your karma is out of balance to get assigned to my class.” There is an age-old rule given to new teachers, “Don’t smile until Christmas.” It’s generally thought to be a bad rule, but I say from about 7th grade on, it can be useful, if not a bit excessive. You don’t have to wait until Christmas, maybe just Halloween. The point is to be firm and in control until rules are set and behavioral expectations are being consistently met. Only then can you lighten up. I took Keating’s comment to be her version of that. Oh was I wrong. As it turns out, being assigned to her class can be life-altering, and making her short list of five interns can ruin your life.
Sam Keating (Tom Verica) Annalise’s husband who is a psychology professor. Sam is interviewing for a job a Yale.One of his female students has gone missing and is found dead in a big water tank of some kind that is connected to a sorority house on the first episode. What the heck kind of water tank was that? It was huge and made no sense. It seems like Sam could be connected to the dead girl, Lila Stangard’s, death. When the couple watch the news of Lila’s death on TV Annalise says, “I betcha the boyfriend did it.” It wasn’t said as a casual comment. The two stare at each other and Sam say, “I guess we’ll see.”
The Interns (Top Five Students and Main Characters):
Wes Gibbins (Alfred Enoch) Enoch managed to steal scenes from Viola Davis. It was incredible to watch. This kid is actually the main character, and the center of everything and so far he is the only one who is already privy to the fact that Professor Keating is not what she appears. Much of the show is from his point of view. He barely made it into the school and was unprepared on the first day, but Keating takes a liking to him despite his lack of any apparent talent for law. He had no idea of basic legal terms and was unaware of the case discussed on the first day due to his late acceptance. Yet he makes the coveted top five. He also walks in on Professor Keating getting a sixty-eight from a cop in her office. Keating seems quite fond of Wes as um, more than a student. He’s not quiet realizing he is headed for trouble with her. She gives a dramatic performance to convince him that her relationship is strained over their unfulfilled desire to have a baby. Wes is naïve and Keating is setting him up to do her bidding. We are being led to believe that “her bidding” will be to off her husband.
Michaela Pratt (Aja Naomi King) is currently the top of the class and plays a key role in discrediting a witness for Keating’s Aspirin Assassin case they all work on this week. Basically, a wife and a mistress aspire to kill their shared lover and Keating does several unethical things to get the mistress off. Micheala had an odd story about how she found out that a key witness was colorblind, her tactics were not very believable. . She is totally aware the two conspired for whatever reason to kill the guy but participates with Keating in getting the client cleared of her charges.
Connor Walsh(Jack Falahee), Conner is an over eager gay man who, in the first episode, manages to get an IT guy to sleep with him and give him an email that wins the Aspirin Assassin case Keating and the top students were working on this weekend. He’s super ambitious and morally corrupt. He’s a top, if you are interested. On the first say of class he was the first student called on by name to answer a question about the Aspirin Assassin case. He also seemed to be having a great time getting rid of the body. He sang Jingle bells. Connor was distinguished in front of the entire class and given the coveted statue of the scales of justice. This is also the murder weapon in Sam’s murder. He also seemed to know about Keating’s reputation on the first day of class and warned Wes about her. I’m pretty sure this is all a set up and Connor and Annalise planned on him interning for her and winning the first task all along.
Laurel Castillo (Karla Souza) Bleeding heart liberal Brown graduate who immediately starts fucking Frank to get ahead. Many questions here. It takes Laurel half an episode to call Frank a misogynistic asshole. But three months later while they are burying the bodies she gets a late night booty call from Frank at an inopportune time. Laurel seemed surprised to be called to intern for the firm. Frank’s smile made it clear he got her in.
Asher Milstone ( Matt McGorry) entitled prick who used to clerk for Chief Justice John Roberts. I recall almost nothing interesting about him. AND he is not with the other four interns in the flash forward scenes where they are hiding the body. IS HE THE KILLER OF THE BODY THE OTHER FOUR ARE VERY STUPITY TRYING TO DISPOSE OF? Asher is the second student asked to be an intern. He cheers loudly for himself. IN THE PREVIEWS FOR NEXT WEEK, A white man with gray hair… Not sure who it is, appears to stab Asher in a bed. Do Asher and Connor both have beards? Because it might be Conner, but Asher is the one that seems to go missing very soon.
Frank (Charlie Weber), Frank is one of Keating’s full-time assistant attorneys. He has a history of fucking the students. Currently, he’s fucking Laurel, and God knows who else?
Bonnie Winterbottom (Liza Weil) Bonnie is Keating’s other assistant. . Something is going on with her and one or the other or both of the Keatings in a personal way. When Sam drops by after an interview at Yale, Bonnie jumps up and kisses him on the cheek and praises him like a giddy school girl. When Sam greets his wife with a passionate kiss and sweet nothings, Bonnie reacted with a jealous look of disproval.
Rebecca Wes’ annoying, loud music playing, neighbor who is rude to him at first and let’s him know she is over it with the law student neighbors. After a physical fight with a guy I THINK was dead Lila from the water tank’s boyfriend, she makes nice with him leaving him a bottle of booze. Seems like a very odd turn around. It appears that Wes‘ apartment came furnished. There are claw marks on the wall above the headboard and teeth marks on the headboard itself. Wes plays a lot of attention to these. This girl is NOT just a random neighbor. She may be working for Keating. Either Keating. I suspect she is one of the killers. Either Lila’s or Sam’s or both.
When Lila’s boyfriend, Griffin O’Reilly hears the news about the police finding Lila’s body, he goes straight to Rebecca’s apartment. He tells her to turn on the news. They watch together. They both seem… nervous.
Flash Forward 3 months:
The four interns can’t get along for shit. Especially now that they are trying to dispose of a body. Ultimately, they decide to set the body on fire to try to make it disappear because the ground is frozen. They have flame accelerators (light fluid or something) in a bag they bought at a convenience store. Their prints are all over everything. They are not very good at cleaning up evidence. Didn’t the procedural case this week (Aspirin Assassin) hinge on surveillance cameras from a convenience store? Didn’t Keating’s lover Nate the cop testify on the stand that he is aware of the department screwing with surveillance videos in the past to help the prosecution? Why do I feel like that testimony and Wes catching Nate eating at the Y will be super important later when someone gets arrested in three months? Buying tons of lighter fluid at a convenience store will come back to bite the person who made the purchase.
Oh and the body? It’s Keatings husband, Sam.
So the procedural case for the week, the Aspirin Assassin, taught us that murder makes for unlikely bedfellows, specifically the wife and the mistress in this case. The two long arc deaths, Lila Stangard’s and Sam Keating’s are clearly tied together somehow. Clearly, we won’t know that until season’s end.
Next week we have to pay attention to Asher. Is he involved or does he just wise up and withdraw from the class at some point? Who called the dude to check the water tank? Why is there a water tank at all? How long have Laurel and Frank been fucking? What is Bonnie’s relationship to the Keatings? How long will we tolerate all these back and forth in time scenes? Other than Wes, is there any other relatable character in the whole show? Who else will we even bother to care about?
Hi TT – long time stalker, first time commenter! I actually really liked this show. Can’t wait to see how it plays out in the coming episodes, although, I wonder how there will be more than one season . . . seems like they gave away A LOT in the first episode.
I think Sam is the dead sorority girl’s boyfriend and Annalise knows it. The look on her face when he said we will see, gave me that feeling. I also think Sam is sleeping with Bonnie. My favorite character so far is Will as well. I don’t like Conner or Frank.
Sam really gets around for a dead guy.
On Fri, Sep 26, 2014 at 9:21 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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lol Tamara… well I think the two of them get around
Bahaaaaaa TT! You got me again!!
Okay, you convinced me to watch, especially since i just found out its filmed at the tiny college I went to eons ago
I’m used to legal shows having a real disconnect from the actual practice of law (I just watched all 122 episodes of The Good Wife), but this one was exceptional in that regard. I have to say, though, that the kid who plays Wes is really likable.
I did not watch the whole show and I was confused because it does seem like everyone is involved in this death somehow. I will have to watch it from the beginning. This a murder mystery suspense that takes the whole season or part of the season to solve? Annalise is definitely not what she appears to be.
I started watching it last night but didn’t want to waste anymore time and was getting tired. Finished it this morning and thought it was very interesting. I do not like the late time slot and I do hope they keep the sex scenes to a minimum (it gets redundant, especially after watching scandal). I think the show is a bit dark…but I like dark…so I’ll watch next week.
I like Wes, he is the only real character so far. I also like that he has an innocence about him because everyone can’t be cold blooded…
@jess…I totally agree with you. The gratuitous scenes already shown is about all I can take, especially when they just replayed this show on the FAMILY CHANNEL, one of ABC’s sister stations. Can you believe it…THE FAMILY CHANNEL!!! I hope they just focus on the plots to keep the audience attention.
I think he appears to have lost his “innocence” if the ending of episode 2 is any indication.
Not what I expected. Not sure if I’m in with this show. Too many characters to keep up with and I rarely like shows that start in the dark and then skip all around filming backwards and forwards. Makes me loopier than I am. I don’t watch either lead in show so by the time it came on I was ready to doze if it didn’t catch my attention immediately. I went to sleep during the show. I’ll give it another try next week.
Yes, as in the Scandal analysis, Rhimes has a formula that’s especially easy to spot looking at the shows back to back. That said, there are so few strong African American women on TV, it’s great to see these women anchoring these primetime dramas. I was way more entertained by HTGAWM last night than Scandal, but I’m also a long-time Viola Davis fan.
I loved when she said “don’t take away another’s opportunity to learn to show how smart you are” (paraphrase)
the skipping back and forth was a little jarring and disconcerting also, i’d probably have to go back and watch again when I’m not easily distracted.
She might have said “how smart you ‘think’ you are.” I thought it was a good line too. I think I’ll have to watch it again. I found it hard to follow. Good but hard to follow.
The know it all shout outs are a teacher’s worst nightmare. I actually explained to my elementary school kids that everyone needs their “think time” and not to answer unless it is your turn. That only sort of works. There is always that one kid that shouts out the answer.
Kind of like here when people here google the answer for the guessing games and come screeching in to say “I just found the answer on Google!” Um, that must be so much fun.
On Fri, Sep 26, 2014 at 3:03 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I really wanted to watch this and somehow it escaped my brain that it was on last night. So I reset my DVR and will be able to watch it next week. Thanks for the recap. Even though it all seems jibberish to me right now I’m sure after I watch next week I will be able to come back here and sort it all out!!!
I edited it to make it a bit less jibberishy. Do to the way the editing is done on this show you are constantly flashing back and forth over a three month period and it’s had to relate to it without seeing it.
I’m trying to give you the character background for the most part and identify the two victims who will drive the long story arc over the season.
… Raising my hand … Miss Tamara, I enjoy and appreciate it when you ad your educator’s perspective.
(I couldn’t decide, so I went current with my brown nose gift of ‘fun beans’
Thanks! These sorts of shows usually get teacher scenes wrong. This show is no “Paper Chase.”
I’ve been waiting for someone to say this is not Viola’s best acting role… so I wouldn’t have to.
On Sat, Sep 27, 2014 at 1:16 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Watching again now. I’ll add anything interesting I might have missed.
Why are law professors in 2014 using chalk on black board? What are the weird slide projection screens? Where are the smart boards like normal people have been using for nearly two decades?
That was the first thing I thought! I mean come on… At LEAST use a dry eraser board.
Why doesn’t Wes have a mommy to come set up his apartment? Why would Wes think the idea of a directed verdict is somehow a startling new concept that requires going to the law office late at night? I get that this is law school 100 or whatever, but anyone who has watch three episodes of Law and Order knows this.
And you only ask for a directed verdict once the prosecution finishes its case. And even then it’s not as though it’s ever granted.
Doesn’t mommy only set up the first good bye and maybe sophomore year, after that, you’re barely going home and you doing that yourself. Especially post graduation.
Yeah, I thought of that. It is law school and not his first year of undergrad. He just seems so young and he doesn’t even have sheets on his bed. I’m just thinking he might not have family. That makes him an even bigger target for Annalise. Wes seems naïve and vulnerable compared to everyone else. I think that is why she added him to her gaggle of interns.
On Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 11:43 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I just finished watching again and updated the post A LOT.
I really liked this show! I do see some of the criticisms pointed out here though. I think it will keep me on my toes. Plus, I really like Viola Davis.
#HookedAlready 🙂
I think I know where they got the water tank idea. I remember reading an article last year about a hotel in Los angles that they found a woman’s dead body in. The part that grossed me out was that people had been drinking the water for a while. Just thinking about it makes me want to puke.
yes gross but creepiest unsolved murder case ever
1. setting – well known hotel with eclectic history that includes two serial killers as former guests.
2. single female traveler from another country with no known reasons for being in LA
3. last sighting of victim is elevator video with strong hints she may have been possessed/haunted by supernatural spirits in the moments before her death
4. water tank that is extremely hard to get to (secure access to roof; locks) and she waltzes in, takes off her clothes and drowns herself …
Just watched. As far as I’m concerned Wes must be the child of Annaliese and Nate the sexy cop because why else would she pick him, out of all the other students who seemed more capable, to work at her law firm? Is she some crazy cougar-woman? Don’t misunderstand…Wes is adorable! But Annaliese is supposed to be a brilliant defense attorney/professor yet she can’t keep herself from seducing her students? Really? Unfortunately she’s not a likable character to me so far after seeing that. We know from the scene between Annaliese and her cop boyfriend that she’s not above reproach but why throw in a scene where she comes on to one of her students? Maybe the reason will become apparent in subsequent episodes.
Other than that, Wes does seem to be the co-star alongside Annaliese and so far he’s her polar opposite. He does not seem to have the drive or aptitude for a career as a litigator. In this first episode at least, his winding up at the school and in her class seems to have been contrived for an ulterior motive. Definitely something going on there. Not sure yet. What’s the “white list”? The waiting list? Wes was handpicked for some reason and my interest in his character is why I’ll be watching again next week.
Thanks Tamara. You turned me on to The Blacklist last week and now this show. I binge-watched all but the last 2 episodes of the 1st season of The Blacklist and I’m totally hooked. Obsessed, really. Hope this show does well. If not for your forum here I would have never tuned into either show so thanks again!
The hole in your theory is that Wes was basically hand selected to murder Sam. I don’t think Annalise is particularly the mothering type…but even she wouldn’t set her own love child up for a murder rap. And also don’t forget she is married to Sam who probably would have noticed if she was knocked up and gave birth to a baby that disappeared. Further, I don’t think Nate is her boyfriend as she described him to Wes, but a guy she fucks on the police force in exchange for occasional testimony.
On Fri, Sep 26, 2014 at 11:54 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I thought Wes was the most irregular KneeGrow I have experienced in years! And, get it right!! I am a tri-racial old woman of 67! No new BS INTENDED. Just desirous of knowledge/insight on what the muthaphukah is ‘spose to be.
Your comments are particularly disturbing pretty much on every subject. I’m not sure I even want to post them anymore. Perhaps you could find a nice Columbus Short fan club site to post on?
On Sat, Sep 27, 2014 at 3:24 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Watson, what difference does it make about Wes’s race. And nobody cares about how many races you are. I don’t think I like you based on your comments. Take your marbles and go home, you and that ass you rode in on.
I really, really liked the show. There was a lot of poetic license taken with the show. Criminal Law is a first year law school class so no one would have been clerking for anyone let alone someone on the Supreme Court..
Loved Viola Davis and her role. I just hope that there are great cases each week the students delve into. This week’s attempted murder case was a great start as to how procedurally the show will work. Seeing the victim in court while his wife and girlfriend got away with destroying him was an interesting choice as compared to a straight up murder.
I think Sam boned the QB’s girlfriend and killed her. Don’t know if I like the idea that five future lawyers are involved in a murder their first year of law school. I am hoping he did himself in (Sam) and the students stumbled upon his corpse and assumed their beloved professor did him in and took matters into their own hands. Or in the alternative Frank did it.
What do you make of Asher or whoever not being with the other four kids to get rid of the body?
On Sat, Sep 27, 2014 at 8:18 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Yeah but he was killed with that statue, so I don’t see how he could have “done himself in”.
Will be watching and support your coverage of non-housewives programming.
Thinking Tamara will be very busy this fall. Lots of shows, new and returning.
I finally got to watch it Friday night when they played it again. It was good.
Side note: Asher is played by the guy who plays a prison guard in OITNB.
Maybe that’s why he won’t have a big role in this series. Conflicting schedules??
I also think Wes is being played. He was hand picked for a reason. It’s going to be a good show I hope. Also maybe Viola will come into her character more and make this a little bit more believable.
I was so psyched to see the prison guard from oitnb! I love him.
I really enjoyed the first episode of this show. It had a ‘Damages’ feel to me which I loved that show. I was expecting the husband to be in the rug and can’t wait to see which direction it goes.
I made the mistake of watching this show while playing Candy Crush. Not a good idea, I am grateful my eyes were on the screen when the face in the rug was revealed. I truly appreciate your recap but I am still going to have to watch one more time.
Yep. I watched twice and tried to recap both times. It just was not possible. I tried to go the route of explaining a bit about the characters, but I’m not sure this was as helpful as I had hoped.
It definitely requires your fully attention, like most Shondaland productions..
On Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 1:45 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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10 minutes into the first episode I thought “Tamara is a brave soul for attempting to blog this show”. Lol
The way Wes is late into class (he just got off the waiting list) gives me a season 1 Damages vibe. Anyone else feel like his place at the university may have been orchestrated by someone to a degree. Just reminded me of Rose Byrnne being accepted into the law firm only because her boyfriends sister was an important witness in Close’s case.
LOVING this show! I am glad you will be following!
Wait so REBECCA killed Sam?
That is what it looks like!!! This is going to be a crazy show!!
Dying to know what’s on the phone he found. And who’s phone it is. That was a good plat twist that I didn’t see coming.!!!
And how is Wes so in to a girl that he knows nothing about yet?? He’s in love and willing to help cover up a murder after knowing her for 3 months??? Can’t wait until next week
She could be a relative or something. They didn’t kiss did they? And I thought the phone in the bathroom was the burner phone he bought at the convienence store. I will really try to recap but I swear I am brain dead lately. I’m having a shit ton of dreams so maybe I am not sleeping well? I dunno.
I thought it looked like Rebecca put a pink cosmetic case (probably full of drugs) under Wes’s sink, he remembered and went to look for it. But found the phone he hid still there? Why didn’t he move the rags and look for the pink bag?
Sorry I am so late. I did a late night push for views on the twatter. 🙂
On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 11:40 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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They did kiss at the very end when he was consoling her. Also the burner phone was a flip phone it looked like. Definitely, not the iPhone he found in his bathroom.
Where is Asher in all of this?? So many questions so little answers.
The one thing I did not like from this episode was how she didn’t know her clients first wife was murdered. If she is really that good shouldn’t she have been able to do some research and figure that out herself???
I don’t think there is some international database of everyone tried and found not guilty. Plus he changed his identity.
On Fri, Oct 3, 2014 at 8:48 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Yes, he changed his identity and it was in Switzerland.
What is the song the neighbor is playing loudly in the pilot?
So I FINALLY got around to watching tonight… Episodes one and two. I saved them, because like the rest of you, i think I’m def going to have to watch again. I’ll prob watch it right before watching episode three. I’m really enjoying it, but it sure does jump around a lot.
I don’t have much to add at this time that hadn’t already been covered, but the water tank on the roof is a cistern system. It catches rain water and then goes through a filtering system. It is not uncommon to have them on a roof. The reason the guy came to the sorority house to look at it was that someone called because they were having a problem with water pressure.
One more thing. Is it normal for an attorney of her caliber to be teaching at all?
Not normal but it happens… that one guy from the OJ trial has always taught I think? Alan Dershowitz? Lots of bleeding heart liberal defense attorneys teach while practicing. The cut throat types, like Annalise maybe not so much? In general, attorney’s that want to get out of the rat race teach.
On Sat, Oct 4, 2014 at 10:55 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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