'How to Get Away with Murder' Recap: 'It's Called the Octopus'

On this week’s episode of How to Get Away with Murder, Annalise defends a sex worker accused of murdering a client, Asher remains adamant about breaking his ties with the D.A., and Connor and Oliver celebrate the end of their forced celibacy.

Annalise’s students flee from Caleb and Catherine’s mansion, leaving Annalise and the D.A. turned prosecutor to bleed to death. As Annalise lie dying, her cell phone rings nearby. It’s Nate asking her to call him and let him know she’s okay. Annalise attempts to reach for the phone, but it’s too late. A moment later, she’s passed on.

Seven weeks earlier, Annalise is scrambling to determine Caleb and Catherine’s possible motive for killing their adoptive parents. She reviews photos of the crime scene and records directives for Bonnie and Frank. Later, when Annalise falls asleep she is awoken by a loud noise coming from her basement. She goes to investigate by herself, but eventually calls in Wes for backup. It’s just a mouse caught in a spring trap.

Following this minor ordeal, Annalise and Wes discuss whether or not they miss Sam and Rebecca, reveling in each other's awkward silence.

The next day during class, Annalise discusses how sex relates to criminal law and breaks down the crimes of passion defense. In a series of intercut scenes, Michaela re-considers having sex with Levi, Asher meets up with Bonnie, Connor cooks Oliver breakfast to celebrate the impending end of their forced celibacy, and Laurel and Frank re-address their relationship status.

Annalise’s talk of sex and criminal law has to do with her most recent case involving a sex worker who is accused of intentionally killing a client during a party that got a little too rough. A witness’ testimony does more harm than good for Annalise’s client, which then requires her to obtain a client list from the night of the supposed murder. It takes some prodding, but Annalise’s client, Tanya complies and Annalise instructs her students to talk to people from the list and ask them if they’d be willing to testify in court.

None of the potential witnesses are willing to testify, but a female client from Tanya’s list takes a strong interest in Connor and invites him to an upcoming Utopia Circle party.

When Annalise’s students return from their task empty-handed, she’s upset and complains that they’re getting worse and worse at successfully doing their jobs. Annalise’s anger at her students is short-lived, as Bonnie directs her attention to a magazine cover featuring her clients, Caleb and Catherine kissing. Upon this discovery, Annalise and her students pay a visit to the siblings’ mansion, where Annalise reams them out for their incestuous relationship.

Annalise is convinced the jury will not be able to overlook this new piece of evidence and all hope of getting Caleb and Catherine off the hook is lost. Caleb and Catherine try to play off the photo as Caleb merely comforting his sister, but everyone knows they’re lying. They remind Annalise that she was the one who begged them to hire her and they could easily ditch her for another lawyer.

That night, the group discuss Caleb and Catherine’s incest over takeout. An uncomfortable moment ensues when Connor mentions his own sex life and “shames” Michaela for not realizing that her ex-fiance, Aiden was gay sooner. Their spat gets interrupted by Annalise asking if they have any new leads on a potential witness. Michaela mentions the party Connor was invited to, and soon enough the pair join the festivities in hopes of gaining intel.

Back at the Keating house, Annalise asks Frank to determine the origins of the magazine and seeks updates on Nate. Annalise is displeased to hear that Nate is still jobless and ignores Frank’s words of reassurance, taking matters into her own hands. She blackmails a local sergeant into giving Nate a job knowing that his daughter’s name is featured on Tanya’s list.

Michaela tries to press partygoers for info and obtains a valuable new piece of evidence.

Later, Annalise uses this lead to confront her client, Tanya. Annalise knows that Tanya traded cards so she could have sex with Dominic. Tanya loved Dominic and he loved her, but he was married. Tanya wanted Dominic’s wife, Cynthia to walk in on them so she’d realize her husband was a cheater and she’d leave him. The plan went awry when Tanya gave Dominic a nitroglycerin pill and it interacted with his Viagra, causing him to suffer a heart attack and die. Tanya maintains that she never wanted to hurt Dominic, but Annalise still accuses her of being selfish.

Laurel waits inside Frank’s car while he grabs a lead on the photo of Caleb and Catherine. When he returns, Laurel says she thought that he brought her along so they could talk and she could get to know him better. Frank asks Laurel what she’d think of him if he told her he’s mainly done bad things with his life, but suggests they return to Annalise’s before she can answer.

The D.A. meets with Asher. Asher figures out that she leaked the picture of Caleb and Catherine and is hell bent on destroying Annalise. Asher reiterates that he no longer wants to be her mole after a close call at Annalise’s house almost caused him to blow his cover. The D.A. isn’t so willing to let Asher off the hook, though.

In court, Annalise asks that Tanya’s charges be changed from involuntary manslaughter to pre-meditated first-degree murder. The judge thinks Annalise is trying to pull a stunt until she introduces Dominic’s updated tox screens, which indicate the presence of both nitroglycerin and Viagra in his system on the night of his death. Annalise uses this evidence to shift the blame toward Dominic’s wife, Cynthia and accuses her of killing him instead. Annalise is able to have Tanya charged as not guilty, causing Tanya to panic.

Meanwhile, Bonnie begins to suspect Asher is cheating on her when she accidentally sees a photo of another girl on his phone. Asher tries to craft a clever excuse, but Bonnie doesn’t go for it.

Tanya sends Annalise’s students thank you baskets and Michaela has a change of heart about sleeping with Levi. Simultaneously, Wes confronts Levi, Rebecca’s foster brother about staying away from Michaela. Levi thinks Rebecca is dead and has been using Michaela to gain new leads about his sister’s whereabouts.

Bonnie and Laurel talk about their relationship troubles over drinks.

Frank tells Annalise he found her recorder and was able to trace the IP address of Caleb and Catherine’s photo to an apartment in South Philly. The apartment belongs to Miss Guthrie, the siblings’ employee, who has known them their entire lives and was also able to pick up on their incestuous relationship. Armed with this information, Annalise records updates to save for later.

She also shows up to Nate’s unannounced. He turned down the job offer, because still needs time. When Annalise leaves, Nate tells Wes he's in on Wes' plan.

Connor and Oliver celebrate the official ending of their forced celibacy and Michaela and Levi get hot and heavy.

Asher finds his dad and tells him about trouble involving a girl named, Tiffany, who Bonnie saw on his phone.

Flash forward to the present where Annalise’s students leave Caleb and Catherine’s mansion and hide in the woods from the cops. Nate soon shows up to their rescue and they all drive away in his police car.

End of episode.

image courtesy of Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com

How to Get Away with Murder airs every Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC.