TV Show Review

TV Review: HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER: Season 4, Episode 12: Ask Him About Stella [ABC]

Viola Davis How To Get Away With Murder

How To Get Away With Murder Ask Him About Stella Review

How to Get Away with Murder: Season 4, Episode 12: Ask Him About Stella. This How to Get Away with Murder Ask Him About Stella review finds that the episode is mostly quiet but that it also contains some surprising outbursts on the part of its characters.

Starting with Isaac (Jimmy Smits) relapsing back into his long-conquered cocaine habit, the stage is set for a heavy piece focusing on guilt and regret. Undoubtedly, it’s a theme that the show has explored before, whether it was in the form of the Keating Five’s accidental killing of Sam (Tom Verica) or Annalise’s (Viola Davis) miscarriage of her so, but somehow it feels like this is the first time that the program has really delved into it.

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Even more surprising is the way the show handles the long-implied attraction between him and Annalise. Well, perhaps implied isn’t the right word: anyone with half a brain cell could see that the two were bound to become involved with each other beyond a professional capacity. What is surprising is the timing of this revelation, with Isaac embracing Annalise before the latter realizes he is high and rebukes him for falling back into his old ways.

It’s this scene that proves to be the most noteworthy in the episode thanks to Smits’ performance. His character has come a long way from the one-note hardass he was at the start of the season, showing a level of emotion that easily suits the material being delivered. The best moment has to be when he shouts “Of course we’re not good for each other” after Annalise says just that to him. It’s the rawest moment of the episode, and right up there with Nate Senior’s (Glynn Turmann) tirade last episode as one of, if not the most prominent, moment like it.

Regrettably, the rest of the episode bears none of the intensity that Smits’ storyline possesses. Bonnie’s  (Liza Weil) efforts to sabotage Denver’s (Benito Martinez) are less intriguing than you would think they’d be, and the Keating Five’s attempts to maneuver both Annalise’s class-action suit and the question of Laurel’s (Karla Souza) baby feel rote at best. Even the return of Nate Senior isn’t enough to maintain the level of interest that Isaac and Annalise generate here. It’s certainly not the season’s worst episode, but it definitely could have been stronger if as much effort was put into these storylines.

Leave your thoughts on this How to Get Away with Murder Ask Him About Stella review and this episode of How to Get Away with Murder in the comments section. Readers seeking more How to Get Away with Murder can visit our How to Get Away with Murder Page. Readers seeking more TV show reviews can visit our TV Show Review Page, our TV Show Review Twitter Page, our TV Show Review Facebook Page, and our TV Show Review Google+ Page. Want up-to-the-minute notification? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook.

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Reggie Peralta

**** We hired Reggie, fulfilled our obligations to him, and he quit in the middle of covering two TV series w/ no notice and no explanation. He then ignored our emails asking him to complete his coverage (we had no one else to cover those TV shows). He didn't care. We regret hiring him and we regret putting our trust in him. **** An aspiring writer, longtime film junkie, and former UCLARadio.com disc jockey (where I graduated with a BA in Political Science), I've made the jump from penning book reviews and current events editorials for HonorSociety.org to writing movie and TV news and reviews. When I'm not working towards my certificate in Radio and Television/Video Production at Fullerton College, I enjoy reading (horror, science fiction, and historical/political nonfiction are particular favorites), participating in my school's TV and theatre clubs, attending movie screenings, plays, concerts, and other events, and trying to come up with pithy things to say on social media. Believe it or not, there are occasions where I find time to write for my own leisure.
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