How to Get Away with Murder featured a look at real and metaphorical parent/child relations. Regardless, both are messy as hell.

Annalise’s sobriety

Annalise is off the wagon despite being required to stay dry and go to AA meetings. She tells Bonnie that she thinks better when she drinks. This is not exactly a sign of anyone in recovery.

Given the big reveal that the university president is a recovering alcoholic, the only real question is how long until Annalise exploits this fact? Annalise may have a soft spot for vulnerable women with guts, but not when they are her biggest obstacle. Payback will be coming; it’s just a matter of when.

Wes deposed

Wes ends up being deposed in the Wallace Mahoney case. He lies, and this lie potentially will be back to bite him in the ass now that Mahoney’s legitimate son has an alibi.

Nate meets Wes in a courtroom corridor, and gives him a cryptic warning about trusting the attorney Annalise obtained for him. What does Nate know that we don’t?

Given the end of the episode, it sure looks like Wes decides to sell Annalise out to save his own skin. How do things deteriorate so badly in two weeks?

The Keating 5 interrogate Annalise

After the Keating 5 question Annalise’s defense strategy of Wes, Annalise breaks down and admits that she doesn’t have all the answers. She claims her actions, though flawed, are based on protecting the Keating 5. Possibly because she’s a glutton for punishment, possibly because she believes she deserves it, possibly because she wants to know what they think, or even all three; Annalise becomes the doormat dumping ground of the Keating 5’s ire.

Believe it or not, the catalyst to solving this week’s case is the Keating 5 angst fest. The clients are a dysfunctional family from hell. A trio of siblings accused of attempting to kill their manipulative mother needs the help of Annalise and the students.

In a weird allegory on unhealthy child and parent relationships, Annalise realizes that the mother actually poisoned herself. Together, she and Laurel, who arguably has the worst parent/child relationship, turn the tables and win the case.

Waurel and Flaurel and Coliver

Laurel and Wes are definitely this season’s hot ship since Coliver went on hiatus. Will Waurel go down because Frank takes out Wes? If looks could kill, both Laurel and Wes would be dead based upon the look on Frank’s face in the corridor when he realizes they are an item. When Frank comes back later, he’s super vulnerable. Can we trust this vulnerability, or is Frank setting up supreme revenge?

Speaking of Coliver, Oliver has his own problems when Thomas puts the breaks on their relationship when he finds out Oliver is HIV positive. It wasn’t a pause to know more about HIV before committing to sex; it was more of a “I’m not going to be into a relationship with heavy issues.” This is not the level of maturity Oliver needs.

Oliver and Connor have an impassioned reunion when Connor gives Oliver the mature answer he needs. Connor will never desert Oliver whether they are lovers or not. Oliver realizes what he threw away, and they reunite.

The fandom celebrates along with Asher now that Coliver has regained its status as the healthiest relationship on the show. All we have to overcome now is Connor surviving the fire…we’re looking at you, Pete Nowalk. There will be a huge uproar if Coliver goes down as yet another Bury Your Gays victim.

Frank returns

Bonnie lied to Annalise, telling her that she dumped Frank and she was playing with his head. It turns out, upon Frank’s visit, that Bonnie was actually ready to run off with Frank. Frank left Bonnie alone and vulnerable in that hotel room.

Bonnie has pretty much had it with being betrayed. When Frank shows up, Bonnie displays more backbone than we have seen in three seasons, and she kicks him out. Most importantly, her actions are all about her. For once Bonnie is standing up totally for herself.

With nowhere else to go, Frank turns up at Laurel’s apartment right after Laurel doesn’t get an “I love you” from Wes. Does she take him back? Is she a sympathetic ear? It looks like we’ll find out next week.

Do you think Laurel will take Frank back on ‘How to Get Away with Murder’?