It's very common for shows to start slipping after the first season. It happened with Lost, The Walking Dead, and tons of other shows, but luckily, this trend does not apply to How To Get Away With Murder. Not only did the second season deliver nine fantastic episodes, it was able to surpass the already fantastic first season in every conceivable way. I wholeheartedly believe this is Shonda Rhimes's best show. It has everything you could ask from a TV show, and it's currently my favorite show currently on television. I don't want to give any spoilers, but this episode was an example of how to make a finale. I can't think of any way how the episode could've turned out better. I wasn't expecting some of the events at all, and the ones that I did expect were executed phenomenally. Easily the best episode of the show so far.
Reviews
12 Reviews
All the hype with barely any payoff
11 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I don't think I've ever been so disappointed with an episode of television in my life. This episode would answer all our questions? Yeah, right. We still don't know anything about Wren (there are soo many questions left unanswered about Wren), why Cece was wearing a yellow top that night, how Cece met Sara, what Ali had on Noel, and Ali's bloody lip. I suppose Cece being A was fine and all (even though I wanted Wren). What REALLY aggravated me was Sara being redcoat AND black widow. We didn't even hear about Sara when those two were introduced. I cannot believe how hard the show blew it. There were some flashbacks I liked, I enjoyed the last few moments after Cece was captured, and Emily punching Sara was awesome (and why is she still here after the time jump?? I wouldn't be able to deal with this show if she and Emily started dating again), but the episode was so so so so soooo disappointing. We didn't even see Bethany's face or the flashback of Mona hitting her which I find really odd and frustrating. They could've also given some answers throughout 6A instead of "Leslie is A, oh wait, no she's not lol" so the episode didn't feel so rushed and so we could get some more answers. We didn't even get to see graduation, which I was really looking forward too. Finally, there was one HUGE plot hole. We saw Alison as a teenager when Marion was alive but Bethanh was just a child when she pushed her, and Bethany is older than Ali! I feel so bad for the people who had to wait 6 years to watch this. I was really expecting it to be the best episode ever. In my mind, the only way this episode could be redeemed would be if Wren is Uber A. Don't get me wrong, I was open to possibilities other than Wren but if his behavior was explained, I would be so much more satisfied.
Best Episode Ever
2 June 2015
Now this is how you start off a season! I don't want to spoil anything because the episode is just way too good and you need to watch it for yourself, but whoa. Summarizing it just wouldn't do it justice. There wasn't a single boring moment in this episode. Every scene had purpose, the plot moved forward, there was a great reveal, and overall there was just a good mix of everything. In addition to the brilliant writing, the acting was on point. Every single actor, even the weaker ones, were great in this episode. The directing was fantastic as well. Overall, this was probably the best episode of the series. Twisted, dark, emotional, it has it all. I can't even pick a favorite scene. I would give it above a 10/10 if I could.
1st Half = Amazing, 2nd Half = Eh
15 February 2015
The first episode of Better Call Saul was pretty good, not amazing, but still a solid start. However, the ending of it got me really excited for this episode. This episode however, was way more action-packed and the story really began moving here. The whole situation with Tuco was crazy, and it really let Saul's personality shine. Not only that, but it also showed how amazing a lawyer he is. My only complaint is that the second half of the episode, while not bad by any means, was just kinda boring. I'm really looking forward to the next episode though. I'd love to see more interactions between Tuco and Saul, as those scenes are what really made the episode.
How Not To Make a PLL Episode
1 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I love this show, I really do, but that doesn't mean it's perfect. To this day, I still consider this to be the worst episode of the entire series. I just recently watched it again before I wrote this review to make sure I didn't miss anything my first time watching it, but no, this episode was just plain bad, and this is coming from a big fan of the series.
First off, the biggest problem with the episode was the inclusion of supernatural elements. We get it Caleb, you're upset your show is cancelled, but please keep Ravenswood out of PLL, you can't just bring these things into a show that's at least somewhat realistic.
Second, the episode was so disappointing in many ways. This was the episode where we supposed to find out who really killed Bethany, but we didn't! We only found out that Melissa buried Bethany (which was already very predictable), and that she's been protecting Spencer, but we never found out who knocked her out, and the show really made us think we would. Also, we were promised a Montgomery family reunion, which I was actually really looking forward to, but even that couldn't happen.
Third, some moments were just...dumb. The intervention was probably the most awkward and unnecessary scene of the whole series. I wish the writers would stop trying to pair up Toby and Caleb, as they just feel really awkward together (Caleb and Paige being friends felt a lot more genuine). I remember at one point Spencer said "Don't look at me, I don't know how boys communicate" and I honestly think that's what the writers were thinking when writing that scene. So basically, the intervention was just plain useless and led to nothing (Caleb and Hanna ended up talking about it, but it really came down to something else). Meanwhile, Mona acts like a victim to Aria after she whispers something to her at the movie theater (of course they were watching a black and white movie), even after she's tortured her friends as A just a few seasons ago.
And lastly, the episode builds absolutely no hype for the midseason finale. Instead of the unnecessary moments like the intervention, they could've showed Alison persuading Mona's team to join her instead of just saying that she did in the next episode with no explanation.
Overall, this has to be the worst PLL episode in my opinion. So many missed opportunities, so many unnecessary moments, that I believe this episode deserves no more than a 4/10.
First off, the biggest problem with the episode was the inclusion of supernatural elements. We get it Caleb, you're upset your show is cancelled, but please keep Ravenswood out of PLL, you can't just bring these things into a show that's at least somewhat realistic.
Second, the episode was so disappointing in many ways. This was the episode where we supposed to find out who really killed Bethany, but we didn't! We only found out that Melissa buried Bethany (which was already very predictable), and that she's been protecting Spencer, but we never found out who knocked her out, and the show really made us think we would. Also, we were promised a Montgomery family reunion, which I was actually really looking forward to, but even that couldn't happen.
Third, some moments were just...dumb. The intervention was probably the most awkward and unnecessary scene of the whole series. I wish the writers would stop trying to pair up Toby and Caleb, as they just feel really awkward together (Caleb and Paige being friends felt a lot more genuine). I remember at one point Spencer said "Don't look at me, I don't know how boys communicate" and I honestly think that's what the writers were thinking when writing that scene. So basically, the intervention was just plain useless and led to nothing (Caleb and Hanna ended up talking about it, but it really came down to something else). Meanwhile, Mona acts like a victim to Aria after she whispers something to her at the movie theater (of course they were watching a black and white movie), even after she's tortured her friends as A just a few seasons ago.
And lastly, the episode builds absolutely no hype for the midseason finale. Instead of the unnecessary moments like the intervention, they could've showed Alison persuading Mona's team to join her instead of just saying that she did in the next episode with no explanation.
Overall, this has to be the worst PLL episode in my opinion. So many missed opportunities, so many unnecessary moments, that I believe this episode deserves no more than a 4/10.
Favorite Episode To Date
13 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The Walking Dead, while a fun show to watch, can have some really lackluster writing at times, however this was almost never the case with season 4. Looking back, I believe this rivals season 1 for the best season, and I feel that might be mainly due to this episode. I honestly think this episode is THE best episode in the whole series, and here's why: The episode was unexpectedly good. The second half of season 4 spent each episode developing each character, and this just seemed like another character development episode revolving around Carol and Tyreese, but it was so much more than that. The episode featured shocking moments, as in GOOD shocking moments, not just poorly written and unnecessary moments that are meant solely to shock the audience and get people talking about the episode (in other words, Coda). The episode features a number of great moments, from Carol telling Tyreese about what she did to his girlfriend, and Lizzy playing with walkers, but the greatest moments had to be when Lizzie killed her own sister, and when Carol had to kill Lizzie (while referencing Of Mice and Men)! The episode was filled with great acting, great writing, heartbreaking moments, and anything you could ever want from a Walking Dead episode.
Coven Deserves Better
9 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
So just a few days ago, Coven came out on Netflix. Just like with the other seasons, I ended up finishing in just a few days. Before I finished however, I heard the finale was somewhat disappointing, and sadly, I have to agree. It wasn't absolutely horrible, just not very good. The episode felt rushed, and I felt some poor choices were made. Let's start small with Madison's death. Now Madison had her death coming for a while now, but the way she died just didn't make any sense. If she's such a powerful witch, then how was Kyle able to kill her so easily? The whole murder just came off as beyond ridiculous to me. Another complaint I have is the death of Misty. I may be a bit bias since she was my favorite character, but I just found it really unfair how she had to spend eternity in her own personal hell, after doing absolutely nothing wrong. To make things worse, her death was totally pushed aside and forgotten almost immediately. Probably my biggest complaint is the fact that the writers totally abandoned the storyline of Marie and Madame Lalaurie. I mean come on, they can't just end with the two of them in hell for eternity, even if they deserved it, I would at least appreciate some kind of closure. Also, Fiona's hell didn't quite make sense, since she was rejected by Papa Legba, yet he still shows up. It just felt like a plot hole, but I might be wrong with this one. Now to talk about the things I did like: Cordelia being the supreme was just fine for me, even if I preferred Misty. Also, she gets her eyesight back, which I was also happy about. I'm also happy at least Zoe and Queenie survived. I also liked Cordelia's talk with Fiona, and Fiona tricking Cordelia into thinking she was dead. That's just about it. Coven would've been my favorite season, but I just can't get over how disappointing the finale is. However, as a whole, I found Coven to be great, and it's still my 2nd favorite season after Asylum. Sadly, the finale just failed to wrap up the story in a satisfying way.
Beyond Frustrated
1 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I can't even express how infuriating this episode was. Usually, The Walking Dead's midseason finales have been fantastic, but this one was just awful in my opinion, in fact I actually consider it to be one of the worst episodes of the series. I'm only giving it a 3 because most of the episode was pretty good, from the beginning scene, to the fight between the cops, to Morgan returning, this could've been a great episode if 1 thing didn't happen. So during a trade, Beth decides to be really smart and stab Dawn with all the officers holding guns, and surprise, she gets shot. After that, Daryl shoots Dawn, the character that just started going through some real development that made you like her, but they literally kill her off, along with Beth, who also had a lot of potential after so much growth, just for shock value and because it's the midseason finale. Usually the shows' scenes where main characters die are really shocking, well written, and add to the story (such as Herschel's and Shane's death), but these deaths were so poorly written that it's frustrating! Why on earth would Beth think it would be a good idea to stab a cop who has so much backup, and why would the writers think it's a good idea to kill of the two characters that had just recently gone through so much development? And couldn't they have just let Maggie and Beth reunite? I don't mean to be so negative, but this show has not been too good lately. With the season's amazing premiere, I really thought this would be the best season, but I was left beyond disappointed with this first half.
Disappointing
10 November 2014
This season honestly has the potential to be the best in the series, but this episode was definitely the worst one so far. The episode focuses on the characters that are on their way to Washington. We get the back story of Eugene and Abraham, but honestly, it was nothing too spectacular. The episode basically consists of Abraham screaming every 15 seconds, and it just gets kinda annoying. Also, the episode tried to make you feel bad for Eugene, but honestly he just became more irritating and obnoxious than before. The episode moved pretty slow too, even slower than last week's episode (which I actually liked) Overall, the episode was kind of a let down.
Best of Episode of 5A!
24 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
So honestly, this season hasn't been the best so far. It has a few really great episodes, but for the most part it didn't really feel on the same level as the other seasons. With that said, this episode is by far the best one from 5A. It went at a much faster pace than the rest of the season and it had some great moments. I love how they trolled us by almost killing Toby, but sadly someone else had to die in the fatal finale. I thought it would be Melissa, but it turned out to be Mona. This was probably the only devastating death on the show for me since Mona was my favorite character behind Spencer and Hanna. At first, I thought she may have not actually died, but the final scene that confirmed her death was one of the most shocking moments in the entire show. Great episode overall, and I can't wait for the show to return!
Orange Is the New Black
(2013–2019)
One of the Best Shows Ever Made
10 August 2014
This just has to be one of the greatest shows ever made. Everything about it is perfection, from the writing to the acting to the casting, everything is perfect. The show delivers a perfect balance between comedy and drama, with the first season being more focused on comedy and the second season being more focused on drama. The acting is probably the best acting of any TV show I've ever seen, dare I say, even better than that of Breaking Bad! In fact, this and Breaking Bad are probably the only two shows where I would consider every episode to be great. The Season 2 finale, "We Have Manners. We're Polite", has to be the best episode of any TV show in my honest opinion. This show has been excellent so far, and I can't wait for season 3!
Pretty Little Liars
(2010–2017)
Incredible! (OLD REVIEW)
15 July 2014
Before watching this show, I didn't expect this show to be all that great. I just assumed from the title, this show wouldn't be as good as it really is. Even after watching the first episode I still didn't think it was all that great, but after being assured it would be great after a few more episodes, I gave it a try, and I do not regret that decision at all. The story is fantastic, the character development is great, the acting is top notch (for the most part) and there are so many memorable moments that can keep you at the edge of your seat. It's also home to some of the best music of any TV show in my opinion.
The overall plot basically consists of 4 girls, Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily, who try to figure out who killed their friend Alison (even though she ends up being alive), and while doing so they are tormented by an anonymous source known as "A". I'm happy to say that there are enough twists to keep you interested.
I can only come up with a few major flaws with this show. One flaw is that the girls don't learn from their mistakes. There are so many opportunities where they could've just told the truth but they chose to lie instead. Another flaw is that when a certain couple is not together, the show comes up with substitutes until the couple gets back together which isn't fair for people who like these "substitute" couples/characters. Many people are bothered we have to wait so long to find out who "A" is but I for one actually appreciate the build up, and besides, we did find out some of the other A's along the way to make this show more than worthwhile. Also, some of these relationships are just either boring/dragged out or unhealthy. Lastly, just a warning after season 4, the show gets much worse IMO and it really feels like its dragging.
Overall though, the show definitely makes up for it's short comings and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. I cannot stress enough how great this show is for EVERYONE, and not just teenage girls like most people would sadly assume, which is why I consider this show highly underrated as I believe it deserves a lot more praise than it gets. If you watched the first episode and didn't like it, keep watching. Trust me, it will definitely get better and you'll find yourself addicted while the show sucks you in with it's brilliant (for the most part) yet underrated writing, characters and scenarios.
EDIT: I wrote this a few years back. Now that I've finished the show, I can say that it has definitely lost what made it great in the earlier seasons. The show doesn't deserve a 10/10 whatsoever, but I'll leave it since the show did have a bigger impact on me than any other show has; I mean there isn't any other show I invested so much of my time in. Overall, I'd recommend the first 2 seasons to everyone. The third and fourth seasons were good too, but the big A reveal was so bad that I don't know if I should recommend it. It turned into a show with messy writing and plot holes at every turn, but still, it was fun while it lasted.
The overall plot basically consists of 4 girls, Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily, who try to figure out who killed their friend Alison (even though she ends up being alive), and while doing so they are tormented by an anonymous source known as "A". I'm happy to say that there are enough twists to keep you interested.
I can only come up with a few major flaws with this show. One flaw is that the girls don't learn from their mistakes. There are so many opportunities where they could've just told the truth but they chose to lie instead. Another flaw is that when a certain couple is not together, the show comes up with substitutes until the couple gets back together which isn't fair for people who like these "substitute" couples/characters. Many people are bothered we have to wait so long to find out who "A" is but I for one actually appreciate the build up, and besides, we did find out some of the other A's along the way to make this show more than worthwhile. Also, some of these relationships are just either boring/dragged out or unhealthy. Lastly, just a warning after season 4, the show gets much worse IMO and it really feels like its dragging.
Overall though, the show definitely makes up for it's short comings and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. I cannot stress enough how great this show is for EVERYONE, and not just teenage girls like most people would sadly assume, which is why I consider this show highly underrated as I believe it deserves a lot more praise than it gets. If you watched the first episode and didn't like it, keep watching. Trust me, it will definitely get better and you'll find yourself addicted while the show sucks you in with it's brilliant (for the most part) yet underrated writing, characters and scenarios.
EDIT: I wrote this a few years back. Now that I've finished the show, I can say that it has definitely lost what made it great in the earlier seasons. The show doesn't deserve a 10/10 whatsoever, but I'll leave it since the show did have a bigger impact on me than any other show has; I mean there isn't any other show I invested so much of my time in. Overall, I'd recommend the first 2 seasons to everyone. The third and fourth seasons were good too, but the big A reveal was so bad that I don't know if I should recommend it. It turned into a show with messy writing and plot holes at every turn, but still, it was fun while it lasted.
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