Even after 7 years, “How To Get Away With Murder” still shocks me

How to get away with murder has never shied away from big twists and I still can’t believe the show actually killed off a member of the Keating 5. How to get away with murder worked well because each season had a central mystery centered on a murder. By the time Season 3 aired, the storylines were starting to falter, and I remember wondering how the series could get back on its feet creatively. TV shows are often afraid of alienating audiences by letting popular characters die, But How to get away with murder was not one of those shows.

As a result, How to get away with murder Season 3, Episode 9 remains one of the most shocking hours of television. The previous two seasons had flash-forwards to the aftermath of the crime to show who had survived and who the killer might be. However, the show changed that by showing the dead in what I thought was a flash-forward to cross them off the list of victims. This reignited my passion for the show because having such a complicated plot increased the tension for the rest of the series.

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Wes Gibbins was killed during the third season of “How To Get Away With Murder”

Wes was one of the most important characters

The killing of Alfred Enochs Wes in HTGAWM Season 3 came in an era of television where cast members’ departures were rarely leaked before they disappeared on screen. Wes was the second most important character next to Annalise, as the show was told primarily from his perspective. Even though How to get away with murder had implied that he would die as part of solving the greatest mystery, I would never have believed it. I’ll never forget my goosebumps reaction when Annalise unzipped the body bag and revealed that Wes had died in a fire.

Given Wes’ importance to the narrative, I remember wondering if it was possibly a fabrication. With so many questions still unanswered about the night of Wes’ death and the story being put on hiatus for extended periods of time, it occurred to me that Annalise and her students might have to find a way to make him look dead. When that wasn’t the case, I couldn’t help but wonder if the show was in danger.

Wes’ death in “How To Get Away With Murder” probably saved the show

Season 3 of “How To Get Away With Murder” was frustrating

It takes courage to pull off such a significant death. Plus, it came at great timing given the show’s creative woes. The showrunner clearly saw a chance for revival How to get away with murder and let it happen. Ultimately, the risky decision forced the narrative in a different direction. Without any significant deaths in a series about murder, I wouldn’t look back on the series so fondly today if it hadn’t taken that major turn.

Wes was such a big part of How to get away with murder that even as his storyline was winding down, the show focused on him rather than some of the better characters like Michaela and Bonnie. After his death How to get away with murder was able to focus more on the other main characters and spend more time getting to the bottom of their wants and needs. Without having Wes die in Season 3, How to get away with murder probably wouldn’t have remained so popular for so long.