Michaela is smart. Thank god.

We begin “It’s for the Greater Good” with the most intelligent, level-headed and driven of the (former) Keating Four, Michaela, running away from her terrible friend, Laurel. If you recall, last episode we were left with Laurel attempting to persuade Michaela to possibly ruin her new, amazing internship by getting information on Laurel’s dad. Michaela kicks off the episode saying everything I hoped she would. Basically, things like, “stay away from me Laurel,” “our lives are good, why start more mess” and “drive me away from this ridiculous woman.”

This doesn’t stop Laurel. She spends the entire episode trying to get “in” with different people that could assist her in closing the case on her baby daddy, Wes, murder. She tries to book an internship with Bonnie, first failing and then succeeding (with help from Frank), continues to harass Michaela, (possibly) finally succeeding and even follows Annalise into a restroom while she’s getting a random alcohol test. This girl is nuts! I have to add that I’m starting to suspect that the baby may not even be Wes’. Thinking back on last season, it could possibly be Frank’s. I’m sure the theory will be addressed soon.

Apart from Laurel Drew working tirelessly to crack the case, Michaela is kicking butt at the new internship. She is forced to participate in the Hell Bowl, which is basically like Jeopardy, but with trivia questions about the history of the law firm. She wins the whole thing, which brings her closer to the firm’s powerful female attorney. It also gives her more access to possibly help Laurel. Ugh. Stay smart, Michaela.

Photo: ABC/Mitch Haaseth
Photo: ABC/Mitch Haaseth

This week, Connor is really interesting. He drops out of law school and gets a refund check of $32,000, which he blows in almost every scene at a gay strip club. The rest of the (former) Keating Four, plus Frank, ban together to hopefully get him back into law school, but basically, his mind is made up and he’s unmoved. That is until his dads’ (surprise!) show up at the gay strip club where he’s running through more of the refund money—and they look like they mean business. I think I’m going to like them.

Asher, on the other hand, is doing little to nothing this episode, which is fine. How to Get Away with Murder is a big machine with a lot of moving parts. It’s hard to go in-depth with every character, every episode. His time is coming.

The meat of this episode, as always, is Annalise, who goes to the Philadelphia Office of Public Defenders in search of her new case. She’s assisted by public defender Virginia, who is curious as to why THE Annalise Keating wants to take on a public defender client. Annalise tells her that she’s broke as hell and, honestly, just wants to help. Virginia, skeptical of the reasoning, gives Annalise the case of Ben Carter, a tattooed inmate who has been in jail for years, accused of pushing his baby mama out of an eight-story window.

In typical How to Get Away with Murder fashion, Annalise initially stumbles with the case in court. It’s so bad that Virginia asks for the case back. But, also in typical How to Get Away with Murder fashion, the day is saved by a mysterious package delivered to Annalise’s doorstep. It’s a DVD that show’s Ben’s baby mama committing suicide, providing an easy slam dunk for Annalise. Not only does she present the video to the court, but she also puts poor Virginia on the stand. See, the video was delivered to Annalise by Bill Staton, Virginia’s lover (no clue why he did it). Virginia had the video for years while Ben Carter suffered innocently behind bars. Virginia confesses that she was overworked and underpaid and just didn’t have the time to look through all the video footage those years ago. But Annalise gives zero damns and marches happily out the courtroom with her win in tow, leaving Virginia for disbarment.

Photo: ABC/Mitch Haaseth
Photo: ABC/Mitch Haaseth

At a therapy session with Isaac, we discover that Annalise sacrificed Virginia for a bigger cause. It sounds like she’s trying to bring the corrupt side of justice system down, which I find ironic. She’s the most corrupt of them all. I’m sure we’ll get a clearer understanding of her goal in the coming weeks.

Fast forward two months later, and we’re back at the hospital where Laurel’s baby is missing. But this time, we also find Michaela there, looking more distraught than ever, with blood all over her shirt. What was her involvement in this mess?

By the way, RIP to Annalise’s last client, Jasmine. She was found dead on this week’s episode, just as Annalise predicted. Really sad, but it seems to be Annalise’s hard-to-learn lesson: She can continually save people in legal ways, but they can only save their own physical lives.