‘How To Get Away With Murder’ Season 4, Episode 1 Recap: Laurel Mourns Loss, Annalise Breaks Team (Spoilers)

“How To Get Away With Murder” Season 4, Episode 1 (“I’m Going Away”) aired Sept. 28 on ABC. Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) is still mourning the death of Wes Gibbins (Alfred Enoch). Be warned, this recap of highlights contains major spoilers and fan theories.

Here are ten things you need to know about HTGAWM’s fourth season premiere:

One. Annalise manages to keep her license to practice law. She begs the disciplinary committee for a second chance. She gets it, but she needs to see a therapist. Enter Jimmy Smits (“Sons of Anarchy”).
Two. Annalise meets her team for dinner. Then she lets them go, saying they are toxic together. It’s a bad breakup. No one seems to be more upset than Bonnie (Liza Weil), who could not believe Annalise is letting her go after all they’ve been through together.
Three. Laurel now lives in Wes’ old apartment. She keeps a gun on her bedside table, and she is keeping her father Jorge Castillo (Esai Morales) close enough. For her baby’s safety, she makes him believe she had an abortion. Laurel also casually mentions to her father that she recently saw Dominic (Nicholas Gonzalez). He says it’s because she was not returning her father’s calls. She pretends to accept her dad’s excuse. Later, she types (and deletes without sending) this message for her dad:
https://twitter.com/HowToGetAwayABC/status/913658604288446464
Four. Hannah Keating froze the fire insurance money that Annalise intended to use for Ophelia’s (Cicely Tyson) nursing home needs. Momma is now suffering from dementia, and Annalise is deeply troubled. Actress Marcia Gay Harden is not in the premiere to reprise her role as Hannah, but viewers are likely to see her again.

The Break-up: K4 Faces Big Change

Five. Connor (Jack Falahee) tells Oliver (Conrad Ricamora) they should get married when things are normal, not when their lives or careers are in danger.
Six. Michaela (Aja Naomi King) is upset with Annalise’s decision to break the team. She tells Asher (Matt McGorry) he is her “white Obama” and they should find new internships soon.
Seven. Nate (Billy Brown) sees Bonnie waiting outside the office of Assistant District Attorney Todd Denver (Benito Martinez). It seems Bonnie will be going against Annalise in future cases. The K4 interns will not like this news.
Eight. Frank Delfino (Charlie Weber) is still determined to be a part of Annalise’s team. Fans can expect to see more of Frank this season. Perhaps a reconciliation is not too farfetched, considering Nate and Bonnie would be working together at the DA’s office.

When your friend still hasn't watched the #HTGAWM premiere… pic.twitter.com/FnFHyTLKgk

— How To Get Away ABC (@HowToGetAwayABC) September 30, 2017

What happens next to Laurel Castillo?

Nine. In a time jump at the end of the episode, Frank and Annalise’s therapist Isaac (Jimmy Smits) are in a hospital scene with Laurel. It looks like a facility for psychiatry patients.
Ten. At the flash forward hospital scene, Laurel wakes up and panics at the sight of her shrunken baby belly. Is she about to mourn another loss this season? This happens three months from the night of the team’s break-up dinner with Annalise. Back then, Laurel said she was due in five months’ time.
BONUS. Viola Davis’ real-life husband, Julius Tennon, is in the fourth HTGAWM premiere as Desmond, aka guy on the plane. Here’s another bonus from the cast:
https://twitter.com/ajanaomi_king/status/913747988261908481
“I’m Going Away” was written by series creator and showrunner Pete Nowalk, and directed by Jet Wilkinson. “How To Get Away With Murder” Season 4, Episode 2 (“I’m Not Her”) will air on Oct. 5.