This week in TV was a short one. We went without new episodes of Bob’s Burgers, Empire, and Scream Queens (WAH), but the bright side is that there’s time to catch up on old eps before new ones return (YAH). Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder reliably brought the drama, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine got into the Halloween spirit.

***Per usual, this week’s roundup is spoiler heavy. Just sayin’!***


Stephanie Beatriz as Rosa Diaz,  Chelsea Peretti as Gina Linetti, and Melissa Fumero  as Amy Santiago  on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Stephanie Beatriz as Rosa Diaz, Chelsea Peretti as Gina Linetti, and Melissa Fumero as Amy Santiago on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine
FOX

This week marked the third annual Halloween competition between Peralta and Holt. The two divide the precinct into teams that must help capture a (literal) crown that would win one of them the title of Halloween King. But with such an important honor on the line, paranoia runs high. Jake thinks Amy would betray him to get on Holt’s good side, while Holt thinks Amy would choose her boyfriend over her boss. Thus, they leave Amy out of the game completely, setting in motion a series of events that sees Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s hardest worker outsmart them both. She ends up capturing the crown and scolding them accordingly for leaving her out. The episode ends with the beginning of her reign as Halloween Queen. As her majesty Nicki Minaj raps on “Monster,” “You can be the king, but watch the queen conquer.” –Anne T. Donahue


Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope and Tony Goldwyn as President Fitzgerald Grant.

Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope and Tony Goldwyn as President Fitzgerald Grant.

Scandal
ABC

Before we get to the meat of this week’s episode of Scandal, let’s start with an appetizer: Mellie and Jake, separately, stood up to their ex-lovers, or in Mellie’s case, now–ex-husband. Before freeing papa Eli Pope from prison, Mellie told Fitz off like only she can. Jake hung up on Olivia both times she called for advice.

Now…the main course: FITZ FINALLY PROPOSED TO OLIVIA POPE AND OLIVIA COULDN’T DEAL. When Fitz got down on one knee, it was almost like Olivia had a moment of clarity. While she may be in love, marriage means less of her and more of him. Selfish? In the ongoing saga of Fitz, Mellie, the White House, and Olivia—not at all. Will Liv sacrifice her identity for love and lust? Let’s hope we get the answer in next week’s episode. –Taj Rani


Charlie Weber as Frank Delfino and  Liza Weil 	as Bonnie Winterbottom.

Charlie Weber as Frank Delfino and Liza Weil as Bonnie Winterbottom.

How to Get Away With Murder
(ABC)

Every week, How to Get Away With Murder leaves me breathless, and needing to decompress for 15 minutes. This week was no different. Annalise continues to win cases, while simultaneously playing mind games. When she notices that Wes’s curiosity about his ex-girlfriend’s disappearance is getting out of hand, she distracts him by bringing up the suicide of his mother. Ouch. It also became painfully clear that Asher’s father has an icebox where his heart never was. Michaela is getting her groove back, even if that means flirting with a sexy client. (Get it how you live, girl!) Connor’s boyfriend Oliver took hacking to another level for Connor’s love, but unknowingly puts everyone in danger. And right when we think we’ll get the answer to #WhoShotAnnalise, the episode comes to a close. —Taj Rani ♦