Wild Cards Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Howl to Get Away with Murder

Ellis and Max discover big secrets in the darkest parts of a small town on Wild Cards Season 1 Episode 3, “Howl to Get Away with Murder.”

Written by Sabrina Sherif and directed by Lee Rose, this episode takes the dynamic duo off the beaten path to investigate the case of a missing butcher. Little do they know, it will also become the team-building exercise they need.

“Howl to Get Away with Murder” takes all the charm and drama a small town provides and combines them with tasteful references to Giacomo Gianniotti and Vanessa Morgan’s TV past on Grey’s Anatomy and Riverdale.

Ellis knowing what animal organs look like and how long blood pumps in a body may relate to his professional experiences, but it’s far more fun to imagine Wild Cards is throwing bones to those who loved him as Dr. Andrew DeLuca.

Similarly, Max’s reaction to a possible ritual sacrifice in the middle of a small town’s woods and interest in witchcraft brings back fond memories of Toni Topaz.

As a fan of Morgan’s filmography, it’s easy to leap from Max’s apprehension of wolves to Sarah from My Babysitter’s a Vampire, too.

Those possible callbacks are more subtle than the tongue-in-cheek references to other consultant procedurals on Wild Cards Season 1 Episode 1, “The Infinity Thief,” but they’re delightful nonetheless.

The more lasting appeal of “Howl to Get Away with Murder” is how it uses the scenic backdrop and charismatic performances to mine comfort from even the most predictable twists, like Harlan being the one who murdered Lucas. 

The layers to that reveal may have lower stakes (Ellis isn’t going to get gravely injured in the show’s third episode!), but they have high levels of charm because of the energy Vanessa Morgan brings to the sequence as Max.

Though it would have been exciting to see Gianniotti and Morgan in a bit of an action sequence, the episode’s theatrical approach works, too.

Even when it wants to elevate the tension, Wild Cards can’t help but wink at the audience through Max’s charade, which makes the entire situation look planned for the tour. It all works because of the comforting tonal line this show walks.

Wild Cards can introduce zany characters of the week with wolf sanctuaries and love lost because Gianniotti and Morgan are such a strong pair — they make it all believable and worthwhile. 

On “Howl to Get Away with Murder,” Standford Township contains distinct characters who come to life through inclusive love stories, high school drama, and financial desperation.

Dropping Max and Ellis into that environment gives Gianniotti and Morgan plenty to work with on Wild Cards. It’s entertaining to see the central characters navigate that complex history while building one of their own.

This episode is only Wild Cards‘s third outing, so Ellis and Max’s near-constant push-pull of whether they are partners isn’t grating. Instead, the show’s writing uses Ellis’s resistance and Max’s persistence to chip away at their respective backstories, which Gianniotti and Morgan’s performances fully support.

As someone who was bowled over by Gianniotti’s emotional range on Grey’s Anatomy, it’s intriguing to watch him be so reined in on Wild Cards. This show has yet to reveal a lot under Cole Ellis’s surface, so Max’s efforts to uncover that side of him are appreciated.

The closest “Howl to Get Away with Murder” gets is not the adorable grilled cheese scene (The Harry Styles name-drop is so personal to me!) but Ellis’s confrontation with Harlan that mixes the personal with the professional.

Max perfectly tees up this confrontation by calling Ellis a “legacy kid” in Act 4.

It briefly yet visibly strikes a chord, but Ellis doesn’t let Max in as to why. Instead, Ellis’s frustration manifests in questioning Harlan about his father’s legacy, which Harlan risks with a fraudulent reputation. That insight into Ellis and his possible fears creates the context for how he interacts with his co-workers and Max.

Max can go toe-to-toe with Detective Yates and Simmons’s skepticism, but Ellis stays by the book because, perhaps, he sees it as his only way to get promoted, preserve his father’s reputation, and find justice for his brother.

“Howl to Get Away with Murder” plays with the opposite concept through Max.

Her personable and quick-witted approach to the job reflects her upbringing, of which she speaks fondly on Wild Cards. Therefore, Morgan’s convincing performance of Max’s defense of her parents to Ellis is especially noteworthy. 

It’s no wonder that the brief moments of vulnerability Max experiences over the phone with her father, like on Wild Cards Season 1 Episode 2, “Show Me the Murder,” are some of the most revealing for her character.

Those distinct differences in Ellis and Max’s characterization make them exciting to watch as a consultant procedural duo. 

It also helps that “Howl to Get Away with Murder” lets a team-building manual be a tool in Max’s arsenal and a thorn in Ellis’s side.

Still, it’s enjoyable to see how the two characters are starting to influence each other — only three episodes into an ideally long-running series. It’s meaningful that Ellis gives Max tips about promises she shouldn’t make as a cop and stands up for Max to Yates and Simmons, much to their dismay and jealousy.

Wild Cards also reflects that strengthening partnership in the quippy coda featuring “Partners in Wine” hats that should make a comeback with Ellis and Max’s song, “Just the Two of Us.” Because even though Ellis is still coming around to the idea, Ellis and Max are hopefully here to stay.

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Wild Cards airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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