By Gabriella Rodriguez | Staff Writer
If you’ve been keeping up with the latest television hits, it’s safe to say How to Get Away With Murder has passed through your radar. The new legal drama, which premiered September 25th on ABC, has been met with critical acclaim. Over 14 million viewers tuned in live for the series premiere at 10 p.m. Shonda Rhimes, executive producer, now monopolizes ABC on Thursday nights as three of her shows play back to back from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.: Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder.
The show revolves around five law students studying at Middleton University who have just begun a class taught by Professor Annalise Keating, J.D., played by Viola Davis. Professor Keating has rather fondly nicknamed the course “How to Get Away With Murder,” as she is teaching them how win a case regardless of whether a client is innocent or not.
One of the first things a viewer realizes about the show is that it follows two distinct timelines–one three months in the future, and another in the present. The events of the first timeline directly relate to and affect the events and decisions made in the second timeline, and it is up to the viewer to piece together the puzzle. This lends a level of intrigue and suspense to the show that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat and glued to the television screen. Just when you think you’re starting to figure out what is going on, you’re brought back to the other timeline only to begin the cycle all over again.
The characters are convoluted and unique, each holding their own secrets. Annalise Keating’s marriage hides a scandal that no one but Wes Gibbins, one of her students, discovers. Connor Walsh, another one of the law students, routinely obtains case information in an illegal manner. Lila Stangard, local sorority girl, has gone missing and Wes observes her longtime boyfriend storming out of his neighbor’s apartment. Annalise starts seeing red flags when her husband, Sam, has a remarkably unmoved reaction to the disappearance of his student.
The constant level of suspense is almost stressful for the viewer, in the best way possible. You are constantly receiving new and intriguing information which either validates what you already suspected or stomps your theories into the ground. It is a thriller drama through and through, full of action, constant mystery, and new information being revealed in every scene.
I strongly believe that How to Get Away With Murder will have a successful run and garner itself a strong fan base, while simultaneously gaining even more critical acclaim. Not only does it come from the legacy of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal through its executive producer, Shonda Rhimes, but it also stands out from the crowd in one significant way.
Shows that deal with crime are abundant in today’s television. Take Law & Order, Bones, and NCIS for example. All are very successful shows, but still yet all have a marked difference. They focus more on the crime and less on the legal proceedings, while How to Get Away With Murder has a focus on both. This unique combination will undoubtedly send the show careening towards success.
