How to Get Away with Murder

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How To Get Away With Murder
How To Get Away With Murder.svg
Genre <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Created by Peter Nowalk
Starring <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Theme music composer Photek
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 30 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Producer(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Michael Foley (co-executive producer)
  • Scott Collins
  • Tracy Bellomo
Cinematography <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Michael Price
  • Jeff Jur
Editor(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time 43 minutes (approx.)
Production company(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Distributor Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original network ABC
Picture format 720p (HDTV)
Audio format 5.1 surround sound
Original release September 25, 2014 (2014-09-25) –
present (present)
External links
Official website

How to Get Away with Murder (abbreviated as HTGAWM) is an American drama television series that premiered on ABC on September 25, 2014.[1] The series was created by Peter Nowalk, produced by Shonda Rhimes and distributed by ABC Studios. The series airs on ABC as part of a night of programming all under Rhimes's Shondaland production company.[2]

Viola Davis stars as a law professor at a prestigious Philadelphia university who, with five of her students, becomes entwined in a murder plot.[3] The show features an ensemble cast with Davis as Annalise Keating, and Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGorry and Karla Souza as her students, Charlie Weber and Liza Weil as her assistants, Katie Findlay as her former client, and Billy Brown as a police detective and Annalise's lover.

For her portrayal, Viola Davis has received critical acclaim; she became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, also winning two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series, and the Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Davis has received nominations from the Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Television Series, the Critics' Choice Awards for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and the Television Critics Association at the TCA Awards for Individual Achievement in Drama. Other cast members have also received recognition for their performances, with Alfred Enoch and Aja Naomi King being nominated by the NAACP as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the Image Awards.

The show was named Television Program of the Year by the American Film Institute and won Outstanding Drama Series at the Image Awards and GLAAD Awards.

Plot

Annalise Keating is a prominent criminal defense attorney and a law professor at Middleton University in Philadelphia. She selects five students to intern at her firm: Wes Gibbins, Connor Walsh, Michaela Pratt, Asher Millstone, and Laurel Castillo. They work with Annalise's employees, Frank Delfino and Bonnie Winterbottom, an associate lawyer. As Season 1 introduces occasional clients for Keating, it explores two related murders through both flashback and flashforward sequences: Lila Stangard, mistress of Annalise's husband Sam Keating and a student at Middleton; and then Sam Keating at the hands of Annalise's interns.

The first nine episodes alternate between the present-day timeline in medias res, depicting Wes, Connor, Michaela, and Laurel covering up Sam's murder by disposing of his body, and the flashbacks detailing the course of events leading up to Sam's death: Annalise becomes involved in the Lila Stangard investigation at Wes' urging, leading her to discover Sam's affair and creating suspicion that he killed Lila. The final six episodes explore Annalise's attempt to help her interns cover up Sam's murder and legally implicate Sam in Lila's death, and flashbacks to Lila's final moments before her murder.

Cast and characters

Main

  • Viola Davis as Professor Annalise Keating, Esq. (born Anna Mae Hartness): A high-profile defense attorney who teaches a class at Middleton University.[4]
  • Billy Brown as Detective Nate Lahey: Annalise's lover who tries to prove Sam's involvement in the Lila Stangard murder and the main suspect in Sam's murder.[5]
  • Alfred Enoch as Wesley "Wes" Gibbins (born Christophe Edmond): A student recently accepted off the wait list who later has a relationship with Rebecca.[6] Wes and Annalise have a past connection that is only known by Annalise and Eve.
  • Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh: A law student seen as ruthless and somewhat narcissistic by his peers.[6]
  • Katie Findlay as Rebecca Sutter (regular, season 1; guest, season 2): Wes' mysterious neighbor and later girlfriend who becomes a suspect in the murder of Lila Stangard.[7]
  • Aja Naomi King as Michaela Pratt: An ambitious student who wants to be successful like Annalise.[8]
  • Matt McGorry as Asher Millstone: One of Annalise's students who comes from a privileged background.[9]
  • Karla Souza as Laurel Castillo: An idealistic student who later has a relationship with Frank.[6]
  • Charlie Weber as Frank Delfino: An employee of Annalise's firm who is not a lawyer but handles special duties requiring discretion.[10]
  • Liza Weil as Bonnie Winterbottom, Esq.: An associate attorney in Annalise's firm.[11]
  • Conrad Ricamora as Oliver Hampton (recurring, seasons 1-2; regular, season 3): An I.T. specialist with whom Connor is in a romantic relationship.[12]

Recurring

  • Adam Arkin as Wallace Mahoney, a businessman and Wes' father.
  • Sarah Burns as A.D.A. Emily Sinclair: The prosecutor in the case of the Hapstall siblings.
  • Matt Cohen as Levi Wescott: Rebecca's foster brother.[13]
  • Arjun Gupta as Kan: A Legal Aid lawyer and Laurel's boyfriend.
  • Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Hannah Keating: Sam Keating's sister and sister-in-law to Annalise; she is also a psychologist.[14]
  • Famke Janssen as Eve Rothlo: A lawyer specializing in death row cases and Annalise's former lover.[15]
  • Elliot Knight as Aiden Walker: Michaela's fiancé.
  • Amy Okuda as Catherine Hapstall: Annalise's client who is accused of murdering her adoptive parents.[16]
  • April Parker Jones as Detective Claire Bryce: A police officer investigating the disappearance of Sam Keating.
  • Lenny Platt as Griffin O'Reilly: A star quarterback and boyfriend of the murdered Lila Stangard.[17]
  • John Posey as William Millstone: Asher's father.
  • Alysia Reiner as D.A. Wendy Parks: A prosecutor who goes up against Annalise.[18]
  • Kendrick Sampson as Caleb Hapstall: Annalise's client who is accused of murdering his adoptive parents.[19]
  • Kelsey Scott as Rose Edmond, Wes's mother.
  • Cicely Tyson as Ophelia Hartness, Annalise's mother.
  • Tom Verica as Professor Sam Keating: Annalise's husband, who had an affair with murdered student Lila Stangard, and was later killed.[20]
  • Megan West as Lila Stangard: A sorority girl who was having an affair with Sam Keating at the time of her murder.[21]
  • Lynn Whitfield as Mary Walker: Future mother-in-law to Michaela.
  • Jefferson White as Philip Jessup: Caleb and Catherine's cousin and half-brother.

Episodes

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Main article: List of How to Get Away with Murder episodes
Season Episodes Originally aired Nielsen ratings
First aired Last aired Rank Viewers
(in millions)
1 15 September 25, 2014 (2014-09-25) February 26, 2015 (2015-02-26) 30 11.40[22]
2 15 September 24, 2015 (2015-09-24) March 17, 2016 (2016-03-17) TBA TBA

Production

Development

Viola Davis portrays the lead role.

On August 19, 2013, ABC bought the original concept from Shondaland Productions, produced by Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. The script for the pilot episode was written by Grey’s Anatomy supervising producer Peter Nowalk.[23] ABC ordered the pilot on December 19, 2013.[24] The pilot episode was filmed in Los Angeles, California, at the University of Southern California, and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, at Bryn Mawr College; and in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, at Ursinus College.[25] It was directed by Michael Offer.[26]

On May 8, 2014, ABC picked up the pilot to series[27] for the 2014–15 television season.[28] At the Television Critics Association Press Tour in July 2014, it was announced that How to Get Away with Murder will be a limited series with only 15 or 16 episodes per season.[29] The smaller size of episode count stems from the deal for the series star Davis.[30] On October 9, 2014, ABC picked up the series for a full season of 15 episodes.[31] On May 7, 2015, the show was renewed for a second season which began airing in the fall as part of the 2015–16 television season.[32]

The series' third season renewal was announced on March 3, 2016.[33]

Casting

File:Howtogetawaywithmurdecast.jpg
Cast members, from left to right: Charlie Weber (Frank Delfino), Liza Weil (Bonnie Winterbottom), Billy Brown (Nate Lahey), Matt McGorry (Asher Millstone), Aja Naomi King (Michaela Pratt), Viola Davis (Annalise Keating), Katie Findlay (Rebecca Sutter), Alfred Enoch (Wes Gibbins), Karla Souza (Laurel Castillo), and Jack Falahee (Connor Walsh)

On January 21, 2014, Matt McGorry was the first to be announced as a regular cast member, playing a law student.[9] Throughout February and March 2014, other roles were announced as cast: Aja Naomi King,[8] Jack Falahee,[6] Alfred Enoch[6] and Karla Souza[6] as law students; Katie Findlay as a drug-dealing student;[7] Charlie Weber as a law associate to Professor Keating;[10] Billy Brown as Professor Keating's extra-marital love interest;[5] veteran actor and producer Tom Verica as Professor Keating's husband;[20] and Liza Weil as one of the professor’s two associates.[11]

On February 25, 2014, it was announced that Shonda Rhimes had cast Viola Davis in the show's leading role of Professor Annalise Keating.[34] On November 4, 2014, it was announced that Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden was cast in the second half of the first season for a secret recurring role.[14] On December 15, 2014, it was announced that Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Cicely Tyson would appear in an episode in the second half of the season.[35]

Broadcast

How to Get Away with Murder airs on Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. ABC pushed Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal to 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., creating an all-night block of Shonda Rhimes-produced dramas airing on Thursdays, a rarity in American television.[36] It was announced on July 14, 2014, that the series would debut September 25, 2014.[1] In Canada, the series airs with sim-subbing of advertising in same timeslot on CTV, though it airs three hours earlier before the original ABC timeslot in the Atlantic Time Zone on CTV Atlantic in the Maritime Provinces.[37][38]

In Sri Lanka, the show airs on Sony Channel (Asia) [39] 12 hours after ABC and on Star World Premiere[40] HD

Reception

Television ratings

Season Timeslot (EST) Number of Episodes Premiere Finale TV Season Overall rank 18–49 rank Overall viewership
Date Viewers
(millions)		 Date Viewers
(millions)
1
Thursdays
10:00 pm
 15
September 25, 2014 (2014-09-25)
 14.12[41]
February 26, 2015 (2015-02-26)
 8.99[42] 2014–15 #30[43] #12[43] 11.40[43]
2 15
September 24, 2015 (2015-09-24)
 8.38[44]
March 17, 2016 (2016-03-17)
 5.29[45] 2015–16 #32[46] #9[46] 10.26[46]

The series pilot on September 25 set a record for DVR playback viewers with 6 million, surpassing the January 27, 2014, record of 5.6 million set by the pilot of The Blacklist.[47] The series premiere had more than 14 million viewers on live broadcast, and over 20 million with DVR.[48]

Critical reception

How to Get Away with Murder has received critical acclaim, with most praising Viola Davis' performance. On Rotten Tomatoes, season one has a rating of 86%, based on 57 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "How to Get Away with Murder isn't conceptually original, but it delivers thrills with melodramatic twists and a captivating lead."[49] Metacritic gave season one of the show a score of 68 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[50]

Season two also received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 100%, based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 8.5 out of 10.[51]

Accolades

How to Get Away with Murder has been honored with acknowledgements from the People's Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Golden Globe Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, the Critics' Choice Television Awards, and the Primetime Emmy Awards as well as the Television Critics Association and the American Film Institute. Particularly - Viola Davis, Alfred Enoch, and Aja Naomi King have received praise for their performances.

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominee Result Ref.
2014 American Film Institute Awards Television Program of the Year Won [52]
TV Guide Award Favorite New Show Nominated
2015 BET Awards Best Actress Viola Davis Nominated [53]
5th Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series Viola Davis Nominated [54]
Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series Cicely Tyson Nominated
EWwy Award Best Drama Series Nominated [55]
GALECA Award TV Drama of the Year Nominated [56]
TV Performance of the Year - Actress Viola Davis Nominated
26th GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Drama Series Won [57]
72nd Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama Viola Davis Nominated [58]
46th NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Drama Series Won [59]
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Viola Davis Won
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Aja Naomi King Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Alfred Enoch Nominated
Outstanding Writer for a Drama Series Erika Green Swafford ("Let’s Get to Scooping") Won
OFTA Television Award Best Actress in a Drama Series Viola Davis Nominated [60]
41st People's Choice Awards Favorite New TV Drama Nominated [61]
Favorite Actress In A New TV Series Viola Davis Won
67th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Viola Davis Won [62]
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Cicely Tyson Nominated
21st Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Viola Davis Won [63]
31st TCA Awards Individual Achievement in Drama Viola Davis Nominated [64]
2016 31st Artios Awards Casting, Television Pilot: Drama Linda Lowy, Diane Heery, Jason Loftus, Jamie Castro Nominated [65]
6th Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series Viola Davis Nominated [66]
73rd Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama Viola Davis Nominated [67]
47th NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Drama Series Nominated [68]
Entertainer of the Year Viola Davis Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Viola Davis Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Cicely Tyson Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Alfred Enoch Nominated
Outstanding Writer for a Drama Series Erika Green Swafford, Doug Stockstill ("Mama's Here Now") Nominated
42nd People's Choice Awards Favorite Network TV Drama Nominated [69]
Favorite Dramatic TV Actress Viola Davis Nominated
22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Viola Davis Won [70]
27th GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Drama Series Nominated [71]

Critics' top ten lists

DVD releases

The Complete First Season [74]
Set Details Special Features
  • 15 Episodes
  • English, French and Spanish subtitles
  • First Year Law: Behind the Scenes
  • 'Bye Felicia' Music Video
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Bloopers
Release Dates
Region 1 Region 2
August 4, 2015 November 16, 2015

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ http://www.sonychannelasia.com/programs/how-get-away-murder
  40. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/programmes/how-to-get-away-with-murder/params/tvprogramme/programmeid-30000000549955036/channelid-10000000017700000/starttime-201510042100
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  57. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  58. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  61. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  62. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  63. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  64. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  65. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  66. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  67. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  68. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  69. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  70. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  71. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  72. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  73. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  74. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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