Viola Davis’ Emmy barrier break; Shondaland thriller as representation and pulp.
Why it matters
Episode guide
90 episodes across 6 seasons — titles, air dates, and synopses.
At a glance
Brilliant defense professor Annalise Keating and her students bury a body, then improvise a life of cover-ups — flash-forward murder board as house style. Peter Nowalk's Shondaland thriller made Viola Davis a network gravity well and an Emmy barrier-breaker. Twists stack until morality is just another case file. The Keating 5 learn law and loyalty the hard way. It is pulp academia with awards heat.
Network & studio
- ABC — broadcast network
- ABC Signature — production studio
- ShondaLand — production studio
Why watch now
For Davis's monumental performance and weekly twist engineering. When you want network thriller that never pretends to be tasteful first.
Cultural impact
HTGAWM made Viola Davis the first Black woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. It extended Shondaland's thriller brand and Thursday dominance. Representation and pure soap thrills shared one brand.
Creators
Peter Nowalk
Key cast
- Viola Davis as Annalise Keating
- Billy Brown as Nate Lahey
- Alfred Enoch as Wes Gibbins
- Aja Naomi King as Michaela Pratt
- Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh
- Karla Souza as Laurel Castillo
Flash facts
- Created by Peter Nowalk; ABC premiere September 25, 2014.
- Six seasons (2014–2020).
- Viola Davis stars as Annalise Keating; historic Emmy win for Lead Actress in a Drama.
- Known for nonlinear murder mysteries and ensemble student conspiracies.
- Part of Shonda Rhimes's ABC Thursday lineup era.
FAQ
Who plays Annalise Keating?
Viola Davis.
Who created the show?
Peter Nowalk.
Why is Davis's Emmy historic?
She became the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
How many seasons?
Six seasons from 2014 to 2020.
Official & further reading
- Hulu — How to Get Away with Murder
- Netflix — How to Get Away with Murder
- ABC home
- Wikipedia
- IMDb search
- TMDB search
- YouTube — trailers & clips
External sites for further reading — TV Flash is not affiliated with these networks or studios.
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