How to Get Away with Murder

A group of top law students signs on to learn from Annalise Keating, a brilliant and enigmatic criminal defense professor whose courtroom skills and personal life are equally magnetic. What starts as an intense practical seminar becomes a web of secrets when the students are pulled into a murder investigation that threatens their careers, relationships, and freedom. The series alternates between high-stakes legal scenes and flashbacks that reveal how decisions stack up against guilt, loyalty, and ambition, keeping the focus on character choices rather than neat moral answers.

Created by Peter Nowalk, the series premiered in 2014 on ABC and was produced in association with Shondaland. It was positioned as a primetime legal thriller with a tense, serialized structure that leaned on ensemble acting.

The show received significant awards attention, highlighted by Viola Davis winning the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. The series earned multiple Emmy nominations across seasons, reflecting recognition for acting and its production values.

How to Get Away with Murder had a noticeable cultural footprint, especially in how it foregrounded a complex, high-powered Black woman as the central figure on a network drama. Annalise Keating became an often-discussed character, and scenes from the show entered social conversation and online meme culture. The series also helped further the profile of Shondaland as a producer of glossy, twist-driven television.

Critics and audiences often praised the performances, particularly Viola Davis, and the show's willingness to portray moral ambiguity and the consequences of secrecy. The storytelling style, with its non-linear reveals and frequent cliffhangers, drew viewers who liked puzzle-like plots. On user-driven platforms the show averages about 7.84 out of 10, indicating steady appreciation from fans even when reactions to later seasons varied.