Many of you would agree that summer is the perfect time to go on a hunt for new TV series to obsess over, mainly because you don’t have to feel guilty after (accidentally) watching five seasons in a row. Let’s be honest, watching only one episode a day is a myth. That’s exactly how I ended up finding the absolute gem that is How To Get Away With Murder during one of those long, uneventful summer nights, scrolling through endless lists of unappealing series. I remember being instantly drawn to the name thinking: “Well, this kind of knowledge could definitely come in handy one day”. Jokes, but on a more serious note, everything about How to Get Away With Murder, starting from the name itself, suggests that this is so much more than your typical teenage drama series…
The pilot episode of HTGAWM was aired on ABC on September 25, 2014. Since then the series created by Peter Nowalk has won and been nominated for various awards, including Television Program of the Year and Outstanding Drama Series. The success of HTGAWM should come as no surprise to anyone who’s laid eyes on it. The action revolves around a group of five ambitious law students who together with their brilliant law professor get involved in a complicated murder plot. The story is, of course, compelling, filled with unexpected twists and turns so much so that I was completely and utterly unaware of what was actually happening throughout the first episode. As if the storyline itself is not tangled enough, the reoccurring flashbacks used throughout to further heighten the suspense make it even more captivating and irresistible. All this being said, if you are looking for an easy to follow, laid back type of series to watch while you’re pretending to do your Uni readings, HTGAWM might not be the right choice. Unless, of course, you don’t mind being glued to the screen for a couple of days.
However, it is my personal opinion that the main factors that make this particular TV series a must-watch are, first, its characters, and second, its brilliant cast. Every single one of the characters in HTGAWM stands out with their own peculiar story, which gives them a sense of individuality and uniqueness while at the same time allowing them to fit perfectly as a group. Contributing to the believable representation of these characters is the impeccable performance of the cast. For her brilliant portrayal of the emotionally damaged law professor, Annalise Keating, actress Viola Davis became the first African- American woman to be awarded with an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Others cast members also received recognition for their performances in the form of various acclaims and nominations.
All in all, if you are sick and tired of the cheesy heart breaking love stories present in most of the currently trending TV series or if you’re like me and simply hate being able to figure out an entire season from watching the pilot episode, HTGAWM is the show you’re looking for. Trust me, it’s more than just the hype.