Who would watch a show all about law students and their criminal defense professor become involved in a twisted murder plot that promises to change the course of their lives? Well, as you can tell from the point of this blog, I clearly would. The show that I am alluding to is the hit TV show How to Get Away with Murder (HTGAWM). HTGAWM has earned a spot on my list of must-watch shows because it is so attention-grabbing and interesting. Once I got started, I found myself finishing all of season 1 in about 3 days it was just that good. Before I dive deeper into my reasons for why everyone should watch this show, let’s take a minute to get an understanding of the show.
How to Get Away with Murder follows Middleton Law School Professor and renown defense attorney Annalise Keating, played by Viola Davis. Professor Keating operates a law firm out of her house and allows 5 of her top students to join her and work with her on her cases. After the first assignment, she decides who is the cream of the crop, and that is Michaela Pratt, Connor Walsh, Laurel Castillo, Asher Millstone, and Wes Gibbons who join her as associates at her firm. These students are responsible for helping Professor Keating find evidence to help exonerate her clients and make Photo Source sure that they are found not guilty, even if they are. Why is this? Well, it’s her job to defend them. Another aspect of the show is that sporadically throughout each episode, there are glimpses into the season finale, and slowly unraveling a bigger mystery that involves the students. Cases that the firm handles range in all sorts of things, but primarily are murder cases with high-profile people. Annalise’s right-hand partners, Bonnie and Frank, make sure that Annalise can win trials by obstructing justice and fabricating evidence. Though illegal, this makes her have a high success rate and makes her more promising for clients.
Now that we have a good understanding of the show and its premise, let’s look at why I find this show so interesting and think that people should watch it.
- Strong, Powerful Person of Color Representation as a Main Character
Viola Davis, who plays the role of Annalise Keating, is such a good way to represent women and people of color in the media. Not only is she the main character of the show, but she is in a position of high authority, one that many would think is for a man. Being a defense attorney, she has a massive target on her back and is thought of as a criminal herself for protecting other criminals. But she handles the stress of her job tactfully and inspires young girls, especially those of color, that they too can hold a high position in life. Annalise fights intensely for her clients and makes sure that she is victorious in the courtroom. Her drive and determination to succeed is fueled by the fact that she is a woman and a person of color. This shows viewers that they too can succeed regardless of their race and gender.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCXLncdQj20
(Video: Annalise Keating Fighting For Equal Rights for Minorities)
- Plot Twists
The plot twists in this show truly make it entertaining to watch. Just when you think Annalise and her team is backed into a corner and going to lose a case, in comes running one her law students in the “Keating 5” with a piece of evidence that clears the client’s name. Other plot twists include the revelation of the season finales with it all piecing together, and other cases that are concurrent with what the firm handles. By far, one of the biggest plot twists happened in Season 1, where Frank, Annalise’s partner, is discovered to have murdered a student at Middleton University, Lila Stangard. Another comes when it is learned that Wes was accepted to Middleton Law because Annalise was the lawyer for his mother but lost the trial. Annalise vowed to make sure Wes was looked after and that she did right by him because of this. All of this happened and was unbeknownst to Wes until later in the show.
(Video: Annalise Keating Wins Plot Twist Case)
- Produced by Shonda Rhimes
Another reason I absolutely love How to Get Away with Murder is because it is produced by one of my favorite producers, Shonda Rhimes. Shonda Rhimes has produced several hit shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, Scandal, Private Practice, and For the People. I have seen many of these shows, but my personal favorites are Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder. The work that she does is absolutely incredible, and I highly recommend that you check out some of her other shows. Her shows capture what is going on in real time in the world, and make sure to address social conflicts and how society can move past them and become better. She is very progressive, but her work is flawless. Not to mention, Shonda is a black woman, showing that women and people of color can do anything and be incredibly successful. She herself serves as a type of representation and inspiration for other people like her in the world.
(Video: Shonda Rhimes Talking About How Saying Yes Impacted Her Career As A Producer)
- Gives Insight to the Criminal Justice System
Another reason for why people should watch How to Get Away with Murder is because it gives insights into the criminal justice system. I have always been fascinated with the legal world, but especially with how to help prove the innocence of a defendant. Many shows that exist today are from the police side about arresting and convicting a suspect, and not on how to prove their innocence and get justice for them. This job that Annalise Keating has is one that not many people would want because they are always subjected to public scrutiny because they are defending a criminal. But, in the legal world, everyone is guaranteed the right to a fair trial and a defense attorney, whose job it is to prove their innocence. She is simply doing a job that not many people would want to do, but she does it anyways. How to Get Away with Murder shows viewers how hard it is to be a defense attorney and what their life is like.
(Video: Lawyer Explains the Accuracy of HTGAWM)
- Teaches Viewers How to Get Away with Murder
This final reason is one that is rather scary, but it shows what one must do to help murder suspects be proven innocent. The “Keating 5” take these lessons and use them to cover up a murder that are responsible for in the first season. As Annalise’s lessons unfold in the classroom, they are applied to the courtroom and her students are seen using them to prove the innocence of her clients. After all, she is a defense attorney for murder suspects, so it is only fitting that the class she teaches is about criminal law, but more specifically, how to get away with the crime.
As you can see, this is such an interesting show that I have loved watching. Though I am only half-way through it, I can say that it is truly exciting and one that I intend to finish soon. I recommend this show to anyone with interests in the legal world, the criminal justice system, murder mysteries, and drama. This show is so intense and Photo Source attention-grabbing, and I think it is one that everyone should watch.
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