[2] The show stars Viola Davis as Annalise Keating, a defense attorney and law professor at a prestigious Philadelphia university, who, along with five of her students, becomes involved in a complex murder plot.

[3] The series features an ensemble cast including Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGorry, and Karla Souza as Annalise's students, Charlie Weber and Liza Weil as her employees, and Billy Brown as a detective with the Philadelphia Police Department and Annalise's lover.

She selects five of her first year students to intern at her firm: Wes Gibbins, Connor Walsh, Michaela Pratt, Asher Millstone, and Laurel Castillo (The Keating 5).

The first nine episodes focus on Annalise's defense of Caleb and Catherine Hapstall, who are accused of torturing and murdering their adoptive parents.

Connor struggles with his relationship with Oliver, while Asher works with assistant district attorney Emily Sinclair, in order to protect his secrets.

She initially cuts ties with Bonnie (who moves to the DA's office as an assistant district attorney reporting to DA Todd Denver) and the interns, gets a woman with a long rap sheet freed from jail, and then commits to a major class action against the state for miscarriages of justice caused by an underfunded public defender's office.

Laurel deduces that her father, Jorge Castillo, is responsible for Wes' murder and hatches a scheme to steal incriminating evidence from his law firm with the help of Michaela, Oliver, Frank, and Asher.

However, Jorge claims custody of his grandchild by submitting evidence of Laurel's past addictions and history of mental illness to a judge.

Connor, Michaela, Asher and Laurel begin their third year at law school, and a new student, Gabriel Maddox joins the group in Annalise's class.

Meanwhile, Frank tries to find out the real reason Maddox came to Middleton in the first place, and Asher joins Bonnie at the DA's office as he gets an internship there.

After coming to terms with her past misdeeds, she returns just in time to help her remaining star students push through their final semester of law school and try and find Laurel and Christopher.

[18] At the Television Critics Association Press Tour in July 2014, it was announced that How to Get Away with Murder would be a limited series with only 15 or 16 episodes per season.

[25] Production began on May 21, 2015, with Shonda Rhimes announcing on Twitter that Peter Nowalk and his writers were in full swing mapping the second season.

[31] Production began on May 27, 2016, when showrunner Peter Nowalk announced on Twitter that the writer staff were in full swing mapping and writing the third season.

[14] In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Peter Nowalk talked about what would happen in the third season regarding Frank's disappearance; he commented: "Yes, I can see the three-piece suits and the hair product all falling apart.

[51] On February 25, 2014, it was announced that Shonda Rhimes had cast Viola Davis in the series' leading role of Professor Annalise Keating.

[53] On November 4, 2014, it was announced that Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden had joined the cast in the second half of the first season for a recurring role.

[58] On July 31, 2015, it was announced that Famke Janssen had joined the cast as a brilliant, revered defense attorney for a multi-episode arc and would first appear in the season premiere.

[59] Matt Cohen was announced on August 11, 2015, to recur in the second season as Levi Wescott, who is described as a sexy, edgy working class guy.

[62] On January 14, 2016, it was announced that Wilson Bethel, Adam Arkin, and Roxanne Hart would be joining the series to play the Mahoney family.

[63] After the second-season finale, it was announced that Dexter alum Lauren Vélez had joined the cast in a recurring role as the President of Middleton University.

[66] On June 7, 2018, it was announced that Rome Flynn, who made a cameo appearance as Gabriel Maddox at the end of the fourth-season finale, was promoted to regular status for the upcoming fifth season.

[71] Production began on May 21, 2015, with Shonda Rhimes announcing on Twitter that Peter Nowalk and his writers were in full swing mapping the second season.

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".

Desire and fear, certainty, self-doubt and resolve are conjured in an instant with the angle of a glance, the lowering of an eyelid and then released as if they were never there".

The site's critical consensus reads: "Developing a stronger narrative this season, How to Get Away with Murder throws more improbable shocks and higher stakes into the mix, adding preposterous fuel to an addictive fire".

Cicely Tyson was nominated five times for Outstanding Guest Actress at the Primetime Emmy Awards for her work on the series.

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.

[136][137] In Australia, the series moved to 7flix from the second half of the second season onwards and like in the US, airs in a programming block dedicated to Shonda Rhimes-produced dramas including Grey's Anatomy and Scandal.

[138] In Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia, the series airs on Sony Channel Asia within 12 hours of its original broadcast.