by Kalia Foote

 

 **WARNING** THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.  DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED YET

Let’s be clear, not everyone is going to love the Shonda Rhimes shock-fests that litter the ABC Thursday night. (Thus why it should be called Shondays ~ Aitch!)  No, I personally don’t know how anyone couldn’t, but I must admit that this isn’t some people’s cup of tea. This is just so you understand that I am a Shonda fan. I’ve watched almost every show she’s ever created and How to Get Away with Murder was certainly highly anticipated.

The first question is mostly “Will Viola Davis be wasted here?” The answer is no. What we actually get is the start to a fully formed character. Professor Annalise Keating is powerful, vulnerable, crafty, sexual, and smart. Golly, is she smart. She has a husband – a psychology professor who happens to be white; following Shonda’s insistence on color blind casting and the idea that black women are desirable as people. She has several secrets, and we saw at least one doing bad (really good) things to her.

We open on several young people trying to cover up a murder and they know the law. They aren’t trying to commit the perfect murder, they are trying to get away with it. So, appropriate title. Ok, we will get to the actual crime later in the season. We are really starting at the start of the law school semester.

The suspense is high and is put on early. We are given clues that will follow us until the season finale. We don’t know who they killed or what happened. The statue and the recipient of said statue will figure greatly in this plot. Other hints are dropped regarding the disappearance of a Middleton University student and her relations to the characters we are just getting to know.

Ms. Davis is so far above the children she’s teaching. Both Annalise and Viola are giving a master class to the youth castes, and expect great things from them. So far, it makes you feel like you should study before watching so you don’t disappoint Prof Keating. I really need to be taking notes.

Not many in the supporting cast are completely recognizable. Introduced to us are Wes Gibbins – the wait listed MU law student who is the underdog portrayed by Alfred Enoch (Most of the Harry Potter Movies). The idealistic Brown student Laurel (Karla Souza) has a hate love crush on Annalise’s assistant, , aka Josh Brolin lite (Frank Delfino). I could go into other character descriptions, but honestly it bores me. We will talk more as these kids grow and start to hold their own with Ms. Davis with more fleshed out characters.

I’m already hooked. Everything that pulled me into Scandal, Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy is present in HTGAWM. Well rounded characters, suspense, secrets, sex, beauty, power. If the soap is not you, please let us watch in peace.

GTFOH Shonda Rhimes. How dare you be this awesome!

4.5 Stars