How to Get Away With Murder

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 25, 2014
Season #: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 386 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 302 out of 386
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 386
  3. Negative: 54 out of 386
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User Reviews

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  1. shellview
    Jan 10, 2015
    3
    "How to Get Away With Murder" has almost nothing redeeming about it. I started watching this show when they started the reruns because of the critic reviews. It can be summed up with two words, "murder" and "sex". Not a single likable character, not a plausible plot line and not a single moment of joy. Everything is dark and sleazy. The wonderful show "The Walking Dead", even"How to Get Away With Murder" has almost nothing redeeming about it. I started watching this show when they started the reruns because of the critic reviews. It can be summed up with two words, "murder" and "sex". Not a single likable character, not a plausible plot line and not a single moment of joy. Everything is dark and sleazy. The wonderful show "The Walking Dead", even though gory and gruesome at times, gives us moments of joy and sophisticated, multi-layered characters. HTGAWM gives us nothing that is interesting or enjoyable. The sex is joyless and the characters are soulless. A three for some good acting otherwise ugh!… Expand
  2. metro4771
    Oct 26, 2014
    3
    Love Viola Davis , but is the director leading her wrong? She seems a powerful woman and the next minute she is falling apart. The story is confusing with the back flashes and the rest of the cast are just
    nothing to talk about at all. I want Viola to succeed. I wish she was surrounded by even half the talent she has. This show is way beneath her.
  3. nickjkirby
    Nov 28, 2014
    3
    There's no doubt that this a slick series, typical of Shonda Rhimes, but it has one major flaw - all the lead characters are unpleasant with no redeeming features.

    The five students are ridiculous stereotypes - we have bolshy arrogant straight boy, queeny slutty gay boy, prissy insecure black princess, prissy insecure white princess, and poor, outsider black guy (who obviously is the    There's no doubt that this a slick series, typical of Shonda Rhimes, but it has one major flaw - all the lead characters are unpleasant with no redeeming features.

    The five students are ridiculous stereotypes - we have bolshy arrogant straight boy, queeny slutty gay boy, prissy insecure black princess, prissy insecure white princess, and poor, outsider black guy (who obviously is the anti-hero). And they all do nothing but whine all the time.

    The two grown men - Frank and Annalise's husband - are chauvinistic and sleep around. Annalise herself is flawed but flips from being ice queen to emotional wreck. Oh, and she sleeps around as well.

    To be honest, the main problem is that you don't really care about any of them. The only thing that keeps you watching is the rolling story that keeps getting told in flashforwards, But even that is fast becoming scant reason to keep watching six episodes in.    … Expand
  4. McNews4
    Dec 19, 2017
    3
    I have suffered through 6 episodes for the sake of my sister who enjoys sharing the storyline with me. So many things wrong with this series, and others have said it better, but for starters: Unlikable characters, unbelievable plot, huge amounts gratuitous sex, shoddy writing, mocks religion, average acting--with the exception of Viola Davis, of course. I'm done.
  5. Petej86
    Mar 1, 2020
    3
    So far blinding convoluted pace that's almost unwatchable and feels almost juvenile. Zero meaningful character development. Ironically would be more enengaging with less non-stop 'imperative' action.
  6. mac5
    Nov 14, 2014
    2
    It details the breaking down of young idealistic people into amoral, cynical and cutthroat individuals within the (fictional) legal defense world. With a flawed, arrogant hedonist at the helm, the faithful students are heading to a point of no return upon which the flash-forwards constantly remind the viewer of their slippery slope. Together with the completely unnecessary sex scenesIt details the breaking down of young idealistic people into amoral, cynical and cutthroat individuals within the (fictional) legal defense world. With a flawed, arrogant hedonist at the helm, the faithful students are heading to a point of no return upon which the flash-forwards constantly remind the viewer of their slippery slope. Together with the completely unnecessary sex scenes and its narrow nihilistic theme, it is pretty distasteful and somewhat seedy viewing.… Expand
  7. marc5477
    Feb 22, 2017
    2
    A legal world drama written by a teenage brain (or so it seems). The plots and twists were so bad that they one might be able to classify them as comedy, but unfortunately the show takes itself very seriously with mature themes aplenty. A lot of the side plots and story try to be engaging but the problem is that the characters are very badly developed defusing any sort of tension or buildA legal world drama written by a teenage brain (or so it seems). The plots and twists were so bad that they one might be able to classify them as comedy, but unfortunately the show takes itself very seriously with mature themes aplenty. A lot of the side plots and story try to be engaging but the problem is that the characters are very badly developed defusing any sort of tension or build up that one might have if they can identify with any of the characters. For instance, by the end of season 1, I could care less about the lawyer/professor main character and it is clear as day that she is not bright nor worth following, but the show tries to play her off as some sort of brilliant lawyer. The writing does not fit the character description. Her choices during trial and in real life are, at best, about what I expect from a high school adolescent, not an adult. The students who follow her like puppies are equally frustrating in the same way that some tween drama are vomit inducing.

    Overall this show is more about love triangles than anything else. If you are looking for an intellectual drama then skip this. If you enjoy trashy soap operas and dont particularly like to think, then this might be your kind of show.    … Expand
  8. Capri
    Sep 30, 2014
    2
    I had high expectations for this show, especially Viola Davis but was greatly disappointed with the first show. Viola was great and had an almost perfect depiction of her character. I found the show confusing with all the flashbacks and upset at her unnecessary implied attempted seduction of one of her students. As a married women, her having an affair added nothing to the show and wasI had high expectations for this show, especially Viola Davis but was greatly disappointed with the first show. Viola was great and had an almost perfect depiction of her character. I found the show confusing with all the flashbacks and upset at her unnecessary implied attempted seduction of one of her students. As a married women, her having an affair added nothing to the show and was also unnecessary. Finally the gratuitous and unnecessary homosexual scene drove me further from the show At this time I am not sure I will bother watching the show again. Viola herself could carry the show to great heights but perhaps it is the writers that need to be changed.… Expand
  9. AliceofX
    Aug 27, 2015
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There's a common saying that if you don't like it then don't watch. Basically a way to categorize critics away as haters. It would be possible to simply stop watching a series that was wholly, completely repulsive, but How To Get Away With Murder, like many such examples, carries some sparks of brilliance that keeps you hanging on.

    I wanted to quit many times. The four main characters have nothing likable about them. I was hoping that that would be the point. That this would be the show about amoral people eventually digging their own grave. Sadly what we got was this mess.

    And of course no review of How To Get Away With Murder can go on without mentioning the unnecessary gratuitous sex scenes that did nothing but repulse me.

    The only real spark of this show was Annalise. Viola Davis creates an amazing character that is a great combination of strength and weakness that makes her believable. But, sadly, I couldn't recommend this show even for her.

    And then of course there is the mystery. Till the end I was hoping this series would have a smart ending, something to blow you away. But all we got was a B grade ending of "you will never guess it was this character even though it makes no sense and feels like they made it up at the last minute".

    In short I hold this series as trash and I have no desire to watch the second season.    … Expand
  10. sortanormal
    Nov 10, 2014
    2
    As someone else said, it's not boring. I watch it but I don't like any of the characters including Annaliese. I have little to no sympathy for any of them. All of them are pretty despicable and lacking conscience, integrity or decency. They are devoted to winning, but don't care at what cost to others or themselves.

    There is a lot of music instead of dialogue, and not much character    As someone else said, it's not boring. I watch it but I don't like any of the characters including Annaliese. I have little to no sympathy for any of them. All of them are pretty despicable and lacking conscience, integrity or decency. They are devoted to winning, but don't care at what cost to others or themselves.

    There is a lot of music instead of dialogue, and not much character development. The dialogue is iffy. This seems to be a take off from "Murder in the First" which also lacked people with humanity and was a similar genre full of people with no humanity. Perhaps it's really a vampire or dead-people story with "humans" replacing the vampires to pull people in. (Insert lawyer joke here).

    I've watched every episode because there's something compelling--moth to a light. But each time I watch, I go away feeling my soul has been dirtied and compromised.    … Expand
  11. a_critic
    Jan 25, 2016
    2
    The show is incoherent and all over the place. The writers make stuff up as they go, and then, change without sticking to a static planned outline. This leads to improbabilities and inaccuracies all over the place. It is definitely not a realistic show in nearly any way, yet it is compelling, so people watch it. However, it is the worse show I have ever watched.
  12. saucyninja007
    Apr 23, 2016
    1
    I tried to like the show. I only made it through the first 6 episodes of the first season before I gave up. The characters are dull, unlikable, and one dimensional. The acting and writing is sub par at best. The story is terribly melodramatic, predictable, and, worse of all, BORING! Not to mention, the sex in the show is completely gratuitous. Just assume everybody is having sex andI tried to like the show. I only made it through the first 6 episodes of the first season before I gave up. The characters are dull, unlikable, and one dimensional. The acting and writing is sub par at best. The story is terribly melodramatic, predictable, and, worse of all, BORING! Not to mention, the sex in the show is completely gratuitous. Just assume everybody is having sex and affairs with everybody and you will rarely be mistaken. The only saving grace of this show is Viola Davis, who honestly deserves to be on a better show.… Expand
  13. 20thcentury
    Oct 2, 2014
    1
    Sophmoric, predictable and politically correct, typical and boring. Can't believe I gave it 20 minuties. Ok, first the stereotypical cast: dumb white guy, hispanic girl, gay white guy, Mchelle Obama professor, super smart black girl and an likable but unlikely protagonist.
    At best the banter is supposedly current, but it is not smart or funny. Protest very poor entertainment and change    Sophmoric, predictable and politically correct, typical and boring. Can't believe I gave it 20 minuties. Ok, first the stereotypical cast: dumb white guy, hispanic girl, gay white guy, Mchelle Obama professor, super smart black girl and an likable but unlikely protagonist.
    At best the banter is supposedly current, but it is not smart or funny. Protest very poor entertainment and change the channel quickly. There are 467 more channels.    … Expand
  14. JoeSchmo
    Aug 21, 2015
    1
    Worst acting I've seen in a series with a decent budget in year. Alfred Enoch needs some lubricant for his neck and the entire cast needs sex ed and a heart. It's like watching a bunch of horny tinmen faking their way through a script
  15. jer2911tx
    Aug 18, 2017
    1
    i REALLY wanted to like this show...love the idea behind it, but ended up disliking pretty much everything about it. The terrible script/dialogue/acting didn't help, and since I had just recently finished law school, there were WAY too many things that were just plain over the top as far as artistic liberty with anything in the show being believable in any way. 1st-year law students havei REALLY wanted to like this show...love the idea behind it, but ended up disliking pretty much everything about it. The terrible script/dialogue/acting didn't help, and since I had just recently finished law school, there were WAY too many things that were just plain over the top as far as artistic liberty with anything in the show being believable in any way. 1st-year law students have ZERO free time and are the last people anyone wants representing them or even working on their case when they do have to go to court, none of my professors would risk the malpractice suit by using 1st-year law students to assist with a case going to trial, and 1st-yr law students don't know enough to actually help. At a minimum, they could have said they were 2nd or 3rd-yr students and ended up getting involved due to them taking a clinic as part of their course requirements.
    Aside from being so disconnected with reality of a 1st-year law student, the crappy dialogue, acting, and flash-forwards were just too much to overlook and stay interested in such a poor effort at what seemed like such a good initial concept. I'd love to see someone do the same concept, but actually do it well.    … Expand
  16. JCat
    Jan 26, 2018
    0
    An hour of hateful millenials getting mixed up in and out of plots. Love Viola Davis, but getting sick of whiney Shonda Rhimes series. And what's up with the overuse of color filters. Yuk!!
  17. alangee
    Oct 13, 2014
    0
    Idiotic, sophomoric, pretentious and boring. All of the characters are totally unlikeable. Total waste of air time. It can't get cancelled soon enough.
  18. tv_watcher123
    Oct 14, 2018
    0
    Used to love this show, and recommend to everyone. Now I am starting to hate it. Each season is worse than the previous. The most annoying part is the political messaging, it gets stronger each season.

    I just watched the 1st episode in season 5, and I feel overwhelmed. You can't go 2 minutes without left-leaning political propaganda. Gross misrepresentation of reality too. Police are    Used to love this show, and recommend to everyone. Now I am starting to hate it. Each season is worse than the previous. The most annoying part is the political messaging, it gets stronger each season.

    I just watched the 1st episode in season 5, and I feel overwhelmed. You can't go 2 minutes without left-leaning political propaganda. Gross misrepresentation of reality too. Police are evil, criminals are actually innocent, etc, etc.. It gets too repetitive.

    I watch a TV show to be entertained, I don't like to have a political message forced on me. I am not watching this TV show anymore. So sad and disappointed.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

79
#79 Best TV Season of 2014
20
#20 Most Discussed TV Season of 2014
22
#22 Most Shared TV Season of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Tim Goodman
    Sep 25, 2014
    40
    Davis is riveting throughout.... Unfortunately, Murder has a number of flaws.
    Read full review
  2. People Weekly
    Reviewed by: Patrick Gomez
    Sep 25, 2014
    75
    It actually improves upon the successful formula by downplaying any romantic entanglements, which, at times, have weighed down the leads of Rhimes's other shows.
    Read full review
  3. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Brennan
    Sep 25, 2014
    75
    How to Get Away with Murder screams "Shondaland" through and through, a sudsy primetime potboiler rooted in a belief that the experience of adulthood can be just as sexy as the bloom of youth.
    Read full review
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