How to Get Away with Murder

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Thursday nights are exciting again for ABC junkies who are raving about the show "How to Get Away with Murder." The star of the show is Viola Davis, who plays the role of Annalise Keating, a defense attorney for criminals. She's also a professor who teaches Criminal Justice 101, or as she refers to it in the very first episode, "How to Get Away with Murder."

Professor Keating selects five students to shadow her and help her with cases, sort of like an internship but without the title. These five students go where she goes, assisting her as if they're already working for her firm, but they quickly end up entangled in things they never imagined they'd become involved with. Keating is a woman to be taken seriously, as Viola Davis has a strong female lead, which she mentions is uncommon for darker skinned females within her age bracket.

"I don’t see anyone on TV like me in a role like this," Davis told New York Times Magazine.

Other African American females with leading roles usually tend to have a lighter skin complexion, which is why Davis said that celebrities like Kerry Washington and Halle Berry wouldn’t count. Many fans of the show are excited to see someone like Davis break away from the racial barriers of the television industry, like Kissimmee, FL resident, Taylor Harris.

“I love the fact that a woman of color is playing the lead,” Harris said. “Aside from that, it's not your typical black woman role, meaning that she's not playing the assistant or the maid. Viola Davis is pure genius in the role of Annalise Keating, a ruthless high powered attorney and law professor. She shows how beautifully flawed women in high powered positions really are.”

Harris applauded Shonda Rhimes, the How to Get Away with Murder writers, and ABC. “They are allowing my generation to partake in the beauty of this show," Harris said. "It was desperately needed.”

She’s not only a fan of the show because of Viola Davis; it’s the overall concept that has her on the edge of her seat for the entire hour every week.

“It's the perfect mixture of suspense, comedy, and drama,” Harris said. “The writers of the show make sure not to make the characters one dimensional, so we never know what's going to happen next. There are no good characters or bad characters. Everyone has their dark side and that time where you just love them.”

Yonkers, New York resident, Raven Rafiq, is also a fan of murder mysteries that keep her engaged, but she noticed that this show stood apart.

“Most crime shows are about justice, but watching the characters on this show will make you see the criminal’s point of view,” Rafiq said. “There are no random extras thrown into the mix. Each character has a purpose and some will go to extreme measures just to work at Annalise Keating’s firm.”

Although Rafiq is Guyanese, she also tips her hat to Davis for bringing her character to life. “Being a woman of color, she [Davis] knows that it’s hard work and determination to get where she is today,” Rafiq said. “Her taking on the leading role is one of the reasons I’ve become fascinated by the show. From what I’ve learned in the past, women of color have always been given small roles to play on screen. Sometimes it was good and other times it was unpleasant. Women of color are continuing to break barriers, not only on the screen but in the real world.”

Ashley Jones, Mount Vernon resident, enjoys the show because of its edgy, racy appeal. She also acknowledged the actors getting into character.

“Each actor plays their character extremely well, which adds to the believability of the story,” Jones said. “Overall, I’m a big murder mystery fan so the show is right up my alley. I love Viola Davis in her role. It’s great to see her as a strong independent black woman that was in an interracial relationship, dominating in a predominantly white field. It’s really nice to see someone in her position on TV breaking the Black person stereotype.”

Alisha Hayes, an African American student who graduated last year, was a criminal justice major. She can relate to the characters because of the similar field of study.

"I love the show because I will be a law student next year, and I was a criminal justice major in college so that's the reason it sparked my interest,” Hayes said. “It's also very thrilling, and keeps my attention.”

Hayes is a Poughkeepsie, NY resident but is currently living on campus at the Pace Law School in White Plains, NY. Like Jones, she also discussed how this leading role allowed Davis to avoid falling into the stereotypes that are typically portrayed in the Black community.

"She is playing a woman who is educated and powerful," Hayes said. "Even though she can be a little scandalous, she still holds a lot of power in the role she plays, and that's why I admire her so much."

Want to get in on the action? Tune into ABC tomorrow at 10 pm. New episodes of "How to Get Away with Murder" premiere every Thursday night.