Mystery, suspense, diverse characters with astounding character development, ABC’s new show “How To Get Away With Murder” has it all.

Leading the pack is Viola Davis, who plays Annalise Keating a successful, though somewhat morally ambiguous, defense lawyer/ teacher. She sets a high bar with her superb acting and flawless portrayal of a strong woman on the surface vulnerable underneath.  Another standout performer is Jack Falahee who plays one of Keating’s star students, Connor Walsh. Falahee has completely mastered playing the mysterious bad boy who uses his sexuality to his advantage.

The story is told on two different storylines. One is following the

students Wes Gibbons, Laurel Castillo, Michaela Pratt, and Connor Walsh as they take Keating’s tough but effective laws course and learn the ins and outs of the courtroom. The other timeline follows the same group of students two months after beginning the course as they deal with the aftermath of a murder they committed. In developing the

plot in this way, the viewer gets to see two sides of the characters personalities. Initially Walsh and Pratt are the confident go getters of the group, but while they’re disposing of the body Castillo and Gibbons, the quiet ones, really step up and take charge of the group.

One of the show’s definite strengths is its strong female characters. Everything about Annalise Keating’s character screams power and demands respect. Michaela Pratt is confident, sharp, and self assured. Laurel Castillo, while less imposing, is ingenious and has upstanding morals.

The show overall receives a 4 out of five stars, losing a star because its flash forwards tend to kill some of the mystery in the show. It airs on ABC every Thursday at 9 p.m.

By Sienna Mata