One of the most anticipated new series of the fall, the Shonda Rhimes-produced How to Get Away With Murder, delivered a rollercoaster of a premiere that included the reveal of two dead bodies:
Sam, (Tom Verica), the husband of Annalise Keating (Viola Davis), and Lila, one of Sam’s students.
Who are the killer(s)?
When will the mystery be solved?
What would a season two of HTGAWM look like?
EW sat down with the series’ creator Pete Nowalk and grilled him for answers!
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: There are two dead bodies revealed in the premiere—Annalise’s husband Sam and his student Lila. Will we find out their killers by the end of the first season? Or is this going to be like The Killing?
PETE NOWALK: By the end of the first season you’ll find out who killed both of those people and why. Obviously we’ve all learned a lot of lessons from The Killing. You have to move story along faster. It gives you a huge challenge for season two but you just figure it out and that’s the fun part.
I want to people to know and by the end of the second ep this will become more clear but the one body leads to the second body. Lila’s body will lead to Sam’s body.
Image Credit: Nicole Rivelli/ABC
What can you tease about the season?
I will say this: I think the central relationship of the show in this weird way is Wes and Annalise. I think the first season will be about the education of both of them and each of them teaching each other things that are surprising to each of them. The teacher learns from the students.
I will say this: I think the central relationship of the show in this weird way is Wes and Annalise. I think the first season will be about the education of both of them and each of them teaching each other things that are surprising to each of them. The teacher learns from the students.
It sounds like no one is who they seem.
Yes. I think it’s just the way you meet them in life. Yeah I want it to be an engaged viewing experience, like we show our masks but when we go home there’s a different thing under the mask. If people are like, “Oh Michaela is sort of type A and an overachiever, there’s more to that than meets the eye.”
Yes. I think it’s just the way you meet them in life. Yeah I want it to be an engaged viewing experience, like we show our masks but when we go home there’s a different thing under the mask. If people are like, “Oh Michaela is sort of type A and an overachiever, there’s more to that than meets the eye.”
Is it possible some of these characters will die?
That’s always possible. But we have a dead body—we have two actually. It’s about figuring out how those people died.
That’s always possible. But we have a dead body—we have two actually. It’s about figuring out how those people died.
This is something you should know: the first few episodes we’re gonna
focus on the students. We’ll learn more about each of the students.
Will every episode have a flash forward to the night of Sam’s death?
It’s kind of just like the pilot. But yeah we keep going and we tell a story over the course of the night. We’ll find out things that we thought seemed one way that actually were another way.
It’s kind of just like the pilot. But yeah we keep going and we tell a story over the course of the night. We’ll find out things that we thought seemed one way that actually were another way.
Will the flash forwards and the present catch up at the very end of the season?
Right now it’s going to catch up before then because I think there’s a lot of interest how that happened. But also what happens after.
Right now it’s going to catch up before then because I think there’s a lot of interest how that happened. But also what happens after.
We don’t know where Annalise or Frank or bonnie were on the night of murder.
Right. We’ll find out. Eventually you’ll see every character in the flash-forward.
Right. We’ll find out. Eventually you’ll see every character in the flash-forward.
Do you know what season two would be?
Yeah. But in order for me to tell you that you would need to know a lot of what happens. The great thing about what happens to these kids and Annalise is that’s something that changes you for life so there’s ripple effects that can give us seasons and seasons.
Yeah. But in order for me to tell you that you would need to know a lot of what happens. The great thing about what happens to these kids and Annalise is that’s something that changes you for life so there’s ripple effects that can give us seasons and seasons.
So it’s not a series that will reboot completely, like True Detective or American Horror Story?
No.
No.