How to Get Away with Murder (season 2)

Updated on Nov 13, 2023

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Country of origin United States Original network ABC		No. of episodes 15

Starring Viola Davis Billy Brown Alfred Enoch Jack Falahee Aja Naomi King Matt McGorry Karla Souza Charlie Weber Liza Weil Original release September 24, 2015 (2015-09-24) – March 17, 2016 (2016-03-17)

The second season of the ABC American television drama series How to Get Away with Murder was ordered on May 7, 2015, by ABC. The second season began airing on September 24, 2015, with 15 episodes like the previous season, and concluded on March 17, 2016. This was made in a deal with Viola Davis that the series would be a limited series with only 15 or 16 episodes per season. A promotional poster was released on August 18 and the trailer was released on September 10.

In its second season, the series has continued to receive accolades; the show has been nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Image Awards as well as the GLAAD Awards. Viola Davis has won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance in a Drama Series and has been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series at the Image Awards, Best Actress in a Drama Series at the Critics' Choice Awards, and Best Actress in a Television Series at the Golden Globe Awards.

Plot

Annalise Keating, law professor and criminal defense attorney at Middleton University, selects five students to intern at her firm: Wes Gibbins, Connor Walsh, Michaela Pratt, Asher Millstone, and Laurel Castillo—along with Annalise's employees Frank Delfino and Bonnie Winterbottom, an associate lawyer.

The first nine episodes focuses on Annalise's case of Caleb and Catherine Hapstall, and their alleged involvement in the death of their adoptive parents. Wes in the meantime, teams up with Rebecca's foster brother to try and find Rebecca. Connor struggles with his relationship with Oliver, while Asher works with A.D.A. Emily Sinclair in order to protect his secrets. In the mid-season finale, Emily Sinclair is murdered, and Annalise helps cover it up, at the expense of her being shot in the stomach by Wes.

The second part of the season focuses on Wes' investigation around his mother's suicide ten years ago, and it is revealed from flashbacks how involved Annalise was with Wes' mother's suicide. The season ends with Annalise finding out that it was Frank that was responsible for her being in a car accident and losing her baby, and Annalise sends him away. Michaela and Asher hook up, and Wes meets up with his biological father right before his father is shot dead by an unknown shooter.

Development

The series was renewed for a second season on May 7, 2015, by ABC. The show was effectively confirmed as earning a second-season renewal for the 2015-16 season via a promo succeeding the first-season finale and an earlier statement by Viola Davis also confirming the renewal at the close of shooting for the first season. It would contain 15 episodes, like the previous season. Entertainment Weekly reported on July 23, 2015, that the identity of Rebecca's killer would be revealed in the season premiere. A promotional poster was released over a month before the season premiere, on August 17, 2015.

The second season began airing on September 24, 2015, and aired nine episodes in the fall, just like the rest of ABC's primetime lineup "TGIT" Grey's Anatomy and Scandal. The remaining fall schedule for ABC was announced on November 16, 2015, where it was announced that How to Get Away with Murder would air nine episodes in the fall with the fall finale to air on November 19, 2015, just like the rest of ABC's primetime lineup "TGIT", which was the same last year. The remaining six episodes aired after the winter break, beginning on February 11, 2016, as a result of ABC airing the television miniseries Madoff over two nights on February 3–4, 2016 in the same time-slot as Scandal and Grey's Anatomy. It aired its season finale on March 17, 2016, with The Catch succeeding it for the remainder of the 2015-16 season after its finale. On March 3, 2016, ABC announced that How to Get Away with Murder was renewed for a third season.

Filming

Production began on May 21, 2015, with Shonda Rhimes announcing on Twitter that Peter Nowalk and his writers were in full swing mapping the second season. The table read for the premiere occurred on July 14, 2015, with the title of the episode being revealed at the same time.

Casting

The second season had nine roles receiving star billing, with all of them returning from the previous season. Viola Davis played the protagonist of the series, Professor Annalise Keating, a high-profile defense attorney, teaching a class at Middleton University. Billy Brown played Detective Nate Lahey, Annalise's lover. There are five students who work at Annalise's law firm. Alfred Enoch portrayed Wes Gibbins, as he was devastated about Rebecca escaping. Jack Falahee portrayed Connor Walsh, the ruthless student who found himself in a situation where his boyfriend Oliver Hampton, played by Conrad Ricamora, had received news of having HIV. Aja Naomi King played Michaela Pratt, the ambitious student who wanted to be as successful as Annalise. Matt McGorry continued portraying Asher Millstone, a student who comes from a privileged background. Karla Souza played Laurel Castillo, an idealistic student. Charlie Weber portrayed Frank Delfino, an employee of Annalise's firm who was not a lawyer but handled special duties requiring discretion. Liza Weil played Bonnie Winterbottom, who is an associate attorney in Annalise's firm.

It was announced on July 14, 2015, that the second season would introduce several new characters, including a family consisting of Caleb, Catherine and Helena Hapstall. Katie Findlay returned to play the character Rebecca Sutter, who was killed in the first season finale. Tom Verica also appeared in the season as the deceased Sam Keating, and appeared in flashbacks. On July 22, 2015, it was announced that Kendrick Sampson, known from The Vampire Diaries would join the cast in the second season and was introduced in the season premiere. On July 31, 2015, TVLine reported that Famke Janssen was cast as a brilliant, revered defense attorney for a multi-episode arc and would first appear in the season premiere.

Matt Cohen was announced on August 11, 2015, to recur in the second season as Levi, who was described as a sexy, edgy working class guy. He first appeared in the second episode and appeared in a total of three episodes. On August 31, 2015, Variety reported that Amy Okuda would play a recurring role, but details on Okuda’s part were being kept under wraps. Sherri Saum was announced to have been cast as a guest star on September 30, 2015. On January 14, 2016, it was announced that Wilson Bethel, Adam Arkin and Roxanne Hart would be joining the show to play the Mahoney family. Bethel played Charles Mahoney, the Ivy League-educated son, with Arkin played his father Wallace and Hart playing his mother Sylvia.

Critical reception

The second season received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 95%, based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 8.5 out of 10. Lesley Brock, Paste Magazine, praised the second season writing: "I would not put it past How to Get Away with Murder, which has turned all other ABC show plot lines upside down on their heads and shown that nothing is impossible, to throw incest into an already haphazard mix." Brock gave the season a score of 9 out of 10. Kyle Anderson, Entertainment weekly, wrote that with Davis at the front the show can get away with anything.