Some critics may say it is too early in the fall season to make such a bold declaration, but I am going to say it anyway — “How to Get Away with Murder” is the best new series of the year.

“How to Get Away with Murder” revolves around a criminal law class taught by ruthless defense attorney Annalise Keating (Viola Davis, in a role she was born to play). In the pilot, Annalise’s criminal law class assists her with one of her cases, in which she defends a woman who has been accused of killing her boss. In a flash-forward side story, we see some of her star students hauling around a dead body, revealed at the end to be someone the audience met earlier in the episode.

Between her powerful line delivery and killer wardrobe, Davis herself is reason enough to tune in. However, if more convincing is needed, consider the supporting players: Alfred Enoch plays Wes Gibbins, a student who commits the error of showing up to Keating’s class without having done the reading and, by the end of the episode, is hiding a secret that could destroy her [Keating’s] credibility. Other standout students include the ruthless Michaela (Aja Naomi King), naïve Laurel (Karla Souza), law-bending Connor (Jack Falahee), and Asher (Matt McGorry), who doesn’t get a lot of screen time in the pilot, but will surely be featured in future episodes.

Other characters include Annalise’s husband and psychology professor Sam Keating (Tom Verica) and Nate Leahy (Billy Brown), a detective who may not have the best moral inclinations.

After the murder case is over, Annalise chooses five of her students to join the law firm for the rest of the semester. Unsurprisingly, Michaela, Laurel, Connor, Asher and Wes are the individuals chosen, almost guaranteeing that the show will introduce more instances in which the students play jump rope with morality to win the cases and impress Annalise.

Personally, I am most interested to see what happens in the flash-forward that takes place three months after the first day of class. As mentioned above, Wes, Laurel, Michaela and Connor try to get rid of a body. The audience does not know who killed the person or how, but we do know the body was found in Annalise’s office and that her prized statue of Lady Justice was used as the murder weapon.

In yet another storyline, a missing student on campus is found in a water tank of a sorority. Annalise voices her opinion that she believes the girl’s boyfriend is the killer to her husband, who just so happened to be the girl’s professor.

Although these interwoven storylines may prove difficult to keep straight in later episodes, there’s just enough mystery in the pilot to lure in viewers. The fact that Shonda Rhimes, the creator of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Scandal,’ is an executive producer of ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ only gives me hope that this will be an addictive series.

Bottom Line: ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ wins its case to be on your must-watch list.

4.5/5

‘How to Get Away with Murder’ airs Thursdays at 9 PM CST on ABC.