You're probably staring at your Netflix queue wondering if you've actually finished Annalise Keating’s wild ride or if there's some secret chapter you missed. It happens. The show is a fever dream of chalkboards, vodka, and very questionable legal ethics. If you’re looking for the short answer to how many seasons of How to Get Away with Murder exist, the number is six. Total. No more, no less.
But honestly, just knowing the number doesn't really tell the whole story of why the show ended when it did or how those seasons are structured. ABC didn't just pull the plug out of nowhere. Shonda Rhimes and showrunner Pete Nowalk basically decided that six years was the sweet spot to wrap up the trauma of the "Keating Five."
Each season consists of exactly 15 episodes. This was a specific choice, different from the 22-episode marathons you see with shows like Grey’s Anatomy. It kept the pacing tight—or at least as tight as a show with fifty plot twists per hour can be.
Why 90 Episodes Was the Magic Number
Most people don't realize that the 15-episode limit was actually a contractual thing requested by Viola Davis herself. When she signed on to play Annalise, she wanted a shorter season so she could keep doing films. It was a "prestige" move for network TV at the time. This gave the show a more cable-like feel, even though it was airing on ABC.
The journey from Season 1 to Season 6 is a massive arc of self-destruction. In the beginning, you have these bright-eyed law students. By the end, they’re basically shell-shocked survivors. If the show had gone to Season 7 or 8, it probably would have felt like a parody of itself.
Breaking Down the Season-by-Season Chaos
If you're rewatching or starting for the first time, you need to know that the show is built on a "flash-forward" gimmick. The first half of a season shows you a crime, and the second half deals with the fallout.
In Season 1, we get the Lila Stangard murder and the "Night of the Bonfire." This is arguably the peak of the show’s cultural impact. It was fresh. It was messy. We all learned that a trophy could be a lethal weapon.
Season 2 dives into the Hapstall case and, more importantly, Annalise's past. This is where we meet Eve Rothlo (Famke Janssen). It’s also where the show starts to get really heavy on the "who shot Annalise?" mystery.
Season 3 is the one that broke everyone. The "Under the Sheet" mystery. I won’t spoil who dies if you haven't seen it, but it changed the DNA of the show. It stopped being a "fun" thriller and became a tragedy.
Season 4 focuses on "the crossover." Remember when Scandal and HTGAWM collided? Annalise and Olivia Pope in one room was a massive TV moment. This season also dealt with Annalise trying to class-action the entire justice system. It was ambitious.
Season 5 introduces the Governor as a primary antagonist and focuses on Connor and Oliver’s wedding. But, because it’s this show, the wedding is obviously overshadowed by someone dying in the snow.
Season 6 is the final act. It’s the "Who Killed Annalise?" season. It brings back faces you haven't seen in years and tries to tie up every single loose thread, including the mystery of Wes Gibbins’ fate and the ultimate fate of the remaining students.
Is Season 7 Ever Happening?
Probably not.
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Look, in the world of reboots and revivals, you can never say "never," but the way Season 6 ended was pretty definitive. Pete Nowalk has been pretty vocal about the fact that he felt the story was told. Viola Davis has moved on to massive projects like The Woman King and her memoir Finding Me.
Also, the ratings had dipped by the end. While it started as a massive hit with over 14 million viewers for the pilot, by the final season, it was pulling in a much smaller, albeit loyal, audience. It left on its own terms, which is rare for network television.
Where to Watch Every Season Right Now
As of early 2026, Netflix remains the primary home for all six seasons in most territories. Because of the Shondaland deal with Netflix, it has stayed put, unlike some other shows that bounce between streamers every six months.
If you're in a region where it’s not on Netflix, it’s usually available for purchase on Amazon Prime or Apple TV. But for binge-watching, Netflix is the go-to.
The Impact of the "Keating Five" Formula
When we look back at how many seasons of How to Get Away with Murder there were, the legacy isn't just the episode count. It's how the show handled representation and mental health. Annalise Keating was a complex, bisexual Black woman who struggled with alcoholism and trauma. That wasn't common on primetime TV in 2014.
The "Keating Five"—Wes, Connor, Michaela, Laurel, and Asher—became archetypes. You have the overachiever, the golden boy with a dark side, the person who came from nothing. Watching them erode over six seasons is a masterclass in character development, even when the plot gets a bit ridiculous.
Common Misconceptions About the Show
A lot of people think there are only 5 seasons because of how some international broadcasters split the final season. Others think there's a spin-off. There isn't. There were talks about a Michaela Pratt spin-off at one point, but it never materialized.
Another weird rumor is that the show was canceled. It wasn't. ABC announced well in advance that Season 6 would be the final one. This allowed the writers to actually plan an ending instead of getting caught off guard by a mid-season ax.
Practical Steps for Your Binge-Watch
If you’re planning to tackle all 90 episodes, here’s the best way to do it without losing your mind:
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- Watch in blocks. Since each season is split into two "halves" (before and after the winter finale), it’s best to watch episodes 1-9 of a season together, then 10-15.
- Pay attention to the color grading. The show uses different color tints for the "present" and the "future." If the screen looks blue and cold, you're looking at a flash-forward. If it’s warm and saturated, you’re in the current timeline.
- Don't Google character names. Seriously. If you search for a character to see what else the actor has been in, the first thing you’ll see is "X death scene" or "X killer reveal." The spoilers for this show are everywhere.
- Track the trophy. The "Lady Justice" trophy moves around a lot. It’s basically a character itself. Keep an eye on who has it at any given time in Season 1.
The show is a commitment. It’s loud, it’s stressful, and it’s occasionally confusing. But with exactly six seasons, it’s a manageable journey that actually has a finish line. You won't be left hanging with a cliffhanger that never gets resolved.
By the time you hit the series finale, "Stay," you'll realize that 90 episodes was exactly the right amount of time to spend with Annalise Keating. Any more would have been exhausting. Any less wouldn't have been enough to untangle the massive web of lies they built.