It is no secret that Americans are drawn to mysteries. From NCIS to Law and Order to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, any crime show automatically has the public’s interest from it’s first announcement. Some of these shows are extremely successful, creating franchises that can last for decades. Others are not as fortunate. These shows that have the opportunity to take off seem to have a similar basis with police officers, forensic analysts, and detectives doing their best to serve justice to the world. Occasionally, there are lawyers or District Attorneys, usually male, that make appearances during a court hearing, but other than those brief moments, lawyers are not usually the main focus of the show’s plot, until “How To Get Away With Murder”(HTGAWM) aired on ABC. From the pilot episode, the show was a hit, it presented another look at the justice system with a lawyer/professor and her students working as interns during law school solving a murder while still representing the public. The show delves deep into the character’s personal lives while they are solving the murder. Each of these lawyers and prospective lawyers seem to fulfill a specific stereotype, while breaking a few at the same time. Through careful analysis of the show “How To Get Away With Murder” and American culture, this presentation will evaluate the main stereotypes for lawyers as well as women in American popular culture.
About the presenterAlexa Story
Sophomore Political Science: Legal Studies and Anthropology major with a minor in Women’s Studies.