(PEOPLE) "Coniver"

So you anxiously await the premiere of a new series because two of your favorite actors happen to be Viola Davis and Alfred Enoch.  Then, you watch the pilot and almost wet yourself from the incredible writing, talented cast, and suspense that's fraught with more tension than watching Kanye West approaching Beck at an awards show.  Such was the case with ABC's well-deserved hit, "How to Get Away with Murder", which - thanks to creator Peter Nowalk and co-executive producer Shonda Rhimes - brought an originality and quality to free-TV primetime rarely seen today.  

Better still, the series also blew stereotypes out of the water, and showed a healthy sex life in ALL the characters - including hypersexual gay law student Connor Walsh (Jack Falahee), whose more lustful scenes were beautifully handled not only because they were in character, but also because they were given no more and no less fanfare than those of any other character.  In short, much like in the real world, the gay people were just PEOPLE, no different in appearance, attitudes or morals than anyone else.  America, move on; we're all God's children, with the freedom to lust or love or both, irregardless of gender.  But then Connor met Oliver (Conrad Ricamora), and throughout the season, as the events of Who Killed Lila and What Really Happened to Sam also contributed to the evolving of the characters' personalities and actions, the steady growth of Connor's realizing he just might be falling in love for the first time was handled with such grace, realism, and heart, by the season finale and "the big reveal" for Coniver, their storyline had become the most emotional - the heartbeat - of the series.  That little bit of hope; the eye of the storm in the middle of all the deceit, lies, and destruction of the death - deaths - and their aftermath.  Mr. Falahee and Mr. Ricamora, hat's off to you both.

It's so great to find the terrific Viola Davis leading one of the best ensemble casts in television today.  Greater still to become a "new fan" to those in the cast I hadn't seen much of before.  Best of all, how brilliant to come across a network television series that finally depicts gay characters correctly - that is, as no different from anyone else.  Kudos, ABC and everyone at Shondaland; may you break even more molds in season two!  And Coniver ... well, thanks for delivering that strong core of humanity, amid all the chaos, that rooted the series in a reality we could all believe in.