Something that has been speculated for sometime has been officially confirmed. The sixth season of ABC’s long-running Viola Davis drama, How to Get Away With Murder, will be its last. The season will premiere on Sept. 26.

The legal/crime thriller arguably helped cement Viola Davis’ status as a modern icon, as she became the first woman of color to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama series. Along with Scandal, led by Kerry Washington, the two Shondaland series provided representation that had not been seen before on broadcast television.

In a statement obtained by Shadow And Act, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke said, “Viola Davis made television history with her unforgettable portrayal of iconic female antihero Annalise Keating. I am eternally grateful to her, Pete Nowalk and Shondaland for creating and bringing to life such a smart, sophisticated and groundbreaking series that has long been an integral part of Thursday nights on ABC.”

Series creator Pete Nowalk says, “Deciding to end this series was a brutal decision, but ultimately the story tells you what to do – as it did here. For me, Annalise Keating’s journey has always had a clear ending. Knowing I have 15 episodes left to finish her story, and the chance to give all the characters their own killer endings, is a gift rarely given to a series creator and I’m grateful to ABC and ABC Studios for the opportunity and creative freedom. I am so thankful to the brilliant cast, writers and crew for dedicating themselves to the most rewarding experience of my career over the last six years. I also want to thank our fans. The only reason this show exists is because of your loyalty and enthusiasm. I can’t wait for you all to see how it ends, with twists and turns and all the craziness we love to create every Thursday night. Buckle up.”

The network’s description of the final season: This season follows Professor Annalise Keating’s (Viola Davis) class through their final semester in law school – while the deception, fear and guilt binding Professor Keating to her students prove deadlier than ever.

The series stars Davis as Professor Annalise Keating, Billy Brown as Detective Nate Lahey, Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh, Aja Naomi King as Michaela Pratt, Matt McGorry as Asher Millstone, Charlie Weber as Frank Delfino, Liza Weil as Bonnie Winterbottom, Conrad Ricamora as Oliver Hampton, Rome Flynn as Gabriel Maddox and Amirah Vann as Tegan Price.

How to Get Away with Murder is created and executive produced by Nowalk. Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers and Stephen Cragg also serve as executive producers. The show is produced by ABC Studios, a division of Disney Television Studios.

Photo: ABC