Even under those conditions, Nowalk has created one of the most talked- and tweeted-about shows on television, which in just two seasons has established itself as a sexually progressive, racially groundbreaking, and constantly unpredictable series.

And it’s also given its star, Viola Davis, the vehicle to become the first black woman to win an Emmy for Leading Actress in a Drama. “The biggest pressure was to not disappoint Viola,” Nowalk said. “She's Meryl Streep, basically, and she's on a TV show, so it's like, Am I going to screw her over? I definitely had that ‘do I know how to do this’ moment. She opened up a more character-driven, deeper, complicated version of the show. I had that in me, obviously, but I don't know if I would have worked so hard to make sure she had those moments.”

The success of Season 1 could have made Season 2 of How to Get Away With Murder that much more daunting for Nowalk, but he’s come up with some tactics for dealing with the pressure.

With the second season officially wrapped — SPOILER ALERT: the March 17 finale ended with a literal bang as Wes (Alfred Enoch) confronted his presumed father, Wallace Mahoney (Adam Arkin), seconds before a mysterious assailant shot Wallace — Nowalk sat down with BuzzFeed News to share some of the hard-earned lessons he’s learned from being a first-time showrunner.