Pretty Little Liars is an American teen drama mystery–thriller television series loosely based on the popular series of novels written by Sara Shepard. The show premiered on June 8, 2010 on ABC Family/Freeform and ended its seven season run on June 27, 2017.
After an initial order of 10 episodes on June 28, 2010, ABC Family ordered an additional 12 episodes for Season 1. These episodes began airing on January 3, 2011, and ended on March 21, 2011. The ratings success of the first 10-episodes prompted the book series to be extended beyond the initial eight novels. The success of the first two season led to an unofficial companion book to be published about the series.
Pretty Little Liars ran for seven highly successful seasons before its conclusion in 2017. According to I. Marlene King, the decision to end the series at seven seasons was a group decision, and that they had the opportunity to go to Season 8.[1] The series spawned three spin-off series.
Plot
Set in the fictional town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, the series follows the lives of five girls, Aria Montgomery, Hanna Marin, Emily Fields, Spencer Hastings and Alison DiLaurentis whose clique falls apart after Alison, the leader of the group, disappears. One year later, the remaining four friends are reunited as they begin receiving messages from a mysterious figure named "A", who threatens to expose their deepest secrets, including ones they thought only Alison knew. At first, they think it's Alison herself, but after her body is found, the girls realize that someone else is planning on ruining their perfect lives.
Production
Introduction
Originally developed as a television series by book packaging company Alloy Entertainment, the idea was described as "Desperate Housewives for teens." Alloy met with author of the book series, Sara Shepard and gave her the property to develop into a book series. With Alloy and Warner Horizon interested in producing Pretty Little Liars as a television series for years, it was first planned for The WB in 2005 with a different writer until the network shut down in early 2006 and reestablished as The CW later that year. The first novel was published by HarperTeen in October 2006. In June 2008, Alloy noted that it was developing a Pretty Little Liars television pilot for ABC Family, with the novels adapted for television. After the pilot was shot in Vancouver, filming for the rest of the series has since moved to Los Angeles. In June 2012, the series was selected by lottery for a California film and TV tax credit.
Casting
ABC Family began casting for a Pretty Little Liars television pilot in October 2009. Lucy Hale was cast as Aria Montgomery in the project, followed by Troian Bellisario and Ian Harding (as Spencer Hastings and Ezra Fitz, respectively) in November 2009. In December 2009, The Futon Critic confirmed the casting of Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin and Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields, as well as the addition of Laura Leighton as Ashley Marin, Nia Peeples as Pam Fields, Roark Critchlow as Tom Marin, and Bianca Lawson as Maya St. Germain. Mitchell had initially auditioned for the role of Spencer and then tried for Emily. The Hollywood Reporter also noted that Torrey DeVitto and Sasha Pieterse landed recurring roles in the pilot. The Alloy website later confirmed that Pieterse would be playing Alison DiLaurentis and DeVitto would be Melissa Hastings, also mentioning the casting of Janel Parrish as Mona Vanderwaal. On January 27, 2010, ABC Family picked up the series for 10 episodes, set to premiere in June 2010. In April 2010, the role of Aria's father Byron was recast with Chad Lowe, and Holly Marie Combs was cast as Aria's mother, Ella Montgomery. Jenna Marshall is played by Tammin Sursok.
On January 7, 2011, Tilky Montgomery Jones was cast as Logan Reed. On April 8, 2011 Annabeth Gish was cast for the role of Anne Sullivan, a therapist who tries to find out the characters' secrets. On May 23, 2011, Andrea Parker signed-on to appear as Jessica DiLaurentis, Alison's mother. On June 29, 2011, it was announced that Natalie Hall would be replacing Natalie Floyd as Hanna's soon-to-be stepsister, Kate. Series star Chad Lowe directed the tenth episode of the second season titled "Touched by an 'A'-ngel". On January 30, 2012, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Tyler Blackburn had been promoted to series regular for the third season. In March 2012, Janel Parrish was also promoted from recurring to series regular for the third season.
Promotion
Pretty Little Liars was called one of the most spectacular new shows of summer 2010 thanks to heavy promotion by ABC Family, including "spicy promos and hot posters". ABC Family encouraged fans to host a "Pretty Little Premiere Party" for the show by sending the first respondents a fan kit, and selected applicants to become part of an interactive "Secret Keeper Game" played with iPhones provided by the network. The show's official Facebook and Twitter accounts also promoted special fan features, including a "Pretty Little Lie Detector". Los Angeles department store Kitson showcased the show in their shop window.
A tie-in edition featuring the Season 1 poster and logo of the 2006 first novel in the Pretty Little Liars series was released on the date of the show's premiere, as was the final book of the original book series, "Wanted". Wanted later decidedly became the eighth book of the series, as Shepard later confirmed she would extend the series. A TV tie in of the second book "Flawless" featuring an altered Season 3 poster was released on December 28, 2010.
Music
The theme song for Pretty Little Liars is "Secret" by The Pierces, which was suggested by one of the show's stars, Ashley Benson. The pilot episode made use of music from artists such as The Fray, Ben's Brother, MoZella, Orelia, and Colbie Caillat. The show has also featured music from Passion Pit, Pink, Florence + The Machine, Selena Gomez & the Scene, and McFly. Music from Katie Herzig can be heard multiple times throughout the show. A few songs being "Hey Na Na" and "Where the Road Meets the Sun". Madi Diaz has been heard on the show with her song "Heavy Heart", as well as Joy Williams with "Charmed Life" and Foreign Slippers with "What Are You Waiting For?". The last episode of season one featured a song by Alexz Johnson that she originally recorded for the soundtrack of the Canadian hit TV show Instant Star. On June 14, 2011, "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri was featured in the first episode of the second season. The song "Follow Suit" by Trent Dabbs has also been featured on the show. In the episode "The Perfect Storm", Lucy Hale sings a cover of the song "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" by British band Fairport Convention. The official soundtrack was released on February 15, 2011.
Series overview
The series follows the lives of five teenage girls - Aria Montgomery, Emily Fields, Hanna Marin, Spencer Hastings and Alison DiLaurentis -- whose clique falls apart after Alison the leader of the group disappears. One year later, after the discovery of Ali's body, the remaining four girls begin receiving text messages from an anonymous source, "A," who threatens to expose their secrets -- including long-hidden ones they thought only their close friend Alison knew.
In the second half of the sixth season, the show jumps five years into the future, and the Liars are threatened by a new antagonist going by the name "A.D.".
Cast and Characters
- Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) is the former "Queen Bee" of her clique and the most popular girl in school before her disappearance. She enjoys using people's deepest secrets against them to keep them in line. Charming and manipulative, Alison managed to control all four of her friends in some way or another. Her disappearance serves as the catalyst of the series, as her friends, The Liars, investigate the circumstances in the hopes of unmasking their stalker, "A".
- Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) is the artsy chameleon who is intelligent, caring, and has a good sense of style. She's the one who keeps her family together, even though she has a secret that could rip them apart. After Alison disappeared, Aria and her family moved to Iceland for a year, before returning to Rosewood. She soon began a relationship with her English teacher, Ezra Fitz, a taboo relationship that is extorted by the masked stalker "A". Aria is dragged into the murky world of Rosewood to help her friends uncover Alison's secrets, in the hopes they will eventually free her from "A".
- Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson) is the former loser turned Queen B. Her eating disorder was exploited by Alison, whose disappearance sparked Hanna's decision to lose weight and become the new "It Girl" with her best friend Mona Vanderwaal. Though she presents herself as surface level and above everything, Hanna's bleeding heart and desire to protect her mother propels her into the dark world of "A". She notably falls in love with Caleb Rivers and grows closer to the girls she once considered her friends.
- Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario) is an extreme perfectionist who likes to please her wealthy family and her friends. She is very competitive, an overachiever, strong-willed, and kind towards everyone around her, but isn't afraid to take down someone who is a threat to something she cares about. Her rivalry with her older sister Melissa seemed to include men, who fell for Spencer. Their brief moments were manipulated by "A" and lauded over Spencer, threatening to destroy her perfectly crafted life. As she fell deeper into the trenches of "A", she also fell in love with Toby Cavanaugh, the brooding "bad boy" across the street. Her relationship with the other Liars proves the strongest force in her life, as Spencer does whatever it takes to unmask her stalker and free everyone.
- Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) is the sporty one in the group. She is the best swimmer on the swim team, sweet, and blindly loyal. She comes from a traditional family, which complicates her growing feelings for new girl Maya St. Germain. She struggles with her identity as a lesbian, even more-so when "A" threatens to expose her feelings for both Maya and a missing Alison DiLaurentis. Emily endures complicated romances, including with Paige McCullers, the daughter of a pastor. Through it all, Emily remains loyal to her friends and grows an inner strength in her fight against "A".
- Mona Vanderwaal (Janel Parrish) was once dubbed "Loser Mona" by Alison DiLaurentis, who tormented Mona throughout school. When Alison went missing, Mona rekindled her friendship with Hanna Marin and they transformed into the most popular girls at school, taking Alison's place. Her complicated relationship with the Liars is exacerbated by her connections to "A", and her dark side makes her deeply untrusting. She is secretly the smartest person in every room, the most attentive, and acutely aware of everything happening around her. Despite her twists and manipulations, Mona wants to fit in more than anything else - especially with The Liars.
- "A" is the main antagonist of the series, being The Liars stalker and torturer in relentless and creative ways. "A" operates by threatening the girls families and friends, with escalating behavior over the course of the series. "A" was the looming presence in all seven seasons of the series.
Credited
- Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings/Alex Drake
- Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin
- Tyler Blackburn as Caleb Rivers (recurring season 1-2; main season 3-7)
- Holly Marie Combs as Ella Montgomery (main season 1-3; guest season 4-5, 7; recurring season 6)
- Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery
- Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz
- Bianca Lawson as Maya St. Germain (main season 1-2; guest season 3)
- Laura Leighton as Ashley Marin[2]
- Chad Lowe as Byron Montgomery (main season 1-3; guest season 4-5, 7; recurring season 6)
- Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields
- Andrea Parker as Mary Drake (guest season 4; recurring: season 6; main season 7)/Jessica DiLaurentis (guest season 2, 5-6; recurring season 4; main season 7)
- Janel Parrish as Mona Vanderwaal (recurring season 1-2; main season 3-7)
- Nia Peeples as Pam Fields (main 1x01; recurring seasons 1-4, 6; guest season 5 & 7)[3]
- Sasha Pieterse as Alison DiLaurentis (guest 1x01; main seasons 1-7)[4]
Broadcast
- See Also: Where to Watch
Pretty Little Liars premiered on June 8, 2010, the United States, becoming ABC Family's highest-rated series debut on record across the network's target demographics. It ranked number one in key 12–34 demos and teens, becoming the number-one scripted show in Women 18–34, and Women 18–49. The premiere was number two in the hour for total viewers, which generated 2.47 million unique viewers, and was ABC Family's best delivery in the time slot since the premiere of The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
The second episode retained 100% of its premiere audience with 2.48 million viewers, despite the usual downward trend following a premiere of a show, and built on its premiere audience. It was the dominant number one of its time slot in Adults 18–49, and the number one show in female teens. Subsequent episodes fluctuated between 2.09 and 2.74 million viewers. The August 10, 2010 "Summer Finale" episode drew an impressive 3.07 million viewers.
On June 28, 2010, ABC Family ordered 12 more episodes of the show, bringing its total first-season order to 22. On January 10, 2011, ABC Family picked the show up for a second season that premiered on June 14, 2011. During the summer of 2011, Pretty Little Liars was basic cable's top scripted series in women aged 18–34 and viewers 12–34. The second half of season 2 aired on Mondays at 8/7c, beginning on January 2, 2012.
On November 29, 2011, ABC Family renewed the show for a third season, which consisted of 24 episodes. On 4 October 2012, ABC Family announced that the show was renewed for a fourth season, again comprising 24 episodes. The second half of the third season began airing on January 8, 2013 and finished March 19, 2013. Pretty Little Liars returned for Season 4 on June 11, 2013. On March 25, 2013, It was again announced that Pretty Little Liars had been renewed for a fifth season scheduled for a 2014 air date and a new spin-off show entitled Ravenswood that would begin airing after the season four annual Halloween special in October 2013. The second half of season four premiered on January 7, 2014. It was announced on June 10, 2014, that Pretty Little Liars was renewed for two seasons, making the show ABC Family's longest-running original hit series.
Critical reception
Pretty Little Liars opened with initially mixed critical reviews, although the series has gotten more positive critique over its progression. Metacritic gave the pilot episode 52 out of 100, based upon 14 critical reviews. The New York Daily News gave the show a positive review, commenting that it "makes most popular vampire romances look anemic" while concluding, "Pretty Little Liars could go in several directions, including mundane teen clichés. It's got an equally good shot at making us care about these imperfect pretty girls." A writer on Terror Hook has stated that "'Pretty Little Liars' gets off to a very promising start. Great production all around, the writing keeps the viewer on their toes, and the acting just reinforces it. The overall mystery of the show, in the end, is dark and unpredictable, even stepping into the slasher film realm." The New York Post gave the show three out of five stars, stating, "OK, so we've established that there is no socially redeeming value in this series and that your kids shouldn't watch it if they are too young and impressionable. But if you can distract them enough to miss the first 15 minutes, the show isn't half-bad. Actually, it is half-good, if that makes sense." The Los Angeles Times wrote that the series is "one of those shows that manages to mildly, and perhaps unintentionally, spoof its genre while fully participating in it, and that's not a bad thing at all."
Entertainment Weekly had a less favorable review, giving the show a letter grade of D-, saying, "Imagine the pitch for Liars: It's I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Gossip Girl, but like not so subtle. The new ABC Family drama, based on the popular young-adult book series about a high school clique whose missing leader continuously causes problems and she ends up dead comes back to haunt them via locker-room notes, IMs, and text messages, hits every racy teen-entertainment mark so hard (everyone's hair is so full—of secrets!) that it feels like the only thing missing is a visit from the ghosts of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze, Jr." The Hollywood Reporter compared the show to those on The CW and noted, "Sure, there's a lot here that sustains more eye-rolling than interested stares, but a little patience might be warranted."
Ratings
Since the series premiere, the show has remained popular. The series earned its highest rated episode with 4.22 million total viewers, ranking among ABC Family's top 5 telecasts in adult viewers 18 - 34, total viewers and women viewers. The highest rated episodes include season one's finale, with 3.64 million, and season two's premiere and finale episodes, each yielding nearly 3.7 million viewers. The show stands as the most-watched series on ABC Family, maintaining a steady viewership of over 2.5 million and currently standing as the only show to yield an average of over 2 million viewers.
Seasons
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||||
| Teen Choice Award | Choice Summer TV Show | Pretty Little Liars | Won | |
| Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Ian Harding | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Lucy Hale | Won | ||
| 2011 | ||||
| NewNowNext Awards | TV You Betta Watch | Pretty Little Liars | Won | |
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite TV Obsession | Nominated | ||
| GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| Teen Choice Award | Choice Summer TV Show | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Lucy Hale | Won | ||
| Troian Bellisario | Nominated | |||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Ian Harding | Won | ||
| Keegan Allen | Nominated | |||
| 2012 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Cable TV Drama | Pretty Little Liars | Won |
| GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Show: Drama | Pretty Little Liars | Won | |
| Choice TV Actress: Drama | Lucy Hale | Won | ||
| Choice TV Actor: Drama | Ian Harding | Won | ||
| Choice Villan | Janel Parrish | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Troian Bellisario | Won | ||
| Do Something Awards | TV Show | Pretty Little Liars | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Show: Drama | Pretty Little Liars | Won |
| Choice TV Actress: Drama | Troian Bellisario | Won | ||
| Choice TV Actor: Drama | Ian Harding | Won | ||
| Choice Villain | Janel Parrish | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Show | Pretty Little Liars | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Lucy Hale | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Keegan Allen | Won | ||
| 2015 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Show: Drama | Pretty Little Liars | Won |
| Choice TV Actress: Drama | Lucy Hale | Won | ||
| Choice TV Actor: Drama | Ian Harding | Won | ||
| Choice Villain | Vanessa Ray | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Show | Pretty Little Liars | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Ashley Benson | Won | ||
| Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Tyler Blackburn | Won | ||
| GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Pretty Little Liars | Nominated | |
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite Cable TV Drama | Pretty Little Liars | Won | |
| Prism Awards | Drama Series Episode - Substance Abuse | Shadow Play | Nominated | |
| 2016 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Cable TV Drama | Pretty Little Liars | Won |
| Favorite Cable TV Actress | Ashley Benson | Nominated | ||
| Favorite Cable TV Actress | Lucy Hale | Nominated | ||
| Favorite Cable TV Actress | Shay Mitchell | Nominated | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Show Drama | Pretty Little Liars | Won | |
| Choice TV Actor: Drama | Ian Harding | Won | ||
| Choice TV Actress: Drama | Ashley Benson | Won | ||
| Choice TV: Villain | Janel Parrish | Won | ||
| Choice TV: Scene Stealer | Sasha Pieterse | Won | ||
| Choice TV: Chemistry | Ashley Benson & Tyler Blackburn | Won | ||
| 2017 | MTV Awards | Show of the Year | Pretty Little Liars | Nominated |
Promotional Videos
Spinoffs
- Main article: Pretty Little Liars Universe
Ravenswood
On March 26, 2013, ABC Family announced that a spin-off, Ravenswood, would air in October 2013. The spin-off aired ten episodes before being canceled by ABC Family. Tyler Blackburn (Caleb Rivers) returned to Pretty Little Liars after Ravenswood was canceled.
The Perfectionists
On September 25th, 2017, Freeform confirmed that a spin-off named "Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists" was in the works. It was based on another Sara Shepard novel titled, "The Perfectionists". Sasha Pieterse and Janel Parrish reprised their roles as Alison DiLaurentis and Mona Vanderwaal respectively. The series ran for one season and starred Sofia Carson (Ava Jalali), Sydney Park (Caitlin Park-Lewis), Eli Brown (Dylan Walker), Hayley Erin (Taylor Hotchkiss, and Kelly Rutherford (Claire Hotchkiss). The series was ultimately canceled.
Original Sin
On September 2, 2020, a potential reboot of the original series with Alloy Entertainment's Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo as executive producer, alongside Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, was announced. Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa spearheaded a new take on the former Freeform mega-hit. The new PLL featured a new story and new characters, and Roberto penned the script. A network was not yet attached and the project had not yet been taken out to possible buyers, though HBO Max was rumored to want the series.[5] On September 24, 2020, HBO Max announced it had picked up the spinoff and given it a straight to series order. They released a teaser that revealed the name of the series, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.[6]
On September 7, 2022, the show was renewed for a second season and the tagline was rebranded to Pretty Little Liars: Summer School. The second season premiered on May 9th, 2024, with a special two-episode debut. Episodes aired weekly through June 20th.
On September 20, 2024, Teen Vogue reported that the series was cancelled after two seasons.[7] The cancelation was not due to low viewership or reception.[8]
The series starred Bailee Madison (Imogen Adams), Chandler Kinney (Tabby Haworthe), Zaria (Faran Bryant), Malia Pyles (Mouse Honrada), Maia Reficco (Noa Olivar), and Mallory Bechtel (Karen and Kelly Beasley) among others.
International Adaptations
On August 27, 2019, Deadline reported that an adaptation of Pretty Little Liars would be localized in Bahasa and filmed in Bali as part of the Indonesian and Malaysian adaptations. Set in the fictional town of Amerta, Anya Geraldine stars as Hanna, Eyka Farhana as Ema, Valerie Thomas as Sabrina, Shindy Huang as Aria, and Yuki Kato as Alissa. It premiered on Viu at an unknown period of time. The series built on the original, yet had its own unique story.
Trivia
- The popular app Episodes created an interactive game for PLL they titled Pretty Little Liars. A fifteen chapter sequel was released titled Pretty Little Liars: To Die For.
- Two cast-led podcasts have been made so far. The first is the now-canceled (and erased) Pretty Little Wine Moms that was hosted by Lesley Fera, Holly Marie Combs, and Nia Peeples. The second, Pretty Little Liars: True Crime, is hosted by Lindsey Shaw and Tammin Sursok.
- The series celebrated its fifteenth-anniversary on June 8, 2025, with a special poster.
References
- ↑ Twitter (@imarleneking): PLL was not cancelled. Fortunately it was a group decision and we got to say a proper goodbye.
- ↑ Laura Leighton is only credited in the episodes she appears in for Season 7
- ↑ Peeples is initially credited as a series regular in "Pilot" but was demoted to a guest star in subsequent episodes.
- ↑ Sasha Pieterse is initially credited as a guest star in "Pilot", but was promoted to a series regular in "The Jenna Thing".
- ↑ Hollywood Reporter: ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Reboot in the Works From ‘Riverdale’ Boss (Exclusive)
- ↑ Deadline: ‘Pretty Little Liars’ “Horror-Tinged” Reboot From ‘Riverdale’ Creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Gets Series Order At HBO Max – Watch The Teaser
- ↑ Teen Vogue: Pretty Little Liars Spinoff Cancelled at Max After Two Seasons
- ↑ Instagram (@chandlerlkinney): in regard to the cancellation itself: our show didn’t deserve this fate