“The show is a slick, well-cast, and thoroughly enjoyable piece of teen noir, but it's also a masterclass in how to string an audience along without ever delivering a satisfying answer.”
Mike Hale
The New York Times

Pretty Little Liars, created by I. Marlene King and based on Sara Shepard's young adult novels, aired on ABC Family (later Freeform) from June 2010 to June 2017. The series stars Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery, Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings, Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin, and Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields, with Sasha Pieterse as the enigmatic Alison DiLaurentis. Over seven seasons and 161 episodes, the show blended mystery, drama, and teen angst into a cultural touchstone. Its twisty, sometimes absurd plotting polarized critics but earned a devoted fanbase, with a rating of 7.97/10 on IMDb. The tone shifts from glossy high-school soap to paranoid thriller, driven by the central question: who is the anonymous tormentor known only as A?
Filmed in Los Angeles, the series became a flagship for its network, averaging over 2 million viewers per episode by its later seasons. The show's fashion, each Liar had a distinct style, influenced teen trends, and its use of social media as a plot device felt prescient. Fan theories exploded on Tumblr and Twitter, with each A reveal becoming a major event. The show also launched two spin-offs: the short-lived Ravenswood and the darker reboot Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.
Availability and pricing can change. Confirm on the provider's site before purchasing.
One year after the disappearance of Alison DiLaurentis, the queen bee of Rosewood High, her four closest friends have drifted apart. Aria Montgomery returns from a year in Iceland and starts a secret relationship with her English teacher, Ezra Fitz. Spencer Hastings competes with her older sister Melissa for grades and a boyfriend. Hanna Marin, once an overweight outcast, has transformed into a popular girl but hides a shoplifting habit and her family's money problems. Emily Fields, a star swimmer, grapples with her feelings for new girl Maya St. Germain. Their lives collide when anonymous texts begin arriving, signed only with the letter A. The sender knows secrets only Alison knew, from Aria's affair to Hanna's thefts to Emily's sexuality. The threats escalate from embarrassing revelations to dangerous situations, forcing the four to reunite and trust each other again.
Each season follows a pattern of revelation and escalation. Season 1 establishes the world and the initial A threat, ending with the shock that Alison is alive. Season 2 deepens the hunt for the first A while dealing with Alison's return. Season 3 introduces a new, more dangerous A tied to a church fire and new antagonists. Season 4 focuses on the truth about the night Alison disappeared. Season 5 sees one Liar on trial and a seemingly reformed Alison, before a brutal finale traps the girls in an underground dollhouse. Season 6 begins with their escape and the reveal of A's identity, then jumps five years forward as the girls, now adults, face a new tormentor called Uber A. Season 7, the final season, unravels the last mysteries and ends the cycle of terror. The series explores female friendship, loyalty, and the corrosive power of secrets, set against the glossy backdrop of Rosewood.
Critical Consensus
Pretty Little Liars is a glossy, addictive teen mystery that thrives on campy twists and melodrama. While its convoluted plotting and absurd reveals often frustrate critics, the show's charismatic cast and relentless cliffhangers have earned it a devoted fanbase and a lasting cultural footprint.
“The show is a slick, well-cast, and thoroughly enjoyable piece of teen noir, but it's also a masterclass in how to string an audience along without ever delivering a satisfying answer.”
Mike Hale
The New York Times
“Pretty Little Liars is a guilty pleasure that knows exactly what it is: a soapy, twisty mystery that keeps you guessing, even when the answers are ridiculous.”
Brian Lowry
Variety
“The show is a finely tuned machine of teen angst and mystery, but its reliance on endless cliffhangers and red herrings can feel exhausting.”
Tim Goodman
The Hollywood Reporter
“Pretty Little Liars is a show that is both brilliant and terrible, a perfect artifact of its era that will be studied for its cultural impact and its maddening plotting.”
Sonia Saraiya
The A.V. Club
Writers
Lijah J. Barasz, Sara Shepard
Composer
Michael Suby
Producers
Charles Grant Craig, Joseph Dougherty, Leslie Morgenstein, I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick
Teen Choice Awards (2011)
Choice TV Show: Drama: Won
Teen Choice Awards (2012)
Choice TV Actress: Drama: Won
People's Choice Awards (2014)
Favorite TV Drama: Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards (2015)
Outstanding Drama Series: Nominated
Join the community
fans discussing