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    Pretty Little Liars
    📺seriesEndedTV-14

    Pretty Little Liars

    United States flagUnited States

    "Time to bring your A game."

    2010 - 2017 English
    80%

    User Score

    2,799 votes

    Community

    Overview

    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.

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    PlotSpoiler-free

    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.

    Ending ExplainedSpoilers

    Critical Reception

    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.

    Top Cast

    Lucy Hale

    Lucy Hale

    Aria Montgomery

    Troian Bellisario

    Troian Bellisario

    Spencer Hastings / Alex Drake

    Ashley Benson

    Ashley Benson

    Hanna Marin

    Shay Mitchell

    Shay Mitchell

    Emily Fields

    Sasha Pieterse

    Sasha Pieterse

    Alison DiLaurentis

    Ian Harding

    Ian Harding

    Ezra Fitz

    Tyler Blackburn

    Tyler Blackburn

    Caleb Rivers

    Janel Parrish

    Janel Parrish

    Mona Vanderwaal

    Andrea Parker

    Andrea Parker

    Mary Drake

    Crew

    Writers

    Lijah J. Barasz, Sara Shepard

    Composer

    Michael Suby

    Producers

    Charles Grant Craig, Joseph Dougherty, Leslie Morgenstein, I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick

    Seasons (8)

    Awards

    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

    Keywords

    based on novel or bookforbidden lovefemale friendshiphigh schoolbullyingteen dramasuspicious deathbased on young adult novelmysterythrillersecret identityanonymous threats

    Facts

    Status
    Ended
    Type
    Scripted
    Original Language
    EN
    Network
    ABC Family, Freeform
    Created By
    I. Marlene King
    Seasons
    7
    Episodes
    161
    Production
    Russian Hill Productions, Warner Horizon Television, Alloy Entertainment, Long Lake Media

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