In the 2010s, many TV shows aimed at teenage audiences were on the air, among which we can highlight productions such asGlee,Gossip GirlandThe Vampire Diaries. But one of the most relevant and popular shows of the time was undoubtedlyPretty Little Liars, a mystery drama series that kept its fans on the edge of their seatsfor seven seasons. This show is based on Sara Shepard’s novels of the same name, and was adapted for TV by I. Marlene King.
Pretty Little Liarsfollows Aria, Emily, Spencer and Hannah, four friends whose lives are turned upside down when Alison, the group’s leader, vanishes without a trace. One year after this incident, the girls get back together at Alison’s funeral, only to start getting text messages from someonewho goes by “A"and threatens to expose all of their secrets.
Pretty Little Liarswas a smash hit with audiences, and it also received rave reviews over the course of its seasons. As a result of its popularity, several shows and web series were added to the franchise throughout the years, expanding thePretty Little Liarsuniverse with characters from the original show and several new ones. Some of these productions managed to become as successful as the 2010 show, while others flopped. Here are all the shows in thePretty Little Liarsuniverse.
Pretty Little Liars
Four years after Sara Shepard published the first book in her series,Pretty Little Liarshit TV following the liars' struggle with their stalker, “A”. This is the first TV series in the franchise, and stars Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell, and Sasha Pieterse in the lead roles alongside Janel Parrish, Ian Harding, Bianca Lawson, Laura Leighton, Holly Marie Combs, Chad Lowe, Tyler Blackburn, and Andrea Parker, to name just a few actors. Over the years, performers such as Annabeth Gish, Vanessa Ray and Brandon Jones have been added to the cast.
Pretty Little Liarsaired for seven seasons, wrapping up the story in 2017 with a huge fan base that stuck with them until the very last episode. While the show didn’t quite solve all the mysteries that were presented throughout the seasons, it did an amazing job of concluding the story and included a few unexpected plot twists that were welcomed by audiences and critics alike. To this day,Pretty Little Liarsremains among the most popular teen series of modern times.
Related:Pretty Little Liars: Every Season Ranked By Importance
Pretty Dirty Secrets: The Web Series
FollowingPretty Little Liars' success and the audience’s desire to know more about “A”, in 2012 premieredPretty Dirty Secrets, a web series consisting of eight short episodes exploring the story of some of the show’s characters. This series was aired weekly on ABC Family’s website, aiming to keep audiences hooked during the break between episodes “The Lady Killer” and “This is a Dark Ride” in the third season.Pretty Dirty Secretsstarred supporting characters from the original show as well as a few additions, and featured different townspeople as they stop by the Rosewood Halloween Spooktacular Store while getting ready for Halloween. This web series was directed by Arthur Anderson and written by Kyle Bown and Kim Turrisi.
Ravenswood
Ravenswoodis both the second TV series and the first spin-off of the franchise, a production that was slightly murkier than its predecessor. This show was created by I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick, and Joseph Dougherty, and featured Tyler Blackburn reprising hisPretty Little Liarsrole as Caleb Rivers, joined by Nicole Gale Anderson, Steven Cabral, Brett Dier, Britne Oldford, Luke Benward, and Merritt Patterson. Set in the town of Ravenswood, not too far from Rosewood, the show follows five strangers whose lives unexpectedly intertwine in the face of a dark curse, and it’s up to them to solve a number of mysteries in order to save the town.Ravenswood’s first and only season premiered in October 2013 and aired until February 2014. Unfortunately, in spite of the warm reception from fans and critics, it failed to reach ABC Family’s desired ratings andwas ultimately canceled.
Related:Pretty Little Liars: Main Couples' Endings, Ranked
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionistsis the third TV series in the franchise, and despite featuring two of the most popular characters from the original show, it suffered the same fate asRavenswood. This I. Marlene King production premiered in 2019, two years afterPretty Little Liarsended, and featured Sasha Pieterse and Janel Parrish reprising their roles from the original series as Alison DiLaurentis and Mona Vanderwaal. Additionally, the show starred Sofia Carson, Sydney Park, Eli Brown, Hayley Erin, Graeme Thomas King, and Kelly Rutherford.The Perfectionistsis set in Beacon Heights, a town in which everything seems to be perfect, until a terrible murder starts to expose the inhabitants' deepest secrets. Despite its rave reviews, this show underperformed in terms of ratings, so it was canceled after just one season.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin
In July 2022,Pretty Little Liars: Original Sinwas released onHBO Maxto turn thePretty Little Liarsfranchise back into a smash hit lauded by critics and audiences alike. This production is, so far, the most recent in the franchise, and is the brainchild of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Lindsay Calhoon Bring. Starring Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Zaria, Malia Pyles and Maia Reficco,Pretty Little Liars: Original Sinis set in the same universe as the previous shows, and followsa new groupof teenagers from Millwood who are being stalked by “A”, someone who is trying to make them pay for something that their mothers did many years ago. Frightened by the situation but determined to put an end to it, these young women unite forces to solve the mystery of what happened in their town all those years ago in an effort to restore their peace of mind. Just a few weeks after the first season finale,Pretty Little Liars: Original Sinwas renewed for a second season that will be titledPretty Little Liars: Summer School.
