Pretty Little Liars (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Pretty Little Liars is an American mystery
-thriller teen drama
television series created by Marlene King. Based on the popular series of novels
written by Sara Shepard
, the show premiered on June 8, 2010 on ABC Family
. The series follows the lives of Aria Montgomery
(Lucy Hale
), Spencer Hastings
(Troian Bellisario
), Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson
) and Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell
), four girls whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their queen bee
, Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse
). One year later, they begin receiving messages from a mysterious figure using the name "A" who threatens to expose their secrets. At first they think it's Alison herself, but after she is found dead, the girls realize that someone else knows their secrets — including long-hidden ones they thought only Alison knew.
After an initial order of 10 episodes, on June 28, 2010, ABC Family ordered an additional 12 episodes for season one. These episodes began airing on January 3 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.
On January 7, 2011 ABC Family renewed the series for a second season. The second season premiered on June 14, 2011, and after an initial order of 24 episodes, an additional Halloween episode was added as a part of the network's 13 Nights of Halloween
lineup bringing the season 2 episode order to 25 episodes. The Halloween special aired on October 19, 2011. The second half of Season 2 will premiere on January 2, 2012.
On 29th November, 2011 ABC Family renewed Pretty Little Liars for a third season, consisting 24 episodes.
, Emily Fields, Hanna Marin, and Spencer Hastings
– whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their leader, Alison DiLaurentis, until her body is found is when they join together again at her funeral where they immediately 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. As the show continues they discover more secrets that can harm not only them but the ones around them. They also discover clues that may lead them to find out the identity of 'A' and Ali's death.
, the idea was described as "Desperate Housewives
for teens." Alloy met with author Shepard, and gave her the property to develop into a book series. With Alloy and Warner Horizon interested in producing a Pretty Little Liars television series for years, it was first planned for The WB in 2005 with a different writer until the network shutdown in early 2006. The first novel was published by HarperTeen
in October 2005. In June 2008, Alloy noted that it was developing a Pretty Little Liars television pilot
for ABC Family
, with the novels adapted for television.
began casting for a Pretty Little Liars television pilot
in October 2009. Lucy Hale
was cast as Arian 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, Alexis Denisof
as Byron Montgomery, and Bianca Lawson
as Maya. 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.
On January 7, 2011, Tilky Jones
was cast playing the role as Logan Reed, another mysterious guy that will appear in the season finale where he apparently knows about Alison. His presence is said to shock, devastate and bewilder the girls. On April 8, 2011 Annabeth Gish
was cast for the role of Anne Sullivan, a mysterious therapist who tries to find out the characters' secrets. On May 23 2011, Andrea Parker
signed up to appear as Jessica DiLaurentis, Alison's mother, who returns to Rosewood to help out with a fashion show being held in Alison's honour.
On June 30th, 2011, it was announced that Natalie Hall
would be replacing Natalie Floyd as Hanna's soon-to-be stepsister, Kate. Series star Chad Lowe
will be directing the tenth episode of the second season titled "Touched by an 'A'-ngel".
s 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 clothier Kitson showcased the show in their shop window.
A tie-in
edition 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 8th book of the series, as Shepard later confirmed she would extend the series.
, 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
. It has also used music from Selena Gomez & The Scene
and Mcfly
. Music from Katie Herzig
and P!nk
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', Aria sings a cover of the song Who Knows Where the Time Goes? by British band Fairport Convention
.
. 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 timeslot 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 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 will air on Mondays at 8/7c, beginning on January 2, 2012.
Internationally, the show premiered in the United Kingdom
on October 21, 2010 at 8pm on Viva
, in the Philippines
on November 22, 2010 at 8pm on ETC
, in Spain
on January 17, 2011 at 8:20pm on MTV Spain
, in Australia
on Channel Go!
at 8:30pm Mondays, in Croatia
on February 3, 2011 at 8:45pm on Doma TV
and has just finished it's first season in New Zealand which was aired on TV 2 at 5:30 on Sundays.
In October 2010, Pretty Little Liars began to air in the UK
and Ireland
on Viva. It aired ten episodes then had its mid-season break, then, due to popularity it was moved to MTV
. On March 24, 2011 Pretty Little Liars premiered on MTV from the beginning at 8pm every Thursday.
The second season is about to air on MTV in Ireland and the UK from Wednesday 16th November at 10:00pm.
On November 29th, 2011, ABC Family renewed the show for a third season which will consist of 24 episodes.
gave the show 3 out of 4 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
said about the series, "Pretty Little Liars 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 its lowest score of 16 out of 100, 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 teentertainment 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
noted, "Sure, there's a lot here that sustains more eye-rolling than interested stares, but a little patience might be warranted."
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
-thriller teen drama
Teen drama
A teen drama is a dramatic television series with a major focus on teenage characters. The genre was relatively non-existent for the first 45 years of television; it came into prominence in the early 1990s...
television series created by Marlene King. Based on the popular series of novels
Pretty Little Liars
Pretty Little Liars is a series of more than 10 young adult novels by Sara Shepard, from 1981–present, which have been made into a television show . The series follows the lives of four girls — Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily — whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their leader,...
written by Sara Shepard
Sara Shepard
Sara Shepard is an American author known for the bestselling Pretty Little Liars series of young-adult novels.-Biography:Shepard graduated from Downingtown West High School in Downingtown, Pennsylvania in 1995, and got her undergraduate degree from New York University. She later received an MFA...
, the show premiered on June 8, 2010 on ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
. The series follows the lives of Aria Montgomery
Aria Montgomery
Aria Marie Montgomery is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars series of young adult novels by Sara Shepard. She is portrayed by Lucy Hale in the television adaptation, which premiered on ABC Family in June 2010...
(Lucy Hale
Lucy Hale
Karen Lucille "Lucy" Hale is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, Rose Baker in Privileged, Sherrie in the horror film Scream 4, and as Aria Montgomery on the hit ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars...
), Spencer Hastings
Spencer Hastings
Spencer Hastings is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars book series. She is portrayed by Troian Bellisario in the ABC Family television adaption.-Characterization:...
(Troian Bellisario
Troian Bellisario
Troian Avery Bellisario is an American actress. She currently stars as Spencer Hastings in the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars.-Career:Bellisario made her acting debut in the 1988 film Last Rites at the age of 3...
), Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson
Ashley Benson
Ashley Victoria Benson is an American film and television actress, and model. She is known for her role as Abigail Deveraux on Days Of Our Lives , Carson in Bring It On: In It to Win It, and Hanna Marin on Pretty Little Liars.Benson was born and raised in Anaheim Hills, California...
) and Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell
Shay Mitchell
Shannon Ashley "Shay" Mitchell is a Canadian actress and model. She stars in the ABC Family original series, Pretty Little Liars as Emily Fields.-Early life:...
), four girls whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their queen bee
Queen bee (subculture)
A queen bee is the leader of a female group, a clique's leader, usually a popular young lady. Characteristics often associated to her are a pleasant appearance, charisma, skill in manipulation, and monetary power. She is sometimes portrayed as the Head Cheerleader, Prom Queen, Homecoming Queen,...
, Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse
Sasha Pieterse
Sasha Pieterse is a South African-born American actress.-Career:She began acting in 2002, when she was given the role of Buffy Davis on the Warner Brothers remake of the popular show Family Affair. In 2004, she appeared in Stargate SG-1 and House...
). One year later, they begin receiving messages from a mysterious figure using the name "A" who threatens to expose their secrets. At first they think it's Alison herself, but after she is found dead, the girls realize that someone else knows their secrets — including long-hidden ones they thought only Alison knew.
After an initial order of 10 episodes, on June 28, 2010, ABC Family ordered an additional 12 episodes for season one. These episodes began airing on January 3 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.
On January 7, 2011 ABC Family renewed the series for a second season. The second season premiered on June 14, 2011, and after an initial order of 24 episodes, an additional Halloween episode was added as a part of the network's 13 Nights of Halloween
13 Nights Of Halloween
"13 Nights Of Halloween" , is a programming special on ABC Family, which originally began airing in 1998 after The Family Channel became Fox Family, a couple of years after their "25 Days of Christmas" special premiered. The "13 Nights of Halloween" special was created mainly due to the success of...
lineup bringing the season 2 episode order to 25 episodes. The Halloween special aired on October 19, 2011. The second half of Season 2 will premiere on January 2, 2012.
On 29th November, 2011 ABC Family renewed Pretty Little Liars for a third season, consisting 24 episodes.
Series overview
The series follows the lives of four teenage girls – Aria MontgomeryAria Montgomery
Aria Marie Montgomery is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars series of young adult novels by Sara Shepard. She is portrayed by Lucy Hale in the television adaptation, which premiered on ABC Family in June 2010...
, Emily Fields, Hanna Marin, and Spencer Hastings
Spencer Hastings
Spencer Hastings is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars book series. She is portrayed by Troian Bellisario in the ABC Family television adaption.-Characterization:...
– whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their leader, Alison DiLaurentis, until her body is found is when they join together again at her funeral where they immediately 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. As the show continues they discover more secrets that can harm not only them but the ones around them. They also discover clues that may lead them to find out the identity of 'A' and Ali's death.
Cast and characters
- Sasha PieterseSasha PieterseSasha Pieterse is a South African-born American actress.-Career:She began acting in 2002, when she was given the role of Buffy Davis on the Warner Brothers remake of the popular show Family Affair. In 2004, she appeared in Stargate SG-1 and House...
portrays Alison DiLaurentis, the former leader of Rosewood's premiere clique. Ruling the group with an iron fist, the vicious but charismatic Alison goes missing during a slumber party; 1 year later, her disappearance is still unsolved, but her body was found. The girls were grateful to be her friends, but they didn't always like the way they were treated. She always liked to hide things.
- Shay MitchellShay MitchellShannon Ashley "Shay" Mitchell is a Canadian actress and model. She stars in the ABC Family original series, Pretty Little Liars as Emily Fields.-Early life:...
portrays Emily Fields, a competitive swimmer who soon befriends Maya St. Germain, the new resident of Alison's former home. After a lot of confusion, Emily comes to the realization that she is a lesbian. She was facing moving to Texas to live with her father, however, she moved in with Hanna.
- Troian BellisarioTroian BellisarioTroian Avery Bellisario is an American actress. She currently stars as Spencer Hastings in the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars.-Career:Bellisario made her acting debut in the 1988 film Last Rites at the age of 3...
plays Spencer HastingsSpencer HastingsSpencer Hastings is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars book series. She is portrayed by Troian Bellisario in the ABC Family television adaption.-Characterization:...
, who is the "preppy girl" of the group who strives to be perfect all round because she lives with her family's expectations looming over her head.
- Lucy HaleLucy HaleKaren Lucille "Lucy" Hale is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, Rose Baker in Privileged, Sherrie in the horror film Scream 4, and as Aria Montgomery on the hit ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars...
portrays Aria MontgomeryAria MontgomeryAria Marie Montgomery is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars series of young adult novels by Sara Shepard. She is portrayed by Lucy Hale in the television adaptation, which premiered on ABC Family in June 2010...
, who moves back to Rosewood with her mother, Ella, father, Byron, and younger brother, Mike (Cody ChristianCody ChristianCody "Allen" Christian is an American actor known for his role of Mike Montgomerry in the hit television series Pretty Little Liars broadcast on American ABC Family.-Filmography:-External Links:*http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2421367/...
)after a 1 year absence in Iceland. She knew that her father was having an affair, but kept it from her mother and brother. Eventually the mother came to know of this problem and moves out. The mother then returns to the family. Aria has a relationship with her former AP English teacher, Ezra Fitz.
- Ashley BensonAshley BensonAshley Victoria Benson is an American film and television actress, and model. She is known for her role as Abigail Deveraux on Days Of Our Lives , Carson in Bring It On: In It to Win It, and Hanna Marin on Pretty Little Liars.Benson was born and raised in Anaheim Hills, California...
portrays Hanna Marin, who has taken Alison's place as the most popular girl at Rosewood after Alison's disappearance. Previously chubby, Hanna became slimmer after Alison's disappearance, and has shoplifted in the past for attention from her absent father. As the series progresses, she becomes less interested in being popular and eventually reunites with her former best friends before Al's death - Emily Fields, Spencer Hastings, and Aria Montgomery.
Production
Originally developed as a television series by book packaging company Alloy EntertainmentAlloy Entertainment
Alloy Entertainment is a book-packaging division of the Alloy Media + Marketing company—an American provider of media programs. Alloy is a leading producer of "chick lit"-style novels created for teenage and young adult audiences...
, the idea was described as "Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
for teens." Alloy met with author Shepard, and gave her the property to develop into a book series. With Alloy and Warner Horizon interested in producing a Pretty Little Liars television series for years, it was first planned for The WB in 2005 with a different writer until the network shutdown in early 2006. The first novel was published by HarperTeen
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in October 2005. In June 2008, Alloy noted that it was developing a Pretty Little Liars television pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
for ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
, with the novels adapted for television.
Casting
ABC FamilyABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
began casting for a Pretty Little Liars television pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
in October 2009. Lucy Hale
Lucy Hale
Karen Lucille "Lucy" Hale is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, Rose Baker in Privileged, Sherrie in the horror film Scream 4, and as Aria Montgomery on the hit ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars...
was cast as Arian Montgomery in the project, followed by Troian Bellisario
Troian Bellisario
Troian Avery Bellisario is an American actress. She currently stars as Spencer Hastings in the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars.-Career:Bellisario made her acting debut in the 1988 film Last Rites at the age of 3...
and Ian Harding
Ian Harding
Ian M. Harding is an American actor.Harding was born in Heidelberg, Germany to a military family. His family moved to Virginia a few years later, where he joined the drama club at his high school, Georgetown Preparatory School. He was elected by his class to give the commencement address...
(as Spencer Hastings and Ezra Fitz, respectively) in November 2009. In December 2009 The Futon Critic confirmed the casting of Ashley Benson
Ashley Benson
Ashley Victoria Benson is an American film and television actress, and model. She is known for her role as Abigail Deveraux on Days Of Our Lives , Carson in Bring It On: In It to Win It, and Hanna Marin on Pretty Little Liars.Benson was born and raised in Anaheim Hills, California...
as Hanna Marin and Shay Mitchell
Shay Mitchell
Shannon Ashley "Shay" Mitchell is a Canadian actress and model. She stars in the ABC Family original series, Pretty Little Liars as Emily Fields.-Early life:...
as Emily Fields, as well as the addition of Laura Leighton
Laura Leighton
Laura Leighton is an American actress. She is best-known for the role of Sydney Andrews, introduced in the 1990s television series Melrose Place. She reprised the role in the 2009 series of the same name...
as Ashley Marin, Alexis Denisof
Alexis Denisof
Alexis Denisof is an American actor who is known for playing Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel.-Early life:...
as Byron Montgomery, and Bianca Lawson
Bianca Lawson
Bianca Jasmine Lawson is an American film and television actress.-Early life:Lawson was born in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Denise and actor Richard Lawson. Bianca is also the great niece of Motown founder Berry Gordy...
as Maya. The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
also noted that Torrey DeVitto
Torrey DeVitto
Torrey Joel DeVitto is an American actress and former fashion model. She is best known for her roles as Zoe in the 2006 horror film I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer, Karen Kerr in the short lived television series Beautiful People, Carrie in The CW series One Tree Hill, and most recently...
and Sasha Pieterse
Sasha Pieterse
Sasha Pieterse is a South African-born American actress.-Career:She began acting in 2002, when she was given the role of Buffy Davis on the Warner Brothers remake of the popular show Family Affair. In 2004, she appeared in Stargate SG-1 and House...
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
Janel Parrish
Janel Meilani Parrish is an American actress, singer, Broadway performer, songwriter and pianist. She is best known for playing Jade in the 2007 film Bratz: The Movie and her recurring role as Mona Vanderwaal on the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars.-Career:Parrish first achieved fame in...
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
Chad Lowe
Charles Conrad "Chad" Lowe is an American actor. He is the younger brother of fellow actor Rob Lowe. He won an Emmy Award for his supporting role in Life Goes On as a man suffering with HIV. He has also had recurring roles on ER, Melrose Place, and Now and Again...
, and Holly Marie Combs
Holly Marie Combs
Holly Marie Combs is an American film and television actress and producer whose roles have included a portrayal in Charmed as Piper Halliwell and another in Picket Fences, where she received a Young Artist Award for her role, as Kimberly Brock...
was cast as Aria's mother Ella.
On January 7, 2011, Tilky Jones
Tilky Jones
Tilky Montgomery Jones is an American singer and actor. He was a member of the band Take 5 from 1997–2001. Perhaps he is known for playing Max on the CW television series One Tree Hill.- Biography and career:...
was cast playing the role as Logan Reed, another mysterious guy that will appear in the season finale where he apparently knows about Alison. His presence is said to shock, devastate and bewilder the girls. On April 8, 2011 Annabeth Gish
Annabeth Gish
Annabeth Gish is an American actress known for starring roles in Shag, Mystic Pizza and Double Jeopardy. She is best known for her roles as Special Agent Monica Reyes on The X-Files, Elizabeth Bartlet Westin on The West Wing and as Eileen Caffee on the Showtime drama Brotherhood.-Personal...
was cast for the role of Anne Sullivan, a mysterious therapist who tries to find out the characters' secrets. On May 23 2011, Andrea Parker
Andrea Parker
Andrea Nicole Parker is an American actress and former ballet dancer.-Career:Parker began ballet training at age 6 and at age 15 she joined a professional dance company. She quit her career in ballet after three years of touring and trained to become an actress while working as a bartender...
signed up to appear as Jessica DiLaurentis, Alison's mother, who returns to Rosewood to help out with a fashion show being held in Alison's honour.
On June 30th, 2011, it was announced that Natalie Hall
Natalie Hall
Natalie Hall is an Canadian actress. Hall is a broadway actress and has portrayed the role of Colby Chandler on the soap opera All My Children since November 25, 2009....
would be replacing Natalie Floyd as Hanna's soon-to-be stepsister, Kate. Series star Chad Lowe
Chad Lowe
Charles Conrad "Chad" Lowe is an American actor. He is the younger brother of fellow actor Rob Lowe. He won an Emmy Award for his supporting role in Life Goes On as a man suffering with HIV. He has also had recurring roles on ER, Melrose Place, and Now and Again...
will be directing the tenth episode of the second season titled "Touched by an 'A'-ngel".
Promotion
Pretty Little Liars was called one of the most anticipated 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 iPhoneIPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
s provided by the network. The show's official Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
accounts also promoted special fan features, including a "Pretty Little Lie Detector. Los Angeles clothier Kitson showcased the show in their shop window.
A tie-in
Tie-in
A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
edition 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 8th book of the series, as Shepard later confirmed she would extend the series.
Music
The theme song for Pretty Little Liars is "Secret" by The PiercesThe Pierces
The Pierces are an American New York-based band consisting of sisters Allison Pierce and Catherine Pierce .-Childhood:...
, 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
The Fray
-Literature:*Fray, a phenomenon in Terry Pratchett's The Carpet People*Fray , a comic book series by Joss Whedon**Melaka Fray, titular character of the comic book series-Music:*"Fray", a song from the album 14 Shades of Grey by Staind...
, Ben's Brother
Ben's Brother
Ben's Brother is a five-piece band from the UK, headed by founder Jamie Hartman. Their band was named after Jamie's big brother Ben, in whose shadow he lived as a teenager...
, MoZella
MoZella
MoZella is an American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known for her raspy vocals and smooth, soul/pop sound.She has toured with Tyler Hilton, Dave Matthews Band, and Lifehouse...
, Orelia, and Colbie Caillat
Colbie Caillat
Colbie Marie Caillat is an American pop singer-songwriter and guitarist from Malibu, California. She debuted in 2007 with Coco, which included hit singles "Bubbly", "Realize", and "The Little Things". In 2008, she recorded a duet with Jason Mraz, "Lucky", which won a Grammy. Caillat released her...
. It has also used music from Selena Gomez & The Scene
Selena Gomez & the Scene
Selena Gomez & the Scene is an American pop band formed in Hollywood, California in 2009. Along with lead singer and founder Selena Gomez, the band consists of bassist Joey Clement, guitarist Ethan Roberts, drummist Greg Garman and keyboardist Dane Forrest. Selena Gomez & the Scene have released...
and Mcfly
McFly
McFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
. Music from Katie Herzig
Katie Herzig
Katie Herzig is a Grammy award nominated singer-songwriter from Fort Collins, Colorado.-Early life:Katie Herzig was born in California to a musical family. When she was a year old her family moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where she attended Rocky Mountain High School...
and P!nk
P!nk
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
can be heard multiple times throughout the show. A few songs being "Hey Na Na" and "Where the Road Meets the Sun". Madi Diaz
Madi Diaz
Madi Diaz is an American singer and songwriter.- History :Though based in Nashville, Diaz grew up in Lancaster, PA, where she was home schooled by her Peruvian mother, Nancy, a proponent of early childhood development and the visual arts, and her Danish father, Eric, a woodworker and musician...
has been heard on the show with her song "Heavy Heart", as well as Joy Williams
Joy Williams
Joy Williams is an American singer-songwriter and a member of the folk duo The Civil Wars.-Studio albums:* Joy Williams, 2001 [Reunion]* By Surprise, 2002 [Reunion]* Genesis, 2005 [Reunion]...
with "Charmed Life" and Foreign Slippers with "What are you waiting for?". The last episode of season one featured a song by Alexz Johnson
Alexz Johnson
Alexzandra Spencer "Alexz" Johnson is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Her debut album Voodoo was independently released on March 30, 2010....
that she originally recorded for the soundtrack of the canadian hit TV show Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...
. 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', Aria sings a cover of the song Who Knows Where the Time Goes? by British band Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
.
Broadcast
Pretty Little Liars premiered on June 8, 2010 in the United States, and became ABC Family's highest-rated series debut on record across the network's target demographicsDemographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
. 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 timeslot since the premiere of The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is an American teen drama television series created by Brenda Hampton. It first aired on ABC Family on July 1, 2008. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 24 episodes on February 9, 2009, which began airing on June 22, 2009...
.
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 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 will air on Mondays at 8/7c, beginning on January 2, 2012.
Internationally, the show premiered in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on October 21, 2010 at 8pm on Viva
Viva (UK & Ireland)
Viva is a music video and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel was officially launched on 26 October 2009 by Alexandra Burke, with an exclusive live performance of her single "Bad Boys". The channel replaced TMF. The channel is owned by MTV Networks Europe and was...
, in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on November 22, 2010 at 8pm on ETC
ETC
The abbreviation etc or ETC may stand for:* et cetera, a Latin expression meaning "and other things" or "and so on"In economics and finance:* Early Termination Chargers, a type of penalty chargers if break the contract...
, in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on January 17, 2011 at 8:20pm on MTV Spain
MTV Spain
MTV España is the Spanish-speaking version of the popular 24-hour music and youth entertainment channel. MTV España is available on digital satellite Pay-TV offer Digital+, IPTV , many cable networks and from September 2010 on digital terrestrial television .-History:* MTV España was launched in...
, in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on Channel Go!
Go! (Australian TV channel)
GO! is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 9 August 2009.-Origins:...
at 8:30pm Mondays, in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
on February 3, 2011 at 8:45pm on Doma TV
Doma TV
-Airing currently:* Anna und die Liebe * En nombre del amor * Gipsy Heart * La usurpadora * Rosalinda * Teresa -Coming soon:...
and has just finished it's first season in New Zealand which was aired on TV 2 at 5:30 on Sundays.
In October 2010, Pretty Little Liars began to air in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
on Viva. It aired ten episodes then had its mid-season break, then, due to popularity it was moved to MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. On March 24, 2011 Pretty Little Liars premiered on MTV from the beginning at 8pm every Thursday.
The second season is about to air on MTV in Ireland and the UK from Wednesday 16th November at 10:00pm.
On November 29th, 2011, ABC Family renewed the show for a third season which will consist of 24 episodes.
Critical reception
Pretty Little Liars opened with initially mixed critical reviews. Metacritic gave the pilot episode 53 out of 100, based upon 13 critical reviews. The New York Daily News gave the show its highest score, with 80/100, commenting that "A new ABC Family series built around four teenage friends and an ominous hint of supernatural forces that mean no good, makes most popular vampire romances look anemic ... 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." The New York PostNew York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
gave the show 3 out of 4 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
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said about the series, "Pretty Little Liars 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
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
had a less favorable review, giving the show its lowest score of 16 out of 100, saying "Imagine the pitch for Liars: It's I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1997 American horror film. The film stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. The screenplay was written by Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream, and very loosely based on Lois Duncan's popular novel of the same title...
meets Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
, 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 teentertainment 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
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
and Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Freddie James Prinze, Jr. is an American actor. He rose to fame during the late 1990s and early 2000s, after starring in several Hollywood films aimed at teenage audiences, I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer , as well as She's All That , Summer...
" The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
noted, "Sure, there's a lot here that sustains more eye-rolling than interested stares, but a little patience might be warranted."
Awards
| Year | Result | Award | Category | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||||
| Teen Choice Award 2010 Teen Choice Awards 2010 Teen Choice Awards were held on August 8, introducing a lot of new categories now separated into "Movie", "TV", "Music", "Summer", "Fashion" and "Other". The show aired on August 9, 2010 on Fox, co-hosted by Katy Perry, who also performed, and Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, and... |
Choice Summer TV Show | Pretty Little Liars | ||
| Teen Choice Award 2010 Teen Choice Awards 2010 Teen Choice Awards were held on August 8, introducing a lot of new categories now separated into "Movie", "TV", "Music", "Summer", "Fashion" and "Other". The show aired on August 9, 2010 on Fox, co-hosted by Katy Perry, who also performed, and Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, and... |
Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Ian Harding Ian Harding Ian M. Harding is an American actor.Harding was born in Heidelberg, Germany to a military family. His family moved to Virginia a few years later, where he joined the drama club at his high school, Georgetown Preparatory School. He was elected by his class to give the commencement address... |
||
| Teen Choice Award 2010 Teen Choice Awards 2010 Teen Choice Awards were held on August 8, introducing a lot of new categories now separated into "Movie", "TV", "Music", "Summer", "Fashion" and "Other". The show aired on August 9, 2010 on Fox, co-hosted by Katy Perry, who also performed, and Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, and... |
Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Lucy Hale Lucy Hale Karen Lucille "Lucy" Hale is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, Rose Baker in Privileged, Sherrie in the horror film Scream 4, and as Aria Montgomery on the hit ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars... |
||
| 2011 | ||||
| NewNowNext Awards NewNowNext Awards The first NewNowNext-Awards were held in 2008 by the gay and lesbian-themed network Logo.- 2008 :The nominees were announced by Cazwell and Amanda Lepore. Hosts were Candis Cayne and Colman Domingo... |
TV You Betta Watch | Pretty Little Liars | ||
| People's Choice Awards 37th People's Choice Awards The 37th People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture for 2010, were held on January 5, 2011 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California, and were broadcast live on CBS at 9:00 pm ET... |
Favorite TV Obsession | Pretty Little Liars | ||
| GLAAD Media Awards 22nd GLAAD Media Awards The 22nd GLAAD Media Awards is the upcoming 2011 annual presentation of the media awards presented by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. The awards seek to honor films, television shows, musicians and works of journalism that fairly and accurately represent the LGBT community and issues... |
Outstanding Drama Series | Pretty Little Liars | ||
| Teen Choice Award 2011 Teen Choice Awards The 2011 Teen Choice Awards hosted by Kaley Cuoco aired live on August 7, 2011 at 8/7c on Fox. This was the first time that the ceremonies were aired live since the 2007 show... |
Choice Summer TV Show | Pretty Little Liars | ||
| Teen Choice Award 2011 Teen Choice Awards The 2011 Teen Choice Awards hosted by Kaley Cuoco aired live on August 7, 2011 at 8/7c on Fox. This was the first time that the ceremonies were aired live since the 2007 show... |
Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Lucy Hale Lucy Hale Karen Lucille "Lucy" Hale is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Becca Sommers in Bionic Woman, Rose Baker in Privileged, Sherrie in the horror film Scream 4, and as Aria Montgomery on the hit ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars... |
||
| Teen Choice Award 2011 Teen Choice Awards The 2011 Teen Choice Awards hosted by Kaley Cuoco aired live on August 7, 2011 at 8/7c on Fox. This was the first time that the ceremonies were aired live since the 2007 show... |
Choice Summer TV Star: Female | Troian Bellisario Troian Bellisario Troian Avery Bellisario is an American actress. She currently stars as Spencer Hastings in the ABC Family series Pretty Little Liars.-Career:Bellisario made her acting debut in the 1988 film Last Rites at the age of 3... |
||
| Teen Choice Award 2011 Teen Choice Awards The 2011 Teen Choice Awards hosted by Kaley Cuoco aired live on August 7, 2011 at 8/7c on Fox. This was the first time that the ceremonies were aired live since the 2007 show... |
Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Ian Harding Ian Harding Ian M. Harding is an American actor.Harding was born in Heidelberg, Germany to a military family. His family moved to Virginia a few years later, where he joined the drama club at his high school, Georgetown Preparatory School. He was elected by his class to give the commencement address... |
||
| Teen Choice Award 2011 Teen Choice Awards The 2011 Teen Choice Awards hosted by Kaley Cuoco aired live on August 7, 2011 at 8/7c on Fox. This was the first time that the ceremonies were aired live since the 2007 show... |
Choice Summer TV Star: Male | Keegan Allen Keegan Allen Keegan Phillip Allen is an American actor currently playing Toby Cavanaugh on Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family. He played one of the "handsome guys" on Big Time Rush in the episode "Big Time... |
||
| 2012 | People's Choice Awards 38th People's Choice Awards The 38th People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture for 2011, will be held on January 11, 2012 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California, and were broadcast live on CBS at 9:00 pm ET.On November 8, the nominees were announced... |
Favorite Cable TV Drama | Pretty Little Liars |
DVD releases
| DVD Name | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | Ep # | Discs # | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season One Pretty Little Liars (season 1) The first season of Pretty Little Liars, based on the books of the same name by Sara Shepard, premiered on June 8, 2010 and concluded on March 21, 2011 on ABC Family. It tells the story of a clique of five girls - Spencer, Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Alison - until one of them goes missing, Alison... |
June 7, 2011 | TBA | November 2, 2011 | 22 | 5 | Pretty Little Liars: Two Truths and a Lie - Discover some fun facts and fictional fallacies about the cast of Pretty Little Liars, It All Started with a Little Lie: Making Pretty Little Liars - Discover how the pages and characters of Sara Shepard's novel became this can't miss TV series, Little Secrets from the Set - Catch up with the cast and crew of summer's hottest show as they bring us several juicy behind-the-scenes secrets from the Pretty Little Liars set and Deleted Scenes. |