Based on the Pretty Little Liars series of young adult novels by Sara Shepard, the series follows the lives of four girls — Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily — whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their queen bee, Alison. One year later, they begin receiving messages from someone using the name "A" who threatens to expose their secrets — including long-hidden ones they thought only Alison knew.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.8/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Metacritic: 55
TMDB: 8.0/10
Production
Russian Hill Productions, Warner Horizon Television, Alloy Entertainment, Long Lake Media
Cast
Lucy Hale, Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Shay Mitchell, Sasha Pieterse, Ian Harding, Tyler Blackburn, Janel Parrish, Andrea Parker
Where to watch
Hulu, Max
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, highly addictive teen mystery that thrives on cliffhangers, secrets, and soapy escalation. The early seasons are the sweet spot: fast, fun, and genuinely suspenseful. Later years get increasingly convoluted and repetitive, but if you want a bingeable YA thriller with strong ensemble chemistry, it delivers.
Best for
fans of teen mysteries and twisty soap operas
viewers who like high-drama ensemble shows
binge-watchers looking for a long, propulsive mystery
people who enjoy campy, heightened suspense
Skip if
you want tightly plotted mysteries with clean payoffs
you dislike melodrama, repetition, or implausible twists
you prefer grounded realism over glossy YA intrigue
you want a show that stays consistently strong through the end
Overview
Pretty Little Liars is one of the defining teen mystery soaps of the 2010s: stylish, addictive, and shamelessly engineered to keep you clicking “next episode.” Its core appeal is the mix of friendship drama, romantic entanglements, and a central mystery that keeps mutating just enough to stay alive. The cast has strong chemistry, and the show understands how to turn secrets into momentum.
Worth noting
The first two to three seasons are the most satisfying, when the mystery feels sharpest and the show balances suspense with character dynamics. After that, the mythology expands, the twists get bigger, and the logic gets looser. That doesn’t kill the fun if you’re in the right mood, but it does mean the series works best as a bingeable ride rather than a carefully constructed puzzle.
Bottom line
If you like your thrillers glossy, emotional, and a little ridiculous, this is an easy yes. If you need airtight plotting or hate when a show keeps raising the stakes by sheer force of soap-opera will, it’s more of a mixed bag.
2011 · Curator 1.4/10 (4.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM Plus, Philo, Spectrum On Demand, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads
A serialized YA mystery-fantasy with a devoted ensemble, constant cliffhangers, and escalating stakes.