Pretty Little Liars (TV series)



Pretty Little Liars is an American mystery 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 10, 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 second half of season 2 premiered on January 2, 2012. On November 29, 2011 ABC Family renewed the series for a third season, consisting of 24 episodes. Filming of season 3 began on April 2, 2012. The third season will premiere on June 5, 2012.

On October 4, 2012, ABC Family announced that the show was renewed for a fourth season, which would comprise of 24 episodes due to air in mid-2013.

Series overview
The series follows the lives of four teenage girls - Aria Montgomery, Emily Fields, Hanna Marin, and Spencer Hastings -- whose clique falls apart after the disappearance of their leader, Alison DiLaurentis. One year later, after the discovery of Ali's body, they 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.

Cast and characters

 * Troian Bellisario portrays Spencer Hastings, an intelligent girl, who keeps wanting everything her older sister Melissa has, and above all, her boyfriends Ian and Wren. However, as the show progresses, she enters a relationship with Toby Cavanaugh, while trying to struggle with a lot of family issues, including her sister's marriage with the enemy and a lost half-brother. She also often gets tortured by A|-A.
 * Ashley Benson portrays Hanna Marin, who has taken Alison's place as the most popular girl at Rosewood after Alison's disappearance, alongside with her new best friend Mona Vanderwaal. Previously chubby, Hanna became slimmer after Alison's disappearance, and now shoplifts for attention from her absent father. As the series progresses, she becomes less interested in being popular and eventually reunites with her old friends. She enters a romance and complicated friendship with Caleb Rivers, the rebel of the school.
 * Shay Mitchell portrays Emily Fields, a competitive swimmer and amazing athlete who soon befriends Maya St. Germain. After a lot of confusion, Emily comes to the realization that she is a lesbian and in love with Maya. However, due to the latter's unstable behaviour, she enters an on-and-off relationship with Paige McCullers. In the season 2 finale, Maya dies, leaving Emily devastated. She later starts dating Paige again.
 * Lucy Hale portrays Aria Montgomery, who moves back to Rosewood with her parents, Ella and Byron, and younger brother, Mike after a year's absence in Iceland. She struggles to keep her father's secret affair with one of his students. She, herself, falls for her handsome new teacher Ezra Fitz, who she first meets at a bar. At the end of season 2, they finally go public, which causes her parents' divorce, a few months later.
 * Sasha Pieterse portrays Alison DiLaurentis, the former leader of Rosewood's premiere clique. Ruling the group with an iron fist, the vicious but charismatic Ali had gone missing during a slumber party; 1 year later, her disappearance is still unsolved, but her body is found. Throughout the show, a lot of secrets are revealed from her past, making the other girls realise that they should have never trusted a pretty girl with an ugly secret(s).