Warner Bros. announced the series's development with Aguirre-Sacasa as showrunner in September 2020. It was given a straight-to-series order by HBO Max at the end of the same month. Filming took place in New York during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first series in the franchise not to be broadcast on ABC Family/Freeform and to be carried on a streaming television service.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin premiered on July 28, 2022.[4] In September 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, retitled as Pretty Little Liars: Summer School.[5][1]
Plot
The slasher series follows the lives of a group of teenage girls who live in Millwood, Pennsylvania, after receiving terrifying and cryptic messages from a mysterious assailant named "A", holding them responsible for something tragic that their mothers did that resulted in the death of a classmate 22 years earlier. The girls are forced to team up to figure out what happened during the year of 1999 and what roles their mothers played that resulted in the tragedy.[6]
Jennifer Ferrin as Martha Beasley, Karen and Kelly's mother and Sheriff Beasley's wife
Derek Klena as Wes, Tabby's boss at the theater who recently graduated from film school at NYU
Carson Rowland as Chip Langsberry, Tabby's co-worker and best friend
Gabriella Pizzolo as Angela Waters, a teenager from the mothers' past who killed herself at midnight during a rave to celebrate Y2K
Kim Berrios Lin as Shirley, one of Mouse's mothers
Zakiya Young as Corey Bryant, Faran's mother and a paralegal at a Pittsburgh law firm
Kristian Mosley as teen Corey
Brian Altemus as Tyler Marchand, a student who recorded an exploitative video of Karen
Benton Greene as Zeke Bryant, Faran's father
Alexander Chaplin as Steve Bowers, a father who seeks comfort in Mouse after his daughter disappeared.
Jarod Lindsey as Leslie, a tattoo artist in a flashback scene.
Guest characters from Pretty Little Liars
Charles Gray as Eddie Lamb, a former nurse at Radley Sanitarium who is now a maintenance manager at the Radley Hotel. Eddie was a recurring character in the first series, where he was originally played by Reggie Austin.
In 1999, distressed teen Angela Waters commits suicide at a Y2K party in a warehouse after her pleas for help are ignored by everyone, including friends Davie Adams, Sidney Haworthe, Corey Bryant, Elodie Honrada, and Marjorie Olivar. 22 years later, Davie receives an envelope with the flyer from the Y2K party and an ominous message written on the back. Her teenage pregnant daughter, Imogen, and Imogen's ex-best friend, Karen Beasley, soon find Davie dead in the bathtub with an 'A' scrawled in blood nearby. Imogen moves in with Sidney and Sidney's daughter, Tabby, and a month later returns to school. After panicking about her future of raising the baby with no support, Imogen, after a verbal altercation with Karen, declares her intent to run against Karen for Spirit Week Queen. Meanwhile, Tabby argues with her film teacher about the curriculum and later promotes a double feature screening at her workplace, the Orpheum; she soon receives a strange text. Fellow students Noa Olivar (who is on probation, has to wear an ankle monitor and does daily community service), Minnie Honrada (a quiet student often found in the computer lab) and Faran Bryant (an outstanding ballet student who was just rewarded the role of The Black Swan) also receive strange messages and they all begin to see a strange masked figure watching them. The masked figure later murders a school janitor after he finds the figure's secret lair. Imogen, Tabby, Noa, Mouse, and Faran all end up in detention for multiple incidents around the school against Karen; they become convinced Karen framed them after discussing the situation and agree to revenge against her.
2
2
"Chapter Two: The Spirit Queen"
Lisa Soper
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Lindsay Calhoon Bring
July 28, 2022 (2022-07-28)
The Little Liars devise a plan to humiliate Karen after Imogen shows them an embarrassing video of Karen. Tabby suggests to play it during the double feature at the Orpheum, so no one can record it. Students gather at the Orpheum for the movies; the embarrassing video of Karen is played before the movie and an humiliated Karen ran away, followed by her twin, Kelly. Kelly, impersonating Karen, confesses to Principal Clanton that she was the one that committed the crimes The Little Liars were punished for, but this was just the twins' plan to get back at Imogen for the video. Karen drops out of the spirit queen race. The girls arrive at the party and the principal announces Imogen as the spirit queen. Previously, Kelly proposed to get revenge at Imogen in the style of Carrie, by pouring a bucket of red paint on her while she receives her crown. Before the plan is executed, the girls see Karen hiding in the rafters and try to warn Imogen. Imogen heeds their warning and looks up to see the masked figure push Karen to her death. The girls all receive a text message from "A", who killed Karen for being a bully and orders them to keep their mouth shut.
Shortly after the bloody incident, Imogen informs the girls that a masked figure pushed Karen to death, and they reveal to have also seen the figure. Scared to tell the truth, Kelly suggests to Tom that Karen may have committed suicide due to the embarrassing video. An angered Tom is determined to punish the girls. Imogen discovers a news about Angela Waters, a teenager whose body was found days after her death in 1999, in an abandoned warehouse. She visits the warehouse, and soon the masked creeper arrives. While revisiting the warehouse with Tabby, Sidney arrives and explains what happened to Angela the night of the rave, but lies about other details. Noa tries to convince Faran and Mouse to blame Karen's death on Imogen and Tabby after the Sheriff harassed her, but eventually sides with them. Noa reveals to Shawn that she took the blame for her mother's drug use. After telling her father the truth, Kelly meets with Imogen and apologizes for her actions, blaming herself for Karen's death. The Little Liars visit Karen's grave with their own personal messages for her, as the masked creeper is watching them from his van.
4
4
"Chapter Four: The (Fe)male Gaze"
Lisa Soper
Eleanor Jean & Jenina Kibuka
August 4, 2022 (2022-08-04)
In 1999, Marjorie convinces Angela to smoke, but blames her when they got caught and later gives her a friendship doll. In 2022, Marjorie receives the same doll with taunting messages. Tabby and Chip partner for a film project, recreating the shower scene from Psycho and asked Faran & Greg to act. Greg's actions during filming triggered Tabby, who has blurry visions about a party in the woods. Faran begins to believe that Kelly is actually Karen and asked Henry to investigate, since Karen would have a scar on her foot due to the razor blade put on her shoes. During a visit by Sheriff Beasley to the Olivar's apartment, he finds drugs and Marjorie quickly blames it on Noa, who managed to swerve. Later, the masked creeper chases Noa on the building and forced her to "punish the guilty". She reluctantly called the hospital and told them Marjorie has been stealing drugs.
5
5
"Chapter Five: The Night He Came Home"
Lisa Soper
Katie Avery & Alexis Scheer
August 4, 2022 (2022-08-04)
In Halloween 1999, Davie and her friends convinces Angela to throw dog feces into a house, but they leave her. After hearing Noa's story, Imogen is more convinced that Angela is connected to "A" and her mother's death. Tabby is angered by Chip who finished their project without her, since she wants it to be taken from the female gaze; he apologizes and offers to reshoot the scene together. Henry tells Faran that Kelly indeed has the scar Karen would have, convincing her even more that Kelly is actually Karen. However, Madame Giry reveals that Kelly has self-harmed in the past and a regretful Faran tries to befriend her. Unwilling to sell her house due to unanswered questions, Imogen plans to throw a fundraising Halloween party. At work, Tabby is harassed by a jock & fellow-student, Tyler, who later harassed Minnie at Imogen's party. The masked creeper, who's been lurking around Imogen's house, wears the mask Angela wore in 1999 and a brutally kills Tyler. After witnessing Kelly making out with Greg, Faran confronts Kelly and again, accused her of being Karen. Mouse meets with Steve whose daughter, Rachel is missing and roleplay as her. After the party, Tabby and Imogen reveal to each other that were they both have been sexually assaulted.
6
6
"Chapter Six: Scars"
Cierra "Shooter" Glaudé
Pamela Garcia Rooney & Danielle Iman
August 11, 2022 (2022-08-11)
Tabby recounts the night she was drugged and raped but reveals to Imogen that she does not know the identify of the assailant. Imogen also confides that her pregnancy was a result of being raped the night of Karen's party but does not remember due to being heavily intoxicated. The two meet with Joseph England, a former classmate of their mothers, and learn that Angela's mother, Rose, was committed to Radley Sanitarium after Angela's suicide. After further investigating, they learn that Angela was raped and that Rose was visited by Sidney, Davie, Elodie, Marjorie, Corey, and a sixth unknown person. Meanwhile, Noa fails to convince Marjorie to attend rehab and Steve begins stalking Mouse. Faran and Corey's relationship is further strained after they both receive messages from "A" that reveal Faran's corrective scoliosis surgery was not necessary.
The Little Liars meet up with the moms explaining the recent death of their old classmate Joseph, who was also in love with Angela and revealing his possible identity as "A." The conversation forces the moms to reveal the truth about their connection to Angela Waters. It is revealed that Sidney, Davie, Elodie, Marjorie, and Corey were horrible "mean girl bullies" to Angela in high school. Each of the moms recount what they specifically did to Angela. Tabby and Imogen start to believe that "A" killed Crazy Joe and is still at large. During breakfast at the Beasley's, it's revealed that Kelly isn't supported by her parents and the Sheriff reveals that it should've been Kelly who slipped and not Karen. Imogen contacts her dad in order to get written permission to exhume Davie's body in order to prove she was murdered. The girls hear from Marjorie's clinic that there is a match for the DNA from the blood drive. Faran confronts Sheriff Tom and tells him that he needs to stop verbally and emotionally abusing Kelly and that he needs to resign as a Community Service leader due to Noa's allegations. Imogen learns from her dad that her mom Davie used to date Tom Beasley in high school. After Faran's dad is arrested, she goes to the Beasley's, revealing Tom's obsession with young boys. Mrs. Beasley's reveals that Sheriff Tom was the one who raped Angela Waters.
10
10
"Chapter Ten: Final Girls"
Lisa Soper
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Lindsay Calhoon Bring & Michael Grassi
August 18, 2022 (2022-08-18)
Tabby begins to suspect Chip as her and Imogen's rapist and both confronts him. "A" listens as Chip admitted his actions and chase after him. While investigating the Waters' house, the Liars find clues that lead them to suspect that "A" might be Angela's secret brother. The five receive a text from "A" who is revealed to be holding their mothers captive at school; Imogen asks Kelly for help. Martha stabs Tom after he reveals his plan to murder-suicide the family and Kelly rushes to help the girls. The Liars find their mothers tied up in a makeshift courtroom at the school gym. Principal Clanton reveals himself as Angela's father and the mastermind behind "A"; the masked figure is Angela's twin brother, Archie. It's revealed that after Tom raped Angela, Davie made the whole school ignore her and pretend she didn't exist, eventually leading to her suicide. Clanton plans to kill the mothers, but with Davie dead, decides to punish Imogen; she gets chased by Archie. Kelly arrives with Greg, who's shot by Clanton. Tabby manages to take him down and the girls rescue their mothers. After a fight, Imogen defeats Archie and her water breaks. Her baby is born healthy and is to be adopted by writers from Rosewood, Aria and Ezra. Tabby reveals Archie and Tom survived the stabbing, while Clanton and Chip are arrested. Archie later escapes, killing Tom and the guard, and attacks Chip whose fate is left unknown.
On September 2, 2020, it was announced that a new Pretty Little Liars series was in development at Warner Bros., with Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa taking over as showrunner from I. Marlene King.[15]Original Sin takes place within the same continuity as the previous television series, but follows new characters and storylines in a new setting.[16][3]
On September 24, 2020, HBO Max gave the series a direct-to-series order of 10-episodes and was named Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, with Aguirre-Sacasa teaming up with Lindsay Calhoon Bring to develop the series.[17] Aguirre-Sacasa also executive produces the series alongside King, Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo. Production companies involved with the series are Muckle Man Productions, Alloy Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Television.[18][19]
On September 7, 2022, HBO Max renewed the series for a second season, retitled as Pretty Little Liars: Summer School.[5][1]
The series' second season began filming in April 2023.[32] In May 2023, it was reported that filming for the second season has been delayed due to the writers strike.[33] A deal was reached on September 27, along with the actors strike on November 9 and filming for the second season resumed later that same month and wrapped on December 8, 2023.[34]
The series premiered on July 28, 2022, with the first three episodes available, followed by two more episodes each on August 4 and 11, and then the final three episodes on August 18.[4]
Reception
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin was met with critical acclaim from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 89% approval rating with an average rating of 7.1/10, based on 18 critical reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Boasting a tantalizing new mystery along with a refreshingly grounded crop of pretty little liars, Original Sin is a gossipy good time."[38]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 82 out of 100 based on 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[39]
