Most of you know I’m a girl who loves her guilty pleasures. So when Tiffany White and Julie Glover were discussing ABC’s Pretty Little Liars, I inquired.
And that brings us to present day me, spending hours after each work day marathon watching Seasons 1 and 2 of the show. (Season 3 just came in at the library!)
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Pretty Little Liars is the story of four friends torn apart, and brought together again, by the murder of a close friend (who might have been described as their “Ringleader”). As the girls dig deeper into what happened to their friend, Alison DiLaurentis, they begin getting anonymous texts that bully and break them into submission.
Hanna, Emily, Spencer, and Aria (Pretty Little Liars)
A person or persons known as ‘A’ wants the girls isolated and obedient. And all I want to know is…WHO THE HECK IS ‘A’?!!’
As I’m watching the drama unfold, I’ve come to love and hate a few things about this show, and I needed to get them off my chest.
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Reasons I Love Pretty Little Liars
1. The Clothes
I would love, love, LOVE the wardrobe of these girls! I know it’s TV, but they NEVER wear the same outfit twice! Spencer’s all studious hipster with the biggest selection of blazers I’ve ever seen and coveted. Emily’s all adora-letic in her sporty tee’s and jeans. Hanna dresses like she’s constantly on a blind date at a fancy restaurant. And Aria is fashion forward with fitted dresses, leather jackets, and one wacky shoe collection!
2. The Boys
I must admit that Pretty Little Liars has some Pretty Handsome Eye-Candy. And no, I will not be ashamed for looking.
Meet Toby, Ezra, Jason, and Caleb
3. The Villains
Some of the suspicious on the list of ‘A’-possibles include: Jenna – the girl who was blinded by a bad prank gone wrong, Garrett – Jenna’s boyfriend and crooked cop who keeps messing with evidence, it might even be Alison’s own brother, Jason, or Spencer’s sister, Melissa.
WHO KNOWS?!!
Jenna and Garrett…lurking.
4. The Semi-Connection to my old love, Charmed
As a teenager, I loved watching the show, Charmed – the story of three witch sisters who kicked demon butt. One of the sisters, Piper, was played by Holly Marie Combs. Now I get to watch Holly on Pretty Little Liars in the role of Ella Montgomery, Aria’s mom!
Hey look, it’s Chad Lowe! Huh…
Reasons I Hate Pretty Little Liars
1. The Clothes
Ok, this one is on both sides because while I love the clothes, it irritates me that these are High School girls whose wardrobes are bigger than the one I have now! Who’s paying for these rags?!
2. The Incredibly Poor Ability to Hide Oneself
Why are they ALWAYS hiding behind the bushes?! Hello, WE SEE YOU!
And every girl leaves her curtains wide open! Um, if you’re being stalked both in real life and in cyber-space, close your effing curtains!
I don’t understand! How does A always know where we are?!
3. Alison DiLaurentis
I can’t stand Ali! This is the girl who brought them all together as friends, and later, was murdered. She was manipulative, selfish, and conniving. But she looks like bubblegum. It irritates the crap out of me.
Meet Ali. The prettiest little liar of them all.
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I guess the love portion wins this round, but there’s still 2 seasons more to go…
What’s your take? Do you watch Pretty Little Liars? What do like about the show? What do you dislike?
Who’s your favorite character? Mine’s Spencer. And Caleb!
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Leave a comment or else! – A
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How did THAT get there?!
Jess Witkins' Happiness Project 
Sounds intriguing. But I’ve never seen it. When it came out, it just sounded a bit too One Tree Hill meets Heathers meets Supernatural. And young. If Piper is old enough to be one of these kids’ moms, then so am I. Lusting over teenaged boys is probably not a good thing for me. (I know they are probably actually in their 30s). But, you being an adorably young whippersnapper (by the way, get off my lawn!), it sounds perfect for you. Now that I feel like a grandma, enjoy your show! š
Pish! You’d probably like the show. And Julie watches it for the hot dads so there! *stomps across lawn*
I wouldn’t want to mess with A. A is SCARY – so I will leave a comment. Seriously, my daughter and I are addicted to this show, but very annoyed by it, too. Two more seasons?? Can’t they just wrap this up and reveal Red Coat’s identity and arrest all of them or something? I need some relief.
Lol. Yah I could do with some answers too.
This is one of my “must watch” TV shows. And I must really want to watch it because my husband has banned all teen TV from the living room. So I have to watch it in my office.
Here are my complaints:
I find elements of the plot far-fetched and sometimes not very well developed.
I can’t believe how many adult men are willing to risk jail to date these kids.
This last is hard to admit because maybe it means I’m getting old. I think the Liars look like expensive escorts/hookers. Their wardrobes make it harder for me to believe they are actual kids. (However, I didn’t go to a rich high school.)
That said, if you write mystery, Pretty Little Liars is a good way to see how red herrings really work. It’s addictive–even though I suspect we’ll never know who “A” really is. And I think the characterization is mostly good.
Once you catch up on PLL, you ought to try The Lying Game. It is based on books by the same author (Sara Shepard) who wrote Pretty Little Liars. I found the teens in TLG to be a bit more relatable than the ones in PLL. The TV show has been cancelled, which was a disappointment to me.
Um high five on calling out the illegal relationships in the show! Ezra and Aria annoy me too. So they both love poetry…is that really grounds for continuing this thing they have going on. Not ok with it!
I’ve never seen it, but I just hafta say – you are way too adorable in that pic! And I love the pros/cons list-style review. Your apparel comment reminded me of my relationship with “Revenge” — gave me serious shopping cravings!
I know I’m torn! On one hand, I love the fashion element but on the other hand…who’s paying for this stuff?! Like Catie said, it makes it hard to believe they’re just h.s. girls.
So why isn’t A Alison herself who’s not really dead. I’ve never seen the show, but that possibility screamed at me as I read your blog.
Because you learn in season 2 that Alison was being tormented by A also. But I thought the same thing at first.
Ah – so Alison is schizophrenic and dead. It would work on The Young and The Restless or All My children.
I smiled throughout this post, Jess! I can totally relate. Well, except for your eye candy. For some reason, at my age, I keep looking at everyone’s DAD. (Emily’s dad is a handsome guy; just sayin’.)
The open blinds drives me nuts. So these girls are smart enough to sneak into hospital morgues, psychiatric wards, schools, etc., but they can’t figure out how to close a blind??? And yeah, Ezra should be arrested. He’s a sweet cutie, but also a jerk to date a minor. As a parent, I want to whack him upside the head and say, “What were you thinking?!!!”
So I get the love/hate relationship. But yeah, I watch every week. Hoping against hope that I figure out the mystery and know not only who A is, but her motivation and how she’s managed to perpetuate this web of lies. Oh, and I love Spencer. I get Spencer.
Love your pic! They should call you to join the cast…or at least try on all of their clothes.
Ohmyyes on all accounts! Emily’s dad is cute. Even I think so. So irritated by the un-closing of the drapes and shrub hiding! Spencer is the best. Ezra is cute but selfish and delusional to think it will last. And I would gladly join the show and/or try on all their clothes.
Never seen the show, but I do have to agree with #2 on your list of reasons for hating it. I have long said that a lot of trouble would have been avoided had the villain in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic “Rear Window” simply closed the curtains!
YES! That’s another classic example!
Thank you for introducing me to the show.
It’s addictive. Be warned. LOL
You and Tiffany have me curious.
I’m betting you’re gonna love it, Emma!
I’m sure I WOULD love this show but I had never started it. I like most things meant for teens. I don’t know why. I loved The Lying Game on the same channel. Not sure it ever got renewed.
You would get some great fashion advice by watching Pretty Little Liars, Nina. These girls dress like they’re a lot older!
My daughters have a similar relationship with this show. Thanks for the insights!
I fear it gets worse the more seasons you watch. Correction…it gets “complicated.”
Sorry I’m late to the party… I took a week off from all things work, including email and social media, and I’m still playing catch up. That said, I am SO HAPPY you are finally watching Pretty Little Liars!! The summer finale is tonight, so maybe, just maybe, you can catch up and chat live with us on Twitter when it returns!! Like you, I love the clothes… those girls never wear the same thing twice. I particularly love all the hats. But mostly, I love the mystery. I love it. Just when I think I have it figured out, the show throws another curve ball at me. The only thing I dislike is how annoying and predictable the girls can be from time to time. I know it’s just a show, but they really do some stupid things sometimes… especially Hanna. If I had to choose, I think Spencer is my favorite.
Spencer is my favorite too. But the predictability does annoy me. And also why Wren is constantly hitting on high school girls. I think he’s a creeper. Don’t like it.
Does ABC have the episodes online? *should be editing…*
Yeh so I’m on season 2 off this now (run out off things to watch on Netflix) I googled the blinds thing and found this because I found it annoying aswell š
So you girls have people filming your every move but you leave your blinds and curtains open consistently? I also love thier incredible knack for leaving evidence all over the gaff šš» “we have some really important information here guys, we’re just gonna leave this laptop here for anyone to pick up”
The hiding thing? Does nobody turn around in this show? The way they stalk people from 10 feet away in a line off 4 is like a benny hill sketch. Not to mention hiding in a bush when your head is sticking out 2 feet above it?
Anyways, take all off your information to a different police department discuss the situation and let them deal with it šš»
Yep. Know whatchu mean. LOL
I couldn’t agree more with your post.
The curtains/blinds drive me insane !! Heck sometimes A or whoever doesn’t even hide in the bushes when they watch at the window, they just stand there full view but for some reason nobody ever notices. How can you be constantly be stalked with full knowledge your being watched and yet allow them full view into your household? Idiots Lol
The clothes too are a love/hate. Love their fashion sense and individual looks yet hate how many clothes they own. Especially when Hanna would wear heels to school everyday, what the heck!? why would you do that?
The only sense would be Spencer seeing how she is from a rich family and can easily afford a new outfit all the time but the others don’t really have an excuse.
Here because I googled the blinds. I just cannot believe how stupid they are sometimes! Really, like in every episode how do they end up in a dark forest? And imagine if sometime one of them actually told the police what happened. It would be goodbye A. Your note was quite scary. I closed my blinds after reading it š