Pretty Little Liars was a huge success for Freeform, a network owned by ABC Family. The show began in 2010 and ran for seven seasons before ending in 2017. The story, based on the novel series of the same name, follows four girls as they face the dangerous threat of the mysterious ‘A.’ Fans immediately fell in love with Pretty Little Liars, and now, after the failed spinoffs Ravenswood and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, the story is continuing with Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin keeps the beloved story alive, but now it comes with a few new twists. The genre has slightly been altered, creating a new sense of thrill for viewers. Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin just finished its first season on the streaming service HBO Max. Here is how Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is different from Pretty Little Liars.
8 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Is A Horror Show
Pretty Little Liars, which followed the story of teenage girls Spencer, Hannah, Aria, and Emily, was first and foremost a teen drama. There were aspects of crime thriller, specifically when ‘A’ was making a move against the girls, but the show relied on the relationships between the girls and their significant others.
The sequel series Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has chosen to take a different route with the genre. Now on HBO Max, the show is given more opportunities to push boundaries. Instead of a teen drama, the show leans towards horror. Maia Reficco, who plays Noa Olivar, told E! News “this one is a slasher.” The show “pays homage to so many iconic ‘90s slasher movies—but with a 2022 twist.”
7 Where Is Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Set?
The original show was set in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, a fictitious town. The first attempted spinoff of Pretty Little Liars, was a few towns over in Ravenswood. Following the same trend, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is set in Millwood, Pennsylvania, which is only a few miles down the road from Rosewood.
The exciting thing about the location is that Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is able to make a name for itself rather than solely relying on the original show. However, the proximity to Rosewood opens the door for anything to happen and any old cast member to make an appearance.
6 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Has A Whole New Cast
The previous spinoffs of Pretty Little Liars took one or two of the cast and attempted to create a new show around them. Ravenswood had Caleb Rivers, played by Tyler Blackburn, as the center of the show. Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists took both Alison DiLaurentis and Janel Parrish, played by Sasha Pieterse and Janel Parrish respectively.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, however, is starting over fresh. With all new faces, the show is able to stand out from the original content. The show stars Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinny, Maia Reficco, Zaria Simone, and Malia Pyles.
5 ‘A’ Ditched The Hoodie
Pretty Little Liars was known for always having the mysterious ‘A’ in a black hoodie. The idea was to have ‘A’ always be anonymous, but the cliché hoodie has been completely ditched in the new sequel series.
Now, ‘A’ is more horrifying than ever. In order to keep up with the new horror genre, ‘A’ has been completely transformed. While ‘A’ still hides their identity, though now they do it in a very gruesome fashion. ‘A’ wears a mask that looks like it is made of human skin. The sight is truly frightening to viewers and the new liars.
4 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Has New Secrets
In Pretty Little Liars fashion, everyone has secrets on the new sequel show. The center of the story is the secret the liars’ parents have been keeping for 20 years. Of course, the parents are not the only ones keeping secrets close to their chests. The liars themselves are keeping plenty of secrets, which are slowly revealed throughout the season.
Thankfully, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin does not rely on a secret reveal to move the plot forward. The original show only used the parents to progress the story quickly, but the new show is much smarter about their characters and the story. This show will certainly be more successful than the other spinoff attempts.
3 ‘A’ Has Better Motivation
One issue many fans had with Pretty Little Liars was the confusing nature of the show. Motives and backstories continued to be added, specifically for those who were considered villains or possibly ‘A.’ Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has fixed that problem with just one season.
‘A’ has a very clear motive from the beginning. It is clear ‘A’s’ intention is to punish the girls for their mothers’ past mistakes, and there is no wishy-washy nature for the reason of their attacks. This also allows for a more tangible ‘A’ as opposed to constantly changing who ‘A’ is—which led to a lot of continuity errors in the original show.
2 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Has Relatable Relationships
A major issue fans had with Pretty Little Liars were the inappropriate relationships the teenage girls always seemed to be in. The most obvious of these relationships was Aria’s intimate relationship with her teacher Ezra Fitz, but that was not the only inappropriate couple. There were multiple doctors and cops who engaged in relationships with teenagers.
Thankfully, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is not using this cliché taboo form of relationships. All the intimate relationships are age-appropriate. They are also much more realistic than the relationships depicted in the original show.
1 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Is Inclusive
Fans took issue with the fact that almost every character of color was killed off or removed from Pretty Little Liars—except Emily Fields. Pretty Little Liars also had a great deal of backlash over their treatment of the trans community. LGTBQ+ characters were not treated as important characters.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has scrapped all of that exclusive and toxic aspects. The main characters call out those who are acting wrongly. The show projects a positive message of justice and inclusion, specifically for people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
