Psychopathic stalkers, life changing lies and their shattering truths, all tied to four pretty girls from the seemingly picture perfect town of Rosewood. The ABC hit show Pretty Little Liars has this all, and its scenarios prove themselves to be every teenage girl's worst nightmare. After Alison DiLaurentis goes missing one summer night, and her body is found on the anniversary of this tragedy, the people of Rosewood are left with dozens of questions. Her best friends, Aria Montgomery, Hanna Marin, Spencer Hastings, and Emily Fields, are forced to band together and uncover what really happened that summer, plus disprove what they were lead to believe. They do this all while being tormented by the ruthless, as well as anonymous, character that is only known as”A,"who tracks their every move, their every lie, and their every secret. The show became an instant favorite when it premiered in 2010, with its final season set to broadcast in spring 2017.

 It is certainly not surprising that Pretty Little Liars, which is based off the bestselling book series of the same name, has thrived for almost eight seasons. Though storylines can have inconsistencies at times and the whole concept can seem a little unrealistic, the overall crazy plots and well cast actors work together to create episodes that leave viewers setting alarms to not miss the following week’s episode. Aria (Lucy Hale), Hanna (Ashley Benson), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), and Emily (Shay Mitchell), are crafted as four very distinct characters with a bond that can overcome even "A's" terrifying antics. In the midst of all the insanity, from murders and kidnappings, to cold-blooded cops and arson, their friendship manages to prevail and is a highlight of the show.
   

Besides the main group of girls,there is a myriad of characters who pop up for one or two episodes, and then vanish as if they were sucked into a black hole. Most of these performances prove mediocre and forgettable. But for the main ensemble, the way in which they connect and add to their elaborate and enigmatic roles is a huge factor of the show’s appeal. Alison, for example, is the group’s leader, and is mystery personified. She is definitely not one-sided—insecure, pathological, confused, sociopathic, and deceitful does not even begin to cover all that Alison is. Sasha Pieterse, who plays her, brings all of these traits to her while even making viewers want to root for her success. Another notable performance is that of Troian Bellisario, who’s intense similarity to Spencer aids in her growth. As Spencer develops and evolves, Bellisario applies her own experiences and thus creates a hard-hitting, alluring character. Each actor has their own unique ability to craft their character in ways that further the plot and consistently interest viewers.
   

Much of the show's appeal also comes from how dark and ominous its tone is, along with the imbroglios it creates. No person's fate is guaranteed—not even the “liars”, as the four girls are aptly nicknamed—and no action is off limits. The stakes for every character heighten with each season, leaving an infinite number of both good and bad  outcomes for them. The poor girls and their friends and families seem to never be able to live their lives like normal people —as soon as A seems defeated or an important conflict is finally resolved, a past secret, mistake, or villain swoops in to haunt them and thus fuels a new, even more desperate problem. This fast paced format and never ending suspense, coupled with the dire circumstances the show presents, never fails to suck fans in to the nefarious vortex that is Rosewood.

The liars have no possible answers to who A might be, being their only suspect, Alison, is dead, but suspects later range from classmates to even their own family members. There is only one question in the show bigger than that of A’s identity —which is, did Alison really even die? To make matters worse, the liars are forced to deal with the obstacles their personal lives throw at them while also trying to come to terms with the fact that they may never get the answers they need about what happened that one summer night. The show quickly shifts from high school drama to problems that might land people in jail for a long, long time. The series ever-changing stakes might not be fun for the characters, but it certainly is for viewers.
   

The liars’ relatable but still captivating personalities ground the show while all of this goes on. Aria is a free spirit, with a love for film noir and books. Out of the four, she’s the most “noticeable, in the sense of her wardrobe—which is almost like a character on its own. Hanna Marin is the group’s blonde, rich, and stereotypical “it girl.”

Though at the beginning she was as shallow as can be, only caring about her appearance and other peoples opinion of her, she develops into an incredibly headstrong, wise, and selfless young woman. Spencer is the brains of their friendship. A perfectionist who knows no bounds when it comes to greatness, Spencer tries her best to handle A’s torment while also dealing with her family’s unattainable expectations of her, as well never ending boy problems. And then there is Emily, a loving and considerate yet naive swimmer who struggles with being different—“different” being her sexuality. Emily wants so hard to ignore A and live life like she planned, but it is obvious in the first season the likelihood of this is slim. Altogether, they really do not share anything in common besides their penchant for dishonesty.
   

One thing you cannot insult Pretty Little Liars about is, even if you dislike the actors, the premise, and the turbulence it presents, how masterfully it has stayed a relevant topic of conversation.. For example, throughout the storylines, clues and hints are sprinkled. Walk through a school, and you’ll hear people discussing these details with others. Go on Instagram or Twitter, and you’ll see users buzzing with astonishment from revelations. Search up Pretty Little Liars on YouTube, and you’ll see theories made up by super fans about who, what, when, where, why, and how. The existence of these actions is a big reason the show has such a loyal following—and is so relevant in today’s pop culture. This connection, however, is not one-sided and chiefly supported by fans. The cast and crew engage by notoriously sending out vague messages on social media with symbols from coming episodes, starting a frenzy as viewers try to figure out what it could possibly indicate. The attachment viewers have with the series makers and actors is like an actual friendship, with frequent interaction and debate.
   

Pretty Little Liars is, in its essence, a superb mixture of some light horror with intense mystery and even romance. Paired with a now iconic theme song—one of the lines is, “cause two can keep a secret, if one of them is dead”—and equally as iconic quotes—“you know what they say about hope. It breeds eternal misery”—and you have a show that drags in anyone who watches one episode. And though it undoubtedly has its flaws, it outweighs them with addictive qualities a host of shows painfully lack. Its main audience of teens and young adults don't question its concepts too much, unlike how some adults would, and simply focus on how addicted they become to the series. The want to constantly be one step ahead of A and the urge to reveal each secret, fuels the desire to watch all of the 151, (and counting), episodes, while not missing a single line of dialogue. Even if it’s overly complicated and can discombobulate fans at some points, it is a legendary binge-watch. It works as a sort of mental cardio for viewers. They have to be just as careful as the liars when they watch in order to keep track of all the chaos, and slowly transform into self-proclaimed sleuths. Pretty Little Liars will be known for years to come as the story that kept millions of people up at night for years, and a throbbing reminder of what happens when lies become the truth.

Bibliography
I. Marlene King, creator. Pretty Little Liars. Warner Horizon Television and Alloy        
     Entertainment, 2016.

IMDb. IMDb, n.d. Web.