Throughout seven seasons,Pretty Little Liarsbrought drama and mystery to the small town of Rosewood. When Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hanna start receiving messages from the mysterious “A,” a year after their best friend Alison’s disappearance, their lives change forever. But, who is “A?” What does “A” want? Over seven seasons, three main villains hold the identity of “A,” and each takes a different approach to the game. But, there were other questions at work throughout the show, such as the factual circumstances behind what happened the night Alison disappeared and who was involved.
So, which seasons were more critical than others? Halfway through season six,Pretty Little Liarsmade a massive changeby jumping five years into the future after the big “A” reveal. But did the time jump add anything to the show? Or, would the series have been better off concluding with the end of high school? Each season did add something important to the overall story, but which seasons held the most significant reveals, plot twists, and story arcs toward the series as a whole?
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Season seven is a race to the finish as the Liars and “A.D.” prepare for the endgame. However, the stakes continue to grow when no one can correctly hand over Charlotte’s killer. However, when it comes to the overall importance of the show, season seven can not help but feel slightly disconnected. When Charlotte revealed herself as “A,” it came with unraveling her identity as Charles DiLaurentis; connections to Radley Sanitarium, how she had met Mona, and, perhaps most importantly, her relevance tothe night of Alison’s disappearance. The final season still has some links to the rest of the show, prominently focused on Mary Drake and the reveal that she is Charlotte, Spencer, and Alex’s biological mother. Otherwise, due to the performance occurring five years into the future, the adult takes onthe Liars fearing the wrathof “A.D.” and comes across more like being stuck in a time loop.
Season three has the job of introducing a brand new “A” to Rosewood. But, other than starting the season proving that the nightmare of “A” is continuing, season three is mostly home to various subplots that do not have many consequences moving forward.Pretty Little Liarscreates Malcolm as a plot device to bring another obstacle to Aria and Ezra’s relationship. Ezra trying to be a father to a son he never knew he had does not mean much in the long run. Toby being a member of the “A-Team” is explained as him attempting to protect Spencer, even though Spencer never comes across as being protected from “A.”
The most influential aspect of the plot is Spencer’s breaking point, which gets her admitted to Radley Sanitarium and has her briefly join the “A-Team” to discover Toby is still alive. However, their roles on the “A-Team” are quickly terminated afterward. Maya St. Germain’s significance is teased about being far more critical than it is. The storyline following Emily meeting Maya’s killer is not influential to the show’s central mysteries or dangers. The only major storylines of significance are the significant hints that Alison is alive and the in-depth look at Radley Sanitarium that would become more essential moving forward.
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The Liars are getting closer to “A.” At least, they think they are. Arguably, the back half of season four is wasted potential for a threateningly exciting reveal that “A” was Ezra Fitz all along. The reveal thatthe lair in Ravenswoodbelonged to him seemed like an inevitable set-up that Ezra had taken the game from Mona. However, that was not the case. The exciting and horrifying build-up and potential are washed away when Ezra reveals he had been writing a true crime book about Alison’s disappearance. But luckily, the entire season is not a let-down. Alison finally reunites with her friends, revealing to them that she is alive and needs their help if she returns home. “A Is for Answers” finally showsAlison’s side of the storyof what happened the night she disappeared and explains how everything unraveled after she received her first “A” text.
Season five mainly surrounds the response to Alison returning home and what it means for the Liars when Alison starts her return to Rosewood with a fake story. Throughout the season, it is a subplot that Alison is harming her relationships with the other girls by continuing to spin stories without keeping them updated on what she is doing. But, it is the ending that genuinely shows the significance of the season more than anything else. Alison and Hanna’s arrests eventually lead the way to Spencer, Aria, and Emily joining them. Then, by separating the four Liars from Alison, “A” kidnaps them, bringing the group to the Dollhouse, where they are reunited with Mona. While in the Dollhouse, Spencer realizes “A’s” name is Charles, bringing them closer to discovering who “A” really is.
Even though the second half of the season takes placefive years into the futureand feels slightly disconnected from the rest of the show as the audience plays catch-up to the new dynamics at play, it is the first half of the season that makes it so important. The mid-season finale reveals that Cece Drake was also Charles DiLaurentis, also known as Charlotte DiLaurentis, and had spent most of her life growing up in Radley Sanitarium. Charlotte’s admissions finally reveal what happened to Toby’s mother, who had hit Alison on the head with a rock, and why Jessica had been willing to bury her daughter alive. It also reveals that Mona had been responsible for hitting Bethany with a shovel and why she had been out that night. Finally, the second half of season six introduces the new threat as “A.D,” with a mystery that begins when Charlotte is killed.
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Season two is the first time anyone learns that Alison had also been targeted by “A.” The reveal gives Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer clues into what to look for, hoping it will lead them to discover who “A” is. Luckily, “A’s” identity is revealed in season two. Choosing not to let the mystery go on for too long,Pretty Little Liarsfinally reveals that Mona Vanderwaal was “A.” She had hated Alison because of how Alison bullied her, and then her rage grew again when she believed Aria, Emily, and Spencer were going to steal Hanna from her. Season two continues to shine a light on the complicated relationships the residents of Rosewood hold and all the secrets they are willing to keep.
The first few seasons ofPretty Little Liarsare very highly connected. Whether through their connection to the four central girls or Alison, it seems that almost everyone who Alison saw the night she disappeared was introduced in the first season. Nearly every critical character or mystery for the first few seasons ofPretty Little Liarscame from its first season. When Hanna, Spencer, Emily, and Aria each get their first message from “A,” it changes their lives forever. Nothing will ever be the same as it was as season one unravels to tease what truly happened to Alison and why, along with exposing many hidden family secrets.
