Pretty Little Liars: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

69%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

81%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

As time has passed since Alison, then the queen bee of the bunch, went missing. Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily have gone on with their lives, though they've grown apart. As the years go by, each girl finds herself facing a new set of challenges when anonymous text messages from "A" threaten to expose all their secrets -- both old secrets the girls were sure only Alison knew, and newer secrets developed after Alison's disappearance. Who is "A" and how does he or she know the things he or she knows? Based on the series of novels by Sara Shepard.

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Pretty Little Liars — Season 1

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Pretty Little Liars — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Murder...mystery...and make-up! These troubled but well-dressed teenagers take us on a compelling, guilty-pleasure cruise through the first season of Pretty Little Liars.

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Critics Reviews

View All (13) Critics Reviews

Pretty Little Liars: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Carrie Raisler

AV Club

The show is kind of like Taylor Momsen: The outside is all faux-danger and rebellious sadgirl drama, all covering up an interior that is mostly just a pretty teenage girl with a small but genuine amount of talent and woefully absent parental figures.

Rated: B-

Mar 21, 2018

Full Review

Pretty Little Liars: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

John Griffiths

Us Weekly

Be warned: Anyone who dismisses this drama as a silly teen diversion will miss out on another seamless rush of thrills from one of TV's most intriguing young casts.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 15, 2017

Full Review

Pretty Little Liars: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Troy Patterson

Slate

Tressed for success, the actresses are at times upstaged by their own coiffure, and the characters themselves seem aware of the show's aesthetic values, at least fleetingly.

Jul 1, 2010

Full Review

Pretty Little Liars: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Matt Richenthal

TV Fanatic

It looks like I've found my guilty pleasure for the summer.

Rated: 4.3/5

Mar 21, 2018

Full Review

Pretty Little Liars: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Emily Ashby

Common Sense Media

True, the girls don't always model great behavior and certainly don't incur the repercussions they might for their actions in the real world, but in their defense, they're motivated by a sense of self-preservation and a quest for the truth.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 21, 2018

Full Review

Pretty Little Liars: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Ellen Gray

Philadelphia Daily News

Pretty Little Liars is entitled to its version. If only it could have resisted some of the other cliches.

Jun 8, 2010

Full Review

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Audience Reviews

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Grimm R Pretty Little Liars Season 1 is a suspense-filled mystery drama that follows a group of teenage high school girls who start to receive anonymous threatening text messages after their best friend, Allison disappeared. The four girls try and solve the disappearance while also trying to prevent their own secrets from coming to light and the first thing I want to mention is how much I truly miss shows that have 20 or more episodes because I feel like this show was able to give us so many subplots that added context and contributed to the overarching plot perfectly. I also felt that with 22 episodes we were able to explore each of our leads, get to know them, and get attached to them better with these 22 episodes than we would with just 8 or 10 episodes of television. I can easily say I felt like not one of these girl's own plots overshadowed the other and they each equally had enough screentime so we can see their plots all the way through and they didn't feel rushed by the end of the season. The leads we have in Hale, Mitchell, Benson, and Bellisario I thought were all amazing. At first they didn't have much chemistry but by the end of the season they definitely changed that around for me. Now, I will say that many of these plotlines are the typical high school gossip storylines, some that even have some sensitive topics, but I thought for a show like this, they were handled pretty well when it came to topics of parental affairs, financial struggles, coming out, self-image, and living up to the expectations of your loved ones, besides one of the main plotlines which involve a teacher and a student. They make that situation seem normal and romantic when in reality that is criminal and disgusting. This season was able to keep me intrigued and even made me second guess who would be revealed to be the killer and who would have an involvement in the disappearance and I was pretty satisfied with the conclusion as well as how they set up the story for the next season. Overall, Pretty Little Liars Season 1 is a binge-worthy show that is carried by its whole cast, mainly it's leads, while executing certain plotlines in an intriguing and suspenseful way without feeling like a drag or like the story is being rushed to the end. Pretty Little Liars Season 1 gets an A-. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/25/24 Full Review Mario M season 1 introduce the mystery of the despearens of their friend ALYson with was too iconic for a first season Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/07/23 Full Review Jenny M This was a good show at the beginning, then it started to decline fast. First few seasons were entertaining and did a good job at creating a mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere throughout the episodes. But when they kept changing who A was and leaving random clues that meant nothing at the end, that's when they lost me. LOTS of plot-holes. The final A reveal, being Spencer's evil twin, was extremely boring and anti-shocking. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 05/29/23 Full Review Mrs Goose Honestly, I would've given season one 5 stars, but I won't because in general, the show is good. It's concept is fabulous and I just love the characters, but my only problem is the relationships. They focus too much on relationships and love, which is fine but not when half of the episodes are about love. Otherwise season 1 is amazing. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/20/23 Full Review Audience Member This season starts pretty weak but it proves it was going somewhere, and it was a good show, I'm excited for season 2. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Just got done watching the first season. I liked the whole idea and plot. They have a lot of potential, but the acting has to get better also have to have better script writing to many pointless scenes. The cinematography was not the best. I am referencing the camera angles and lighting. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Pretty Little Liars — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

Lucy Hale Aria Montgomery Ashley Benson Hanna Marin Troian Bellisario Spencer Hastings Shay Mitchell Emily Fields Ian Harding Ezra Fitz Laura Leighton Ashley Marin

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jun 8, 2010 Pilot Four estranged friends are brought back together after each begins to receive frightening letters from a person they suspect is a long-missing associate. Details Episode 2 Aired Jun 15, 2010 The Jenna Thing A dark secret resurfaces when Jenna Cavanaugh returns to Rosewood; the girls deal with questions surrounding Alison's death. Details Episode 3 Aired Jun 22, 2010 To Kill a Mocking Girl Relationships are explored among the girls as they pay tribute to Alison's memory; Aria encounters her father's former mistress. Details Episode 4 Aired Jun 29, 2010 Can You Hear Me Now? The girls take matters into their own hands and try to put a stop to "A," but the girls' problems are far from over. Details Episode 5 Aired Jul 6, 2010 Reality Bites Me The girls pay the price for trying to ignore "A"; a new male arrival changes the status quo; Spencer's father asks her to throw a tennis match. Details Episode 6 Aired Jul 13, 2010 There's No Place Like Homecoming Disturbing secrets threaten to ruin the girls' homecoming dance; an odd date choice leads to a sticky situation. Details Episode 7 Aired Jul 20, 2010 The Homecoming Hangover After the homecoming dance, the girls try to sort out the devastation, plus "A" isn't the only one sending Aria texts. Details Episode 8 Aired Jul 27, 2010 Please, Do Talk About Me When I'm Gone Alison's brother, Jason, arrives in Rosewood as last-minute preparations are made for her memorial service. Details Episode 9 Aired Aug 3, 2010 The Perfect Storm The girls are trapped at school as a bad storm brews, and tensions run high. Byron leans on Ashley for advice on parenting as his relationship with Ella takes a bad turn. Details Episode 10 Aired Aug 10, 2010 Keep Your Friends Close The FBI gets involved in Alison's case; Spencer tries to mend her relationship with her sister; Hanna learns the identity of "A," but pays the price for knowing too much. Details Episode 11 Aired Jan 3, 2011 Moments Later The girls deal with the aftermath of what happened at Camp Mona; Aria attempts to keep her relationship with Ezra under wraps; Spencer learns that Ian and Melissa have eloped. Details Episode 12 Aired Jan 10, 2011 Salt Meets Wound Hanna must use a wheelchair; Aria is upset that Noel knows about her affair with Ezra; Spencer and Alex's relationship hits a bump; and Emily invites Maya to meet her family. Details Episode 13 Aired Jan 17, 2011 Know Your Frenemies Aria has suspicions about Mike's growing friendship with Noel; Ezra gets help from an unexpected source; Toby experiences an unpleasant return to school; Emily and Maya share a final romantic night together. Details Episode 14 Aired Jan 24, 2011 Careful What U Wish 4 The girls suspect "A" may make an appearance at the Rosewood High Dance-A-Thon; Aria's former baby sitter hits it off with Ezra; new kid Caleb helps Emily contact Maya at the rehab center. Details Episode 15 Aired Jan 31, 2011 If at First You Don't Succeed, Lie, Lie Again Jason shares news with Spencer about the photograph "A" left behind; "A" blackmails Hanna to reveal Aria and Ezra's affair; Caleb tries to keep Ella from attending the museum gala. Details Episode 16 Aired Feb 7, 2011 Je Suis Une Ami Spencer receives a cryptic message from Toby; Caleb wants Hanna's help in growing his underground business ventures; Aria learns that Hanna tried to sell out her relationship with Ezra. Details Episode 17 Aired Feb 14, 2011 The New Normal Aria learns to forgive Hanna for her betrayal; Hanna invites Caleb to stay in her basem*nt; Paige apologizes to Emily for her father's behavior; Spencer decodes Toby's secret message. Details Episode 18 Aired Feb 21, 2011 The Bad Seed Mr. Fitz's school play eerily echoes the girls' troubles; Ashley grows suspicious of her home's vanishing food supply; Caleb attempts to hack Jenna's phone; the girls discover a bloody trophy planted by "A." Details Episode 19 Aired Feb 28, 2011 A Person of Interest The bloody trophy planted by "A" lands the Liars in hot water with the police; Paige and Emily struggle with their feelings for each other; Ashley kicks Caleb out of the house; Spencer becomes a suspect in Alison's murder. Details Episode 20 Aired Mar 7, 2011 Someone to Watch Over Me As the heat is turned up on the suspicions surrounding Spencer, the girls must come to the reality that they aren't the only ones hiding secrets in Rosewood. Details Episode 21 Aired Mar 14, 2011 Monsters in the End The town readies for an annual festival; Ezra comes clean to Aria about his past; Mona intercepts Caleb's message to Hanna; Spencer becomes trapped in a dangerous maze; Emily, Aria and Hanna find secret videos. Details Episode 22 Aired Mar 21, 2011 For Whom the Bell Tolls Jenna is confronted about her incriminating video; Emily's mother wants to leave Rosewood; Aria learns that Ezra's new job will reconnect him with his former girlfriend; Melissa and Spencer get in a car accident. Details

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Pretty Little Liars — Season 1

Pretty Little Liars

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Season Info

Executive Producer: Bob Levy, Leslie Morganstein, I. Marlene King
Network: Freeform
Rating: TV-14 (L)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date: Jun 8, 2010