Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Review

Got a Secret, Can You Keep it?

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is the newest both reboot and sequel to the 2010s mystery drama, Pretty Little Liars. Original Sin follows the new liars Imogen, Tabitha, Faran, Mouse, and Noa.

These girls are strong, smart, and easy to root for. They each have their own interesting storylines respectively and are at their best when they are working together to figure out what’s going on. I like how their individual stories are also all integral to the overarching A plot. It all feels very cohesive, but they are different enough to stand out on their own.

I was very impressed with the twins Kelly and Karen, both brilliantly played by Mallory Bechtel. She does a great job of giving two different performances and playing believable twins. Kelly ended up being one of my favorite characters in the show and I would like to see more of her if we get a second season.

The themes explored in this show are as relevant and effective as ever. The mature themes feel right and are done tastefully. Original Sin is darker than an average teen drama as well as its predecessors. It pulls no punches and uses its mature rating to tell a very specific and dark story. I especially like the girl power and female friendship that is at the forefront.

As in the original, there are many flashbacks in both a 1999 timeline with the girls’ moms and only a few months before the current timeline. I appreciated how clear the timeline was and how it was easy to follow. Original Sin is very good at laying out the dates and days of the week very clearly. I liked the title cards that said things like Monday, October 31st. The way this show chose to depict the passage of time was unique and that is important when telling a story that jumps around the timeline.

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Tabby is the horror buff of the group. She makes a lot of references to many movies and tropes of the genre. Original Sin has many horror callbacks and references that any horror fan can appreciate and never shies away from it. In addition to this, this is a slasher show, so there are many slasher tropes. Also, this gets a bit meta as Tabby will say things and make jokes about horror movies, constantly reference them, and her knowledge is relevant to their situation a few times.

There are some Pretty Little Liars Easter eggs and connections that call back to the original show that fans of the original will definitely understand and appreciate.

A is absolutely brutal. A is the main antagonist who causes all the problems, but we do not know who A is. Due to the slasher elements, A is very threatening and feels tangibly scary. A could be anyone and that makes A even more mysterious. This is one of the biggest driving forces and mysteries of Original Sin, and they really lean into A. Though, A is revealed this season. The A reveal was strong and it truly keeps you guessing until the very end. I actually did half guess it, but I was still shocked and pleased when A was finally revealed.

The finale was one of the most intense endings I have seen in a while. It ties up a lot, but also has a few cliffhangers and raises a few questions, but not excessively. I was very pleased that everything that is set up either pays off or has relevance to the entire plot. If we get a season two, that would be great. However, I was quite satisfied with the ending and this is a great standalone companion piece within the franchise.

Check out Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin if you like mystery’s, dramas, ensemble casts, slashers, horror tropes, meta commentary, and relatable themes, check out Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin streaming now on HBO Max.