Summary
An addictive and camp slasher that, if it continues to play its cards right, could top the original. The scares, thrills, and horror elements are all there, which helps set it apart from the original series almost instantly.
This review of the HBO Max series Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin season 1 does not contain any spoilers.
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For some, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin will be a nostalgic watch that reminds them of the much-loved original series that aired on ABC between 2010 and 2017. For others, it might be their first venture into the camp and bonkers world of the Liars. Either way, they’re in for a treat. And it’s a great one.
When this spin-off was announced, some eyes rolled for sure. It seemed at first that it would be a desperate attempt to cash in on the show’s former glory. And that it would likely end with fans disappointed. Yet, surprisingly, this is not the case. In fact, the series may even prove to be better than the original. There are more horrors, scares, and thrills. And, as a result, it becomes much more exciting and gripping to watch.
While not all horror series can be successful, (aka, Amazon Prime’s I Know What You Did Last Summer), Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has all the ingredients needed to, at the very least, get renewed for a second season. The slasher genre soon becomes apparent in the HBO Max version. Therefore, expect to witness darker storylines, more screams, and dangerous situations for the characters.
Like many shows at the moment, this series switches occasionally between timelines. And it doesn’t take long before it seems that the events within the two timelines could be connected. The one aspect that the original Pretty Little Liars show comes out on top with is the lead characters. Based on the first three episodes, none of them compares to Spencer, Hanna, Ella, and Aria. However, given that the original season ran for seven seasons, there’s plenty of time for this series to soon triumph even in that respect.
Overall, this series has tons of potential. Not only will the mystery have the audience guessing over who “A” could be, but the spin-off could soon prove to be heaps better than the original. And that’s saying something.
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