It’s Tuesday evening, and aside from your friend’s beckoning calls to go to Pint Night, you sign onto social media and see the letters “PLL” and “A” everywhere. You move past it, like many other things you do not understand, but then start to see pictures of hooded figures and girls in fabulously picked out fall fashions, and the words: “REVEAL” and “BETRAYAL.” By this point, you’re probably annoyed, but also a little frightened that something serious may be going on that you need to know about. What does “PLL” and “A” stand for?
The epidemic, which runs through the veins of girls ages 15 and up, is known as Pretty Little Liars. Oh, it’s just a television show? Yes, it is a television show that plays on Tuesday nights on ABC Family. This particular show is about a group of teenage girls who, upon the loss of a close friend, are caught in whirlwind of murders, stalking, and cyber bullying. The only question is, who is doing it? As the first season progresses the viewers come to learn that these teenage girls are not as innocent as they seem, and are hiding many secrets of their own. DUN, DUN, DUN.
So, why would 20-something’s want to religiously watch a show about teenage girls who get bullied? Here are the top 10 reasons why girls go crazy over Pretty Little Liars. It’s more than a TV show, it’s a relationship!
- The Fashion. Call me crazy, but the amounts of fashion forward outfits in this show are to die for (pun for those that watch the show). Each character has their own style, but instead of simple, cute, everyday outfits, the girls wear trendy, risky, and unconventional outfits. I know it has been about 4 years since I’ve been in high school but I never wore heels, let alone, blazers to class!
Take for example, the character Aria. Aria is dark, mysterious, and rocker chic. She’s always caught wearing dark toned colors, sassy skull dresses, mismatched stripes and solids, and bulky jewelry. Her style is bold and daring, not something you would see every day!
- Gorgeous Male Characters. Need I go on? Every male character, whether major role or minor role in the plot, is attractive for any different “type” you might fancy. Ezra is the older, sophisticated poet; Caleb is the bad boy with a sensitive side; Toby is the shy and mysterious; Lucas is cute and nerdy; Jason and Noel are the eye candy jerks you can’t help but love; Jake is the athletic sweetheart; Holden is the shaggy-haired, knight in shining armor; and Wesley is the attractive, forbidden “little brother.”
- The Chase. Every girl loves a good chase, there’s no point in denying it. You always want what you can’t have, and like I said before, PLL is a relationship! The show strings viewers along by providing subtle clues in each episode, but never revealing anything too serious. It challenges you to recall episodes from previous seasons, and makes sure you really work for the answers. Every now and then a big “reveal” happens, which always keeps us coming back for more!
- The Let Down. Similar to the chase, the writers of PLL know right when to build you up and when to let you down. Previews of certain “key” episodes put the minds of PLL fans into gear, building suspense to finally watch it. The episode will never reveal exactly what you hope, and there lies the most bittersweet let down. You love to hate it, and you’re annoyed but will keep playing along.
- The “A” Theories. Don’t lie, we know you have them. Whether it’s a quick guess to who A is, or a short novel saved on your desktop about every aspect of the show, we know you’re talking about it. With a murder-mystery show like PLL, there is always yearning to find out answers, and along with the suspense, we let our minds wander to what we think is going to happen next. To some viewers, this is half of the entertainment of the show! Creating your own theories and sharing them with fellow lovers can make a conversation flow for hours. What’s even better? When your theories turn out to be true! You are the mastermind! You are the queen of Rosewood!
- The Frienemy. At some point in our lives, everyone has at least one friend, who they love, but can’t stand. This friend challenges you at everything, and you know you shouldn’t trust her with secrets, but you do anyway. This friend is the queen bee and if things don’t go her way, all Hell will break loose. However, she can also be the sweetest girl ever, and go out of her way to do things for you –but with the hidden motive that you will owe her one. Why do you love her? You’ve known each other for a long time and know everything about each other.
This, my friends, is known as the common “frienemy,” the friend and enemy all in one. Alison is the perfect example of the frienemy and being able to relate to her friendship with the girls keeps us intrigued. Alison knows how to make her friends feel comfortable enough to tell her their deepest secrets, but uses the secrets against them in the end. She manipulates everyone around her, even authority figures such as teachers or policemen.
- Relationship Dynamics. PLL looks into many different relationships that anyone can find at least one to relate to in some way, whether it’s family relationships or significant others.
Spencer Hastings’ parents are rich, authoritative, and strict, and the Hastings’ family bond isn’t exactly “lovey-dovey.” Her parents constantly keep secrets from each other as well as their children, however they will do anything to protect them. Viewers feel sorry for Spencer and her relationship with her family, and many may empathize with how alone she feels in her own home. Another family relationship viewers may relate to would be Hannah’s family, the Marins. Hannah’s mother, Ashley, is divorced, and her father is re-married to another family. While Hannah’s relationship with her father is becoming quite distant, she’s close to her mother and wants to see her happy. This means watching her mother date, which could be hard for anyone.
As for intimate relationships, PLL has them by the dozen. There are some we can relate to, and some are just plain interesting. One major relationship we can’t help but find interesting is Aria and Ezra. Aria is a high school student who falls in love and develops a relationship with her high school teacher. In real life, this type of relationship is taboo, frowned upon, and downright creepy! However, with “Ezria” you can’t help but feel as if it is a Romeo and Juliet, forbidden romance. In some ways, you envy their relationship because it moves past appearances and deeper into something more. Aria and Ezra share a love for literature and classic, black and white films, they really seem to understand each other and will do anything to be together. A more realistic relationship we see is Hannah and Caleb, “Haleb.” Caleb is the grungy, misunderstood bad boy who doesn’t trust anyone, until he meets Hannah. Hannah needs a favor and she knows that Rosewood’s bad boy will be ale to do it. Before you know it, a relationship blooms and no one can believe the superficial, fashionista Hannah would ever fall for the homeless delinquent. It’s what every girl dreams of: a bad boy that changes for love.
- Sense of Commitment to the Characters. After four seasons of getting to know the characters, their relationships, and going through the murder mysteries with them, you start to feel as if you know them! I know it sounds weird, but if you’re ever talking about PLL with others, right away you can identify your favorite character, the character you hate, and why you feel that way about them. You’re on a first name basis, and can even see yourself relating your friends to a character on the show. Let’s be real, you’re committed!
- Getting Away with Murder. The girls get away with so many things in the show that people could never get away with in real life. They break into houses, pretend to be health professionals to look at medical records, tamper with police evidence, lie to police officers, and hack others’ computers. Just the idea of getting away with something gives us a little thrill. Remember when you lied to your parents for the first time? Your heart was racing; you were horrified, yet excited at the same time. Then, when it actually worked, you felt as if you were invincible.
- The music. Plain and simple, PLL has great taste in music. From known artists, such as Etta James and Rihanna, to rising artists, like Zee Avi or the Civil Wars, PLL has it all. There are moments for every genre, including pop, country, rock, classical, R&B, indie, acoustic, and contemporary. Everybody likes discovering new music, and if you’re watching the show, you’re bound to hear a couple unknown artists.
So, there you have it. A list of reasons why we are so crazy about Pretty Little Liars, and why we feel the need to post about it on social media. Trust me, the list could go on if you just ask the right person. Do your PLL friends a favor and watch a full episode at least once! You may not fall in love with it and understand all at once, but maybe you will start to figure out why it’s such a good show. Maybe if it’s the right time, with the right people and atmosphere, you will love it just the same.