Parents' Guide to

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Fun, spooky series spin-off is violent; has cursing, nudity.

TV Max Drama 2022
Pretty Little Liars Original Sin poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Teen5678
Teen5678 Adult
August 6, 2022
age 17+

Very mature… did not like at all.

I’m a big fan of the original series, and I got about 25 minutes into the reboot before I had to turn it off. I’m 18, but it was just too dark for me. Really bad language, gore, lots of nudity and sex. I really hate when HBOMax makes reboots like Gossip Girl because they make them way darker and more mature than the originals. In my opinion, not worth watching.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
rileygrace
rileygrace Parent of 4, 10 and 11-year-old
August 4, 2022
age 13+
It's not inappropriate for 12/13 + but the acting is pretty bad.
1 person found this helpful.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: ORIGINAL SIN, an installment of the Pretty Little Liars franchise, features a new generation of teens being harassed by a mysterious assailant. In 1999 Angela Waters (Gabriella Pizzolo) committed suicide during a New Year's Eve dance after a group of former friends ignored her pleas for help. Twenty-two years later, Davie (Carly Pope), Sidney (Sharon Leal), Marjorie (Elena Goode), Corey (Zakiya Young), and Elodie (Lea Salonga) are all grown up, and their daughters, Imogen (Bailee Madison), Tabby (Chandler Kinney), Noa (Maia Reficco), Faran (played by Zaria), and Mouse (Malia Pyles) all go to Millford High. This new generation also has secrets of their own, some of which get harder to keep when a stranger known as "A" begins to harass them. The teens are quick to think that their nemesis, Karen Beasley (Mallory Bechtel), is responsible for what is happening. But as events unfold, they begin to wonder if what is happening to them is somehow connected to Angela's death, and the secrets their mothers are keeping.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (5 ):

This Pretty Little Liars spin-off combines soapy elements with traditional horror movie cliches to create an edgy, and addictive, viewing experience. Viewers get to see how the mysterious and sinister "A" wreaks havoc on the teens' lives, and the deadly harm the "assailant" causes to those around them. But as this unfolds, viewers are also pulled in to each character's personal narratives, in which different secrets are revealed. Woven throughout are pieces of the mothers' story. It's a lot to keep track of, and the way all these storylines connect is a little blurry. But overall, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is an entertaining series that fans of the franchise will enjoy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how bullying. What different forms does bullying take in this series? How has technology made bullying easier to do, and get away with? What things can we do to stop it?

  • Is there a connection between what happens in Pretty Little Liars and what happens in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin? If so, are these links obvious?

TV Details

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