Pretty Little Liars: Summer School (2024) spoiler free review
It’s gonna be a killer summer. Pretty Little Liars is an American slasher teen drama mystery television series created for HBO Max by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Lindsay Calhoon Bring. The first season, titled Original Sin, premiered on July 28, 2022. A second season, subtitled Summer School, premiered on May 9, 2024. It is the fourth television series in the Pretty Little Liars franchise.
Following the harrowing events of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, our Pretty Little Liars face a fate worse than death – summer school. However, Millwood High isn’t the only thing getting in the way of their fun summer jobs and new, dreamy love interests. A new villain, who may or may not have a connection to A, has come to town and is going to put them all to the test
Season synopsis
The cast includes Bailee Madison as Imogen Adams, Chandler Kinney as Tabitha “Tabby” Haworthe, Zaria as Faran Bryant, Malia Pyles as Minnie “Mouse” Honrada, Maia Reficco as Noa Olivar, Mallory Bechtel as Kelly Beasley, Ben Cook as Henry Nelson, Jennifer Ferrin as Martha Beasley, Derek Klena as Wes, Carey Van Driest as Susan Langsberry, and Annabeth Gish as Dr. Anne Sullivan.
Episode guide:
- “Chapter Eleven: Spookyspaghetti.com”
- “Chapter Twelve: Summer Lovin”
- “Chapter Thirteen: Sweet Sixteen”
- “Chapter Fourteen: When a Stranger Calls Back”
- “Chapter Fifteen: Friday the 13th”
- “Chapter Sixteen: Hell House”
- “Chapter Seventeen: The Bogeyman”
- “Chapter Eighteen: Final Exam”
My opinion
After a school year full of blood and revelations, the PLLs were ready to leave everything behind and start their hot girl summer. To their misfortune, the group of friends composed of Imogen, Tabby, Noa, Mouse and Faran, must attend summer school if they want to pass the school year.
With these new plans, new romantic interests, summer jobs and a murderer with a thirst for revenge come to Millwood. In eight episodes Pretty Little Liars: Summer School takes us through a story full of suspense, distrust and life-and-death trials.
The main cast shows an improvement not only in the acting quality but also in the character’s development. The traumas and emotions that surround the protagonist quintet are handled in a coherent, realistic and effective way. Highlights include the performances of Bailee Madison (Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, The Strangers: Prey at Night) and Chandler Kinney (Zombies, American Horror Story: Asylum) who takes a more leading role and becomes the definitive final girl of the season.
The plot takes you into a constant game of riddles of who or who could be behind the mask and the attacks. Although it is not until the end that the revelation arrives, small details can give the answer. This causes the plot not to become predictable by providing sufficient reasons and motives for any character to be guilty.
The series achieves a balance between horror and adolescent humor. Bringing comedy at the right times and creating tension when the scene requires it. Pretty Little Liars (2022 – ) is a series that takes the risk of being different from the material already established by the original series and spin off already existing without forgetting that in the end it is still a teen show.
The future of the series is kept in suspense with a semi-open ending and the waiting for confirmation of a third season by HBO. If they decide not to continue the story had an adequate closure, if they want to continue I will look forward to the new challenge that awaits the liars.