Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin

:

Season 1
  • Network: HBO Max
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 28, 2022
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
5.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 11
  3. Negative: 5 out of 11

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User Reviews

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  1. thedarkbird
    Jul 30, 2022
    3
    This is another one of those thriller/horror mysteries that artificially keep up tension by twisting human behaviour in such an unrealistic way it voids the story. Combined with subpar acting, scenes that are out of place, silly dialogue and adults with the mental capability of a child, I would advise you to steer away from this show.
  2. Rebel_Panda
    Aug 5, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Never seen Pretty Little Liars before but I tried this since I love slashers. Original Sin is campy, self-aware, and surprisingly well written. Each of the main characters has a distinct personality, with distinct flaws. There's so much unhinged behavior, coupled with pop music and cleverly framed shots. Karen, in particular is the most hilariously deranged character in the cast.

    This is much more of a spiritual successor to Scream than Scream 5 was. It references modern horror flicks and filmmakers in a comical way. It's clear the directors have an understanding of their horror influences in the cinematography techniques. They never shy away from showing gory gruesome kills.

    I loved the callbacks to Nightmare on Elm Street's school dream sequences. The creepy background music and handheld camera during these scenes really sell the scares. The few jump-scares it has are mostly well done, where it succeeded more was the psychological horror.

    Acting-wise, not top notch, but they're talented enough to deliver at key moments. My favorite part of PLL: Original Sin is the one liners, "Fincher, Zodiac. Don't." was the best one. If you absolutely despise Zoomer words and phrases, just don't bother, but I largely think they approach the script with self-awareness and the over-the-top delivery implies irony.

    It's shocking, funny, and most of all, scary. Give it a chance even if you're not a fan of the original.    … Expand
  3. SocialistDad15
    Aug 1, 2022
    9
    If you watched PLL and thought, it was a little too teen drama and you want it to skew closer to horror...well have I got a treat for you.

    The first three episodes work as a series of set ups for the season. Now, be forewarned there are a LOT of storylines to keep track of, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa certainly seems to be replicating some of the tone of The Chilling Adventures of    If you watched PLL and thought, it was a little too teen drama and you want it to skew closer to horror...well have I got a treat for you.

    The first three episodes work as a series of set ups for the season. Now, be forewarned there are a LOT of storylines to keep track of, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa certainly seems to be replicating some of the tone of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

    The A(ntagonist) -hehe- is easily scarier and more foreboding than anything in the original PLL and the characters are indcredibly well written and rounded.

    I can't tell you the last show I saw that had two Black women as leads that weren't immediately written to hate each other. The camera work is also incredibly refreshing framing the main characters (mostly actors in their 20's) but not falling in the typical patriarchal trap of sexualizing their characters.

    It does cross into some well trodden terrirtory in its meta analysis of horror through its wes craven inspried character obessed with film. However, I LOVE EVERYTHING so far.

    Expect a lot of trolling reviews because naturally this show touches on various social touch points, and will get hate immediately just for the inclusivity of its main characters.

    There is also a fascinating juxtapostion of social ills viewed through the storylines of their parents vs that of themselves.

    Karen and her family, work all too well as a supremacist family codified and empowered in their town, and it will be interesting to see how that story unfolds...    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Coleman Spilde
    Jul 28, 2022
    80
    Original Sin’s blend of mystery and horror is done surprisingly well. A series of stylistic homages to classic slasher flicks sets the exact-right tone.
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  2. Decider
    Reviewed by: Kayla Cobb
    Jul 26, 2022
    80
    In the grand television tapestry of manipulative teen girls, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin isn’t revolutionary. But it is fun. Original Sin reworks the central themes and mysteries of the first series just enough to turn this tried-and-true premise into an all-out horror romp. No lie.
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  3. Variety
    Jul 26, 2022
    80
    Madison, Zaria and Reficco give particularly compelling performances as their characters fall deeper down A’s twisted rabbit hole, while Bechtel makes the most of playing two different brands of terrible teen. As long as you don’t think too hard about the mystery’s logistics, the show provides enough intrigue to keep your attention through the next episode. It might sound basic, but enough reboots have failed on that front to at least make “Original Sin” a refreshing outlier.
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