Two years ago, Max’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin surprised longtime PLL fans and newbies alike with its horror-focused take on the teen drama. Co-showrunners Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Lindsay Calhoon Bring (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) are finally back with another season, trading in the spooky Halloween vibes for a hot girl Summer School slasher.
Previously on Original Sin…
We were introduced to new Liars, a new shady town, and a new omnipresent Anonymous killer on a revenge rampage. Because of their moms’ pasts as ruthless mean girls, five teens — Imogen Adams (Bailee Madison), Tabitha “Tabby” Hayworth (Chandler Kinney), Faran Bryant (Zaria), Minnie “Mouse” Honrada (Malia Pyles), and Noa Olivar (Maia Reficco) — found themselves being taunted with riddles and vague threats via text. But instead of the black hoodies and red coats of old, these girls are stalked by a hulking figure with a look strongly influenced by Michael Myers, Jason Vorhees, and Leatherface.
Throughout its 10 episodes, the show put them through hell — generational trauma, decades-long secrets, and multiple murders aplenty. The big finale addressed the most pertinent questions: Principal Clanton (Robert Stanton) was the father of Angela Waters (Gabriella Pizzolo), the girl who took her life after relentless bullying by the Y2K moms. He was behind the texts while his son, Angela’s secret twin brother Archie (aka Slasher A), was underneath the mask.
Original Sin ended with the Liars the final girls, their moms, and significant others celebrating Christmas together and awkwardly announcing how they planned to pick up the pieces of their lives. Noa’s mom Marjorie (Elena Goode) was on her way to rehab. Faran’s mom Corey (Zakiya Young) was moving back to Millwood. Mouse’s moms Elodie (Lea Salonga) and Shirley (Kim Berrios Lin), were going to couples therapy.
But before the credits roll, Slasher A(rchie) escapes the hospital (because Millwood’s police are just as incompetent as Rosewood’s), and on his way out, he kills the incredibly unhinged Sheriff Beasley (Eric Johnson), who’d survived his wife’s justified stabbing. He also took out Millwood’s resident rapist Chip Langsberry (Carson Rowland), before Imogen and Tabby could press charges. Oh, and Imogen also had her baby.
Summer School picks up on Christmas morning with Imogen, Tabby, and Tabby’s mom Sidney (Sharon Leal) opening gifts until they’re interrupted by a frantic call from Kelly Beasley (Mallory Bechtel) telling them about the previous night’s double murder. But I won’t reveal the detailed outcome of that situation.
Six months later, Imogen, Tabby, Faran, Mouse, and Noa are revving up for summer break when they’re told that they can’t move on to junior year unless they complete summer school (because their grades slipped while they were too preoccupied solving mysteries and outrunning the boogeyman).
Now their hot girl summer is a summer of healing and self-discovery, plus new jobs and romances, all while undergoing much-needing group therapy with PLL alum Dr. Anne Sullivan (Annabeth Gish). Executive producer Gina Girolamo (You) described this season as a “coming-of-rage story” because it’s a “post-Trump…post-Roe” world and “these girls are pissed.”
Meanwhile, Kelly and her mom Martha (Jennifer Ferrin) are “blessed and busy” with their new church, Our Mother of Holy Grace. Naturally, the more we see of the tight-knit congregation, the more cult-like it looks but in a low-key realistic way instead of cloaks and human sacrifices.
Adding to their collective PTSD is the paranoia of Archie coming back for a serial killer sequel, along with a new anonymous foe. That would be Bloody Rose, another slow-walking masked killer wielding a knife who they suspect could be Rose Waters, Angela and Archie’s mother. She’s less physically imposing and doesn’t quite spark the same fear as her towering predecessor but has an Angry Princess (Thirteen Ghosts) vibe. The lore of Bloody Rose has some elements of Bloody Mary, Candyman, and Friday the 13th.
Speaking of classic horror films, Tabby reluctantly gets to know her new Orpheum coworker Christian (Noah Alexander Gerry), a Fangoria and Roger Corman fanatic with whom she bonds over — what else? — a love of films and filmmaking. Imogen also gets an attractive coworker Johnny (Antonio Cipriano), along with her new job scooping ice cream at the Millwood Creamery.
And although Shawn (Alex Aiono) is still around, there’s some sexual tension between Noa and an old juvie pal named Jen (Ava Capri). Faran’s ballerino beau Henry (Ben Cook), Kelly’s boyfriend Greg (Elias Kacavas), and Mouse’s boyfriend Ash (Jordan Gonzalez) all return, with the latter two promoted to series regulars.
As for their personal journeys, Faran’s in her post-ballet strength training era and gets a summer job at the local pool. Mouse goes down an Archie Waters internet rabbit hole, frequently citing the show’s Creepypasta-esque website Spooky Spaghetti. It’s impossible not to laugh every time someone says it. But considering the site is a valuable (and disturbing) source for our final girls, her (hopefully temporary) addiction is useful.
The opening credits, set to the iconic “Secret” by the Pierces, are a little different this go around, no longer close-ups of Slasher A’s lair but a more VHS-esque collage of scenes in the vein of Yellowjackets. Last season was a mix of horror influences like Halloween, Scream, Carrie, Suspiria, and I Know What You Did Last Summer, just to name a few. This season adds thematic and visual references to Friday the 13th, Jaws, Midsommar, and a hint of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, along with Tabby’s endless film references.
Summer School has the same dreamy aesthetic as Original Sin but with the hotter weather, there’s even more of a honey-tinted glow. They’ve also maintained the ’70s/’80s horror-style shots with moody lighting, dutch angles, and dolly zooms for days. And you can’t have an ’80s slasher motif without familiar needle-drops like Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer,” ‘Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry,” and the Xanadu soundtrack. Although it’s from a different era, I appreciated the inclusion of “Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, a staple in the Scream franchise.
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School is a worthy follow-up to Original Sin that explores the trauma and grief of final girls, bringing even more stylistic slasher homages and horror movie references. The show remains a little campy and meta but doesn’t shy away from the real-life terrors of girlhood and the importance of friendship. Because we all need someone like Tabby to tell us, “That was some final girl energy, Laurie Strode realness.”
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School debuts with two episodes Thursday, May 9, 2024, followed by weekly episodes through June 20 on Max.
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