There may be endless TV shows to pick, from streaming services like Netflix to traditional cable, with friends sharing new obsessions all the time. Still, Pretty Little Liars had something special about it, as the story of a high school girl disappearing and reappearing in her small town was too juicy to ignore. The series examined so much, from broken hearts to family arguments, questions about the future and thoughts of the past.
Sometimes Pretty Little Liars gave into teen drama cliches, but for the most part, the show gave fans seven seasons of dramatic entertainment. Which other TV shows should fans of this popular show check out?
The Undoing
The finale of The Undoing didn’t wrap up loose ends, but many people still enjoyed the dramatic story of Grace Fraser (Nicole Kidman) learning the truth about her doctor husband.
The Undoing is a great pick for fans of Pretty Little Liars. While not a teen drama, it still examines the secrets that a family will keep from each other, along with what people give up when they decide to keep up with the Joneses and become part of a fabulous, wealthy group. Grace could definitely be a mother of one of the liars and it’s easy to see her running her therapy practice in Rosewood, learning that not everything is as it seems.
Good Girls
While not a teen show, either, Good Girls has the juicy and addictive quality that Pretty Little Liars has in every single episode.
With three seasons under its belt, the show stars Retta, Christina Hendricks, and Mae Whitman as three best pals who steal some money from a grocery store as they’re struggling to provide for their families. Like PLL, this show is about female friendships and the secrets that people keep from each other, even when they’re supposed to be on the same page and fighting the same battle.
Riverdale
While some things about Riverdale don’t make any sense, it’s still a really fun teen mystery. Featuring beloved characters from the Archie comic book series, the show is set in a small town that has many scares alongside its charm.
Betty, Veronica, Archie, and Jughead deal with mysteries, dating, and their complex relatives, and fans of PLL will definitely become just as invested in this show. There has been four seasons so far with season five coming at the end of January 2021.
The Vampire Diaries
Starring Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert, a teenage girl who falls for vampire brothers, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) Salvatore, The Vampire Diaries is a great watch for anyone who enjoys watching Ali and her friends in Rosewood. With eight seasons, there’s a lot for people to catch up on.
This show has all the relationship drama and mysterious elements of PLL, but it adds the supernatural, of course, along with some truly scary scenes that seem like they’re from a horror movie.
Dare Me
Dare Me is adapted from the book by Megan Abbott and lasted for one season on Netflix. The teen drama is perfect for PLL fans as it has many similar elements.
Marlo Kelly and Herizen F. Guardiola play Beth and Abby, best friends who have a much more toxic relationship than might be apparent at first. When their new cheerleading coach Colette (Willa Fitzgerald) starts working, their worlds are turned upside down, and with a mystery hanging over everyone’s heads, everything is a big mess.
The Society
The Society had compelling characters and one of the best premises: what if high schoolers found themselves completely alone? They couldn’t find their parents, or other relatives, or their teachers, or any other adults. Soon, the teens learned that something supernatural must have taken place, but before they could really solve the mystery, they began turning on each other.
Sadly, The Society only got a single season before Netflix canceled it, so no one will really know what happened to make the teens so isolated from their parents and the rest of the world.
Scream Queens
Created by Ryan Murphy, Scream Queens starred Lea Michele and Emma Roberts and aired for two seasons.
Season one was about a killer on a college campus and season two was set at a creepy hospital. Both seasons featured quirky yet still terrifying moments, and if people are searching for a smart show about people who don’t always do the right thing, this is a good bet. It also blends horror and camp, which is fun to watch, and Emma Roberts is perfect as Queen Bee Chanel Oberlin.
Nancy Drew
Those waiting for a fun and contemporary adaptation of Nancy Drew were happy to tune into this CW drama. Kennedy McMann stars as the main character living in the creepy town of Horseshoe Bay.
The show has some interesting elements fans might not have caught and with the second season premiering later this month, it’s the perfect time to catch up on the first season’s episodes. Nancy couldn’t help but get sucked into many different mysteries, including the ghost of Lucy Sable and her own family’s involvement in that situation.
Tiny Pretty Things
Adapted from a young adult novel, Tiny Pretty Things recently started streaming on Netflix, and the series tells the story of Neveah (Kylie Jefferson), who gets a scholarship to a dance school.
The phrase “nothing is what it appears to be” is often used to describe these types of mysteries that feature twists and turns, and it can be applied to both Pretty Little Liars and Tiny Pretty Things. Chances are that people will enjoy both shows.
Joan Of Arcadia
With only two seasons, Joan Of Arcadia starred Amber Tamblyn as Joan, a teenage girl who could see and speak to God.
Just like Pretty Little Liars, JOA takes place in a small town and features dating, family, and friendship storylines. Joan could never tell anyone what was going on, just like the liars had trouble letting people know about A and the rest of the A team who was stalking them. Both series have some elements that involve suspension of disbelief, along with some realistic plots about high school life.
