When a TV pilot is bad, people decide to skip the show and move onto something else. When it’s good, it introduces characters, sets up the main location, and is either totally hilarious or a big mystery, depending on the genre. Pretty Little Liars was an exciting series right from the start, as the teen drama introduced Alison DiLaurentis’s disappearance and the friends whom she tormented who wanted to solve the mystery.
There are some scenes from the pilot that fans forgot about, but there were also some iconic moments that have stayed in fans’ minds ever since. Rewatching the pilot episode is just as fun now as it was back when it aired in 2010.
Aria And Ezra Met At A Bar
Aria might not have met Ezra at the best time, as he was her teacher and she was underage, but she did fall in love with him and their romance lasted for most of the show.
One of the most classic moments from the first episode of Pretty Little Liars is when Aria and Ezra met at a bar. They bonded fast and he wrongly believed she was in college. This would have been an adorable and romantic meet-cute if not for the age difference.
Emily Met Maya, Who Was Living In Ali’s Old House
Fans loved Emily and Maya’s romance, and they met in the pilot, as Maya moved into Ali’s old house.
Maya slowly realized that something tragic had happened there, and Emily filled her in on Ali’s disappearance. This meeting was a big deal for Emily, who fell hard for Maya. While she never stopped caring about Ali and wanting her to return home safe and sound, her relationship with Maya allowed her to move on a little.
Aria Realized Ezra Was Her High School English Teacher
While Aria might have kept up her lie that she was a Hollis college student for much longer, she was found out when she walked into her English classroom and saw Ezra.
When Ezra and Aria realized that he was her teacher, it was huge, and they were torn between their connection and the age difference between them. This also set up the biggest secret that Aria kept from her friends and family — and something that “A” would hold over her head and threaten her with.
A Flashback Scene To Ali’s Disappearance From The Barn
Fans will remember that Spencer’s family had a barn behind their house, and she fixed it up so it was pretty and fun to hang out in.
The PLL pilot had a flashback scene to the night Ali disappeared. The girls were having a sleepover in the barn, and when they woke up in the middle of the night, they realized that Ali was nowhere to be found. This was, of course, the start of the thrilling mystery of what happened to their friend.
Hanna Got Caught Shoplifting
Hanna had a shoplifting problem at the start of Pretty Little Liars and Detective Wilden caught her in the first episode.
Fans will remember that Hanna’s mom Ashley had a tough-love conversation with her, telling her, “In Rosewood, you don’t have room to make a mistake.” This set up Rosewood as a beautiful small town that seemed perfect but was a pressure cooker of a place to live. Hanna wasn’t a bad kid, but she was lost and sad as her parents split up.
Ashley Slept With Wilden To Save Hanna
Ashley thought that if she had an affair with Detective Wilden, she could save Hanna from getting into too much trouble for stealing sunglasses.
This was a big moment in the first episode, and Hanna was definitely shocked. She was watching the news when her mom came home with Wilden. This made Hanna feel guilty and even more afraid of the Rosewood police, wondering if she was going to be okay. But even though she was uncomfortable with her mom’s dating choices, there was nothing she could do about it.
Aria Knew Byron Cheated On Ella
In the first episode of PLL, Aria knew a horrible truth about her parents’ marriage: that it definitely wasn’t as perfect as it appeared to be.
Fans learned that when Ali was still in Rosewood, she and Aria were walking around when they bumped into Mona, who started following them. They cruelly ignored her as they felt that she was too dorky to talk to. A moment later, they saw Byron kissing Meredith. This was a big moment on the show, as “A” tormented Aria with this family secret.
Spencer Thought She Saw Ali
Spencer had some tough, tragic storylines and it all started in the pilot. So much of her story was introduced, from her feud with her sister Melissa to her desire to excel in school.
In the first episode, Spencer looked out the window and thought that she saw Ali. It was too quick for her to be sure, as she saw some blonde hair, but she asked “Alison?” and looked totally freaked out. It’s tough to know if she really saw her friend or not since fans know that Ali wasn’t actually dead, despite what the police and residents of Rosewood thought.
Jenna Arrived At Ali’s Funeral
Ever since Ali played her notorious prank, the girls avoided Jenna as she tragically lost her eyesight as a result.
Another memorable moment from the pilot of Pretty Little Liars was when Jenna made her grand entrance at Ali’s funeral. The girls turned around and saw Jenna in her sunglasses, and they were terrified that she would say something to them. This was a reminder that while Ali was gone, she still had power over the liars and was still impacting their lives.
The Girls Got A Group Text From “A” At Ali’s Funeral
“A” texted the girls some horrible messages and Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Emily each got a scary text in the first episode of the show.
At the end of the pilot, the girls attended Ali’s funeral (or what they thought was her funeral), and “A” sent them a group text that said, “I’m still here, b*tches. And I know everything.” This is definitely the most classic and iconic moment in the first episode, as it sums up so much. It scared the girls, who had no clue what to expect next, and it also made them wonder if “A” was really their old friend Alison. Fans couldn’t wait for the next episode — and the next…
