Pretty Little Liars Original Sin returns for Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, the second season of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Lindsay Calhoon Bring’s (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) PLL reboot. Pretty Little Liars Original Sin was packed with horror Easter eggs and references for genre die-hards, and Summer School doubles down on that with a good ‘ol fashioned summer slasher angle.
My personal favorite part about all of this? I can only imagine the influx of curious new horror fans who will find their way to the genre after watching these characters dissect and count down their favorite slasher entries and get deep in the weeds discussing their favorite horror movies. Is there a Letterboxd list dedicated to Pretty Little Liars horror references yet?
Check out our interview with Pretty Little Liars cast members Malia Pyles and Jordan Gonzalez, where we find out Jordan is a FANGORIA fan and discuss the importance of portraying LGBTQ+ characters who are allowed to simply live their lives — outrunning slashers and having pizza with friends. Typical teenager stuff.
When appreciating stories such as these, it's hard not to wonder how this may have helped me as a teenager growing up without any relatable representation. Gonzalez describes it as: “I wouldn't have had to feel othered for so long, and I would have had the language to understand how I was feeling. It's a really special thing to be a part of.”
Pyles shares the sentiment: “In a Mouse-like fashion, I would say I came to terms after high school. Maybe that process would have been a little less turbulent if I had a show like this growing up.”
“It's really important to just allow them to exist,” Gonzalez adds. “So often, as queer people, our stories are just about the pain and the suffering that sometimes comes with coming out. It's awesome to be a part of a happy, healthy relationship to showcase that they can be in a happy, healthy relationship.”
Watch our full interview below.
Here’s the official synopsis for the new season:
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.
Stay tuned for our interviews with more of the Little Liars cast and series creators. All Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin episodes are now streaming on Max. The first two episodes of Pretty Little Liars: Summer School premiered May 9 on Max, and new episodes drop weekly every Thursday.
For more PLL, check out this piece on why the original Pretty Little Liars was also “gateway horror gold.”
