"Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin" Initial Review: A Diluted Formula

Release Date: July 28, 2022 (First 3 Episodes)

Platform: HBO Max

It has been twelve years since the debut of popular teen drama/thriller “Pretty Little Liars,” or “PLL,” a guilty pleasure series that I would come to watch religiously. Following two unsuccessful spin-offs, HBO Max is reigniting the franchise with a new series that looks to more closely emulate the formula of its predecessor as a proper spin-off. Those familiar with the original series may find some of the following to feel like déjà vu after finishing the initial release of three episodes. This new series follows a group of five high school girls who become thrust into a cat and mouse game by a mysterious antagonist who identifies as “A”. The motivation behind the torment is linked to the tragic death of another high schooler twenty-two years ago, Angela Waters, a student that was connected to the parents of the current group of girls.

Unlike the original “PLL,” “Original Sin” leans heavily into its slasher elements and better mimicks the “Scream” TV series, a stage which is set by the drearier version of the original “PLL” theme song. Pushing the comparison even further, even though it does not take a meta approach, the show does include a horror movie aficionado in Tabby (Chandler Kinney) who references such films. “A” is portrayed as a Michael Myers-like stalker who is shown to wear a leather-like mask and he/she is more visual than expected in the first three episodes. Rather than framing his operations from the shadows, the audience witnesses A's violence firsthand, in an attempt to build fear around the character. Not wanting to make too many comparisons with the previous series, I will simply say that seeing less of the character and more of their deeds and the fallout proved for an effective drama by keeping a lot behind the scenes and building towards the reveals.

The initial set-up for the main cast of girls feels very paint by numbers and very loose in its execution. Other than Imogen (Bailee Madison) and Tabby, there are no obvious connections between the five lead characters before they all end up detention together, à la “The Breakfast Club”. Each member of the group brings their own unique representation. Imogen is a White pregnant teen with a recent tragedy, Noa (Maia Reficco) is a Latina on probation, Minnie (Malia Pyles) is a Filipina who lives an isolated and is hinted to be gay, Faran (Zaria Simone) is an overachieving Black ballet dancer, and Tabby is an aspiring Black filmmaker who contends with inappropriate advances at work. There is no fault in the series' diverse cast, but the different angles that the diversity could bring is a bit squandered in the characters' one-dimensional personalities. Regardless, if the story can progress in a way that capitalizes on these different qualities, it could open the door to unique character situations. What these initial episodes have failed to do is gather a good sense of depth for the cast and, for most, there is little established to indicate future depth. This concern is perpetuated by the shared focus of the plot on the girls' parents, who better encapsulate the titular “Liars”.

While the lack of a coherent connection exists for the younger cast of liars, their parents do not suffer from the same. The story builds a lore that connects the past to the present, with their parents holding a secret regarding Angela Walters' death. This narrative takes a backseat to the girls' struggles with bullies, threatening texts, and amateur scheming, but seems to hold the most substance for the underlying mystery. For a show built on secrets and lies, the older supporting cast appears to have sapped that dimension away from its younger leads. There are hints at secrets being held by Minnie and Imogen, but the bulk of the story has already pushed characters to admit things to others, including secrets about the opening episodes main conflict with high school bully Karen (very ironic). There is a lot of information that comes out very straightforward and fails to generate enough tension to build a thrill around the story.

What the show's opening is doing well, though, is laying the roots for the underlying mystery and the conflict that is sure to come from the girls unraveling the mystery. The episodes move the narrative along quickly, too quickly, and leaves the story with no time to sit with all the possible connections between characters and plot devices. A benefit to this, though, is that there is always something going on so even if the plot is still just skimming the surface, its fast pace of cycling through its dangling plot threads is enough to maintain attention. There are a couple of glaring oddities that stood out in the first three episodes. A strange technical aspect has been the illustration of passing time through title cards for the day of the week. It is yet to be seen whether the time or specific days will bear any importance on the story, but the episodes make it point for us to know what day it is. Another is some of the dialogue not fitting the tone of the show. There are mature themes and plot points explored and the characters dialogue can feel very inconsistent in tone and purpose, but that may just be the reality of teenagers.

Again, “Original Sin” carries hints of the original “PLL” and the “Scream” TV series, but is easily a diluted version of the two. There is very little originality to be found in this series, but for those seeking an easy watching teen drama/thriller, there is likely just enough to quench that thirst. There is nothing about the primary set-up that feels organic and a lot of the plot has to be forced into place to avoid being plagued with incoherence. But, with so much material to sift through, there is plenty of potential to find a diamond or two to elevate the narrative with some substance. There needs to be more depth and interest built around the main cast and with seven episodes left in the season, it is entirely possible for these qualms to be remedied. However, it comes with the shame of three episodes paced too quickly to set a real intrigue.

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RATING: 🤫 🤫 🤫 / 5

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