Pilot (Pretty Little Liars)

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"Pilot"
Pretty Little Liars episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 1
Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter
Written by I. Marlene King
Original air dateJune 8, 2010 (2010-06-08)
Guest appearances
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Pretty Little Liars (season 1)
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"Pilot" is the series premiere of the American mystery teen drama television series Pretty Little Liars . It introduces each of the main characters, as well as establishes the basic premises of the series. The episode aired on June 8, 2010, on ABC Family.

Contents

In the episode, the main characters Aria Montgomery, Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin and Emily Fields find themselves apprehensive one year after the disappearance of Alison DiLaurentis. When Aria returns to Rosewood, she reconnects with her old friends and secrets of the past begin to haunt them. Alison's body is then found in her former home, and after the funeral, the girls receive a frightening anonymous message signed by "A".

The episode received mixed reviews and was watched by 2.47 million viewers.

Pilot

In Rosewood, Pennsylvania on September 1, 2009, four friends get together in a homely barn, drinking and having fun. At one point, a noise outside the barn scares them. The four girls slowly make their way to the barn door, and a blonde girl gives them a fright, screaming. The blonde is after revealed to be Alison DiLaurentis, the clique's leader. The five then either sit or lie down and return to playful activities, falling asleep shortly after. During nightfall, Alison disappears and Spencer Hastings tries to look for her in the night. Aria Montgomery then wakes up and finds Spencer arriving back to the barn, where Spencer tells her and the others that she did not find Alison anywhere, and that she thinks she heard a scream.

One year later, it is revealed that Alison mysteriously vanished that night, and the girls went separate ways. Aria and her parents traveled for a year to Iceland; Hanna Marin underwent a complete style transformation, becoming the it-girl of Rosewood's social scene, and is friends with Mona Vanderwaal, who used to be bullied by Alison; Emily Fields focused on her swimming skills, hiding that she is attracted to girls and was in love with Alison; and Spencer focused on her studies and struggled to become Rosewood High's number one student.

The Montgomerys return to Rosewood after spending a year in Iceland, and Aria finds herself unable to adapt again to the town's mediocrity. Ella and Byron, Aria's parents, are happy together again after a crisis they had in the past, while Mike, Aria's younger brother, quickly settles himself in the lacrosse team. In an attempt to refresh her mind, she goes to a pub to drink and meets a young man there who also likes literature. They feel connected and make out in the pub's bathroom. On the first day of class, she discovers he is her new English teacher, Ezra Fitz. Aria receives a threatening message from someone who identifies as 'A', and who apparently knows about hers and her father's secrets.

At the Rosewood Mall, Hanna and Mona shoplift and camera footage catch Hanna, leading her mother to sleep with Detective Darren Wilden to release her daughter. Spencer prepares for a family dinner in which her sister Melissa introduces her fiancé Wren to the Hastings. Spencer discovers that Melissa and Wren will live in the barn that Spencer has gone on vacancy reforming and it irritates her. Meanwhile, Spencer discovers that she feels something for Wren. Emily's mother asks her to drop a welcome basket to the family which just moved to Rosewood and is living in the old DiLaurentis residence. Emily is reluctant, but ends up meeting with Maya who is the daughter of the St. Germains. They quickly befriend. Ashley, Hanna's mother, is still suffering from her divorce, and is having an affair with the detective who released Hanna. It is also revealed that Aria's father had an affair with one of his students in the past, Meredith, just like what is happening between Aria and Ezra. Spencer receives a message from 'A' which makes her remember she kissed Ian Thomas, Melissa's former boyfriend, in the past. Emily and Hanna also receive threatening message from 'A'.

They soon suspect Alison is 'A', until her body is found in the St. Germain residence and the town is shocked. At her funeral, Jessica DiLaurentis meets the girls and places her in the front row. The girls worry when Jenna Marshall—a classmate who was blinded in an incident involving the four girls and Alison—and her stepbrother Toby appear in the funeral. Afterwards, outside the church, the girls receive one more text: I'm still here bitches. And I know everything -A..

Production

"Pilot" was written by series' showrunner and main collaborator I. Marlene King and directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. On January 27, 2010, ABC Family picked up the series for 10 episodes, set to premiere in June 2010. [2] The theme song for Pretty Little Liars opening is "Secret" by The Pierces, which was suggested by one of the show's stars, Ashley Benson. [3]

Casting

ABC Family began casting for a Pretty Little Liars television pilot in October 2009. [4] Lucy Hale was cast as Aria Montgomery in the project, followed by Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings and Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz in November 2009. [5] In December 2009, The Futon Critic confirmed the casting of Ashley Benson as Hanna Marin and Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields, as well as the addition of Laura Leighton as Ashley Marin, Nia Peeples as Pam Fields, Roark Critchlow as Tom Marin, and Bianca Lawson as Maya. [6] [7] Mitchell had initially auditioned for the role of Spencer and then tried for Emily. [8] The Hollywood Reporter also noted that Torrey DeVitto and Sasha Pieterse landed recurring roles in the pilot. [7] The Alloy Entertainment website later confirmed that Pieterse would be playing Alison DiLaurentis and DeVitto would be Melissa Hastings, also mentioning the casting of Janel Parrish as Mona Vanderwaal. [9] Initially, Alexis Denisof was cast to be Aria Montgomery's father Byron. In April 2010, the role of Aria's father Byron was recast with Chad Lowe, [10] [11] and Holly Marie Combs was cast as Aria's mother Ella. Jenna Marshall is played by Tammin Sursok. [12] The actors who played Ian Thomas, Toby Cavanaugh and Jessica DiLaurentis in this episode were after replaced by Ryan Merriman, Keegan Allen and Andrea Parker, respectively. [1]

Filming

After the pilot was shot in Vancouver, filming for the rest of the series has since moved to Los Angeles. [13] [14] The series is primarily filmed at the Warner Bros. studio and backlot in the city of Burbank (near Los Angeles). [15]

Reception

Ratings

The pilot was broadcast on June 8, 2010. [16] It was watched by 2.47 million viewers, scoring a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic. [17]

Reviews

"Pilot" was received with mixed opinions, although the series has gotten a more positive critique over its progression. Metacritic gave the pilot episode 52 out of 100, based upon 14 critical reviews. [18] The New York Daily News gave the show a positive review, commenting that it "makes most popular vampire romances look anemic", while concluding, "Pretty Little Liars could go in several directions, including mundane teen clichés. It's got an equally good shot at making us care about these imperfect pretty girls." [19] A writer on Terror Hook has stated that " 'Pretty Little Liars' gets off to a very promising start. Great production all around, the writing keeps the viewer on their toes, and the acting just reinforces it. The overall mystery of the show in the end is dark and unpredictable, even stepping into the slasher film realm." [20] The New York Post gave the show three out of five stars, stating, "OK, so we've established that there is no socially redeeming value in this series and that your kids shouldn't watch it if they are too young and impressionable. But if you can distract them enough to miss the first 15 minutes, the show isn't half-bad. Actually, it is half-good, if that makes sense." [21] The Los Angeles Times wrote that the series is "one of those shows that manages to mildly, and perhaps unintentionally, spoof its genre while fully participating in it, and that's not a bad thing at all." [22]

Related Research Articles

<i>Pretty Little Liars</i> (book series) Young adult novel series

Pretty Little Liars is a series of young adult novels by Sara Shepard. Beginning with 2006's initial novel of the same name, the series follows the lives of four girls—Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery and Emily Fields.

<i>Pretty Little Liars</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of Pretty Little Liars, based on the books of the same name by Sara Shepard, premiered on June 8, 2010 and concluded on March 21, 2011 on ABC Family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aria Montgomery</span> Fictional character

Aria Marie Fitz is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars franchise created by American author Sara Shepard. Described as an “alternative” and artsy teen, the franchise revolves around Aria and her three best friends being blackmailed, stalked and tortured by an anonymous identity known as “A” after the disappearance of their friend Alison DiLaurentis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanna Marin</span> Character in Pretty Little Liars book series

Hanna Olivia Marin is a fictional character created by Sara Shepard for the Pretty Little Liars book series, and later developed for the Freeform television series adaptation by I. Marlene King. The character has also appeared in the spin-off series Ravenswood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Hastings</span> Fictional character in Pretty Little Liars

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison DiLaurentis</span> Fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars book series

Alison Lauren DiLaurentis is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars book series, its television adaptation, and the spin-off series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. The character was created by American author Sara Shepard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mona Vanderwaal</span> Fictional character

Mona Vanderwaal is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars book series, its television adaptation, and the spin-off TV series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. In the TV shows, she is portrayed by Janel Parrish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emily Fields</span> Fictional character

Emily Catherine Fields is a fictional character created in 2006 by author Sara Shepard. She is a character in both Pretty Little Liars' books and television series, and initially appears as a "jock girl" and one of the main protagonists of the story. She is part of the group known as the Liars; and is best friends with the four other members, who are also protagonists. Emily is known for her description and shyness, as well as for being part of a conservative family, the Fields.

"A" is a fictional character in the Pretty Little Liars franchise. Created by author Sara Shepard in 2006, the character serves as the main antagonist in both the television and book series. "A" has also appeared in the web series Pretty Dirty Secrets (2012).

<i>Pretty Little Liars</i> (season 5) Season of television series

The fifth season of the American mystery drama television series Pretty Little Liars began airing on ABC Family on June 10, 2014. Shooting for the season began on March 24, 2014, and ended on November 20, 2014. The season aired from June 10, 2014, to March 24, 2015.

Rosewood is a fictional town in Pennsylvania that serves as the main setting for the Pretty Little Liars book series and television adaptation. The town is suggested to be loosely based on real-life Rosemont, Pennsylvania.

<i>Pretty Little Liars</i> (season 6) Season of television series

The sixth season of the American mystery drama television series Pretty Little Liars, based on the books of the same name by Sara Shepard, was renewed on June 10, 2014 for two additional seasons, making the show ABC Family's longest running original series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">'A' Is for A-l-i-v-e</span> 1st episode of the 4th season of Pretty Little Liars

"'A' Is for A-l-i-v-e" is the first episode and premiere of the fourth season of the American mystery drama television series Pretty Little Liars, and is the 72nd episode overall, which aired on ABC Family on June 11, 2013. The episode was written and directed by showrunner I. Marlene King, marking the second episode King has directed for the TV series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Of Late I Think of Rosewood</span> 11th episode of the 6th season of Pretty Little Liars

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Alex Drake (<i>Pretty Little Liars</i>) Fictional character

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "14 Things You Never Noticed About the 'Pretty Little Liars' Pilot". Bustle. January 21, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  2. ↑ "ABC Family Announces Pick-Up Of Dramas "Huge"" (PDF) (Press release). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-07. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  3. ↑ Taub, Melinda (August 4, 2010). "Ashley Benson Picked the Theme Song". Wetpaint . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  4. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (October 19, 2009). "ABC Family nears 'Little Liars' pickup". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on January 27, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  5. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (November 11, 2009). "ABC Family fills comedy, Liars roles". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on January 9, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  6. ↑ "ABC Family announces additional casting for its upcoming pilots" (PDF) (Press release). ABC Family. December 7, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (December 7, 2009). "Laura Leighton joins 'Pretty Little Liars'". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ Ko, Nalea J. (July 6, 2011). "'Pretty Little Liars' Actress Shay Mitchell on Coming to America". Pacific Citizen . Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Pretty Little Liars on TV!". Alloy Entertainment. January 28, 2010. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ Burt, Kayti (October 23, 2014). "9 Things You Didn't Know About Pretty Little Liars". Wetpaint. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  11. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (April 1, 2010). "Chad Lowe joins ABC Family series". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  12. ↑ Ausiello, Michael (April 10, 2010). "Exclusive: Holly Marie Combs joins 'Pretty Little Liars'". Entertainment Weekly. Time. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  13. ↑ Moorhouse, Drusilla (June 8, 2010). "Pretty Little Liars: Stars Share Secrets on the Set of Their New Show". E! Online. NBCUniversal . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  14. ↑ Ahearn, Victoria (June 21, 2010). "'Pretty Little Liars' actress shows Canuck roots". MSN Canada. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  15. ↑ Garland, Chad (28 March 2015). "Library hosts fans of cult book and show 'Pretty Little Liars'". The Burbank Leader. Tribune Publishing Company. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Shows A-Z - pretty little liars on freeform". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  17. ↑ Gorman, Bill (June 9, 2010). "Tuesday Cable: Justified Finale & Law & Order:CI Flat, Plus Deadliest Catch, The Hills, WWE NXT & More". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Pretty Little Liars: Season 1". Metacritic. CBS Interactive . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Pretty Little Liars - The Complete First Season : Release Year - 2010". Terror Hook. Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  20. ↑ Hinckley, David (June 8, 2010). "Time will tell if 'Pretty Little Liars' are good at keeping secrets". Daily News . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  21. ↑ Stasi, Linda (June 8, 2010). "Not just another 'Pretty' face". New York Post . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  22. ↑ McNamara, Mary (June 8, 2010). "Television review: 'Pretty Little Liars'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
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