A Twenty Something’s Guilty Pleasure: Pretty Little Liars

When I was in college, I barely had any time to watch TV. Between classes, cheerleading, going to the gym, working, studying, going out, and making television (student television, of course) – I had about one free hour a day, and I would literally spend that hour staring at my Facebook newsfeed on my bed. Pathetic, yes. Relaxing, ehh. Productive, no. However, I found no time to watch TV – except on Sunday nights when Entourage, Curb, and True Blood were new … and on Jersday (duh) … oh, and for Glee.

Anyway, as a college graduate, I have much more free time. I work during the day…  I go to the gym after work… and after that, I am free. No “homework.” No papers. No studying. No practice. No commitments.  Therefore, I have had the pleasure of surfing stations at night and finding the most addicting show in television history – Pretty Little Liars.

I had seen the previews for PLL and wanted to watch it, so before the 2nd half of season one aired this past January, I watched a marathon of all the episodes I missed… and immediately was hooked.

At first, I was embarrassed by  my newfound love of an ABC Family show, but then I got over it because umm it’s way too effing addicting. Yes, every girl in middle school probably counts down to new episodes – but that doesn’t mean I can’t do the same. I mean this show is clearly for an older audience anyway… With the multiple, mysterious deaths, the use of steroids, the stealing of money, the affairs between divorced parents, and the affairs between a student and her teacher… it is almost a joke they want us to believe four normal high school girls would partake in such actions.

Also, no one believes that high school students always look that good. Actually, NO ONE always looks that good. Do you ever roll out of bed with perfectly wavy hair? No. You didn’t get us there.

The show follows the lives of 4 “pretty little liars.” The HIGH SCHOOL students lost their best friend, Alison, a year ago and started receiving mysterious text messages from someone named “A.” This person is clearly following them around and is trying to hurt, kill, and/or sabotage them. The girls are also trying to figure out who killed Alison, and it seems like some people in the town might have an idea – but are covering it up.

There are many reasons this show is addictive:

1. The mystery. Once you watch, you want to know who the f*ck is following these girls around, texting them non-stop and who the f*ck killed Alison and got away with it.

2. Crazy things seem to always happen in the previews for the next week so you get all excited to watch – but its not always as crazy as you thought.

3. The girls are really fashionable and good looking.

4. People love the idea of a statutory relationship (high school teacher/student).

5. The girls seem really wealthy… and everyone loves watching television shows about people who are really rich or really poor – there is no in between.

6. None of this would ever happen to high school girls.

7. Actually, none of this would ever happen to anyone – because if you were receiving life threating texts from an unknown number to your phone, you would go to the cops!

8. Yes, the reason they are not going to the cops is because they blinded that Jenna girl – but I don’t even think she is actually blind. And they wouldn’t get in as big of trouble as the person  trying to kill them.

9. One of the girls is a lesbian – and doesn’t have trouble finding dates … that doesn’t usually happen in high school. Maybe its a PA thing?

10. Alison is played by a 14 year old girl. WTF.

So, if you haven’t started watching yet, get on that. The show is so good that ABC Family made the same show with a different title – The Lying Game.

Are liars the new vampires? I think so.