7 Shows Like ‘Pretty Little Liars’ If You’re Looking For A Mystery-Thriller Series With An Edge

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If you have a Pretty Little Liars-shaped hole in your heart, you are definitely not alone.

For those who are unfamiliar with the seven-season series, which ran from 2010 to 2017, Pretty Little Liars tells the story of four former best friends named Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale), Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell), Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson) and Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario) who reunite as soon as their clique leader named Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) unexpectedly vanishes.

Receiving a series of alarming messages from an individual known as “A,” who somehow knows all of the mistakes, lies and secrets the girls have collected over the years, the clique investigates Alison’s disappearance, as well as who “A” truly is. If you have not seen the beloved series, we can assure you that it will make your skin crawl.

Since wrapping in 2017 (and crushing the hearts of Pretty Little Liars fans around the world), the show has had three respective spin-offs, some of which were more successful than others. Ravenswood and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists were canceled after one season, however, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin was a different story.

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin premiered last year, and it was a smash hit amongst drama-lovers. Renewed for a second season, the oh-so successful series will return to Max rebranded as Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, and fans seriously can’t contain their excitement. 

If you don’t think the Pretty Little Liars spin-offs live up to the real deal, then fortunately the Decider team has you covered…

If you are looking for something Pretty Little Liars-esque, but separate from the franchise, keep scrolling for seven shows that you need to add to your watchlist ASAP, from How to Get Away With Murder to 13 Reasons Why to The Vampire Diaries and beyond. 

  • ONE OF US IS LYING
    Photo: Everett Collection

    Riddled with high school drama, Pretty Little Liars and One of Us Is Lying are practically soul sisters.

    Based on the novel of the same name by Karen M. McManus, One of Us Is Lying begins with five high school students named Simon Kelleher (Mark McKenna), Addy Prentiss (Annalisa Cochrane), Cooper Clay (Chibuikem Uche), Bronwyn Rojas (Marianly Tejada) and Nate Macauley (Cooper van Grootel) attending detention together – having flashbacks to The Breakfast Club yet?

    When Simon unexpectedly dies during detention, an investigation ensues, and the viewer plays along episode-by-episode to try and pinpoint which student at Bayview High murdered their peer. With each detention-goer having their own motive to kill Simon, the drama is at an all-time high throughout One of Us Is Lying, ultimately drawing quite a few similarities to Pretty Little Liars

    Canceled after just two seasons (and leaving fans on the ultimate cliffhanger), Peacock’s One of Us Is Lying is a super easy show to binge-watch — with only 16 episodes, it is truly a must-see!

    where to stream one of us is lying

  • How-to-get-away-with-murder
    Photo: ABC

    Speaking of murder, a key theme featured within Pretty Little Liars, ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder is yet another must-see series. 

    How To Get Away With Murder is centered around a group of law students and their professor named Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) who find themselves entangled in a murder plot. As the plot thickens and dark truths are slowly revealed, the story gets more and more intense, ultimately grasping the attention of viewers across the globe. 

    With an outstanding lead performance by Davis, allowing her to make history as the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (along with numerous other accolades), critics and viewers alike adore How To Get Away With Murder.

    With six seasons to watch, definitely check out the hit series — you will not regret it!

    where to stream how to get away with murder

  • Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg in You
    Photo: Netflix

    If the stalker-esque storyline surrounding “A” is what intrigued you about Pretty Little Liars, then Netflix’s You is sure to tickle your fancy. 

    Based on the novel of the same name by Caroline Kepnes, You tells the story of Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) and his obsessive tendencies that tend to get him into some trouble. Coming across as an unthreatening bookstore manager, Joe resorts to violence (and often murder) as he develops new love interests season after season, ultimately sending chills down the spines of anyone who tunes into the show. 

    With a much more horrific storyline than Pretty Little Liars, You is sure to give you the same eerie, uneasy feeling that thrill-seekers just can’t get enough of.

    With four seasons in the books, as well as the fifth and final season on the way, now is the time to get up-to-date on You.

    watch you on netflix

  • collage of characters from 13 reasons why and a funeral
    Photos: Netflix ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

    Speaking of an eerie, uneasy feeling, Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why has this exact same effect.

    Based on the novel by the same name by Jay Asher, 13 Reasons Why is centered around a high school student named Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) who took her own life after experiencing bullying, depression, sexual assault and more during her time Liberty High School. Viewers have compared the toxic high school dynamic of 13 Reasons Why to that of Pretty Little Liars in the past, ultimately earning the hit show a spot on our list.

    Leaving nothing but a box of cassette tapes behind, a series of videos explains why Hannah decided to commit suicide, ultimately kickstarting an investigation surrounding the students she mentions. With dozens of unexpected twists and turns, 13 Reasons Why is sure to get your heart racing. 

    Producing four seasons and running from 2017 to 2020, Pretty Little Liars fans should definitely binge-watch 13 Reasons Why next.

    watch 13 reasons why on netflix

  • The Vampire Diaries
    Photo: Everett Collection

    If you are looking for a show like Pretty Little Liars, but with more of a supernatural twist, The CW’s The Vampire Diaries is sure to be up your alley. 

    Based on the book series of the same name by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries tells the tale of two vampires named Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder), and their interactions with a high school girl named Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) as soon as they enter the mysterious town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. 

    Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries are similar in the sense that they both deal with high school drama, with the perfect amount of romance and mystery sprinkled throughout — each series is equally as addictive!

    If you are seeking another show that will hook you from the very beginning (or if you are obsessed with Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder like we are), definitely add The Vampire Diaries to your watchlist. Running for eight seasons and producing a whopping 171 episodes, binge-watching this hit series is sure to keep you occupied until further notice.

    where to watch the vampire diaries

  • 'Teen Wolf.'
    Photo: MTV

    If the supernatural aspect is something that you crave, MTV’s Teen Wolf is another series that Pretty Little Liars fans are sure to love. 

    Producing six seasons and running from 2011 to 2017, the same time as Pretty Little Liars did, Teen Wolf revolves around Scott McCall (Tyler Posey), a seemingly ordinary high school student who gets bitten by a werewolf, ultimately becoming faster, stronger and more aggressive than ever before.

    With vampires, werewolves, hunters and various other beings conflicting throughout the entirety of the series, Teen Wolf is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, leaving you constantly wondering what comes next.

    Receiving thirteen Teen Choice Awards, nine for the performances of Tyler Posey, Dylan O’Brien, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden and Shelley Hennig, as well as four for Choice Summer TV Series, Teen Wolf is clearly a fan-favorite.

    If you are anything like us and can’t get enough of hunks like Posey and O’Brien, you will definitely want to add the hit show to your watchlist ASAP. 

    where to stream teen wolf

  • 'Outer Banks'
    Photo: Netflix

    While this may seem like a bit of a curveball, many drama-lovers have compared Netflix’s Outer Banks to Pretty Little Liars, likely due to the strong mystery aspect featured within each series, respectively.

    Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Outer Banks follows a group of island locals called “Pogues,” consisting of John B. Routledge (Chase Stokes), JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow), Pope Heyward (Jonathan Davies) and Kiara “Kie” Carrera (Madison Bailey), as they embark on a mission to find out what happened to John B’s missing father. Along the way, the group discovers a legendary treasure tied to the disappearance of John B’s dad, beginning a second storyline riddled with love, friendship, money, violence and more. 

    While the Pogues are rarely seen attending high school, Outer Banks features the same type of teen drama that Pretty Little Liars is known for, with a much for family-friendly, fun-filled twist.

    With its third season premiering this past spring, as well as a fourth season on the way, Outer Banks is the perfect show to binge-watch before summer ends this Saturday (September 23).

    watch outer banks on netflix

  • Born and raised in Orange County, California, Melanie Rooten is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Melanie has a true passion for all things pop culture, and she tends to spend her free time going to concerts and music festivals, binging her favorite TV shows, spending time with her friends and family and cheering on the Oklahoma Sooners (of course). You can connect with her on Twitter (@MelanieRooten) to see all of her recent articles.



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