10 Lesser-Known Shows Like Pretty Little Liars To Watch If You Miss the Series

1. The A List (2018-2021)

The A List is a British teen thriller that debuted on BBC iPlayer before making its way to Netflix. This gripping series revolves around Mia, a popular teenager who arrives at a summer camp on an idyllic island, expecting to be crowned queen of the camp.

However, things take a twisted turn when she meets Amber, a charming and enigmatic girl who wastes no time in claiming the title. Strange events unfold, and Mia finds herself trapped on the island with no way to escape. Touted as a mix of Mean Girls and Lost, The A List is packed with secrets, supernatural elements, and a constant unsettling feeling.

2. Trinkets (2019-2020)

Netflix's Trinkets introduces us to an unusual trio: Elodie, Moe, and Tabitha, who meet at a Shoplifters Anonymous meeting and form an unlikely friendship. Each of them deals with their personal struggles: Elodie is trying to fit into a new town after her mother's death, Moe struggles with her father's absence, and Tabitha battles with the pressures of perfectionism from her image-obsessed family.

These teenage girls bond over their shared kleptomania, with each stolen item drawing them closer. This shared secret echoes the bond formed by the Liars in Pretty Little Liars, and the journey through adolescence is just as heartfelt and tumultuous.

3. Ravenswood (2013-2014)

Ravenswood is a lesser-known spin-off of Pretty Little Liars, set in a town not far from Rosewood. Five strangers find themselves connected by the fatal curse that has plagued Ravenswood for generations, and they need to dig into the town's dark past to survive. While it only lasted one season, it dove deeper into the supernatural elements touched on in PLL, adding an extra layer of intrigue and eeriness.

4. Scream (2015-2019)

Based on the popular horror film franchise, the Scream series starts with a cyberbullying incident that results in a brutal murder. The shocking violence stirs up memories of a killing spree from the past that has haunted some, intrigued others and maybe just inspired a new killer. The series expertly mixes elements of slasher films with a mystery format, resulting in an addictive blend that will appeal to any PLL fan. With a decent 61% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it's definitely worth a watch.

5. The Lying Game (2011-2013)

Another ABC Family drama, The Lying Game, is based on a book series by Sara Shepard, the same author who wrote the Pretty Little Liars books. The plot revolves around identical twins separated at birth, with one being adopted by a wealthy family and the other growing up in foster care. They switch places to discover the identity of their birth mother. However, things start to unravel when one of them goes missing. PLL fans will find the intrigue, secret identities, and duplicitous friends very familiar.

6. Cruel Summer (2021-present)

Cruel Summer is a unique teen drama with a narrative that jumps between three summers in the 90s. The plot revolves around a popular girl who goes missing and a seemingly unrelated girl who mysteriously ends up rising from anonymity to popularity. Much like Pretty Little Liars, the series contains a plethora of secrets, lies, and plenty of plot twists. With a rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, it's an underappreciated gem that PLL fans will surely enjoy.

7. Twisted (2013-2014)

Twisted is an ABC Family drama (like PLL) that only ran for one season but left a significant mark. The story is about a teenager named Danny who returns to his hometown after serving five years in juvenile detention following his aunt's murder. As Danny attempts to reconnect with his two female best friends from childhood, another murder in town raises suspicion and old wounds are opened. Twisted offers a similar concoction of teenage drama and mystery that made Pretty Little Liars so popular.

8. Dead of Summer (2016)

Set in the late 1980s, Dead of Summer brings us to Camp Stillwater, a seemingly idyllic Midwestern summer camp, where the past is about to come alive – quite literally. As seven camp counselors start to prepare for the summer, they encounter strange occurrences, and it soon becomes clear that something is terribly wrong.

A mix of horror and mystery, the show expertly melds supernatural elements with human drama. Though it only lasted for one season, Dead of Summer offers an intriguing plot that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

9. The Society (2019)

Netflix's The Society tells the story of a group of teenagers who return from a canceled field trip to find that everyone else in their town has disappeared. The town is completely cut off from the outside world, and the teens must create their own society to survive.

As their makeshift community strengthens, so do the clashes between them, as secrets emerge, alliances form, and leaders are chosen. While the mystery of what happened to the town looms large, the interpersonal dynamics and intrigue bear a striking resemblance to Pretty Little Liars.

10. Tidelands (2018)

Tidelands, Netflix's first Australian original series, is a supernatural crime thriller that follows Cal McTeer, a young woman who returns home to the small fishing village of Orphelin Bay after ten years in juvenile detention. But her hometown is shrouded in mysteries, the greatest of which is the commune of outcasts who live in a hidden pocket of the bay, the Tidelanders. As Cal starts to dig into her town's secrets, she uncovers a world she couldn't have imagined.