King describes the highly anticipated series as a “little looser” adaptation of Sara’s books than its predecessor. “It is such an honor to be part of this show and to continue legacy.” “I was sold from the very beginning,” she admits. Carson, who had previously worked with King on Freeform’s Famous in Love, had long been a fan of the stories Shepard and King created. Like its predecessor, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists is based on novelist Sara Shepard’s popular book series. “She then asked, ‘Well, what if we didn’t have to…?’ And I was like, ‘ Tell me more!’” “Marlene was like, ‘I’m not ready to say goodbye to Mona,’ and I said, ‘Me neither!’” Parrish recalls. I knew we could use those two to take us to a new place, a new setting and a new world to explore.” Both actresses were eager to reprise their roles, which they played for seven seasons on the breakout hit Pretty Little Liars. “And once Sasha and Janel said they were interested in keeping their characters alive, that was sort of the way in.

“We wanted something that felt really new but honored the tone and themes of the original Pretty Little Liars,” explains King. Alison, who found love with with Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) on Pretty Little Liars, accepts a job as a teaching assistant at the university, where she soon learns life on campus isn’t as picture-perfect as it appears. Marlene King is expanding the Pretty Little Liars universe with the 10-episode series, featuring two returning players: Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) and Mona Vanderwaal (Janel Parrish).Īnchored by the two frenemies, the new series follows three hard-working college students, Ava, Dylan Walker (Eli Brown), and Caitlin Park-Lewis (Sydney Park), whose lives are, regrettably, tethered to the same wealthy, manipulative jerk: Nolan Hotchkiss (Chris Mason). Welcome to Beacon Heights University, “where excellence is not an option-it’s a requirement.” That ominous description comes courtesy of Ava Jalali (Sofia Carson) in the pilot episode of Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, premiering March 20 at 8 p.m.

Pretty little liars the perfect