What you need to know about Pretty Little Liars: Summer School and why you should tune in

Love is in the air in Millwood this summer! The pretty little liars may be forced into summer school, hence the title of season 2, but there's also some fun when it comes to getting jobs and focusing on romance. But of course, "A" is not going to leave them alone for long. So what can you expect to see in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School? We've got all the details (and reasons why you should give it a shot) for you below!

When do new episodes come out?

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School premieres Thursday, May 9, 2024 with the first two episodes starting at 12 a.m. PT on Max. The 8-episode season will then stream one new installment weekly until the finale on Thursday, June 20. Check out the episode release schedule below:

• Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: Loose Ends" - May 9
• Episode 2, "Chapter Twelve: Summer Lovin" - May 9
• Episode 3, "Chapter Thirteen: Sweet Sixteen" - May 16
• Episode 4, "Chapter Fourteen: When a Stranger Calls Back" - May 23
• Episode 5, "Chapter Fifteen: Friday the 13th" - May 30
• Episode 6, "Chapter Sixteen: Hell House" - June 6
• Episode 7, "Chapter Seventeen: The Bogeyman" - June 13
• Episode 8, "Chapter Eighteen: Final Exam" - June 20

Release time by time zone

• Pacific: 12:01 a.m. PT
• Eastern: 3:01 a.m. ET
• Central: 2:01 a.m. CT
• Mountain: 1:01 a.m. MT

This time around, the slasher teen drama mystery is a bit shorter compared to PLL: Original Sin. The first installment was 10 episodes. Though this is normal depending on where the story goes and how long the writers feel like they need to tell it. That's what I like about streaming shows. There isn't a fixed number of episodes series' need to abide by like on broadcast. This allows for the season lengths to be adjusted as needed, which benefits a show.

What is Pretty Little Liars: Summer School about?

As mentioned above, the five girls will be dealing with summer school, new jobs, romances, and the threat of a new "A." There's certainly a lot going on in their lives, and I'm sure it's going to be one jam-packed season! Below we shared the official synopsis and trailer provided by Max:

"Following the harrowing events of "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,” our Pretty Little Liars face a fate worse than death - summer school. However, Millwood High isn’t the only thing getting in the way of their fun summer jobs and new, dreamy love interests. A new villain, who may or may not have a connection to A, has come to town and is going to put them all to the test."

As seen in the trailer, there's some new faces in Millwood. The most recognizable for many of you is Dr. Anne Sullivan, played by Annabeth Gish, who also appeared in the original Pretty Little Liars series. The lovely ladies are seeing the psychiatrist, who tells them they can "reframe" their situation of being in summer school and recommends they find jobs and have "a fun, casual fling." That's exactly what we're seeing with the other new characters. Actor Antonio Cipriano's character seems to be getting close to Imogen (Bailee Madison), working with her at the local ice cream shop.

The other new faces and potential love interests are Noah Alexander Gerry's character who has chemistry with Tabby (Chandler Kinney), still working at the movie theater; and Ava Capri seems to have caught Noa's (Maia Reficco) eye. What happened between her and Shawn (Alex Aiona) though? Last we saw them, they were good and I actually like them together. Hmm. One familiar character

Thankfully, Mouse (Malia Pyles) and Ash (Jordan Gonzalez) still seem to be going strong, as well as Ben Cook's Henry with Faran (Zaria) as seen in the trialer! Other returning cast members are Mallory Bechtel as Karen and Kelly Beasley; Elias Kacavas as Greg Mantzoukas; and Sharon Leal as Sidney. Check out the cast in the promotional images below!

While of course it would be great if the biggest issue the little liars had to deal with was summer school, that's not going to be the case for them. A new "A" is here, and according to the caption on the promotional photo on the Warner Bros. Discovery press site, this new antagonist is called Bloody Rose. Is it as in Rose Waters? Angela and Archie's mom? Her fate was left up in the air in Original Sin so it could be her. Check out the creepy image below.

What to remember from PLL: Original Sin

In the first season of this Pretty Little Liars iteration, the show had a very dramatic finale. Imogen spent the whole season pregnant after she was assaulted by an unknown man. And it turns out Tabby was too, by the same person. We get the answer, and that was Chip who attacked both girls.

Another big revelation was finally figuring out who "A" is, which came to a surprise to me because I would have thought this would be a series-long question. But it makes sense now with the writers deciding to take the story a different path, and have a new "A" in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School. The mastermind behind it all was Principal Clanton who recruited his son Archie, Angela's secret twin brother, to terrorize the girls. They're caught, but the cliffhanger is that Archie escapes. Will we see him back this season?

A bittersweet revelation is that Imogen has her baby girl, and still gives her up for adoption. But those who adopt her are familiar names to us Pretty Little Liars fans - Aria and Ezra! Though we don't see them, she name drops the couple and we all know who they are. What's interesting is that in the Summer School trailer, Imogen is holding a baby. Could that be her daughter? Could we get a Lucy Hale and Ian Harding cameo? I'd sure love that!

2 reasons why you should watch the show

If you haven't given the series a try yet, here's why I think you should:

The representation

One thing PLL: Summer School does well is the representation. The five main characters are from different backgrounds and unique in their own ways. Even the differing family situations aren't alike, which is a good thing. They portray different dynamics at home that viewers can relate to. When talking about representation, we're also talking about the LGBTQ+ characters! Mouse is dating Ash, who is a Trans young man. And this season, it looks like Noa is exploring her sexuality.

A fun mystery to be solved

Us mystery lovers always find it fun to see events unfold and start to guess and put the pieces together in our minds as episodes stream and get closer to the truth. This series fits that bill. And I actually like the fact that in season 2, we're getting a different "A." It presents an opportunity to have a new mystery to solve with a new person, even if they may be connected to Archie. It keeps the story fresh and non-repetitive.

Stay tuned to Show Snob as we bring you news about Pretty Little Liars: Summer School on Max!