The most popular Pretty Little Liars episodes are wild season finales or episodes that offer up answers about Ali's disappearance. But the most beloved episodes also include small moments between the friends who Ali has left behind, or sweeping romantic gestures that make fans swoon. Throughout the whole show, viewers root for Ali to come home, for the major couples to end up together, and for the main characters to stay friends forever.
While fans would suggest watching most of the episodes as they all offer up something unique, these Pretty Little Liars episodes range from fun to romantic to scary, and each one will make it hard to stop watching.
"Pilot" (S1, 31)
While there are some forgotten moments from PLL's pilot, the teen mystery's first episode is still super memorable. Viewers meet Ali's best friends Emily, Spencer, Aria, and Hanna, and learn that Ali could be dead. Emily and Maya's chemistry is obvious, and at Ali's funeral, the girls get their first terrifying text from A.
It's often best to start at the beginning of a mystery, which makes this a crucial episode for new fans to check out, and it's also fun to look back on how the liars react to being targeted by a stranger. The last few moments of the episode suggest that they know their lives will never be peaceful again.
"The Jenna Thing" (S1, E2)
The second episode of season 1 will give new viewers some key background as to why Jenna has lost her eyesight and why she wants revenge on Ali's friend group. Ali plays a prank on Jenna's stepbrother Toby that blinds Jenna, so it's no wonder that Jenna is devastated and upset about this.
Jenna is a staple character, popping up in creepy places and at dramatic moments, as the liars feel that she is always lurking. If someone hasn't seen many PLL episodes, this one will help them understand Jenna and will make them want to watch more so they can see if Jenna keeps targeting her classmates.
"The Bad Seed" (S1, E18)
Hanna and Caleb's relationship has ups and downs, but in the season 1 episode "The Bad Seed," they share a super romantic moment when Caleb secretly stays in Hanna's house. Hanna is both embarrassed and interested when she hides in the bathroom while Caleb takes a shower, and fans know that their love story is heating up.
This is a key episode for this important relationship, and if someone isn't familiar with PLL, they will root for this couple right away and want to see the entirely of their romance. Caleb and Hanna bond and since they don't connect with many classmates, it's sweet to watch.
"Monsters In The End" (S1, E21)
While it's true that the season 1 finale is bold and wild, the episode that comes just before is also a must-watch for anyone looking to get into Pretty Little Liars. So much happens, like the liars discovering a flash drive in a storage unit that tells them that they have had a stalker since forever. The episode has some personal storylines, too: Toby and Spencer kiss and Aria learns that Ezra and Jackie were engaged. Emily also bails on a date with Paige, creating some conflict.
The best episodes of this teen drama feature big moments between the couples, and this is a memorable episode for Aria and Spencer's relationships. It's also thrilling to watch Ali's friends realize that living in Rosewood is incredibly dangerous. It's hard not to want to how this plays out and what A will do next.
"It Happened 'That Night'" (S3, E1)
It's always fun when a teen drama sees characters returning after a busy summer and that's exactly what happens at the start of season 3.
Fans catch up with the liars at a sleepover and see that all is not well. Now that everyone knows that Mona was the first A, Emily is drinking after Maya's death and disappears only for her friends to find her by Ali's empty grave. Like a scene from a well-written horror movie, this moment makes it easy to keep watching season 3, as more information about what happened to Ali will be revealed.
"I'm Your Puppet" (S3, E23)
Spencer's saddest PLL moments include when she's put in Radley, making this a season 3 episode that can't be missed.
If someone has never seen this show before and tunes into this episode, they'll learn why the liars have been fascinated by Radley for so long and why it scares them so much: because it's truly creepy and makes patients feel like they will never be allowed to leave. The hardest part of this episode to watch is when Spencer tells her friends that she's sure that people located Toby's dead body in the woods. They know that this isn't the case but she is going down a dark road.
"Shadow Play" (S4, E19)
Many fans would agree that not every Pretty Little Liars episode is perfectly dramatic or interesting, but this season 4 one stands out as Spencer dreams up a black-and-white movie from the 1940s. In the nightmare, Ezra tells Aria that Ali isn't dead, and Toby suggests that Spencer find Ali's journal.
This episode can't be forgotten about as the cracks in Ezra's facade begin to show here. In the most memorable moment from this episode, Spencer wakes up and realizes that someone has changed parts of Ali's diary. When Spencer, Hanna, and Emily want to tell Aria the truth about Ezra's past relationship with Ali, they see the couple kissing and just as in love as ever. Aria's friends are super torn about how this will end.
"Welcome To The Dollhouse" (S5, E25)
The season 5 finale is one of the most popular episodes and the storyline is like something out of an action movie: as the liars are being moved to jail, someone gasses them and they pass out. When they all wake up, they discover that they've been locked in a dollhouse-like structure and that each bedroom looks like their real rooms at home.
This episode has it all, from scares and a fast-paced plot to character development, as the liars are equally horrified and determined to make it through. Since this moment will have such big ripple effects later on, it's essential viewing for new fans who want to understand Ali's friends better.
"Songs of Innocence" (S6, E2)
The sweet friendship scenes on Pretty Little Liars are just as powerful as the terrifying moments, but this season 6 episode is one of the most dramatic and for that reason, it's a great one for new fans to watch.
The liars are out of the dollhouse and back home, but of course, it's not easy for them to forget the horrors of what happened. Hanna wants to change her bedroom because of the awful memories, and Spencer keeps remembering being tortured. The main characters are incredibly sympathetic here as it's awful that they've been placed in such a scary situation.
"Bedlam" (S7, E2)
Not every PLL fan enjoys the series finale or some of the revelations in seasons 6 and 7, making this season 7 episode a stand-out thanks to the unexpected relationship between Caleb and Spencer.
When Spencer asks Caleb if they should never have started dating, he's upset to hear her say these painful words, but fans can tell that their romance won't last long. This is also a big episode as Hanna tells Jordan that they can't get married. Since fans always ship Hanna and Caleb, it's exciting to see these two relationships end since that suggests a reunion between the couple at some point. This episode stands out thanks to the emotions that the characters are processing.