Two of the most successful and beloved teen drama television shows of all time are Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl. While these two series each brought their own unique stories and strengths, they had several similarities. In fact, there are 10 major ones listed out below!
From secret messages and characters with the same names to love triangles and accidental deaths, some of the most notable moments on PLL were very much like the most notable moments that took place on the Upper East Side. Scroll down for a trip down memory lane and a look at these twinning plots.
Dramatic Messages From Someone Anonymous
Obviously, the main premise for each show was the biggest similarity between these two dramas; they both dealt with a young friend group getting dramatic messages from someone anonymous. Throughout both stories, characters and fans are wondering who is responsible.
Of course, Dan turned out to be Gossip Girl, a blogger who shared everyone’s dirty secrets, and on PLL, there were a few members of The A Team, including leaders like CeCe and Alex Drake.
A Tell-All Book
Furthermore, there was a tell-all book of sorts being written within each story by Ezra Fitz and Dan Humphrey. Both were interested in writing and reading, and both had access to a good amount of information. However, when they shared this news with their loved ones, it was not a happy occasion, as people were hurt.
A Friend Group Centered Around A Blonde It Girl
The main characters in both of these series were attractive and made up of relatable individuals; one group was just a well-off one from New York, while one was from a quaint yet creepy community.
Both were centered around blonde it girls, though, as Ali was the glue that first brought the pals together on PLL and as Serena, even though she shared the spotlight with Blair at times, was usually the center of attention.
Student-Teacher Relationships
A lot of television series within this genre cover similar topics, such as substance abuse, romantic relationships, and struggles at school. And both of these touched upon student-teacher relationships, though they were handled very differently.
On Gossip Girl, Dan’s thing with Rachel Carr was super scandalous, and Serena’s rumored fling with Ben got him sent to prison. On Pretty Little Liars, Aria and Ezra had their ups and downs, yet they ended up tying the knot!
A Not-So-Nice Character Named CeCe
Another similarity was the addition of characters named CeCe, with CeCe Rhodes and CeCe Drake. Despite their age differences, they were both just not very nice people. Over and over, Serena’s grandmother made rude comments and went out of her way to protect her family (even if it hurt others). And Charlotte ended up being A!
Pretend Cousins
Both of these TV shows had pretend cousins, too. On PLL, a character named Lyndon James said he was Maya’s cousin, Nate St. Germain; in reality, he dated Maya, got upset, stalked her and ended up being killed by Emily.
On the Upper East Side, Ivy posed as Lola, Serena’s cousin, in a plan set up by Carol Rhodes, in order to get money.
Someone Shipped Off To Church Camp
Speaking of Maya… After she was caught with drugs, she got sent away to a religious camp called True North. That sounds familiar, because Georgina Sparks got sent to a camp for troubled girls, and later, the gang tracked her down at a bible camp!
Accidental Deaths
On a more serious note, there were deaths in both of these series. There are deaths in almost every series out there, but the ones that really stood out on these two shows were accidents.
First, there was the situation with Serena, Georgina and Pete Fairman… an overdose. Then, there were acts of self-defense on PLL, such as with Emily and Lyndon and with Ali and Shana.
Love Triangles
Love interests were a big part of these thrilling stories, and there were several love triangles over the years! On Gossip Girl, both Serena and Blair dated both Nate and Dan, for instance, which caused some issues but worked out in the end.
On Pretty Little Liars, Spencer ended up dating Caleb for a while, even though he and Hanna had always been an item and eventually got married. The parents got in on the action, too, as Peter Hastings was married to Veronica and had an affair/a child with Jessica DiLaurentis.
The Theme Song
And of course, there was the time that Gossip Girl played the theme song from Pretty Little Liars! All fans know this catchy tune about keeping secrets, which ended by showing the girls (usually Aria) making a “shhh” motion.
Well, at one of the dances featured in Gossip Girl, this song was played by the band… What a fun crossover moment.