The series premiered on June 8, 2010 on ABC Family and ended on June 27, 2017. After an initial order of 10 episodes, ABC Family ordered an additional 12 episodes on June 28, 2010. The ratings success of the first 10 episodes prompted the book series to be extended beyond the initial eight novels.[1] Since its debut, the series has received mixed reviews from television critics, but remained a relative success for ABC Family, garnering a large fandom.
It is the first series in the Pretty Little Liars franchise, with the show having two spin-offs: Ravenswood and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (the latter also being a sequel). Both were cancelled after one season. On June 10, 2014, Pretty Little Liars was renewed for its sixth and seventh seasons. On August 29, 2016, Freeform confirmed that the series would be ending after its seventh season in 2017. The series finale was viewed by an estimated 1.41 million viewers. It had the second-highest rating of any cable TV series that aired that night. The episode was followed by "A-List Wrap Party", a live special featuring the cast and executive producer King discussing the series ending.