According to Variety, Pretty Little Liars spinoff The Perfectionists is about scandal involving college students trying to achieve excellence by doing whatever is needed. Freeform’s president Tom Ascheim told Variety “the whole theme of the show is about the internal battle for children who have been made to feel that they are supposed to be perfect.” According to TV Guide, Alison (Sasha Pieterse), who has transferred to Beacon Heights University to begin her master’s degree, finds Mona (Janel Parrish) at the same place. Together, they will find themselves involved in another murder mystery.
Executive producer I. Marlene King, told Variety that when she created Pretty Little Liars it was about friendship, romance, and murder. The story was like beach read: it was supposed to be just fun. However, with this new series, The Perfectionists, she admits: “we do want to change the world.” She hopes that by exploring topics like the idea of perfectionism, the show will be able to engage fans at a “deeper level.” King told Variety that she hopes that this show will speak to those people who believe that they have to get into a specific college or university to be successful. She would like students to realize that there are so many great colleges in the country and you do not have to cheat to get into one. According to King, young people need to learn that you can fail and still survive.
In the first season of The Perfectionists, students will find themselves involved in the murder mystery that will take over Beacon Heights University. According to TV Guide, in the trailer, we can see them drinking, holding hands, and later finding rats in small wooden boxes. According to TV Guide, the scene indicates that this will be a season full of torment and intrigue. Everything will be fine until someone will start sending text messages and signing them with “A.”