Unimaginable phone calls from an unknown number with the intent of fear. Pretty Little Liars is based on the personal attacks of an anonymous stalker towards a specific group of best friends.

Spencer Hastings, Aria Montgomery, Emily Fields, Hanna Marin, and Alison DiLaurentis are best friends all attending Rosewood High School. The group of girls is anonymously attacked over their cell phones by a character named A. They consistently receive threats and information that could damage their entire reputations. They each have their fair share of secrets that could get them arrested or killed or both.

With a total of seven seasons and 160 episodes, the show viewed on Freeform and cost producers millions of dollars. It’s based on the book series also titled Pretty Little Liars. The show first premiered in June 2010 with close to three million viewers. That number continued to rise as the show grew more and more intense. The mystery of who A is keeps viewers on their toes trying to connect all of the clues. Throughout all seven seasons, plot twists are consistent. From thinking you know who A is to wondering if the girls are going to get caught or not, viewers may think that they know what is going to happen next, but rarely are they right. It’s a never ending cycle of intriguing finds.

Director Sara Shepard’s goal is to raise awareness of cyber bullying. The whole show is based on the effects of the anonymous attacks on the girls. Shepard uses this as a platform to prove how serious cyberbullying can be. Viewers see how the attacks tear the characters apart. People understand the consequences of their actions and see that just because someone is behind a screen doesn’t mean that their words don’t hurt. Shepard made sure that her viewers would completely understand her goal in the show.

Shepard strategically chose actors to be part of her show. Actors Sasha Pieterse (Alison DiLaurentis), Ashley Benson (Hanna Marin), Lucy Hale (Aria Montgomery), Shay Mitchell (Emily Fields), and Troian Bellisario (Spencer Hastings) play the stereotypical high schoolers full of drama. They play the main characters in the friend group. They look like the typical snooty popular girls, so Shepard’s choice in casting them was necessary. Even though they are not really teenagers, they fit their characters well. They make the story seem real and connect to their viewers on a very personal level. The actresses portray Shepard’s message about cyberbullying.

Rotten Tomatoes gave the show an 81 percent review for its drama and mystery. It’s the kind of show that will never leave a viewer without questions. Viewers can’t miss even a single episode without being completely lost. How far will the girls go to figure out who A is? Watch every episode on Freeform to find out!