Twisted (stylized as twiƨted) is an American teen drama mystery-thriller television series. The pilot episode aired on March 19, 2013, and the show's remaining 10 episodes resumed airing on June 18, 2013.
On July 30, 2013, Twisted was picked up for a full season of 19 episodes and the second half of season one started airing on February 11, 2014. The season finale aired on April 1, 2014.
On August 13, 2014, ABC Family announced that Twisted would not be renewed for a second season.[1]
The series focuses on charming sixteen-year-old Danny Desai (Avan Jogia) who confessed to killing his aunt when he was eleven. Having spent five years in juvenile detention, he is released and returns to his hometown of Green Grove, New York. While trying to rekindle old friendships and facing the challenges of dealing with his judgmental peers, a classmate is murdered and Danny becomes the prime suspect. Realizing the town does not care about the truth and only wants to see him charged with the crime, Danny becomes determined to clear his name. Meanwhile, he must maintain a secret he has never told anyone - the reason his aunt was murdered.
The series was originally titled Socio, but was renamed during production in early 2013.[4]
The show is partially filmed in the Hudson Valley Area. Some of the scenes are shot in the small village of Nyack, NY (35 miles North of Manhattan). Johnny Cakes, where many of the scenes take place, is a real diner located on Main Street in Nyack.
Maddie Hasson and Kylie Bunbury were cast as Jo and Lacey in September 2012.[5] A month later, Avan Jogia, Denise Richards, Kimberly Quinn, Kathy Najimy and Grey Damon were announced to play Danny, Karen, Tess, Mrs. Fisk and Archie.[6][7][8] The pilot was greenlighted in August 2012, and was filmed three months later in New York City in October.[9] In February 2013, ABC Family ordered the show as a series.[10] On April 3, 2013, production commenced in Studio City.[11][12]
The 19-episode first season began with a sneak peek on March 19, 2013, before its official premiere on June 11, 2013, receiving 1.19 million viewers and 1.61 million viewers, respectively. The mid-season finale aired on August 27, 2013. The second half of the season aired from February 11, 2014 through April 1, 2014. A recap episode narrated by Ashton Moio titled "Socio Studies 101" aired on August 20, 2013, and gathered 0.99 million viewers.[13]
Danny Desai, Jo Masterson, and Lacey Porter were all three best friends in childhood. At age 11, Danny murdered his Aunt Tara and was placed in a juvenile detention center. Five years later, Lacey is part of the popular crowd, while Jo is a social outcast; the two no longer friends. Newly released, Danny tries to reconnect with the girls. Jo warms up to him and they go to a party thrown by Regina, Lacey's best friend. Lacey also begins to warm up to Danny when they share a bag of chips in Danny's bedroom later in the evening. That night, Regina texts Danny that she knows why he killed his aunt. The next day, she is found murdered, the necklace from her neck the only thing missing. Danny becomes the prime suspect, and it is revealed that he has the necklace.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 73% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 6.80/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Twisted might offer below-average dialogue in terms of moody teen faire, but a compelling cast makes the grade."[39] On Metacritic, the first season of the show holds a score 66 out of 100 based on reviews from 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[40]