So it is the last season of Pretty Little Liars (aka PTT) and with “Tick Tock B*tches” the show lurches into its last mystery and the possible (Probable?) burial of Hanna (Ashley Benson). This new “Scooby Gang” now has Mona (Janel Parrish) as a member and they are all looking to find Charlotte’s killer and save Hanna.
The show opens with a Goodfellas moment where a number of the Liars are digging a grave. There are no jokes about wings or legs but a lot of anguish as they dig a hole for, apparently, Hanna. Although it could be for Ali (Sasha Pieterse) since her hubby is trying drive her insane.
(There are shades of “Let’s Scare Jessica to Death” here…)
There are a few changes in terms of villain, “A” is now “A.D.” and if the show was going to have a season eight, that might have changed to “A.D.H.D.” (Sorry could not resist this one.)
Pretty Little Liars has managed to bring whole new meaning to the mistreatment of women, however young, at the hands of villainous characters. They have also managed to give Hanna enough of an intelligence upgrade that, after a hint from “Dream Spencer,” she managed to escape.
It is clear that Hanna does not need to be the sharpest tool in the shed to escape it, she just needs a dream pal to give her a clue. (It is curious that the “how” is never shown, just Hanna sprinting in the woods with that “cleared up” mouth wound…)
This last season sees unlikely allies, an evil twin, a Brit (or Aussie) pretending to be a Yank and Ali being driven mad by injections and her horrid husband and his ally. Hanna has apparently finally found her brain only to be caught out by the evil twin.
To be fair the episode was fairly inventive. The hiding in the closet bit with Aria (Lucy Hale) and Ezra (Ian Harding) was impressive but not as much as that magic transportation trick outside the bedroom window. All the Liars have also found Alison guilty of murdering Charlotte based upon Emily (Shay Mitchell) asking a semiconscious Ali if she was responsible.
Ali, all wide eyed and terrified, responds with a “God help me” plea which Em takes as a confession. (Sometimes the mental capacity of all the Liars seems pretty diminished when something like this happens. Although Emily can be a little…slow at times.)
Another example of the group not performing well can be seen at the bar. Aria volunteers to check the place out after Spencer (Troian Bellisario) reveals that Mary Drake (Andrea Parker) is talking to a Brit or an Aussie there. Shortly after she arrives and orders a beer we hear muttered dialogue in the background that can be either English or Australia. Then, inexplicably, she leaves the establishment to show at Ezra’s door for some Aria time.
Not to complain, but this last season seems a little sloppy. Granted this is the premiere episode but to some extent it does seem a bit slapped together. After watching the season open there was one burning question that remained after the end credits rolled.
Will Hanna cope with Mary Drake? Without Dream Spencer to help her can she outsmart this new threat, whom she clearly believes is someone else? Or will it be back to the shed for Hanna? Answers and or suggestions in the comment section below…
Pretty Little Liars airs Tuesdays on Freeform.
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