You have to love all the Pretty Little Liars with their tendency to point fingers at nearly everyone as suspect when things go pear shaped (wrong). Last week saw A.D. texting out testily to the Liars and “Beldam” sees all roads leading to Radley, again. In season six it seemed everyone who went to school with the Liars spent time the the town’s asylum. Now it appears that it may be a prerequisite for most, if not all, of Rosewood’s denizens to have spent time there.
Back to Emily: In the previous episode she jumped to the conclusion that Ali killed Charlotte based on her friend’s delirious call to the Almighty after she questioned her. Now she thinks she could be wrong. Especially after getting the “midnight” phone call from Alison begging her for help.
Rollins, the secret Brit, who must be A.D. (if he is not he certainly seems to have a vested interest in torturing his wife Ali for no apparent reason,) changes the visiting rules. Only family are allowed in to see DiLaurentis, although that is not a firm and fast rule as he throws “Aunty” Mary Drake (aka Jessica DiLaurentis) out with Emily.
Drake has angry words with Rollins afterward and Em watches with interest through the glazed opaque glass wall. Even the silhouettes look angry so it is easy to tell that someone is having a falling out.
Aria and Ezra’s book effort hits a stumbling block when Liam (who volunteered to help on their co-authored book) lets his green-eyed monster out of the bag. He pretty much accuses Ezra, Aria’s former English teacher, of being Humbert Humbert from “Lolita.” Liam also demands that chapters be re-written so the rest of the world will not see a “Lolita” connection. Ezra is not pleased and sees through Liam’s anger dressed as constructive criticism.
Hanna, who has returned from captivity with the help of Mary Drake, has flashbacks of meeting cute with her ex fiancé Jordan. Hanna also has another memory; her breakup. with Jordan. She remembers what happened when she discovers that the bar where they met has been torn down. Poor Hanna reacts badly.
Spencer’s mother fires her for being unfocussed and spending too much time on her friends. Mary Drake is working her way through the Liars, meeting them individually and, apparently, trying to befriend them all.
Jessica DiLaurentis’ twin sister trots out her own sad backstory, which manages to pin the death of an infant on her dead sibling, that ends with Mary in Radley. Lucas, Hanna’s savior with a multi-million dollar deal looks as trustworthy as a snake with a switchblade. He also looks a bit off…
Pretty Little Liars ends with Ali being drugged via her intravenous drip and having her gurney moved out of her solitary confinement space and down the hall. As Alison looks on fearfully the double doors at the end of the hallway open to reveal a bright white light.
Season seven of the series has allowed the girls to grow up. It is, after all, five years (plus) later. This has been a mixed blessing as the characters can now dress like grown women but still suffer from a “high school” mentality when it comes to their impression of the Scooby Gang.
In term of performances, all bring much to the table. They have had six seasons to really learn their characters and it shows. Sadly, this last trip to Rosewood may be a little contrived (As if the first six seasons were not?). It will, however, be interesting to see who made those Mission Impossible type masks and learn just who Rollins really is.
Pretty Little Liars airs Tuesdays on Freeform.
Cast:
- Troian Bellisario – Spencer
- Lucy Hale – Aria
- Ashley Benson – Hanna
- Sasha Pieterse – Alison
- Shay Mitchell – Emily
- Andrea Parker – Mary Drake
- Huw Collins – Dr. Rollins
- Ian Harding – Ezra
- Tyler Blackburn – Caleb
- Brendan Robinson – Lucas
