Before going any further on a breakdown of Pretty Little Liars and “The Talented Mr. Rollins,” let us address the elephant in the episode; the “death of Rollins.” After being caught dead to rights in the headlights of the PLL Nancy Drew club’s car, the uber villain has his face shoved through the windshield. A great shot, Elliot’s head and face surrounded a space caused by broken glass and not a shard on any PLL or in the car.
What?
As the camera records the Liars and their reaction to the horror facing them (Sorry for the terrible pun.) there are a few scratched faces and not one little piece of windshield anywhere. (Another quick complaint here. Why no airbags? Was the collision with the faux Rollins not enough to register? Or was it more dramatic with Hanna getting a boo-boo on her face?)
“The Talented Mr. Rollins” finished on a massively impressive note. Elliot’s lifeless face drooling blood from its open mouth framed by broken a windshield was priceless on a number of levels. A case of poetic justice combined with a sort of bitter irony since Toby only just discovered that the real Rollins is a 58 year old man. In other words the dead guy in the Liars’ windshield is not who he claimed to be.
Despite the lack of broken glass this was an enormously satisfying end to the episode. It punished Elliot for being a cruel and sadistic douche and combined the hapless groups normal mode of operation. The PLL club runs headlong into all of their investigations leaving dangling threads, incorrect conclusions and friends along the wayside.
(Another word of complaint: How is it that every time someone goes into Ali’s old house Elliot turns up soon after. Is this a case of supremely bad timing on the Liars’ part or does Rollins have E.S.P.? Of course now he is dead Elliot will not be turing up to foil any further plans of evidence gathering…)
The Amish connection was an excellent touch. Another case of pure irony had Elliot and Charlotte heading to the community. Considering that the uber religious sect have some pretty strict views on life, the fact that former fella Charlotte and Elliot were canoodling on the farm would have caused the farmers to have a fit.
Mary is conspicuously absent in this episode.
A lot detecting was done by the Liars. Aria finding what was in that locked ottoman at the end of the bed and Spencer putting two and two together to find that Elliot was making latex masks all pointed to Elliot being the new Uber A.
Leaving the main plot aside for a moment, romantically the pretty little liars got back on track. Emily sorts things out with her crush, Spencer clears the air with Caleb and Aria sent Liam packing. Plus Toby gets engaged to Yvonne.
“The Talented Mr. Rollins” also brings back the doll theme when Aria and Hanna talk with the Amish girl who knew Charlotte. Ali’s sister gave the farmer’s daughter dolls that were dressed as the Liars. Also at the Amish farm, Aria learns about Hanna’s introduction to the cattle prod when she was held captive.
Elliot discovers that someone has been in his trunk and reacts accordingly. He takes Ali from Welby and makes a run to the lake. The good doctor forgets the first rule of taking drugs long term, patients build up a tolerance. Ali recovers in the car and bashes Rollins’ head against the window. She then leaps from the vehicle.
The Pretty Little Liars are following, although they took a short cut to head off the car ahead. Ali runs past the headlights and immediately after, Elliot runs in front of the speeding vehicle. He is struck by the front of the car and has his head shoved through the windshield.
Earlier in the episode Spencer tells Emily that they are trapped in Rosewood until Ali’s issues are resolved. With the death of Elliot Rollins the Liars may be stuck in the small town for a lot longer.
Pretty Little Liars airs Tuesdays on Freeform. Tune in and see how this last season pans out. The remaining episodes should reveal much. For example, who Elliot really was and exactly how Mary fits in?
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
