pretty little reaction: the finAl reveAl

Photo credit: Freeform

7.20 'TIL DEATH DO US PART

All is revealed as the ultimate endgame comes to light.

Photo credit: Freeform

It occurred to me as I set out to write this that I can use my PLR template for this post instead of making a copy since THIS IS THE LAST EPISODE OF PLL EVER and there will be no more Pretty Little Recaps. Or at least, for now there won't be. Who knows with revivals these days. Anyway, it's been a week since the curtains closed on our dear liars, and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around everything we learned in this final installment. Needless to say, I have thoughts--a lot of thoughts. Let's share and discuss our ladies of Rosewood one last time, shall we? 

1. The dream at the beginning of this episode was weird. It felt fan-servicey, but not in an all-that-entertaining way.

2. It took me forever to realize Mona in presumably Radley is flashback and not her locked up somewhere currently. I mean, come on, I've come to love Mona, but she girl should be locked up.  

3. Why do the Emison twins look nothing like Emily? I know Ali is the one who birthed them, but it wasn't her genes. The dad had better have fair looks, assuming we meet him in this episode. 

4. Pam! Melissa! A backpacking Toby who thankfully lost the beard, but still has wtf hair! The gang's not exactly all here, but they're definitely packing them in.

5. I don't know much about Ezra and Aria's book, but I do know it probably shouldn't be taught to high schoolers. Just sayin.

6. Ali, remember, no threatening the students.

7. Jenna, remember, no threatening the students. 

8.  Rosewood High probably has a pretty low school ranking.

9. Haleb seem sad. This is not a good way to start the finale. I can see them housing Mona for a few nights, but is this supposed to be an indefinite arrangement? Cause, yeah, love ya Hans, but Team Hot Caleb on that one. 

10. This pre-wedding dinner party feels awkward. Like, I know the lairs are all grown up now, and would probably hang out like this, as twenty-somethings (though, usually older twenty-somethings) do), but they've always behaved so immaturely that it feels wrong. Oh well. 

11. Oh, Spencer and Toby playing Scrabble. 

12. Most dinner parties I've been to don't get cut off mid-meal for a sex-montage, which makes me wonder if I'm not getting invited to the right parties. Also, as much as I love Haleb and the idea of a baby Haleb, I don't buy that these two would go from snarky to sexy, even if it's followed by snarky again. How quickly after the sex did Hot Caleb throw his clothes on while his wife lies upsidedown trying to plant babies in her body?

13. Okay, I had a feeling Melissa wasn't just creepin around--Mona in a HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED MELISSA MASK! But like, why Melissa? Why not just, a mask? Is there some reason Mona wants to throw Melissa under the bus?

14. I still don't think Mona is AD or is working for AD. Mona plays her own games now.

15. This Aria can't have kids storyline feels SUPER thrown in here for extra drama. Like, Aria, you're young. Chill. You'll figure shit out.

16. Fake Spencer! Fake Spencer! Oh baby, we've definitely got a Fake Spencer thing going on. I'm more convinced than ever!

17. Aria's Dad is so clueless about life. His opinions basically don't matter. How does he not fall down more?

18. The PLL moms are getting drunk and all is well with the world!

19. Where is Mike? Isn't this like, Aria's rehearsal dinner or something? Why is her loser brother nowhere to be seen? 

20. Maya's niece? Okaaaay... doesn't make me care about these kids.

21. Forced Ezria drama. Cause of course. Neither of you belong on a high horse.

22. Emison are engaged! Which is exciting for them--well, less so because they're already bound by kids, but still happy news. But they're still mostly boring.

23. I'm so suspicious of Spencer now--is she real? Is she a robot?

24. Hot damn! Mona knows how to land a punch!

25. Twin Spencer AKA Twincer is confirmed! It's not exactly my fav resolution to this whole thing, but I'm willing to let this play out. 

26. What. The. Hell. Is. That. Accent.

27. I'm trying to listen to the infodump backstory, but that accent is SO. DISTRACTING.

28. Man, Wren just loves girls who look like Spencer, huh?

29. Twincer's motivations are kinda messed up. This girl wants family so she terrorizes her twin sister and her friends. Okay, sure.

30. Poor Ezra. Always a victim, never a bride.

31. Aria's wedding dress is...really something.

32. WREN IS THE FATHER?? WHY ARE THOSE BABIES SO BLONDE?

33. Something about Spencer and Ezra being held captive together is highly entertaining to me. I bet if this wasn't the final episode, they'd have them eventually hook up, cause they never think they'll see the light of day again or something and then DRAMA cause yet again, Ezra is off screwing someone else when he's supposed to be with Aria. Also, Hanna would give Aria a knowing look and be like, "Yeah, Spencer does that."

34. SO MUCH INFODUMPING. I mean, I realize there's a lot to cover, but this is why some of this needed to be revealed over the course of the last several episodes.

35. The horse knows! I so called that as soon as I saw her walking up to it. I was like, that horse knows one bitch from another, Alex. Don't mess. 

36. Why are the liars not just assuming someone kidnapped Ezra? It's like the most likely answer to every problem these girls encounter. Why would other conclusions even be drawn?

37. Jenna knows too! I didn't see that one coming until she was talking to her, but yeah, makes sense. Team Jenna + Horse! They figured it out before Toby, who  was actually INSIDE HER. This is so Riley sleeping with Faith all over again.

38. I love how quickly the liars just accept this twin thing. Like, yeah, that must be it! Of course! They don't even think it through well-enough to be convinced. They just are. I guess the show was running short on time.

39. Not nearly enough Haleb in this episode. I love them making up and getting all sexy, but I feel kinda robbed.

40. If I've asked this before, but I've asked it a hundred times--where does A (who we now know is a poor orphan who grew up without the support of a loving family) get all her money? How did she build this elaborate underground bunker complete with a fake house and yard?

41. The classic which twin is which scenario. Toby is finally useful in some way. Kinda. It's almost romantic, but not enough that I wouldn't have preferred for Spencer to go through and have each liar share a memory with her. 

42. I feel satisfied for the most part, but also a little disappointed that I wasn't right about Paige being AD. That said, I'm glad Paige is nowhere to be seen. Complicated feelings, you guys. 

43. Is Aria wearing a completely different wedding dress? Whatever. I can't even be bothered at this point.

44. HALEB BABY ALERT! Feels like a bit of a throwaway, though--I want to see the lost scene where Hanna pees on a stick and shares the happy news with Hot Caleb! 

45. This final Mona scene is perfect--her boyfriend is the cop from Alex's layer! Oh snap. 

46. I love that she has Alex and Mary. It's perfectly twisted--just the right ending for Mona.

47. I can't even with these younger kids. Know when to end your finale. This scene is unnecessary.

48. I guess...that's it? PLL is over and I declare the following:

• Mona is the winner. Like, in life.
• Haleb are going to be fun parents, even if they are young to be so focussed on having a baby. That baby is gonna be hella cute.
• Spencer is going to have the biggest therapy bills.
• Ali and Emily were in this episode? Jk. Well, sort of. Maybe there will be a spinoff about their twins one day. Baby Haleb can be their sidekick.
• And Aria. Stay you, girl. Stay you.

A few extras I wanted to share since this is the end of PLL as we know it. If you haven't checked it out already as your PLL withdrawal sets in, Hypable has rounded up some interesting fan theories that didn't pan out, but are entertaining nevertheless (Hot Caleb as AD? Not sure how I'd feel about that...might be enough to put me on the A-team!).

And in case you missed it last fall, the day after they wrapped shooting on the finale, our dear little liars (Mona included!) got tattoos on their shhh! fingers. How appropriate and adorable.

This happened. Thank you @shamrocksocialclub for taking care of us. We couldn't not get tattoos to commemorate the show! And obviously on our "shh" finger 😏

A post shared by Lucy Hale (@lucyhale) on Oct 28, 2016 at 1:05am PDT

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: time's almost up

Photo credit: Freeform

I can't believe there's only one episode of PLL left. It's almost time to say goodbye to our little liars forever (?), but first we have a few reactions to get through! I had hoped to get the post for episode 18 up on Monday or Tuesday before this week's episode aired, but now it's Thursday and I'm combining the two into one :)

7.18 CHOOSE OR LOSE

Our rogue PLL is finally outed by Mona.

• How did it take the cops this long to finally issue some search warrants on the liars?
• Tanner is back and she's not happy, gunning for the liars more than ever.  But why wasn't their kidnapping enough to change her mind about them? It's not like the kidnapped themselves--clearly something is going on here!
• Oh Aria. We all know what you're up to.  It's time to drop the shady charade.
• Ashley is the best PLL mom. She's makes the other PLL moms look like incompetent garbage people. Okay, Aria's mom is also...fine. But just fine. Also, where is she? Or the rest of Aria's family for that matter?
• Mona has this ALL figured out. Because of course she does. She's Mona.
• What is happening to Toby's face? Did the wilderness "get" him? Like, did a bear shave of its fur and glue it to Toby's face?
• Oh no. Aria's motives are even LESS noble than I'd hoped. I know I shouldn't have given her so much credit. 
• Spencer, please. Aria isn't responsible for your parents' divorce. Also, I love how Spence tells her she can find her own ride as if Aria didn't arrive there solo and therefore probably has her own car she'd need to drive anyway.
• Aria may be bad, but her hair is on point in this episode.
• Thank goodness she's finally telling Ezra what's going on--not that he's all that helpful...
• Haleb marriage is happening! This is not a drill people! HALEB IS OFFICIAL ALWAYS AND FOREVER! You knew this moment would require all caps, right? My shipper heart is happy. The rest of the liars could all die in a fire and I'd still be like, "Good ending tho!"
• Spencer doesn't know how to let a man grieve, apparently. Spencer, it's called letting his dead wife's body get cold before you jump him. 
• PLL sex montage!  We never would have seen this back in season one. Which is probably a good thing. Oh and of course, wedding scenes thrown in to show how superior Haleb are to the rest of them.  
• Team Hot Caleb and Ezra! We need Toby in the loop so the PLL men can activate their powers.
• STILL not buying Mona as A.D. I'm just not. 
• Aria and the body in the trunk. I kinda hope she Weekend at Bernie'ses this whole situation.  "Him? Oh, he's just taking it easy."

7.19 FAREWELL, MY LOVELY

An A.D. suspect reveals info about Charlotte's death.

• You can just shake trunks open now?!? What make and model of car is that? Is this something all cars can do? Between someone getting the body in there in the first place, and now the cop just jiggling the trunk open, Aria should probably invest in some kind of additional security latch or something. 
• Ezra is the most likable he's ever been, telling the liars off for abandoning Aria when they've all done their fair share of dumb stuff.  
• Oh no. Aria's finally losing it. I think I can get on board with Crazy Aria though. She's better than Bad Choices Aria
• Hmmm. Now Mona's losing it too. 
• Emily and Ali... I dunno. They do more couch-sitting. Is this really how this series is going to end for these two? Forever sitting on a couch? 
• It's a little uncool that Hot Caleb won't let Hanna come on the underground mission, but will let Spencer.  Shouldn't he want everyone to stay safe? But I'll forgive him because he's Hot Caleb.
• The flash forward was just a dream thing is hella lame.  Why do I have a feeling they just forgot to incorporate it when Archer was still alive and now they had to sandwich it in somewhere before the show ends?
• To whom. Actually kind of a nice Spaleb moment. I like Spencer so much better when Hot Caleb is with Hanna.
• Mona is REALLY losing it.  
• I really hope she killed Charlotte. 
• The liars' reasons for not turning Mona in are pretty weak. Just do what you always forget to do and FIND HER A LAWYER.
• This is why you don't just bury bodies, kids.  You destroy them. But also, don't kill people.
• Wow, Mary gets respect for taking the fall. I won't go so far as to say she's a good mom, but she's got the right instincts.  
• Is Tanner really sending the girls home with a slap on the wrist? REALLY?
• Poor Mona. I've really come to like her over the years. It's hard to see her crack like this, but I prefer her being involved this way over her begin neglected in the end.
• So the game is done...but who's A.D.? Is next week's finale going to be a time jump? WE NEED TO KNOW WHO A.D. IS!
• ...I mean, it has to be Paige, right? As we head into the finale, that's my final guess. I know it's not all that original, but she's been MIA just long enough to drop off people's radar. Plus, she fits. But I realize it's also very possible the brains behind PLL want me to think exactly this way and A.D. is actually going to be Spencer's dad, because let's face it, he's got a hand in everything these days.
• Whew! A lot of new into to incorporate into our understanding of the PLL world. Now who can direct me toward a map of all the tangled connections in Rosewood so I can start making sense of the past seven seasons? 

Until next week... series finale time!

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: we're really in the homestretch now

So here's the deal: our internet is awful. It's super slow and unpredictable and we've been told it's going to get better, but right now, that's so not the case. Long story short, when you don't have cable or satellite, this can sometimes make watching TV in a timely manner a bit of a struggle. There are some shows I watch on Netflix and some I watch through iTunes, like PLL, which I fell behind on again because none of my downloads were actually downloading. Anyway, I won't bore you with the details. I'm once again all caught up, and I have it set up so that new episodes will always download during non-peak hours, which will hopefully result in them arriving quickly and I can stay on top of things. With only three episodes of PLL to go, I'd ideally like to recap each and every one. 

But that's moving forward. For now, we're stuck with another backlog to get through, and get through it, we shall--character breakdown style! Let's see what our little liars have been up to...

7.14 POWER PLAY
7.15 IN THE EYE ABIDES THE HEART
7.16 THE GLOVE THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE
7.17 DRIVING MISS CRAZY

Photo credit: Photo: Eric McCandless/Freeform

ARIA

I almost can't even with this girl. Because I know she hasn't gone dark. I would actually LOVE it if she had. That would be the most thrilling thing Aria has done in ages, but alas, I'm pretty sure she's only being Dark!Aria long enough to get what she needs to keep Ezra out of prison (selfish) and to protect her friends, maybe (which doesn't make much sense since she's willing to terrorize her friends to protect them). I'd like to think the real motivation here is that Aria realizes if she doesn't play AD's game, AD will go after one of the other liars instead, and she prefers to be the one in control of the situation, or, and this seems unlikely considering Aria's skills, she has some super secret master plan to bring down AD and all that bad stuff she's been doing is just Aria's version of collateral damage. Honestly, I'm just glad we're not hearing the name Nicole as much these days, though I wish Aria'd pull Ezra into the mix. If only so he could stop stressing about dumb things like dance lessons. I'm fairly satisfied that at least Hot Caleb is involved with Liars' Lament now, but really, the liars are in peak form when they aren't lying to their SOs and are only lying to everyone else.

SPENCER

I considered doing Emily next, but no, I'm not ready to tackle that girl and her drama. So let's talk Spencer Hastings-Drake. Or Drake-Hastings. Whichever way you slice it, Spencer's dad is not a good person. But I don't want to focus on him. I've been loving Spencer's interactions with Hot Cop Marco, though anytime they stray from date to interrogation, I can't help but think, Spencer you're smarter than this. Don't reveal info to a cop without a lawyer present. I know there's a really good chance Spencer will somehow end up with Toby again before this season is over, but in my ideal world, she'll live to hook up with Hot Cop Marco another day, and then maybe if the finale features a time jump, it'll be all "Oh look, she's with Toby and she and Hot Cop Marco are co-parenting an adorable child together." It could happen. A few more notes about our dear Spencer: 1) As much as I didn't enjoy Spaleb, I'm glad they didn't just sweep it under the rug. I'm glad they're acknowledging it happened and that Spencer got the short end of Hot Caleb's stick. 2) This Mary Drake stuff. I dunno. I think it's supposed to be compelling, but I'm not really here for it. Is it wrong to wish she was so super crazy that she was causing mayhem all the time? Cause that I'd enjoy. If she's just a tragic figure, that's fine, but then I kinda hope she and Spencer manage to have some sort of relationship eventually. 3) I feel like Spencer is legit on the hook for quite a bit if stuff here, evidence or not. Is it possible the show might end with one of our liars behind bars, taking the fall for everyone?

EMILY & ALI

I thought about separating these two out, but their stories are so linked they kinda have to be together. Besides, I feel like I barely have anything to say about Emily. It's not like she isn't drowning in drama, but she lost some of my sympathy when she basically told Ali she wants her to have the baby. I know it's Emily's egg all sunny-side-up in there, but she gave up her rights to that egg when she donated it. This decision needed to be Ali's. I'm cool with Emily saying, "Hey, I think we could do this. I think we could be parents.", though newsflash, Emily, you shouldn't be in a position to take care of another human being, but I digress. For me, she took things a bit too far with her tone, impatience, and what felt like insistence. I know time is of the essence when deciding whether or not to have a baby, but something about it rubbed me the wrong way--something other than the general violations that took place for this baby to exist. All that aside, I really enjoyed Emily and Ali finally making it official-ish. And I enjoyed Emily and Mona at the doctor's office, posing as a fake couple, even more. Those two actually work really well together. Sadly, with so few episodes left, I have a feeling that's the end of the Emily and Mona show. As for Paige? I still hate Paige.  

Photo credit: Eric McCandless/Freeform

HANNA

Though I'm not much like Hanna, I always find I relate to her the most. I think it's the fact that she has herself convinced she's somewhat incapable, but when it comes down to it, she always does what needs to be done. And that's often my approach to problems too--I'm not sure if I can do this, but I'm not going to let that stop me from doing it. In that respect, Hanna is killing it. She's pissed at the Liars' Lament boardgame, super pissed at AD for hurting Hot Caleb, and she's not going to stand back and be a victim anymore. But she also doesn't know where to start. So she does what she can, and is loyal to her friends, another thing about her I can relate to and respect. She knows she owes Spencer and she does what she must to make it up to her. Plus, her scenes with Mona are always fun. Now, let's get to why we're really all here: HALEB IS ENGAGED! At least, I think. I mean, yeah, they are, but they did it in such an unconventional way that it's only 99% clear. But I kinda love that. And the whole scene in the tent, harkening back to their first night together, was perfect, paper cigar rings and all. It's easy to see Hanna as high-maintenance because of her love of fashion, etc, but deep down, exchanging paper rings in a tent in the woods IS Hanna. Hot Caleb has always brought out the best in her, and that's on full display in this scene. Her last engagement ring from what's-his-face was big and flashy (and so was he, really), but again, that's not really Hanna. Hot Caleb gets that. He gets her. Which is perfect. I'm super happy to see my OTP get engaged. They are #endgame for me, no matter what else happens on this show. HALEB always and foreva!

Also: “I would marry you right this second if we could find a bear that was licensed.”

Does it get more romantic than that? Probably, cause bears are scary, y'all. But still. Cute.

Lingering concerns:

• Airport Spencer wasn't Spencer, you guys. I'm fully on team Spencer has a twin and that was totally her that Ezra ran into at the airport. Twencer is real and the Spencer Hanna encountered when she was kidnapped last season totally wasn't a dream--it was Twencer! Has it been Twencer at other times? Maybe, but I don't have time to rewatch everything...
• Does anybody actually think Mona is AD? Cause no, she's not. I'll eat all of my hats if she is. Her secret liar lair is 100% about protecting the girls, cause Mona is a BAMF and they all need to recognize.
• I used to find Lucas interesting. Now I'm just like, dude, move on with your life. This is sad times. You know Hanna is banging Hot Caleb in your condo, right? Find a Hanna replacement and move on.
• Right now, my money is on Paige for AD. Reasons: I've never liked her, she's never liked Ali, and that disguised Aria face/vocie that has been directing Dark!Aria around town looks/sounds enough like Paige that I'm semi-convinced. On the other hand, that almost seems too easy. And I don't trust easy when it comes to PLL. So we'll see...

Photo credit: Eric McCandless/Freeform

pretty little reaction: catching up and counting down

I am still catching up on many things, but with the fourth episode of only ten (!) in PLL's final run set to air tonight, we have some serious catching up to do! So let's dive in with some reactions to the first three episodes!

7.11 PLAYTIME

• This board game is everything I want in a final season arc--mysterious, a bit frightening, and full of potential. Please don't mess this up, PLL.

• Oh, Yvonne, just die already. Yes, you're a perfectly lovely person, but this is Rosewood, and you've served your purpose.

• I can't even with all these parental affairs. Does somebody have it all written out in a chart? I need a chart. 

• I'm also getting close to not being able to even with Emily, Alison, and Paige. I know we need drama, but it doesn't need to be high school drama, even if they work at a high school. Ditto for Aria's shenanigans. Get it together, Aria. You're engaged. You need to communicate with your man.

• Okay, let's talk Haleb. This is exactly what I wanted--happy Haleb for a good stretch of episodes before the series ends. If this show had waited until the very last episode to have these two be happy, I would have been very disappointed, but this, this is good. 

• A lot to process in this one. I might need to rewatch...

7.12 THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR STALKING

• Is it just me, or was this episode kinda boring? I think I was supposed to draw parallels between Addison's character and old-school Ali, but really, it just made me with old-school Ali had always remained as old-school Ali. I mean, sure, they all have to grow up sometime, but I miss her sass. She's getting better, but the spark just isn't there. I guess sacrifices must be made if we want Emily and Ali to have a HEA. Can't have that with Ali scheming too much. 

• Okay, both Yvonne and Nicole clearly just need to die at this point. You're holding up the story, ladies.

• I'm kinda over Hanna being captured. I mean, yeah, I love anything that gives us good Haleb scenes, but it's time to mix it up a bit.

• Seriously, doesn't it feel like there should be more to this episode given how few we have left?

• Even Mona is boring me right now. Let's move on....

7.13 HOLD YOUR PIECE

• I'm sure we're supposed to be rooting for Spencer and Toby at this point, and yeah, I kinda am, but Spencer and Hot Cop are definitely cute together. 

• And speaking of hot duos, hello Aria and Emily! I forgot how fun these two can be together. Aria makes Emily so much more interesting!

• Haleb. Haleb. Haleb. So much Haleb and I am loooooving it.

• Not a fan of Hot Caleb being gassed, obvs, but I also knew he'd survive. I mean, it's Hot Caleb, you guys. He's endgame. 

• Also hooray for Caleb and Spencer actually being friends here! Way to be mature, you two! I hope this friendship stems from a deep understanding that you never really loved each other in the first place. 

• RIP Yvonne. What took you so long, girl? I'm surprised, but not really, that they went through with having Toby marry her first. Gotta draw out that drama, I guess.

• Clearly, something freaky is going on with Nicole. I thought I wanted her dead, but this could be interesting. This episode was a lot more thrilling than the last one. Let's hope it only gets crazier from here. Game on, AD. 

~PLR~

friday5 for April 21, 2017

1. So close.

12k words. That's all I have left (well, approximately) on the first draft of my current WIP. That's either 2-3 good writing days, or 5-6 bad ones. Either way, I'm very close to finished, which is exciting because I'm feeling ready to do edits. I find it very hard to write and not edit as I go, but I've been pushing myself to do that more and more so I can get the first draft out. Everything I write needs more polishing later, whether I edit as I go or not, so I might as well just save the changes until the whole thing has taken shape. I have a very tight outline I'm following for these last few chapters, which will hopefully make the process a more streamlined. By this time next week, maybe I'll be finished? If I am, we can celebrate with an excerpt and maybe even a quick plot synopsis. Let's reconvene then, okay? :)

2. There are only nine episodes of PLL to go.

Confession: I haven't watched this week's PLL. I know. I know. But if you follow me on social media, you probably know I've had a rough week re-sleep-training a toddler and I've been devoting all my leftover energy (there isn't much) to that WIP I was just talking about. So no PLL as of yet, but I'm hoping to watch it this weekend and I'm planning to do a Pretty Little Reaction afterward. In the meantime, let's do some predictions for the final episodes of PLL, shall we? SPOILERS for anyone who isn't up to date on PLL (feel free to skip down to the next item):

1. Haleb Always and Forever (did you really think this wouldn't make my list?) and while we're at it, I'm pretty sure all of the OG couples will be endgame (I'm looking at you, Spoby, Ezria, and Emison), but if any of them aren't endgame, I'm thinking it'll be Ezria, mostly because they already had their proposal moment in the sun. 
2. I want Mona to be AD, but I don't think she will be. We've been down the Mona road before, so it's unlikely she'll be the ultimate villain. If it ends up being one of the girls (which would be very cool and I'd give all the props), I want it to be Aria. Because she's little and her wardrobe has always screamed "big bad". Otherwise, I'd love for it to be Mike or Jason, and definitely not someone we've never seen before. 
3. There will be deaths. But nobody too important. It's possible one of the girls or their SOs could kick it in the finale, but it's unlikely. Family and friends on the other hand... I could see Lucas dying. I could see Jason dying. I could see Paige dying--in fact, I'm picturing Paige dying right now (j/k...sorta).
4. I go back and forth on this one, but I predict Ali won't have her baby. Something is going to happen and she's gonna lose it (and yes, I think she's somehow pregnant with Emily's eggs even though that doesn't make much sense). Anyway, it'll be a bonding moment for Ali and Em, and maybe one day, they'll adopt a child instead. Or a puppy. Or something. I kinda hope the finale has a little flash forward at the end. 
5. Okay, final prediction for now: not everything will be wrapped up with a little bow. PLL  is known for its cliffhangers, and obviously, with a series finale, you need to tie up a lot of things, but I'd love it if they'd give us one final cut scene at the end, something to indicate that maybe isn't all there is to the story. I know a lot of fans would find that frustrating, but I'd like it :)

I think I'll return to this list after everything is said and done and we can see how close--or far off--I am.

3. The X-Files has officially been renewed!

TEN(!) more episodes of The X-Files are on their way! This news was likely, but not confirmed until this week. And here's the thing: I know the six-episode season we got last year was a mixed bag, and I know it's easy to criticize because hello, how do you screw up six episodes? But I think because there'd been such a long gap between the original series ending and the return series, everyone was a little rusty and they'd been hanging onto ideas that had been brewing for a very long time, which isn't always a good thing (this time I'm looking at you, Gilmore Girls). This new season will give them a chance to strike back with fresh material, having already worked out the kinks. I'm choosing to be optimistic, especially since some of the episodes we got last year were fantastic (thanks, Darin Morgan!). So let's celebrate with this old-school pic of Mulder and Scully!

4. The Beguiled--yay or nay?

I love Sophia Coppola. Usually. I love her style, and for the most part, I've enjoyed all the stories she's chosen to tell in her films. So I was pretty excited when they released the trailer for The Beguiled, except...I'm not sure. Maybe it's the fact that I'm (second confession of the post) just not that into Nicole Kidman, but something about this trailer didn't quite capture me the way I'd hoped it would. What do you think? 

5. Noteworthy New YA: MISSING by Kelley Armstrong

The only thing Winter Crane likes about Reeve's End is that soon she'll leave it. Like her best friend did. Like her sister did. Like most of the teens born in town have done. There's nothing for them there but abandoned mines and empty futures. They're better off taking a chance elsewhere. 
What Winter will miss is the woods. Her only refuge. At least it was. Until the day she found Lennon left for dead, bleeding in a tree. 
But now Lennon is gone too. And he has Winter questioning what she once thought was true. What if nobody left at all? What if they're all missing? 

-Courtesy of Indiebound

Happy Weekend!

pretty little reaction: what goes around, comes around...with a bomb

Photo credit: Freeform

7.07 ORIGINAL G'A'NGSTERS

Jason returns to town to stop Ali from getting too close to Mary. The girls learn something new about Mary and Mrs. DiLaurentis that leads them to a storm cellar full of clues. Ezra gets a call about someone in his past that could change his course. Noel Kahn grows more and more suspicious and rises to the top of the list of suspects for Uber A.

Official synopsis courtesy of prettylittleliars.com

Photo credit: Freeform

1. These girls sure make time for brunch a lot considering everything else they have going on. And how are we to believe they're told Sarah Harvey is dead and aren't immediately certain it was Jenna to the point where they should probably just tell the police, cause then maybe Jenna would be arrested and no longer be their problem? 

2. Pam Fields! A PLL mom is alive! And she's spending quality time with Emily. I feel like we're finally getting some decent Emily scenes in this episode after a lot of her being mostly boring with that coffee shop girl. 

4. I love how the call comes in about Toby's place and Spencer has to be all, "that's your address!" Spence, you don't always have to be the first to get there. 

5. Jason "Pouffy hair" DiLaurentis is back and his hair isn't Pouffy anymore--it's glorious! I think he needs to be referred to as“Jason's Hair” from now on. It’s like a promotion. At least his glorious hair isn't standing in the way of him finally manning up and helping his sister. 

6. Holy crap. How many days have passed since Ezria got engaged? Why are they so far ahead in their wedding planning? Any why does Ezra think Aria would want to elope? Does he not realize his bride to be probably wants everyone at her wedding to wear birds in their hair? 

7. Haleb!!! Finally, they are reunited. And he's working at The Radley = continued contact endorsed by Mama Ashley herself! Watching these two work late into the night together is PLL gold! And she finally tells him about Jordan! But why oh why aren't they kissing now??? Come on, Haleb! That was the moment! 

8.  Jason's Hair and Aria were a thing?! I feel like I'm exclaiming a lot this episode!!

9. Secret storm cellar?! This is PLL gold too!

10. Oh Spoby. I was never that invested in you, but I feel bad for Spencer and you guys should probably find a way to come back together. That said, I feel like Spencer wasn't that invested in him until the second he said he'd originally been building the house for her. Like, everything else she already knew right? Of course Toby is into his fiancé. He proposed to her… It feels like her grief over Hot Caleb is somehow resurrecting her feelings for Toby. 

10. A few questions to cover the final scenes: Why would the FBI seek out Ezra about Nicole to the point of showing up at his house? Why not her family? Why did Spencer decide they all needed to rush into the car and close the doors to make the alarm go off? Why is new A so certain the girls know who killed Charlotte? Haven't they proven by now that they don't? What's up with Aria's file? Is she somehow the missing Drake child? Or are we just supposed to think that? Whew! 

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"We're gonna blow up! That's what countdowns mean!" -Hanna, who had too many good lines this week, so I had to pick at random

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: not the only brit in the sea

Photo credit: Freeform

7.06 WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

The Rosewood P.D. begins to unravel the Liars’ cover-up, which leads them to question Rollins’ death altogether. Hanna deals with an inward battle on whether or not to tell the cops the truth, while Ezria struggles with an awkwardness in their relationship. Jenna reveals part of her plot and a new partner she is in cahoots with. Ali learns that the Liars gave her up as Charlotte’s killer in order to free Hanna, which does not go over well.

Meanwhile, someone is murdered for playing with the wrong team.

Official synopsis courtesy of prettylittleliars.com

Photo credit: Freeform

Quick intro--in case you didn't notice, there was no PLR last week. We had a little staycation/cottage long weekend and with Little E home from camp, there was simply no time for blogging beyond my exciting interview with debut author Hayley Stone (which you should check out here if you haven't already!). I didn't even watch last week's episode until right before watching this week's, which ultimately wasn't a big deal because #PLLProposal aside, it was a bit of a snoozefest. I'm also so not here for Hot Caleb-less episodes. Happy to see him back this week, but I need more... Okay, let's dive in:

1. What is Aria wearing? Okay, clearly they're keeping us on the hook with regards to how the proposal went--though she isn't wearing a ring--but if anything is a clear sign she'll say yes, it's her return to wacky outfits similar to Ezria's glory days.  

2. In other wardrobe news, Ali is wearing the red jacket. Sassy Ali is always welcome at my table, but wardrobe department, can you please find a jacket that emphasizes what a babe Sasha is, instead of making her look frumpy? The cat sweater last week was bad enough. 

3.  Does anybody else kinda want to see a workplace spinoff featuring Hanna and Lucas? Have I said this before? It feels so perfect that it feels like I've probably said this before. I'm too lazy to look it up.

4. I love that Aria asks to see Hanna to ask for advice and Hanna makes it about her then storms out. Hanna, you are definitely my girl, but sometimes the trauma needs to take a backseat, like when your friends are reaching out to you. I'm not saying Aria's drama is more dire than Hanna's cause it's not, but yeah. Hanna's funny like that. All that said, thank god the truth about the Jordan break up is finally out in the open. Now we can all move on with our lives!

5. Why do we keep seeing/hearing about The Radley but Mama Ashley is nowhere to be seen? I know the girls are more grown up now, but I miss the PLL moms. 

6. I know I'm probably supposed to know what's going on with Mary Drake but I just don't. And the whole Jenna being friends with Charlotte and helping her and Archer thing? Yeah, can someone please explain this to me in some sort of chronological sequence of events? Cause I'm lost. I barely even remember who Noel Kahn is.

7. Yay! Hot Caleb is back! And he and Spencer finally (Right? For real this time??) have broken things off for good. And in such a mature manner! No messy problems for Haleb to overcome now! Especially with Spencer basically endorsing their reunion. If there isn't a Haleb scene in next week's episode, I might have to write a sternly worded letter. 

8. That cop's mask doesn't look even remotely real. How does Ali feel safe with that guy? Is he Rollins? Someone else? Yeah, probably someone else cause, you guys, there is more than one British man in the world, not to mention in the game itself. Does nobody remember Wren? Are we not supposed to??

9. I have a feeling Ezra might feel Aria's confession just puts them on level ground--statutory rapist meet accessory to murder. Now they can get married and have criminally adorable children! One aside: Ezra, when someone asks for time to think, you don't hound them with follow up messages all day. It's not like you asked her if she wanted some frozen yogurt. Give the girl some time and space!

10. Sara Harvey is dead--is it possible anyone but Jenna is behind her death? Did she maybe just legit slip in the shower? Of course, this being PLL, it's also entirely possible she's not dead at all. 

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"Honey, I'm home!" -creepy red paint on the wall (classic PLL)

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: always on the run

Photo credit: Freeform

7.04 HIT AND RUN, RUN, RUN

The PLLs desperately attempt to cover up their secret, and in turn, end up straining their relationships with their respective bed buddies by keeping them in the dark. While the aftermath of Haleb’s kiss weighs on Spaleb’s relationship, Spencer copes in ways she might later regret. Mona intervenes with the cover-­‐‑up plan, for better or worse.

Official synopsis courtesy of prettylittleliars.com

Photo credit: Freeform

1. We return to the burying a body in the wood scene. Aria is being reasonable. Spencer surprisingly isn't. Emily delivers dialogue that seemed intriguing in the premiere ("I can't believe we're burying..."), but doesn't make as much sense now, knowing who they're burying. Can you really not, believe it, Em?  

2. Shards of glass aside, you can tell Hanna didn't wash too thoroughly in the shower, cause, sure, she got the blood off, but what about all that pesky eye makeup? 

3. This Spaleb/lowkeyHaleb scene is heartbreaking. Not because Spaleb are breaking up for the 40th time (seriously guys, it's dead, stop poking it), but because it's so obvious how crushed Hanna is to hear Hot Caleb struggling to save a sinking ship. I get it Hot Caleb. Hanna shot you down when you tried to talk to her about the kiss. This Spencer thing is probably worth saving in your mind, but she has a point about you not loving her. And she has a point about deserving someone who does.

4. Aria loses Ali like, immediately. Why did they think this was a good pairing? Basically, Emily needs to always be in charge of Ali-related tasks. She's the only one fully committed to the job. 

5. I know Spender is sad, but getting drunk during a murder cover-up seems dumb. Really dumb. Which is one of the reasons I don't like Spaleb. Hot Caleb and Hanna are good for each other. Meanwhile, Hot Caleb seems to make Spencer turn into a stupid person. This is not a good relationship. Again, stop poking it.   

6. And the car is missing. Why did they leave it in the woods unguarded in the first place? Also, this is the second time this episode that Aria has lost something important. I can't help but feel, when the liars break into team Hanna/Aria and Spencer/Emily that the former is the kids' table.  

7. Whoa, Spencer and hot guy (didn't catch his name) in the elevator. I can't say I blame her. And this definitely adds an interesting new dimension to the big mess they're all in. I'm not going to pretend Spencer wouldn't be capable of this if she really loved Hot Caleb. I think she is hurting, and wants to feel better. But it definitely puts her in a position to not be as angry and Hanna for her part in the Haleb kiss. Cause, hypocrite much? Then again, are Spaleb even still together? They did leave things kinda open-ended (again). Does this count as cheating? 

8.  All hail Mona, the queen of all things shady business. I'm sorry I ever called you creepy. 

9. Jenna is back and creepy/awesome as ever. I hope she's back for a legit reason and not just as a red herring. Because she's GOT to be up to something, right?

10. Okay she has the number to Archer/Elliot's burner phone. Maybe this will lead somewhere?

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"You didn't exactly do a crackerjack job of erasing the tire tracks." -Queen Mona

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: a cattle prod in the right direction

Photo credit: Freeform

7.03 THE TALENTED MR. ROLLINS

Still reeling from the trauma of Hanna’s abduction and dark fate, the Liars must shift their focus to another one of their own. In order to protect Alison from Uber A’s threats, the PLLs snap into action at a chance to rescue her from the hospital. However, in doing so, they make a deadly mistake that changes everything.

Official synopsis courtesy of prettylittleliars.com

Photo credit: Freeform

1. I can believe how on point Emily is right off the bat. It's so unlike her, but I can definitely appreciate a smarter, more savvy Emily. 

2. I'm glad Ali still has some fight in her--a little reminder of old Ali--but I can't seem to look past how obviously this is a stunt double thrashing around with Rollins, trying to keep her face hidden. Maybe he should have put the mask on her first?

3. Ashley's handing out bartending jobs? Oh, is that where she's been all this time WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS GETTING KIDNAPPED?

4. Emily is pretty lucky that every single hot chick she encounters just happens to be a lesbian. Why is the show trying to distract us with randos when we know she really only has eyes for Ali? Also, Sabrina seems kinda judgemental. 

5. Oh Spencer and Hot Caleb, just break up already. Just do it. Now. Now. Okay?

6. Why aren't Spencer and Hanna going into the house with Aria? And why is Aria taking so long to photograph everything? Just snap a pic and get the hell out, Aria!

7. I was really hoping for a Hanna and Hot Caleb scene. I know these things take time, but I'm impatient! 

8. Creepy Amish girl. Creepy dolls. Creepy Amish old dude. This is classic PLL territory and I love it! Side note: did I miss the part where the liars are now certain that Rollins is the one who kidnapped Hanna? 

9. These Spaleb scenes are plenty emotional, but they need to eeeennnnddddddd...

10. One of the more shocking endings to an episode of PLL for sure. I thoroughly can't wait for next week! Is Rollins really dead? Is he definitely who the liars were burying at the start of the season? Or is this all leading somewhere else? 

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"You like me. But I love you." -the death of Spaleb (I hope)

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: fallout fallout everywhere, let's all have a drink

Photo Credit: Freeform

7.02 BEDLAM

With the fallout of Hanna’s abduction still weighing heavily on the PLLs, the Liars begin to grow suspicious of Elliott Rollins as Ali’s condition worsens. Tensions rise between Liam, Aria and Ezra as they work on the book together. Spencer and Caleb are on edge, as neither of them want to talk about the awkward elephant in the room. Meanwhile, Emily receives a disturbing phone call and tries to find a way to see Ali.

Official synopsis courtesy of prettylittleliars.com

1. Mary Drake's speech about secret people is definitely weird. And suggestive. Does Hanna's family have a secret member? 

2. Hot Caleb and Hanna's reunion isn't what I expected or hoped for. But it's okay. They're playing it slow so we can savor it,  I'm sure. But the way she looks at him when he gives her back her ring? It's definitely on. 

3. This Spencer and Hot Caleb scene is kinda heartbreaking. I don't blame Hot Caleb for trying to pretend everything is normal after Hanna pulled the "old habits die hard" card, but I also don't blame Spencer for rebuffing him. Get out, Spence. He's in love with someone else.  

4. I love how oblivious Emily seems about the Haleb Spaleb triangle (uh, quadrangle. Sorry Jordan. I keep forgetting you exist.) Also, why is she talking to Rollins like he's a normal person? Did Aria and Ezra not sharehow sketchy he was being? Dammit Aria! 

5. Blah bah blah Lucas. I just can't bring myself to care. 

6. Guys. Rollins is super sketchy. How are you not all suspecting him by now? Aria, why are you still not saying anything about his creepiness?

7. PLL is really big on bars where couples first got together being distractingly meaningful. First Aria's jukebox diversion and now Hanna breaking up with Jordan. Okay, obviously that was coming anyway. But it's definitely a noticeably similar plot device. Also, I really hope we get to see Hot Caleb's reaction when he finds out Hanna's "old habits" speech was followed by dumping her fiancé. 

8. If Aria and Ezra are going to be together, they really need to not work together. It just seems like a bad idea all around. But it does lend to Liam's awesome rant about the inappropriate nature of Ezra and Aria's initial coupling. 

9. Mary Drake sure does seem to like randomly popping up and distributing convenient bits of backstory. Huh. I kinda like that she seems to be the kind of crazy where she's out to get the liars but is also willing to help Emily see Ali, and may eventually turn against Rollins. 

10. Oh drunk Spencer. Poor, drunk, fired Spencer. This conversation definitely doesn't feel like it's happening between two people who are currently dating. Sorry, Spaleb. It was a mistake. And you have little left other than the past tense. 

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"I understand the impulse. The Lolita myth. Not the Nabokov original, but the whole older man, inappropriately younger girl idea that's been trashed by lesser writers." -Liam (get it, boy)

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: can I get a Hanna?

Photo credit: Freeform

7.01 TICK TOCK, BITCHES

After Hanna’s shocking abduction by “Uber A,” the PLLs and company desperately race against the clock to save one of their own. The only way to do this is by handing over evidence of Charlotte’s real murderer to “Uber A.” In order to do so, the girls must decide what blatant lines they are willing to cross that they have never breached before; and once they cross that line, there is no turning back.

Official synopsis courtesy of prettylittleliars.com

Photo credit: Freeform

1. Who are the liars burying? They're definitely upset enough for it to be Hanna, but I'm not convinced it's Hanna. Still, definitely related to Hanna in some way...maybe they kill Jordan? Do we know how far in the future this is? 

2. Determined and Passionate Hot Caleb is my favourite Hot Caleb. His feelings for Hanna are definitely showing. And how much he freaks out when he thinks she's dead in the bell tower? Sigh. Go get your girl, Hot Caleb. 

3. The new A has really stepped it up. That Hanna doll is Hillywood special effects perfect! Is it too much to ask that they later have a really good explanation for that? Also, is Uber A texting Mona now? Is that new?

4. Spencer is clearly miffed by Hot Caleb's devotion to Hanna, and distancing from her--including a hang up! Maybe just focus on Tony, Spence. Even if he is engaged. (He's still engaged right? I need to rewatch the finale...)

5. I love how Ezra still always seems like a school teacher. Even when he's sneaking around with the liars. It has a bit of a "who brought their dad?" quality to it. 

6. I'm kind of skimming over the Emily and Alison stuff. I guess I just don't like Ali stuck in a bed, when I'd prefer her out and being her feisty Ali self. I don't think she killed Charlotte, but it would be a good twist later if they could throw us off her trail again. 

7. I realize this is a stupid question--but shouldn't they involve the cops at some point? I get that having Toby be a cop sort of helps with this constant problem, but come on, Hanna's life is on the line! 

8. Hanna's dream about Spencer is sweet. I do wonder why her? Because she's in the part of Hanna's brain that's clever and scheming? 

9. I love that Hanna escapes, especially considering how distracted all the liars seem to be while trying to rescue her. Plus, girl power and all that. Hanna is and always has been totally capable. But damn I do want a scene where Hot Caleb saves her. I hope that happens in some form, but it looks like she's with Mary Drake for now. Is she the one who checked on Hanna and found she wasn't there? Was Rollins the one who picked up the red jacket? Probably not because both of those things are too obvious! But Rollins sure did change his tune quickly regarding Ali...

10. One thing is for sure--Ali is in for a lot of trouble this season. And I really hope they don't just keep her locked up. I want Ali on the loose, kicking ass and taking names. It's gonna be an exciting season! 

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"And then what, waterboard her?" -Mona, being her awesome Mona self

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: too many secrets, not enough plan Bs

6.20 Hush hush sweet liars | Photo credit: Freeform

Well, I hate to keep things brief for a season finale, but it's also March Break and my time is limited...of course, I can't NOT share some thoughts on this explosive finale, which yes, I definitely enjoyed, and yes, it definitely has me salivating for the next half season, even though no, I did not like a particular fav liar of mine ending the episode in jeopardy (but I also liked it; more on that below). Let's get right to it, shall we? (oh, and this is more than a top 10, cause this is stream of consciousness blogging here, and honestly, this finale packed in way too much for me to narrow it down.)

Looking for A-Moji | Photo credit: Freeform

1. Hanna trusts Hot Caleb. Spencer does too. And Aria's face after they both say this is priceless. Go back and check it out if you can. 
    
2. Where's Jason? I know he's running the family business but where is he physically? I feel like this season could have been even more crazy if he'd been around. I was never much of a Jason fan to begin with, but he's tied up in all this family drama so I hope he's back for Season 7.
    
3. Toby's glasses. That is all.
    
4. Does anybody even remotely know what Sara Harvey is doing right now or ever? Cause I have no clue. Like, if she's not bad, why does she do ANY of the things she does?
    
5. I don't care enough about Nicole to care that she's maybe dead. (Plus, she's almost definitely not dead, right? She's going to suddenly come back to rain on Ezria's parade, I just know it.)
    
6. What the hell Ali's dead mom! 
    
7. It's kind of patronizing that the liars keep referring to it as "babysitting Ali". Old Ali wouldn't have stood for that shit.
    
8. It seems extra strange that they're also sitting around drinking wine. I get that they're "all grown up now" but they seem to sit around drinking wine a lot. Which, okay, I kinda love.
    
9. Spaleb scene.. blaaaah. But worth noting, she said I love you and he silently responded with, "Oh. Oh, no. No, it's not like that. I love Hanna."
    
10. Ezria = "Our book is going to be a bestseller, now let's get it on."
     
11. Haleb flashback is pretty heartbreaking. But also begs the question, how quickly did Hot Caleb get out of there? He didn't seem to linger at all. Plus, leaving his phone behind seems very unlike him.  
     
12. Hanna still love Hot Caleb. No surprise there, right? But it's so nice to see her say it, and it's even nicer to see that HE is the one who makes a move to kiss her. Like, without even wanting to "talk about it" or process the info, or pull the, "but I'm with Spencer now!" card. Nope, he just wants to kiss his sweet Hanna again. And my Haleb shipper heart breaths a massive sigh. Let it also be noted: Spencer says I love you, and Hot Caleb leaves. Hanna says it, and he makes out with her. Yeah. That's pretty much all you need to know about that..
     
13. Sad Ali in the church almost seems as stupid as all the crazy solo missions Em has gone on this season. Where do these girls come up with these random potentially dangerous ideas from?
     
14. I kinda love Mona the party crasher. She just shows up everywhere you don't want her to be. But Spencer seems to actually kinda be okay with it. 
     
15. Also, since I haven't mentioned it yet, I'm glad there is still clearly a Spoby spark cause Spencer is about to get her heart broken...
     
16. Mary Drake is the twin! This does not surprise me. Okay, the part where she's Charlotte's real mother was a bit surprising, but I think her being Ali's aunt is a lot less surprising. 
     
17. Also not surprising is Mr. Ali being evil. I totally called it. I did not call him being British however. And I should have because apparently the actor is British. 
     
18. Hanna is gone. On the surface, I am so not okay with my fav liar being in danger, but did you see how Hot Caleb freaked out, and how angry he seemed with himself at the end? He feels like he let her down, and worse, maybe he's lost her forever. Except no, the show won't off Hanna. She's too awesome. Which means we should get an amazing Hanna rescue (or, dare I ask for it, Hanna escape?) where Hot Caleb does anything to get her back, followed by the hottest of all Haleb reunions. If the show is more adult now, more, let's say, freeform, whatever that means, and we're seeing more nudity (and boy, if this episode was any indicator...), I think season 7 needs to start off with a bang. Literally. A hot Haleb reunion bang. Make it happen, PLL.

No quote of the week this time, because I didn't have time to write one down :) Is anybody else super excited for season 7a? I know I am. Haleb forever.

Sorry for typos. No time to edit. 

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: love will find a way

6.19 Did You Miss Me? | Photo Credit: Freeform

Wow, how did we get to the second last episode of the season already? These little half seasons really fly by. So not ready for the break, but at least things are looking up for Haleb before the finale. Yes, okay, they're not back together, but they are working together, and making Spencer jealous, which to me, means two things: 1. Hanna and Hot Caleb trust each other pretty much anyone else (and stand united together, no matter what), and 2. The honeymoon is official over for Spaleb. I can't help but wonder what Hot Caleb would have done if Spencer had been against Haleb's plan. But again, PLL showed us how the girls have matured with the time jump by having her force herself to be cool with it. Cause that's what grown-ups do... Anyway, enough about that, let's get to the episode!

Don't mess with Hanna | Photo credit: Freeform

1. I've personally never been a big Hanna and Lucas fan for obvious reasons (dude needs to move on), but they work quite nicely as friends. That I can get behind. But the whole Lucas wanting to buy her a building feels an awful lot like Pacey buying Joey a wall. Do we really need to go down this road again, with Lucas pining for Hanna. He now has two guys in his way, in Jordan and Hot Caleb. Lucas, buddy, it's not going to happen.
    
2. Ali's husband is definitely sketchy. Maybe I'm reading too much into it--or maybe this is symptomatic of PLL making me suspect everyone--but he's super suspicious, right? Did he push Ali down the stairs? Maybe. Probably.
    
3. The card with the X'd out liars on it really stands out to me. And not because of its contents, but because the front of it is a freakin staircase. Maybe Ali is too far away to have seen it, but I'd expect that to stand out to anyone walking around the room, as it did to Hanna. So then why didn't Mr. Ali notice it? Maybe because HE PUT IT THERE? Did it suddenly mysteriously appear after he dropped off more flowers? Cause that's kind of what it looked like. Or is this all just a red herring and it's just coincidentally weird that nobody before Hanna questioned sending a staircase card to a girl who just fell down the stairs?
    
4. Sara Harvey's handy man and Mona. I don't know what to think. My gut instinct these days is to trust Mona, but I dunno. She's done a lot of really bizarre stuff in the past. And what's with the handy man standing around eating ice cream like a big weirdo? That whole scene was strange. And Emily's attempts to be covert were not the best. Em, for the last time, it's called back-up.
    
5. Is it just me or is Ezra's book kinda bad? I couldn't stop thinking about that during the Nicole flashback. Or maybe the acting is just way over the top. 
    
6. Hanna needs Hot Caleb. She really, truly needs him. And he needs her too--he just won't admit it. But he will help. And he will stand by Hanna no matter what. I love the fierceness of this pairing, even if it's a "business partnership". We all know what's really going on. Yes, Spencer. Be wary. You should be. 
    
7. The hand grab. Yes, it was in the previews, but that didn't make it any less magical. Actually, I was kinda shocked by how it all went down. Hanna just sort of went for it. A sign of solidarity is one thing, but that felt an awful lot more like a brazen claiming of territory. And Hot Caleb doesn't really seem to mind until he realizes Spencer is looking, and then he just looks like a million thoughts are racing through his mind. Poor guy is going to have some tough decisions to make soon, I think. 
    
8. Spencer sure is drinking a lot wine...
    
9. The Spaleb Europe flashback probably yields the most chemistry I've observed between the two of them, but it's vacation romance. It's not real. It's got that glow of "we're all alone here and the real world is miles away." It still feels like solace, not love. 
    
10. The Haleb plan goes forward. Hanna confesses to killing Charlotte--but will Devil Emoji buy it? I have a feeling this is almost definitely going to blow back in their faces. That's the PLL way, after all. But however it goes down, I definitely hope it brings both Haleb and Spoby closer together again. 

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"We're all connected like a big bowl of linguini." -Hanna (or like a bunch of friends with secrets and lies...)

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: burn, baby, burn

6.18 Burn This | Photo Credit: Freeform

No Friday5 this week. I spent the time I normally would've spent pulling it together volunteering in my daughter's classroom instead. #sorrynotsorry We spent the time learning about five types of simple machines, which, now that I think about it--Friday5, Five simple machines--maybe I could've killed two birds with one stone? Does anybody care to learn about levers and wedges? No? Okay, then let's talk PLL instead. Things are really *ahem* heating up in this week's episode! Again, #sorrynotsorry

It was totally the girl on the right... | Photo credit: Freeform

1. So Ali and Mr. Ali are married. I can't seem to ever remember his name and since I'm too lazy to look it up. Mr. Ali it is! What are the odds this guy is Devil Emoji? Or Black SUV? About the same as the odds that anyone is DE or BSUV? Yeah, that's what I figured. 
    
2. Toby is back! And he's busting skulls...but wait, Toby! Don't hit Hot Caleb's beautiful face! When I saw this scene in the previews for the season way back when, I had really hoped/assumed (didn't we all?) that the punch was over Spencer, but now that it's happened, I'm glad it's not. I have to say, PLL is handling these new relationships with a lot of maturity--I mean, punching aside. That's not so mature, but at least it was over Toby's current girlfriend and not his ex. I find myself again legit buying into the five year time jump. Well done, PLL.
    
3. I kind of adore the interaction between Ashely and Hot Caleb this week. Ash, ain't nobody gonna blame you for favouring that boy. Hot and sweet as Jordan is, Hot Caleb is the quintessential cute hacker boy next door.
    
4. Aria and Ezra are writing a book together now. This should go well.
    
5. Oh Emily, I honestly don't know if you're badass or braindead. Why do you keep going on these dangerous missions alone? At least she found out a few things this week. More on that below...
    
6. Hanna continues to be just not that into all things related to her wedding, and by extension, Jordan. Look, I'm sure she was plenty happy with him back in fairytale NY, but now that she's back in Rosewood and is constantly being exposes to reminders of the lost love of her life Hot Caleb, it's not surprising this isn't turning out to be the most blissful engagement. Is anybody else kind of hoping for a scene where Hanna finally breaks her cool exterior and Ashley soothingly points out that she's clearly still in love with Hot Caleb? Cause yeah, Ash totally knows what's up.
    
7. Someone who doesn't know what's up is Spencer's dad. Who, dude. Your daughter is an adult now. You can treat her like one. As much as I'm not a fan of Spaleb, Daddy Hastings has no right telling Spence who she can and cannot date. That said, Spencer, please stop dating Hot Caleb. Just don't do it because of your dad. Do it because you have so much more chemistry with Toby. Speaking of which...
    
8. More flashbacks! More flashbacks! I am yet to meet a PLL flashback I didn't like. And this week's FB is solid gold. It's no secret that I haven't been feeling Spencer this season, what with the girl code violations and the icky barn hook-ups, but seeing "old Spencer" back with Toby, even at a very sad, and touching time, was really great. When these two inevitably get back together, I want some sort of a "you were always good enough" moment. I can't believe I'm saying this about Toby...the Creeper Toby of days past. What can I say? I feel for the guy.
    
9. Oh Aria. Poor Aria. What a horrible thing to have to suffer through--wait. What? Only her arm got hurt? HER ARM? Okay, whatever. At least her family is there in her time of...wait. What? Where are her parents? Why did only Hanna feel the need to go to the hospital? What is going on here?? Oh, there's Ezra. Maybe they can use this time to work on their book together...or, you know do the whole totally sweet pining ex thing. That works too. Oh, Liam, you poor oblivious man...
    
10. Mona is the girl with the pink dice. This somehow doesn't surprise me at all. But it does make me happy. I like Mona best when she's up to all kinds of crazy hijinks. This whole diner storyline has been so all over the place that I have no idea what's going on, but that doesn't stop me from liking where it's going. And despite Emily's stupid decisions of late, girl is probably the only liar who seems to actually be getting stuff done. Well done, Em. For now, you can keep your probably badass status. 

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

(A two-liner this time, because it made me snort with laughter)

Spencer: Do you want me to do this or not?
Caleb: Not! I keep saying not and you keep ignoring me!

~PLR~

pretty little reaction: there's baggage, and then there's what the liars are lugging around

6.17 We've All Got Baggage | Photo Credit: Freeform

Sorry for the break last week--things were crazy busy, but I'm back and ready to discuss this week's PLL! Before we dive in, I just want to give one more shout-out to the awesome Haleb flashback scene we got last week. It definitely made me yearn for them. And it, combined with what we saw this week, has me feeling very confident a reunion is in our future. I don't want Spencer to get burned, but...meh. She can get back with Toby. Speaking of whom, where's Toby? Definitely not a part of this week's drama, but next week...oh, I have a feeling it's getting good :)

You can't trust that guy, Em | Photo Credit: Freeform

1. So my question about Liam knowing who Ezra really is to Aria was answered quite clearly--he definitely didn't know. But he does now! Ezra seems to handle the whole book thing okay, then Liam and Aria work things out (he never even brings up the creepiness factor! Good man, that Liam. I guess.) Oh and Aria's parents get married, and well, basically everything's a wash for her this week. Expect new drama next week, probably related to her prodigal brother, at least, I kinda hope so.
    
2. Man, I love a good Emily freak out. Nobody does wide-eyed losing it like Em. Also her reaction to Spaleb was classic. Do not want to see. And then there's the whole Damien thing. I totally forgot about Damien until memory was jogged by the whole reporter thing. Right. That guy. He's definitely up to something other than an article, right? I mean, he has to be. Could he be Devil Emoji? Or, Black SUV? (more on that below)
    
3. Hanna's good at planning other weddings, but not her own. Clearly a sign. Also, "This is happy"? No it's not. (And did you notice Hanna's reaction to seeing Spaleb together? And how Hot Caleb removed his arm from around Spencer as soon as he saw Hanna? Haleb is so coming back.) 
    
4. Apparently Devil Emoji and Emily are going to have a baby together. Isn't that nice? Oh wait, no, it's totally creepy. But maybe Emily should take a look through that baby name book. If she leaves it up to Devil Emoji, that kid is going to be named Pizza Slice or Smiley Poop. Actually, Smiley Poop isn't a bad name for a baby...
    
5. The Hanna and Melissa flashback was intense. I kinda love these two together. Can we please see more of them two at odds? Also, how many times is this show going to try and make us believe Melissa is guilty? We know better by now, PLL. That said, I wonder what Melissa is up to...
    
6. Okay, Emily officially needs to stop going to creepy A-related (Devil Emoji-related) places by herself. She gets herself nearly killed every other week. And why does she think the roof is a good place to hide? OBVIOUSLY,w whoever is in the Black SUV totally knows she's up there. This is the most bizarre cat and mouse game I've ever seen. Em, next time just run into the forest. Cars can't drive through trees. 
    
7. What are Hanna and Aria wearing at the wedding? Just. What. Aria's is kinda okay since she's officiating, but a black leather crop top and matching skirt? I know Ella wanted something different, but seriously? Also, I kinda thought Byron and Ella would break apart after their kiss and Magic Mike would be there. Not stupid Liam, who is kinda boring now that any drama related to him is mostly over. 
    
8. Hot Caleb takes the fall. Always our hero. Of course. And then Spencer's mom kicks him out. I don't think Caleb secretly did it, and I don't care for him taking the blame to save Spencer (the campaign overall is fine), but I'm definitely a fan of him not being in that barn anymore. Hooray for no more totally awkward honeymoon phase scenes between Spaleb. I am so done with those. It felt like a brother and sister waking up for coffee and makeouts. Gross. Also, this totally sets the scene for the Haleb reunion. Dare I dream that Hot Caleb will show up at Lucas's condo looking for a place to crash? DARE I DREAM?
    
9. Ali and what's his face (Dr. Something) want to get married. Well, we knew this was coming, but I have to say, I wasn't expecting it now. They seem giggly and happy. And hey, Aria might as well. She's got an officiating resume to build up! Maybe she can marry Haleb next? :P
    
10. Okay, the two "As" thing. Emily seems to think that Black SUV and Devil Emoji aren't the same person. I don't necessarily agree that they have to be two different people. Couldn't Devil Emoji just have shown up to find that murder weapon and then Emily was there and he/she wanted to scare Em off so they did, and then when she got the weapon, he/she grabbed it for his/her own purposes? The show seems to want us to believe there are two people here. So even though I don't agree there's enough evidence to support this, I'm going to go along with it. Which brings me to my next question--which "A" is eating wedding cake and programming a universal remote? I don't even know what we're supposed to make of that...Figuring out how to program a universal remote makes me think the person is old and out of touch with technology, but that's not true. Those things are hard! 
    
    Until next week!

Prettiest Little Quote of the Week:

"Well, I think it's fate. People who are meant to be together take a break and then find their way back to their first love." -Hanna (of course, I picked this one...)

~PLR~