marinaalexis

I tried to convince myself of this for a long, long time, because I really don't like passing judgment on people I don't know. But when it comes down to it, this was the equivalent of a sophomore in high school dating someone old enough to have a graduate degree. It really doesn't matter how mature Sasha was - she was still, essentially, a child when they went public with their relationship, and undoubtedly a child when they met. There is a gigantic developmental difference between a teenager and someone in their mid-twenties. It's predatory no matter which way you look at it, and it's obvious that he was grooming her from a fairly young age. Her parents also seem to have always been totally and oddly fine with it, to the extent that they even took him on family vacations with them. There are actually pictures that they took of their fifteen year old daughter lying in a bikini next to this grown man. It's extremely disturbing, probably more so to me as an educator. It's just not something I can justify or try to explain away, even from the little I know.

"Fun" fact, on the subject of Sasha's husband, for those who might not know: They met when Sasha was 12 and Hudson was between 18 and 19, and started publicly dating (though it's clear they were together even earlier) when she was 16 and he was 23.

Yes, I just saw that lol! Anything to appease the shippers. It's not like we actually saw Emily eagerly divorcing Alison and Ali proceeding to move on with no remorse or anything. Of course the shippers are going to lord this over the rest of the fanbase as proof of an Emison endgame, but personally, I don't consider anything Marlene puts on her twitter to be anything more than silly fanservice, same as those ridiculous texting conversations they used to post. Possibly (yet another) controversial opinion, but I've always perceived Sofia as a little full of herself, so I'm not overly surprised that she hasn't posted anything. I wonder the same thing about the cast - I sure hope they've known for a while and have planned not to return. It would really suck if they'd had to pass up opportunities for long-term projects because they didn't know if they would still have contractual obligations to TP. I truly agree with you that I think TP would have really come into its own in season 2. It had a rocky start finding it's footing and figuring out a good balance between remaining in the PLL world and becoming its own thing, but the last few episodes really seemed to start evening out. And the finale really set the stage for a great, solid mystery. It's really shameful that the network couldn't give it a fighting chance. They made so many huge mistakes in their promotion, it's like they gave up on it before it even really began.

Oh, she's totally going to do it. "That was the plan all along guyssss!! #Emisonforever" The part I bolded is what really gets me, too. I saw people online whining about this show to no end, but...it's PLL. It's a Freeform show. What did people expect? It is such an unbelievable bummer that the PLL world is forever closed on such an unresolved note. And although I'm sure they partially expected the cancellation, it also sucks that Janel and Sasha, who have played these roles for nearly a decade now, didn't get to say a proper goodbye to their characters.

It definitely wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it did have a lot of potential, in my opinion, and I think the finale really left the door open for a great second season. It's really a shame that the network wasn't willing to give it a second chance, but seems more than happy to renew other shows for third, fourth seasons that have similar ratings. With the lack of promotion and international availability, Freeform really didn't give this show much of a chance from the start. Perhaps an unpopular opinion (and one I would never dare express on any social media), but my one silver lining is that at least the PLL universe ended with Emison officially broken up and not even anywhere near reuniting. I'm sure the shippers are taking that just remarkably well. 😉

Don't think this is necessarily going to come as a huge surprise to anyone, but... https://deadline.com/2019/09/pretty-little-liars-the-perfectionists-canceled-after-one-season-freeform-1202746884/

I'm sorry, but I just can't get behind that one bit. I've already explained why they couldn't just leave. Kelly's lawsuit was even thrown out because Lifetime's lawyers were able to have all evidence from the show made inadmissible in court. And I'm not sure what magical editing you think was going on here, but I saw with my own eyes Abby screaming that Chloe is a sneak and a snake, and I saw with my own eyes that child holding herself as she sobbed in the hallway. What kind of editing made that happen? They somehow took separate snippets of Abby saying each individual word, edited them together, and edited the footage so it looked like her mouth was moving in the exact same way? And I've said it once and I'll say it again - I don't care how "well known" the kids became from the show. That means absolutely nothing in the face of years of mistreatment and it's completely irrelevant, I have no idea why you keep bringing it up. Abby Lee Miller has been a child abuser for years, and I am beyond sick of the constant justifications and denial surrounding her disgusting mistreatment of all of those children.

No. There is no one more at fault for abusing children than the child abuser themselves - and in my opinion, Abby was indeed a child abuser. It's also important to remember that it wasn't as easy for the parents to just pack up and leave at any time like they could at a regular dance studio. TV contracts are extremely iron-clad to ensure that cast members can't just bow out for better projects. Any of those families would have likely been completely financially ruined if they'd broken their contract early. Of course it's easy to say that you would put your child's well-being above any amount of money, but when that child and your others are at risk of losing everything if you leave...it's a much harder call to make. I do judge the parents who did nothing to limit their children's exposure to Abby though, absolutely. Christi definitely made a lot of questionable decisions, but I have to respect her for pulling Chloe out of the studio in season 3 and having her around Abby as little as possible (only for filming).

I have to say that I have a really hard time with this mentality because I do not believe for one second that fame or opportunity makes up for the emotional and verbal abuse that those kids suffered at the hands of Abby. I know what you mean about the editing, but when it comes down to it, Abby did call Paige stupid. She did refuse to call Chloe by name. She did scream at Chloe that she was a sneak and a snake. And I can't bring myself to watch scenes like this and believe that it was fake or the kids knew she didn't mean any of it (whether or not she really did mean it is beside the point). Those tears and anxiety attacks were real, and a child's emotional well-being should never be the price of some good opportunities in show business. I also think it's important to bring up, regarding the part of your post that I highlighted, that in fact the opposite was often true. The show was based around Abby being a tough, harsh teacher, but she was also its cash cow. There were at least several known times that the show was edited to make things look better than they really were. Case in point: Abby yelling at Christi to get Chloe's eye fixed was edited out, as was Abby screaming in Chloe's face that she would destroy her. I find it hard to believe that those were the only two instances, either.

Here's a deleted scene from the episode that confirms what we've all known since at least 2013:

It really is jarring to see the soloists placing so low. One major thing is that there often are winning solos from the ALDC, but for some reason they're choosing to cut them. Lilly had a beautiful solo during this competition that won 1st...and we didn't get to see it. That's happened quite a few times this season, with ALDC dancers placing first with cut solos. I have no idea why Lifetime is editing it this way.

I don't believe the reason(s) have ever been stated, but I like to think (wishfully) that it's at least in part because she and/or Melissa realized that Abby was emotionally abusive and codependent to a disturbing degree toward Maddie from the time she was eight years old. Melissa has also made vague claims on social media about Abby having done something to Mackenzie, which is likely essentially holding her early "Mack Z" music hostage. There has also been a lot of speculation that Melissa was involved with some of Abby's less-than-legal endeavors, and cut the cord to distance herself from Abby's legal troubles. Either way, I believe that Maddie's success is due to Lifetime and the show, not Abby herself, and I don't blame her for refusing to acknowledge Abby. The way that woman treated that little girl was strange and emotionally unhealthy.

Right around the time that JoJo became a huge superstar, and Maddie stopped acknowledging Abby's existence (for good reason, I might add), I imagine.

JoJo and Jess actually left the team because JoJo got offered a contract with Nickelodeon. The ballet duet tantrum was a storyline that was concocted for the show to make their departure more dramatic. It was all completely set-up. (I don't mean to defend Jess in any way, for the record. Remembering the way she and Jill treated Brynn in season 6 still makes my skin crawl.)

We're just going to have to agree to disagree then. Apparently I'm in the minority, but although lyrical clearly wasn't Mackenzie's strong suit, I would not in any universe say that the routine was "awful."

I think it's grossly exaggerated and inaccurate to claim that Mackenzie's version of Cry was "awful."

Lilly's the one I'm really concerned about. She's having breakdowns every episode, and even her interviews make her seem like a complete stress case. I've seen a lot of people complain about her being "entitled," but all I see is a kid who's receiving way too much pressure from both her mother and herself to be perfect. She doesn't act like a ten year old and it's heartbreaking.

Thank you!! God that bugged. To be fair, the psychology dean (?) seemed to be in on the whole thing with the Professor, so I guess that can explain how she was able to just switch Ali right into another program. If Claire's in on this experiment as well, she'd probably be able to make that happen (considering it seems like she single-handedly makes every decision at this school). But Ali blatantly referring to it as her "major," oh I cringed. Ali's reasoning for moving to BHU seems to switch around constantly. First she claimed it was to prove she could be a better wife and mother (which never made sense), then she admitted that she was just lying to herself, and her real motivation was to get away from Emily so she wouldn't have to be near her knowing that their marriage failed, and now suddenly she's back on the idea that she's trying to become a better person. It's weird.

My favorite episode of the season. I've seen a lot of negativity regarding the fact that we "didn't even find out who killed Nolan," but honestly...this is a PLL show. Why was anyone expecting legit answers after ten episodes? I've wanted the "Big Brother" nature of Beacon Guard to take center stage since the beginning, so needless to say I'm loving this new experiment twist. I assume the other two chairs were for Ray and Taylor - seven chairs for the seven people on the list. Still not sure how Ray is going to be relevant in all of this, but I'm still holding firm to my theory that Taylor is behind all of this, or at least involved. And I don't think we can rule anyone out based on that ending scene alone. I imagine that Zach just referred to that person as "professor" because that was the name they gave when they ordered the drink, or something like that. I laughed out loud at the idea of Alison joining the psychology program to combat the Professor. She's going to take Intro to Psychology and get this all figured out. (Also, you can't just "switch" graduate programs like you can undergrad majors. Ugh.) Whoa at Claire and Mason. I've noticed the sexual tension between them all along, so I wasn't necessarily surprised, but...still. Kelly Rutherford just plays Claire so perfectly. That moment when she rose up from her desk in those tall heels and towered over tiny Mona was chilling. I hope we see more of her, assuming we end up with a second season. Alison was 900 times more enjoyable without her Taylor obsession dragging down her entire character. And I love how during her whole internal crisis over whether or not she should leave Beacon Heights and return to Rosewood with Mona, the one factor that she never seemed to actually consider was her children. Mother of the year!

So glad I'm not alone! This just seems like the most logical answer to me. I think that she killed the father as well. Her story about that incident just doesn't make any sense. Why was she with him in the alley in the first place? And after he was shot, she just sat there and watched him bleed out, without calling anyone or attempting to get help? Like you said, I think that Claire knows about everything that Taylor's done and is still doing. I just don't think Taylor knows that Claire knows.

Claire is definitely up there on my suspect list as well. She obviously knows wayyyy more than she's claiming, and it's partially why Ali's whole "your mom was GRIEVING OVER YOU, Taylor!!!" schtick was seriously getting on my nerves - it was so clear that Claire knew all along that Taylor wasn't really dead with all of those "when my daughter went missing" slip-ups. From what we've seen of Claire, though, I have a hard time imagining her getting up on the roof and pushing Nolan herself. She seems like the kind of person who knows how to keep her own hands clean. But I could totally see her hiring someone to do it.

I so wish that there was an entirely separate theory thread (still bitter that we lost our actual own forum), but since there's not, I'll just put this here: I haven't trusted Taylor since she came back, but after last night I'm really starting to think that she killed Nolan. Some of Claire's comments to Alison have indicated that she always knew Taylor was alive. And I find it very strange that if Claire is so determined to track down Nolan's real killer, she wouldn't be quite so okay with Dana openly admitting to framing the Perfectionists for his murder. It seems more like her real goal is to just pin the murder on whoever is most convenient and get the case solved. Why would she want to do that unless it's to protect her other child? Along with that, she demonstrated last night that she obviously has the ability to snap (that line from the pilot, "someone's about to snap and kill," anyone?), she looks enough like Ali that in the dark Nolan easily could have mistaken Taylor for her, they're really playing up this victim narrative surrounding her.

I also find it the hardest to sympathize with Dylan, just because he seems the least willing to acknowledge the severity of what he did and is basically acting like it should just be totally overlooked. Getting expelled for plagiarism isn't some over-the-top BHU thing, it's like...college 101. I rolled my eyes when he and Andrew were like, "but I regret it!" It doesn't matter, you still did it! However, my point is more that even though he objectively screwed up and the consequences are entirely justified, I still find myself able to understand why he felt the need to do it and how the environment of BHU was a factor out of his control that led to it. It's not as black and white as PLL, but I like the complexity.

I'm looking at it from a slightly different perspective, in that I actually really like this aspect. One thing that grated on my nerves about PLL by the end was that it felt like it turned into the Liars always just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, never really doing anything wrong and always being the victims of circumstance. I like that in this show, all of the main characters have made actual bad choices and are more in the gray area of morality than anything else, but it's not as if their actions can't be somewhat understood. For example, yes, Mona most likely broke university policy by sleeping with a student and was deservedly fired. But when you consider that she's essentially been totally isolated for the past year, has always been desperate, deep down, but acceptance and affection, and finally had someone come along who was willing to show her that, it's hard for me to not sympathize at least a bit. Same thing goes for Ava, who was using stolen money only because she was so desperate to make something of herself and become more than the notorious Jalali's daughter, and for the others. Their actions definitely span from questionable to illegal, but I don't think we're supposed to just brush over them and act like these characters are totally in the right. I really appreciate this show getting back to what I feel is the roots of what the PLL world was always supposed to be - morally gray characters making choices that aren't totally sympathetic, but aren't completely malicious either.

Pretty solid penultimate episode, only slightly soiled by the fact that we STILL don't have a season 2 confirmation! So as of now, Dylan's likely getting expelled, Caitlin's mom is dragging her to Washington, Mona was fired, Ava just might be going to jail, and Taylor's being hauled off to a "resort." Sorry Ali, looks like you're on your own (until next episode when magically everything is reversed). Looks like the "spa" might just be what Taylor needs, though. Girl's obviously unhinged. I distrust her almost completely - there's something missing from this story. And of course they discover that Jeremy's still alive right after they deliver their fake story to the cops. Just how, I wonder, did Dana manage to find that hidden money so quickly? Since Caitlin's house isn't on campus, it wouldn't be surveilled by Beacon Guard, so is Dana just that good, or did one of the three (although probably not Ava) rat it out? Speaking of odd authority, was it ever clarified what the hell Claire's role at this school really is? In the beginning I thought the Hotchkiss family was just a big donor, but the wiki lists her as a co-founder, and she seems to have an inordinate amount of power, considering she can expel students and fire staff seemingly completely at will. It was a tiny moment, but possibly the episode's biggest highlight for me was Mona and Ali's little side conversation about the proper pronunciation of "gala."