S05.E10: A Dark Ali

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The pressure is on for Alison to identify the man police have in custody for her kidnapping, but the Liars know if she does it would be sending an innocent man to prison and possibly walking right into an “A” trap. With Emily trying to convince Ali not to play into “A’s” hand, Spencer comes up with a plan B in case Ali decides to make the wrong decision. Meanwhile, fed up with all of the Ali drama, Hanna tries to lead a “normal” teenage life.

Promo:

Edited August 6, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Clips:

 

 

[M1977G]

OK, this last trailer posted above is awesome!  Emily is blind as a bat and being so stupidly loyal to Ali that I want to smack her, but Spencer as usual is speaking truth to power, announcing Ali is a dangerous person who can't be trusted.  Hell yeah.  Someone's seeing the light, and I'm so glad that Noel Kahn might be the one to help Spencer figure it out.

[FAU]

OK, this last trailer posted above is awesome!  Emily is blind as a bat and being so stupidly loyal to Ali that I want to smack her, but Spencer as usual is speaking truth to power, announcing Ali is a dangerous person who can't be trusted.  Hell yeah.  Someone's seeing the light, and I'm so glad that Noel Kahn might be the one to help Spencer figure it out.

 

Emily is so freaking stupid, she keeps proving that she really is the weakest of the group.  Ali just straight up admitting to setting up that whole A thing with Noel and she's blindly following her victim schtick.

[mjgchick]

But of course Aria snitched to Emily. I'm not sure Aria even knows who Spencer was talking about to be honest.

[mercfan3]

Makes sense. Aria's still Ali's friend. 

[FAU]

But of course Aria snitched to Emily. I'm not sure Aria even knows who Spencer was talking about to be honest.

 

She's still living in her own world with creepy, pedo stalker to care about that.

[Sakura12]

Unless it's something that comes between her and Ezra, Aria doesn't care. She got more upset that someone said Ezra's likes other teenagers, then she has at anything that happened to her friends.

 

I loved Spencer's "I'm sorry,...what?" 

 

I won't be surprised if Spencer and Hanna end up joining Jenna and Mona's team. 

[mjgchick]

You mean like how her best friend who looked shaken up told her that her almost step dad made a pass at her and she blamed her best friend for it? Then the next day she was so offended that someone would think a man who is seen with plenty underage students hanging out could possibly be a creep? Nah surely you just.

[emma675]

 

I won't be surprised if Spencer and Hanna end up joining Jenna and Mona's team.

I would love this! Aria is such a space cadet she wouldn't even notice and Emily is Team Ali all the time, every day no matter what.

[Jack Shaftoe]

 

I won't be surprised if Spencer and Hanna end up joining Jenna and Mona's team.

 

Few things would make me drop the show but this would certainly be one of them. Spencer and Hanna can cut Alison out of their lives without joining their other arch enemies. Not to mention that neither has shown any taste for Mona's insane, over-the-top, cruelty.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Jack Shaftoe

[mercfan3]

I did always want the Liars to discuss information with Jenna. Jenna doesn't seem to like them (although doesn't hate them either.). But she's made it clear she doesn't want them dead. So she's not enemy #1. 

[Dejajeva]

I'm so torn you guys because I'm looking forward to the show but I have to say I literally can not even deal with Emily right now. She's being so stupid she's not even likable. I want the Hanna and Spencer show.

[superman1204]

I get why everyone is so annoyed with Emily, but at least she is involved in the group and mystery, all be it in her Ali-obsessed way.  Aria is back on her own show,  Hanna was drunk for the past six episode and was basically an emotional train wreck (admittedly not entirely her fault), and Alison is so full of bullshit that none of the Lairs have actual conversations with her.  At this point, Emily and Spencer are the only two trying to figure out the what the hell is going on. 

[Criticanon]

I get why everyone is so annoyed with Emily, but at least she is involved in the group and mystery, all be it in her Ali-obsessed way.  Aria is back on her own show,  Hanna was drunk for the past six episode and was basically an emotional train wreck (admittedly not entirely her fault), and Alison is so full of bullshit that none of the Lairs have actual conversations with her.  At this point, Emily and Spencer are the only two trying to figure out the what the hell is going on. 

 

It's not her involvement that pisses people off about her like Aria with her Ezria bs, it's her blind ignorance with Ali and it's really gotten annoying

[ottoDbusdriver]

And with a snap of her fingers, Hanna is no longer a drunk.  If it was only that easy.

[Chaos Theory]

What the hell crazy ass game is Ali playing?

 

Smartest thing Aria has ever said, "I can't trust Ezra."

 

Hasting Genetics....smart, sexy, and psychotic.  Why improve on perfection?

 

"The truth doesn't amount to much when it comes from a bunch of liars."  New motto of the show people!!!!!

 

I get why everyone is so annoyed with Emily, but at least she is involved in the group and mystery, all be it in her Ali-obsessed way.

 

 

Her arc this season was that she got back her first love and I can see how that could blind a person for awhile.  Love can put some serious blinders on a persona; especially a person as kind as Emily.  I enjoyed her the last couple of episode as her blinder have begun to come off because when Emily gets her bitch on it is a sight to behold.  I think pissed of Emily is my favorite Emily.  

[Criticanon]

And with a snap of her fingers, Hanna is no longer a drunk.  If it was only that easy.

 

She was the meltdown of the season I guess since everyone else had a turn.

 

Smartest thing Aria has ever said, "I can't trust Ezra."

 

If only this would actually stick.

[Mabinogia]

I never really saw Hanna as an alcoholic, as in, she has an addiction to booze, so I buy that she could just stop. She was just using it to ignore what was going on like she then used that two second interest in theatre.

 

I have never been so bored by a tragic backstory as I was listening to Ali tell her tale. I just don't care about her at all anymore. It's interesting because I was fascinated by her in early seasons but now that she's alive and back I just find her tedious. I'd rather watch Mona or Jenna or even Melissa being all manipulative and evil.

 

Speaking of Melissa, the second I saw her making that video I uttered "They're killing her off!" followed by a loud, angry NOOOOOOO!!!!! (I hope I am proven wrong, but I just don't see the show letting her actually say anything of any worth so she's dead.

 

Loved Mona and Hanna on the stake out. Love Spencer. Love that there was no Toby, which I didn't even notice until I just wrote it now. Laughed at Ezra, as usual, him getting yelled at by Aria always cracks me up because she is the youngest looking of them all so it looks like he's getting berated by a child. LOL Skipped the sad Aria's mom stuff because....though I love HMC, I just don't care about Ella's broken heart. I just don't get why it's getting attention.

[superman1204]

So my least favorite character this week is going to have to Ella.  Aria was about to realize that she should move on from Ezra, but then Ella specifically tells her to give him a second chance.  Seriously!  I thought the only reason she was ok with Aria and Ezra's relationship was because she was trying to be understanding.  Also didn't she notice what a train wreck her daughter was after they broke up?  That might be a sign that something was out of whack with the relationship.

 

I'm confused about Alison's flashbacks.  They were true right?  Since she was having flashbacks just walking through the room with Tanner, but wasn't telling anyone about them, it wouldn't make any sense for them to be lies.  Obvious, Alison forgave/blackmailed her "kidnapper", so Alison being afraid of him was a lie, but I think we actually know something about when Alison was missing.

 

Shouldn't Mona renting a car and surveillance equipment set off an alarm somewhere?  Either way Hanna and Mona on stake out was awesome.

 

What's going on with Melissa?  Within like three sentences of dialog, she goes from complaining that Spencer won't just ask her what's going on, to telling Spencer she can't tell her what's going on.

 

Finally I loved the final scene with Emily and Alison.  Emily was awesome.  So nice to see one of the girls stand up and get mad about all the bullshit people try to feed them (admittedly it is her fault for trusting Ali so long but still she was awesome).  Also when Emily was listing everything bad that happened because of Ali, she mentioned all of the Lairs except Aria.  I laughed.

Edited August 14, 2014 by superman1204

[Writing Wrongs]

With those folding skills, I'm guessing A worked at The Gap.

 

I have never been so bored by a tragic backstory as I was listening to Ali tell her tale. I just don't care about her at all anymore. It's interesting because I was fascinated by her in early seasons but now that she's alive and back I just find her tedious. I'd rather watch Mona or Jenna or even Melissa being all manipulative and evil.

I agree. Ali bores me now.

 

What the hell happened to Roma Maffia's hair?

[Freedom]

 

Speaking of Melissa, the second I saw her making that video I uttered "They're killing her off!" followed by a loud, angry NOOOOOOO!!!!! (I hope I am proven wrong, but I just don't see the show letting her actually say anything of any worth so she's dead.

 

Unfortunately, minor characters with answers don't last long on this show.  :(.

 

 

So my least favorite character this week is going to have to Ella.  Aria was about to realize that she should move on from Ezra, but then Ella specifically tells her to give him a second chance.  Seriously!  I thought the only reason she was ok with Aria and Ezra's relationship was because she was trying to be understanding.  Also Didn't she notice what a train wreck her daughter was after they broke up?  That might be a sign that something was out of whack with the relationship.

 

Another prop for Ezra/Ezria bs express.

 

 

I'm confused about Alison's flashbacks.  They were true right?  Since she was having flashbacks just walking through the room with Tanner, but wasn't telling anyone about them, it wouldn't make any sense for them to be lies.  Obvious, Alison forgave/blackmailed her "kidnapper", so Alison being afraid of him was a lie, but I think we actually know something about when Alison was missing.

 

Yeah, she was actually there during her 'death'/'kidnapping'.

 

Finally I loved the final scene with Emily and Alison.  Emily was awesome.  So nice to see one of the girls stand up and get mad about all the bullshit people try to feed them (admittedly it is her fault for trusting Ali so long but still she was awesome).  Also when Emily was listing everything bad that happened because of Ali, she mentioned all of the Lairs except Aria.  I laughed.

 

Finally, the girls needed to stop falling for Ali's bs for once especially Emily.

[mercfan3]

So, when Ali was gone, was she Vivian the entire time? Does she have MPD? Makes sense that this was really one of her tricks..but this is the second time in two weeks that the show has hinted Ali is the one sending the A texts. (So she's obviously not.) So...are they redeeming her or not? Seems like a not..

 

And I do think the flashback we saw was true. Ali mentioned she could always tell dude's past, plus, she did look traumatized by the incident. Not only that, she made sure there was a warrant out for his arrest..Ali's awful, but I doubt she'd do that to someone who was helping her. 

 

Ugh..Ella..let your daughter break up with her pedo. Caleb and Hanna are adorable. 

 

Count me in as someone who would like to see the liars work with Jenna and Mona. Not in a friendship way, but in a "you have info, I have info" kind of way. 

 

The best part of this season has been the return of BAMF Spencer. 

[Sakura12]

What game is Ali even playing? I'm confused and don't really blame Melissa, Mona and Jenna being worried about that psycho. I figured her sob story flashbacks were all a lie, she only looked traumatized when someone was watching her. She was probably the one terrorizing those poor homeless kids for the past 2 years and went Bonnie and Clyde with Cyrus. I'm glad Emily finally wised up and realized that she was being manipulated and used just like she was before Ali "died". 

 

Look, I called it, she didn't quite join her but Hanna worked with Mona and found out a lot more information a lot sooner and at a safer distance. Mona and Jenna are pretty much criminal masterminds if they want to find out something they will. Where did Jenna disappear too again? I want to see more Mona and Jenna scenes. One of the episodes should be focused entirely in Out of Town, that place always seems busy. 

 

Melissa's going to die. (I felt weird typing that because it's my name too). I hope we find out whatever is she did before season 5.2. So in the next 2 episodes. I don't want that dragged out even more since it's probably something stupid like she gave Ali's yellow shirt to Bethany and didn't know someone was going to kill her. 

 

Emily: "Hanna got run over by a car, I was almost killed by an elevator and Spencer went crazy and into a mental hospital" And nothing about Aria. Hahahaha I love when the show doesn't pretend that Aria's part of the same show as the rest of them. 

Edited August 13, 2014 by Sakura12

[Chaos Theory]

Emily: "Hanna got run over by a car, I was almost killed by an elevator and Spencer went crazy and into a mental hospital" And nothing about Aria. Hahahaha I love when the show doesn't pretend that Aria's part of the same show as the rest of them.

 

 

Aria got stuffed in a box with a dead body once but that's about all I can come up with on the spot....everyone else there is a dozen or so horrible horrible things I can come up with from GLASS IN MY HAIR to ending up in a mental hospital but hey boyfriend problems are important too.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Chaos Theory

[jjjmoss]

I just don't care about her at all anymore. It's interesting because I was fascinated by her in early seasons but now that she's alive and back I just find her tedious. I'd rather watch Mona or Jenna or even Melissa being all manipulative and evil.

 

Speaking of Melissa, the second I saw her making that video I uttered "They're killing her off!" followed by a loud, angry NOOOOOOO!!!!! 

 

Laughed at Ezra, as usual, him getting yelled at by Aria always cracks me up because she is the youngest looking of them all so it looks like he's getting berated by a child.

I have been opposed to Ali's being not dead since it was first shown for real that she was. I have never bought that this little girl was charismatic enough that she could lord her power over all these people who clearly look way older than her despite being her supposed classmates. Like you said about Aria, she looks like a child, like the rest of the cast is about the same age group and she's some kind of Damien swirling about in their orbits. She's also a weaker actress than Mona or Jenna or even Melissa, so she can't pull off all the sides she's supposed to, and to me Ali's just an annoying brat who should've stayed dead.

 

But at least Melissa dying is preferable to Jenna or Mona doing so. 

[mjgchick]

Why can't this show just be Mona, Spencer and Hanna. Hanna and Spencer are part of a huge ship but the show doesn't allow Them to be about their ship like it is with Aria and whatever they are doing to Emily. All though she became a boss tonight.

I pretty much believe nothing Allison says.

Edited August 13, 2014 by mjgchick

[GaT]

And with a snap of her fingers, Hanna is no longer a drunk.  If it was only that easy.

 

 

I never really saw Hanna as an alcoholic, as in, she has an addiction to booze, so I buy that she could just stop. She was just using it to ignore what was going on like she then used that two second interest in theatre.

 

 

I agree, she was only drinking for a short time, she didn't have enough time to become a raging alcoholic. She used it as a crutch for a while, but she was able to stop when she wanted. 

I'm confused about Alison's flashbacks.  They were true right?  Since she was having flashbacks just walking through the room with Tanner, but wasn't telling anyone about them, it wouldn't make any sense for them to be lies.  Obvious, Alison forgave/blackmailed her "kidnapper", so Alison being afraid of him was a lie, but I think we actually know something about when Alison was missing.

 

 

 

I'm confused about them too. It looked like they were real flashbacks, but they way she was acting with him at the end made it seem like she was the one who had control, so I wonder if what we were seeing was Ali making up a story in her mind to tell the liars, not a flashback of what really happened. Other than that, I can't figure out WTF she is up to. It's like the Noel Kahn thing, she set it up to bolster her story, but I can't figure out what her end game is.

[Fuzzy Logic]

I feel as if I have watched the same Ali-as-victim scene (be it real or fabricated) on loop now, and it wasn't even interesting the first time around.  The specter of Ali was far more intriguing - and far more useful to the show - than the actual Ali has turned out to be.  On a different note, is the actress who plays Ali pregnant?  I found her silhouette tonight to be distracting. 

Edited August 13, 2014 by Fuzzy Logic

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was cracking up at how Aria was loudly blathering about how Cyrus was not the guy who kidnapped Ali as they walked past the police. At this point, they know that Rosewood PD couldn't find their own asses with both hands, so there's no point in whispering around them.

 

I want to know how Spencer had that secret compartment put into her chair, especially since she said no one knows about it.

 

Melissa: Spencer, why won't you just ask me what you want to know instead of going through my stuff?

Spencer: Okay, fine. Tell me what you know.

Melissa: No.

 

Dear Hanna and Caleb, don't be those people who run in the street when there's a perfectly good sidewalk! I loved that when Spencer got all belligerent with Caleb, he just calmly told her that she was the one who told him to help Hanna and that's what he was doing. I understand why Hanna lied to Caleb, but part of me wishes she had said, "Hey, I'm in Mona's car stalking someone and bluesmurfing everyone in Rosewood. Can I call you back in like half an hour?"

 

Ezra fixing his bike in the middle of his apartment totally cracked me up. How much do you want to bet that he was converting it to a fixie? I loved when Aria said she doesn't trust Ezra. FINALLY! The hilarious/pathetic part is that her inability to trust him is not really because he befriended her to find out more about Ali or stalked her and the other PLLs. It's because she asked him not to talk to Ali and he had the nerve to disobey her. Bad puppy!

 

Ali is such a liar that I didn't believe her story about Cyrus giving her the scar on her leg, even with the flashbacks. The most traumatizing part to Ali in her story was that he didn't want her, only her stuff. Even when she's lying, she is still a total narcissist! Notice in the flashback, Ali is standing next to Cyrus looking smug as they look down at two kids sitting on a sofa - so even when she was living in a warehouse, she was still being her usual queen bee self. I'm not surprised that the girl on the couch left her there to bleed and ran off with Cyrus (if any of those flashbacks were real). How long before we see that chick in Rosewood? Was that the same painting Ali freaked out about seeing in the church?

 

Mona is one of those annoying people who insists on singing at the top of her lungs in the green room - no surprise there. Did Mona look up Hanna's skirt when she walked over her to get her bag? Despite the fact that Mona is a known liar, I believe what she said. She is still afraid of Ali and she has been on the offensive ever since Ali got back.

 

Ella: Would you wear this?

Aria: Yes, which is why you shouldn't.

(this should be everyone's fashion rule)

 

Hanna looked so much better at the end of the episode, but what the hell was Caleb wearing? That grey cowboy shirt with the dark collar buttoned all the way to the top was not a good look on him.

 

A is really good at folding those hoodies perfectly. Whoever is under the master hoodie must have worked at the Gap.

 

Jessica must have gone through everything in Ali's room after she disappeared, so did Ali buy a new Vivian Darkbloom wig? Or does she have a secret compartment in her chair too?

[lorikauai]

FINALLY Emily realizes that Ali is still a lying liar who lies.

I loved Hanna and Mona together. It was great seeing Hanba benefit from Mona's tech know-how just like Spencer learned about installing surveillance equipment from Ezra. Ha. I wonder if they could get anything of value from Toby? Doubtful.

I love that they are going with bad Ali and showing that this victim thing is an act.

Really sad about Melissa's probable death. Why else would Spencer need a taped confession? Ugh. I really wanted a face to face explanation. Who do you all think Melissa was with on Spencer's surveillance tape since if is unlikely it was Cyrus. Wren, Jason, Ezra, Noel, Lucas, Toby?

I agree that Ali's dress was unflattering and made her look pregnant, like Ella's outfits last week.

What the heck is wrong with Ella? Who encourages their teen daughter to give her adult boyfriend another chance?

[Spencer Hastings]

I don't care what Ali says. She got stabbed by Aria on the A-train during an Adam Lambert concert.

I still have to wonder if they're going there with the twin theory. The way Cyrus said Alison made me raise my eyebrow. He may as well have said "If that's your real name" but he also could have known her as Vivian.

Melissa is so dead. Ugh.

[Kaboom 2.0]

WHAT the FUCK happened to Roma Maffia's hair?!?!? That was the scariest thing I saw last night!

 

Glad to see I'm not the only person who thought "damn, A worked at the Gap...huh" during the folding montage.

 

Re: Spencer's red chair's secret compartment, I hand waved it; she's a Hastings, why wouldn't she have a secret compartment in a piece of furniture. Although Melissa still occasionally gets on my nerves I hope her vid isn't a precursor to her death, I hope she just escapes the craziness of that town by jetting off to one of the locales she told Spencer.

 

Aria's hissyfit at Ezra for him daring to speak to Ali was hilarious. Less so was Ella's advice to Aria to give him another chance. Dammit Ella!

 

Hanna and Mona's stakeout was full of win although being the old person that I am, when Mona said she rented the car I thought "hm, I wonder if rental car agencies in PA charge teens extra for renting a car like they do in my state." And then I had to remind myself that PLL is not real life. I really liked hearing Mona/JP sing at the audition, it's such a Mona thing to do. LOL

 

Loved Hanna and Caleb running (and Spencer's reaction!) and Hanna finally cleaning out that nasty ass cabin and fridge. I'm glad she's back on the health and beauty train after dropping the alcohol but I would still like to see her keep that slightly dark edge in her clothing.

 

I still do not care one bit about Ali, couldn't stand her in flashbacks, can't stand her now. She's about as much a victim in this mess as I am a supermodel (smirk). Re: her flashbacks in that basement, I totally saw that as her remixing things in her head, forcing them into new memories, to tell the PLL and the cops.

And finally, the scene I loved so much I rewatched it: Emily telling Ali off at the end. Just makes me think how much more desperate Ali will become in order to keep her PLL in line and how far they will go to finally wrench themselves from her.

[Chaos Theory]

Hanna isn't a alcoholic she is a binge whatever. She binged when she was stressed on food in the past but Caleb was drinking so she took a chug and.....

[mac123x]

With one sentence Melissa changed my opinion of her.  "Maybe you should come with me?"   Do it Spencer!  Except of couse Melissa is a dead man walking.

 

I also loved Mona tonight, her admitting to Hanna that Ali genuinely scares the crap out of her seemed sincere.  I really wish the PLLs would work with her more directly.

 

I think Ali's flashbacks were genuine, but incomplete. Cyrus really did assault her and steal her stuff, but she later tracked him down and a) got her crap back and b) got something to blackmail him with.  Since the whole confession was a setup by Ali, I guess he wasn't the stranger that Melissa met up with on Spencer's surveillance tape?

[KatWay]

Don't kill Melissa, show!! Whatever she knows is probably super unimportant anyways, if the show actually tells us. Like, meeting Bethany for one second That Night or seeing Ali behind a tree or some crap like that. 

 

How do I find Mona and Jenna so much more layered and interesting than Ali? Alison just bugs me, she's simultaneously boring and annoying. And the trembling lip, wide eyes look has to stop. 

 

Of course Aria would consider Ezra talking to Ali a dealbreaker, not the bazillion other actually bad things he's done. In those three seconds with Ali, Ezra seemed almost like an interesting character, I like how he looks at her all "You're so full of shit". Tanner's got that down too, except this cockamamie Cyrus-the-fake-kidnapper scheme may have gotten her off Ali's back for now.

[Sakura12]

I think Ali's version of events didn't have the whole truth. I think she terrorized those homeless kids including Cyrus but unlike the men in Rosewood he wasn't going to put up it with anymore and was trying to leave. Ali woke up, screamed at him and he attacked her so he could leave along with everyone else. She like always paints herself as the victim, when she's really the mastermind behind it all. 

[ladyrott]

AUGH!  Stupid storm knocked out my DISH right near the end.  Someone PLEASE fill me in.  Last thing I saw I was Hanna about to tell Caleb something.  HELP!

[Jack Shaftoe]

This episode was much better than the average quality of the season so far. I just wish I could really believe the Liars would stick to their guns about never trusting Alison again but I suspect Emily will be charmed by her once more in three episodes tops.

 

Spencer was awesome, apart from once again thinking she could hide something from A. And I loved her outfit with the tie. Hanna was awesome and I hope after seeing Mona in action she would nag Caleb to use his Cyber Wolf magic to try to track A's moves.

 

Aria was most certainly not awesome, though. Come on, Aria, trying the same thing for the 37th time (or thereabouts, she and Ezra "break up" every other episode, it seems)  is not a charm.

 

Rosewood's finest strike again. Not enough evidence, my ass. Why did they sent Alison to that basement ten minutes before they had to release Cyrus? Who, by the way, must be even dumber than Emily and Aria. First, he trusted Alison. Second, even in the best case scenario, he was going to be considered to be a kidnapper and probably Mrs D's murderer too. All that for some money? 

 

And Mona, you could have sent some of your minions to watch the other exit of the police building. Such a rookie mistake...

 

Melissa, I am not going to lie, I am not going to miss you much. I wish the show would stop killing characters all the time, though, it's getting beyond ridiculous that no one in show seems to think that string of murders (including two police officers!) is a big deal. Though, I still chuckled when Melissa said "Is this what has come to? Searching each other's rooms?", since Spencer has been searching Melissa room or bag or apartment for clues quite a few times before already and I bet Melissa has done the same.

[M1977G]

I did not anticipate Vivian Darkbloom's wiggy return!  I held my breath through the Ali-Cyrus exchange in the woods, fearing that they were going with the twin or dissociative personality disorder thing, which would make me hate the show.  So, even though Cyrus sounded strange when he called her Ali, it keeps me holding out hope that (1)  the writers aren't going to take the biggest cop outs the show could possibly find,  and (2) that they're not looking to redeem Ali as an innocent victim, which would also make me hate the show.

 

Someone posted weeks ago (before the Noel Kahn break-in) that they thought Ali might be staging all these threats to herself, and while I hadn't yet had the thought, it made significant sense, and has only become more plausible in the intervening weeks.  Thinking this makes watching Ali's victim facade much more interesting.  Obviously, there is still some hooded and gloved villain out there who folds clothes beautifully, but it is no longer clear that this person is Ali's enemy.    

 

Because I don't trust Ali, I didn't trust these flashbacks at all, even though they seemed to be an interesting chance to get inside her head.  For one thing, the first flashbacks about Cyrus look different from pretty much every other flashback in 5 years of the show, and we have never been given reason to believe that those earlier flashbacks are untrustworthy, even if sometimes they were unclear (ie, Spencer's fleeting flashbacks about the shovel before her whole memory resurfaced during her drug detox).  The first flashbacks in this episode were filmed differently, visually looking less stable with the camera work.  I think the visual effect and the fact that they are coming from Ali make these unreliable.  ITA with another poster that part of what she's remembering is real--seems like she really was in that basement with Cyrus--but not all of it, and I think we are seeing her construct her story in her head, and that as the flashbacks become more stable visually, this is our cue that Ali is shoring up her story again.  

 

 

Really sad about Melissa's probable death.

Yep.  She should know not to film a confession near the end of an episode, especially so close to a mid-season finale that is being advertised as a #FatAlfinAle.  Let's hope she at least records and delivers her confession before she bites it.

 

 

Ugh..Ella..let your daughter break up with her pedo.

Seriously.  Her inability to see any important connection between her ex-fiance who likes high school girls and her daughter's ex-teacher-boyfriend who likes high school girls is beyond astounding.  I'm not sure which is more upsetting:  the idea that Ella brought a man into a house with her daughter knowing that something inappropriate happened with at least one younger girl, and would leave Aria alone with him, or that she encouraged her daughter to believe Ezra might have changed and deserves a second (sixth?) chance.  There is a fierce competition for worst affluent parent in Rosewood, and Ella is a top contender.  Just leave town already and let your troubled teenagers get back to raising themselves.

 

Favorite parts of the episode, besides seeing Ali give Cyrus his escape papers:  Emily's smack down of Ali, which was way better than her Sydney smack down of last week, and that Hanna and Caleb are trying to get their shit together by running in the street.

Edited August 13, 2014 by M1977G

[ottoDbusdriver]

I did not anticipate Vivian Darkbloom's wiggy return!

 

Speaking of wiggy, it was still better than Megan Boone's awful wig on 'The Blacklist'.

[mercfan3]

Honestly, I think the somewhat different camera work, plus some of the things Ali has said has been hinting that Cyrus raped her. They probably don't want to go that far and come out and say it (being it's abc family, heck..they probably weren't allowed too), but they've hinted at it pretty strongly. 

 

Personally, I believe that flashback. But as someone else mentioned, I think she tracked him down, got her stuff back, and blackmailed him. (her speciality.) 

 

I see Ali as a really complicated character. As awful as a human being as she is, she didn't deserve to be almost murdered, buried by her mother, stalked, and probably raped. Her character traits are what gets her into trouble, but also what keeps her alive. I'm sure she's terrified and desperate to remain in control., but she's also crazy, manipulative, and willing to throw anyone under the bus in order to save her own skin. 

 

The interesting thing to me is the return of Vivian Darkbloom. Like I said, I wonder how often Vivan made appearances while Ali was away. 

Edited August 13, 2014 by mercfan3

[Jack Shaftoe]

 

Honestly, I think the somewhat different camera work, plus some of the things Ali has said has been hinting that Cyrus raped her. They probably don't want to go that far and come out and say it (being it's abc family, heck..they probably weren't allowed too

 

Why wouldn't they be allowed to? We have had a rape storyline in this very show (Toby and Jenna). And there was a rape storyline on The Fosters too, not too long ago.

 

Anyway, if the flashbacks are true and not just Alison being a drama queen, she is real idiot for meeting a guy who stabbed her in the dark woods - her plan had just turned him into of the most wanted people in the state of Pennsylvania, so he had very little to lose if he decided to finish the job and kill her for real this time, thus ending whatever blackmail threat she posed to him.

[mercfan3]

The rape between Jenna and Toby is different because it's female on male and it wasn't violent. As sad as it is, that's going to get by the censors easier than a violent male on female rape crime. Not only that, but they've always hinted at things with Ali instead of just outright saying them. (Ali saying that she didn't sleep with Ian, when the camera was going and the sheets were messy..) Sort of like how you could argue that Ezra's been raping Aria...it wasn't violent, and therefore easier to show on an abc family.

 

I mean, she got stabbed in the thigh, after being pressed up against the wall and having her mouth covered. That's a weird place to be stabbed..not only that, but the show's been hinting at Ali having been raped the whole season. And, she did appear to be traumatized. 

 

I'm not sure about Fosters, but did the show actually show the rape? and was it violent? I'm not saying rape is taboo, I'm saying in the way they showed Ali's, I think it was meant for the older audience to read it as she was raped and the younger audience to just read it as attacked. Because of the fact that they planned on showing flashbacks and it's violent nature. 

 

And no argument that Ali's making mistakes all over the place. But what else is new with these liars. 

[RockyHorror64]

 

I did not anticipate Vivian Darkbloom's wiggy return!

 

Speaking of wiggy, it was still better than Megan Boone's awful wig on 'The Blacklist'.

So true and so frigging funny!!!!

[ottoDbusdriver]

I mean, she got stabbed in the thigh, after being pressed up against the wall and having her mouth covered. That's a weird place to be stabbed..not only that, but the show's been hinting at Ali having been raped the whole season. And, she did appear to be traumatized.

 

The whole series of flashbacks were just odd and difficult to believe, faux-flashbacks as it were -- wouldn't any of the people in that warehouse have been wondering why a supposed murdered teenager was hanging out with them ?  It's not like her disappearance and subsequent body discovery under the gazebo weren't huge news in Rosewood. And she appeared to be all lovey-dovey with Cyrus initially, but things went south -- how long was she living there with them ?  Was Cyrus stealing the her stuff the reason she was short on cash, which would make me think that was fairly recent.  If that's true, the bigger question is why would Ali be hiding in Rosewood (or the Greater Metropolitan Rosewood Area) for 3 years ?

 

That was a weird place to be stabbed, which lends credence to the flashbacks being fake.

[KatWay]

I didn't see any hints of rape, really, but YMMV. From the flashback it looked like she dug Cyrus right up until he tried to sneak out with her stuff, they struggled, he stabbed her in the thigh and ran off with that other chick. I'm thinking they only had her be stabbed in the thigh so it would explain why nobody has noticed that scar. That would also be a scar that would be quite easy to do to yourself as well, if the flashbacks turn out to be unreliable.

 

The no sex with Ian retcon has never made sense to me, because they were previously shown to be quite intimate, it was certainly implied - I mean he had a freaking camera. What was he filming in that bedroom, long romantic talks?

[Jack Shaftoe]

 

but the show's been hinting at Ali having been raped the whole season

 

It has? She is (allegedly) traumatized but there are plenty of other reasons for that.

 

 

I'm not sure about Fosters, but did the show actually show the rape? and was it violent?

 

I don't really remember, to be honest but then again I guess would have remembered it if they had shown much of it, so maybe it wasn't the best example. Still, ABC Family only keeps the family part of its name out of contractual obligation and while undoubtedly there were certain rape undertones in that flashback, I don't think any ambiguity as to whether an actual rape occurred was intended. Cyrus stabbed her in the thigh because he is (probably) not some experienced killer and he (probably) didn't want to kill her anyway. The cynic in me thinks Alison was not so much traumatized by the stabbing than by the theft of her bag of blackmail material, wigs, creepy dolls, etc.

 

 

The whole series of flashbacks were just odd and difficult to believe, faux-flashbacks as it were -- wouldn't any of the people in that warehouse have been wondering why a supposed murdered teenager was hanging out with them ?

 

Was that building in Rosewood, though? For some reason I thought it was in Philly, now that I checked all Tannner said was 5th Street. 

[ottoDbusdriver]

Was that building in Rosewood, though? For some reason I thought it was in Philly, now that I checked all Tannner said was 5th Street.

 

You would have thought that Tanner would have included something along those lines when she called control and stated that she was "transporting the witnesses to the 5th street house -- in Philly" if that were the case.

 

And that whole bluesnarfing nonsense is just ridiculous -- I know it can be done, they seriously expect that the police would leave an unsecured connection to a police device for anyone to access is just ridiculous.  And even though all the liars know that they have been bluesnarfed before, they still don't bother to either enable an authentication code or turn off Bluetooth entirely so it doesn't happen again.

[Crim]

So the A uniform is the one Ali and the Liars used when they did sneaked in the hospital, right? (Ali to see Hanna, the Liars to look at page 5, IIRC). Have we seen it wore in Radley too?

 

I thought there seemed to be 2 stories in Ali's flashbacks, or rather that the flashbacks as a whole were an edit of the real story and there is no way to know which of the later parts really happened. Ali arriving with Cyrus and introducing him to the others seemed legit, since it contradicted what Ali said out loud. The scar on her upper thigh seems like an odd wound to get in the scene we saw. 

 

I would be more impressed with Melissa's selfless protective streak *eyeroll* had she told Spencer the truth about how dangerous Ali was instead of letting her get involved with Ali again when she resurfaced. After everything they've been through, does Melissa think Spencer would refuse to believe her? More likely that Melissa is in shit up to her eyeballs, and first of all protecting her own skin, and it's all related to the Night of Many Mistaken Murders.

 

Mona's panic attack fainting was incredibly unconvincing, yo! I don't know what to make of her now, and I'm not entirely certain the writers have a clear idea either. Hopefully we'll get a clearer picture in the episode where, for some reason, we finally meet her mother.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Crim