Unpopular Opinions

[Mabinogia]

My unpopular opinion is that Ashely was actually showing once again that she is the best parent on the show by believing Ally and being supportive of her. As you say mercfan3, Ally is a child. 14 is young. It's easy to forget because most of the girls are being played by 20 somethings, but they are all still teenagers and Ally, because of being away, is even more childlike than the others, at least to an adult. As a parent, I'm sure Ashley seems Ally and wonders "what if that had happened to Hanna?" Ashley was just being a mother. I didn't like that Pam was the one who was all suspicious, though I didn't actually see it that way everyone else seems to so I'll have to accept that I just missed the signs. IDK, maybe I'm one of those people who will give my favorites the benefit of the doubt while not wasting the same amount of effort on others.

[mercfan3]

Pam flat out said that people at the police station were suspicious of her story, which is why Pam was suspicious. Had she not heard anything, I'd bet she would be like Ashley. 

[Crim]

I don't think there is a either-or choice between "misunderstood survivor" and sociopath. Ali could be both. IMO, Mona was too.

 

My UO is that I don't care about any of the love interests. I wish Ezra was eaten by piranhas, I didn't miss Caleb when he was gone, I can't stand Toby (and the current Spoby dynamics, among other things, might make me quit the show) and, while I liked Emily/Paige, couldn't get over Paige's reaction after Ali came back and am indifferent at the drama of her leaving.

[cuddlingcrowley]

My unpopular opinion is that I've been enjoying season 5 immensely, season 4 having been the weakest season by far, as far as I'm concerned, both too plot heavy and couple heavy. The girls' actual development was almost completely stunted.

 

I also couldn't care less about Toby, Caleb and Paige as love interests and I think the show works a lot better as it currently is, with most of the relationships on the rocks.

 

I'm generally Pro-Alison and I echo both mercfan3 and mabinogia's words. I was very against Alison being brought back to life at all but I think the show has been handling her wonderfully, save a few misses and I definitely think her return has breathed some much needed fresh air on the show. 

[Chairperson Meow]

I wish they'd have put Jason/Aria together. I'm rewatching now and they did have chemistry. It's, imo, more interesting than the teacher/student thing. Plus, it'd have made this Charles spec and the Ezra allegedly on the A team stuff a lot better.

[JellyFishQueen]

I hate Ezra and Aria together, seperate fine but as a couple...just ugh. Or maybe I just hate there names together?  Because I REALLY HATE their names. I honestly don't care about there love story and on and off realtionship.

I kinda wished Mona joined the friends, I really dig the friendship flashback between her and Hannah. Because outside of A hunting I don't think I ever seen Aria, Spencer, Hannah and Emily just hanging as friends preasnt day. There fine as characters outside but when they are together not hunting A just meh.. And I felt like they set up perfect opporunity during the 2014 season, but oh well. I feel like they were more forgiving for Toby and Alison but Mona doesn't get a pass?

 

Ravenwood..Just no, no, no. I don't like supernatural elements in this show. It wasn't properly introduce at all! During mid season out of the blue if they slowly build this up since season 1 I might sing a different tune. But no!

 

I don't care for Aria fashion, it's nothing really noticeable? I like spencer style more...Aria Mom annoys me actually, or maybe I'm just biased due to my hatered of Charmed.

 

 

My biggest beef with this show is the annoying Alfred hitchock refference throughout the show. ENOUGH! Everytime they show RearWindow Brew I just groan inside.

[AnJen]

Unpopular opinion: I thought Ezria was genuinely awful from the beginning. Maybe it's the Psychologist in me, but even in the early episodes of season 1, Ezra seemed so manipulative and shady. I could write a book on all the little moments that I was like "Whoa, he's totally manipulating this teenage girl right now and he def knows what he's doing."

I was convinced he was A; so much so that when they finally revealed him in his Ravenswood lair I literally jumped out of my seat and screamed "I KNEW IT"! And then...they had to go and freaking 'redeem' him. A giant ugh on Marlene. 

 

It isn't the student/teacher thing that bothers me about Ezria, it's the obviously predatory adult male and the teenage girl who thinks she's so mature but is actually a whiny, childish, self-obsessed, over-dramatic brat more than half the time. It's not believable at all to me that Ezra found anything at all appealing about Aria, other than her teenage body. Which...ew. 

 

If Haleb weren't a thing, I would ship Spaleb. Or Spanna. Or both at the same time, who cares. Those three have crazy good chemistry.

 

I think Janel Parrish is the best actress on the show; Mona is absolutely delightful to watch, regardless of what she's doing.

 

I used to be a huge Spoby shipper and now I'm just...meh. It's the fault of the writers, really, but if they wanted me to stay onboard they should have made Toby less crappy of a boyfriend. I loved them in seasons 1 and 2, and I could've stayed onboard after season 3 if they had resolved the whole "Toby joined the A team and faked his death and totally broke Spencer" thing, but they just swept it under the rug. Meh.

 

I like Paige as a character, but hate her with Emily. When she's with Emily there's this weird power balance, like Paige is dating her dream girl and is more of an adoring fan than a girlfriend. 

 

Lastly, I like the cast well enough, and think the majority of them act really well on the show (except for Shay. I honestly don't know if Shay does anything other than look confused/angry/scared while repeating lines. And for the character who is supposed to be sweet, Emily is honestly the bitchiest.)...but with the exception of Lucy Hale, the cast all seem like incredibly pretentious people; I can't remember a single instagram or interview I've seen of any of them where they didn't come across as people who have a very over-inflated sense of themselves. Lucy Hale seems so down-to-earth in comparison.

[Chairperson Meow]

I almost bought that one cat dress Aria wore. It sold out at H&M in my size. I will find the infamous cat sweater. I want to dress like Spencer, but I'm a lazy mix of the other girls. I do own a few sets of pearls though and sweater sets.

[mercfan3]

I actually think Ian Harding seems like the coolest person from the cast. Which is a shame, given his character. 

[rho]

I actually think Ian Harding seems like the coolest person from the cast. Which is a shame, given his character. 

I'm not an Ezria fan. Aside from the obvious difficulties, it just feels forced. But as much as I wish they would end the love saga that is Ezria, I think I'd really miss having Ezra on the show. He's done a couple funny interviews with Buzzfeed and he comes across as very self aware. The show made his career but he pokes fun at how ridiculous it is, especially that awful sexy Santa bit last season.

[mercfan3]

He's also a big environmentalist and a supporter of LGBT rights (his sister is gay, I believe). I just always read really good stuff about him. Too bad he plays a boring pedo. 

 

It's one of the reasons why I'd like him to be evil. He clearly loved that. 

[Chairperson Meow]

I really liked the actor who played Ian, especially after they showed a behind the scenes thing where he and Troian made fun of the creepy milk drinking thing.

[raytch]

I really liked the actor who played Ian, especially after they showed a behind the scenes thing where he and Troian made fun of the creepy milk drinking thing.

 

That milk scene will haunt me forever. I honestly wouldn't mind them bringing Ian back and revealing him as A just because he was so deliciously evil. You could tell the actor was having a blast!

[Chairperson Meow]

True story..... a friend and I were having breakfast at a cafe and this creepy old guy was staring at us..... I "pulled an Ian" with my drink and scared the hell out of him. Thanks, PLL!

[raytch]

Hahahaha well there's that!

Someone tweeted a while ago that "Officer Barry Maple is to ice cream what Ian was to milk" that cracked me up but I didn't exactly get it because I don't recall any connection between Officer Barry and the Boo Boo Ice Cream factory. Am I missing something?

[CraftyHazel]

I don't know how unpopular these opinions are, but here goes anyway.

I despise Ali, and I don't think Sasha is a great actress in large doses. I liked her better when she was dead and appearing in flashbacks as a straight-up bitch.

I think Troian is overrated, personally. And Spencer is my least favorite liar. Followed by Emily.

I have sympathy for Mona, with the sole exception of running Hanna over with her car. Otherwise, I just love her, and I think Janell is a hell of a good actress.

Hanna is everything. Hanna with Caleb is even more than that. Truth...I'd switch teams for Caleb. Not Tyler Blackburn, though...he seems kind of gross outside of PLL.

Radley sucks.

Toby bores me to tears. I adored him when Emily was his only friend and he was crying in alleyways, but now he's just a smug, pretentious jerk and I wish he'd disappear.

I still want Ezra to be A.

[superman1204]

I think its pointless to try and compare the talent of the lead actresses, at least based on their work on the show, because it seems like the quality of everyone's performances fluctuates wildly depending on whether they are given generic filler material or something with actual potential for them to work with.  Also I feel like every time I have seen one of the actresses in something else, their acting better than on PPL.  I honestly blame the writers and maybe the directors for this.  I would only be mildly surprised if in five years I found out Shay did some art house film and was nominated for the Oscar for best actress (okay may that's a bit of the stretch but I really don't think we see anyone's best performances on this show).  Just a side note, I don't mean to say anyone is wrong with this point, I probably compare everyone's acting as much as anyone.  It's the quality of the show that frustrates me not anyone on this site.

 

I can't decide if Troian is my hero or if she pisses me off.  Troian always seems to be annoyed with the writing and shipping and all of the other bs that we hate about this show too.  So this makes me want to really like Troian but at the same time, I feel like this show was a big break for her (and probably a nice steady income) so sometimes I feel like she should suck it up about going to the Teen Choice Awards or having to spend so much screen time with Keegan.

 

I liked Maya and I am mad they killed her off.  There isn't really any logic behind this one.  It's really more just a huge personal bias.  I have had a string of emotionally unsupportive significant others, so Maya endeared herself to me for giving Emily time to figure everything out, despite the fact Bianca Lawson was much to old for the role and Shay really needs a stronger actor/actress to play off during her scenes.

 

I don't know if this last one is an unpopular opinion but I am including it anyway.  I wish the show had done more with Paige.  Her initial coming out storyline was good, but after that she just became Emily's clingy girlfriend.  I wish they would have let her interact with the other liars more, maybe butt heads with Spencer or have a friendship with Hanna.

[Chairperson Meow]

I hate Ravenswood because I think it's why we may never get the Caleb/Spencer/Toby buddy PI spin off where Ezra is an annoying reporter that tags along. I'd even want Mona in there recurring as the owner of a rival PI agency.

It would be better and more believable than PLL.

[dwmckim]

I'm actually starting to really not like the idea of the 6B time jump.  I know in the days of seasons 3 to 5B being so stuck in time, viewers were clammering for a little more movement and tptb seem to like the idea to both skip over college years and get the characters closer to the actresses' ages, the practice just strikes me as too far a jump too soon.  

 

We're about to get the EpisodeofAnswers in 6x10 - which, let's face it, is gonna ultimately answer the central mysteries - but there's still going to leave a lot of dangling plotthreads especially concerning all the various red herrings and shady characters that aren't A.  Now if we're going to suddenly jump from that to five years ahead, pretty much any chances of having any of those things picked up on becomes close to nonexistent.  Either too much time will have separated the events of the prior episodes rendering the reveal of such information too irrelevant ("hey, remember all those years ago when Jenna did or said this, what was that all about anyway?") or moments that should have happened onscreen will have now taken place offscreen/not in the show's narrative (Alison filling in the Liars' on stuff she still hasn't gotten around to telling them yet).

[Crim]

You are right about the jump. Sadly, it does accomplish a useful thing for the writing: it will be justified that the characters forgot the moments; the writers already did, or were not there when they happened (new writers), or can't work into a coherent storyline anymore.

 

I am not excited about the jump at all because I don't want the Liars to be separated for 5 years; realistically, their interactions would be different after that. But it is what it is: a soft reboot. Actually, a second but more powerful reason why I dislike the time jump is precisely that it is a reboot, taking the show even further from what I started watching and enjoyed. I haven't been enjoying the show for quite awhile, but I've kept watching because it's been 6 years. After the time jump? It's like the show I've watched is over, that part of the story is finished, proper resolution or not, and it's time for me to quit it.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Crim

[Jack Shaftoe]

To be honest, I'd prefer the show to not try to explain all the convoluted details, because they are never going to make any sense even if the writers cared to provide a good explanation for everything, which they most certainly do not. I am pretty sure that even without a time jump they would have ignored most of the lingering questions anyway.

[Crim]

^ Oh, definitely. That's why I understand doing the time jump. Do you trust them to do better after the time jump though? We know there will still be some sort of A activity that needs to be explained. And the show's attempts at mysteries and reveals has only been lamer with each passing season. Will these writers do better on a semi-clean slate? I guess it's better than not cleaning the slate, but I am still not a fan of the trade-off. (For example, with the time jump, if any relationship survives - and they will, because shippers - it'll saunter into one of my least favorite trope territory: "married to the high school sweetheart". I loathe Toby and Sara enough now, never mind knowing they are still together after college, and can Aria not move the fuck on?)

[DigitalCount]

Characters I like less than #Shower Harvey:

- Ezra Fitzgerald

- Tom Marin

- Jenna Marshall

- Allison DiLaurentis

- Kenneth DiLaurentis

- Darren Wilden (if he's actually alive, so help me...)

[Lady Calypso]

Characters I like less than #Shower Harvey:

- Ezra Fitzgerald

- Tom Marin

- Jenna Marshall

- Allison DiLaurentis

- Kenneth DiLaurentis

- Darren Wilden (if he's actually alive, so help me...)

 

Add in Toby, get rid of Jenna and that's pretty much my list.

[Jack Shaftoe]

New UO - what's with all the posts about how Kenneth completely ruined Cece's life and even claims from recappers and other people that he is the most evil character in the show? This isn't 1950, he couldn't force Jessica to lock Cece up if she wasn't convinced that this was the right choice, so how exactly is he more to blame than her? It is implied that he might have exaggerated the "incidents" involving Cece and Alison but Cece flat out said how she regarded Alison as her "doll" from the start, IIRC, and Marlene even said as much in an interview. It's possible, even likely that Kenneth is indeed transphobic, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that he was genuinely afraid of what Cece might do to Alison and that those incidents did indeed happen. If someone was paying off the Radley staff  to keep Cece institutionalized for no good reason it seems to have been Jessica, not Kenneth. She also helped cover up two murders and went along with the plan to gaslight Jason into thinking "Charlie" was imaginary. She could have easily pulled strings in order to have Cece released from Radley for good, she did nothing of the sort. She refused to take action even Cece decided to date Jason. Exactly what in the story makes people think Kenneth was the "most evil one" and Jessica the victim who had Cece's (or anyone else not named Jessica for that matter) best interests at heart?

 

Another UO - if I had to choose would still prefer Emily to hook up with Sara rather than Alison.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Jack Shaftoe

[fitzcarraldo]

I'm in complete agreement about Ken vs Jessica. Ken thought Charles was dead after a time so the Radley continuation had nothing to do with him but Jessica. He also didn't let Jason date his sister and say nothing.

My unpopular opinion is that Mona isn't a heroine. She's dangerous yet the show white washed that. If that HAD been Ali then she killed a non murderer. That said , playing life and death givers is yucky and I'm not happy Spencer gets to absolve Mona that way. Did she forget that murder almost landed her in prison?

[SadieT]

I'm in complete agreement about Ken vs Jessica. Ken thought Charles was dead after a time so the Radley continuation had nothing to do with him but Jessica. He also didn't let Jason date his sister and say nothing.

My unpopular opinion is that Mona isn't a heroine. She's dangerous yet the show white washed that. If that HAD been Ali then she killed a non murderer. That said , playing life and death givers is yucky and I'm not happy Spencer gets to absolve Mona that way. Did she forget that murder almost landed her in prison?

 

I agree that Jessica is just as terrible a parent as Kenneth. Like I've said in the past, there's a reason all three DiLaurentis children have some serious problems. As supportive Jessica may have been of CeCe transitioning, she also failed her in a lot of ways and is the reason why CeCe thinks she can treat people like dolls. And of course failed Jason as well by allowing him to 1) think we was crazy and that he imagined his brother and 2) date his own sister. And she failed Alison by  teaching her to be a manipulative liar and bully from a young age and of course burying her alive and covering up her murder. 

 

I also agree about Mona. I love Mona as a character, she's highly entertaining, but she's a horrible person. I think her behavior far exceeds an understandable response to Alison calling her a loser. She not only attempted to murder Alison but after discovering Alison hadn't actually died from an injury she thought she inflicted on her, she coerced a scared girl with a head wound into running away and living alone and in fear for 2 years, leaving behind her friends and family to mourn a loss that never happened. Then Mona went on to torture the girls, harassing them relentlessly and using their secrets and insecurities against them. And she hit Hanna, her supposed best friend, with a car and tried to push Spencer off a cliff. And I think her whole crazy thing was just an act, because she seemed to know just what she was doing when she was released and started antagonizing an emotionally fragile Spencer. And of course there's the whole teaming up with A to frame Alison for murder and turning everyone Alison's ever loved against her. I think the original threats and texts Mona was sending Alison before her disappearance was probably more than enough payback for the horrible things Ali did to her, but Mona never seemed able to stop and I don't buy that she ever would.

 

And I find the idea that Hanna could so easily forgive her kind of crazy when Hanna was the one who held on tightest to her grudge against Alison after her return. Both girls hurt her and while she couldn't get past Ali pushing her around and calling her fat, she was totally okay with Mona's prolonged torment and attempted vehicular homicide? It just doesn't make any sense. But despite all that, I do love the character and enjoy seeing her on my screen. One of my favorite scenes on this show will always be when Mona appears in Hanna's room while she's asleep and hilariously asks "is this a bad time?" when Hanna wakes up startled. 

[fitzcarraldo]

I love Mona as a campy villain but her hero arc is nonsense. I also hated how Hanna resented Ali but ignored how Mona treated them.But only a man (Caleb) gets to take Mona to task (sorta Emily too). Girls have to forgive or MonA will come back. Hey, if they let her eat frozen yogurt it wouldn't have happened. Make nice, girls,you don't have freedom to choose your friends.

[cuddlingcrowley]

This might sound really stupid, but I don't get the argument going around (not only in these parts) that Wilden would have been too young to be paid off by Mrs. D. He was  already a cop in "The First Secret" and that was the october prior the summer Alison "died".

 

Alternatively, I've see people say he was too young to cover up the truth about Marion's murder. But he was from the class of 96 wasn't he? That would have made him in his late teens, early twenties then.

 

I also spent years confused about people being confused about Wren's practicing medicine all over the place when it was obvious he was still in medschool and that's a thing medical students need to do in the later years (sorry, my english failed me here).

Edited August 15, 2015 by cuddlingcrowley

[Cranberry]

I guess that depends on when the roof-pushing actually took place. If it took place in 2007 (the date originally provided by the show itself; Toby said in 2008 that his mom had died a year earlier), then yeah, Wilden was old enough to be a (young) cop. If it took place when Charlotte was still a kid, as we saw in the flashback in the finale, then Wilden would have been just a boy.

This timeline was amazing but now it can't possibly work, as shown here:

June 2005 - Melissa Hastings (the Homecoming Queen) and CeCe Drake (the Prom Queen), along with NAT members Ian Thomas, Jason DiLaurentis & Garret Reynolds all graduate from Rosewood High. CeCe was never actually a student there, she just crashed “picture day” so that she could meet her brother Jason, who she ends up dating, and it’s just gross (210 & 610).

October 24th, 2007 - Marion Cavanaugh dies at Radley Sanitarium after getting pushed off the roof by Bethany Young. This timeline makes absolutely no sense though because apparently Charles was just a child when this happened, yet Marion was alive & well when Toby was a teenager. This detail drives me crazy because according to my timeline, Charles should have already been Charlotte when Marion was pushed from the roof, but instead we saw a young boy rather than a 20 year old woman (213 & 610).

[SadieT]

It also depends on what age you use for Wilden. Like you said, cuddlingcrowley, it was once stated he was part of the class of 1996 (which would mean he was born in 1978). But that was later ret-conned and Spencer, I think, mentions him graduating with Melissa, Ian and Jason, which would make him class of 2005, 9 years younger than previously thought (born 1987). 

 

Basically it depends which timeline you use for Wilden and which timeline you use for Marion's death because there's multiple combinations you could use. 

 

Wilden being class of 1996 as originally stated and Marion's death happening in 2007 as originally stated by Toby in the Halloween special, makes Wilden about 29 at the time. More than old enough to be paid off to cover up a murder. 

 

WIlden, still class of 1996, but Marion's death happening early 2000s as it appears according to Charlotte's flashback, makes him just old enough to cover up a murder as a rookie cop because he'd be about 22-23. 

 

But if you go with WIlden's retconned age that puts him in the class of 2005 and the original year Toby gave for his mom's death in 2007, Wilden is about 20. A little young to be a cop but it is Rosewood so that hardly matters.

 

Now where things really break down is if you use both Wilden's retconned younger age and the new timeline of Marion's death that we see in Charlotte's flashback, which would be early 2000s, making Wilden 13 or 14. So that's where the joke of him being too young to be a cop comes from.

 

This show is ridiculous. 

 

ETA: Just tried to find the clip where Spencer mentions Wilden's age... what she actually says is he went to high school with Melissa, which could still make him a couple of years older than Jason/Melissa/Ian but that's still a ret-con because he should actually be about 9 years older. If he's only a couple years older than Jason and Melissa, then he'd still be too young to be a cop in Charlotte's flashback version of Marion's death. The oldest he could be is like 17. 

Edited August 15, 2015 by SadieT

[dwmckim]

Or maybe Wilden was originally supposed to be Class of '96 but was as incompetent as a student as he was as a cop and ended up being held back for not one, not two, but nine years - ultimately graduated for realz with Melissa, Jason, et al.  High school senior by day, cop by night (hey... Toby) but a senior in his late '20s. 

[Perfect Xero]

Someone at the Rosewood PD probably watched a few episodes of 21 Jump Street, misunderstood the concept, and started recruiting high school freshmen to be Cops.

[eXiled]

My unpopular opinion is that Mona isn't a heroine. She's dangerous yet the show white washed that. If that HAD been Ali then she killed a non murderer. That said , playing life and death givers is yucky and I'm not happy Spencer gets to absolve Mona that way. Did she forget that murder almost landed her in prison?

 

I agree. Unfortunately, I think the problem is Janel Parrish's charisma and acting ability. To me, she shines brighter than a couple of the Liars. She's a real talent. Since TPTB know this, and they are hacks, the audience will always have to deal with contrived plots and reasons certain characters get to remain, reasons why they are not in prison, reasons why the Liars even speak to them, etc.

 

The Liars should have nothing to do with Mona--unless she puts on her Supervillain Hat and wears it fulltime, 24/7. PLL has a problem calling a criminal a criminal and a creeper a creeper (hello, Ezra!) The writers think the attractiveness and likability of an actor is enough to make up for plots and actions that should make them unrootable. They're right because a certain segment of the audience doesn't care. As long as their favorite couple is kissing and the girls are wearing cute outfits, it's all good.

 

I love Mona. I just want her to be who she is a meant to be: the Liars sworn enemy, constantly throwing wrenches in the works, while wearing cute dresses (not black hoodies).

[Jack Shaftoe]

I liked Mona when she was the comic relief mean girl. I still like to repeat some of her lines like "[Horses] are like big dogs. They'll find their way back." or "Kate Moss would look like a water buffalo in that."

 

Mona as A was scum, pure and simple. She was so very cruel, often in such a petty fashion, that I think some of those objectively not so serious torments which she inflicted made me hate her more than her murder attempts. For instance that time when she blackmailed Hanna into dancing with Lucas. Or making Hanna eat those cupcakes and experience once again the memories of her eating disorder. Or basically coercing Hanna into taking her out for her birthday, never mind Mona's family is rich and she knew very well that Ashley had serious financial difficulties. And then Hanna kept visiting her in Radley, defended her, even though she had to lie to everybody to sneak there, only for Mona to keep trying to torment her and her friends. As I said - scum.

 

Plus, the scenario of a girl who is secretly a genius but is nevertheless desperate to the queen bee at school is just so overdone and silly. Especially in 5A when Ali was back and for an episode or two she and Mona were back at it, as if they weren't going to graduate soon anyway and didn't have so many more pressing problems. Good thing they abandoned that "Mona's army" nonsense.

 

That said, I understand why so many people like Mona. Liking villainous characters is perfectly normal, we all do it. Trying to excuse these characters' deeds is the problem. I mean, I loved Ian and still miss him but I don't deny that he was a creepy sexual predator.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Jack Shaftoe

[CloudySky]

Mona can interact with the girls without having to be "the fifth liar" or "redeemed" like they try to make her. I loved her line to Aria in this episode about Clark. That's the kind of dynamic that works for me. The liars and Mona being forced to work together, but there still being instances of Mona mocking the liars for being idiotic and the liars being wary of Mona but needing her help. The insta!forgiveness and trust is hard to swallow (see Bethany's murder, Hanna's murder attempt, Alison is A,...)

 

I guess my unpopular opinion is that I liked the finale. I understand everything everyone is saying about how problematic it is and even agree with most of it. I was rolling my eyes at some parts. But overall the hour flew by, my heart was pumping fast when A was about to turn around, I wasn't bored during the exposition (I was actually more bored during the liars running scenes and rooftop action) and Vanessa Ray makes a fantastic A. She's super charismatic (like Mona) so I'm excited to see if and how they keep using her.

 

 

[cuddlingcrowley]

Mona can interact with the girls without having to be "the fifth liar" or "redeemed" like they try to make her.

 

 

I think this is a matter of perception, along with the whole "Mona is a hero" thing. I personally don't see it and I think the show has done a wonderful job in evolving her character to ally status without erasing history and without making her character uninteresting. Things that should have been done with Ezra, Toby and Alison but I won't go there.

 

She might appear as the "fifth liar" on occasion when she teams up with the girls and largely during their dollhouse stay because they were all going through hell together and I dare you not to bond during that, but as soon as they were out and Lesli started appearing suspicious, they immediately starting suspecting Mona again.

 

I think Mona has overestimation of her so called "redemption". She actually thinks it's possible to redeem herself, for one. From the girls' end, she's an extremelly useful ally so keeping her close is only smart on the off-chance her whole redemption thing might actually be for real. As far as Hanna goes, that's an entirely special situation circunstance. Her and Mona were best friends and there's still a lot of love there from both ends which neither managed to shake up, so them sharing a soft moment here and there, personally, has never bothered me. I don't think Hanna has forgiven her or trusts her but there's a part of her that still loves Mona you know? Sometimes you can't help that.

 

But I get why Mona being such a fan and writers' favorite can seem to some viewers that people have started to see her as hero which I don't think is the case at all. 

 

On another note, thank you for the answers on the Wilden thing. I'm oficially gonna use this timeline.

Edited August 15, 2015 by cuddlingcrowley

[mercfan3]

Yea, I don't have a problem with the way Mona or Ali have been written. I know people think Ali was neutered and boring, but I think that was a realistic reaction. 

 

Ezra...sigh..I did post about that in the social context thread..and like I said there..he was slightly redeemed for me when he had the realization of what he did to Aria and asked her if she wanted to break up for college..and the fact that they did only helped. He's still way icky..but that act...that was Ezra learning he fucked up. 

[itainttippithebird]

Unpopular Opinion: I loved Shadow Play (the black and white noir episode) and I don't understand why so many people didn't?!

 

It was so gorgeous and atmospheric and intriguing, and in the end, DID advance the mystery (contrary to opinions at the time), as it basically foreshadowed the season finale. It really allowed the noir element of the show to go full volume and tilt the relationships on their head just a bit to fit the alternate universe context in an interesting way. Also, the shot work is just AMAZING - that scene with Mona's face in all the mirrors?!?! SO GOOD, and so quintessentially PLL in all the best ways.

[Bort]

Unpopular Opinion: I loved Shadow Play (the black and white noir episode) and I don't understand why so many people didn't?!

A lot of people didn't like Shadowplay? I admit to not paying attention to the feedback but this kind of surprises me and kind of doesn't. I loved the episode too but I may be biased for favoring Spencer. I find her absolutely fascinating so a drug-induced trip through her brain was so enlightening for me. Plus, I coveted that nightgown she wore.

[lion10]

Unpopular Opinion: I loved Shadow Play (the black and white noir episode) and I don't understand why so many people didn't?!

 

It was so gorgeous and atmospheric and intriguing, and in the end, DID advance the mystery (contrary to opinions at the time), as it basically foreshadowed the season finale. It really allowed the noir element of the show to go full volume and tilt the relationships on their head just a bit to fit the alternate universe context in an interesting way. Also, the shot work is just AMAZING - that scene with Mona's face in all the mirrors?!?! SO GOOD, and so quintessentially PLL in all the best ways.

 

People don't like Shadow Play?  I loved that episode and it's my favorite as well!  It worked so well.

[Sakura12]

Shadow Play was probably the last episode that I really enjoyed from this show. 

[itainttippithebird]

It had a really negative reception in a lot of corners of the internet (in fact, several people brought it up here right before the finale as an example of a crap episode), so it's good to hear I'm not alone in loving it!

[Jack Shaftoe]

I found Shadow Play too self-indulgent and nowhere near as fun as say the Warehouse 13 dream episode.

 

And now I saw what I have written my opening post in this thread:

 

I don't care why she acts the way she does and I wouldn't change her mind about her even if it turns out that her mother, father, brother, grandmother and pet iguana abused her.

 

No abusive pet iguana yet but a sister she didn't know she had, so I was close enough. :)

[CloudySky]

I agree that I found shadow play too self indulgent. I'm never a fan of the dream/afterlife/hallucination episodes in any show. I can like it just fine watching it the one time (like shadow play) but I tend to skip it or fastforward on rewatches. It also bugs me that Spencer's dream is the furthest they've shown Paige and Emily go sexually while Aria can ride her teacher.

 

 

UO: I liked season 3A! From the first episode through even the whole cousin Nate thing...I love rewatching this season. I was probably annoyed at the time at how obviously shady Nate was similar to Shower Harvey, but overall I loved that half-season. That season started going downhill for me with the whole crazy Meredith thing.

[lion10]

I agree that I found shadow play too self indulgent. I'm never a fan of the dream/afterlife/hallucination episodes in any show. I can like it just fine watching it the one time (like shadow play) but I tend to skip it or fastforward on rewatches. It also bugs me that Spencer's dream is the furthest they've shown Paige and Emily go sexually while Aria can ride her teacher.

Emily tends to get shortchanged with regard to the other Liars, though I can't recall many Haleb sex scenes. I liked seeing Lucy Hale's back but that sex scene was really explicit compared to the other sex scenes of the series. I wonder if that was to placate the Ezria fans.

[mercfan3]

Wasn't that the scene where they were playing the "Every Breath You Take" song...if so..it just made it creepier. 

[DigitalCount]

Wasn't that the scene where they were playing the "Every Breath You Take" song...if so..it just made it creepier.

I think you misspelled "hilarious." There are so many stealthy anti-Ezria scenes that it can't be a coincidence.

[lion10]

I think you misspelled "hilarious." There are so many stealthy anti-Ezria scenes that it can't be a coincidence.

And yet Marlene still doesn't have the guts to pull the fucking trigger.

[mercfan3]

I think you misspelled "hilarious." There are so many stealthy anti-Ezria scenes that it can't be a coincidence.

 

I mean..the Thailand one...

 

But I think once again, that's why the Ezra bothers me less than Toby now.

 

I know Troian says she plays Spoby like there's something broken between them, but the show makes like he's a good guy. (I was proud of him for not blaming Spencer for his stealing of her gummies..) He's not Caleb, Mike, or Mr. Fields. GTFO with that.