S05.E13: How The 'A' Stole Christmas

[Cranberry]

Will post the synopsis as soon as it's available! For now, promos and sneak peeks:

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEBvg-qQaWU

 

 

 

 

[AmandaPanda]

This is the synopsis I've seen. I know the press release for it came out a while ago, but I don't have it in my e-mail anymore.

 

 

 

Christmas is quickly approaching, and all of Rosewood is full of merriment, except for Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer, who aren't feeling much holiday cheer after the loss of Mona and Spencer's murder charge looming over them. But when an opportunity presents itself with the chance to get evidence to clear Spencer's name, the girls and their partners devise a plan to get justice for Mona and finally bring Alison down. If the plan is successful, it could be a very Merry Christmas after all.

Meanwhile, Alison gets a glimpse at the past, present and future by a ghostly presence.

[hqtextbook]

2 days!!! its embarrassing how excited I am for this .

[emma675]

Merry Christmas, bitches! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

[mjgchick]

I can already feel the second hand embarrassment from the shipper scenes in this episode already.

[hqtextbook]

I can already feel the second hand embarrassment from the shipper scenes in this episode already.

Yeah like don't mind the high school english teacher chilling with his 16 year old friends in boxers. *CRINGE*

[mjgchick]

That ending made me want to gag.

[Chaos Theory]

Shipper ho!

I thought the episode was a pretty good holiday episode and Christmas episodes are usually heavy on the sweet s I will let that go.

Toby sure was rear windowing it like a champ.

MASKS! At this point Rosewood should just outlaw masks all together...along with shovels.

Ali has a new evil army.

I really did enjoy the scene with Hanna where she chastised the kid for being an Ali clone.

[mjgchick]

I forgot to say Spencer looked hot in that Santa outfit and she'll make a great prison wife after making her own shank for A.

 

“Different Name, Same Bitch”

 

Hanna telling Ali Lite to STFU was awesome as well.

Edited December 10, 2014 by mjgchick

[Artsda]

I don't feel like anything really happened in this episode, but I did like it. 

 

Really liked seeing Mona and her costume was great. 

 

The second dress Christmas present for Christmas's past indicates twin. 

 

Ezra and Aria are cute, but being so public is a bit odd...isn't he still teaching at Rosewood and she is still a student? Or does that not matter anymore, because her parents are aware? The pony scene was cute. And since the others are like 17, figures Ezra was the one to bake the chicken and cook for them. 

 

Loved the Toby and Rear Window parallels. I almost expected 'A' to go after Toby and for him to break the other leg by going out the window. Is he living at Spencer's now with his house blown up and broken leg? Where were Spencers parents? They were leaving on parole Spencer to the holidays alone?

Edited December 10, 2014 by Artsda

[superman1204]

Yeah that ending felt like mediocre fanfiction.

 

Other things that bugged me include...

• The fact Holbrock is now a creep too.
• Cece risked lethal injection just to give Ali a present.
• The fact Sydney had to tell Emily that she wasn't gay instead of, you know, the writers developing her character to point where we might figure it out for ourselves.
• The fact Ezra and Holbrock had a conversation.  When two pedophiles have a conversation on your show you might need to reevaluate the direction your show is going.
• Why did Spencer break into Ali's house, instead of having Emily or Aria go.  They could actually get out on bail if they were caught.

 

As for more positive things, I love ghost Mona.  The make up was over the top but Mona getting to harass Ali was fun.  Also they managed at least two creepy shots with Spencer and Hanna sneaking around Ali's house.  Lastly, despite the fact I compared the ending to fanfiction, it was sweet.  Oh, also I am not complaining about Troian dressed in a sexy Christmas outfit.

 

Finally, that first flashback screamed twins.  I'm sorry I really can't see where else this show is going.

Edited December 10, 2014 by superman1204

[allonsyalice]

I mean, obviously, twins. i think it was said somewhere that Sasha Pieterse said that Ali has NO TWIN.

but that flashback, with the twin story she told on halloween that time? (my other guess would be that Jessica DiLaurentis had an affair, but how cliche would that be?)

I have to rewatch Season 5 and then rewatch this episode. (because I had no idea who a) anyone was, and b) why toby was in a wheelchair)

Who was the third Santa? 

I need Ghost Mona in every episode here on out (I really liked Janel Parrish, Mona was gone too soon.) 

Hanna and Caleb continue to be THE CUTEST.

Okay, but, Spencer was on parole why was she committing a B&E? Did CeCe risk anything by showing up at Ali's party? (She was not who I expected would be under the hood. I was literally expecting an attack, again, on Ali's life.)  (This show, somehow, manages to have too many characters.)

Erza Fitz creeps me out. 

(These were my inital thoughts. I'll probably revisit this after a rewatch.)

[Lolabelle]

Mona's make up was a little over the top to me (maybe i they did away with the grey hair) but her freaking out Ali made the episode worth it.

 

I'm very proud of Hanna for stuffing that note into her boobs after I had been yelling at the tv for her to do it.

 

Im not into any of the ships on the show, so the ending was blah.   I also have no idea where this show is going.

[lion10]

The gang of 8-year old girls was hilarious.  "Bitches get buried".  Holbrook's costume at a teen party was wildly inappropriate.  Maybe there's something in the water that turns all adult Rosewood men into creepers.

Edited December 10, 2014 by lion10

[scarletregina]

I haven't finished the episode yet, but I had to stop by and say: Dear god, Shay looks unhumanly gorgeous in that dress.

 

ETA: Just finished the ep. Was Jessica in the Black Widow costume?

Edited December 10, 2014 by scarletregina

[mjgchick]

Yeah that was her. I wonder if thats the show telling us that it's always been her or not. This episode left me confused about what's going on but I'm convinced that someone has a twin and since half the cast knows who A is I think Marlene finally knows what she's doing with the last two seasons but this second half will be filler.

[ottoDbusdriver]

It's Xmas, why is Aria wearing a skull scarf ?

 

How can they declare Mona dead if they don't have a body ?  Especially after Allison pulled the faked death shenanigans for two years.  Just because the cops said they were investigating it as a homicide in the previous episode it was jumping the gun to declare Mona dead since there was no body.

 

Santa was on 'A's payroll apparently -- that is just plain stupid.  Why weren't the PLLs chasing after him to find out where he got the snow globe from ? What would have happened if Aria didn't stop him to put money in his kettle ?  Would he have just kept walking ?

 

Why do they still have the same opening sequence if Allison is definitely not dead ... anymore ?  

 

Has Allison got mono -- because she's always sleeping (and having bizarre dreams) ?  Maybe it's drugs.

 

Mrs. DiLaurentis tries the whole "These are not the droids you're looking for" Jedi mind trick in Allison's dream -- that's a stretch.  Plus, who hides shit in a piano ?

 

Why was the window open in Allison's house if it's winter to let the breeze in that knock that Xmas ball on the floor ?  This show is so stupid -- or maybe the writer's are doing some sort of Inception-like dream within a dream within a dream.

 

So, is Spencer going to repeat the dance number from 'Mean Girls' in that sexy Santa outfit ?   Plus you have Hannah in a sexy elf costume.  Followed by a magic Mike style cabaret on XMas day at the end of the episode.  Merry Sexy Christmas to all !! 

 

And Caleb was bang-on calling that girl mini-Allison. 

 

Wow !! They really are hitting all the items on the seasonal checklist -- volunteering to help children by playing Santa and distributing presents, busing in seniors to listen to a choir and feeding them, an Ice Ball to feed the homeless of Philly (are there no homeless in Rosewood) ... all they need is Aria and Spencer working at a soup kitchen.

 

How come the Ice Ball was only an "encouraged" masquerade ball at Xmas ?  And who holds a ball like that on Xmas Eve of all days ?  The poster didn't say it was only for teens, so you would think there would have been more adults there beside Holbrook (who kind of looked like Billy Bob Thornton in 'Bad Santa').

 

It's snowing heavily outside -- how did Hannah and Spencer get to the DiLaurentis house from the ball with no coats and managed to get no snow on themselves between the car and the house in heels (because they would have probably parked at Spencer's house across the street) ?

 

What was with that weird maze at the ball with the mirrors and empty picture frames ?  Who does that ?  Why wasn't Mrs. DiLaurentis at the Ice Ball ?

 

Shay looked great in that dress at the ball. Paige looked snazzy in that white suit.

 

Whatever happened to Pepe the dog at the DiLaurentis house ?

 

It's dark out -- so why does the live StormTracker weather report on the TV by Toby show that it's still daylight out ?

 

Newspaper ads -- really ?  Who uses newspapers anymore for communications ?  I guess Allison likes to kick it old school for some reason.  Same goes with all those letters in the hatbox to various people.  

 

If the roads were so bad, how did they all get Spencer's house so easily from the ball ?  Plus, there was only about an inch of snow on the ground.  And whose house was Toby in doing his homage to 'Rear Window' since his house next door blew up ?

 

Boo hoo Allison -- all of your former friends are enjoying themselves and she's outside looking in the window with no friends, not even her new minions.  Tough.

 

That was so stupid when crap fell down the chimney and Hannah said "Santa ?" -- it's the evening of Dec. 25 by this point, an entire day has gone by since Xmas Eve.  The writer for this episode is such an idiot when they made Hannah say that.

 

ETA: Whoops -- forgot that Mrs. D was dead.  Oh well.  Thanks for the reminder @Artsda.

Edited December 10, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[GaT]

Well, except for Hanna taking down a little girl, nothing seems to have happened. I wasn't even sure what was real & what was an Ali dream. 

[Artsda]

 

Why wasn't Mrs. DiLaurentis at the Ice Ball ?

She's dead.

[mjgchick]

Spencer's parents must hate her. Who leaves their child on parole home alone where her pedophile teacher can convince her to use their kitchen for chicken? And I can't stress it enough but who thought it was a good idea to have the English teacher be shirtless with boxers on in front of a bunch of teens where the oldest is at least 19?

 

Also Keegan is the ultimate buttaface. lol

[ElectricBoogaloo]

What I found weird is that Toby kept worrying about Hanna when he was Rear Windowing. I like Hanna too, but if I were Toby I would be more concerned with my girlfriend's safety than her friend's safety. I know, I'm so selfish.

 

While part of me applauds Spencer for making a shank, the other part of me was annoyed. First of all, you are leaving fingerprints all over the damn place and making a mess. That's what the police call evidence of you breaking and entering. Secondly, wouldn't it be fast to just walk into the kitchen and get a knife? Or did A take the only knife in the DiLaurentis house?

 

And then what actually happened? Hanna opened a door and screamed, then Spencer found her on the floor. Did Hanna actually see anything or anyone? And did she turn into a delicate southern flower who gets the vapors? What was the purpose of A stalking around the house with a knife and then not actually hurting anyone with it? I don't mean I wanted Hanna or Spencer stabbed or anything but it just seemed pointless.

 

As fun as it was to see Ghost Mona gleefully tormenting Ali, why did she tell her lawyer to wait until 30 days after her death to give Hanna the map of Ali's hiding places?

 

One thing I really like is that Alison, Emily, and Hanna have more womanly/curvy bodies and the show doesn't try to hide that. For the record, I am not being facetious or saying anything negative about their bodies. I like that they aren't the typical size double 0 actresses who have no hips. They look like healthy normal sized girls who are fit and toned but not so thin that it looks like a slight breeze would knock them over. All of the girls (not just the PLLs) looked gorgeous in their dresses at the ball.

 

Seeing Ezra included as part of the gang was totally gag inducing. Hey, kids, I know I'm your former teacher and you're still in high school, but it's totally appropriate for me to hang out with you guys and appear shirtless with the other dudes! "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."

 

At this point Rosewood should just outlaw masks all together...along with shovels.

But then they would do away with Rosewood PD's routine charges! Those idiots can't solve murders so they have to pump up their success rate with all the shovel arrests.

 

Ezra and Holbrock had a conversation.  When two pedophiles have a conversation on your show you might need to reevaluate the direction your show is going.

Ha! But if we were going to eliminate all pedo to pedo conversations on this show, we would have to ensure that no men over the age of 18 ever spoke to each other.

 

Newspaper ads -- really ?  Who uses newspapers anymore for communications ?  I guess Allison likes to kick it old school for some reason.

Ali's favorite movie is Desperately Seeking Susan! Or she's trying to revive the dying print media business! But seriously, where did Spencer find all those scraps of newspaper? And why was she lining them up on the carpet like a puzzle instead of just taking pictures of them and looking in some more hiding places?

 

And whose house was Toby in doing his homage to 'Rear Window' since his house next door blew up ?

He was in Spencer's room. Earlier in the episode when they were both in her room, she was in her closet putting on the Santa outfit while he practiced looking into Ali's house with the camera.

 

It's Xmas, why is Aria wearing a skull scarf ?

Because she's too punk rock for regular scarves! What cracked me up was not just the skull scarf but that she was wearing it with a leopard print coat. It looked like Charlotte Russe threw up on Hot Topic.

[Bort]

Well, that was boring filler but it was beautifully shot boring filler. I particularly like the use of light and shadow in the scenes of Spencer and Hanna snooping through Alison's house. And in Alison's later dream sequence, the way Mona disappeared when the black figure passed in front of the camera was nicely done. Even the shots of Spencer changing in the closet were well done. I'm too lazy to go back and see who directed the episode but they did a great job.

[Kaboom 2.0]

My boyfriend stopped watching PLL two seasons ago, pretty much "I just can't" was the reason given. I gave him a brief synopsis of what happened this past season last night (to annoy him, lol) and he actually reacted when I told him Mona had been murdered (he grew to really like JP on the DWTS episodes we happened to watch). So I briefly told him how Mona died, how Emily's baby Jesus from her yard's Nativity had been replaced with the All American Girl version of Mona, how A placed baby Jesus in the car trunk containing Mona's body...and he literally threw up his hands and said "insane sh** like that is why I stopped watching." I, on the other hand, LIVE for it. LOL!

 

I liked this episode, sure it told us some stuff we knew already but for me continued this year's SL as well. My beloved HBIC Mona haunting and taunting Alison. Mr. Rear Window himself Toby rocking his cast and big camera. Hanna and Caleb all-around adorableness AND telling off Alison's Mini Me. Jenna and Sydney's return. Lucas continuing to help. The Liars' significant others banding together to help their girls. Hanna and Spencer looking spectacular amongst the shadows the light of Alison's house. Spencer crafting the shank like a boss.

 

Thank Gawd I'm not the only person who felt uncomfortable with Ezra joining the Liars' TEEN boyfriends and girlfriend in Santa boxers. I know the scene was a gift for the shippers but jeez, it fell flat for me when I realized yet again he's an adult hanging around with teenagers...in Santa boxers. Shudder.

 

So I just typed the above and realized that little demented me actually cackled when Paige and Emily kissed at the old folks' home, I actually looked to see if there was at least one old man in the background giving them a lecherous look. Thank you, PLL, for ruining me. LOL Oh and thanks for ruining Holbrook by allegedly turning him into another typical Rosewood pedo. Will Ezra give him tips on how to be one? Ugh.

 

I actually laughed when Alison looked into the window at the end to see the Liars, Paige and the boyfriends together, laughing, talking, eating, drinking, being normal, and then sadly turned away, all alone in the cold. All that was missing was whoever throwing a snowball at her and townspeople pointing and laughing at her. She is THE worst and I wish nothing but the worst for her. She and Cece deserve each other.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I normally am neutral on Toby, but he won major points for me in this episode because (1) the inscription on his cast was hilarious and (2) his cast was later wrapped in red ribbon to look like a candy cane.

[Lolabelle]

One thing that I m not sure was just some showrunner crap to stick with the Christmas Carol theme or real was Mona showing Ali that she would be murdered (relatively) soon. Mona made it sound like a group of people attacked her and ripped her to pieces since she didn't have legs. I'm picturing it as one day the entire town goes after her. I don't want this to mean that suddenly Ali has changed and we'll get a new villan of the season.

And are we supposed to believe that Mrs D was Black Widow? I don't get it. I thought that character was being teased as Big A. If it was a real reveal wouldn't they have hyped it up?

[Primetimer]

It's so nice to be trapped with your besties while a blizzard rages and a psychopath decorates a tree outside your door.

Read the story

[joelene]

I'm officially lost plot wise.

[poppy-]

One of the PTV writers described The Vampire Diaries as something like, Beautiful people in an exciting and fast moving story that no one really understands. PLL, same thing, but with ball gowns.

[Eneya]

I am a bit surprised, either Sasha Pears has simply put on some weight, which is perfectly normal, or she is pregnant... I can't explain in any other way the costume choices lately.

[mjgchick]

I've been saying she's been looking pregnanty lately but I'm just hoping she gained weight. I do like that the shows leads aren't thin. Lucy is tiny but she's not sickly thin and neither is Troian.

 

I think the only thing that really happened was Hanna finding a letter that say Ali knew who Bethany is and Ali has convinced Low budget Lestat to frame Spencer and he's kind of obsessed with Aria.

[scarletregina]

Well, except for Hanna taking down a little girl, nothing seems to have happened. I wasn't even sure what was real & what was an Ali dream. 

 

Actually, several major things happened in this episode:

 

1. Bethany and Alison are sisters, or Jessica views them as such at the very least.

2. Bethany and Alison knew one another. Alison invited Bethany to her home on Labor Day. Ali likely planned on faking her death using Bethany as a body double.

3. Jessica was in the Black Widow costume, so I would assume that she is BW.

 

I think those things are kind of big. 

[Jack Shaftoe]

I think my only lasting memories of this episode will be Spencer's sexy garter stockings and the WTF stairway striptease scene (sadly without Spencer taking part it it and with Paige being way overdressed compared to ther guys). Otherwise, it was so bland and forgettable that it barely deserves to be called filler.

 

Well that, and the fact that "clues" about Alison's doings before her disappearance still turn up at her house, despite everyone and their dog having searched it at one point or another. Nice of Alison to leave that incriminating letter lying around.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Jack Shaftoe

[lion10]

Are we just going to ignore that Alison's corpse was missing it's legs?!

[Yogi Nomad]

Maybe the break was too long but I feel like I have no idea where these people stand. Like gayrons why were they with Alison? And swim fan and Jenna? I'm so confused. Too many times with this person is A , oops no they're not. We're working for you but not really. I mean what the heck? Now I just hate watching. It's enjoyable that way.

I did like the WTF boyfriends/girlfriend on the stairs tho. It was pretty much the summary of the whole series. It doesn't make sense, it's super creepy but boy, don't they look nice?

About missing leg of Ali (or her twin). I have no idea where Marlene is going with this. Maybe she went to Africa and then came back and the plane crashed and Emily had to cut her leg or something. We probably will see that in the next flashback.

[cuddlingcrowley]

Seeing Ezra included as part of the gang was totally gag inducing. Hey, kids, I know I'm your former teacher and you're still in high school, but it's totally appropriate for me to hang out with you guys and appear shirtless with the other dudes! "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."

 

 

Basically this. It was extremelly cringe worthy and, dare I say, out of character of Ezra. Isn't he usually pretty damn awkward around the other girls or the fact he, occasionally, seemed aware his relationship with Aria is completely imoral was just one of his many lies? Okay, I know I'm not supposed to be thinking so hard about this so i'll stop....Surely Emily at least should have screamed in horror? No? Okay.

 

You can add to the out of character moments Jenna joining Alison because she's terrified of her. I. Don't. Buy. It. I know Alison blinded her but this is JENNA for God's sakes. Don't ruin her, show. Don't you dare!

 

And of course:

 

And then what actually happened? Hanna opened a door and screamed, then Spencer found her on the floor. Did Hanna actually see anything or anyone? And did she turn into a delicate southern flower who gets the vapors? What was the purpose of A stalking around the house with a knife and then not actually hurting anyone with it? I don't mean I wanted Hanna or Spencer stabbed or anything but it just seemed pointless.

 

 

Speaking of pointless, why the hell was Lucas in this episode at all? And he was, supposedly working with the liars? Huh? When did that happen and why didn't we actually get to see him do anything useful in this episode? Same goes for Toby. That's not how writting works!

 

I loved seeing all the girls again and I've missed this show terribly, I truly did, but I really could have done without this Christmas special. Everyone looked gorgeous and the show was as pretty as ever but I think there was way too much focus on the production but not nearly enough on the writting. The episode had all the elements to create a special episode with Alison's ball and Mona's ghost, heck PLL has done a lot more with a hell of a lot less, but I don't think whoever was chosen to write this episode even tried.

 

Sadly, same goes for the acting which, imo, I'm afraid to say, it was absolutely god awful with special mentions to Shay and Troian, the later who very obviously broke character at the sight of A's little surprise. Frankly, i'd rather had watched 2 hours of Alison uncovering repressed memories with Mona's ghost scared the crap out of her while Hanna went through her various hiding spots narrating each one. There. Give me that episode.

 

Okay, rant over. Now I'm gonna give these people a break because they clearly very much need one. Hopefully, they'll be well rested by january. Hopefully.

 

 

 

 

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Speaking of pointless, why the hell was Lucas in this episode at all? And he was, supposedly working with the liars? Huh? When did that happen and why didn't we actually get to see him do anything useful in this episode?

The stupid thing is that Lucas promised Spencer that he would make sure Ali stayed at the party but he totally didn't. He sat on his Santa chair while Ali kissed some other Santa and snuck off with Cece.

[dwmckim]

So interestingly enough, Ali's new "Group o' Five" consists entirely of girls who either have a twin or "double"...Cindy and Mindy (actual twins), Jenna and Sydney ("Two Jenna's") and then there's Ali herself who even if she doesn't have a literal twin, at least has Cece.

 

So yeah Santa Boxers scene was kinda disturbing.  But consider how they all would have got to that moment.  It would have been at Toby's beckoning ("So here's the thing - instead of exchanging gifts, Spencer and I are exchanging gestures.  So for this to really be effective, I need the three of you to also strip and put these on.")  Yeah, Toby will fit in well at Rosewood PD.

[GaT]

Are we just going to ignore that Alison's corpse was missing it's legs?!

I forgot this! Is this the first we've heard that Ali was missing her legs? I don't remember this coming up before, maybe that's what's on page 5 of the autopsy?

[lion10]

I forgot this! Is this the first we've heard that Ali was missing her legs? I don't remember this coming up before, maybe that's what's on page 5 of the autopsy?

 

I think it's supposed to be one of the "things yet to come".  It'd be pretty obvious if Alison's body was missing its legs and IIRC, Alison said, "when?", meaning it's supposed to take place in the future.  

[Artsda]

 

When did that happen and why didn't we actually get to see him do anything useful in this episode? Same goes for Toby. That's not how writting works!

Toby is limited in going to balls and what he can do with his full leg cast. I thought they did great with the Rear Window writing for him to make him be involved in the episode without being able to leave the house.

[jane1978]

I think it's supposed to be one of the "things yet to come".  It'd be pretty obvious if Alison's body was missing its legs and IIRC, Alison said, "when?", meaning it's supposed to take place in the future.  

 

It´s not supposed to happen. This is not LOST and that wasn´t a flashforward. It was just Ali´s subconcious giving her a warning how she could end if she doesn´t change her ways. I think that´s even exactly what Marlene said in one of her post show interviews.

 

It´s more complicated with Mona´s "ghost" because this IS the same universe as Ravenswood and from the 5B promo it even looks like the spooky lady from that show (who saved Ali) is coming back. So I think the show will attempt to balance the very thin line between Mona is just a figment of imagination and Mona is actual ghost trying to help the girls to find her killer.

 

What I think it´s clear Ali is not the one who murdered her because ghost Mona never even hinted that. 

[lion10]

I meant "things yet to come" within the theme of the ghosts of Christmas past (Mona), present (Mona), and future (Mrs. DiLaurentis).  I don't think it's really going to happen.  I really think Marlene King made a mistake when she incorporated the possibility of ghosts into the PLL universe.  Ravenswood could have been a good show on its own.  

[cuddlingcrowley]

So interestingly enough, Ali's new "Group o' Five" consists entirely of girls who either have a twin or "double"...Cindy and Mindy (actual twins), Jenna and Sydney ("Two Jenna's") and then there's Ali herself who even if she doesn't have a literal twin, at least has Cece.

 

 

That's interesting indeed! I hadn't caught on that.

 

So yeah Santa Boxers scene was kinda disturbing.  But consider how they all would have got to that moment.  It would have been at Toby's beckoning ("So here's the thing - instead of exchanging gifts, Spencer and I are exchanging gestures.  So for this to really be effective, I need the three of you to also strip and put these on.")  Yeah, Toby will fit in well at Rosewood PD.

 

 

I actually pictured something like this as well and I wish we had seen it. It would have made Ezra half naked in a room full of his students a tiny bit less jarring. Which brings me to the impression I got that this special peharps was originally conceived to be 2 hour long so, for some reason, the episode had to be completely chopped up to fit in however long that was. It would make a lot of sense given the structural mess we got.

 

 

Toby is limited in going to balls and what he can do with his full leg cast. I thought they did great with the Rear Window writing for him to make him be involved in the episode without being able to leave the house.

 

 

I hate being negative nelly but I personally kept yelling get a frigging FLASHLIGHT when he was uselessly trying to warn Hanna and his participation in the plan ended up serving no porpouse whatsoever. They should have given him a walkie talkie or something, imo. He had a great view of the house and definitely could have been an asset if he could have been able to communicate with the girls properly.

 

What I think it´s clear Ali is not the one who murdered her because ghost Mona never even hinted that.

 

 

 

Yes, that's fairly obvious which is why I took no pleasure in seeing a traumatized young girl who's been through hell (even if it was of her own making) who just lost her mother spend Christimas completely alone hallucinating out of her mind. Especially because it's only a matter of time until Alison unites with the girls again and we learn things like these were completely gratuitous. I don't know, I remember the writers being more sensitive than this. Even Mona never got this kind of treatment, I don't think.

 

 

 

 

[racked]

It´s not supposed to happen. This is not LOST and that wasn´t a flashforward. It was just Ali´s subconcious giving her a warning how she could end if she doesn´t change her ways. I think that´s even exactly what Marlene said in one of her post show interviews.

I thought this episode was supposed to be A Christmas Carol, but did I miss the "Ghost of Christmas Present" moment with Mona?

I agree that Coffin Ali represented the "Ghost of Christmas Future" portion of the story, but the detail about her legs being chopped off still is odd. I mean, dead is enough for anyone's subconscious to register a warning. Why add that detail in? It must be significant somehow.

[Shangrilala]

Acoording to dreammoods.com:  To dream that your leg is broken, wounded or crippled signifies a lack of balance, autonomy, or independence in your life. You may be unable or unwilling to stand up for yourself. Perhaps you are lacking courage and refuse to make a stand.

 

No clue if that's what the writers were going for but from a dream analysis standpoint, that's what it means.

 

I liked this episode, but I'm not starting to think that either we are seeing 2 Ali's at play, or Ali has a multiple personality disorder.  One moment she's looking all shifty and deceitful, the other moment, and while she's alone no less, when her guard can be down, she's looking all terrified and sad. It kind of doesn't make sense to me.  I know people point to the fact that actors and writers have said that the Ali on the show does not have a twin, but let's be real.  Why would they tell us if she did? 

 

Here is my theory which makes no sense at all, but hey, it's PLL, so it's fine for it not to make sense.

 

1)  The person who hit Ali and knocked her out is her twin sister, hence why Mrs. D was crying "why would you do that??"

 

2)  She killed Mrs D.

 

3)  Twin Ali is still unknown.  We saw a young Ali find two gifts, and her mom trained her to lie about it and tell a different story that Ali presumably came to believe.  I think that real Ali may have known about her twin at one point in time, but her memory of her is repressed, in part because of her mother forcing her to create a "reality" of what she should say about what's real.  Hence Mona's comment about this was when it began.

 

4)  Twin Ali is wreaking havoc on Rosewood.  She is the one who found Cyrus, she is the one stalking the girls, she is A.  I have no doubt that Real Ali was a bitch and a half when she ruled the schol at Rosewood, but she truly wanted to change.  In NY she talked about wanting a second chance, saying that she knows how horrible she was etc.  That's why she's angry and hurt about being betrayed by the girls, creating a new group of friends.  She doesn't understand why they are shutting her out, because quite frankly she's not doing some of the things they are accusnig her of and some of those conversations the girls are having are actually with Twin Ali, not real Ali.  So yes, Real Ali is still a bitch queen bee.  But she's not nearly as deadly/evil as Twin Ali. 

 

5)  Bethany Young - a red herring.  Maybe she just reminded Mrs. D. of her poor crazy daughter locked away somewhere and that's why she was being nice to her.  Nothing nmore, nothing less.  And it's crazy twin ali who invited Bethany to Rosewood, not real Ali.

 

Okay, nevermind. That makes no sense.  Back to the drawing board again.

[fandomfatale]

 And it's crazy twin ali who invited Bethany to Rosewood, not real Ali.

 

I agree with this. At least, I don't think it was Alison who invited Bethany to Rosewood and gave her the yellow shirt. They've been writing letters back and forth, right? Anyone could have forged a letter inviting Bethany to come and explaining the gift of clothes. I would love for Ali to have been that calculating, that she prepared Bethany to be the perfect fake body, but I just don't think the writers will have Alison do something that bad. Plus, it all seems pretty obvious right now, which is the greatest argument against it. 

 

But who would want to fake Ali's murder? (Aside from Ali.)

 

I was hoping for more of a cliffhanger - a message from A hardly counts as exciting. When they went outside to check out what was going on I was really hoping for another body or something at least a little terrible. After all that sickly sweetness prior to it I just really wanted something gruesome. Oh well. 

 

I cannot believe the way they are jerking us around with this twin business. The two dresses seems like a real clue, but since one of them could be for Bethany or some other "fake" twin (the way that Cece was a fake twin for the older Ali), it could also be nothing. Mr. Dilaurentis knows something, that was why Jessica wanted to keep the secret of the second dress from him. Is it that he knows he's got another daughter out there? Would he really want to cut off a child that young, no matter what was wrong with her? It's possible Jessica had another child between Jason and Alison. Jason might not remember if he was very young and Jessica gave it away almost immediately. 

[Sakura12]

I haven't watched this yet. It it worth it? Did anything important happen? 

 

I'm really thinking of finally giving up on this show. It's taken me longer than most shows I watch so that is something. I just can't, with nothing ever happening or moving forward. 

[hqtextbook]

Wow whose idea was it to split up into those teams. You can't put both sleuths spencer and hanna together and leave total noobs emily and aria to babysit the psychopath. Thats just asking to be murdered.  

[Crim]

@Sakura12, nothing really important happened, i.e. smoke and mirrors, as usual. I didn't like the episode at all at first and felt that the hiatus was enough to make me quit the show at last. Namely, I disliked the script and the editing: the jumps from one (cliched) scene to another were sudden and obvious as if cut just after/for a punch line, and sometimes even in the same scene the flow was off and very line-reading-ish. Also, what I thought was the best scene in the first part was already shown in a sneak peek.

 

But then... the show grabbed me again. The Rear Window stuff was absolutely shameless. White Coat. The twins. Emily in that dress. Spencer ready to stab with a piece of glass. Merry Christmas, bitches. It was glorious.

 

The final scene of her looking in on her and friends and their significant others did nothing for me.

I thought it was meant as a Poor!Ali scene too... until the Liars came out and saw the A message. Nicely done, PLL, nicely done.

 

But wait... the episode could not help itself. Was Holbrook really the Santa Aria saw? His lines seemed to indicate that, but they also could have meant "I am suspicious of you and of Ali, and I am still in Rosewood because want to see this through." I don't care either way about where the show is going with this, just that it is too addicted to creating mysteries to ever take a break. Also...

 

And then what actually happened? Hanna opened a door and screamed, then Spencer found her on the floor. Did Hanna actually see anything or anyone? And did she turn into a delicate southern flower who gets the vapors? What was the purpose of A stalking around the house with a knife and then not actually hurting anyone with it? I don't mean I wanted Hanna or Spencer stabbed or anything but it just seemed pointless.

This was typical PLL. Typical. I ain't even mad.

My very first thought, before the episode was even over, was that this was the show teasing with the question of who that A was. An obvious reason why A didn't hurt Hanna or even searched her would be that A was not there for Hanna and Spencer. Apparently implausible due to the timing, but Ali was also gone from the party at that point, with CeCe. Ali said again and again that A is trying to hurt her. Maybe the Liars are wrong again and Ali is not A, and that was A in her house, looking for her.

 

Also the Cece/Ali interactions were very interesting this episode. This post is already long enough, so I'm taking that in the relationships topic - http://forums.previously.tv/topic/11025-characters-and-relationships-in-pll-you-need-to-take-a-psychological-selfie-right-now/#entry647409

Edited December 12, 2014 by Crim

[bamamer]

I thought ending was poor Ali. I wondered if the message at the end was done by another "A" and Ali was a red herring in that moment. (Not sure if this needs to be in a spoiler tag....

I really get the sense even thought they said they were not going to do the twin thing that there is no way they are not going to now.