S05.E20: Pretty Isn't The Point

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I love how Mona had a secret refrigerator for her blood but Mike panicked and thought he would just leave a breakable glass vial of bodily fluids up in a tree and nothing could possibly happen to it. Even if Aria hadn't found it, a squirrel could have found it in that little hollow and thrown it on the ground.

Emily cracked me up when she took the blame for Hanna's cracked out dancing by saying, "It's my fault. I chose that song." Never mind that she also choreographed all that booty shaking before Hanna started her anger dancing (who knew that was a thing?). I also liked that Emily kept dancing the original routine while watching Hanna with a WTF? look on her face until she finally gave up and stood on the side of the room.

I thought Jonny vandalized the roof of a building at Hollis but now I am supposed to believe that instead of painting over the cement, the roof was actually made of some removable canvas type material that could be easily removed and cut into pieces?

Edited February 18, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[insubordination]

 

I thought Jonny vandalized the roof of a building at Hollis but now I am supposed to believe that instead of painting over the cement, the roof was actually made of some removable canvas type material that could be easily removed and cut into pieces?

 

That crossed my mind too, but I just dismissed it 'cos the girls are pretty.  I often have to do that.

[superman1204]

Ha, no kidding! Emily is never single for more than a few minutes before another girl sidles up to her. Forget Talia, girl! You can find an unmarried lesbian. Just give it like 5-10 minutes.

 

If we can work out some sort of Hanna/Caleb/Emily polyamorous throuple situation, I'm in!

If polyamory becomes part of this show Spencer/Caleb has to part of the deal, because they have crazy chemistry together.  Also since Toby and Spencer will be together forever, I want Toby/Caleb to be part of said polyamorous relationship.  Oh and Aria/Spencer so Aria isn't left out (no Ezra though).  I would watch another five season of that, just saying.

 

Now that I think about it, a huge polyamorous group would actually be nice, because the writers could focus on the relationships and Lairs' friendships at the same time, instead having relationship drama steal time from the friendships.

Edited February 19, 2015 by superman1204

[Kate213]

I liked the ‘Mona planning to fake her death' reveal and that there was actually some consistency with previous episodes (e.g. Mona passing out, the bandage on her arm, Mike’s behavior, etc).  Agree with those who believe she was double-crossed and is actually dead.  As much as I like Mona and hated when she ‘died’, it would be lame if she ended up alive after all.

 

Talia’s story continues to get grosser every week.  Married woman in her mid-20s having a secret relationship (‘experiment’) with a high school girl?  Hopefully this will be the end of it.  Emily already had an in-the-closet girlfriend story back in Season 1 with Paige, which was actually well done and relatable to many teens.  No need for an uninteresting, hacked version of it four seasons later.  And given that Emily didn’t want to date a girl in the closet back then, it’s doubtful that she would let it continue much longer anyway.

 

How exactly is Mike’s word supposed to clear Alison as A?  He offered no proof, just Cyrus saying that he took Alison out of town.  Cyrus is sketchy and a proven liar yet suddenly, he’s trustworthy.  Alison isn’t A because Mike says, and the liars just accept that.  Except…um Alison was in town that day.  Remember the end scene of 5x12 outside of Mona’s house?  Where Alison was smirking while watching her friends cry?  The liars don’t know she was there but we (the viewers) do.  They could be going the twin route, or surprise, someone’s lying.  After everything you’d think the liars would be a little hesitant about just accepting someone’s word as truth but I must be expecting too much from them and this show.

 

I don’t really think Alison will end up being Big A, since it would be too obvious and previously if someone was suspected and ‘cleared’ that was that, but I will be really disappointed if Alison is whitewashed and reformed.  What’s interesting about Alison, at least to me, is that she’s complex, both a victim and victimizer.  She might care about her friends, but she’s also manipulative and emotionally abusive.  If they forget all about her previous behavior (a la Ezra) and try to make her one of the group, just another A victim, that would be weak and a real shame. The show needs another visible ‘villain’ since Mona’s dead, Jenna’s MIA and Creepy Stalker Ezra has been reduced to an irrelevant coffee shop owner.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Kate213

[Mabinogia]

LOL and the show evolves into one big orgy. I would have said devolves, but I actually think a giant orgy might be a step up. And I agree that Spencer and Caleb have incredible chemistry together. I love Hanna and Caleb for being such a supportive, normal couple and wouldn't want to see them break up, but Hanna/Caleb have nothing on Spencer/Caleb as far as chemistry goes. What would they be, anyway, Spaleb? lol But I am content with Spencer/Caleb dynamic spy duo stuff.

 

I think that's why I like Caleb best of all the love interests, he seems natural with any of the four Liars. I can't see Ezra just hanging with Emily because, ewe, he was her teacher and is now her boss. It's just weird. And I can't really picture Paige just chilling out with say Hanna. But when Caleb was spying with Spencer or had that nice chat with Emily, it felt natural that he would be friends with Hanna's friends without Hanna around. He is really "one of the girls" lol

 

He and Hanna might be "boring" but I think they are refreshingly drama free. And I have always loved that they rarely have secrets from one another. Instead of being all evasive about who was calling, Hanna told him about the pageant. And although he is against it, he supported her as soon as he saw how serious she was about it. It is nice, especially on a show with so much drama, to see a normal, healthy relationship. Unlike, say, a teenager dating her teacher, or a teenager dating a married woman, or a teenager dating an insta-cop ex-con who was temporarily a creeper but then not because he has great abs but little acting ability.

[KaveDweller]

She had all that blood in her room and her mother didn't ask what was in the fridge?

 

Mike had a fridge in his room too.  Is that like a thing now? Kids keep mini-fridges in their bedrooms? I never would have been allowed to do that.

 

Hanna's shirt was misspelled, if it's actually French and using the accents. The word is "garçon, not "garcon," with an accent over it. Yep, this is so nitpicky, it shows that I'm clearly hate watching at this point.

 

Thank you for saying this.  I kept looking at it thinking it looked weird and couldn't quite figure out what it was.  I thought my French might be rusty.

[Black Knight]

Whoo hoo, another scene between Emily and Ashley! Good for my crackshipping heart. When Ashley asked if Emily was asking about her or herself, I was all, "If she's asking about both of you, like I hope she is, then the answer is YES OBVIOUSLY YOU SHOULD"...ahem. Yeah, I know I'll never get it (though I don't really see why not, considering all the other totally inappropriate relationships on this show), but now that the Liars know Ali was framed for Mona's murder, Emison will be on the way soon enough. (I have no idea what the point of Talia was - can Emily really not be allowed to be single for the handful of episodes in between the end of Paily and the resumption of Emison? I think by now the show has earned enough trust that viewers wouldn't automatically think Emily being single for a short while means they're backing away from the gay.) I'm really looking forward to what kind of head trips Ali will be able to pull on the PLL crew since that whole fiasco has given her a bunch of new cards to play. I've found the show a little less interesting with her offscreen.

 

The entire Spencer/Jonny plot in this episode was so annoying. I never thought I would find a Spencer plotline more annoying than an Aria plotline, but at least Aria was actually involved in the mystery while Spencer was just being uncharacteristically stupid with the breaking into the gallery and all. I had liked Jonny up to now, but if that's the silliness we're going to get, I hope this is the end of him.

 

I'm also happy that we're back to real A tags. They were always a creepy touch and nice little hint of what might be coming up.

[superman1204]

 

I have no idea what the point of Talia was - can Emily really not be allowed to be single for the handful of episodes in between the end of Paily and the resumption of Emison? I think by now the show has earned enough trust that viewers wouldn't automatically think Emily being single for a short while means they're backing away from the gay.

Maybe the writers are trying to fill out Emily's dating life.  In real life most people have less serious, short lived relationships in between major relationships, and if one season of this show equated to one year of time in Rosewood, like most other shows, then Emily dating someone in between Paige and Alison would have made sense.  Of course the writers had to compress the timeline to an insane degree, so Emily ends up looking like someone who can't be single for more than five seconds, which is completely at odds with the rest of her character.

 

Or the writers needed filler.  Now that I think about it, they probably just needed filler.

 

Also I am glad to see Emily end things with Talia (hopefully!) but I was hoping for more of an epic blowup from Emily, like what we saw with Sydney. 

[mercfan3]

I think it was all just for the conversation with Ashley..

[AmandaPanda]

I was cringing so hard during the dancing scene. AB did great with the awkward dancing, though.

 

I believe that Mona is dead. I think something went wrong and someone ended up murdering Mona, which is why we saw the shot of Mona in the trunk of the car.

[Jack Shaftoe]

Correct me if I am wrong but they didn't even bother with a half-assed explanation for the thousands of dollars that Mike withdrew. Are we supposed to think he found that money in a lasagna box somewhere, deposited it in a bank and now needs it for steroids or something?

 

 

How exactly is Mike’s word supposed to clear Alison as A?  He offered no proof, just Cyrus saying that he took Alison out of town.  Cyrus is sketchy and a proven liar yet suddenly, he’s trustworthy.  Alison isn’t A because Mike says, and the liars just accept that.  Except…um Alison was in town that day.  Remember the end scene of 5x12 outside of Mona’s house?  Where Alison was smirking while watching her friends cry?  The liars don’t know she was there but we (the viewers) do.  They could be going the twin route, or surprise, someone’s lying.  After everything you’d think the liars would be a little hesitant about just accepting someone’s word as truth but I must be expecting too much from them and this show.

 

I don’t really think Alison will end up being Big A, since it would be too obvious and previously if someone was suspected and ‘cleared’ that was that, but I will be really disappointed if Alison is whitewashed and reformed.  What’s interesting about Alison, at least to me, is that she’s complex, both a victim and victimizer.  She might care about her friends, but she’s also manipulative and emotionally abusive.  If they forget all about her previous behavior (a la Ezra) and try to make her one of the group, just another A victim, that would be weak and a real shame.

 

Well said. I am bracing myself for Alison's triumphant return.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Jack Shaftoe

[Crim]

I thought it likely that the money were from Mona's account, since Mike was in on the whole plan at that point. Presumably.

 

I have no idea what the point of Talia was - can Emily really not be allowed to be single for the handful of episodes in between the end of Paily and the resumption of Emison?

Maybe the writers are trying to fill out Emily's dating life. ... Or the writers needed filler.  Now that I think about it, they probably just needed filler.

LOL. But I think it's a bit more than just Emily filler: the writers wanted to shake up the relationships of all Liars available for such a storyline. They even broke up Ezria (yay!). There wasn't any real point to Johny, not long term; in terms of Spencer story archs, it was just a diversion and, worse, Spencer was out of character for most of it. As much as I also loathe Talia, I can imagine an impact on Emily even if they don't have another scene (I hope they do though, because I also want more epic Emily showdowns. XD). Emily used to be graciously forgiving when it comes to romantic partners, so it does mean something if she walks away from Talia like this. (Actually, I'd quite enjoy the lack of drama if we never saw Emily give Talia another chance or another thought.)

 

I'm not sure the writers would resume Emison at this point, but if they do, I approve of having someone between Paige and Ali after Emily went Paige > Ali > Paige at the drop of a hat. I don't know how Emison would work now, though, and I say this as someone who really, really shipped it in the earlier seasons.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Crim

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Correct me if I am wrong but they didn't even bother with a half-assed explanation for the thousands of dollars that Mike withdrew. Are we supposed to think he found that money in a lasagna box somewhere, deposited it in a bank and now needs it for steroids or something?

They also had no explanation for the Morse code necklace. I guess both fall under the umbrella of "men fall ass backwards into piles of money and buy things like surveillance equipment and jewelry for no reason other than they live in Rosewood."

[kat165]

I've grown very bored with this show although I still love the girls. I've watched this entire season days later On Demand rather than the night it first shows. This use to be a must see for me. Now I'd rather watch British murder mysteries on PBS. But this ep wasn't as boring as the previous ones have been. I didn't look at the clock as much as I usually do!

 

Question: we know that Aria's father was off somewhere (who cares), but what has been their cover story for where her mom, Holly Marie Combs, has been? I don't recall it. If they've actually mentioned it at all.

 

Thalia can't leave fast enough for me. She's a bore and a huge creeper. A good psychiatrist could make a killing in this town. Along with several 12 step groups.

 

Ashley Benson was awesome.

[superman1204]

Speaking of things that we learned last episode that don't make sense:

• A made a deal with Mona to help her fake her death and rejoin the A team
• Mona prepared a fake murder scene using her own blood, to ensure the police would think she had been murdered
• A then kills Mona

If A wanted Mona dead, why didn't A just kill Mona.  Isn't like 90% of the work in a murder making sure evidence isn't left behind, and A went out of his/her/their way to make sure there was a much evidence as possible left behind.  Mona's entire house was covered in blood and now the state police are investigating the murder.  Why even bother hiding the body at that point?

[Crim]

^ There really is no way to answer this without spoilers. Suffice to say that this makes sense (in the "but the real events are even crazier!" PLL way, mind you.)

 

Who would want to be a therapist in Rosewood? You hang a target-shaped A-magnet on your back, perfect for some shoveling.

 

[mercfan3]

Yes there is, Mike said it in the show. 

 

A wanted Mona to fake her death and setup the liars and Ali to go to jail.

 

Mona agreed to do it because she thought if she worked with A, she could figure out who A was 

 

Now, Mike thinks that A figured out Mona's plan and killed her. 

Edited February 20, 2015 by mercfan3

[superman1204]

Yes there is, Mike said it in the show. 

 

A wanted Mona to fake her death and setup the liars and Ali to go to jail.

 

Mona agreed to do it because she thought if she worked with A, she could figure out who A was 

 

Now, Mike thinks that A figured out Mona's plan and killed her. 

Well that could be true, but the problem is either Mona, who spent two years as a hyper-reality ninja, gave away her plan to double cross A within six hours of faking her death or the scene that showed Mona in the trunk actually happen several days or weeks later and A kept the baby Jesus from Emily's nativity for the sole purpose of placing it on top of their next murder victim to creepy out the audience.

 

So either way I am calling BS.

 

Hopefully the writers have something at least entertaining planned for the reveal.

[mercfan3]

I'm just saying, that's what Mike's theory currently is. He knew Mona and A were working together, and he knew Mona was actually a double agent and working with A for the benefit of the Liars..but he hasn't seen or heard from Mona since her "death" and now he thinks A actually killed her for double crossing him/her. 

 

We don't know whether A actually killed Mona or not..but we know that Mike thinks A did and why Mike thinks A did. (If that makes sense.) And seeing as Mona explained to Mike what she was doing, and A listens to everything..it would be totally possible for A to have known what Mona was planning. And of course, Mona had already done what was asked and the set up for Ali had already occurred. 

Edited February 21, 2015 by mercfan3

[bettername2come]

I liked the episode. I've seen a lot of love for Hanna's crazy angry stripper dance, but I don't think there's been enough love for Emily's reaction to it - stop dancing entirely, watch intensely and mouth "no." I also liked how Ashley called Caleb to check up on her and actually followed up on it with Hanna's dad. The good boyfriend and the good parent working together.

 

I really enjoyed Aria and Mike's interaction, and I hope Mike knowing about A means he will be helping the girls some this year. Not that I think he'll actually be helpful, but these girls need all the support they can get.

 

And I have no interest whatsoever in Talia's existence, but it made me laugh when she said something along the lines of "What's wrong? Did Ezra find out about us?" Like Ezra was going to find this relationship inappropriate or something.

[FineWashables]

Ok, I know I'm an idiot to quibble about reality when it comes to the details and the plotting of this show, but here are some random thoughts:

 

This was Hanna's dance audition for the pageant coach.  Why in the world would Emily be dancing alongside her in that case?

 

The girls donated their blood at the blood drive, and the nurses marked the vials with their first names only?  Shouldn't the vials have been labelled Montgomery, Marin, and Hastings instead of Aria, Hanna, and Spencer?

 

Mike needs to hide blood, and we've seen that the blood needs to be refrigerated.  So he hides it in a tree, where it will spoil almost immediately.  Then he goes back in the middle of the night to what -- visit it?

 

Spencer wears no gloves to break into the art gallery -- as others have noted before me -- but feels the need to wear a black watchcap as a disguise?  She didn't even tuck her hair into it to maybe fool someone about what she looks like.

[Shangrilala]

So my new theory -- without any spoilers to help it along, and going back to the Halloween special when Ian said "nobody really dies in Rosewood."

 

Mona is not dead and is still on and has always been on the A team.  She's not meeting with Mike because he was just a pawn in her game.

Ezra is on the A team, and may be uber-A (so far he's the only one with the money to pull this off)

Toby is still on the A team.

Lucas is still on the A team.

Basically, the A-team has always been intact and just cycles players in and out to torture the girls, until it's time for somebody to "die" and go hide in a bunker somewhere, eating popcorn and watching things pan out on camera.

 

I realize my theory once again makes no sense, but neither does anythign else, so...

[KaveDweller]

This was Hanna's dance audition for the pageant coach.  Why in the world would Emily be dancing alongside her in that case?

 

They should have had Emily be dancing bad on purpose in that scene, to make Hannah look better.

[cuddlingcrowley]

I realize my theory once again makes no sense, but neither does anythign else, so...

 

 

Your theory is everything I want and everything I secretly believe. I won't let go of the possibility of Ezra and Toby (especially Ezra) still being on the A-team until the bitter end. 

[lorikauai]

So my new theory -- without any spoilers to help it along, and going back to the Halloween special when Ian said "nobody really dies in Rosewood."

Mona is not dead and is still on and has always been on the A team. She's not meeting with Mike because he was just a pawn in her game.

Ezra is on the A team, and may be uber-A (so far he's the only one with the money to pull this off)

Toby is still on the A team.

Lucas is still on the A team.

Basically, the A-team has always been intact and just cycles players in and out to torture the girls, until it's time for somebody to "die" and go hide in a bunker somewhere, eating popcorn and watching things pan out on camera.

I realize my theory once again makes no sense, but neither does anythign else, so...

Yep, this has been my theory for awhile too -everyone revealed as A is still A. Marlene was telling the truth when she said they really were A. It's the redemptions that are the fake-out.

[mac123x]

Mike needs to hide blood, and we've seen that the blood needs to be refrigerated.  So he hides it in a tree, where it will spoil almost immediately.  Then he goes back in the middle of the night to what -- visit it?

 

If i understood correctly, the blood was a keepsake for his love for Mona.  He wasn't keeping it for anything other than as a reminder of her, so he didn't need to keep it fresh or anything.  And he was just visiting it, to be close to her.

 

A vial of blood as a memento rather than a love letter or an old teeshirt is pretty ghoulish, but hey:  Rosewood.  Their town motto is "Come for the Pedophilia, stay for the Macabre!"

[Shangrilala]

Yep, this has been my theory for awhile too -everyone revealed as A is still A. Marlene was telling the truth when she said they really were A. It's the redemptions that are the fake-out.

 

 

Which would lead me back to one of my very first questions on this site - what on earth did these girls do to deserve this? 

 

I won't let go of the possibility of Ezra and Toby (especially Ezra) still being on the A-team until the bitter end.

 

 

I want Toby to still be on the A-team.  His reveal, the confrontation with him between him and Spencer and the subsequent fallout was amazing.  Ezra I'm not as committed to, but like I said, he's the only one with the money and he was much more interesting than A than he is as a pedophile.

 

Now that said, if this theory is true, does that mean that Spencer is still on the A team as well? 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

If i understood correctly, the blood was a keepsake for his love for Mona.  He wasn't keeping it for anything other than as a reminder of her, so he didn't need to keep it fresh or anything.  And he was just visiting it, to be close to her.

 

A vial of blood as a memento rather than a love letter or an old teeshirt is pretty ghoulish, but hey:  Rosewood.  Their town motto is "Come for the Pedophilia, stay for the Macabre!"

He should have gone Billy Bob/Angelina style and made a necklace. Then it would always be close to his heart!

[kat165]

I don't think Mike was visiting the blood, I think he was follwoing Aria. I actually thought that he'd put the blood there to trick her into following him.

[FineWashables]

 

If i understood correctly, the blood was a keepsake for his love for Mona.  He wasn't keeping it for anything other than as a reminder of her, so he didn't need to keep it fresh or anything.  And he was just visiting it, to be close to her.

Yeah, but the blood was already in his room, so it was right there whenever he needed to visit it as a keepsake.  Why take it to a remote location?

[Crim]

^ He said it was so that Aria didn't find it, as she was snooping around his room.