S05.E25: Welcome To The Dollhouse

[GaT]

I don't think that Toby is part of the A Team, but I'd forgotten that he made that rocking chair... and that explains why Spencer was horrified by the UPC; it meant that the chair was store-bought and not her actual chair. That was her first real confirmation that she was in a replica room.

If that's what they were trying to convey in that scene, it may be the most obscure thing the show has done.

[SadieT]

Spencer's interaction with Charles was very weird if he's A or even an A minion but makes sense if he's another prisoner. He comes up behind Spencer and just stands there, then vanishes as soon as Spencer looks away for a moment when Mona comes in. He never actually does anything aggressive towards the girls. He comes out at the "prom" when they call his name, gets blinded by their light show. He had ample opportunity to attack Spencer or even Spencer and Mona but vanished instead.

 

I think because "A has a soul" as was so ridiculously stated by Mona, Spencer and the girls were able to appeal to that soul. He's psychotic and evil most of the time, but on the inside he's just a hurt little boy who was robbed of his childhood and family and the girls realized that and were using it against him. Even the way Spencer was speaking to him was like one would speak to a child or a victim, they were patronizing him. But I agree it was pretty odd that considering all the seriously scary messed up stuff he did to them, including kidnapping them from a prison van and locking them in an underground bunker complete with detailed replicas of their bedrooms, that Spencer would be so willing to take that chance when she was alone with him in the vault. At least at creepy dungeon prom when they were trying to draw him out with the prom king thing, there was 5 of them so if he snapped back to psycho A and did do something aggressive they could maybe defend themselves, but Spencer was one on one with him in the end and didn't seem nearly terrified enough. 

 

I know Marlene and co. were going on and on about how A's motive will shock us because it humanizes him and his past is really heartbreaking or whatever, but I don't buy it. I don't care how hard his life was, he's been terrorizing a group of teenage girls who never did a thing to him for years and systematically destroying his little sister's life for something that happened when they were babies (if Charles is indeed a DiLurentis sibling). He's not sympathetic in the slightest no matter what he's been through because he's gone way way too far. 

 

I don't think that Toby is part of the A Team, but I'd forgotten that he made that rocking chair... and that explains why Spencer was horrified by the UPC; it meant that the chair was store-bought and not her actual chair. That was her first real confirmation that she was in a replica room.

 

 

Yeah that's what I assumed was the point of focusing on the chair's product number too, when she saw it she realized she wasn't in her actual room but a creepy replica room because Toby's handmade chair obviously has no such number and thus she understandably flipped out. They showed the other girls picking up clues of their own too... Aria discovering her books were fake and her picture frames didn't have real photos in them, Hanna realizing the phone wasn't connected, Emily spotting the camera over head, and then all of them realizing the windows didn't lead outside but to a concrete wall. 

Edited March 26, 2015 by SadieT

[mercfan3]

I've actually read plenty of cases where victims of potential deadly crimes have used humanizing language to get out certain situations. 

 

one example was a man who was kidnapping a woman..it was winter and he kidnapped her right out of bed and she wasn't wearing much clothing. (IT was winter) she asked if she could grab her shoes because it was cold on the way out the door, and psychologists thought that comment might have humanized her for a moment. (And she made similar comments..) eventually, he actually just let her go. 

 

Another case had to do with cops talking to a killer about how the family of his victim wouldn't be able to have a proper christian burial because they had no body, and this appealed to the killer and he confessed to wear the body was. 

 

So funny enough, that's one of the best and most realistic tactics to use in that situation. I don't know if Marlene actually knows it..

 

As for the "A has a soul" comment..I"m thinking Mona meant it more like "A has feelings." Sure, A's demented, twisted, sick..whatever you want to call it..but A's not a psychopath. 

[dwmckim]

there's also no guarantee that Charles is indeed his name.  Just because Spencer figured it out from blocks doesn't mean that (a) she made the correct presumption.  (Though granted the longer anagrams of "Charles DiLaurentis" tends to give her conclusion some validation to the viewers at least - I don't think Spencer has actually made the connection yet that the three Phrases of Mystery were anagrams of C DL.) (b) this wasn't more "A" trickery.  You're A.  You have this dollhouse you're keeping live people in.  Everything in said house on display in areas you have them in will be seen by them.  Among those living dolls are people like Mona and Spencer who will be expected to find answers in everything/figure stuff out.  If you put seven alphabet blocks together, one of them is going to try to rearrange the letters to make some kind of sense looking for a clue.  If "A's real name is indeed Charles, he would have expected someone - most likely Mona or Spencer - to figure it out meaning he would have wanted them to do so.

I could totally see A, deciding to fake out the girls with a clue of a fake deciding upon "Charles" so (s)he could be Charles In Charge.

 

A lot of people on this thread are making reference to having heard that A was supposed to be in the pilot but that's something that gotten a bit twisted "telephone game" style.  Marlene King:  "I tweeted that original A was in the first episode. And that was Mona. Now that doesn't mean Big A was not in the pilot,”  (Nor does it mean Big A was.)

[hanemspar]

On the surface, one might think that Charles should spring for Amazon prime.  Not really, though-- he plans so far in advance that he can just use super saver shipping.  He was even able to buy dresses that fit the girls perfectly, because of course he knows all their sizes.  

Oh my gosh, I laughed out loud when I read this!  Our dog came in to see what was wrong with me.  :-)  I've found Prime to be helpful in the short run, like when I melted my Kindle by leaving it on a hot stove and needed a replacement Kindle fast (the stove didn't do so well after that either).  Super Saver works best when the need is definite but not imminent, like when A built a dollhouse and needed super sized doll furniture but not until the building was completed.

 

I have no idea who A is, but I agree that his wealth of information is staggering.  The guy must be nearly omnipotent.  I tell you, though, I think his knowing the girls' dress sizes was seriously weird.  Is he a secret closet fetishist who feels compelled to read labels as he visits the girls' closets in the dead of night?  I admire that he took into account that all this stress probably made the girls lose some weight.  I mean the dresses fit to perfection.  Maybe he should go to SCAD instead of Aria.  Which reminds me, when did we learn that Aria is an excellent artist?  SCAD is a hugely difficult school to get into and you have to submit portfolios of your work as well as having excellent academics.  We never saw Aria draw so much as a stick figure and we know she's no gift to academics.  They make it sound like SCAD is a sort of consolation prize school when in fact it's a top tier art and design school that only accepts the best students.  I can't see Aria getting anywhere near being accepted there.  On the other hand, I'd bet she takes second to no one when it comes to sharpening pencils.

 

Hm.  Well clearly I needed a little humor to help me get past my irritation at not only the waste of time of the episode, but also my idiocy at partly buying into Marlene's nonsense about this finale having a big reveal about A.   Will I never learn?  I guess, against my better judgment, that I'm just a naturally hopeful person. Drat.

[Perfect Xero]

I assume that Aria going to SCAD has to do with photography and writing.

[raytch]

Oh my gosh, I laughed out loud when I read this!  Our dog came in to see what was wrong with me.  :-)  I've found Prime to be helpful in the short run, like when I melted my Kindle by leaving it on a hot stove and needed a replacement Kindle fast (the stove didn't do so well after that either).  Super Saver works best when the need is definite but not imminent, like when A built a dollhouse and needed super sized doll furniture but not until the building was completed.

 

I have no idea who A is, but I agree that his wealth of information is staggering.  The guy must be nearly omnipotent.  I tell you, though, I think his knowing the girls' dress sizes was seriously weird.  Is he a secret closet fetishist who feels compelled to read labels as he visits the girls' closets in the dead of night?  I admire that he took into account that all this stress probably made the girls lose some weight.  I mean the dresses fit to perfection.  Maybe he should go to SCAD instead of Aria.  Which reminds me, when did we learn that Aria is an excellent artist?  SCAD is a hugely difficult school to get into and you have to submit portfolios of your work as well as having excellent academics.  We never saw Aria draw so much as a stick figure and we know she's no gift to academics.  They make it sound like SCAD is a sort of consolation prize school when in fact it's a top tier art and design school that only accepts the best students.  I can't see Aria getting anywhere near being accepted there.  On the other hand, I'd bet she takes second to no one when it comes to sharpening pencils.

 

Hm.  Well clearly I needed a little humor to help me get past my irritation at not only the waste of time of the episode, but also my idiocy at partly buying into Marlene's nonsense about this finale having a big reveal about A.   Will I never learn?  I guess, against my better judgment, that I'm just a naturally hopeful person. Drat.

 

I must have missed the whole SCAD thing. When was it mentioned?

[momma2rnr]

I must have missed the whole SCAD thing. When was it mentioned?

In the episode before this, while she and Ezra were looking for a way over the fence to Varjac's house. She says that she had to pass the test so she can go to SCAD.

[raytch]

In the episode before this, while she and Ezra were looking for a way over the fence to Varjac's house. She says that she had to pass the test so she can go to SCAD.

 

Haha

Discussing college applications while trying to break into the private property of your omnipresent stalker ninja, as you do....

[ElectricBoogaloo]

...with the boyfriend you're about to break up with (after he already told you that you guys should break up but not until after you kissed someone else).

[raytch]

(... Who just started acting super creepy and shady just like that time when you broke up with the aforementioned boyfriend because he needed time to deal with how he lost the custody battle over a kid who's not his son, and thus turned to the art of True Crime Novel Research to drown his misery.

The world is such a cruel place when you're Ezra Fitz.

I think all the roads lead back to this conclusion. I'm sorry. I just hate him so much. More than Johnny the recycling hobo painter!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The world is such a cruel place when you're Ezra Fitz.

The hilarious thing is that you know Ezra was one of those lame unimaginative rich kids who sat around wishing something terrible would happen to him so he would have something to write about. He probably thinks the PLLs are so lucky to have glass in their hair ("I never get glass in my hair," he pouts) and totally unappreciative of how much material he gave them to write about in the future by stalking them.

Edited March 26, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[raytch]

The hilarious thing is that you know Ezra was one of those lame unimaginative rich kids who sat around wishing something terrible would happen to him so he would have something to write about. He probably thinks the PLLs are so lucky to have glass in their hair ("I never get glass in my hair," he pouts) and totally unappreciative of how much material he gave them to write about in the future by stalking them.

 

So true!

 

maybe the whole banging his fist into the wall was because he was SO jealous:

- How dare they have this series of great unfortunate events happen to them in so much little time. Where would THEY be without me? It should've been me, I'm the snowflake!

- Caleb: You want some ice for that?

- Ezra: Snowflakewhatnow?

 

Didn't he rebel against his family for some reason? I remember his mom coming to town once and being a bitch to Aria (yey!) and then it was mentioned that he was cut off from their wealth or something.

Edited March 26, 2015 by raytch

[Shangrilala]

I'm standing by my theory from earlier this season that all of the big (not Big) A reveals were legitimate:  They were all a part of and have always been on the A team, and they just cycle them in and out, while adding "outside" characters to add to the mystery but are ultimately without true relevance.  There were so many references in this episode that were shout-outs to the background of that show.  And quite frankly, this Charles character as Big A or A makes no sense whatsoever, there's no emotional involvement in him or anything. 

 

Anyway, here's my breakdown to support this theory.

 

Dolls/Dollhouse:  MonA.  Has anybody truly believed that MonA has changed her ways, that she's the innocent victim? She was the original A, the master manipulator, and quite frankly, a genius.  She's all sorts of awesome, and Mrs. Hastings comment about "all of this feels like Mona..." why yes, it does.  Doesn't it?  And let's not forget, MonA has been with us since the beginning.

 

Video Surveillance and the Prom:  The Prom was a recreation of Melissa, Jason, Garrett and Ian's prom.  The 3 members of the original NAT club and Melissa (did we find out if she knew about the NAT club, or was she just Ian's girlfriend at the time?).  Additionally, you had Melissa randomly calling her parents.  What was the point of that, only to have Andrew listening in on the phone call? Let's face it, there are so many ways to show Andrew listening in on what's happening in that room that didn't need to inclue Melissa.  They have been with us from day 1.

 

The Gas Mask:  EzrA. Sorry, but Ezra's punching the wall was a little too over-the-top fake out to me. The character of EzrA was much more interesting and enjoyable than Ezra.  And he, too, has been with us since the beginning.   (and let's face it, EzrA was the big reveal that season, Shana was nothing but a plot device). 

 

The Chair:  Toby (although, I'm not convinced he's A-team).  And Toby has been with us since the beginning. 

 

Who are some of the big ones that I'm missing - Jenna and Lucas.  Were there any shout outs to them that I'm missing?  Did something go on during the tea party or game that I missed?  Because both of those were just creepy. 

 

That said, I may be in the minority because I really loved this episode.  It was campy but freaked me out.  That dollhouse, being locked up like that?  Shudders... 

Edited March 26, 2015 by Shangrilala

[hqtextbook]

Ezra: Here is the location of like 200 boxes full of every piece of evidence we have about A and all of the Hastings' secrets. I'll make to sure say this out loud so I can be sure that tomorrow they will still be right where I left them.

Also don't worry about the 200 pictures of your daughter and her teen friends sleeping/changing/eating etc... over the past 3 years. That was all part of my "research."

[lorikauai]

I'm standing by my theory from earlier this season that all of the big (not Big) A reveals were legitimate:  They were all a part of and have always been on the A team, and they just cycle them in and out, while adding "outside" characters to add to the mystery but are ultimately without true relevance.  There were so many references in this episode that were shout-outs to the background of that show.  And quite frankly, this Charles character as Big A or A makes no sense whatsoever, there's no emotional involvement in him or anything. 

 

Anyway, here's my breakdown to support this theory.

 

Dolls/Dollhouse:  MonA.  Has anybody truly believed that MonA has changed her ways, that she's the innocent victim? She was the original A, the master manipulator, and quite frankly, a genius.  She's all sorts of awesome, and Mrs. Hastings comment about "all of this feels like Mona..." why yes, it does.  Doesn't it?  And let's not forget, MonA has been with us since the beginning.

 

Video Surveillance and the Prom:  The Prom was a recreation of Melissa, Jason, Garrett and Ian's prom.  The 3 members of the original NAT club and Melissa (did we find out if she knew about the NAT club, or was she just Ian's girlfriend at the time?).  Additionally, you had Melissa randomly calling her parents.  What was the point of that, only to have Andrew listening in on the phone call? Let's face it, there are so many ways to show Andrew listening in on what's happening in that room that didn't need to inclue Melissa.  They have been with us from day 1.

 

The Gas Mask:  EzrA. Sorry, but Ezra's punching the wall was a little too over-the-top fake out to me. The character of EzrA was much more interesting and enjoyable than Ezra.  And he, too, has been with us since the beginning.   (and let's face it, EzrA was the big reveal that season, Shana was nothing but a plot device). 

 

The Chair:  Toby (although, I'm not convinced he's A-team).  And Toby has been with us since the beginning. 

 

Who are some of the big ones that I'm missing - Jenna and Lucas.  Were there any shout outs to them that I'm missing?  Did something go on during the tea party or game that I missed?  Because both of those were just creepy. 

 

That said, I may be in the minority because I really loved this episode.  It was campy but freaked me out.  That dollhouse, being locked up like that?  Shudders... 

 

I completely agree. This has been my theory as well. Something about the A figure watching the PLLs sleep reminded me of Ezra watching Aria sleep in the cabin. The mannequins at the prom also reminded me of Hanna and the mannequins when Toby was A. In the season 3 finale the girls had tea with Spencer after Spencer got out of Radley (and had joined the A team).

[Perfect Xero]

Who are some of the big ones that I'm missing - Jenna and Lucas.  Were there any shout outs to them that I'm missing?  Did something go on during the tea party or game that I missed?  Because both of those were just creepy.

 

Charles being (temporarily) blinded by the girls light show could have been a reference to The Jenna Thing.

[hqtextbook]

Upon 2nd viewing i could not help notice how relatively unphased the pll's were about the whole kidnapped by A and locked in a bunker of hell thing... I mean they were actually sleeping! And like talking trash into the camera. Basically just not at all panicking. IDK I know they've been through a lot and I guess assume theyre gonna be shoveled to death at any moment, but I would have been crying hysterically in a corner...

[SadieT]

I'm standing by my theory from earlier this season that all of the big (not Big) A reveals were legitimate:  They were all a part of and have always been on the A team, and they just cycle them in and out, while adding "outside" characters to add to the mystery but are ultimately without true relevance.  There were so many references in this episode that were shout-outs to the background of that show.  And quite frankly, this Charles character as Big A or A makes no sense whatsoever, there's no emotional involvement in him or anything. 

 

Anyway, here's my breakdown to support this theory.

 

Dolls/Dollhouse:  MonA.  Has anybody truly believed that MonA has changed her ways, that she's the innocent victim? She was the original A, the master manipulator, and quite frankly, a genius.  She's all sorts of awesome, and Mrs. Hastings comment about "all of this feels like Mona..." why yes, it does.  Doesn't it?  And let's not forget, MonA has been with us since the beginning.

 

 

I was wondering if maybe Mona was still on the A team and just playing the girls too but then I remembered we got that scene of Mona alone in Alison's bedroom where she gets the gas mask addressed to "Alison" and communicates with "A" via chimes. The girls weren't around at the time and had no way of seeing or knowing what was going on in her room then, so if she was being all double agent and playing the girls, she'd have no need to keep up the charade at that particular time because they weren't there. Her being Ali in that moment wasn't for the girls' benefit, it was for A's which makes me think she really is just a prisoner like the others. I suppose A could have brainwashed or scared her into helping him though, so she'd still be his victim who is being forced to play his twisted little game but could also be working against the others out of fear for herself. 

Edited March 27, 2015 by SadieT

[raytch]

Upon 2nd viewing i could not help notice how relatively unphased the pll's were about the whole kidnapped by A and locked in a bunker of hell thing... I mean they were actually sleeping! And like talking trash into the camera. Basically just not at all panicking. IDK I know they've been through a lot and I guess assume theyre gonna be shoveled to death at any moment, but I would have been crying hysterically in a corner...

 

They were drugged. The police said A used the rape drug to hijack the van. So the first time we see them sleeping there, it was more of a black out.

But in any case I think they just don't give a shit at this point. They're so different from the girls we've met in the pilot it's almost scary. After all the terror they've been through, I think they're just very numb.

 

 

Spencer's interaction with Charles was very weird if he's A or even an A minion but makes sense if he's another prisoner. He comes up behind Spencer and just stands there, then vanishes as soon as Spencer looks away for a moment when Mona comes in. He never actually does anything aggressive towards the girls. He comes out at the "prom" when they call his name, gets blinded by their light show. He had ample opportunity to attack Spencer or even Spencer and Mona but vanished instead.

 

Great point. I guess Charles could be a prisoner especially that his lair is in a completely different place than the doll house where he's keeping the liars. Unless there's some sort of tunnel that leads to another side of the farm and that's where the cops were at the lair?

 

I didn't think it was very weird tho, in terms of how the scene itself went down. If Charles is in fact Jason's twin and Spencer's half brother, then this was a huge moment for both of them.

For Charles, he was being acknowledged and discovered for the first time. A always had a strong dominating presence (we can even say omnipresent), but the only way he could do that was by being completely invisible. 

For Spencer, this was the truth she has been seeking for so so long. All her Can't Stop Won't Stop have lead her here, and this person is standing an inch away from her and he's family. I'd freeze like that too. I thought she sold the emotion perfectly.

[raytch]

I'm standing by my theory from earlier this season that all of the big (not Big) A reveals were legitimate:  They were all a part of and have always been on the A team, and they just cycle them in and out, while adding "outside" characters to add to the mystery but are ultimately without true relevance.  There were so many references in this episode that were shout-outs to the background of that show.  And quite frankly, this Charles character as Big A or A makes no sense whatsoever, there's no emotional involvement in him or anything. 

 

Anyway, here's my breakdown to support this theory.

 

Dolls/Dollhouse:  MonA.  Has anybody truly believed that MonA has changed her ways, that she's the innocent victim? She was the original A, the master manipulator, and quite frankly, a genius.  She's all sorts of awesome, and Mrs. Hastings comment about "all of this feels like Mona..." why yes, it does.  Doesn't it?  And let's not forget, MonA has been with us since the beginning.

 

Video Surveillance and the Prom:  The Prom was a recreation of Melissa, Jason, Garrett and Ian's prom.  The 3 members of the original NAT club and Melissa (did we find out if she knew about the NAT club, or was she just Ian's girlfriend at the time?).  Additionally, you had Melissa randomly calling her parents.  What was the point of that, only to have Andrew listening in on the phone call? Let's face it, there are so many ways to show Andrew listening in on what's happening in that room that didn't need to inclue Melissa.  They have been with us from day 1.

 

The Gas Mask:  EzrA. Sorry, but Ezra's punching the wall was a little too over-the-top fake out to me. The character of EzrA was much more interesting and enjoyable than Ezra.  And he, too, has been with us since the beginning.   (and let's face it, EzrA was the big reveal that season, Shana was nothing but a plot device). 

 

The Chair:  Toby (although, I'm not convinced he's A-team).  And Toby has been with us since the beginning. 

 

Who are some of the big ones that I'm missing - Jenna and Lucas.  Were there any shout outs to them that I'm missing?  Did something go on during the tea party or game that I missed?  Because both of those were just creepy. 

 

That said, I may be in the minority because I really loved this episode.  It was campy but freaked me out.  That dollhouse, being locked up like that?  Shudders... 

 

All these references are very relevant.

 

I'm not sure how much it has to do with all of the above actually being on the A team or A.

 

I think it's all of these things coming together, as elements that lead to a bigger thing (Big A). I don't know if I'm making myself clear enough... These are all references to A, because A is all of the above. But it doesn't mean that the people behind those elements are A. Because A is all of things together. A has the girls trapped in the dollhouse, he is a master manipulator who wants the girls to be his dolls. He has been spying on them in every imaginable intrusive way to get to what he wants.

 

The fact that each and every person referenced above have more or less actively taken part in doing A's deeds or the things A does shows you just how twisted this whole thing is. 

 

The liars feel like they can't trust anyone because everyone has betrayed that trust somehow. And all the people you've mentioned have made A's job easier, while they should've made it a lot harder.  

 

So I think all those references where more of a way to bring everything into a full circle. That we are finally meeting the person who is the sum of everything that's been adding up.

[Lii]

I hope after this, the police offer Caleb a job. Out of all the liars boyfriends, he's the only one who could probably actually get things done in the law enforcement of Rosewood, PA.

I hope they don't try to pull Caleb onto the police force, because as we all know, every cop in this city begins taking stupid pills the day they transfer in. Edited March 31, 2015 by maraleia
merged posts

[eXiled]

True, Lii, but because of certain life choices, Hanna and Ashley tend to stay in trouble. They need someone like Caleb on their side -- for bail, a heads-up about who is investigating them, knowledge of when the cops are coming to arrest them, etc. The Marin women definitely need someone on the inside of the Rosewood P.D. Ashley will be thrilled it isn't undead Wilden.

[raytch]

True, Lii, but because of certain life choices, Hanna and Ashley tend to stay in trouble. They need someone like Caleb on their side -- for bail, a heads-up about who is investigating them, knowledge of when the cops are coming to arrest them, etc. The Marin women definitely need someone on the inside of the Rosewood P.D. Ashley will be thrilled it isn't undead Wilden.

 

I hear you, but what was Toby able to do to help the liars as a police officer? At the end of the day, he could not stop Tanner from arresting them or A from kidnapping them. He and the police wouldn't have traced back the van if it wasn't for Caleb... and that's the only thing they had going for them.

[eXiled]

I hear you, but what was Toby able to do to help the liars as a police officer? At the end of the day, he could not stop Tanner from arresting them or A from kidnapping them. He and the police wouldn't have traced back the van if it wasn't for Caleb... and that's the only thing they had going for them.

I know there is a whole section of the fanbase that won't agree with me but . . . I believe that Caleb is WAY smarter than Toby. Like WAAAAY, lol. I just think he'd find a way to make himself useful in ways that Toby hasn't been able to, much as he's tried, poor thing. Just an opinion. I know that no one on this show is allowed to be too smart very often. That would take away from A's all-knowing omnipotence and what-not.

 

But if there's a Liar partner who could help, I'll always believe it would be Caleb. I don't even ship Caleb/Hanna. He just seems competent in ways the others do not.

[raytch]

I know there is a whole section of the fanbase that won't agree with me but . . . I believe that Caleb is WAY smarter than Toby. Like WAAAAY, lol. I just think he'd find a way to make himself useful in ways that Toby hasn't been able to, much as he's tried, poor thing. Just an opinion. I know that no one on this show is allowed to be too smart very often. That would take away from A's all-knowing omnipotence and what-not.

 

But if there's a Liar partner who could help, I'll always believe it would be Caleb. I don't even ship Caleb/Hanna. He just seems competent in ways the others do not.

 

I'm with you. I think Caleb is awesome! And of everyone on the show he's the only one who's managed to make a difference, because he always takes agency and uses whatever little power he has to make a difference. Decoding A's phone, and managing to track down A to his lair. But the fact that the entire Rosewood PD department had to rely on an 18 years old hacker to realize that there is someone pulling the strings for the past 2 years, manipulating the liars, blackmailing officers (Wilden, Garett etc...) and leaving a trail of bodies all over town.... tells you just how much the system is shit. The police could have figured this out on their own. At least they should have been able to figure out a connection between Marion Cavanaugh's murder, Bethany Young's Murder, Ali's fake kidnapping story, and more recently, Mrs. D's murder. But every time those cops have a chance at asking the right questions, they went with the easiest assumptions, which is that a bunch of 17 years old teenage girls are wreaking havoc in town just because they are mean.

 

I particularly liked the scene from a few episodes back, when Caleb went to the police with a picture of Mike hanged and beaten up, and Tanner went all "So you decided to take a selfie...?" Obviously, Caleb is young and taking that photo was the only thing he could do at that moment. But at least he assumed what he can do in that specific situation and went with it. Tanner on the other hand, saw that a kid was chased through the woods, got beaten up and tied to a pole with a ball around his neck in the middle of the night, and decided that the point of the story was that Caleb snapping a photo was a wrong reaction to the situation.

 

I honnestly expected Tanner and Holbrook to finally be the detectives who just might figure something out, and acknowledge that the liars are part of something bigger happening around them. But it's PLL... Oh well!

Edited March 27, 2015 by raytch

[Lii]

Pretty much all of this. Toby is an idiot, butas an inside man he should at least have been capable of a few text messages here and there. Instead, he started taking stupid pills and drinking Tanner's Kool-Aid, and cut the girls out of the loop completely. Sticking Caleb in that situation would be an automatic -20 intelligence and 50% practical skills debuff. He's already had to go through a crappy ghost spinoff, how much more does the guy deserve to take? Make Ezra do it - he's already datingan underaged girl, he'll fit right in.

[mac123x]

As much as I complain about the lackluster "reveals" in this show, I will compliment them on putting in a real game changer this episode.  Adults in authority now know about A (I don't count Ezra's previous knowledge because he's a child-loving man-child).  The scene where Tanner saw the CCTV of all the girls reminded me of the final scene in season 2 of Lost  "Ms Witmore, we've found them."  Suddenly the outside world is now aware of the situation.

 

That does change the dynamic of the show, or could as long as they don't paste over it with a quick capture of Charles.  I can see the writers trying that.  Next episode, the girls are rescued and a catatonic Charles is taken into custody.  The police, being incredibly incompetent, will just assume that he's responsible for all of it and toss him in Radley.  They won't investigate to figure out how he was able to do any of this crap.  "We found the kidnapper, case closed!"  It's in keeping with their performance so far:  1) found Ian's body with a suicide note, no investigation of how he got to that barn or who was helping him.  2)  found a corpse under the gazebo and assumed it was Alison based on the blouse she was wearing, no DNA test, no examination of the body to see if it had healed fracture in the right arm.

 

Basically a rehash of MonA at the end of season 2; the police, parents, everyone assumes A is finished.  The episode ends with the girls getting a text:  "Cut off one head, two will take its place.  Hail HydrA!"  The only problem with that is that the girls have zero motivation to keep that to themselves.  "Hey Tanner, I got another A text, you might need to keep looking (you idiot)"

[eXiled]

 

Pretty much all of this. Toby is an idiot, butas an inside man he should at least have been capable of a few text messages here and there.

I watch PLL in fits and spurts, so when I started watching again last month and saw that Toby is a cop, my head ached from all of my eye-rolling. I've never thought that Spencer was with him for his, uhm, brain power. Also: Juvie.

 

Which leads me to admit my biggest issue with Toby and why I will never take him seriously. Whenever I think of him, I always flash upon the doo rag. He was just so gangsta that it gives me giggles EVEN NOW. Seriously, when he's in scenes, I don't hear his dialog. All I hear in my head are variations of songs about Toby's Cool Gangsta Doo Rag.

[raytch]

(I don't count Ezra's previous knowledge because he's a child-loving man-child).  

 

I hope the Hastings parents use the pile of Research! Ezra has been doing all this time to get to the bottom of this and free the liars and capture Charles, and THEN shove his child loving ass to jail. Then we'd get a scene of Mr. Hastings be like "OH I'm sorry. Do you feel USED?" and Mrs. Hastings be like "but why? TO WHAT END?" (this is one of my favorite lines ever, along with that time she told Spencer "It was HARROWING")

 

I also wish one of the liars went to the police with Ezra's Research! last season. That would have made the police aware of the situation, and had us get rid of Ezra.

 

The scene where Tanner saw the CCTV of all the girls reminded me of the final scene in season 2 of Lost  "Ms Witmore, we've found them."  Suddenly the outside world is now aware of the situation.

 

Yes that scene in particular was very powerful. For once we saw how deviated this whole A thing is because we saw it from the perspective of the person who had the power to prevent this thing to happen. I think Tanner's face said a lot in that moment.

 

Which leads me to admit my biggest issue with Toby and why I will never take him seriously. Whenever I think of him, I always flash upon the doo rag. He was just so gangsta that it gives me giggles EVEN NOW. Seriously, when he's in scenes, I don't hear his dialog. All I hear in my head are variations of songs about Toby's Cool Gangsta Doo Rag.

 

LOL

[Jack Shaftoe]

 

Basically a rehash of MonA at the end of season 2; the police, parents, everyone assumes A is finished.  The episode ends with the girls getting a text:  "Cut off one head, two will take its place.  Hail HydrA!"  The only problem with that is that the girls have zero motivation to keep that to themselves.  "Hey Tanner, I got another A text, you might need to keep looking (you idiot)"

 

Don't worry, convenient plot induced stupidity will probably take care of that problem. Just like that time the girls decided to back Alison's kidnapping story for no reason. One of the writers bragged about how the authorities and parents knowing about A is going to be a game-changer but I will only believe it when I see it. I mean, if the parents were allowed to behave rationally, Spencer's parents would have hired bodyguards for her years ago (and Ashley would have stabbed Mona in the throat with a stiletto heel). Which unintentionally led to the hilarity of Paige's parents being the only ones who made the smart decision of moving the hell away from Murdertown, PA.

[lorikauai]

I was wondering if maybe Mona was still on the A team and just playing the girls too but then I remembered we got that scene of Mona alone in Alison's bedroom where she gets the gas mask addressed to "Alison" and communicates with "A" via chimes. The girls weren't around at the time and had no way of seeing or knowing what was going on in her room then, so if she was being all double agent and playing the girls, she'd have no need to keep up the charade at that particular time because they weren't there. Her being Ali in that moment wasn't for the girls' benefit, it was for A's which makes me think she really is just a prisoner like the others. I suppose A could have brainwashed or scared her into helping him though, so she'd still be his victim who is being forced to play his twisted little game but could also be working against the others out of fear for herself. 

 

 

I can see MonA scripting this little drama and then acting it out. Why? So there is video evidence that she is just a prisoner following the orders of A. Now that the police are involved, she will be their first suspect. She was the original A after all and she faked her murder (as Mike will testify). If the police find the bunker then "Charles" can go down for everything. Maybe I'm wrong and Mona is redeemed and a victim, but I have my doubts. 

[scarletregina]

Who cares if Charles's Jason's twin or whatever ridiculous thing they are going to come up with - the point is you can't introduce the main evil mastermind about a hundred hours into the narrative and expect anyone to take your "mystery" serious. The classic joke of a mystery plot "the butler did it" is still much better because at least the butler is usually introduced early on. Even if it's Andrew... still too late and he has been in too few episodes. And still not even a trace of motive. Okay, we now got one possible motive - Charles is still pissed that he didn't get to go to the prom. How exciting! Of course, none of the Liars had anything to do with that but he is a lunatic, so anything goes, right, Marlene?

 

 

This 100%. I don't mind the ChArles reveal yet because we still don't know who he is. He may be someone we already know, like EzrA. If he's someone we know, then I won't be disappointed, but if he's Andrew? Yuck.

 

I don't think anything could make me emotionally invest in Andrew this late in the game. 

[Preity]

According to Marlene (so we know we can't trust this) we have seen Charles before. If I believed anything she said, I would have to say Charles is either not a twin of anyone or a twin of someone we haven't seen yet. Either way, now that the season is over, I have to say: I really don't care anymore. After how pretty much every shady interesting character just magically disappeared from Rosewood at some point, if one of them turns out to be in charge of the A team, fine, if it turns out to be someone we don't know yet that's just unimaginative. I don't mind red herrings, thinking someone is A who turns out to be the average Rosewood creep, I actually enjoy that to a certain degree. But I think I'm way past that point. I get that cliffhangers are great for keeping viewers interested, but enough is enough. After 5 seasons I'd like to be closer to an answer than I am now. Whoever big A is, I'm sure it won't be satisfying enough anyway, there will still be plenty of unanswered questions left.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

According to Marlene (so we know we can't trust this) we have seen Charles before.

Pffft, knowing Marlene, she will hire some actor who we've never seen before and then tell us that OF COURSE we saw him before - you know, all those times that we saw A in a hoody doing crazy/evil things at the end of each episode! Or remember that one time that the girls were at the coffee place? If you pause some random episode, you can see the back of some guy's head out of focus in the background. We totally saw him!

[Preity]

Pffft, knowing Marlene, she will hire some actor who we've never seen before and then tell us that OF COURSE we saw him before - you know, all those times that we saw A in a hoody doing crazy/evil things at the end of each episode! Or remember that one time that the girls were at the coffee place? If you pause some random episode, you can see the back of some guy's head out of focus in the background. We totally saw him!

Obviously! When I saw that guy I immediatly felt like he was connected to A!

[FozzyBear]

So my crazy theory has always been that there are actually several mysteries, not one like the girls think.

Ok so the night Ali disappeared and everything around that is Mystery 1. Don't really know what's going on there, but that's for another day.

A is Mystery 2 and I think it's ...Mike! Ok so the A thing starts when the family gets back from Iceland. I think it started as a really bad joke. Mike is just pranking his sister and her old friends, but it turns out Mike is a little crazy. When he sees the reaction from the girls he keeps going and keeps digging into that night and keeps getting crazier. Now he's fully lost in his dream world. And what if it's not Ali that's his favorite, but Mona? He's going to keep her because he loves her. Lots of stuff starts and stops with Mona and Mike is in love with Mona...