S06.E19: Did You Miss Me?

[itainttippithebird]

I don't know why I'm wading into this, BUT -

 

I think part of why Spencer was upset prior to Hanna's hand grab was that they totally fucked with her emotions in the name of trying out their plan - Hanna's confession horrified her to her core, then they both kinda laugh it off like, "see? Fooled her!" I'd be pissed, too!

 

I interpreted her drinking and silence as a kind of tortured realization/resignation to the fact that Haleb ain't over, despite everything they both told her. So she's letting it happen, though it hurts her. I don't read that as being immature or selfish.

 

As for the question of "can you ever date a friend's ex?" - I think life is a lot more complicated than a blanket "bros before hos" decree can account for. I get that it's dicey, for sure, but does that make her a terrible person? I'm not sure.

 

I don't think we have any textual reason to believe that Spencer was planning to bone Caleb regardless of Hanna's blessing: she broke the almost-kiss spell in Madrid, she didn't hook up w him until she got blessing, when Hanna acted weird after, she immediately said "this was a mistake, It's over" until Hanna "clarified" that she wasn't upset about it. Just because she has a weird rivalry with her sister that a couple creepy dudes took advantage of when she was like, 15(!) doesn't make her some irredeemable man-stealing whore!

Edited March 9, 2016 by itainttippithebird

[AzraelKay]

I really don't like Spencer and Caleb together [and that flashback made it worse], but I didn't think Spencer was a serial boyfriend stealer.  The only one I remember her hooking up with was Wrenn.  Did she hook up with other bfs of her sister?  I thought she thought Ian was a creep, but maybe I've just forgotten. And also, she and her sister were always pitted against each other and competing against each other, so it makes more sense that Spence would do that with Melissa's bf, but not any of the others girls.

I also call BS on some conference calling Elliott and asking him to be on a panel the day before. Please. Conferences plan their speakers and panels MONTHS in advance.

 

I thought the same thing! Maybe he was called to fill in at the last minute?

 

In agreement with other posters as to how A made Ali fall, unless her husband is A's minion and gave her a nudge.

 

I have no idea what is going on with Lucas and why he is even back this season-- is he supposed to be endgame love interest for Hanna?  Or is part of the new A-team? 

 

Also, where are the following missing people:  Mr. DiLaurentis, Jason D, the cute cop (Holbrook), Jenna?

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I thought the same thing! Maybe he was called to fill in at the last minute?

On the off chance that the conference needed a last minute replacement (which is even less likely for a panel discussion like Ali said) they would most likely just ask someone who was already at the conference to fill in. It's not very likely that they would ask someone who wasn't even going to be there to fly in at the last minute. But you know that we are putting way more thought into this than the writers actually did!

I think Lucas is just around to be potentially shady and to give us another familiar face in Rosewood. I don't mind Lucas seeming possibly shady (and seriously, we are supposed to believe that smartypants Lucas would have a smart house that malfunctioned?) but I don't want him as a love interest for Hanna. I have no problem believing that Lucas sees Hanna as the one who got away and still has her on a pedestal as his dream girl, but I hope that she doesn't get involved with him romantically. Not because I want him to keep pining for her but because I want these characters to grow enough that their relationships are not all made up of everyone they knew in high school. I know it can be easy to regress to that when you go home, but I would like to see both Hanna and Lucas move beyond that and just be good friends.

[itainttippithebird]

 

I have no problem believing that Lucas sees Hanna as the one who got away and still has her on a pedestal as his dream girl, but I hope that she doesn't get involved with him romantically.

 

Yeah, I was kinda shocked by how many people were shipping "Lanna"? "Hancas"? or whatever last night - way back in S1, I thought they could make an interesting odd couple for a minute, but since then he's been revealed as the quintessential Nice Guy who repeatedly punishes Hanna for not falling in love with him out of sheer gratitude for his (creepy, inappropriate, doormat-y) kindness (and then comes back for more). NOT. CUTE.

[mac123x]

Yeah, I was kinda shocked by how many people were shipping "Lanna"? "Hancas"? or whatever last night - way back in S1, I thought they could make an interesting odd couple for a minute, but since then he's been revealed as the quintessential Nice Guy who repeatedly punishes Hanna for not falling in love with him out of sheer gratitude for his (creepy, inappropriate, doormat-y) kindness (and then comes back for more). NOT. CUTE.

 

I threw up in my mouth a little.  I'm already questioning whether Hanna is marrying Jordan for himself or the New York lifestyle he provides.  If she starts dating Lucas because he bought her an abandoned factory, then the writers will have pushed her into gold-digger territory.  I know people can change during the 5 year gap, but that just seems like character assassination.

 

I think part of why Spencer was upset prior to Hanna's hand grab was that they totally fucked with her emotions in the name of trying out their plan - Hanna's confession horrified her to her core, then they both kinda laugh it off like, "see? Fooled her!" I'd be pissed, too!

 

That is a very good point.

 

As for the question of "can you ever date a friend's ex?" - I think life is a lot more complicated than a blanket "bros before hos" decree can account for. I get that it's dicey, for sure, but does that make her a terrible person? I'm not sure.

 

I really despise love triangles -- I'm hoping that Hanna and Spencer both come clean with Caleb and in the end he chooses someone else (cough Toby).

[tennisgurl]

This love triangle makes me sad. The one thing I always loved about this show was the friendship between the girls, and how they never let guys get between them. This whole thing just sucks. 

 

Ali`s husband looks so much older than her, especially in the hospital scene. This show and its obsession with older men and young women is just weird. 

[Peanut6711]

My take on Spencer/Caleb/Hannah is this...

 

It seemed to me that Caleb tried to drop her hand as soon as possible. I got the distinct impression he was uncomfortable in the situation Hannah put him in and that he was trying to tread carefully given that they are still friends. I also noticed how he left quickly once he got Hannah to Lucas's apartment.  

 

I never interpreted Spencer's reaction to be anything along the lines of being mad because she was not the center of male attention. I've never taken her that way at all.  I think she was quite justified at being pissed at Hannah and also partially Caleb for not putting more distance between him and Hannah. I would have been too. Hannah clearly had an agenda. To the viewers it's been brewing, but to Spencer it was obvious in that scene.  

 

Hannah is the one to me that seems like the type of girl who always needs a man in her life. Let's not forget that while Caleb was off chasing ghosts in Ravenswood, Hannah was moving on with the rather adorable and sweet Travis who treated her pretty good. But then Hannah dumped him like yesterday's trash as soon as Caleb was back in town.  Even now, she's engaged to someone else! She has no business passively-aggressively coming on to Caleb PERIOD! The fact that he's dating someone else makes it all the more WRONG.  Considering that his new girlfriend is one of her friends who had the courtesy to seek out her approval first makes it DISRESPECTFUL. She had her chance to speak her feelings, although really they are all grown adults with separate lives until a few weeks ago so expressing her feelings is really all she can do.  The facts are...Spencer did not steal Caleb away from Hannah. Caleb and Hannah broke up long before Spencer became his new love interest for reasons that had nothing to do with Spencer.  And if it wasn't for CeCe's murder, Spencer and Hannah wouldn't even be hanging out anymore. Nor would Caleb be in her orbit again.

 

And let's consider this angle too.... If you no longer have feelings for your ex, then you shouldn't care who they date. You definitely shouldn't do inappropriate things to interfere with that relationship.  If you do still have feelings for your ex, then you shouldn't be engaged to someone else and leading them on. You should have addressed those feeling while said ex was still single. Once ex has moved on, then that boat has sailed.  You need to get over those feeling for the ex and examine your true feelings for your current beau. In the end, you might just end up single yourself and there's nothing wrong with that!  In this scenario, it's probably the best for all involved. 

 

I'm just surprised that Emily/Spencer weren't surprised that Shower Harvey was driving a car .... with her hands.  Her useless scarred-from-the-electricity retconned hands.

 

That was just glossed over.

Where was Emily's phone???  She records Sarah's No. 2 talking to Mona on a public bench but she doesn't record Sarah driving!  

 

As for Ezra and Aria, anyone else think that the missing Nicole will show up just when Aria and her old teach "reconnect?" 

Incidentally, are they not worried about going on those talk shows and someone putting two and two together that they were more than teacher/student or writer/editor???  I distinctly recall a bday party of Jenna's that they attended openly as a couple. Surely someone else from Rosewood High (or A!) would like 15 mins. of fame by exposing that. 

Edited March 9, 2016 by Peanut6711

[Jack Shaftoe]

Good job show - you took the three characters I liked best in this show and put them in this stupid love triangle. The predictable result? The three of them are a lot less likable now and by now I honestly couldn't care less how you resolve this stupid triangle. Just do it ASAP, please. Honestly, the way Spencer and especially Hanna are behaving these days, Caleb is probably missing Ghost!Nicole.

 

Why would Spencer believe Hanna's confession? They all watched the CCTV tape and Hanna wasn't on it, right? And I honestly have no clue how this "trap" can possibly work.

 

Alison is hilariously unconcerned about Charlotte's murder right now. Prior to her visit to "out of town" she was all "bitches, tell me who murdered my sister" and now is all "Charlotte? Who's that?". And I have no idea why the Liars suddenly decided EmojiA made Alison fall down the stairs somehow? They think he has telekinetic powers or what?

 

Good thing they will definitely catch EmojiA by election night, we wouldn't want to ruin that all important state senate race, would we?

Edited March 10, 2016 by Jack Shaftoe

[Mabinogia]

When Ali fell down the stairs I had been looking down at my computer. I totally thought Dr Creeper had pushed her and wasn't even the least bit surprised. I was more surprised when I figured out that he didn't, she'd just fallen.

 

I never hated Hanna more than when she pulled that false confession crap on Spencer. That was just cruel. They are all so emotionally worn down my A/Charlotte/Shower. You don't do shit like that to a friend. I hate what they have done to Hanna. I barely recognize her anymore.

 

I wasn't terribly optimistic about the 5 year jump but it's turning out worse than I'd expected. They can't even commit to new freaking relationships? They are all falling back to the same guys they were with in high school because TIIC don't trust the audience enough to accept that they have moved on. It's basically the exact same show, only now with more booze and lingerie.

 

I need it to end so I can stop watching because I've come too far to stop now but I really won't miss it when it's gone.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

are they not worried about going on those talk shows and someone putting two and two together that they were more than teacher/student or writer/editor??? I distinctly recall a bday party of Jenna's that they attended openly as a couple. Surely someone else from Rosewood High (or A!) would like 15 mins. of fame by exposing that.

At some point, Ezra and Aria were making no effort to hide their relationship in public. They were dancing together at school dances, meeting/having dinner at places in Rosewood, and generally doing things you should not do if you are just a teacher and student. It wouldn't take a genius for anyone in town to figure out that they were dating. I feel like it became general knowledge but Rosewood being Rosewood, who cares? It's just an older guy dating a high school student! That's normal around here! Just ask Garrett. When Aria's boss mentioned doing publicity for the book, Aria got a panicked look on her face. I think that's when she realized that her romantic relationship with Ezra might be exposed to the whole world very soon. All it takes is one person from their town to see Aria and Ezra doing some sort of event for their book and then go running to TMZ (and it wouldn't even have to be Jenna or A or anyone with a grudge, just someone gossipy or who wants to get paid - my high school had a few graduates become famous after graduation and someone sold their own yearbook with pictures of one of the celebrities in question). Considering that the other thing her editor mentioned in the same conversation was being professional and not letting her personal relationships get entangled with her job (i.e. not reporting to her current boyfriend Liam), I am pretty sure her boss won't be pleased when she finds out that Ezra is her ex. She will promptly use it to publicize he book, but she still won't like it.

Edited March 10, 2016 by ElectricBoogaloo

[itainttippithebird]

 

All it takes is one person from their town to see Aria and Ezra doing some sort of event for their book and then go running to TMZ

 

While I totally agree with your sentiment, and the show would totally go there, I'm getting the giggles thinking about TMZ (or literally anyyyyyoneeeee) giving any fucks about/publicity to most any writing, let alone this stupid ass book. I love the idea of this impending whirlwind talk show circuit and attendant fame and fortune from the memoir of two unknown weirdos!

[SadieT]

Caleb isn't Hanna's property, but blessing or not, Spencer should have been loyal to Hanna, over sleeping with Caleb. I 100% believe that Spencer was going to get with Caleb even if Hanna had said she wasn't ok with it. That's just who Spencer is.

 

 

 

Spencer was going to do what Spencer wanted she didn't care about the blessing, the fact she was even going there to begin with Hannah's Caleb has been bad enough. Not together or not, Spencer knows and was there for the history, she should have some loyalty and friend respect. It's not about claim, it's about respecting the long time relationship and love that Hannah had/has for Caleb.  

 

Had Hannah not given the blessing, Spencer would have gone ahead anyways and turned it on Hannah for ruining her happiness or something. Hannah really had no choice but to tell her to go ahead, because Hannah actually thought of her friend first.

 

The show itself and writing is showing Spencer as someone who goes "shopping out of other people's baskets." Melissa out right said it to her. It's not all the guys faults for Spencer always wanting people attached to others, the writing shows it's a habit.  

 

Nothing we saw on screen suggests that Spencer was going to just go ahead and get with Caleb without first speaking to Hanna. In fact, I'm pretty sure the flashback to Madrid was meant to show the opposite: that despite Spencer's obvious attraction to Caleb in Madrid neither she nor Caleb were willing to act on their feelings at the time because of their respect for Hanna.

 

Sure the "shopping out of other people's carts" line was a funny dig at Spencer's expense, but it can't be taken seriously when you consider the source. Melissa is an almost 30 year old woman who is still holding onto grudges against the teenage girls her sleazy adult boyfriends preyed upon several years ago. Melissa Hastings is hardly a source of moral guidance. 

 

Spencer doesn't always want men attached to other women. She was attracted to two different older men who were dating her sister when she was an insecure teenager looking for validation. That's it. And Caleb is no longer attached to Hanna. Hanna is attached to Jordan and Caleb is free to date whomever he wants. 

Edited March 10, 2016 by SadieT

[RachelKM]

Nothing we saw on screen suggests that Spencer was going to just go ahead and get with Caleb without first speaking to Hanna. In fact, I'm pretty sure the flashback to Madrid was meant to show the opposite: that despite Spencer's obvious attraction to Caleb in Madrid neither she nor Caleb were willing to act on their feelings at the time because of their respect for Hanna.

That is how I saw it.  In fact, during that flashback it actually seemed that Caleb was somewhat less inclined to back off than Spencer was.  Although it appeared Spencer was in his hotel room, the blocking had Caleb closing distance between them and she was the one putting physical distance between them and turning away from him to look out the window and breaking eye contact.  His lines also struck me as more ambiguous and testing.   

 

I also felt that in the scene where Spencer came to him after speaking with Hanna, he seemed as if he'd been waiting for her to be ready.  There was no hesitation from him and he immediately reached for her to take the last step that she was still hesitating to take.  She seemed to be the one more ambivalent about it (it's also possible she wasn't sure of his feelings, but seriously it was obvious he was there too) which, to me, belies the notion that she was going to do so even without Hanna's blessing.

 

And I do think he looked uncomfortable with the position Hanna put him in in this episode. He dropped her hand fairly quickly and leaned away.  He then turned to all business and engaging the rest of the room.  And he was matter of fact when he dropped Hannah off, leaving as quickly as possible. 

 

I'm not a Spencer/Caleb shipper.  I like them together, but I would have preferred that none of the Liars date one another's exes.  But that isn't because of some loyalty thing, just liked them never having that kind of dynamic on this show.  But since it has happened, I'm now utterly against Hanna and Caleb being together. 1) As noted by others, Hannah is being terrible with this stringing Jordan along thing; 2) they broke up for understandable, realistic reasons, 3) I kinda hate the message that your high school boyfriend is THE ONE - it happens, but in this case it smacks of teen romanticism nonsense; and finally and possibly most importantly, 4) now that there has been Spencer and Caleb,  returning to Caleb and Hanna would make the whole boyfriend swapping even more blech.

 

Also, if Hanna was supposed to be who Caleb really wants, someone needs to tell Tyler Blackburn. Because, as noted in my statements above, to me at least, he isn't playing it that way.  And in addition to seeming totally into Spencer, he hasn't read as pining or longing for Hanna at all.

Sure the "shopping out of other people's carts" line was a funny dig at Spencer's expense, but it can't be taken seriously when you consider the source. Melissa is an almost 30 year old woman who is still holding onto grudges against the teenage girls her sleazy adult boyfriends preyed upon several years ago. Melissa Hastings is hardly a source of moral guidance.

 

Spencer doesn't always want men attached to other women. She was attracted to two different older men who were dating her sister when she was an insecure teenager looking for validation. That's it. And Caleb is no longer attached to Hanna. Hanna is attached to Jordan and Caleb is free to date whomever he wants.

This too.  Melissa snarking about two incidents from almost a decade before when her ADULT boyfriends hit on her 14/15 year old sister is just ridiculous.  And other than those instances, I don't recall any time in which Spencer sought attention from someone else's boyfriend.

Edited March 10, 2016 by RachelKM

[dwmckim]

 I though Aria's boss looked vaguely familiar. Anyone?

 

Klea Scott - she's been on a number of drama series including Millennium and Robbery Homicide Division...but if you're like me, you might remember her from when she started out on You Can't Do That on Television.

[Peanut6711]

While I totally agree with your sentiment, and the show would totally go there, I'm getting the giggles thinking about TMZ (or literally anyyyyyoneeeee) giving any fucks about/publicity to most any writing, let alone this stupid ass book. I love the idea of this impending whirlwind talk show circuit and attendant fame and fortune from the memoir of two unknown weirdos!

Oh I hope it happens too! It's long overdue.  I was just saying that it seems like both of them should see it coming, and didn't till this episode.  

[mac123x]

This too.  Melissa snarking about two incidents from almost a decade before when her ADULT boyfriends hit on her 14/15 year old sister is just ridiculous.  And other than those instances, I don't recall any time in which Spencer sought attention from someone else's boyfriend.

 

Plus she's gone after other single men:  The tennis guy from the country club whose name escapes me, Johnny the hipster douchebag who lived in her barn briefly, Toby.  Melissa's line was funny, but it really should have been "You like to shop from my cart of scumbags."

 

 

 

While I totally agree with your sentiment, and the show would totally go there, I'm getting the giggles thinking about TMZ (or literally anyyyyyoneeeee) giving any fucks about/publicity to most any writing, let alone this stupid ass book. I love the idea of this impending whirlwind talk show circuit and attendant fame and fortune from the memoir of two unknown weirdos!

 

LOL, yeah, it's not like we're talking about George RR Martin or JK Rowling here.  Their whirlwind publicity tour will consist of sitting at a table at the back of a Barnes & Noble signing a few customers' purchases, and interviews on the 3AM "Book Talk for Insomniacs" shows on AM radio.

 

Considering that the other thing her editor mentioned in the same conversation was being professional and not letting her personal relationships get entangled with her job (i.e. not reporting to her current boyfriend Liam), I am pretty sure her boss won't be pleased when she finds out that Ezra is her ex.

 

I think they'll be back together before the book gets published, probably before the book gets submitted.

[Jack Shaftoe]

Can we take a moment to enjoy the utter absurdity of Hanna's claim that since Spencer believed that Hanna had killed Charlotte, everyone else would believe it too? Spencer has accused just about every character in the show of being A or working for A. She is a world champion in jumping to conclusions. It's like giving a starving person some food and then proclaiming everyone will love that food because the starving guy devoured it in seconds.

[emma675]

I'll admit it, I was thoroughly confused when Hannah sat down and took Caleb's hand. I thought she was still doing some kind of pretending, like she did when she was convincing Spencer she killed Charlotte. I can't figure out if we were supposed to think Hannah was making a move on Caleb in front of Spencer or if she was just so stressed out that she unconsciously fell back into old habits from when she and Caleb were dating.

[fitzcarraldo]

Since when does Caleb want Hanna to put herself in danger? Wasn't the stupid dangerous schemes his thing with Spencer?

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

On Pretty Little Liars, Hanna Shows How Brave She Is While Simultaneously Reminding Us That She's Still Dumb
It may be a great plan, but that doesn't matter when you're dead.

[mac123x]

the title of this episode is "Did You Miss Me?".  To whom does that refer, the ghost twin hallucination hologram of Mrs. D?  Because that was kind of underwhelming.  I expected someone to return in a big way, like Alison showing up at the end of the Halloween-in-Ravenswood episode, or A blowing up Toby's house in S5. 

[Mabinogia]

I miss Jenna. She should have come back.

[Eneya]

Someone really believes that FIVE years after two people split, it is not loyal to date their ex, even though one of the people is ENGAGED to somebody else? Really? Damn... that sounds quite... unbelievable. For us, the viewers, it looks like Spencer started dating Caleb days after he split with Hanna... but in-universe, they have been split for years. Hell, a friend of mine is dating my ex and we are still friends, even sometimes go places the 4 of us (I am dating somebody else as well) and though it was a biiit strange for a moment initially, all of us have clearly moved on and nobody has any trouble. Each of us is good friends with the others, so.. nobody minds the situation. And the situation is for a lot shorter time-frame than 5 years, mind you.

 

I am quite surprised at the venom aimed at Spencer, especially since it is quite understandable that you will feel weird if you see the ex of your current boyfriend holding his hand AFTER shocking you emotionally in a very stressful situation (mother - sick, mind games with the opposition, murder, A and etc.). Either there are some incredible human beings which are above most of us here in the comments or we see some staggering hypocrisy and outright hate for people who have done nothing wrong in-universe... yet.

We can discuss what Spencer has done wrong... but to accuse her of being responsible of TWO adult men and their actions towards her is none of that since she was underage. Since the most common claim was how disgusting it is that Ezra, an adult, was in a relationship with Aria, we can keep the logic when it affects Spencer.

Should Spencer had stayed away of her sister's boyfriends? Hell, yeah... Was Wren also after Hannah? Sure. Was Ian obviously into young girls and foolling around with a 15 year old? Yes. So I may fault Spencer for her actions and reactions (not seeking friends and support or outside help for her insecurities), this is seriously the most idiotic argument that she somehow been disloyal to Hannah today, on the grounds of past actions involving underage girl and adult men.

Hannah and Caleb have separated years ago... once broken up, you do not own your ex and they do not own you. It is not uncommon for people who experienced trauma to stick close together and these 5 have been trough some serious shit, I completely buy that Caleb and Spencer may fall for each other. TBH, Hannah and Caleb had great chemistry and look sweet together, I do not like Jordan... but throwing characters under the bus and hating them without any real in-universe reason is plain stupid.

Edited March 10, 2016 by Eneya

[cuddlingcrowley]

Alison looked the best she has looked since S5 in the hospital bed! She actually looked like herself! I almost couldn't focus on the scenes! The fact she had (almost) no make-up on and wasn't wearing her mothers clothes is no coincidence. I'd almost forgotten how pretty she is.

 

I'm kinda over the shitty characterization as far as where the girls stand with Alison, though. She's treated like the a nuisance for several episodes in a roll and now they're all suddenly an unit and Hanna, of all people, goes out of her way to check on her?? What?

 

I really enjoyed the tension in the scenes focused on fleshing out Hanna's plan. That said, the whole grabbring Caleb's hand thing was absolutely hateful.

 

The trend of the flashbacks being the best part of the show continues unbroken! I wanted to watch an entire show of Spencer and Caleb travelling together!

 

"I lunch."

 

My jaded side says it's only a matter of time until all the original couples reunite but I can't help but notice how episode after episode it seems like writers are sending a very loud message that Spaleb is the couple to root for. With that in mind, I'm starting to low key root for Hanna/Lucas. I feel like the story is gonna go that direction since Lucas came back and their chemistry is nice.

 

 

I can't figure out if we were supposed to think Hannah was making a move on Caleb in front of Spencer or if she was just so stressed out that she unconsciously fell back into old habits from when she and Caleb were dating.

 

I think HANNA meant for it to come off like the later but the real reason was the former.

 

I also agree with the poster who said whatever Tyler's opinions may be, Caleb as he's being played is very clearly into Spencer and that's it. Although I totally get why from Spencer's pov it's not that clear. I also agree Caleb seemed to be the one least hesitant about hooking in the flashback.

 

 

 

 

It seemed to me that Caleb tried to drop her hand as soon as possible. I got the distinct impression he was uncomfortable in the situation Hannah put him in and that he was trying to tread carefully given that they are still friends. I also noticed how he left quickly once he got Hannah to Lucas's apartment. 

I never interpreted Spencer's reaction to be anything along the lines of being mad because she was not the center of male attention. I've never taken her that way at all.  I think she was quite justified at being pissed at Hannah and also partially Caleb for not putting more distance between him and Hannah. I would have been too. Hannah clearly had an agenda. To the viewers it's been brewing, but to Spencer it was obvious in that scene. 

Hannah is the one to me that seems like the type of girl who always needs a man in her life.

 

 

 

THIS!

 

As far as I'm concerced Hanna is the one that's currently stringing along a fiance she doesn't love and sending "vibes" to two separate guys.

 

Why do people lick their fingers before they turn pages? Surely it's an affectation developed from watching others and doesn't serve a true function. Lick! Ick!  The book coming to life was oddly uncompelling in any way. Why do we need this storyline? To keep Ezra relevant? No more please. 

 

I never got the finger licking myself. And I'm writer so i'm completely incapable of hating this storyline. Hell, I almost wish we'd see Ezra and Aria talking about it more, breaking the storyline together, sharing their ideas where to go next and such. I'm somewhat puzzled by their co-writing system and the endless printed pages but If we're gonna need to keep Ezra around for some reason, than I'm fine with that they're doing. 

Edited March 10, 2016 by cuddlingcrowley

[RachelKM]

My jaded side says it's only a matter of time until all the original couples reunite but I can't help but notice how episode after episode it seems like writers are sending a very loud message that Spaleb is the couple to root for. With that in mind, I'm starting to low key root for Hanna/Lucas. I feel like the story is gonna go that direction since Lucas came back and their chemistry is nice.

 

***

 

I also agree with the poster who said whatever Tyler's opinions may be, Caleb as he's being played is very clearly into Spencer and that's it. Although I totally get why from Spencer's pov it's not that clear. I also agree Caleb seemed to be the one least hesitant about hooking in the flashback.

 

I'm right there with you in the concern that all original couples will be smashed back together for shipper sakes.  But I agree that the writing hasn't actually supported that.  (Not surprisingly, the one that most seems in danger of that is Ezzzzria, ugh.)   But Hanna has not come off in a particularly positive light in this and there was the conversation with Ella in which she basically swatted down Hanna's fantasy about your first love being the one.  It wasn't harsh as Ella wasn't evidently aware of Hanna's thoughts, but Ella seemed amusedly dismissive of the idea when she said that her first love was some other dude in high school.  And again, the flashback seemed to frame Spencer and Caleb as the couple going forward and to support.

 

I made my comment about Tyler seemingly playing Caleb as if he believes Spencer and Caleb are for real sort of idly not giving it much thought.  It just seemed to me that was how he was playing it.  But your post made me wonder, so I looked it up (I tend to be oblivious to this stuff unless someone else posts links here, but I actually made the effort this time :) .)  Turns out Tyler has given interviews that indicate that he is pretty pro-Spencer/Caleb.  So maybe he is making a conscious choice to play them as the real deal.  

Edited March 10, 2016 by RachelKM

[cuddlingcrowley]

RachelKM, although I can't give you a source right now, I saw on tumblr Tyler has said he thinks Caleb belongs with Hanna which is what I was alluding to but who knows what his real opinion might be. i'm glad it's not affecting his acting.

[Jack Shaftoe]

 

I can't figure out if we were supposed to think Hannah was making a move on Caleb in front of Spencer or if she was just so stressed out that she unconsciously fell back into old habits from when she and Caleb were dating.

 

You are tackling this issue all wrong - clearly we are not supposed to think at all while watching this mess of a show.

[SadieT]

Alison looked the best she has looked since S5 in the hospital bed! She actually looked like herself! I almost couldn't focus on the scenes! The fact she had (almost) no make-up on and wasn't wearing her mothers clothes is no coincidence. I'd almost forgotten how pretty she is.

I'm kinda over the shitty characterization as far as where the girls stand with Alison, though. She's treated like the a nuisance for several episodes in a roll and now they're all suddenly an unit and Hanna, of all people, goes out of her way to check on her?? What?

I always laugh at how gorgeous these girls look when they're in hospital beds but it's no coincidence that Ali looks her best when the makeup and wardrobe people are taken mostly out of the equation, because they've done her no favors by dressing her like a soccer mom and painting gallons of crap on her face to make her look older.

And I always forget Sasha has killer dimples because we haven't seen Alison smile in almost two seasons, so to see her looking genuinely happy at the start of this episode was actually kind of disconcerting. Same thing with the episode where she and Rollins come to ask Aria to marry them...people thought Ali was drunk or possibly drugged, but I think she was just happy and it threw people because she's spent the last two season moping around and we're not used to seeing that. I'm actually gonna feel bad for her if/when Rollins turns out to be evil.

And I'm just as confused about the girls relationship with Ali. The girls, Hanna in particular, were genuinely annoyed with Ali the first few episodes and didn't seem to want anything to do with her. But then we had Hanna saying last episode that maybe they should postpone her shower because Ali was out of town (although that was probably more about her lukewarm feelings towards Jordan) and now going out of her way to visit Ali in the hospital out of concern because she bumped her head? What the hell happened to the Hanna who seemed to hate Ali at the beginning of the season?

It actually goes both ways because not too long ago Ali was throwing shade at her friends via prayer and low key implicating them in her sister's murder, but like now she's over that and it's all water under the bridge? How and when did they get to that point? Did she stop caring because she got the insta-family she wanted by marrying Dr. Creepy?

[Mabinogia]

Sasha is beautiful. Seriously. It's Ally who is frumpy and a mess. IDK why they have chosen to go that route with her. All I can think is that because she is so much younger than the rest of them, they think that dressing her like an old spinster and putting on the makeup with a spatula will make her look older. She did look great in that hospital bed. lol Poor girl.

 

On the Spencer/Hanna/Caleb front, I HATE that they are taking the storyline there, HATE it! I wish they had made Hanna happy with her fiancé. I don't hate that Caleb and Spencer got together, sometimes you find love where you don't expect it. What I hate is the show forcing this whole "Hanna still has feelings fro Caleb" love triangle shit.

[Peanut6711]

I never got the finger licking myself. And I'm writer so i'm completely incapable of hating this storyline. Hell, I almost wish we'd see Ezra and Aria talking about it more, breaking the storyline together, sharing their ideas where to go next and such. I'm somewhat puzzled by their co-writing system and the endless printed pages but If we're gonna need to keep Ezra around for some reason, than I'm fine with that they're doing. 

That stuck out at me too. In this day and age it would seem more logical for them both to be writing/editing on a shared file. The tree-hugger in me thinks they are being wasteful! ;-)

[Bort]

I like Spencer and Caleb and would've been happy to have it be just that. But wedging Hanna in there does the storyline no favors. It makes Hanna inherently unreasonable, unlikeable, un-everything. And I used to love the shit out of her. Now I just wish Mona had finished her off with her car in the first place.

Why do people lick their fingers before they turn pages? Surely it's an affectation developed from watching others and doesn't serve a true function. Lick! Ick!

I lick my fingers to turn pages. The tips get really dried out and I just can't get the page to turn. But I don't slobber all over my finger, just a quick swipe on the tongue is enough.

[cuddlingcrowley]

That stuck out at me too. In this day and age it would seem more logical for them both to be writing/editing on a shared file. The tree-hugger in me thinks they are being wasteful! ;-)

 

 

 

And they're wasting a small fortune in ink and paper, that's for sure. Printing all the versions of the first chapter of the novel I'm working on ALONE would have been insane.

 

It's pretty jarring going from one scene showing Lucas' ultra modern home and then heading to Ezria being fools and not knowing how to use google docs. I think the printing is supposed to show they're "traditional" writers, so I probably should be glad they're no using a typewriter. And now I thought too much about this and got annoyed.

Edited March 11, 2016 by cuddlingcrowley

[rho]

I hate this show so much and still I somehow find myself parked on the sofa every Tuesday night. Is there PLL anon because I need help ASAP!

 

Honestly, I feel so dumb every time they have a new plan because I canNOT wrap my head around how it makes any sense at all. I swear, everyone on this show has a backward thought process and the plan never correlates with reality. I am constantly wondering if I am the idiot or if they are? How will confessing to a crime smoke out the person who actually committed the crime and/or possibly others? 

 

Anyway, onto topics I understand better. I do not get the Spaleb love triangle. I wish it had never happened and I hope they squash it before the next season. That said, I get the impression that Caleb isn't invested in the relationship as much as Spencer is. He's always been the "good guy" and aside from the sex, he doesn't treat Spencer any differently than Emily or Aria. I think it's very telling that he is constantly with Hanna even though Spencer is supposed to be his "girlfriend" right now. It seems like Hanna is leading them both (Jordan and Caleb) on and even though she's engaged, every time she reaches out to Caleb he almost pounces on that tiny bit of hope. Or at least, that's how I see it.

 

If only something interesting would happen on this show, maybe I wouldn't spend so much time debating hand holding and fleeting glances.

[RachelKM]

I hate this show so much and still I somehow find myself parked on the sofa every Tuesday night. Is there PLL anon because I need help ASAP!

 

Honestly, I feel so dumb every time they have a new plan because I canNOT wrap my head around how it makes any sense at all. I swear, everyone on this show has a backward thought process and the plan never correlates with reality. I am constantly wondering if I am the idiot or if they are? How will confessing to a crime smoke out the person who actually committed the crime and/or possibly others? 

 

Anyway, onto topics I understand better. I do not get the Spaleb love triangle. I wish it had never happened and I hope they squash it before the next season. That said, I get the impression that Caleb isn't invested in the relationship as much as Spencer is. He's always been the "good guy" and aside from the sex, he doesn't treat Spencer any differently than Emily or Aria. I think it's very telling that he is constantly with Hanna even though Spencer is supposed to be his "girlfriend" right now. It seems like Hanna is leading them both (Jordan and Caleb) on and even though she's engaged, every time she reaches out to Caleb he almost pounces on that tiny bit of hope. Or at least, that's how I see it.

 

If only something interesting would happen on this show, maybe I wouldn't spend so much time debating hand holding and fleeting glances.

Has Caleb spent so much time with Hanna?  I don't recall it the same way.  I haven't gone back to look, obviously, but it feels to me like this past episode was the first time Hanna and Caleb have spent much time together, certainly one on one.  I guess I could have that wrong.

 

I too wonder why I keep watching this damn show.  As several people noted, next week is the "Spring finale" and there has been virtually no movement in the main mystery since the second episode of the half season.  Also, what is the basis for them assuming Shower is the new A?  Obviously they've found evidence that she's shady as fuck and up to something, but they keep talking about her as A as if it's certain.  Looking back at what I just typed, to the extent that I continue to watch, apparently I don't do so carefully.  But I keep coming back... maybe we have the audience version of Swedish Syndrome. :-/

[rho]

Has Caleb spent so much time with Hanna?  I don't recall it the same way.  I haven't gone back to look, obviously, but it feels to me like this past episode was the first time Hanna and Caleb have spent much time together, certainly one on one.  I guess I could have that wrong.

 

I too wonder why I keep watching this damn show.  As several people noted, next week is the "Spring finale" and there has been virtually no movement in the main mystery since the second episode of the half season.  Also, what is the basis for them assuming Shower is the new A?  Obviously they've found evidence that she's shady as fuck and up to something, but they keep talking about her as A as if it's certain.  Looking back at what I just typed, to the extent that I continue to watch, apparently I don't do so carefully.  But I keep coming back... maybe we have the audience version of Swedish Syndrome. :-/

 

I think you mean Stockholm Syndrome, but I definitely agree. I also am not watching intently and could be very wrong. Maybe I've just seen the promo too many times and it always shows Haleb on the couch in front of a laptop. I do recall they had drinks at the Radley and that scene was charged with sexual tension. I can't tell you what episode that is because they all blur together like a long endless stream of Rosewood gibberish.

 

That said, I'm also not convinced Shower is A. I still don't really know who she is and I think it's a matter of the writers telling too much and not showing. Or maybe I just don't trust them anymore because they have a habit of devoting an entire season to the red herring and then scrambling to throw together a finale. It's sloppy writing which used to be campy and tongue-in-cheek but now it feels like a disorganized fist draft.

[RachelKM]

I think you mean Stockholm Syndrome

HAHA... yes.  I should have credited Hanna with that one or at least put it in quotation marks. 

[rho]

HAHA... yes.  I should have credited Hanna with that one or at least put it in quotation marks. 

 

This is embarrassing. I really haven't been paying attention this season [insert shrug emoji here]

[dwmckim]

I've been extremely underwhelmed with the show post-time jump as it's just been a mess of wasted potential and the worst flaws of the show on full display.  But this episode had one scene i really liked because of the continuity.  

 

Hanna's false confession.  That was a total throwback to when Hanna sought help from Mona on how to lie convincingly when she was considering making a false confession of murdering Wilden in order to save her mom.  Hanna obviously retained everything she learned - and is doing it with the same goal in mind: making a false murder confession.  Of course she doesn't really have the same kind of relationship with Mona to where she could seek her council so he goes ahead and practices on one of her Liar friends - and happens to try it out on the one who has the most in common with Mona.

[Grandma Saracen]

What else? The guy licking the ice-cream was the most terrifying thing I've seen in the show this season.  It was was creepy in a Twin Peaks or Stephen King kind of way with him in a suit and the ice-cream van and all the lil kids. Lick! Ick!  

 

It must have been an...excuse me... damn fine ice cream cone. 

 

I want to still love Spencer, she's been my favorite all along. Her Girl Detective moments were a lot of fun. 

I love Ashley Marin, and there was nowhere near enough of her.

I also love Mona, though, and her scene with Shower was great - Shower was like a black hole of personality, but Mona's line readings were amazing. 

Sasha's acting skills, too, or rather, her expressive face... 

Love triangles bore me, Ezra puts me to sleep every time he's on screen, and that writing was so bad, but the writing of the scene where they go over the writing was so, so bad. 

 

There are so many reasons for me not to watch this show, but there are always a few nuggets of goodness. 

[NutMeg]

Someone really believes that FIVE years after two people split, it is not loyal to date their ex, even though one of the people is ENGAGED to somebody else? Really? Damn... that sounds quite... unbelievable. For us, the viewers, it looks like Spencer started dating Caleb days after he split with Hanna... but in-universe, they have been split for years. Hell, a friend of mine is dating my ex and we are still friends, even sometimes go places the 4 of us (I am dating somebody else as well) and though it was a biiit strange for a moment initially, all of us have clearly moved on and nobody has any trouble. Each of us is good friends with the others, so.. nobody minds the situation. And the situation is for a lot shorter time-frame than 5 years, mind you.

 

I am quite surprised at the venom aimed at Spencer, especially since it is quite understandable that you will feel weird if you see the ex of your current boyfriend holding his hand AFTER shocking you emotionally in a very stressful situation (mother - sick, mind games with the opposition, murder, A and etc.). Either there are some incredible human beings which are above most of us here in the comments or we see some staggering hypocrisy and outright hate for people who have done nothing wrong in-universe... yet.

We can discuss what Spencer has done wrong... but to accuse her of being responsible of TWO adult men and their actions towards her is none of that since she was underage. Since the most common claim was how disgusting it is that Ezra, an adult, was in a relationship with Aria, we can keep the logic when it affects Spencer.

Should Spencer had stayed away of her sister's boyfriends? Hell, yeah... Was Wren also after Hannah? Sure. Was Ian obviously into young girls and foolling around with a 15 year old? Yes. So I may fault Spencer for her actions and reactions (not seeking friends and support or outside help for her insecurities), this is seriously the most idiotic argument that she somehow been disloyal to Hannah today, on the grounds of past actions involving underage girl and adult men.

Hannah and Caleb have separated years ago... once broken up, you do not own your ex and they do not own you. It is not uncommon for people who experienced trauma to stick close together and these 5 have been trough some serious shit, I completely buy that Caleb and Spencer may fall for each other. TBH, Hannah and Caleb had great chemistry and look sweet together, I do not like Jordan... but throwing characters under the bus and hating them without any real in-universe reason is plain stupid.

total yes! to your post :) Spencer is getting flack for nothing, Hannah (who I used to love) is playing everyone who has any emotional bound to her and should finally grow up and MAKE A DECISION - lthough, she did make one this episode, but it seems asinine so far. And playing this mind game on Spencer? Not cool at all. No wonder that, plus the hand grad, spent Spencer orbiting - if it had been any other person than a CLOSE FRIEND, I'm sure her reaction would have been totally different. Sheesh, Hannah...

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The editing in the finger licking scene was so weird. First they show Aria reading the first page of a stack of binder clipped pages. Then she licks her finger (on her right hand) and touches the page but doesn't turn it. Next they show a shot of the first page (you can see the words are what's spoken in her dramatic imagined version a few minutes later - "I can't go. I thought I could, but I can't." and you can clearly see the binder clip at the top). Then they show her licking her finger (but on the left hand) and a shot of the same page with the same dialogue, but this time it's obviously not the first page because the top left corner is bent back. She turns to the next page (which contains the "Don't be a baby" dialogue). Then they show a shot of Aria's face and then another shot of the page which is now the "I can't go" dialogue. How hard is it to keep these things straight when you're shooting/editing? The first page goes first. The second page goes second.

 

Another nitpick: the blue light scene we see of Ezra and Nicole having this conversation doesn't match exactly with what Ezra wrote. In one sentence he says "when" but the page says "because." In another sentence he says, "If I don't leave now, I won't make it by nightfall," but the page says, "Gotta go now or I won't make it before dark."  Nicole says "okay" but the page says "all right." I know these aren't hugely different changes, but it seems stupid that they didn't bother to match the typed pages to the dialogue.

 

I know these are minor things, but I think it just goes to show that the writers, editors, etc. just don't give a shit anymore.

[mac123x]

And they're wasting a small fortune in ink and paper, that's for sure. Printing all the versions of the first chapter of the novel I'm working on ALONE would have been insane.

 

It's pretty jarring going from one scene showing Lucas' ultra modern home and then heading to Ezria being fools and not knowing how to use google docs. I think the printing is supposed to show they're "traditional" writers, so I probably should be glad they're no using a typewriter. And now I thought too much about this and got annoyed.

 

They actually addressed this, saying they didn’t want to have it on the interwebs because of hackers.  No, really.  I guess because there is a huge community of Ezra Fitz fans out there that would do anything to get ahold of his next masterpiece ahead of time.  And I had a hard time typing that last sentence because my eyes rolled out the back of my head several times.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Someone might steal his manuscript and post it on a Website Page!

[fitzcarraldo]

They can't use a USB drive and offline laptops?

I hope emojiA puts awful passages on receipts in the New Brew to embarrass them.

[Lii]

Someone might steal his manuscript and post it on a Website Page!

 

Let's be real, Ezra Fitz has no goddamned idea how to run a Website Page. Only ghosts of girlfriends past, and also Caleb, understand proper Internetting.

[Jack Shaftoe]

 

They actually addressed this, saying they didn’t want to have it on the interwebs because of hackers.  No, really.

 

So let me get this straight - The Liars can discuss their plan to trick A over the phone or by talking loudly when there are other people around but Ezra's stupid book is a big secret?

[mac123x]

n his delusional mind, yes. 

[Peanut6711]

They actually addressed this, saying they didn’t want to have it on the interwebs because of hackers.  No, really.  I guess because there is a huge community of Ezra Fitz fans out there that would do anything to get ahold of his next masterpiece ahead of time.  And I had a hard time typing that last sentence because my eyes rolled out the back of my head several times.

That's hilarious!  They are far more at risk of A getting a hold of the physical pages than a too enthusiastic fan hacking a secure site for a proof copy. Surely Caleb could install some top of the line security measures for them to work in the 21st century. 

[fitzcarraldo]

Aria's one hacker class wasn't enough to turn her expert? That's all she needed for kickboxing. EmojiA would bodycheck her for a laptop, anyway, before saran wrapping her.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

That's hilarious!  They are far more at risk of A getting a hold of the physical pages than a too enthusiastic fan hacking a secure site for a proof copy. Surely Caleb could install some top of the line security measures for them to work in the 21st century. 

Well, we know that Ezra knows how to install security cameras so at least we know that if someone breaks in and steals the actual acid free pages, he can just check the footage.