Finally, “Surface Tension” is a Pretty Little Liars episode with some actual plot movement. I was starting to wonder if the show had lost its mojo.
Thankfully, this week brought us quite a few developments in a lot of different departments: Emily moves in with Hanna and her mom for the sleepover that never ends. Aria’s mother suspiciously invites both Ezra and Jason for dinner, leaving both guys to square off. And Spencer always get the worst as a new clue turns up directly in her backyard. There’s plenty of tension to go around, don’t you think?
Pretty Little Liars (s02e07): Surface Tension
‘A’ said it best with, “Two liars under one roof. You’re making it too easy.” So I’m just glad we there wasn’t too much focus on Emily and Hanna’s ridiculous permanent sleepover drama. I usually like Hanna, but between this and telling Emily to write a fake Danby letter a few weeks ago, I find her to be annoyingly immature sometimes. Of course, we don’t have to look any further than mommy dearest’s bad example to wonder why: first embezzling money, then hooking up with random men, including her ex-husband in this episode. Poor Emily must be wondering what she’s gotten herself into at the Marin house.
Emily didn’t really have much going on this week besides hurting her shoulder, which it’s pretty clear they’re setting up to become a bigger injury just in time for swim finals. But what I’m finding more interesting is Emily feeling guilty and thinking she has to work extra hard in order to validate ‘A’s’ fake Danby entrance letter. If the writers had started developing this storyline earlier, we could be having some delicious guilt and character development right now.
Meanwhile, Hanna is having serious talks with Caleb about his illegal money making schemes. On the one hand, you fell in love with a badboy, what do you expect? On the other, we all know the boy needs to make money somehow, but can’t he go work construction like Toby? Or with Toby. Yes, this could turn out well for the female viewers when they’re both working and sweaty. Except no one wants a high school dropout besides Spencer.
The year has definitely not been good to Spencer. First, there’s finding out your sister’s husband was a murderer and she’s pregnant with his child. Then, everyone thinks you might have killed Ali or maybe a liar who’s desperate for attention. And now your boyfriend finds a possible piece of evidence in your backyard linking you to the crime, which your dad then turn burns in your fireplace. This family is all kinds of messed up.
Another example, Ella and Ashley, Aria’s mom and Hanna’s mom, even suggest Spencer’s dad is the reason the girls were told not to hang out with each other anymore. Very interesting. It’s nice to see the parents, or at least Ella and Ashley, finally cluing in and asking the big questions about why the girls keep getting involved in mysterious circumstances. I wonder if ‘A’ will try targetting their parents now, too? This is full of potential. Getting new people in on the ‘A’ secret is always fun.
Like how I wish Aria would sit down and confide in Ezra about everything that’s been going on with ‘A’. They have bigger issues than just coming out to everyone right now, and I think it would really help to get them closer. All the closeness and fire seems to have gone out of the relationship this season. Of course, a lot of that also has to do with the writers pulling the focus away from them as a couple and into this possible triangle.
I used to think Aria was the most mature of the girls, but she’s been making a lot of strange choices lately when it comes to Jason. Is she actually crushing on him? Or is she simply sympathetic and intrigued with him? Either way, I suspect we’ll find out soon, and hopefully sooner rather than later for Ezra’s sake. Anyone else find it funny how Ezra wasn’t going to leave her house after the dinner party until Jason did first?
And I’ve already tired of the Mike breaking into houses storyline. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad the guy finally has a storyline, but I want to know what this has to do with ‘A’ or anything else. That is the point of this show, right? Plus, does anyone not want to smack that guy?
Which brings me to the girls finding out about Officer Garrett thanks to Mike’s sticky fingers. I’d actually forgotten about him being shady and being involved with Jenna, so it was nice to see some progress in that regard. I’m not convinced Spencer should be afraid of him, but it should be interesting to see where it all goes from here. Maybe they can figure out a way to play Garrett and get some information out of him?
What did you guys think of this week’s episode, “Surface Tension”?