The TV Chick

I returned from a wonderful vacation super late last night so I had to forgo watching Pretty Little Liars until this morning, but I was so happy when I did. The show continues to throw curve balls and twists and turns around every corner that not even the most loyal book fans could see coming. “The Badass Seed” was no exception. There were some changes/bumps in the road for Aria and Ezra (NOO!), the girls get faked out by A (shocker!) and Hanna’s love life takes a turn we all kind of saw coming.

The episode centers around the school play which all of the girls get involved in. Of course, Ezra is directing the play which results in some awkwardness. Spencer takes it a little too seriously — apparently in the play, someone was killed over an award. Sounds kind of Rosewood-esque. The girls want Aria to audition so they can hang out with her and Ezra. We all know this will backfire. Creepy Jenna shows up and says she wants to compose music for the play. She is always interested in evil and loves the play “The Bad Seed.” Oh boy. There is so much going on here that we have no idea about.

Later, Spencer comes downstairs to see a baby in a crib and then someone grabs her from behind. Naturally, she’s dreaming. She comes downstairs after her dream to see Ian packing/unpacking boxes. Ian confronts her about what she said to Melissa at the swim meet. He tells her that he had nothing to do with what happened with Alison but she was a psycho stalker and he’s not surprised something happened to her. Wow. Even in the books, we don’t get a great idea about Alison’s relationship with Ian Thomas. But on the show, it looks like we are going to find out a lot more about them. Alison clearly had some issues and maybe stalking was one of them? Or maybe it was just an innocent crush on an older guy? I hope we find out. (Side Note: What do you think Ali would say about Ezra if she was alive? I kind of think she would encourage them).

Anyway, that same morning, Hanna and Ashley Marin talk. Hanna asks her if Caleb can stay in the guest room. Ashley tells Hanna she has poor judgment and isn’t comfortable with Caleb. Oh Caleb. I’m still unsure about you. And in teacher/student world, Aria shows up at Ezra’s unexpectedly before school. She wants him to go out with her dad because she wants her dad to see how special he is. She also seems to care about her friends liking him too. She asks to be the stage manager in the play so they can hang out on and off campus all the time. He reluctantly says yes. On a side note, sweaty post-workout Ezra is hot.

Back at Hanna’s house, she goes into the bathroom while Caleb is in the shower to look for something. Of course, her mom comes in to find her phone and Hanna hops in the shower with Caleb (in her clothes). Naturally, she checks out Caleb’s goods. Haha hilarious!

At school, Emily and Spencer are talking. Paige calls up Emily while they are sitting there and Emily tells them they are on okay terms now. She covers for Page and makes up some story about her cousin being in the military. Spencer and Toby are still working on the meaning of “214″ and Emily asks if she can take Toby his French book because she wants to talk to him. They both see Ian and Jenna talking, and Ian hands her something in a bag. What could it be?? The girls are perplexed by their relationship, and I admit, it’s a bit odd, but Ian does work at the school…Who knows though. Jenna is always up to something bad.

At play practice, we learn that the play explores whether people are born evil or whether they learn it. Mona catches Hanna eyeing Caleb and prods further. There is an awkward moment with Aria and Ezra as he drops some papers and she goes to help him. He asks her to pass out schedules and Mona asks for her to get her some things from the vending machine. Aria is obviously confused, but continues to pass out the schedules. Mona walks off texting. Um, hello, A clue! Also, Aria calls Fitz “Ezra” in front of all the others. I gasped. As play practice continues, Ian barges in “by accident.” Then there’s a flashback to a frat party that Ali got them into years ago. Ian is there, leading a drunk girl creepily upstairs. Hanna thinks Ian is cute. The girls aren’t sure what to do at the party, and Ali separates from them.

After school, there are some awkward moments with Byron and Ezra. I wonder where this budding relationship will be. Byron thinks Ezra is selling himself short, and casually tosses in the conversation that Aria is looking at colleges in California. Whew. Ezra did not take that one well. There’s also a lot of awkward moments post-shower with Caleb and Hanna. The whole time though you kind of get the impression that she likes him.

Emily had asked Toby out to breakfast as friends and he agreed but when she shows up the next morning, Jenna tells Emily he is at breakfast with Spencer. Jenna creepily plays the flute as she walks away.Meanwhile, Spencer wants Toby to steal Jenna’s phone so Caleb can unlock it and they can see what her relationship with Ian is. He reluctantly agrees. At their “breakfast,” Spencer asks Toby about him looking at the window at her friends. He says Alison made that up. Spencer takes Toby’s hand. Do I sense some romance?

Speaking of romance, Aria apologizes to Ezra about slipping up. He is thinking about teaching at Hollis College. He makes a cryptic comment about her going away. The play cast starts to congregate but Aria calls for them to take 5. Aria and Ezra have a big discussion about their future and Ezra says that his future and Aria’s future may not be linked. This of course caused me to gasp once again. She tells him she looked at one college in California in his favorite city. He says one day he will see him as her high school English teacher and not more. Awww trouble in my favorite relationship? Do not like.

Then there’s another flashback to the party: A girl fell down the stairs, and Ian was at the top of the stairs. Alison comes out of nowhere and learns about what happened. She then says one of my favorite Ali lines: “Note to self: Don’t drink and dive.” She tells the Rosewood police that the girls had a drink and don’t want to get behind the wheel and asks for a ride back to Rosewood. Wow. Bold move, Ali. I love seeing the power Ali has over people. She isn’t just manipulative and bossy around her friends, but she manages to get what she wants from anyone around her.

After practice, the girls find a trophy that they assume belongs to Ian because it’s from a Hilton Head golf tournament. They think there is blood on the side of the trophy and that he could have used it to kill Ali. They decide (mostly Spencer) to hand it into the police so they don’t lose more evidence. The girls are freaked out after they go to the police, and Spencer doesn’t want to stay at her house so Emily offers for all the girls to stay there. Hanna can’t because of Caleb and Aria stops on the way to talk to Ezra. She tells him that they don’t know what the future might bring but can’t they be happy now? (Also she admits the play was an awful idea). He kisses her. Love.

Also that night, Caleb is going to leave but he and Hanna end up making out. Okay, I’m kinda coming around on Caleb. I think they are cute together. I miss Lucas but Caleb’s a much better choice than Sean. But not all is good in Rosewood. Apparently the trophy was a fake and there was rat blood on it. The girls get a text from A, who planted the trophy. They speculate about whether Ali pushed the girl down the stairs at the frat party and if Jenna was standing the way of her and Ian and that’s why she threw the firecracker in the window way back when. Perhaps the girls are starting to catch on to Ali’s deceit?? At the very end, we see four rats in cages, named after the four girls. Creepy!!

What I liked most about this episode was the fact that we learned a lot more about Ali. I also loved that the girls are slowly starting to realize there is much more to Alison, Ian, and Jenna than they ever imagined. I also loved that Toby was back in this episode and I wonder where the relationship with Spencer is going to go. I sensed a little jealousy with Emily over the whole Spencer/Toby situation but I think and hope Emily and Toby will continue to be friends. As for Caleb, I am slowly coming around. I can’t shake the feeling though that he will just up and leave town at any moment and break Hanna’s heart. But I guess you never know. As for my favorite relationship, I think “Ezria” are safe for now. But I doubt this is going to be the only bump in the road for them. A will most likely interfere. A always does. I hope things stay good with them for a while. And how about Mona treating Aria like her servant? I’m interested to see how this play goes, and of course, what that pesky A does next.

Pretty Little Liars airs Monday nights at 8 pm on ABC Family. Be sure to look out next week for my interview with show creator Marlene King!