Pretty Little Liars Review: "The Perfect Storm"

at .

I loved her as more than a friend.
- Emily on Alison

Before we get into our review of "The Perfect Storm," allow us to say: thank you, Mrs. Hastings! We were beginning to wonder if the detective on Pretty Little Liars spent time anywhere except for school, a clear violation of the law, which no teacher or authority figure stepped in and said a word about - until now.

Aside from that important tidbit, this week's episode shed a lot of light on Emily, specifically her relationship with Alison. And while this is my least favorite of all the girls on the show, at least the revelations gave her character a bit more depth. At least her affection for girls now has a history and doesn't seem utterly out of the blue with Maya, as it had been up to this point.

The question, of course: do we believe her? Do we buy the story that Emily arrived at the memorial only after it was destroyed and that Lucas did the dastardly deed?

And, come on, would both really leave their shoes so caked with mud?

Stormy Scene

Another character we suddenly know much better is the aforementioned mother of Spencer. Nothing but a close-minded, cold-hearted bitch before, this woman opened up to her daughter about a breast cancer scare and even gave Alex her full approval.

Again, it's nice to get more background on any prominent series player - but this felt more like a forced, random transformation than a necessary, eye-opening admission, didn't it? Spencer, and now her family, continue to be all over the place. We're still waiting for Wren to make another appearance. He did make out with Spencer a few weeks ago, in case the writers forgot.

Meanwhile, other relationships were teased and/or developed. We'd love to hear reading feedback on the following:

Byron and Ashley: Both seemed to realize the inappropriateness of their flirting as soon as the power came back on, but it's unlikely this will be the last time they consider the other as a romantic option. It's clear Byron should be focusing on his family, not his next female conquest - but will he be able to?

Ella and Ezra: It wasn't just me, right? There was a definite spark between these two in the closet, wasn't there? As creepy as it seems for Ella to date the man her daughter made out with, at least Ezra is closer to her age. Do you wanna see these two hook up?

Aria and Noel: The latter may be hiding a secret or another side to his personality, but it's about time Aria gave him a chance. We've seen nothing but good things from him so far, including solid guitar strumming that gave us the chance to hear Lucy Hale sing. She was once a member of a group called "American Juniors," you know.

Finally, we get to Mona. She's clearly over-the-top in her rudeness, but perhaps she knows something about Lucas that Hanna does not. Or perhaps she's just a spoiled queen bee who doesn't wish to see her spot atop the social chain bumped down a few notches.

We'll certainly be tuning in next week to learn more. Won't you? Check out a few Pretty Little Liars quotes from the episode as you answer that question:

Alison [to Emily]: A kiss is a kiss. I like boys. Trust me, if I'm kissing you, it's because it's practice for the real thing. | permalink
Aria: Where are going?
Emily: To the restroom. But if you guys don't believe me, we can all try to squeeze into one stall. | permalink
Hanna: Don't you want someone real? Someone you can scratch and sniff? | permalink
Mona [to Lucas]: You can go now. This beauty doesn't need a beast. | permalink
Emily [on Alison]: I loved her as more than a friend. | permalink

The Perfect Storm Review

Editor Rating: 4.3 / 5.0
  • 4.3 / 5.0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
User Rating:

Rating: 4.6 / 5.0 (25 Votes)

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.

Show Comments
Tags: ,

Pretty Little Liars Season 1 Episode 9 Quotes

Aria: I've not looking for anyone more than a friend.
Hanna: Don't you have enough on Facebook?

Spencer, you do not need to know any more big words. You're already scary enough to anyone under 50.

Hanna

Pretty Little Liars Season 1 Episode 9 Music

  Song Artist
Quiet Hearts Amy Stroup iTunes
Song Never Get Enough Honey Pie
Who Knows Where The Time Goes? Sandy Denny iTunes