Pretty Little Liars Review: The Ultimate Frenemy

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I'll give Pretty Little Liars this: dolls are really scary. Whoever came up with the idea to go all Chuckie on "Over My Dead Body?" Bravo. A frightening job well done.

I wish I could say the same about the storytelling, however. The midseason finale produced plot holes galore, prodded along by dialogue that, I'm sorry to say, was simply too unbelievable to accept.

Emily, Girls in Trouble

I mean, Jackie hasn't really made a move on Ezra all summer and then she suddenly blurts out that she wants to get back together? And Aria happens to be standing there? And then she gives Aria an ultimatum? Out of nowhere, the show decided to move this character front and center.

Yes, I know Pretty Little Liars is meant to be a guilty pleasure and viewers should just go along for the fun ride. I mostly do, trust me. But there are only two possibilities for the conversation Jenna and Garrett held at the conclusion of this episode:
  1. It's just another red herring, which would be a lazy, desperate, lame way to mislead viewers.
  2. It's the truth, Jenna and Garrett are behind Alison's death... and they simply delivered that information in a straightforward, expository manner via an exchange that no two people would ever have.

For that reason, I'm leaning toward scenario number-one. I just refuse to believe the writers would give us Alison's killers in such a boring, sloppy fashion. Hmmm... how should we make this major reveal to the audience? A-ha! Let's have Jenna and Garrett just talk openly about it in the police station!! I don't buy it.

I also don't buy the supposedly major cliffhanger: the shovel was the murder weapon and now the cops have caught the girls in the act? Okay, but in what act? There's no evidence at all here, except more proof that the adults in Rosewood are utter morons.

It's illegal to question a minor without an adult present. In the absence of an arrest, each parent should have walked in and demanded to take his/her child home. Done. Case closed. There's no legal means by which authorities can detain a minor who is not under arrest. I'm sorry, my family is made up of lawyers, and it may not be fun to read a review that regurgitates the law, but it seems like an important detail for the show to consider, doesn't it?

Fortunately, while the concluding events left me irritated and empty, the build-up to them was tremendous. The time-jumping aspect of the episode was executed very well, leaving me wondering every step of the way just how the girls came to be dirty and sitting in an interrogation room.

Dr. Sullivan really should have been killed, though. Imagine if the police had come upon the girls holding that shovel AND standing over a dead body. Now that would be a cliffhanger! It would also give A some weight because, as I continue to say every week, she never actually does anything. She threatens, she texts, the girls panic... and that's about it.

Just once, wouldn't it be nice to see the Liars not give in to a demand and to find out if A actually follows up?

As we wait until new episodes in January, at least the show has given viewers many questions to ponder:

  • Is this the end for Ezria?
  • Did Spencer really just kiss Wren? Where did THAT come from?!?
  • Is Mr. Hastings the father of Jason?
  • Who is Pretty Eyes? (My guess: anyone but Jenna. Another example of a misdirection.)
  • So everything with Mike was meant to.... hmmm.... what?
  • What did Jason find in the house?
  • Will we see Dr. Sullivan again?
  • Is referring to a girl's "back fat" the greatest diss of all-time?
  • How did Emily escape the barn?
  • Might Alison be alive?
  • And, oh yeah, who is A?!?

Over My Dead Body Review

Editor Rating: 3.4 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.2 / 5.0 (120 Votes)

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

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Pretty Little Liars Season 2 Episode 12 Quotes

I found a way to survive my secrets, but everyone I care about gets hurt.

Spencer

Hanna: You don't think her ear is in here do you?
Emily: That's a big box for an ear.

Pretty Little Liars Season 2 Episode 12 Music

  Song Artist
Too Pretty To Say Please The Wooden Birds iTunes
Give It All Right the Stars iTunes
With Wings Amy Stroup iTunes