Pretty Little Liars Review: Buried Ali-ve
Teresa Lopez
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After four years of building a ever-complicated mystery, the Pretty Little Liars Season 4 finale FINALLY provided some answer.
As Alison tells her friends the story of her very looong last night in Rosewood, we find out how all the little pieces of this storyline fit together.
So why wasn't it more satisfying?
Pretty Little Liars Season 4 Episode 24 felt like the writers were marching out every single clue from the past four seasons as if to say, "see, that did matter!"
But I'm not so sure all of them did.
For every amazing reveal, there was an equally annoying Vivian Darkbloom and Lost Woods Resort reference that didn't do much to advance the story other than to show us that everything is somehow connected. The episode felt more like a clip show of previous episodes with little excitement until we got to the end.
That's not to say that there wasn't some interesting revelations, of course.
Let's start with what we've found out: Jenna, Toby, Ian, Ezra, Spencer, Hanna, Emily, Aria and Byron are supposedly in the clear. Alison's systematic ruling out of all the people close to her really helped cut down the list of possible A suspects.
Too bad she still hadn't figured out who was trying to kill her!
We did find out that Ali's mom is not A. BUT she seems to know who A is. The night Ali was nearly killed, her mother was on edge and tried to keep her from going out.
Then, she watched as someone attempted to murder Alison and she proceeded to bury her still-breathing child alive, telling the culprit, "oh, what have you done?" Clearly this is someone that Mrs. Di wants to protect or she wouldn't have tried to hide the body and she would have told the police.
Jason anyone?
This is probably the point where most Liars fans began revisiting the twin theory.
Fans of the book and those who took a special interest in the first Halloween special (and even the second one for that matter) will recall that twins seem to play a special role in the series. It would make sense that Ali's mom would be nervous about a deranged long-lost twin sister returning to Rosewood, and that she would protect her other daughter from the police.
But will the show really just start regurgitating the book series plot?
That final scene on the roof definitely proved that A wasn't Ali's mom, but I think it also proved that A is a man. Is it just me or did that person look decidedly male?
Sure anyone in good shape could have made that jump, but that body type didn't look very feminine. So, could it have been Jason? Jason is certainly someone that Mrs. Di would protect - and he was strung out on drugs that summer.
So, Ali reveals that none of the previous suspects tried to kill her and gets pretty emotional about watching her mother bury her alive (such a sad moment!). But then, we still have another body to deal with. Who killed that other girl?
The police seem to think that Spencer had something to do with it. The Hastings are hauled in for questioning and there appears to be some kind of understanding between Mrs. Di and Spencer's dad.
It makes sense that Mrs. Di would keep trying to deflect blame off the real killer (especially if they are related) and Spencer seems like an easy target with all her speed problems. But we and Melissa know that Spencer is innocent.
And Melissa seems to know who it was. Maybe she did it. She was definitely jealous of Alison and that girl looked similar to Alison. They might have even been wearing the same thing. A yellow shirt that Alison's mom picked out for her. Hmmm....
The episode did eventually build to an exciting climax. A tracks down Alison and starts trying to shoot the girls. Luckily, Ezra shows up, having figured out who A is. Unfortunately, Ezra is shot - yes, SHOT! - as A escapes... and of course he doesn't reveal who A is before passing out.
(He has enough time to say "so beautiful" but not say A's name? Really??).
Naturally, the show has to keep the mystery going, especially with Ali answering many questions. So, who is A? And is Mrs. DiLaurentis dead?
Ezra getting shot was probably the only way his character could be redeemed so that he and Aria could eventually get back together.
What did everyone else think of the finale? Were you satisfied with the answers provided? And is Ezra still alive?
