PLL S02 Episode 15 Recap Crisis Hotline Blues

Time for another fun recap of our favorite ABC Family show, Pretty Little Liars, in case there is any doubt what this post is about 🙂

Screepcapped by me through hulu.com

Let’s get right to it then.
We start out only a few seconds after the last episode ended. The girls had found A’s phone after he/she ran off after being hit by Hannah’s automobile. They are inside the greenhouse now in a panic. Emily is trying to find the box while Spence can’t believe she has A’s phone in her hand except YEP you guessed it its a Locked phone. Oh and Emily is curious as to why she was the one holding the BOX alone while trying to shake down A to start. We get the quick reviews of who was where. Aria was on lockdown after last weeks enlightening evening with Ezra and the parents. Spencer had been cornered by a well meaning though not quite in the loop, Tobey. Hannah was blind sided by her annoying father’s revelation about coming to live in Rosewood like they need more Liars in town. I have to wonder did the Real A somehow plan it so that Em was left alone to fend for herself. Is it a foreshadowing for more alone time for each girl to come to grips with A on their own? I don’t really think that A has that much power though unless Ella, Byron and Tom like playing game too; though as Rosewoodians might they have known an A in their time. I know it sounds farfetched even as I write it but in this show who knows.

Back on track, Hannah thinks that she wins the too many monsters in her life NO contest but Emily reminds her that she was almost Killed by A, “These aren’t highlights in my hair is glass,” she insists to remind them yet again she was alone and had to fight off A. I tell you A wasn’t playing either with the weapons that were welding it was serious business. I have to wonder though what is so serious to almost kill a classmate over. Do any of us really consider these things as we watch what is a dramatic show about the intensity of the action?? It is kinda amusing as watch Aria hunts for glass in Emily’s hair though again its serious stuff. The way they mix the some times amusing story telling with the violence makes for the drama.

Spencer suggests that they call Caleb to unlock the phone. Hanna doesn’t want Caleb involved because Caleb has history with Garrett and Jenna. She is really protective of Caleb now at a time when he is needed by the girls and I find this a bit odd. On the other hand, their relationship is going so well she probably doesn’t want to ruin it by asking him to do something she told him she hates him doing for money in order to help them. Actually I think Caleb is the one person they might need to trust in all this A craziness. After a bit of arguing over the Idea the phone rings then the ceiling shatters again over Emily’s head. She makes an executive decision, thanks goodness, ” I have Caleb’s number I will call him,” she says as they all run out. We see them all jump into Hannah’s car then drive off before the creepy theme music plays.

And we are back, we find Caleb trying to download the information from the phone. Caleb asks Hannah if she is okay. She seems distracted though. He also asks the others who owns the phone they are trying to open but they say its better he does not know. Just when it looks like they are getting what they need, the owner shuts down the phone according to Caleb during the download but he can try to get what little information he retrieved before hand; its all he can do now. Does anyone think they Jump the Shark on this little incident? Them having the phone should have been a good thing; something they could finally use, oh well maybe it can still be helpful down the line. Just think this was the one time they were chasing A or a representation of A.

Aria is trying to leave for school the next morning, when Byron decides he doesn’t like her outfit. Oh now he doesn’t like her clothes he was more interested in his own life before but whatever LOL. Ella comes out of the room just in time to walk Aria back to her room to tell her to “choose her battles” as she chooses a new outfit for Aria you know something frumpy. They are all freaked out about the way she dresses but hey folks its not what you wear its the fact that it all comes off LOL have they seen television shows?? It’s kinda silly to me I think Byron is more feeling guilty for his on sins then being worried about Arias, is that just me? It is down right cruel that Ella tells Aria she can’t say goodbye to Ezra, just cold. Seriously that punishment alone would be ENOUGH. Ella is always so judgy its like she is miss perfect and everyone else is evil and wrong. She walks around thinking nothing can go wrong in my world because I am the judge and jury of all and when it inevitably does “off with their heads”.

Spencer goes over to talk to Tobey to tell him she can’t tell him anything yet but she is close. She gets in the truck with him to say that of course and they kiss. Ahhh he had to have known she wasn’t trying to get rid of him for good at least.

Hannah runs into Caleb outside working on his laptop trying to get the information from the phone. They chat for a few moments about the phone and trust then Hannah sees Lucas walking by. She calls him over but he just looks like he is up to something to me. Well he always has that look really. She verifies their later appointment to help her with homework then he is off again.

Back at Tobey’s, Garrett drives up, gets out of the car then goes to the door but he talking to Jenna on the phone. She won’t let him in and they are arguing.

In the truck, Tobey tells Spencer the arguing started last night when Jenna left Garrett outside then shut the door in his face. Tobey thinks its because Jenna is afraid of the eye operation but on the phone call we can hear Garrett. Garrett says that bringing someone in to help them was a bad idea; her idea. It’s obviously she has hung up when he yells, “Damn it,” he looks toward Tobey who is sitting not far away in the truck, though Spencer hides. Garrett looks surprised to see him there but its doubtful if he saw Spencer.

After the break, there is a scene with Ella in after school room with Emily. Ella tries to be harsh with her but in the end she gives in to letting Emily finish the test on Monday. Emily is about to leave when she tells Ella that Aria is the same person she has always been, someone Ella can be proud of nothing has changed. Ella looks thoughtful; does she really doubt it? I think she just wants to know everything about everyone but as a mother maybe that is good; she seems to take it into overkill though. She tends to know too much too late because she can’t see the people in her life for the clouds in her head.

Elsewhere on campus Aria is using Hannah’s phone to call Ezra just in case Byron decides to snoop in her phone bill at a later date. It’s pretty sad to see her sneaking to call him when she feels so in Love.

Spencer meets up with Emily in the hallway hoping to find a partner in crime to go snooping at Jason’s but its Emily’s first day working at the Crises Hotline. Okay I gotta say I thought those volunteers where you know really devoted to the cause, not people who are being made to work there because of community service. Of all the people I would want to talk to if I needed help it WOULD NOT include someone who HAS to be there I would want a trained professional who has a Heart for those in Need. Am I the only one?

Emily suggests she ask Hannah because she could offer some time at the Lake House as compensation. Spencer doesn’t understand why Hannah would want to go to the Lake House then Emily spills the beans about Caleb and Hannah having already spent time there making out on the sofa, oopsie. “That was my Nana’s couch,” Emily says as though she might throw up after Emily is gone.

Later at Hannah’s she is trying to study while Lucas is spacing out on her but to Hannah’s surprise she gets and unexpected offer on text from Spencer. Spencer will let her use the Lake house though I guess she doesn’t say why but Hannah is all gung ho to get it. She has an idea about having Caleb a birthday party at the lake house. She asks Lucas to help her because she sees him as being like Caleb’s best friend. Lucas looks like he might say no.

At the Crises Hotline center Emily is in orientation. The manager lady says that Emily looks overwhelmed though I have no idea why she would. We know Emily as an outgoing young lady, an athlete, a friend to the friendless so why so nervous? I don’t get it. Anyway the lady gives her the chance to be the first to role play. She hands her a sheet with a call that came in the night before, okay wait. I dont’ think they would use a CALL that was real to do role play. They would use a pretend situation, that I am almost certain about. I mean really what if someone’s lets say spouse came into work and they happen to give out the information she needs to take him to court? Really anything like that could happen considering their volunteer pool. I guess desperate times call for desperate measures?

OH well so she gives Emily the sheet to read and begins with Emily as the Hotline person and the trainer lady is the caller from last night. They begin to read and all goes fairly well until Emily realizes this very caller was the person they chased the night before; A or his/hers helper. Emily is then distracted which as a counselor the lady should have took to mean something was up, of course she did not. Who knows the trainer maybe there for community service too LOL.

Byron is such a freak, I just gotta say it. Him going over to Ezra’s and making it seem like he was like a father figure to Aria is all kinds of wrong. He is trying too hard to make it seem like he is the model father when he is just a bad dad its weird. Ezra was not a father to Aria he was a friend and a lover that is it. He never tried to advise her and it’s not like that right? People who use guilt I don’t know, they seem like the worse kind of people to me. Its like the whole pointing a figure at you and four fingers point back at me thing, watch out. I wonder if Byron is already cheating again, once a cheater always a cheater.

Ezra even tells him when he found out Aria was his student he left the school; what more could he do he loved her? Its Ageism baby, you know they are what maybe three years apart….age is such an issue in Western Society, it’s not good. What young men eighteen years old can’t have girlfriends that are seventeen if their parents don’t agree……its just so wrong. Then Byron threatens to bring in the police, the threat of a desperate man for sure because he got all upset that it looked like the bed in Ezra’s apartment had been rolled around in recently maybe Byron, you just gotta dirty mind? Ugh.

After the break, Hannah meets up with Noel and Mona in the hall. I hope her day was at least going well until then LOL. These two always look freshly sexed or is that just me LOL. They inquire about their invites to Caleb’s party being lost in the mail. They want to come so badly and Hannah basically says okay.

Down the hall a few minutes later Hannah meets up with the others as the peruse the hotline sheet Emily so easily brought home with her the night before. I don’t know why she couldn’t have just told them about it unless they think she is a liar LOL. She wants one of the others to work with her at the hotline center you know in case A calls back. Um last episode they had better ways to get A’s attention this idea is all kinds of lame.

A few moments later Caleb shows up at the nearest room asking to see them, oh how convenient. Inside the random classroom Caleb admits to finally cracking open one of the files. Unluckily for them all they got was pictures of the Chuckie dolls they received previously. Thanks for nothing Caleb LOL basically but do we know for sure that is all he got? Caleb who was in Cali for a while supposedly; yeah I like Caleb too but who can we really trust on this show? Going with a Caleb theory maybe he was supposed to find out how the others reacted to his find of the photographs though that hardly seems worth it hmm. Anyway he asks Hannah after the other bail why everyone is not looking him in the eyes. She changes the subject of course to his birthday though he still thinks her not spilling the information on the phone is an issue. It’s nothing a Kiss can’t solve though, Smoochie away.

Back at the Montgomery’s Ella finally says something that makes sense, “we raised Aria to be independent and open minded so we don’t get to be shocked that it is NOW who she is,” finally a statement I can get behind. Is there hope or Ella?

Hannah stops by Ezra’s office at Hollis after getting Caleb’s cake, to tell him that she is on Team Ezria 🙂 Ezra doesn’t look real happy when she leaves though.

At the hotline center a call comes in that the counselor wants Em and Spencer to listen to as a training call. Yes of course its A’s helper again but this time we clearly hear its Lucas, man. That dirty dog Lucas, it sounds like he is in A’s debt somehow. Hmmm Emily figures it out and then we are at a break.

After the break, Spencer and Emily are at Hannah’s trying to convince her that it was Lucas on the phone that called about doing something desperate he didn’t want to do. They give her many reasons as to why it is Lucas but she refuses to listen to any of them. She wants to hear it herself but they do not have the recording of course.

Aria takes a chance to call Ezra only for him to tell her not to call any more. Man, that sucks that Byron scared him like he did. Come on Ezra man, get back that backbone you had last week. Did he really think it was going to be easy? *shakes head* I guess he isn’t good with adversity. Aria looks heartbroken and unfortunately Lucy Hale may not be a pretty CrYer, Yikes.

Garrett the poor sucker, shows up at Tobey’s house in time to see her leaving in a limo for Boston; to get her eye surgery. Can I ask why a limo? Is she a test subject? Did she need perks to say yes? What?

Garrett whines to Tobey who is standing outside, that Jenna turned on him one day. He says all he ever did for her was everything she ever asked him too. SUCKA!! Tobey tells him that Jenna is a user. Blah Blah hmmm Garrett is looking kinda cute here I had to get another picture of him; very distracting. Oh he told Tobey that Jenna is a strong woman because she had to learn to do things again after being blinded or something like that LOL. Tobey says I never questioned her strength just how she uses it, hmm yep Tobey knows her. He also tells Garrett Jenna found some new friends, I wonder if they happen to be Mona and Noel? Garrett says he is in love with Jenna, that has gotta hurt, that she went off without talking to him again. The bean head says he is going to keep proving his love to her. Is this a tiny town there has to be like more girls/ladies in town for Garrett to crush on LOL.

At the lake house Spencer is with Hannah getting ready to decorate. They have arrived in the attic to look around before the door bell rings with the food or so they think. Spencer is left alone in the attic where she finds something that leads her to believe that A has been up in her house. Now do we remember that Hannah and Caleb were at the house before also, lets keep that in our heads for a while to marinate.

Spencer hears noises behind her then Lucas comes walking around the corner looking for tools or so he says. Spencer acts like she is afraid to be near him before she runs back down the stairs.

Meanwhile across town the Montgomery’s except Mike are in search of a place to dine. The arrive at their favorite restaurant to find that Ezra is there. There is an awkward moment where Aria stares at him while he stares back through the window as he sits with his book and food on the table. Then they go on their way because Byron doesn’t want to go inside after seeing Ezra is present. It’s kinda funny but in a way it would have been better for them to face the fact that he still lives in the same town.

Back at the hotline center Emily goes by to return the page she took only to be asked to work a call. The center is not staffed except for the one lady who in reality should not be handling it alone. I would think that goes against some type of confidentiality clause in its self but then again those places are the ones that keep you on hold when you call about wanting to commit suicide right, I know not funny. Anywho, Emily’s caller is of course Lucas. He is on the phone with her when Hannah calls his name, totally blowing his cover if he had a cover LOL. He was telling Emily how tonight he had to do something to someone who would change his life forever. Translation: I gotta kill Hannah but I Wuvs her so much but A says she has to die. Emily hangs up the phone and leaves the center.

Back in downtown Rosewood the Montgomery’s who have lived their all their lives are still wondering around like tourists, good grief. They happen to run into a random dude and his son who also like them have returned from an extended trip away from Rosewood. I guess its Portugal since the goofy father asks his son, Holden to speak it for them like a trained monkey, boring. Ella of course invites them over for dinner next week because you know it’s a normal thing to do. Ella is all about normal aka boring, no drama life.

At the party, the pizza is not what Hannah ordered, the banners aren’t up and Caleb is coming to his own surprise party early. You know if its a surprise Hannah then to him it’s not early its just Arriving. Noel volunteers to go put up the banner and leave his sweetie Mona, I know that because he kisses Mona on the head, eww. Spencer runs over to finally show Hannah why she thinks A has been in the Lake house she says that the dolls were up in the attic,oh that was the connection. Gotcha so Spencer thinks that the Lake house could be A’s headquarters. Hmmm now that is an interesting thing to consider. Hannah is busy stressing over the party and doesn’t want to hear it though today.

First person Emily sees when she arrives at the party is Lucas staring at the cake that Hannah got for Caleb. Emily gives away that she was the one on the hotline by telling Lucas to not do something he is going to regret before she walks away. Lucas looks spooked.

Inside the party Spencer sees Emily. Emily tells her she thinks she made things worse with Lucas because of the hot line knowledge. They find out minutes later from Mona that Hannah is with Lucas going to set the fireworks up across the lake. That look out the window to see the other two in the boat already.

Now while there is a break I have to say the whole boat scene is lacking to me. There is no reveal of any sort and it seems slow considering all the potential and importance in the episode plus promos for that very moment.

After the break, there is no real conversation in the boat I suppose because of the build up to the scene its tension or supposed to be tension. Hannah starts rambling then kinda freaking out when Lucas stops the boat he just looks constipated or mad or something. Then he says it’s all so hard to do this but WHAT? he isn’t doing anything including NOT rowing the boat. He gets up then grabs the box of fireworks to throw out of the boat and Hannah knocks him out of the boat with the oar. Now in reality he didn’t try to hurt her the only fear was from herself and her friends that were calling out her name and YES the build up to this moment. Poor Lucas, maybe they could have talked it out if they had TALKED.

This brings for a point, well to my mind. What if this is all a game? The whole A thing is just A getting in their heads and making them do things by using fear which leads to other things ?

Hannah who seemed so helpless moments before is suddenly rowing herself back at warp speed well kinda fast. The other two are looking into the fog trying to find her but do not know what to do. Out in the lake, the oars get stuck and while trying to fix them Hannah falls in the lake.

Over at Aria’s she is leaving a message for Ezra when she gets a knock on the door from Ella. She lies to her telling her she was just talking to Holden, the random kid from downtown. She called him according to Aria because they want to go out some time. Hmmm liar liar Aria. So maybe Holden will be Ezra’s code name for a while if Holden will go along with it we will see.

A while later Hannah surfaces from the lake, with the others from the party gathered around wandering what is happening. Mona with Noel look all wet; I bet they had some fun skinny dipping somewhere or Not, hmmm.

A very dry Caleb finally arrives, “Hannah what’s going on?” he asks.

Everyone looks up when the boat comes floating in a few minutes later LOL

The last scene is of someone pulling Lucas’ tennis shoe from the water, the person is in the every present black hoodie.

Wow, not sure what to say I like most of it I give it a hearty 7 on the scale.

What did you all think? Please leave comments.