PLL – Season 3 Episode 5 Recap The Episode That Should NOT Have Been

On first viewing of this episode it seemed lacking and almost hard to watch. I watched again and it made more sense but still somehow its off, let me know what you think of it in the comments.

On with the recap, this week we begin with only three of the liars, Aria, Spencer and Em chatting about what’s going on with Hanna. They haven’t seen Hanna in days because of her break-up with Caleb she has been out of the loop at least as far as hanging out with them. Aria feels bad because she was the one that recommended Hanna just tell Caleb the truth; really that hardly matters since Hanna didn’t tell him anyway, right?

The are standing outside recapping all the reasons they could get arrested and they wonder why Darren mentioned the lake house to Spencer last week when they see Garrett’s mother being taken from her home in a stretcher. The others are watching the Reynolds house but Aria notices an A candidate in a hoodie also watching; she tells the others but when they look the hoodied person is of course gone. Spencer speculates that A wanted Mrs. Reynolds out of the house for a reason, a mysterious reason.

Cue Creepy theme music

I gotta stop here and say I was not convinced that the Liars were meaning what they were saying in this first part especially Troian’s(Spencer’s) line about “maybe A wanted them out of the house.” It just wasn’t heart-felt, it wasn’t intense, or frightened or concerned or emotional it was just her saying a LINE!!! Now I love this show and the actresses are quite good but again this episode was lacking and it started from the beginning.

Moving on, the next morning Aria is all dressed up her pink dress with black tee-shirt and it looks kinda cute/cool. She has bought her beau a couple of sandwiches, veggies and a side of pickles but he doesn’t take it in the vein it was given. You know guys always want to be in charge and in control, he didn’t appreciate her thoughtfulness properly. She will learn that to baby a guy is to walk on shaky grown.

They are getting in the car and Aria sees Lucas trying to get in to the photography studio not far away. He seems angry. He bangs on the windows as he yells that he wants his stuff back. Aria gets in the car with Ezra then they drive away.

At school Em sees Paige as she tries to ignore her, we see that part Em doesn’t. Em calls out her name and Paige stops. Okay I like Paige’s new longer hair but I still do not want her with Em in any way shape or form, Long Live EMAYA!!!

Emily invites her to see the New Katy Perry movie, she calls Katy miss FireWorks. Okay I had to look up the reference, it seems Fireworks is a song that Katy Perry sings, okay good to know. Anyway, Paige agrees to go to the movie despite Em admitting she had planned to go with Hanna, um insulting in a way, that she would even mention that part. I guess Em wants to make sure that Paige realizes is a friend thing not a girl friend thing and I can appreciate that LOL.

They turn around to find everyone hovering around Jenna who can suddenly see, you know admitting to being able to see really. Em looks angrily in Jenna’s direction but Paige thinks it great that it all worked out for Jenna. Yeah we know the back story Paige is just a drone LOL no idea about what lies beneath Jenna’s smile.

Paige leaves the area and Jenna dares to look in Em’s direction; Em glares back angrily.

Over at the Marin’s, Hanna is still home because she doesn’t feel well, or because she is depressed about Caleb, who’s to say right LOL Ashley is concerned for her and mentions maybe things will turn around. Hanna insists that its over besides Caleb won’t text her back.

You know I was thinking if Caleb has the brain like Tobey he would make some inquiries of his own and find more about A. At least Tobey went to Dr. Sullivan for help or she came to him not sure how that worked, but he did seek outside sources for information on a way to get back with Spencer.

Oh and another thing how is it that Hanna doesn’t just go over to talk to Caleb? Really? How hard is it to get off of her BUTT and make a trip over for a face to face explanation or confrontation to explain more of why she can’t explain?? Yeah I know it seems like nonsense but if she is really wanting him she will do more than try to TEXT him!! YEAH I said it.

So bottom line, Ashley insists that Hanna go to school and she signed her up to work at the church on some project the next day sorting clothes for a rummage. Hanna isn’t happy about that as you might guess.

Hanna pretends to leave home, then Ashley goes out the front door, then Hanna comes inside again, yeah Ashley she is sneaky that way LOL.

Back at school Spencer tells Em about Aria seeing Lucas trying to get into the photography studio. Spence speculates that maybe he has photographs of them at the graveyard that night, you know the ones that were put all over and in Spencer’s car that first episode, the overKILL photo incident!!!

They also discuss Jenna and her coming out as a seeing person, Em wants to go and take her down/or out LOL she is livid. Spencer stops Em before she leaves for Calculus to tell her Garrett is getting out of jail long enough to go see his sick Mommy at the hospital. It’s called compassionate furrow, Em calls it a get of jail free card LOL. Spencer speculates again that maybe A put Mrs. Reynolds in the hospital to get Garrett out of jail so he can meet up with this A.

Jenna comes over to them to give them invites to her birthday the next night. She insists the NEW DEAL is she feels better being able to protect herself, basically she doesn’t want them having anything on her. Hmm seems like waiting to get her back is not going to work after all. I kinda was afraid that putting off retribution was a bad idea but hmmm maybe it bite Jenna in the butt soon.

After the break, we see what a douche Em’s boss is after all. He tells her she has to work the party the next night despite her having the night off as well as already having plans. The party she has to work is Jenna’s party the same one she is invited to attend. I gotta wonder is Em is the only Employee LOL.

Em sees Jenna talking to a woman who turns out to be the photographer, hmmm the same one whose location Lucas was banging on earlier, her name is Laurel Tuckman. She is a hippy like red-head with curly hair and supposedly has that artsy absentmindedness about her that I’m not buying.

Laurel tells Jenna after Em pours them coffee, that her assistant was stealing supplies from her and now wants the negatives but until he pays back what he owes she isn’t giving him back his stuff. Yep the assistant was Lucas. Em hears it all as she stands back closing the curtain for their privacy and protect lying Jenna’s eyes, yes right, Jenna who has been seeing for what a year already.

Nat walks in the coffee shop, acting all indignant about them letting Garrett out. I want to know how he has that news when Spencer knew of it from her snooping around her mother’s stuff?!! Whatever, I still believe that Nat killed/stalked Maya, I guess I am the only one that finds his presence in Rosewood suspect.

Em stops him mid rant to remind him that Garrett isn’t going free but only out to see his sick mother who might be dying. She also insists she has to get back to work but suggests he hang out for a bit. She walks away then suddenly he is eyeing Jenna like he knows her already OR wants to know her biblically real soon!! Jenna looks at him also like she might know him, its weird to be honest.

Now on second glance it almost seems like just by the look Jenna knows something about Nat that he would prefer that NO ONE knew, again he is not trustworthy folks just like Jenna is NOT!! Okay well if he is innocent then maybe he was just embarrassed to see he was being watched during his outburst, ok maybe but since I think him guilty I will keep my version in mind till its proven wrong LOL

At Spencer’s Aria rants about how unappreciative Ezra was about the sandwiches. Spencer reminds her that he is her boyfriend and not a baby squirrel, HUH? How many squirrels eat huge sandwiches? I really don’t get the comparison but you know why? It’ only makes sense when she makes another comment its coming and still just makes the whole squirrel comment more out of character 😦 Spencer adds, “every time you baby squirrel Ezra you are taking away his nuts.” REAlly because Squirrel’s eat nuts where as men you know have them on their body so really it’s all kinds of wrong/inappropriate/weird for her to say. Here is another example of this episode being OFF.

Spencer says she didn’t think she meant to say what she said about nuts but then Ezra calls Aria and Spencer asks, “did he find his nuts?” It’s a weak attempt at a joke that not only made NO sense but NEVER HIT The floor WRITERS!!! I get the feeling this was a filler episode that should have been left on the cutting room floor, what they pulled out of the deleted episodes pile?

I was distracted in this scene it’s where I realize the pink outfit was actually a dress and not two pieces LOL still cute. Anyway, Ezra texted that Jenna also invited him to the birthday party. How strange?

Aria asked Spencer how she can work on a paper during all the drama, this is funny because Spencer says she is breaking into her mothers email trying to find out when Garrett gets out. She wants to know so she can be inside the hospital waiting.

At the Fields house Paige is over with Em on the phone making sure that the movie tickets will be good next week since Em has to work the next night at the party. Em has her help with the outfit she has to wear to the party, its white long sleeve shirt with a tie. WE all know what Paige wants so I think Em should be careful about hanging around with her in dimly lit rooms like at her house.

They give up on trying to get the clip on tie to work so they look for the real tie that Em wore once to a costume party. Paige finds Em’s flask, Em has a flashback of the night she last used it in the season premiere. She gives the flask to Paige because she has given up drinking, interesting she also gives over the contents EWWW. If someone gave me a flask I would clean it out first inside and out or well with me I would not even use it just have as a souvenir LOL.

Meanwhile Laurel leaves Jenna at the coffee-house and Jenna takes time to flirt with Nat. Okay I totally get it now, Jenna’s knows what Nat has done because all that time she was pretending to be blind she saw a lot of things that no one knows about YET. She is so impressed with his drawing skills that she asks him to paint her some day, the nerves of that girl LOL.

Hanna arrives at Spencer’s still in her sweats, oh the ones she wore to school, well would have worn to school has she decided to go LOL. It’s a big joke because Hanna is always dressed to the NINES LOL its the best joke of the episode to be sure, yeah it’s not a good thing in this case.

Another look at that dress LOL

Hanna tells Spencer she is too depressed to work a zipper get over the outfit LOL yeah really though it is worth noting LOL. Aria also mentions it after she get off the phone with the news that Em has to work the party, poor Em. Aria also gives the DETS on the whole Laurel/Lucas fiasco.

They discuss the party, Lucas, Jenna, Garrett and why the big party. Spencer suggests its all about somehow exposing them but have they met JENNA? Jenna is all about Jenna. Here is another spot where them being the center of Rosewood life is in OVER Drive, nope not buying it. It’s too much everyone out to get us before it was A and they were getting texts and stuff but now a monster is behind everyone’s motive?? Yeah I know they are getting a handle on the NEW A but they totally looking all over the place. Come on ladies focus on one clue at a time, Lucas okay, let’s do that, Jenna said she wants control of her life so follow her lead and do that for yourselves. Less Fear, more organization.

Hanna has to work the rummage the next night but Aria wants to go to the party with Ezra, I think this is interesting considering their situation. Yeah he is no longer teaching at the high school but are they really coming out at a birthday party with everyone she knows? Hey I am all for it but hmm all the hiding it is suddenly a MOOT point, right? But should it be? I guess she turned eighteen over the summer because otherwise it would still be a big deal NO, yeah I am lost on that situation.

After the break, Hanna is at the rummage working while Ashley is chatting up one of the coordinators, Ted. Blah Blah Blah, he offers her a cookie she take is then decide volunteer work isn’t so bad after all or something like that.

Moving on, Aria who is dressed for the party is at Ezra’s house rubbing his lime, no that’s not dirty is just the only thing in its fridge and its growing fuzz LOL EWWW. It’s cute and gross at the same time.

Aria lies to Ezra about why she wants to go to the party, we know it’s because she wants a way to investigate the photography studio because Laurel will be there but she tells Ezra she wants to make amends with Jenna by going with him. He is feeling happy for her change of heart about Jenna so much that he gives her the gift he had planned to give her later, it’s an old camera, you know vintage. Ahh he gets a kissy poo for it!!

Over at the hospital, Spencer is watching Garrett as he chooses flowers then writes a note for his mother. She is on the phone with Em who is working at the coffee shop/diner. Spencer turns around and runs into Darren. He tells her that he gets why she hates Garrett but that she needs to let him do his job. She comes back with “what they have two guards with Garrett but they still send you” LOL, wow no respect in his own town LOL. Spencer says she is at the hospital to get results from her field hockey physical but Darren insists, “you used to be a better liar.” WOW pretty bold words, so basically he is letting her go as far as she can before she breaks that rope he has on her neck, you know how you are given enough rope to hang yourself with, yeah that is what it seems he is saying.

Over at the Kentucky Derby hat birthday party, hereby renamed the Tacky Hat Ball, things are in full swing. Yeah Jenna is all smiles, hugs and posed photos for her guests. I guess she is glad to not have to wear those dark glasses anymore.

Paige arrives wearing a knit cap which looks all kind of out-of-place at the fancy party. Yeah my view of her is colored by my desire for her to not exist in the show but oh well maybe she can change my mind. It won’t be in this episode I guarantee though LOL.

Anywho, Em sees her on her arrival of course as well they chat for a moment and I am all kinds of disappointed that Em was happy to see her. See picture above. So maybe Em will convince me to like Paige though I am not sure if that will even work.

Em loses her smile after seeing Nat walk in, I think she believes he has come to stalk her LOL. Em goes off leaving Paige alone to mingle.

Back at the rummage Hanna finds something that does not belong. She puts it in her bag and Ted sees. He of course thinks she is stealing but Hanna gives him money right away with little pause. He goes off to get her change as she calls Em to tell her the grey jacket from the first episode arrived in a donation box.

After the break, Em finds out from Nat that he was invited to the party from the birthday girl herself. Nat finds Jenna intriguing but Em tries to warn him away from her though she can’t explain. Suddenly Paige is watching them like a jealous boyfriend, you know she has that way about her like not comfortable with herself always looking from the outside in at people. I guess it’s why I am not for being with Em. So Em excuses herself from Nat because she is supposed to be working and she tell him it’s because the food will dry out. He asks what it is on the tray and she says, “dried out.” WHAT?? again it makes no sense. Why bother to have a LINE like that *shakes head* The episode seems all over the place. Next we see Paige pouring whatever is in Em’s flask into her glass, just another sign of her insecurity.

Aria arrives with Ezra and the hostess rushes right over, she stares because she is getting used to blending faces with the voices she has always heard LOL what she was blind a year and a half? She knew these people before.

Aria goes over to chat with Laurel where she finds out that the camera Ezra gave her is expensive. We learn this tidbit from Laurel who has to rush off because she is working solo. Laurel tells her as we heard EARLIER she is keeping her old assistants stuff till he pays her what he owes her. Repetitive much, writers??

We could have learned this stuff at this MOMENT instead of earlier at the coffee shop??????? However then Aria would have no need to lie to get Ezra to come to the party so that was the real reason, UGH!!

She also offers Aria the job as her assistant which is cool because Aria needs to work LOL. I know just my imput LOL.

Drama queen Paige wonders back into the area where Em is working and gets bent out of shape after Aria arrives and Em wants to know what Aria needs though she has told Paige she should not be there where she is working. Seriously Paige has issues without drinking. Aria pours tea on the extra memory cards that belong to Laurel because she wants to get into the studio that night to take a look in Lucas’ bag.

One of the better parts of the episode is when Cutie Pie Tobey arrives as Spencer’s all ready for a make out session. Spencer has just gotten home from the hospital. Toby left the loft/coffee shop because Jenna’s party was being held at the same place, poor Tobey. He doesn’t care if his parent’s are upset the only party involving Jenna he will attend is one where she is leaving town, so he says, in agreement with Spencer’s offer to give said party LOL.

GRATUITOUS TOBEY PICTURE

They go on to discuss how Jenna fooled the parents by saying over the summer she gradually back her eyesight but didn’t want to say in case it went away again. Spencer says that its hard to believe only she and Tobey knew Jenna was lying. Hmmm I wonder when Spencer’s lies will come back to haunt her since the girls also know. I don’t think Tobey will take her lying to him as a good situation at all. She also says that its odd the most honest person she knows is related, though not by birth, to the most intense liar she knows. We all know that Spencer can lie with the best of them LOL. Tobey just wants to Kiss it out no more talking, You go ABS Tobey.

Back at the party, Paige is still drinking out of the flask, at least she is pouring it in a glass though who knows what’s in the punch LOL.

In an odd twist of the night, Aria keeps leaving Ezra alone even though he is only trying to get them to a dinner reservation. It’s again not cohesive, yeah I know she has plans to get in the studio but wasn’t there a better way to do it then to treat him with Such disrespect?? She lies about wanting to stay around to not be rude to Jenna and of wanting cake. Seriously it would serve her right if he broke up with her over her strange lying behavior. She needs to step back, look at what she is doing and tell him the truth or let him go. I just feel that way this episode, my feeling might change LOL.

Nat is flirting with Jenna, when Jenna notices Paige digging her dirty paws in the cupcakes and spitting it back out; so gross. Who does that?
Jenna confronts her and Paige says some weird crap about looking for a coconut cupcake, who makes coconut cupcakes? More of the same strangeness this episode is made of. Of all the reasons she could have had for being weird, wait of all the things she could have done even………I don’t know it was just OFF!! Seriously I refused to even get a screen cap of that.

Em walks up to try to break the tension but Paige says that she is fine but the cupcakes taste like old panties or pennies or something most people don’t eat……..again just weird.

She walks away twirls around and runs into the decor and hits her head on the floor I guess because she is bleeding. Nat comes up behind Paige to help Emily get her out of the party. It’s obvious he smells the alcohol or assumes it liquor related.

After the break, Em is with Nat at the hospital but on the arrival of Hanna she sends him off to get them coffee. Hanna gives her back the jacket from the rummage. Yes it is Em’s from the night of the first episode. They ponder how it got to the church, the last time she saw the jacket, if Jenna was the only person she saw that night and then a text comes in for Hanna; its her mother wondering why she isn’t at the church.

Nat comes back with coffee but Em sees Darren then texts someone as Nat just stands waiting. This guy is really bored I guess with no other friends in town LOL OR maybe he is gathering intel for Jenna LOL.

Back at the Tacky Hat Ball, Aria is ignoring Ezra again, I find this quite rude. Ezra follows her to the kitchen to see what is going on after she rushed in looking for Em only to find the boss.

Aria makes Ezra think she is keeping him at the party to avoid him spending more money; then he confesses that he got the job from the earlier interview. The dinner was to be a celebration.
Laurel walks in to find her memory cards are all wet then sends Aria to get new ones just like Aria had hoped. Aria gets a kiss and Ezra feels better as she runs off on her errand, he is to call to have them hold the reservations.

At the photography studio Aria grabs three rolls of film from Lucas bag and I assume she got the memory cards LOL. She is outside when Lucas is suddenly in front of her looking wild-eyed. He wants to get in the studio but she tells him she can’t let him in. HE looks panicked but Ezra drives up then Lucas runs away like a scared rabbit.

Spencer shows up at the hospital in response to Em’s text. She wants to go up to see what was on the card that Garrett wrote to his mother. Nat who is just hanging around goes after Garrett as he sees him on the elevator; they have to keep him back from hitting him. Spencer uses the moment to go up to the room.

After the break, Paige finally comes out to see Em is waiting. She doesn’t even apologize for ruining the party or for having Em at the hospital when she should be working. Yes, very selfish of her. Anyway it turns out that she has some sleeping pills in her system it wasn’t the alcohol that made her unstable enough to fall and hit her head. Em looks strangely at her after she gives her back the flask. I hope she doesn’t think its her fault, the girl took the flask and drank from it, Mazel Tov.

Now in the hospital room it seems the note that Garrett left in the flowers is a thank you not to his Mommy but eagle eye Spencer finds another note tucked in Mrs. Reynolds arm band, it says April Rose has the proof. I totally think that Garrett left that for Spencer, he knows she won’t give up. I kinda like he might be helping her.

That night Aria talks with Em while Ezra takes a shower alone, okay I am going to leave that alone. Anywho, they discuss the night and Aria finally has to review the film from Lucas’ bag. Meanwhile Em is researching the drug that was in Paige’s system, we all know it came from Em’s flask, oopsie. It’s a sleeping pill that causes first and most importantly memory loss Yep, someone Ruffied Em. Turns out Lucas has been holding on to the same pills, according to Em’s search, that could have done the dirty deed on her. “You were totally screwed with,” Aria says to her, they wonder why the rest of us weren’t drugged.”

Last scene is the A going through what can only be Maya’s bag, it contains all kinds of personal items including a picture of Em, a bus schedule, Maya’s weed stash in an old androids container and a prescription bottle though I can’t see what it’s for I bet is the mystery drug.

My updated theory on Nat is that he was rejected by Maya, stalked her, killed her and is now becoming fixated on Em, who, in his mind may be why Maya died even though he did the deed he just wanted Maya to himself. I get the feeling he knew Maya from childhood and used to hang with her and the cousins, her real cousins, just my guess folks.

Interesting episode, Please leave YOUR theories and thoughts.

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What we learned this episode:
1. Jenna likes having control of her own destiny
2. Spencer knows more about Nuts/Squirrels then she ought to know
3. Paige doesn’t mind drinking booze out of an old flask that belonged to someone else
4. Ashely doesn’t mind sharing cookies with strange men who dig through old clothes without washing their hands.
5. Darren has his eye on Spencer
6. Paige knows too much about old panties or pennies anyway she needs a new hobby
7. No good comes from sharing a flask
8. Your enemies can sometimes surprise you