PRETTY LITTLE LIARS Review: Hell Hath No Fury Like a Framed Liar (Mild Spoilers)

When we last saw the Liars, they were sitting in an interrogation room at the police station, having been caught with Allison’s murder weapon. As Pretty Little Liars returns, it is a month later and Emily (Shay Mitchell) and Spencer (Troian Bellisario) are ready to kill each other. I initially thought that this episode would be told in flashbacks leading up to the rift between the friends. It sure looked as if ‘A’ had won.

After watching the new episode, “Through Many Dangers, Toils and Snares”, I get the feeling that the show is embarking on an about face, with the girls banding together and becoming more aggressive with ‘A’. About time too! By the end of this episode there is a definite turn of events when ‘A’ makes a mistake. This is so un-A-like that I’m not sure if I could trust it, but again it’s time for the girls to go on the offensive and start cutting ‘A’s’ strings.

The parents continue to aggravate me. Ella (Holly Marie Combs) and Byron (Chad Lowe) Montgomery have been epic at mishandling their children, especially in the area of trust. Of course trust can only begin building when you actually listen to your children, which these two can’t seem to do. Their stellar parenting skills come into play once again when Aria (Lucy Hale) tires to confide in them. Why can’t ‘A’ go after these people?

Tom pays a visit to Hannah (Ashley Benson) and Ashley (Laura Leighton) and drops a major bomb on them both. He’s another one who, for all his whining about wanting to patch things up with his daughter, fails royally then blames her. Complete loser. However, Ashley doesn’t help at all because she’s too spineless to stand up for her daughter, who she knows more than Tom, but who cares, right?

I love this Toby (Keegan Allen) that Spencer re-invented through her relationship with him. He is a very determined young man and is totally committed to Spencer, whether or not she wants it. If she would only let him in, he could be a great aid to the girls. Perhaps this season we will see this change.

Speaking of letting outside friends in, Caleb (Tyler Blackburn) could most definitely give the girls some pointers on tactical planning. I could see the girls once again using Caleb’s electronic skills, especially in view of the final scene in “Through Many Dangers, Toils and Snares”. I will not reveal that scene of course, but it is most certainly a game-changer. By the end of this episode I was screaming at my TV screen for the next episode. I give it a solid five gold stars.

Pretty Little Liars returns January 2, at 8/7c, on ABC Family.