Pretty Little Liars: THE GOODBYE LOOK (S02E02)

"THE GOODBYE LOOK"

Season 02 Episode 02

Originally Aired: June 21, 2011
(All screencaps courtesy of ABCFamily.)

A bit of recapping and a whole lot of opinions (told in show order)...

We start out with a reminder that the girls are the world's worst evidence hoarders. They had every incriminating video of Ian on Emily's laptop, which she left sitting on her desk, while a realtor was traipsing in and out with strangers. Of course, A took a peek at the house and hard drive: DELETED. I hope A hired actors to play his/her family for authenticity.

Hanna's dad is coming for a visit after seeing a story about the girls in the newspaper. Her mom tells her over coffee in their kitchen, where 99% of their relationship takes place.

Spencer is suspicious of her sister, so she offers to stay home from school to ANSWER HER PHONE AND TAKE MESSAGES. Um, be a little less weird! Sister is pregnant, sad & staring at her ultrasound picture on the couch, so maybe offer to hang out with her, make her food, clean up. Screening her calls could happen, but suggesting it as THE REASON to stay home is just plain awkward. Spencer's obviously lacking in the Veronica Mars genes.

The girls head to school after having been instructed to stay away from each other. Lunch period starts and they get in line together. They very slowly select their food while very much looking like they're TALKING and HANGING OUT, then go their separate ways at the tables, which Hanna thinks is total bullshit. Also, who is in charge of making sure they're not spending time together? Because I doubt the school really gives a crap... I think they spent more time all together in this episode than normal.

Also, Mr. Fitz's last day at the school is coming up. Mona asked Aria for help picking out a going away present for Mr. Fitz. DOES SHE KNOW?! More importantly, DO WE CARE?

Oh, hey, Toby. Still creepy I see. Spencer doesn't seem to mind. Off to work construction and get your GED? I bet Spencer's uptight mom loves you even without the trouble with the law from before. This town is full of haters, you say? Better leave! Except you can't leave Spencer, your VERY SERIOUS GIRLFRIEND. Wait, have you ever actually put the moves on her? Because your relationship talk feels way more significant than any actual relationship that may or may not be taking place.

Emily swims and gets scouted my fictional-U. Samara is at the swim meet. Wait. WHO IS SAMARA? I guess I blocked her out. I have no idea who this person is, but I guess she's a lesbian and asking Em out on a date. Ooooooh! Girlfriend gets a lot of action! Sort of. The boring kind, at least.

Back to Spencer's House. Or Barn? I can never remember which kitchen tile is in which kitchen, so I usually have no idea if we're in the main house or the barn. Spencer is plating faux-homemade brownies to take to Jason, Alison's brother, because he just moved back into the house down the street. DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNN. She asks Sister about his relationship with Ian. Sister clams up, refuses to provide any information. Something's fishy.

Hanna's dad reports for semi-annual parenting duty. Hanna's mad. Parents flirt. Snooze.

Emily's mom asks her if she's been over in her "dad's side of the garage" and moved the camping gear. First, DAD'S SIDE OF THE GARAGE?! What is that? How are the quadrants marked? Second, um, no. Emily hasn't been doing any secret-camping (or GLAMPING!), but apparently there have been break ins around the 'hood and someone must be camping out in the woods and too cheap to buy their own supplies.

So, Alison's brother, Jason. I feel like I've never seen this guy before in my life. Oh, right... I haven't. It's a re-cast! (Now I can stop feeling crazy.) He's weird. And creepy. And suspicious. Has bad hair. I know nothing else about him, except that he's mean to dogs who try to dig up whatever he has buried in his front yard. WHAT IS IT?!

Flashback! Jason is mad at Alison for stealing stuff from his room. She LAUGHS. Is a total B. Probably buried stuff in the yard. Other girls are like robots under Alison's command. They're better off without her.

The next afternoon, Spencer swings by Toby's first construction site and watches from a distance. That's not weird or boring at all. She's there to witness Toby being let go during his first shift. Homeowners didn't want him at their house. Oh, THIS TOWN!

Aria is at Ezra's apartment waiting to talk about how his leaving her high school AS A TEACHER will change their relationship. She seems to think it's a bad thing. Ezra is over at newjob-U being forced to hang out with old people in suits. He didn't know they talked in PARAGRAPHS, Aria! He thought SENTENCES! Just wait, OKAY.

Emily tells her mom about the scout from fictional-U. She says they could maybe stay in Rosewood if Emily can get a commitment from the school. She's a junior. Good luck with that.

Aria is still waiting for Ezra. She calls Spencer, THE MASTER OF TIME (what?), who doesn't tell her if she should leave or stay, because she decides to manage her time by ditching Aria for Toby. Cut to montage of Aria waiting all over Ezra's apartment. She looks really bored. Oh, hey, look at that old typewriter! And, hmm, that place is tiny, but seems like a nice place to hang... Aria isn't nearly as interested in looking at his stuff as I am.

Hanna's in the kitchen. Ignores Mona's phone call. Dad does 5 minutes of daily parenting he's planned for during his stay. Hanna leaves.

Meanwhile, Aria is tired of waiting for Ezra and leaves a note for him IN HIS TYPEWRITER. "Sorry we couldn't make this work. -Aria" Whaaaaaaat?! She's done?

Emily is on a movie date with Samara. She remembers going to that movie theater with Maya, exact seats by the looks of it, and is sad. Way too much FEELINGS TALK for a first date. Stop bringing up ex-girlfriends!

Hanna finds Mona at a restaurant and forgives her. Mona spends the entire conversation trying to sound sad and heartfelt, while also saying LIKE as many times as humanly possible.

Toby and Spencer are hanging out somewhere dark and high up, looking down at the town. They can't just hang out at home or a cafe like normal people. And Spencer must be due at a board meeting soon, because she's wearing a business suit.

Aria swings by Spencer's for a visit, sees broken glass signaling that someone has broken in, and WALKS IN ANYWAY. It's dark, so she calls out for Spencer, you know, just in case the bad guy didn't know she was there. Hooded figure pounds down the stairs and knocks her over on the way out. And they really wanted us to know that she was KNOCKED OUT OF HER SHOE!!! because seconds of my life are wasted on a close up of it after her fall.

Spencer's home. Aria's wrist hurts. They wonder what A was up to upstairs. Then decide maybe it was SOMEONE ELSE! A person in need of camping gear... Ian! TEA KETTLE OF DOOM squeals. Girls are freaked.

Back at school. Emily asks fictional-U for an offer letter but is denied. Scout says he can give her a letter for a possible offer in the future. Duh.

It's Ezra's last day and his class gives him a goodbye present -- A BOOK HE ALREADY OWNS. Good going on that one, kids. Mr. Fitz gives a going away speech to the class, but it's really directed at Aria. Sometimes he sounds like he loves his students a little too much (and I guess he does, at least in one case). He quotes Joseph Campbell, suggesting that Aria is "the life waiting for him" that he didn't expect. Aria stares into space. Thinking.

Later, Aria runs to catch Ezra before he leaves. His desk is cleaned off. OH NO! How will she find him now?! He's going to teach at a university! Um, her dad works there, so it's obviously nearby. Also, she knows where he lives. But whatever. Dramatic pause!

He's out in the parking lot loading his car! She slow-mo runs out to stop him. They MAKE OUT in front of a school bus, right there at the school, with epic sunbeams looking on. Um, okay. I guess they're going public?

Spencer finds Sister at home on the couch. She claims she hasn't been out all day because of the rain, but Spencer sees her wet rain gear and finds the ultrasound picture in the pocket of her raincoat. HAS SHE BEEN OUT IN THE WOODS GLAMPING WITH IAN?! The girls meet up in the greenhouse and discuss while SOMEONE watches.

Alison's creepy, weird, suspicious brother, Jason, is building a fence around the house to keep people out. Aria says, "OR IN!" and I'm confused. In? Who? Are we supposed to think he's got someone locked up in there?

And the glorious ending A scene - Gloved hands pet the dog that has been digging in Jason's yard. Doesn't kill it, as feared. Did A train a dog just to annoy him?! Oh, man. CLASSIC A.

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