Pretty Little Liars 4.23 Review: “Unbridled”

We begin this week’s episode with Spencer donning a white wedding dress running and falling in a wood with a shadowy figure. We hear a crack and are treated to a close up on Spencer’s face as we and she realize that something or someone has been caught in a trap and fade to a black screen announcing that it is now 48 hours earlier.

The Liars are discussing Ali and that Spencer now believes that Mrs. De Laurentis (Mrs.D from now on), Ali’s mother, is “A.” This is a theory that I can go with but I won’t get too comfortable because we’ve been faked out numerous times before. (How sweet it was when Ezra was fleetingly the big bad “A,” obviously I’m not smitten with Ezria) For the last few episodes, Spencer has been having flashbacks to the night that Ali supposedly died. Spencer can’t remember much of anything but by piecing together what she has gathered from various sources, she is convinced that she tried to murder Alison by whacking her with a shovel and that her parents are covering up because she under the influence of drugs at the time.

Leaving Emily and Spencer run into Jason, Ali’s brother, who is back in town after another stint in rehab. Jason speeds off but Emily later corners him and gets him to admit that his mother thinks that Spencer had it out for Ali and now she in turn has a problem with Spencer. What I want to scream at the screen is that Ali had it out for everyone. This victimizing of Ali, or at least trying to make me feel bad for her, isn’t sitting well with me. I like Ali better as the enemy that unites the girls, not the long mourned friend the girls want to protect. This little girl was a 14-year-old terror. I understand childhood adoration, but these girls have been through so much together, they have to know by now how much Ali played them and their emotions.

First “A” note of the ep found by Emily and Spencer in Spencer’s car: “You know me, Spencer. You killed me” written on a strip of pictures of Ali with her face blacked out.

Now the reason for Spencer’s wedding dress; a fashion show fundraiser thrown by Mrs. D at her house- a perfect opportunity for the Liars to sniff around the De Laurentis home for signs that Ali-is in hiding there- earlier the police stated their intention to Mrs. D of exhuming Ali’s body based on a tip that Ali is alive. The girls get in courtesy of Hannah volunteering them for dress duty since Ashley, her mom, is helping to run the event. Spencer spies Mrs. D handing over something to someone in the woods by the house and goes to investigate, which brings us to Spencer flailing about in a white dress in the woods. That crack we heard is her veil caught in a bear trap. She tears loose and makes it back to the Liars in one piece. Emily has been able to contact Ali and let her know that the police are on to her and are going to exhume her “body” to find out who is buried in her grave. Ali agrees to meet them and the girls trek to Philly to an abandoned building to finally get some answers from Ali.

Before the trip we get the last note form “A” of the eppy: As Spencer is hurriedly shrugging off her wedding dress from her adventure outside, the Liars realize that her bustier is lined with bones…we’re thinking finger bones…with a notes reading” What will you do when the rest of me is out of the grave?”

This episode we also learn that Aria’s mother is back and engaged; Emily isn’t sure she can trust her girlfriend Paige (all for betraying her trust and putting Ali in mortal danger by cluing the police in on Ali’s exaggerated demise,); and Hanna has a bit of a crush on not-so-new guy Travis (they have a cute moment at the fundraiser).  What we still don’t know: Who is the head “A” in charge? Who is buried in Ali’s grave? Who is Mrs. D protecting and hiding? Why does Ezra bore me to tears?

I was really enjoying the Liars this episode. I like them best when they are working together, helping each other through difficult times, and presenting a united front. For all the exaggeration of this show, Pretty Little Liars does a fantastic job of realistically and positively portraying young women’s friendships.

I like that it feels as though we are getting some actual solid answers for a change. We are long overdue for an explanation from Ali about what happened that night.  And it feels like this time we have an “A” with the resources and passion to do all those horrible things to the Liars. I understand that our other reveals all had reasons to go after the girls, but Mrs. D feels right and creepy. Which of course means next week we find out she’s as innocent as a housefly.

[Photo via ABCFamily]