TV Binge: Pretty Little Liars [Season 5]

There’s something quite magical about Pretty Little Liars that’s made it to Season 5.  I started Pretty Little Liars when it was somewhere in the middle of Season 3 a few summers ago and as much as I really didn’t think much of it to begin with, I don’t even know why I started.  Maybe its because I thought I’d be stepping into yet another high school TV series (which I like a lot).  I mean, I’ve liked Gossip Girl, The OC, 90210, and all that stuff.  Its always a fun time.  Pretty Little Liars has somewhat of a different dynamic. It sets a creepy atmosphere and adds a ton of mystery and drama and intensity to 4 girls who has a lot of secrets and gets manipulated by a mysterious person called A through texts and other forms of messages.  Originally they think A is their dead friend Alison but things take a turn around when you learn one thing in Pretty Little Liars:  Never believe anything that happens because any twist can happen and probably will 😉

There is never a series with more plot twists that I’ve seen than Pretty Little Liars.  But the key is, I believe it every time.  Its got some pretty solid characters and somehow finding out who A is never gets old.  Lets stop this rambling and check out Season 5!!

Note: If you haven’t seen Pretty Little Liars or not Season 5 yet, you might want to refrain from continuing.  Possible spoilers (that I will try to avoid) and if you haven’t seen it, you will get lost and confused.

Creator: I. Marlene King

Cast: Lucy Hale, Ashley Benson, Troian Bellisario, Shay Mitchell, Sasha Pieterse, Ian Harding, Tyler Blackburn, Janel Parrish, Keegan Allen

So far, I’ve been happy with Pretty Little Liars. In general, they’ve kept me well entertained and really into it.  But I’d be lying if all the past 4 seasons have been totally and completely great.  Which series has those moments constantly, right? I do give the creator and her crew praise that they can pull so many twists and make this still a pretty intriguing adventure in the search for who is A.  That centre plot is the most relevant and the most captivating.  Whereas, the past season or two (I can’t remember anymore) has had frustrating moments in character developments and relationships (as most teen-based series will have). I never did a full review of the past seasons since I only launched TV Binge segment this year but that’s the overview.

Jumping into Season 5, there are definitely more pros and cons.  The intensity is completely back and the whole dynamic is different because guess what, when we ended Season 4, we now know for sure that Alison is alive and she’s running.  Which means, she isn’t A (or is she?).  Who is after them? After a crazy beginning where they finally think they are rid of A, they come to realize that maybe A just took another holiday to set up for something a lot bigger and badder than before, just showing the girls how intricate the plans can be.  Not that we didn’t know that before.

What’s really great is the change that Season 5 brings.  Aria, Spencer, Emily and Hanna and now Alison are the focal points of this series, there is no doubt about it.  Their boyfriends and family all seem to just be decorating backdrops for them but what I appreciate more is that A is now in the open.  Some of their close ones know about them and as their danger of sitting in orange jump suits grow, the boyfriends have to step up and have a bigger role. It changes the whole chemistry of the situation.  Something that was well needed a few seasons back.  On the other hand, this also gives space for some characters to fall into lesser roles and some lesser roles in previous seasons to have bigger roles. A show like this stays fresh by knowing when to keep and ditch certain characters and so far its been effective enough. Plus, each character can spin something a little more with their back story to make it keep going.

While Pretty Little Liars is about the 4 main girls, I really like the character of Mona because she’s deep and mysterious.  There’s always more to her character.  Its like every time something happens, her layers fall apart.  In the end, Mona is just a simple smart girl who wants to be accepted for who she is. When the main girls get annoying, Mona, even in her evil and bitchy personality is the breath of fresh air and the fact that she’s becoming a huge focus in Season 5 makes this quite awesome.

Mind you, don’t think that I’m saying its anything other than dramatic.  It is pretty dramatic but Pretty Little Liars has its lame and/or ridiculous moments but it has a solid cast and a decent storyline that keeps the audience intrigued, especially when who is A turns to who are A then by the end of this season, we were promised a name to match A.  A is everywhere and nowhere and even when you think you win, you really haven’t.  A is a bitch, whether its a guy or a girl and you never know who to trust.  Just like any series set in some form of fiction, Pretty Little Liars needs you to suspend your disbelief a little and just go with the flow of things while mildly trying to guess who A is.  If you can do that, Pretty Little Liars is a fun ride with some rather effectively creepy moments 😉

Season 5 does pick up after the first few episodes and takes the series into a new direction that I’m rather happy with. Now for Season 6! 🙂

Have you seen Pretty Little Liars? Are you still watching it or have you given it up?