Surface Tension

“	What fun. Two little liars under one roof. You're making it so easy	”
	— A

Surface Tension

Season: 2

Episode: 7

Information

Airdate

July 26, 2011

Written by

Joseph Dougherty

Directed by

Norman Buckley

Chronology
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Never Letting Go	Save the Date

Surface Tension is the seventh episode Season 2 of Pretty Little Liars. It aired on July 26, 2011.

Synopsis[]

At the Marin's home, the Pretty Little Liars stand in the kitchen talking. Apparently, a pipe has broken in the guest bedroom, so Emily and Hanna will be sharing a room now that Emily is set to move in. The subject changes to surmising about who would have done such a thing at the fashion show. They realize "A's" actions are getting bolder and it worries them. They want to forget about "A," but it isn't so easy. Just then, a special delivery from "A" arrives - a gift basket, letting Emily and Hanna know how easy it will be to mess with them now that they're under the same roof.

Emily moves into the Marin household; to express her gratitude, after her morning run, she makes a sit-down breakfast for Hanna and her mother. She sets the table and puts out real napkins and pays attention to details like separating out the egg yolks from the egg whites. Hanna and Ashley try to assure Emily that she's now a part of their family and doesn't need to act like a guest. But the transition isn't so natural for Emily. Emily is also dealing with aches from her new athletic regimen now that she's back on the swim team.

PLL207 (1) — Byron wants to invite Ezra Fitz

Before heading out to school, Ella helps Aria pick out an outfit for the next night - for when guests will be coming over for the Montgomery's first dinner party since Ella's return home. Ella recommends a black dress noting it makes her daughter look "grown-up." Byron suggests inviting Ezra and a plus-one while Aria tries to appear nonchalant about this proposal. He feels it would be nice to extend a hand to his teaching colleague who is still learning the ropes at Hollis. Byron points out that there's no conflict of interest now that Ezra is no longer Aria's teacher, and that she should get used to calling him Ezra.

And at the Hastings' residence, Spencer discusses her father's upcoming construction projects. Peter has commissioned Toby to work on everything, but is worried it might be too much for one person. Spencer assures him he can handle it, and contrarily encourages him to hire Toby for Taylor's upcoming nursery as well. Spencer reminds her father they owe it to Toby after falsely accusing him.

Aria then goes to Hollis to see Ezra; there she tries to talk him out of accepting her father's dinner invitation, but he has already accepted and feels inclined to go. He persuades her that it will finally be their opportunity to warm Ella and Byron up to the Aria and Ezra interacting in a way other than as teacher and student. Aria reluctantly agrees.

PLL207-00244 — Mike is wary of the 'rents.

Back at the Montgomery home, Byron visits Mike's room to let him know he is expected the next evening at dinner. Mike tries to back out, but Byron is forceful, arguing that this is very important to the family as it's the first formal family dinner since Ella moved back home. Mike tries to tune him out with his headphones as much as possible, not even bothering to turn around and face his father while he's talking to him, but he does mumble an agreement to be home. When Byron leaves, a rearview mirror in Mike's room can be clearly seen to read, "PARENTS in mirror are closer than they appear," the first word written on tape covering the word objects, which is obviously printed underneath.

Next, Hanna and Emily head off to school together. Hanna meets up with Caleb; who has just been stiffed by someone whose phone he was commissioned to "pimp out." Caleb acts nonchalant about his continued shady "business" dealings, but Hanna feels uneasy. He brushes it off, and she gives up for now. As they walk into school it's apparent that someone in a black sports car listening to the radio is watching them.

PLL207-00318 — Jason in Ella's classroom

At school, Aria meets her mother in her English classroom. There she sees Jason DiLaurentis talking to her mother; she's apologetic about the way the fashion show ended up. Jason says he's at Rosewood High to talk to the guidance counselor; he wants to help at-risk students see that there's life after high-school. Ella then lets Aria know that Jason is also invited to dinner that night; Aria gives him a half-smile. She expresses her surprise to her mother after he leaves, but does not let on exactly what her reservations are about him coming. Ella then changes the subject to the fashion show; she is very concerned about what someone did and is suspicious that maybe this wasn't an isolated incident. Aria denies that it was anything more than a prank, but Ella makes sure to express to Aria that she should tell her if someone has been bothering her at school. At least it's clear that Ella believes in her daughter's innocence about what happened at the fashion show.

Finally, viewers can see the inside of Hanna's room... That night, Hanna is sitting on her bed listening to music with her headphones, while Emily sits in the corner. Both are doing school work, but Emily can't concentrate when Hanna starts singing loudly along to the music in her ears. The two new roommates seem to be clashing over differences already. So, Hanna takes off her headphones when Emily complains, and Emily brings up Caleb's business deals. Hanna is annoyed at the question and compares Emily to Dr. Sullivan. Just like Mike, Hanna puts her headphones on to tune the other out. Emily is still nursing her neck pain.

The next day at school, Emily confides in Aria that things aren't going so smoothly at Hanna's place. Aria is concerned, but then Emily lets on that it isn't so bad; she's grateful to be able to stay in Rosewood. Spencer then walks over and asks Emily if she has yet gotten an update from Garrett about whatever became of their Logan Reed lead. Emily says she's overloaded with swim practice and her new workout routine and so hasn't had the opportunity. So, Aria and Emily ask Spencer to do it instead. They tell Spencer that she's better than them at persuading people. Aria says she would go with her if she didn't need to help her mom with dinner. She then lets Spencer know that Jason is invited, in addition to Ezra. Spencer is alarmed as she doesn't trust Jason, but Aria is worried for the reason that it will be awkward.

So, Spencer goes to Garrett to find out information. He completely lies to her by saying Emily scared off Logan Reed from talking, when clearly it was him who paid him off! Garrett says Logan was registered for classes at Hollis College, but no one has heard from him for over a week. Garrett makes it seem like he'll show up eventually, and promises Spencer to let her know if anything comes up. He then tells her, pointedly, that she shouldn't expect any new leads in Alison DiLaurentis' murder; he claims Ian was the last thread.

Next, Ella visits Ashley in her home to discuss her concerns about Aria and the PLL's. She wants Ashley's opinion of the fashion show. Ashley responds that it's typical high-school mean-girl behavior, but Ella thinks this is more severe, and Ashley concurs. Ella reveals that she thinks this terrorizing around Alison's memory isn't new. Ashley furthers Ella's point, bringing up Hanna's hit-and-run, Spencer and Melissa's hit and run, and Ian in the bell tower. Ella is grateful to finally have understanding from someone, though she didn't even bother talking to Veronica. In retrospect, Ashley now feels that separating their daughters was a terrible idea, as was the therapist. She blames both on Peter who would buy himself out of any situation that makes him or his family look less than picture-perfect. Ashley vows never to be roped into another insensitive scheme.

Back at the Hastings' residence, Toby is standing in the yard, pulling weeds out from the garden, alleviating his work for the next day. Spencer is flirty and uses the opportunity to spend quality time with him. When Peter walks over, he expresses his pleasant surprise at seeing Toby there, and Toby humbly shows him some sketches of some barn renovation plans, by which Peter seems to be impressed. After he leaves, Spencer and Toby kiss.

Later, while working in the yard, Toby finds half of a buried and splintered hockey stick in the ground. It's wrapped in tape, with the name "Hastings" etched on the tape. When Peter spots it, he reacts strongly and suspiciously by quickly taking the stick. Toby is weirded out.

At the Montgomery's, dinner is getting ready as guests arrive. A colleague of Byron and his wife are already there. Having left their newborn home with a babysitter; it's apparent that they're anxious being away from their baby. Ezra arrives with flowers and a bottle of scotch. Aria is happy to finally call him Ezra in front of her parents. However, not surprisingly Mike is nowhere to be seen... yet. Just then, Jason arrives with flowers and hands them to Aria. Jason and Ezra meet for the first time.

That night, when Toby tells Spencer what he saw, she's freaked out. She flashes back to when Alison asked Spencer to show her how to play field hockey, which Spencer was happy to do with her old hockey stick sporting the Rosewood field hockey team colors on it - blue and white. Aria had been suspicious at the time, knowing Alison wasn't the biggest field hockey fan. She guessed Ali was wanting to impress a guy, which was probably correct, knowing Ian was the field hockey coach, and Ali was secretly dating him. At the time, Ali just smiled while Spencer claimed that guys don't play field hockey; Alison said that she wasn't yet into field hockey.

Before Spencer has a chance to speak to her father about the finding (he's out late in a meeting), Spencer calls Aria. Aria steps out of the party as Spencer fills her in on the details of the hockey stick. Spencer is suspicious that Jason is involved with this and warns Aria to be alert with Jason in her house. Spencer finds it awfully convenient knowing the stick was found right on the property line, and that Jason was moving the property line as to include part of the Hastings' property. She also finds it doubly convenient that Jason doesn't remember anything from the night Ali disappeared. Making Jason look even more incriminating is Aria's flashback of him the day Spencer was showing Ali how to hold the hockey stick. He had come looking for her on their mother's orders, unhappy to have to find Ali. After she was snarky with hims, he grabbed the stick from her and then threatened to hit her. After that, Ali tried to whack her brother with the stick, but Jason moved quickly and mockingly warned Ali that she wouldn't get a second chance.

Frustrated with not being able to study at Hanna's, Emily leaves for the library to study. Caleb then comes over, and the two make use of the fact that Ashley's out with her father. The two go to Hanna's room where they talk again about Caleb's way of making money. Hanna is disapproving, but then changes the subject. Caleb voluntarily changes it back and lets Hanna know he used to work for hustlers who stole cars as a way of life. He used to be their hacker, tapping into computer records for phone numbers and other information. Knowing it was only a matter of time, he pulled out of this biz afraid of the prospect of getting arrested. His employers were angered, but couldn't deal with Caleb, as he ran away first. Hanna is touched that Caleb has made another confession to her, a secret he's never told anyone else.

PLL207-00736 — Breaking news of Mike's arrest

Back at the party, the men are getting to know one another. Jason and Ezra share stories about their love for hard-core biking. Then, Officer Barry arrives to inform Ella and Byron that Mike has been caught breaking into a house which totally breaks up the dynamic of the dinner party. Jason and Aria exchange knowing looks, at which Ezra raises an eyebrow. Byron and Ella leave to pick him up, along with the couple who cannot wait to return to their newborn, leaving Ezra, Jason, and Aria alone in the house.

In the kitchen Ezra questions Aria about Jason, asking who he is. She answers that he's Ali's brother, to which Ezra responds that he knows, clearly expecting a more specific answer. Aria goes back out to the living room, where Jason is sitting, under the guise of wanting to offer him coffee. But Ezra isn't oblivious to the fact that the two are whispering privately. Aria and Jason discuss Mike's arrest; she lets him know Mike promised her that he wouldn't repeat his mistake. Jason wisely lets her know that Mike probably meant it at the time. He also tells her that if this is his first time getting caught, he has probably raided multiple houses before.

When Byron and Ella pick up Mike, Mike avoids their questions by walking away silently. Byron tries to force explanations out of his son, but Ella stops him, letting Mike go into the car so she can talk to her husband. She argues that talking to him while being angry won't help their cause. Obviously, Mike's behavior is indicative of a bigger problem they need to discover, and they won't be any closer to finding out what it is if they lash out at him. Byron sees his wife's logic and they drive home, barely speaking to one another.

Aria goes up to Mike's room in search of his stolen property. There, she finds the camping equipment stolen from Emily's garage, as well as, an expensive camera. Then, she uncovers the same pottery piece Jenna made, with the wholes in it. For Aria, it's like seeing a ghost; sure enough, the initials on the bottom read "J.M." for Jenna Marshall leading Aria to believe that Mike broke into the Cavanaugh house.

Aria rushes down the stairs, suddenly telling Ezra and Jason to leave in what sounds more like an order than a request. She points out that it probably won't be good for Mike to return home with more people than his own family to deal with. So they leave, pausing briefly at the doorstop for an awkward stare-down before going their separate ways.

Back at the Hastings', Spencer comes downstairs to find her father poised over the mantel about to burn the hockey stick remnant in the fireplace. Spencer protests that this could be destroying evidence, but Peter is adamant. He mocks Spencer's suggestion to turn the piece over to the police, reminding her of how the trophy incident ended up. He then casts the stick into the fireplace, destroying the potential evidence forever.

Upset, Spencer meets up with Toby later that night. She unburdens her problems to him, letting him know she feels like her father's behavior indicates him thinking Spencer is an attention-seeking drama queen; he must think the hockey stick was planted by her as an antic. Toby tries to comfort her, and tells her that it's impossible for anyone to think she killed Alison, or planted the broken, possible murder weapon. But, Spencer is resolved to get to the bottom of everything so as to vindicate herself in the eyes of everyone, especially her family.

PLL207 (11) — Are Hanna's parents getting back together?

At the Marins', after Caleb leaves, Hanna revels the fact that Caleb entrusted her with his deep, dark secret. She tells Emily that Caleb confided something in her that he has never told anyone else. The supportive friend she is, Emily is content with listening to Hanna without knowing the actual details of the case; she has no desire for more secrets, after all. But that wish is not to be honored; suddenly, the two girls hear the door open, along with whispering at the bottom of the stairs. They peep their heads out to look - and spy on Ashley and Tom, giggling before kissing. The two make their way up the stairs, and Emily and Hanna duck their heads back in before Hanna's parents realize that they were being watched. Ashley warns Tom to tiptoe and lower his voice so they can make it upstairs undetected - towards Ashley's bedroom!

When Mike comes home, Aria accuses him of stealing from a blind girl, but she is thrown for a loop when he tells her it was stolen from Garrett Reynolds' apartment. He claims to have actually stolen from a cop! Aria is skeptical, but Mike assures her he vividly remembers stealing the piece from Garrett's place, not Jenna's.

Later that night, Spencer sits in Garrett's cop car, pushing him for information about the murder weapon that was used to kill Alison DiLaurentis. Garrett responds that the coroner's report would have that information, but tries to get Spencer off of the DiLaurentis murder case, reiterating his belief that the case is closed with Ian's confession and death. Just then, Spencer gets a text message from Aria, warning her not to trust Garrett. Spencer is alarmed, as she's sitting in a cop car alone with him! Obviously, Aria figured out Garrett is somehow connected to Jenna and so cannot be trusted!

The last scene shows "A" up to something new. With her black gloved fingers, she loads a syringe full of a chemical and neatly releases the liquid into a nondescript bottle before capping it. What is she up to now? Are those steroids? Is that Emily's pain-killing cream?

Continuity[]

It's ironic/hypocritical that Aria blasts Mike for stealing from a blind girl; she seems to have forgotten that her best friend was responsible for blinding her, her other best friend was responsible for slapping that blind girl in a surprise attack across the face and asking asking Toby to steal Jenna's phone to hack into it, not to mention that Aria herself was an accomplice in blinding Jenna in the first place. (Hanna slaps Jenna in "Someone to Watch Over Me," and Alison is revealed to have blinded Jenna in "The Jenna Thing.")
Ashley's joke to Hanna that she might go for a "daughter upgrade" is not so funny in light of the fact that it seems that Hanna's other parent has already done that. (Tom exchanged living with Hanna for living with step-daughter Kate Randall.)
Peter implies that the hockey stick, a possible murder weapon, was a decoy set up by Spencer much like Ian's trophy in "The Badass Seed."
Ella and Ashley discuss the fashion show from hell that occurs in "Never Letting Go" and Hanna's hit and run in "Keep Your Friends Close." They also note Spencer's and Melissa's car accident alongside Ian's death in "For Whom the Bell Tolls," leading them to conclude that somebody has been messing with their daughters.
Emily’s shoulder and back pain will be made relevant in the next episode.
There’s a blooper video that’s posted on YouTube about the scene between Jason and Alison with the hockey stick. In the blooper Sasha, the actress who plays Alison, actually (accidentally) hit Drew, the actor who plays Jason, in the forehead with the stick.
In the same video, there’s also a blooper of the final scene between garrett and Spencer. In the actual scene, Garret said, “who do you think killed Ali?” But in the bloopers he said, “Who do you think killed Spencer?”

Title[]

'Surface tension' is a property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force.
In this episode, it likely refers to the tension at the dinner party, the tension between the new roommates, and the tension at the Hastings' residence.

Main Cast[]

Supporting Cast[]

Co-Starring[]

Dagney Kerr as Nancy Partha, dinner guest
Lak Rana as Elliot Partha, dinner guest

Featured Music[]

"I've Got You Under My Skin" cover by Gavin Davies (when "A" plays chemist)
"Smash it" by Zowie (while Hanna was listening to music and Emily is studying)
"Hi, Hi, Hi" by Shelly Fraley (when Aria is searching for something to wear)
"You Know It's True" by Jules Larson (makes breakfast for Hanna and Ashley)
"She Back" by Bosshouse Music (someone watches Hanna and Caleb)
"Are You On Your Way" by Middle Class Rut (Mike listens to music as Byron tells him to attend the dinner party)
"Balloon" by Erin Martin (Emily leaves for the library as Caleb arrives to see Hanna)
"Boys Don't Die" by Rich Jacques (Emily and Hanna talk and catch Ashley and Tom sneaking into the house)
"Electrify" by Julin (Samara and her friend Quinn deliver Emily's dress. Toby tells Spencer she looks amazing.)

Gallery[]

Surface Tension has a photo gallery.

Memorable Quotes[]

Hanna [about Emily staying over]: I know! It’s going to be like a sleepover that never ends.

Emily: My mom always says not to wait until you’re leaving to say thank you.

Hanna: So, how much tip should we leave her?
Ashley: Watch out! I might go for the daughter upgrade!

Ezra [to Aria]: We weren’t going to get off to a great start over an open grave.

Spencer [to Aria]: Oh! That's right! It's guess who's coming to dinner night!

Spencer [to Toby]: Well, I figure I can set up a chair and just fan myself while I watch you work. Or I can make you a grilled cheese sandwich

Spencer: You don't bury old sporting equipment. But you do bury murder weapons.

Byron: This is serious scotch.
Ezra: Well, always works for me.

Hanna: Ems, you don’t have to go to the library; it won’t bother me if you study here.
Emily: With all due respect, studying here is like studying at the mall.
Hanna: I study at the mall all the time!
Emily: Yeah, well, I’m different.
Hanna [whispering]: Is this a ... gay thing?
Emily: No, it’s a brain thing.

Caleb: Legit is in the eye of the beholder.

Jason [to Ezra]: Did you have Aria?
[Ezra looks up with a stunned expression.]
Jason: Any of your classes?

Hanna [to Caleb]: So, where do you come down on the whole natural vs. synthetic extensions debate?

Aria [to Mike]: You stole from a blind girl?!