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People are capable of all sorts of things under the right pressures.
Melissa

Surfing the Aftershocks is the third episode of Season 5 of Pretty Little LiarsThe episode aired on June 24th, 2014.

Summary[]

The episode opens with Alison lying despondently on her bed. The girls visit, offering her water or something to eat but Alison does not say a word. Light fades into dark before light again, signaling days have passed.

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On the day of Mrs. DiLaurentis’ funeral, Hanna offers Alison help in getting dressed. Ali declines asking Hanna to wait downstairs. She also asks Hanna if there will be a lot of people at the funeral. Hanna says that she doesn’t know.

The Liars are waiting downstairs for Alison and overhear Mr. DiLaurentis telling Jason that he does not want any police or press at the church or the cemetery. Jason tells him that he took care of it, but Mr. DiLaurentis is suspicious. When Hanna comes downstairs, the girls ask her how Ali is doing. Hanna tells them that Alison is burying her mother, so how should she be doing? Emily thinks that

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Jason buried Jessica, but Spencer defends him, saying that she saw his face when the dog discovered Jesicca’s. Aria is still paranoid, thinking that the dog was A’s and that’s why it knew where the body was. Spencer assures her that it wasn’t ‘A’ and that dogs smell and dig. Emily tells Aria that ‘A’ is gone. Spencer tells them that since Mona knows the truth about Alison not being kidnapped, they still have her to deal with. She also alludes to the other person that knows the truth about what happened - Ezra. Alison comes downstairs, wearing one of Jesicca's dress. Kenneth is furious about it and asks her to go

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and change her dress. Jason stops them, saying they’re already late. When Jason leaves Ali asks the girls why her dad is so angry. Spencer tells Alison that her mother wore the same dress to her funeral.

The girls are in Vice Principal Hackett’s office where he tells them that he is happy that they are safe and measures will be taken to prevent the press being at school. He tells the four girls he needs their assurance they'll do their part to keep the disturbances to a minimum. Hanna assures him that he won’t even notice they’re at school.

After the meeting Spencer tells the girls she's worried about Ezra keeping his mouth shut. Aria refuses to talk to him about what he knows and makes it clear that they are over. The girls realize the holes in Alison's story will eventually put the police on their trail. Hanna and Emily still think that Jason killed Jessica, something Spencer refuses to believe. Hanna tells her that if Jason didn’t hit Ali then who else would Mrs. D be protecting. Spencer leaves to go to class when the bell rings. Emily is still curious about the house in Philadelphia that Jason went to and asks Hanna to check it out with her later.

In the school hallway, Mona stops Aria  and asks her to sign a card for Mr. Fitz, who, according to Mona, is

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back in Rosewood. Aria doesn't want to sign the card, but Mona tells her that she should at least do it for appearance’s sake. Mona says that they should be careful about how people see them. Hanna interrupts and takes the card from Mona’s hands to sign it, before passing it to Aria. Mona wonders what will happen when Ali returns to Rosewood high and reminds them that she knows Alison's story is bogus. Hanna asks her if she’s seen Noel and Mona replies by saying that he’s around somewhere, getting into mischief. Paige tells Emily she's sorry about what happened to Alison. Paige also tells her she'll take care of a new swimmer who is staring at Emily from down the hall. Mona comes up to Paige giving her the card for Mr. Fitz so she can sign it.

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The new girl continues to stare at Emily so she confronts her. It turns out it was just because the girl, Sydney, is impressed with her swimming career. Sydney begs for some help with her swimming, asking Emily to watch her in the pool and give her opinion.

Spencer is looking at Alison’s room from her window. Melissa comes up behind her and implies that Jason killed Jessica. Melissa wants to know why Spencer sent Toby after her to London. Spencer says that she didn’t send him and that he went on his own.

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Spencer wants to know why Melissa lied about seeing Toby in London. Melissa says that she wanted to keep Wren out of it. Melissa thinks that Spencer bringing Ali home safe and sound was a mistake and she should stay away from that family. Spencer reminds Melissa that they are both part of that family. Alison and Hanna go to the funeral home to pick up the visitation book. Alison seems bothered by a painting she sees on the wall. After the funeral director mistakes Hanna for Alison, Alison remarks that how easy it was once to distinguish between them. A flashback reveals that two months after Alison d

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isappeared, Hanna was still Hefty Hanna. She is seen eating cupcakes by Mona who approaches her and comforts her about Ali’s disappearance. She says that being missing for two months is not a sign that Ali will return and that someone needs to take her place. Hanna is confused. Mona tells her that she can tell her the secret of being unforgetable.

Peter asks Spencer how she'd be feeling about them selling the house. Spencer tells him that he needs to tell the future buyer of the house about all the bad things that happened. Peter says that he’ll have to reduce the selling price and Spencer remarks that life is all about sacrifices. Peter says that he’ll do anything to get away from the DiLaurentis family. Spencer reminds him they'll always be connected to the DiLaurentis family. She wants him to stop Melissa from pointing the police in Jason's direction. He doesn't think that would help them.

Aria is at Ezra’s apartment and she is confused as to whether she should go in or not. She almost leaves but is stopped by Ezra coming out of his apartment. They talk about his health, Alison’s lie and how they have to live with it for the time being. Ezra doesn’t know that Shana is dead and asks Aria to be careful. Aria is surprised to find that Ezra has changed his locks.

Paige helps Emily as she works with Sydney. Paige seemed really interested to mention their relationship which puts Emily off.

Hanna sees Mona at school and flashes back to a time when Hanna was helped by Mona to be fabulous. Now she is thinner, Mona

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says that she needs a new wardrobe to go with her new style. Mona pulls out a dress of Alison’s that she left after a sleepover. Hanna says that it won’t fit, but Mona insists, making Hanna try on the dress. Hanna is happy to see that the dress fits.

At the cabin in the woods, Aria tells Alison that Ezra will keep their secret; and they talk about Mona. Alison tries to reassure Aria, telling her that Shana would have killed them all if she hadn't gotten in the way. Before leaving, Aria hands Ezra's manuscript to Alison.

Hanna and Emily return to the building in the sketchy part of Philadelphia where they followed Jason to. They run into Arnie, the guy who ran them off the last time. They've been asking about him and know he orders lots of pizza. They ask when Jason was there.

While packing to leave, Jason tells Spencer his mother was killed because she had a lot of secrets. Spencer shows him the "I can't protect you anymore" email his mother wrote the night she died. Spencer tells Jason his mother wrote the email two hours after the last time anybody saw her, and she never finished it. She thinks she must have tried to give the message in person, and that person could be the one who killed her. Jason wants her to let it go and tells her she shouldn't trust "our father."

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Hanna flashes back to showing up in school with her new makeover, walking with Mona. In the present, Hanna asks Emily about coming out. She wants to know about becoming something else in other people's eyes. Hanna says she never knew who she really was.

In Ezra's apartment, Alison thanks him for saving them. She brings him his manuscript, which Aria gave her. He asks if Aria knew she was coming and Alison says no. Alison knows Ezra was keeping things out of his manuscript, and that he's keeping them hidden, to which he tells her the only reason he hasn't burnt what he is keeping is for Aria, for when she will let him help her.

Back from Philadelphia, Hanna and Emily walk into the Brew, and Hanna spots Mona. Confronting her, Hanna tells Mona she essentially turned her into Alison. Mona says Hanna wanted the change as much as she did.

Spencer tells Aria she thinks Jason was implying that Mrs. DiLaurentis was writing to her father. Aria tells her she's still struggling with what happened in the theater, and she needs to know it never happened.

Having left Ezra's apartment, Alison runs into Peter on the street. He expresses concern for her safety and suggests he should give her a ride home.

Emily finds Paige waiting for her on her porch. She asks Emily what they are at this point. Emily says "maybe we'll be friends". Paige tells her she loves her and she wishes things were the way they used to be. Paige leaves and Emily stops her: "You deserve the best of everything". Paige thinks she already had that.

Peter returns

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home to find Spencer waiting up for him. She shows him the email, asking him who Jessica might have been trying to protect. Melissa walks in, reads the email and rips it up. Melissa suggests "maybe we should tell her". Peter cuts her off, telling Spencer that she "can't lie about something you don't know anything about". Aria visits Ezra once again and tells him the truth about Shana. Ezra stands up and asks "How can I help?"

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.

In the final scene, Hanna is at a hair salon, deciding that its time for a makeover and dyes her hair. Behind frosted glass, Mona is seen looking in when the silhouette of a woman comes to stand next to her. Mona faces her.

Notes[]

  • Alison visits Ezra in his apartment and asks him to keep all of his discoveries safe.
  • Jessica's funeral is mentioned, but not seen. Making it the first funeral to not be shown on the show.
  • Hanna and Emily discover that Jason was in Philly when Jessica was murdered.
  • Hanna goes to the salon for a makeover.
  • Principal Hackett instructs the girls to keep the press problem to a minimum at school.
  • We get a flashback of how Hanna became the "It" girl with Mona's help.

Title and Background[]

  • The title may refer to the Liars having to navigate their way through Alison's latest lie, while also returning to school with all eyes on them.

Main Cast[]

Supporting Cast[]

Trivia[]

  • The table read was on April 9, 2014.
  • Filming began April 10, 2014 and wrapped on April 22, 2014.
  • The episode was watched by 2.28 million viewers.
  • Chad Lowe, the actor who plays Byron Montgomery, directed this episode making this the first episode he directed in season 5 and the 9th overall
  • Mrs. D’s funeral is the fourth funeral of the show. The first one being “Ali’s”, then Ian’s, and the third Wilden’s
  • This is Sydney’s first appearance on the show.

Featured Music[]

  • "Smokes & Mirrors" by Agnes Obel - (Opening montage; Alison lies in bed while people around her ask if she's okay).
  • "Colour My Heart" by Charlotte OC - (Hanna asks Emily to order them coffee at The Brew, then heads over to confront Mona about knowing Alison was alive when she made over Hanna).
  • "Babes" by Icky Blossoms - (Flasback; Hanna and Mona strut through the halls of Rosewood High).
  • "All a Lie" by The Bixby Knolls - (Hanna decides
  • it's time for a makeover and dyes her hair).

Gallery[]

Camera Icon-Gallery

Surfing the Aftershocks has a photo gallery.


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