Peter Hastings

"Complicated problems have simple solutions."

- Peter to Spencer

Peter Hastings is the father of Melissa and Spencer. He had an affair with Jessica DiLaurentis which resulted in the birth of Jason DiLaurentis. He is portrayed by Nolan North.

Series
The Jenna Thing
 * -|Season 1=

Peter and Spencer are in a restaurant for dinner. He is overbearing when Spencer discusses her desire to enroll in a college class outside her high school work. While Peter is somewhat encouraging, he criticizes her decision to take a class for fun and hopes that her choice of a class will be more goal oriented, even if it is a boring choice.

When Melissa and Wren arrive, Melissa suggests that they play a game that the Hastings usually play. Melissa wants Wren to go first but he says he doesn't know how to play. Peter tells him he'll catch on. When the waitress arrives Peter and Melissa order the same drink.

Reality Bites Me

When Spencer comes home he greets her saying that he bought her buttercreams, her favorite. Spencer thinks he's spoken to Wren but he reveals that he didn't. He then enlists Spencer in playing a doubles match with a prospective client and his daughter at the club. He is cheerful towards Spencer, offering her chocolates to show that he is proud of her latest scholastic achievement winning the essay contest. It seems that all is forgiven with the Wren scandal, just as he had predicted, now that Peter has something of his daughter's to brag about.

He convinces his daughter to throw a match to help him land a client, which makes her angry. Spencer feels it is dishonest and so, in a moment of truth, admits to her father that she stole the essay for the writing contest that she is poised to win.

Salt Meets Wound

Spencer and her dad make small talk in their kitchen; Peter lets her know that the cops are ready to put Toby away, as the blood found on Toby's sweater matches Alison's blood. They also mention Ian's stuff, and Peter comments that Ian seems to be everywhere...

A Person of Interest

Peter and Veronica question Spencer about her recent behavior and her belief that Ian is dangerous. They seem to side with Melissa and Ian for the most part though, casting Spencer as psychotic, although Veronica is more patronizing and doubtful than is Peter.

Peter makes a more significant appearance in this season.
 * -|Season 2=

It's Alive

Peter is the one who presses therapy on the girls. He turns Toby Cavanaugh away when he comes knocking for Spencer, not wanting him to ruin his daughter's already tarnished reputation. Later, Ashley and Ella criticize Peter in conversation for not having had his daughter's best interest at heart, but rather for wanting to keep up appearances and buy his way out of a problem in the form of a therapist.

When Officer Reynolds comes to the house, he privately pushes him to do all that is possible to find Ian, showing that he completely distrusts Spencer's version of things that Ian is dead, rather than a missing person.

Never Letting Go

Spencer finds him arguing with Jessica DiLaurentis on several occasions. When he is confronted about it, he makes up lies or just mysteriously tells her to stay away from Jason DiLaurentis.

Surface Tension

He hires Toby to do work in the yard while Mrs. Hastings and Melissa are away. When Toby finds the broken field hockey stick, he acts very suspiciously by taking away the possible murder weapon, as well as telling Toby not to tell Spencer and to forget that the whole thing ever happened. He later burns it, despite his daughter's protests, an act that Mrs. Hastings defends when Spencer questions her about it. He implies that he thinks Spencer planted the blood-covered trophy, although it is not clear if he means that or is simply being patronizing.

I Must Confess

Spencer and Toby catches him walking out of the DiLaurentis house, and Spencer immediately pounces on the fact. When Peter gets snappy with his daughter, Toby steps up to her defense only to get yelled at in return and threatened to be fired. Spencer tries to protect Toby and later runs off in tears after a rather snappy response by her father. To her father's chagrin, Spencer climbs into Toby's car, only to have Peter bang on the door while Toby tries to drive away.

When Spencer returns at night, she finds her father sitting at the couch. They exchange some words in a much more calm fashion, and Peter confesses that the DiLaurentis family forced him to change the will of Alison's grandmother in the south back to an early version that included two grandchildren. The will originally left everything to Alison, excluding Jason. Because of the disappearance and the presumed death of Ali, Jessica DiLaurentis had ordered him to change the grandmother's will to include Jason, so that it wouldn't seem like Jason was a murder suspect. When Spencer asks why doesn't he tell the police, Peter states that if he does, he will lose his job as an attorney. Spencer asks her father why he even did it in the first place, and Peter gets all dark. Apparently, the DiLaurentis family knows something that Peter desperately wants to forget, and they had hung the fact over his head, forcing him to change the will. When Spencer asks what is it, Peter gets all gruff and leaves the room, telling his daughter he answered enough questions for one night. Spencer is left bewildered and confused.

Over My Dead Body

Spencer’s parents fuss at the police station, and Mr. Hastings informs someone over his cell phone that the girls are in custody, though they haven’t been booked. Just then, Jason appears, and Peter immediately approaches him to beg him to leave. But Jason is firm in his belief that his sister would have wanted him here, to which Mr. Hastings says he did things to protect Jason. Jason underlines that he didn’t kill Ali, so there was never a need to protect him. Jason tells Peter that he bought the house because Ali was great at keeping secrets and punishing people with the truth. Then Jason asks whether Mrs. Hastings knows, mysteriously implying something that Peter comprehends immediately. Peter says no and insists that Veronica not find out whatever secret they are keeping that night with everything else that is going on...

A Hot Piece of A

We learn that Peter is in Philadelphia with Veronica to help Melissa while she has some medical tests done.

The Naked Truth

Spencer learns from Jason the reason why her father changed Grandma Dee's will; Jason is Peter's son.
 * -|Season 3=

The Remains of the "A"

Peter tells Spencer that the prosecution's evidence against Garret cannot be retested, so Veronica is trying to get the evidence to be ruled as inadmissible. He later finds Jason and tells him to leave Spencer alone. He wishes that Spencer can put all this behind her: the trial, Jason's sister etc. and focus on her future. Jason tells him he happens to have more than one sister and walks away.

What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted

Peter is mentioned, by Melissa, to be in London.

Love ShAck, Baby
 * -|Season 4=

Close Encounters

EscApe From New York
 * -|Season 5=

Having returned home from the Rosewood Police Department, Peter sits in the Hastings’ great room drinking, while Veronica and Melissa discuss Spencer and Alison. Peter stays quiet throughout their conversation, but when Melissa starts to tell Veronica what she had told Peter at the Police Department in “A is for Answers”, Peter shoots her a warning look.

Detective Holbrook informs Peter, Veronica and Melissa that CeCe Drake escaped police custody and because CeCe knows Alison is alive, Spencer may be in danger. Melissa opens her mouth to say something but Peter cuts her off, telling Holbrook they have nothing else to add.

Melissa walks downstairs in the dark to find Peter drinking in the kitchen. Melissa tells him that she can’t keep what she has a secret anymore and she wants to tell Holbrook the truth. She adds that when Spencer finds out, she’ll have a reason to come home. Finishing his drink, Peter stands, towering over Melissa as he reaches for the bottle of alcohol behind her, and tells her, “your mother… can never know what you told me”, before walking away.

Whirly Girlie

Although not seen in this episode, Veronica mentions to Spencer that Peter and Melissa are in Philadelphia retrieving Spencer's car which has been impounded.

Surfing the Aftershocks

While looking out of the side doors, Peter asks Spencer how she would feel if they sell the house. Spencer doesn’t know how she feels about selling, but tells her father that he’d have to inform any potential buyers about mould, termites and dead bodies. 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’.

On the streets, Peter notices Alison walking alone and calls out to her. He expresses his concern about her being out by herself, especially at night and offers her a ride home.

When Peter arrives home, Spencer is waiting up for him. Getting up off the sofa, Spencer places the drafted email on the island bench for Peter to see. Peter tells her that the email doesn’t mean anything, but Spencer minds him anything means something and asks him who Jessica was trying to protect and why did she suddenly feel as though she had to stop. Before Peter can answer Melissa walks in telling Spencer to leave their father alone. After reading what Jessica tried sending, Melissa rips the piece of paper up telling Spencer that Jessica was crazy as Spencer yells back, Peter steps in and tells them to stop acting like "cranky little five year old's on the way back from the beach". Melissa proceeds to tell Peter that maybe they should just tell Spencer what they've been hiding, but Peter won't have a bar of it and sends Spencer to her room.

Thrown From The Ride

Walking downstairs into the Hastings’ great room and kitchen, Peter greets good morning to Veronica and Spencer. Sensing he interrupted something, Peter asks what the matter is, and Veronica says she and Spencer were just talking about Jessica and how upsetting it is, “of course you’re upset. We all are”. Veronica asks him how much longer there yard is going to be a crime scene and Peter tells her that they should be done by the end of the day and that they should try and relax about it. Kissing Veronica on the side of the head, Peter leaves for work.

Peter walks into the kitchen where Spencer tells him Aria is going to stay the night. Spencer then asks where Veronica is, and Peter tells her that she’s not coming home tonight, “I dropped her off at a spa. She’s going to spend a couple of nights there. Calm her nerves”. After Aria excuses herself, Peter tells Spencer that he doesn’t want her calling Veronica because Veronica really needs to relax, “the police came by to finish up what they were doing. She snapped. Luckily I was there to keep them from pressing charges”. He tells Spencer not to worry and that it should all blow over soon.

Miss Me x 100

Looking out Alison’s bedroom window, Spencer watches as Peter turns off her bedroom light and leaves her room.

Run, Ali, Run

In Spencer's bedroom, Spencer is grabbing a few school books when she turns around and finds Peter standing in her doorway. Surprised, Spencer says she didn't see his car in the driveway, and Peter tells her it's in a garage. When Spencer asks why he isn't at work, Peter says that it's a "little hard to concentrate when your wife and daughter are living at a hotel". Telling him that she has class in ten minutes, Spencer tries to walk past him, but Peter blocks her, "Spencer, what the hell is going on", but Spencer tells him he'll have to discuss that with Veronica. Peter tells her he'd love to, but she won't return any of his calls, and Spencer tells him that they know he lied about where he and Melissa were the night Mrs DiLaurents died. Peter asks how she knew that, and when Spencer asks what he's going to do when the cops find out that the pills that killed her are in his medicine cabinet, Peter asks if Spencer thinks he killed Jessica. Spencer says that she knows he was just trying to protect her, and Peter tells her, "damn right I've been trying to protect you. I would never take a life to cover up something you did". Spencer tells him she didn't do anything, and Peter tells her "neither did I".

Peter walks into the Grille as Spencer and Veronica are sitting down for dinner. Vacating her seat, Spencer allows Peter to sit. Watching from the window, Spencer notices Peter take Veronica's hand, and with a small smile, she leaves.

The Silence of E. Lamb

Although not seen in this episode, Melissa tells Spencer that Peter is staying at her apartment, and as a result she's staying in the barn to give him some space.

Through a Glass, Darkly

Peter greets and hugs Spencer when she opens the Hastings’ back door for him. Peter asks how Spencer is going, before adding that he heard what happened outside of the Church at Mona’s funeral. Spencer says that it was ghastly, and that Hanna stopped Mona’s mom, but they all wanted to stuff Alison into the empty coffin. Peter mentions that he should have been there, but Spencer tells him that they wanted to do it on their own. After Spencer tells Peter that Veronica isn’t home, Peter says that he knows, “she uh-, she called me. Asked me to come by”. When Spencer asks why, and what has happened, Peter tells her that Bethany Young’s parents have petitioned to the court to have Spencer’s bailed revoked. Spencer comments that they’ve been trying to do that for months, to which Peter tells her that this time it may work. Spencer questions why, and Peter explains that the police unsealed Spencer’s indictment today, “we finally know why you were arrested”.

Peter is standing in Hastings’ great room with Toby, dressed in his policeman’s uniform, and Detective Tanner, when Spencer walks in the door. As Spencer turns back towards the door, Peter calls out to her, “Spencer”, and after taking a minute, she hesitantly turns back. Peter watches as Detective Tanner tells Spencer that she wanted to say this in person, and that the police now believe Mona Vanderwaal was not Alison’s first victim. Stepping towards his daughter, Peter mentions that the DA is dropping the charges against her, “the police think Alison set you up”.

Book Comparisons

 * In the books, Peter is the father of Alison and her twin Courtney. In the show, he is Jason's biological father.
 * In the books, Veronica leaves Peter after finding out about his affair with Jessica. In the show, they talked it out and stayed together.
 * In the books, his affair with Jessica was much more serious and lengthy while in the show, it was a one night stand that resulted in Jason.