“ | Choose or Lose! Just one plea, the rest go free! If no one steps up, you all go down!! | ” |
Choose or Lose is the eighteenth episode of Season 7 of Pretty Little Liars. It aired on June 13th, 2017.
Synopsis[]
The Rosewood PD turn up the heat on the Liars, causing loved ones to try and close ranks. Aria’s recent collaboration with A.D. comes to the attention of a surprising source. A.D. presents the PLLs with a choice designed to drive a wedge between them. Meanwhile, everyone tries to find a bit of happiness and spend what could be their last night of freedom with the ones they love before all hell breaks loose. Toby returns to Rosewood, and Aria makes a horrifying discovery.[1]
Plot[]
At Alison's house, Alison talks about not sleeping well, Emily is amazed she's sleeping at all. They go to the bedroom and find the game board on their bed, Emily finds Alison's puzzle piece. Emily realizes someone has been in their house, and could still be there. They hear police sirens and a knock. Emily opens the door and is handed a search warrant. They panic about the game board but Alison goes to see it's already gone. Hanna calls Emily to ask about the police, she informs Emily that they hit Spencer's barn first, so Spencer called Hanna and Hanna called Aria, and then Emily. A police officer then takes Hanna's phone as evidence. At Aria and Ezra's apartment, Aria is shredding papers. Ezra asks what's going on and Aria warns him of the police. Spencer walks into the police station demanding to speak to Detective Furey, unfortunately Spencer hears Lieutenant Tanner's voice telling her he is no longer on the case. Tanner tells Spencer that Furey told her everything. Linda tells Spencer that she is giving her a chance to tell the truth. Spencer stays silent and Tanner remarks that old habits die hard, adding that she is impressed by how well she played Furey. Spencer begins to leave but Tanner tells her that she asked to have this investigation because she is going to find out what happened, adding that she always felt that Spencer and her friends were guilty in some way and now she's gonna find out.
Downstairs at The Brew, Ezra tells Aria that he will get to the bottom of things. Aria has her phone taken into evidence. She hears a phone ring and finds a burner phone with a missed call from A.D., she calls them back and they tell her they're giving her the burner phone. Aria tries to meet with them but they reject, Aria tells them they owe her, so they tell her she'll get the details tonight. At The Radley, Hanna's mom questions if she is in trouble and needs her help. Hanna tells her she does, but she's not gonna let her help. Ashley has spent her whole life helping her and now Hanna's showing Ashley she loves her by not letting her get involved. Hanna arrives in a suite room that her Mom is letting them stay in. Spencer hands Hanna a burner phone saying the girls all get one, Hanna questions where Aria is, Spencer says she's not here because she doesn't have a burner phone. Emily says she's freaked out because A.D. may have been watching her and Alison sleep before realizing she's just implied that they're sleeping together. Hanna remarks that it's about time they got together. Caleb tells them the game connects to an IP address, he's writing a program to search the cell towers in Rosewood, when the game connects to the IP address he might be able to find the location. Hanna realizes that there's food, Spencer admits they ordered before they stopped being hungry. Hanna lifts up the lid and sees the game phone instead of food. It turns on with a message: "Choose or Lose. Just one plea and the rest go free. If no one steps up, you all go down." A countdown set to 36 hours begins. Mona arrives to tell them Aria is on the A.D. team.
Mona sits down to explain her theory: Aria may have been the one to trash the nursery because she didn't stake out the locker, nor was she at Ezra's event, Aria also was the only one in Spencer's house seconds before audio played. Mona delivers her final proof via a recording of a phone call that Aria had with A.D. saying she's earned her way on the A.D. team. Spencer asks for concrete proof, Mona tells her to remember that she asked for it, in case they get mad at her. In Spencer's barn, an officer shows Tanner pieces of glass in an evidence bag from the shower drain. Spencer goes to sit down in The Radley but she sees Toby, Toby tells her Tanner called him in for questioning. Spencer questions how Toby has been since Yvonne died, he answers that he has good and bad days. Toby relays the question back and Spencer answers that there's so much noise coming from everywhere. Toby extends an invitation in his cabin, advertising that you can't find a noise out there if you tried, she implies a rejection of the invitation. Toby tells her that Tanner seems to be building a solid case. Spencer asks if she should be worried, so he asks her if she is involved. She instead tells him she has to go, he asks where but she decides it's better that he doesn't know.
Aria takes a packed bag and wears all black to meet A.D., she gets a text telling her she looks good in uniform. Instead of meeting them, she's met with her friends, who are disappointed and angry that she's been admittedly doing tasks for A.D. Aria says that she didn't know what to do because Ezra could have gone to jail. Alison questions how it was an easy decision to pick Ezra over her friends, Emily tells her that she could have talked to them about it. Aria excuses that A has made them do bad things to each other before, referencing the time Spencer took Malcolm ("I'm Your Puppet"). Spencer however hits back that she never hurt anybody with what she did, adding "because of you my parents are getting a divorce, you have ruined everything that I ever had". Spencer states that they're done and she's out. Alison gets a call that Tanner wants them down at the police station. Spencer turns to Aria to tell her to find her own ride there. At the police station, the girls are sitting down in the line-up section, Aria finally arrives and sits.
Tanner comes in and informs them about a piece of evidence that contributes to the investigation: the piece of glass found in the drain turned out to be a windshield fragment. She pairs this evidence with knowledge that Lucas' car recently had it's windshield replaced. Hanna defends that lots of cars go through that, Tanner tells her that the piece matches a fragment found under the fingernails of Dunhill. Tanner informs them that their computer search history is being analysed and informs Spencer that there's camera footage in the elevator of The Radley. Spencer replies "We get it. There's lots of evidence, and there's probably more to come, but the question is: why are you telling us this?" Tanner tells them she's trying to give them a chance to tell their side of what happened. Spencer reminds her that she rescued them from an underground bunker 5 years ago. Tanner tells them that it's because they wouldn't tell the truth and ended up there. Tanner tells them that's all for now and they all leave.
Aria calls A.D. while driving home and rants that A.D. never was meeting her, they just wanted to blow her cover. Aria rants that she's done with them because they've managed to make her look bad to her friends and all she has to show for it is the cops getting closer. A.D. tells her that she was given the file. Aria tells them that the file is done (gone) and so is she, she tries to end the call but it won't hang up. A.D. tells Aria that their relationship is not over until they say so. She tries to throw the phone but A.D. is somehow aware of that and tells her not to because tomorrow is another day, she questions what's happening and they tell her to wait for it. At The Radley, the girls watch the countdown which is now 24 hours with 55 seconds on the side. Hanna questions how everything they've been through this is where one or all of them goes to jail. Emily states that this time they are actually criminals. The phone changes to a message: "24 hours left. Pick just one or you're all done". Hanna offers to be the one because she was driving, Spencer rejects this and tells them she should be the one because she used the wrong credit card at the bar which is how they started picking up more things to tie them into. Alison rejects Spencer's idea and tells them none of it would have happened if she hadn't of married Elliot/Archer. Emily tells them that A.D. is getting what they want by them trying to choose which one because it breaks them apart, adding that they succeeded with Aria whether she left on her own or they pushed her out. Spencer remarks that Aria chose that herself but Emily tells her that A.D. would have found another way to get them to play the game they succeeded with Spencer, referencing that she was the first one to play the game to find out her birth truth. Spencer then leaves, telling them she has to figure things out.
At The Radley, Ashley tries to get Caleb to tell her why Hanna's in trouble, he's silent. At Lucas' loft, Hanna is mad that Caleb told her everything, he defends that someone needed to tell the truth. Hanna remarks that it's easy for him to say. Caleb tells her that they're in it together which is why he told her. Caleb then says that he still needs to find a location because the game hasn't done anything. Hanna reminisces over when their lives were easier. She apologizes for involving him in their mess, but Caleb seems grateful for it. At Ezra and Aria's apartment, Spencer comes over to apologize, but not forgive her. Aria questions what she needs to do but Spencer tells her that she has done enough. She admits that Aria was right about Spencer taking Malcolm as none of the girls are blameless. Spencer begins to say sorry but there's a knock and the girls discover that Aria has been cleared as A.D. faked an image of her in a car around the time Dunhill was murdered outside of the city. Spencer realizes this was because of Aria working with A.D. to get an "out" and gets mad at Aria again and leaves.
Later Ezra reveals that he knew about the file just before she shredded it and figured that it's what she was shredding, stating that he understood why she wrote and he deserves it. Aria turns down this idea and tells him that she's done some really terrible things to him and everyone else, Ezra tells her he doesn't need to know, but Aria presses that she does. She kisses him after telling him that she needs to do something because she's not sure he will still be there when she's gone. Caleb and Hanna make it down to get married last minute, Ashley arrives and states that tomorrow will be all hands on deck and has already called a lawyer, but right now she's here to watch them get married. Hanna tells her that no one is available for 12 hours, Ashley tells her not to underestimate the power of being a mom and reveals that she managed to move up that time, joking that with enough time she could get her teddy bear paroled.
Alison takes Emily on a surprise journey, which gives Emily the chance to suggest they leave Rosewood while they still can. Alison tells her that them escaping is a dream, Emily questions if Rosewood is a place where dreams go to die. Alison tells her not all of them, including her one of them having a picnic in the woods. Alison expresses that if this is their last moment of freedom they should make the most of it. At Toby's cabin, "Spencer" arrives, Toby is confused thinking she would be in Rosewood keeping tabs on Tanner. She tells him what's going to happen will happen, he is also confused by this as it doesn't sound like Spencer. She sits and drinks while talking about during the drive up when she wanted to just leave and follow wherever the road took her. Toby questions why she didn't, to which she answers telling him he remembers what it's like being an outsider, it always feel like you're saying goodbye. She reminisces the kiss they had, which leads to another, they end up making out. A montage is then shown of Alison and Emily, Aria and Ezra, and "Spencer" and Toby making out which is implied to all lead to sex. After the montage, Hanna and Caleb get married.
Spencer arrives at the Hastings' barn stating that they all agreed to meet after the timer ran down. Emily remarks that Aria isn't. Hanna asks them to promise that no matter what decision they each make next, they'll understand it. They all promise. The time runs down, and The Liars are asked to make a choice. Spencer decides to destroy the game phone with a rock. The girls are visibly scared and Hanna questions why they didn't think about doing it before. Alison questions if they are just supposed to wait now, Caleb tells them to do exactly that because he just got a hit on the game's location. At Ezra and Aria's apartment, Aria figures out that she can turn herself in to cut ties with A.D. but they tell her that the timer already ran down. Her reward is an unlimited supply of freedom that she can enjoy anywhere, and then tells her that things are going to get messy with her friends. Aria begs them not to send them to jail but A.D. tells her it's done. They hang up and the phone explodes simultaneously being set on fire. Aria then takes her phone in the evidence bag. Caleb and Ezra drive to find the location that the game has been using and they find it, Caleb realizes that Mona lives a block away from the cell tower.
While driving Aria leaves a voicemail for Spencer asking to make things right for them and that she is on her way to the barn. Something then thuds in the trunk, she speeds up and slows down to hear the noise again, she gets out to check what it is. She discovers a dead body wrapped up in a big black bag, with a hand out, one finger has been removed, she assumes it's Dunhill's body. A police car stops behind her and she looks visibly afraid. Caleb and Ezra are in an apartment following the signal trace with another heat tracking device which leads them to Mona's apartment, the heat tracking device gives them a rough idea of what she's doing. Mona is revealed to have the game and be working on it, implying she's either behind the whole game board or is trying to figure it out.
Notes[]
- This episode marks Tanner's first appearance in Season 7. Ironically, this episode is directed by Norman Buckley, who also directed the Season 4 episode, "Face Time", in which Tanner made her first ever appearance on the show.
- The police issues a search warrant for The Liars' respective houses and takes away a lot of things, including their mobile phones, forcing them to use cheap flip-phones for communication.
- Marco Furey handed over the case of Archer Dunhill's murder to Lt. Tanner. Tanner reveals to Spencer that she specifically asked for this case as she has always thought that the Liars were guilty of something.
- Toby returns to Rosewood per Tanner's request and later sleeps with Alex.
- A.D. asks the Liars to choose one of them to take the fault for Dunhill's murder and go to jail within 36 hours, or they would all be turned in. After the 36 hours is up, instead of choosing someone, Spencer destroys the game phone.
- Mona hacks into the phone A.D. left for Aria at The Brew and overhears a part of their conversation. Armed with this newfound discovery, Mona reveals to the other Liars and Caleb that Aria is part of A.D.'s team.
- Aria tells A.D. that she wants to meet them. After much hesitation, A.D. agrees to meet Aria, but before A.D. could show up, the Liars catch Aria red handed, wearing the black hoodie, waiting for A.D.
- Caleb informs Ashley that Hanna ran over Dunhill after she begins to suspect Hanna to be covering for Alison.
- Hanna and Caleb get married.
- A.D. claims that Aria won the game and terminates her from the team by destroying a phone they gave Aria.
- Caleb tracks the signal from the game to Mona's apartment, where she has the game to further examine it.
- Aria discovers that A.D. has placed Dunhill's corpse in her car trunk, and closes it just as a police car pulls up to confront her.
Title and Background[]
- The title was revealed by Norman Buckley on Instagram.[2]
- The title refers to A.D.'s new task for the Liars: chose just one of their own to go to jail otherwise they all go to jail.
Main Cast[]
- Troian Bellisario as Spencer Hastings/Alex Drake
- Ashley Benson as Hanna Rivers
- Lucy Hale as Aria Montgomery
- Shay Mitchell as Emily Fields
- Janel Parrish as Mona Vanderwaal
- Sasha Pieterse as Alison DiLaurentis
Supporting Cast[]
- Tyler Blackburn as Caleb Rivers
- Ian Harding as Ezra Fitz
- Laura Leighton as Ashley Marin
- Keegan Allen as Toby Cavanaugh
- Roma Maffia as Linda Tanner
- Jim Titus as Barry Maple
Trivia[]
- The table read for this episode occurred on September 19th, 2016.[3]
- Filming for this episode began on September 20th, 2016[4] and wrapped on September 29th, 2016.[5]
- This is Norman Buckley & Charlie Craig's last episode for the show. Norman has the highest number of directing credits on the show, while Charlie returned this season after Season 2 to serve as co-showrunner. This also marks their first collaboration on the show together, making Norman the only director on the show to have directed scripts written by almost all the PLL writers. He never directed a script written by Kyle Bown, Kateland Brown or Francesca Rollins.
- This is the first episode to be directed by Norman Buckley in which Mona makes an appearance after being absent from all the episodes Norman directed since after "Miss Me x 100".
- The episode's official press release was made public on May 30th, 2017.[1]
- The intro in this episode features Spencer doing the 'Shhh'.
- This episode marks Tyler Blackburn's (Caleb Rivers) 100th appearance on Pretty Little Liars.
- This episode was watched by 0.96 million viewers during its original broadcast.
Featured Music[]
- "Save Me" by Majik - (Hanna arrives at The Radley lobby with her bags when she runs into her mom who questions whether she and her friends are involved in Archer's death then offers her help but Hanna refuses to allow her to)
- "Leave Your Love" by Young Summer - (Spencer heads to The Radley bar when she runs into Toby, he informs her that Tanner called him in for questioning then tells her his prospective of what Tanner is up to)
- "A Little Wicked" by Valerie Broussard - (At The Radley, Hanna, Spencer, Emily and Alison watch as the clock continues to count down to the 24 hours; Hanna questions the other girls if they noticed Mona was different when they saw her earlier)
- "A World Waiting" by Spencer Thomson - (After failing to get answers from Hanna, Ashley goes to Caleb to find out what's going on)
- "Stand By Me (Re:Imagined)" by Denmark + Winter - (Alex and Toby makeout, then have sex; Emily and Alison begin to kiss then have sex, while Hanna and Caleb are married by a Justice of the Peace with Ashley as their witness; Aria and Ezra have passionate sex)
Gallery[]
Choose or Lose has a photo gallery. |
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