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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 doesn't say a word. Light fades into dark and then back to light again, signaling days have passed.

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On the day of Mrs. DiLaurentis’ funeral, Hanna offers to help Alison get 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 she doesn’t know.

The Liars are waiting downstairs for Alison and overhear Mr. DiLaurentis telling Jason that he doesn't want any police or press at the church or at the cemetery. Jason tells him he took care of it, but Mr. DiLaurentis is doubtful. When Hanna comes downstairs, the girls ask her how Ali is doing. Hanna tells them Alison is burying her mother, so how should she be doing? Emily thinks Jason buried Jessica, but Spencer defends him, saying she saw his face when the dog discovered Jessica’s body.

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Aria is still paranoid, thinking 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 who knows the truth about what happened - Ezra.

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Alison comes downstairs, wearing one of Jesicca's dress. Kenneth is furious about it and asks her to go 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 that same dress to her funeral.

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

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 they are still over. The girls realize the holes in Alison's story will eventually put the police onto their trail. Hanna and Emily still think 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.

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In the school hallway, Mona stops Aria  and asks her to sign a card for Mr. Fitz, who, according to Mona, is back in Rosewood. Aria doesn't want to sign the card, but Mona tells her she should at least do it for appearance’s sake. Mona says 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 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 the 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 Emily confronts her. It turns out, the girl, Sydney, is just impressed with Emily's swimming career. Sydney begs for some help with her swimming, asking Emily to watch her in the pool and give her, her opinion on her form.

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

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Spencer wants to know why Melissa lied about seeing Toby in London. Melissa says she wanted to keep Wren out of it. as her parents still don't like him. Melissa thinks Spencer bringing Ali home safe and sound was a mistake, and that she should stay away from that family. Spencer reminds Melissa 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 makes a remark about how easy it once was to distinguish between them.

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

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

Aria arrives at Ezra’s apartment, 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 yet know that Shana is dead, and so he reminds 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.

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Hanna sees Mona at school and flashes back to a time when Mona was helping Hanna to be fabulous. Now that she's thinner, Mona says she needs a new wardrobe to go with her new figure. Mona pulls out a dress of Alison’s that she left at Hanna's after a sleepover. Hanna says it won’t fit, but Mona insists that Hanna try on the dress. Hanna is happy to see that the dress actually fits.

At the cabin in the woods, Aria tells Alison that Ezra will keep their secret, then 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 a lot of pizza. They ask about when Jason was there.

While packing to leave, Jason tells Spencer he thinks 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 that she never finished it. She thinks she must have tried to delive 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 her 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; 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's keeping is for Aria, for when she will let him help her.

Back from Philadelphia, Hanna and Emily walk into the Brew where 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 saying, "You deserve the best of everything." Paige sys she already had that.

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Peter returns 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 she "can't lie about something you don't know anything about". Aria visits Ezra once again to tell 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 it's time for a makeover. The hairdresser asks if she wants the same dye shage, but Hanna she want to try something new. Behind frosted glass, Mona is seen looking into the salon 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 Jason was in Philly when Jessica was murdered.
  • 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.
  • Hanna goes to the salon for a makeover.

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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