Pretty Little Liars - Season 3 Episode 2 - Recap and Review - Blood is the New Black
Pretty Little Liars Season 3, Episode 2, "Blood is the New Black," opened in Ella Montgomery's (Hollie Marie Combs) English class with Emily (Shay Mitchell) discovering a vintage rotted tooth necklace in her purse. She appropriately freaked out, and rushed to the girls' room to wash her hands. Spencer (Troian Bellisario) and Aria (Lucy Hale) promptly trotted behind in a huff, and they picked up Hanna (Ashley Benson) in a whirlwind on their way to the bathroom. Aria is still ready to go to the police and to their parents. Spencer is more determined to cover their asses prior to doing so. They accidentally flush the necklace down a toilet. Nice. If I were A, I'd be very frustrated with all of my hard work crafting that thing getting flushed. Then again, they lost some evidence. Also, we learned that they burned the photos of them at the gravesite, as if A doesn't have a digital copy.
At lunch, the girls convince Hanna to keep visiting Mona (Janel Parrish) for information. Hanna is upset that she was reprimanded for this last episode, and is now being prompted to go for it. Spencer agrees to keep visiting Garrett (Yani Gellman) too. Mostly, this scene is important because Jenna (Tamin Sursock) makes her return to school. Spencer thinks it's fishy that her summer camp caused her to show up late. Who schedules a summer camp to run right into the start of high school? Also, Aria questions Jenna's awkward behavior, claiming that she seems "blinder than last year." Jenna later invited Aria to hang out. She wanted her to help work on some music piece at her house. A shocked Aria, of course, graciously declined with a lie.
Hanna visits Caleb (Tyler Blackburn), who is working on repairing a computer. He's like a member of the Best Buy Geek Squad! Both agree that he should be getting paid a lot more than nothing. Hanna reschedules plans with him again so she can visit Mona. Another lackluster visit with Mona pushes Hanna overboard. She throws a chair across the room out of anger.
If you ask me, a lackluster response from Mona drew a lackluster chair throw from Hanna. It was loud enough to draw in Wren (Julian Morris) who canceled the visit, but I thought she could do better. Outside, Wren comforted Hanna, advising her to start letting Mona go, and to mourn the death of their friendship in order to move on. Wren's dad was a little crazy, too, so he can relate. He cites it as an "ambiguous loss," a death without a body. No body yet, at least.
Meanwhile, Emily has been flunking. Aria suggests Ezra (Ian Harding) tutor Emily, but Emily thinks it's too weird of a situation. She doesn't think she can look at him as a teacher anymore because they've seen his underwear drawer, but Aria insists they only saw socks.
Spencer: "Why would his socks have a flap in the middle?"
Emily begrudgingly agrees out of desperation. In a car scene with Fitz, Aria voices her woes over how her parents still aren't embracing their relationship, and how Emily is sinking fast.
In another visit with Garrett, Spencer states that she wants more from the deal than the information Garrett has offered, if she is to enlist her mom (Lesley Fera) as his lawyer. Garrett claims that the body has evidence to prove his innocence, and that someone in her life is lying about medical records. Jenna? Melissa? Mya? Later in the episode, Mrs. Hastings lets Spencer know that she's aware of her visits, and that she forbids them. She doesn't want her affiliated with Garrett, and if Ali's body was unearthed while he was in jail, then he must have friends on the outside who can harm her.
Spencer and Toby (Keegan Allen) also got another sexual scene this week. It involved a massage, and kissing up her back. More importantly, I think several flashes of Toby's tattoo in this scene were used to remind the viewers that he does indeed still have the famous "I'm free from Jenna" tattoo. Apparently, no one has bothered Jenna since her surgery allegedly didn't work. He has no clue where she's been this summer, or why she arrived home late from band camp. Yes, band camp. Spencer did the research, and Jenna's camp did not run into the school year.
Aria is still having family drama. Meredith "the Skank," as she has been dubbed, showed up at Rosewood High looking for a job. She's the student her father had an affair with. The nerve of this girl. She rubs it in Aria's face, and A #2 decides to use this against her. Aria finds an earring in an envelope in her locker. It's an earring she buried with Allison. Why would she choose this "skank's" earring as the one token she would place in her best friend's casket at her friend's mother's request? Cue the flashback! Aria and Alison are snooping around her father's (Chad Lowe) office, looking for evidence that Meredith and he were still having an affair. Ali found a pair of earrings, and decided the best way to get rid of Meredith was to trash Byron's office, and to frame her. It all looks very "A." Apparently, this new A wants Aria to confess, or he'll/ she'll give the other earring to the police.
Aria doesn't even really hesitate. Who cares, anyway? Her dad still ends up looking like the jerk in this situation. Not according to him! He's furious, and he forces Aria to apologize to Meredith for framing her. At the cafe, Aria meets with Meredith to say her sorries, and Meredith throws adequate shade in her direction. Apparently, the reconnection thanks to the apology has hooked Byron and Meredith back together, and they're going on a lunch date. Her dad is awful, and this is just shameless. Aria offers to return the earring, but it isn't hers! Maybe it's a clue, or maybe her dad is just a bigger slut than she had realized.
Ezra's tutoring sessions with Emily are awkward, but he ends up giving her good advice. He advises her to prep for an exam like she does for a swim meet, by listening to music. We also got a little glimpse into Emily's musical tastes when she actually did sit to take the test, and she listened to a really bizarre song. It kind of sounded like one of those karaoke tracks that provides vocals. Also, his advice seems to open up Emily's mind to more than test answers. She has another memory break, and remembers seeing Jenna driving the car she was in the night of the grave robbery! She also forgot to finish half of her test. Don't worry, Ella finished it for her to help her out! That will come back to hurt Ella. Emily does have a legitimate reason for being a wreck, though. Also, Ezra wanted Emily to know that he is very, very, so, so sorry for her loss. Ezra's probably A, right?
Caleb surprises Hanna with takeout back at her house, and her uncomfortable demeanor makes it painfully obvious that she's keeping a secret. He pushes her to confess, so she admits only to thinking about going to visit Mona, citing "ambiguous loss" as her reasoning. He's angry, but agrees to go with her in support. At the hospital the next day, Caleb runs into Wren. Wren lets the "ambiguous loss" phrase slip, and Caleb puts two and two together that Hanna has been their before. Also, has anyone noticed that these other guys get really jealous of Wren?
Hanna does Mona's makeup, and apparently that does the trick. It puts new life into her, and Mona speaks.
Mona: "You're getting them again, aren't you? The texts."
Before Hanna can get any information out of her, it's time to go, but Mona managed to sneak a pair of tweezers under her robe. She used it to prick a hole in her finger.
Also, Spencer betrays her mother's wishes and goes to visit Garrett again. Only, her mother beat her to the punch! Spencer doesn't want to be seen. She uses the old faithful child tactic of hiding your face in the corner of a room. If you can't see them, they can't see you! Actually, it works. Her mother walks right by her. Apparently, Mrs. Hasting's struck a deal with Garrett, and he refuses to talk to Spencer. He sports an obnoxious smirk. My guess is that Spencer actually isn't in danger of getting hurt, she's in danger of getting framed again. Also, Toby alerted Spencer that he found extra bottles of special eye drops for Jenna in their house. Meaning, she's been getting her prescription refilled. She can see!
One more meeting in the ladies room to share their gathered gossip. Spencer talks about Garrett. Emily talks about remembering Jenna. Aria is still dealing with the earring drama. Hanna is dressed like Charlie Brown. Jenna's coming! Everyone, run and hide! Spencer, however, hasn't had her "cleverest moment of the week" yet. She places the earring on top of the sink, and waits for Jenna to wash her hands. Jenna picks up the earring, and gives herself away. Once she leaves, Hanna admits to wanting to do more to Jenna than just slap her this time. Aria wants to hang a sign that says, "Bitch can see!" Spencer wants to use it against her, and she will.
The episode closes with a member of the A-Team buying lots of black hoodies and gloves. Everyone is A.
What did you all think of the episode? Do you think something's brewing between Wren and Hanna? Who's earrings were those? Is Ella in trouble? Is Mona at least a little nuts? Where is Jason? Who isn't A?
Watch: Pretty Little Liars – Season 3 Episode 3 – Video Preview – The Kingdom of the Blind
