S3 Episode 8: Stolen Kisses

How many stolen kisses did you find in this episode?

As usual, the recap will begin with the episode opener that sums up the ‘main events’. My Thoughts are inline in parenthesis.

Hanna and Spencer continue to argue about Mona giving them clues. Hanna thinks Mona is genuinely helping them out. Spence thinks otherwise. They are still trying to figure out how to get into Maya’s website www.massugar.com and Hanna is on the verge of panicking because of the blood sample issue. Spence is confident that her mom can block the court order.

Aria and Em enter the room.  As Spence and Hanna continue to argue, Aria reminds them to focus.

Em’s mind is definitely somewhere else, perhaps still trying to deal with Maya’s death.  She tells them that she is meeting Nate and they will be hiking to the boathouse. Em tries a password and fails. It simply makes her feel that she didn’t really know Maya well enough.

Ezria, and Mommy Dearest (Revelation #1)

• Aria is home when Byron arrives and asks if she will be home for dinner. He then tells her the news that Meredith will be teaching at Rosewood High (hurray for Ella).
• Aria arrives at Ezra’s apartment and is welcomed by…Mrs. FitzgerAld. Well, hello Mommy Dearest, wearing a snail brooch. (Now, we know EzrA has two A’s in his name.) Mrs. Fitz mentions the banquet at the Osgood Museum and invites them to the reception. She and Aria make nice-nice. Ezra isn’t too happy about it. Apparently, he truncated his name for a reason. He has mommy issues and told Mommy that he and Aria became a couple after he left Rosewood High.
• In school , Aria seems to be excited about the reception at the Osgood and asks for Em’s help in picking an outfit. Obviously a mismatch, Em points her to Spencer. Aria tells Em about Ezra’s family…money…and Em questions whyyy he’s in his situation right now.
• Mommy Dearest approaches Aria. They start the conversation nicely, talking about the Fitzgerald treasures. Then, Mommy Dearest tells Aria that she has a “very important role in this”. (What an odd thing to say.) She then proceeds to inform Aria that she knows a lot about Aria’s family. A LOT. And then she turns Passive-Aggressive and tells Aria how awful her life is—and how much she has dragged down Ezra with her. While smiling. She blames Aria for Ezra’s failures and wants to pay her to leave Ezra. (Wow. Passive-Aggressive, Conniving and Manipulative.) Aria storms out of the reception. Ezra approaches his mom and asks her what she told Aria. They get into a confrontation while Mommy Dear maintains her  innocence. (She is so scary!!! She reminds me of Regina in Once Upon A Time)
• At home, from the reception, Aria is sitting on the floor contemplating what happened. Byron arrives and they have a father-daughter moment. Aria asks if he thinks she ruined Ezra’s life. (Ironic again. Of course Byron can’t say yes…because 1-She’s his daughter, 2-Then he would have thought Meredith ruined his life too and they’re together now).

Em, Paige, and That Night (Revelation #2)

• Nate and Maya are at the boathouse, talking about Maya. They spoke of how she worshipped the elements: air, earth, fire, water. The topic shifts to Jenna. Nate tells Em that she stood him up, explaining that she thought she was through with someone but was not (A? When Cece call Jenna, did Jenna think it was A? Does Jenna know Cece?) Otherwise, Nate and Em are just trying to deal with Maya’s death—murder—in their own way.
• Em visits Paige at her home, while fixing her bike. Paige seems to be avoiding her but Em wants to talk. She eventually agrees—Monday, after school. (Camera shoots from afar as Em walks out. Is someone watching?)
• Monday afternoon, Paige and Em go for a run. Em is pretty winded, stops, and starts talking about the flask. Paige knew that the flask was doped. Em explains that she didn’t try to drug Paige. Paige asks if Em knew who tried to drug her (Em, obviously doesn’t know). Em tells Paige when she drank the contents and tells her about her missing memories from the night of Ali’s grave’s disappearance. Paige reveals that they were together part of that night (at Paige’s house—which means the person at Sputnik’s was someone else unless Paige was lying).
• Paige tells Em around 11p, she arrived at Paige’s house. Drunk. They kissed but when Paige went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, Em had fled. Paige tries to explain why she hasn’t told Em but Em is piqued.
• Em runs to the boathouse, hoping maybe to be alone and think about THAT NIGHT or Maya. She is startled by Nate’s presence. They both wallow about Maya. Nate shows an emotional side and gives her advice when Em started asking about missing memories when you are drunk. “People get drunk to cover up what they want.”
• Paige’s house, poolside…Em arrives and talks to Paige. Paige says she is sorry and Em tells her it wasn’t her fault. Paige is angry at whoever did that to Em (second person Em told to stop thinking that way…thinking about killing someone). Em explains that night…that though she was drunk, she was looking for something…somebody…and she came to Paige. Ladida, they kiss. (Seems like Em is moving on pretty quickly).

Maya’s Away Sleeping Sweet, Until Garrett’s All Rosy (Revelation #3)

• Hanna and Spence are still arguing about hacking into the website. Spence says she needs help, hinting for he-who-will-not-be-named. Ok, Caleb. Hanna, hesitantly, agrees. Spence says she’ll talk to Caleb. Then, Hanna gets a text from Wren: “We need to talk.” Toby arrives, asking for Jason’s whereabouts. Spence doesn’t know. (Jason’s missing?) Spence asks Hanna to leave the room. Spoby start to fight! Spencer is protecting Jason but Toby fights back! (Yay, I like this spunkier Toby!) Toby leaves, Spence is teary-eyed. Hanna witnesses.
• Wren and Hanna meet at the café. Wren tells her that they will be moving Mona to a different facility due to outbursts…plus she has not been taking her meds. She has been smuggling them out via a visitor (Hello, Lucas? Or A?) The board thinks Mona requires high security. Obviously, Hanna wants Mona to stay and is trying to convince Wren to convince the board to keep Mona in Rosewood. Then…Caleb arrives! Hanna approaches Caleb but Caleb spots Wren. Ladida!
• Caleb steps out of his Mercedez and Spencer spots him. (Aha!) He claims that his mom has not been using the car since the accident. Apparently, he drove all the way back from California (whuttt?). Spencer seeks his help re password cracking but Caleb wants to know whose site.
• Later, Spencer tells Caleb about the website and decides to help her after school. Spence gets a text: “Mona’s almost gone. Hanna’s next. –A” (A surely is pissed off at Hanna the most)
• Spence shows the liars the message she got from A. Hanna tells them what Wren told her. Spence seems surprised (at Wren giving Hanna info). They wonder if the pills they found in Lucas’ pack were from Mona.
• Aria and Spencer at the Hastings as Aria asks Spence for outfit advice. Spencer spots her mom’s bag and searches for Garrett’s files. Phone camera out, and they snap photos of the documents. The two go over the files reading info on how Maya died. She was not only strangled, but struck…and she was also killed at the scene: Em’s backyard between 10p to 2am. No personal property was found (but we already knew that). They also get hold of a witness list: VH found a witness that knows something. Spencer needs to meet with Caleb so Aria decides to stop by and track down the witness.
• At the sanitarium, Hanna finds out that Wren was unsuccessful at convincing the board. Wren thinks Hanna should be the one talking to them.
• Aria visits the witness…at the theater…and finds Bart tending to pre-opening errands. She befriends him and starts mentioning Emily and Maya. Bart tells her that he actually witnessed Maya getting into Garrett’s car on the night they found her body.
• Caleb assists Spencer in trying to get into Maya site. (There is some weird chemistry between these two and I don’t feel comfortable about it). Spencer teases Caleb about his new lifestyle and Caleb gets giddy over dry cleaning (weird). They eventually get in the site and notice that the site hosts Maya’s video diary.
• Aria calls Spencer and tells her what Bart said. Aria is at the Osgood reception. Ezra sees her and jokes about ditching. Aria realizes that the art collection actually belongs to Richie-Rich. Ezra’s been holding back on her. Aria also realizes that Ezra was cutting more than just a family name. From afar, Mommy Dearest sees them kiss.
• Hanna resolves to talking to Mona’s physicians, first reading from her notes then later speaking from her heart. She explains how she cares about Mona and understands how Mona can be angry. She pleads for Mona to stay. (Do you think Hanna really cares about Mona or just because she wants to get info about A?)
• At the waiting room, Wren approaches Hanna and tells her that her talking to the physicians worked. She has convinced them to delay any decisions regarding Mona. Hanna is really happy and kisses Wren (oookay). Hanna gets a text from Spencer: “Have you heard from Em? You need to see something. Now.” (So, this episode seems to be a set up for something that might happen between Hanna and Spencer. Does that mean that the upcoming #betrayal episode will be related to this?)
• Hanna, Aria, and Spencer are watching Maya’s Vlogs although they keep saying that they need to watch them with Em. They are still trying to contact Em but she is busy with Paige. In one of the videos, Maya says, “I can’t keep being afraid. “

A’s Antics

• Bill counter totals 50K. Gloved-Hoodie just encashed Jason’s check. (The teller’s voice sounds like Cece but unlikely possible.)
• Summer’s really over.