TV REVIEW: Pretty Little Liars “Fresh Meat”

By Nicole Bozzani

Mona’s symbolic funeral has come and gone, Ali sits in jail for her murder, and the Liars are preparing for their future lives away at college, but what happens when a new piece of evidence, capable of flipping their lives upside down, is discovered?

Fresh Meat saw relationships, futures, and believability tested in the most predictable manners imaginable. Toby discovers a new piece of evidence while on yet another search of Mona’s backyard which begins to test his relationship with Spencer. Meanwhile, Hannah takes matters into her own hands while attempting to find detective Holbrook, and Aria and Emily attempt to sort out the state of their futures which hang in the balance. There was some familiar faces, some new (but strange) hookups, and some characters seen in new, suspicious lighting.

Toby had taken up the task of joining Rosewood’s finest in order to be one step ahead and possibly solve the A mystery, but now it seems as though his motives have become clouded. When the knife is discovered in Mona’s backyard, Toby realizes it could end his future and make him look more guilty than if his name was written on it. Not to mention it could also impact the futures of Caleb (who reveals a rather interesting story in the process) and Spencer. Surely Spencer and Caleb disposing of the knife in the kiln sounded like a good idea at the time, but Toby is now a tried and true believer of Cop Code and shuts down her reasoning immediately. It becomes hard to understand what is more naive in the situation: disposing of evidence when one is being followed by a shady character in a hood almost constantly or running directly to a cop believed to be her boyfriend and telling him exactly what they’ve done. Of course Toby is going to side with the police. There’s clearly enough things he should never know to fill a dump truck. If there is one thing that happens with unfailing regularity on Pretty Little Liars it’s falling for the trap. We can’t just magically break into school, find a giant walk-in kiln (is that even a real thing?), and expect zero consequences, people! Caleb might as well have just yelled “Hey, A! I’m over here! Come lock me in!” because that is exactly what happened.

Elsewhere, Hannah is visiting a college campus when she suddenly goes rogue to find Holbrook at the world’s sketchiest trailer park. When she arrives a horrifying man is chopping the bloodiest piece of meat ever seen on television and a creepy child on a bike appears because, duh, children are the easiest portals to horror hell. But, truth be told, the creepiest moment is when Holbrook’s risen from the grave father mistakes Hannah for Ali. Why on Earth does this old gentleman know so much about Ali and lack knowledge of his own son’s whereabouts?

Continuing with the quest for a better future, Aria and Emily are both trying to sort through some personal business. Aria has been wait-listed or rejected from just about every college she has applied to, but after finding out an old nemesis of hers is on the admissions board, she takes matters into her own hands. While extremely inappropriate to write a personal letter to the workplace of a boyfriend’s ex, it seems to work. Unfortunately, Aria is, again, too willing to believe the best of everyone despite the shady actions of Jackie’s past and present.

“Fresh Meat” gave us what we’ve come to expect from Pretty Little Liars: many unbelievable moments that just couldn’t possibly be real. The show is an escape to another world yet many of the events that happen there fail to elicit surprise from the viewer any longer.

New characters have been introduced, some old friends have shown their faces, and a new relationship is on the horizon. Johnny can’t be good news for the Liars especially taking up residence in Spencer’s backyard. Ashley Marin and Jason DiLaurentis have to be even worse news for Hannah and Rosewood in general. Someone should definitely tell those two about regular, everyday ‘Thank You’ cards.

One thing is for sure: if the characters of Pretty Little Liars were in a horror movie, they definitely would have all died first.