Pretty Little Liars: UnmAsked

Last night I met up with my sister and her friend, Sarah, to watch the season finale of Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family.

The importance of this event in my life, when compared to say… the giant hole in my bedroom ceiling caused by a roof leak, is mildly alarming.  That’s what Terry is for.  Kidding, I really should be more concerned about the leak AND the torrential downpour that is taking place in Houston all day today.  Anyways, my point is that I put most things on hold to spend an hour finding out essentially nothing.

You see, the whole point of last night’s thrilling season finale was to find out who has been bullying a group of four high school teens.   It is also assumed that “A” (bully) might also be responsible for the death of their friend 2 years ago.

Yes, this show is on ABC Family.  Emphasis on the word “family”.  I believe the show’s targeted age demographic is probably high school aged females, but hopefully I’m wrong.  Most of my friends watch it, so we are either totally lame, or it just indicates this show is not appropriate for high school aged women.   Possibly it means both.  I did love high school.

While watching last night, we paused several times to either laugh at the bad acting, check the twitter hashtags that were intermittently flashed at the bottom of the screen, discuss who we thought A was, and repeatedly throw out how we would never let our high schooler watch this show.

When I got home, I couldn’t help but think about why this show is so inappropriate for anyone younger than age 18.  Yet, I am completely ok with it being on the air and will totally watch next season even though that will most likely get us no where closer to finding out who A really is.   What does this say about me?

I realize there were shows when I was in high school that my mom didn’t want (read: didn’t let) me to watch.  90210, Melrose Place, Sex and the City, etc just to name a few.   I so totally did watch them, but not really until college.  That is when I would marathon watch all seasons in a row.  Pam was wise to bar me from exposing myself to all that at an early age.  Even then, I don’t feel like those shows have anything on the drama of PLL.

Here is the list why:

• Since when did high schoolers start drinking coffee on an hourly basis?  These girls are always walking around with coffee cups.  Is this just an accessory?  If they haven’t purchased it from what I can only assume is their local campus barista, they are making coffee for each other as they ponder A’s next message and/or scheme.   Maybe it just looks better to ponder intensely over steaming mugs.  I should try this at work.
• This brings me to my next point, why are they never at work and/or school?  I realize not all high schoolers have part time jobs but most do.  These girls are obviously skipping class to hunt down A 85% of the time.  I realize that the producer/director whoever wants us to think it is just “after school” time or whatever, but I’m not so sure I buy this.  This show gives college like free time to people in high school.  It annoys me.  Just because it isn’t realistic.
• Where are their parents?!!  This totally stresses me out.  Even though I love the show, I would be completely not ok with my child thinking I was as dumb and/or not as involved as these parents appear to be.  Will my child think this about me since I associate myself with this series?  Hannah’s mom is Sydney Andrews!  How can she NOT be scheming with her daughter, at the very least?!   They are wasting Laura’s talent and superb facial features.
• There is obviously no dress code at their school.  Lucky girls.  I still think dress codes are stupid.
• I’m not sure how to even comment on the whole Ezra/Aria romance.  Truth?  I think they are a precious couple.  Do I want to see them break up?  No.  I want to see them get married and have lots of babies.  Am I totally not ok with the show making it acceptable to date your teacher?  YES. This is disgusting and so inappropriate.  Statutory rape is not your friend.  Wait until you are 18 ladies.   Why did he have to be her teacher?  Couldn’t they have cast him as a hot older neighbor?  Even step-brother-in-law-related only by marriage a la Clueless is way better than your teacher.  I thought that was pushing the limits back in my day.

You should know we still totally checked out the #ezragoespublic hashtag the minute it happened.  Yes, we did squeal.   It still doesn’t make it ok.

I guess that is why we love the show so much.  You just love to hate it.  And the girls are all so cute and fun.  So, I will keep watching because I am old enough to discern between what is ok and what is so not ok.  And because I have to know who A is.   Hopefully this happens before my child is old enough to realize what his/her mommy watches on the TV.  If he/she ever does figure it out, I’m blaming it all on Aunt Anna.  She is who got me hooked in the first place.