Blind Dates

“	Just my luck, diamonds are a girls best friend!	”
	— A

Blind Dates

Season: 2

Episode: 4

Information

Airdate

July 5, 2011

Written by

Charlie Craig

Directed by

Dean White

Chronology
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My Name Is Trouble	The Devil You Know

Blind Dates is the fourth episode in the Season 2 of Pretty Little Liars. It aired on July 5, 2011.

Synopsis[]

The episode begins with the pawn shop owner expressing shock at seeing Spencer walk back through the door of his shop, just like she said she would, 48 hours after pawning Melissa's diamond ring. To cover up his mistake, the owner pretends he doesn't recognize her, but as proof, Spencer hands him the receipt he gave her. He gives her a rusty horseshoe as the item that corresponds with the number on the receipt and hands her a phone to call the police if she wants to.

PLL204-0020 — Aria, Hanna and Emily at a dumpster

Meanwhile, Aria, Hanna and Emily are waiting outside for her in the "skeevy" parking lot next to a dumpster. They discuss the oddness of Wren and Melissa's rendezvous the night before. Spencer comes out and reports the bad news - she basically stole her sister's wedding ring. Just then, they look up to see a creepy sign for an optometrist, with eyes bearing down on them, as if someone is watching them as they know someone always is.... Just then, they get a text from "A" cluing them into who has the ring.

PLL204-0094 — Aria's new English teacher

News flash for Aria: Now that Mr. Fitz will be no longer be teaching at her high school, her mother, Ella will now be her new English teacher. Aria tries to conceal her disappointment and struggles with the weirdness of the arrangement. Back at the Hastings', Melissa is still searching for her ring AND for Ian's passport. She claims it's needed to make a claim on her ring for the insurance company.

At Hanna's home, Hanna's mom requires Hanna to have a solo session with the therapist, to Hanna's chagrin of course. Meanwhile, at Emily's, "A" sent a box of Danby paraphernalia (mug, sweatshirt, etc.) along with a note that says, "So happy to have you on our 'A-Team'!!!" Pam is as happy as ever, celebrating Emily's inevitable acceptance into Danby. Emily's conscience grows larger.

PLL204-0215 — Lucas shares his nerves with Hanna.

At school, Lucas is a total mess; he is beyond nervous about his upcoming date with Danielle. He persuades himself to call it off, but Hanna urges him not to. Lucas eventually gets Hanna to come along... with Caleb, to make things more confortable as a double date.

As usual, Ella takes advantage of seeing her daughter in the school hallway to exchange some words. Aria first promises she was only saying goodbye to her friends, who she is still banned from seeing, and then critiques and compliments her mom on her first class. Ella mentions she needs Aria to meet up with her brother, Mike later where he usually plays basketball to return his keys, and then to Aria's utter annoyance, Elle reminds her daughter to refrain from spending time with her friends - even in the school hallways.

PLL204-0294 — Hanna and Caleb, sitting as frenemies

During lunch, Caleb follows Hanna to try and convince her to agree to the double date with Lucas and Danielle. Hanna, still disgruntled by Caleb, refuses, but then gives in for Lucas' sake. She lets Caleb know she's only doing this for Lucas. Caleb stills seems satisfied to be going with her.

PLL204-0335 — Wren is torn between helping Spencer or Melissa.

Later, Spencer finds Wren at the hospital where he works to let him know she saw Wren giving stuff to Melissa and to warn him that Ian had tried to kill her/Spencer. He tells her the bag contained strong pain killers, meaning Ian really is alive, though probably not in good shape. He explains he wanted to help Melissa because he feels responsible for Melissa getting back with Ian in the first place. In the end, not wanting to get involved, Wren turns Spencer down to help track down Ian.

At the therapist's office, Hanna is impatient and annoyed. She barely speaks to Dr. Sullivan and avoids opening up to her. Hanna leaves as soon as her hour is up, avoiding the therapist's request for Hanna to role play what she's feeling as if Alison were sitting there with them.

At the basketball court, Aria goes to find Mike, but only finds Mike's friends and, unexpectedly, Jason. His friends let her know he hasn't been around in months, and Jason theorizes Mike is doing things of which his family obviously wouldn't approve of. Aria is worried, but grateful to Jason. For a moment, it seems like Jason is flirting when he tells her he remembers her pink hair highlights and misses her bold fashion statement. Aria is flattered.

PLL204-0538 — Pam is happy to meet Samara!

At school, Samara is happy to hear about Emily's news (which she heard from Pam, who was gushing to just about everyone). Pam is super proud of Emily because she thinks Danby made a written commitment and so is especially enthusiastic about Emily receiving a box of Danby paraphernalia. (The gift was actually courtesy of "A," not Danby, as Emily can guess based on the enclosed note.) Emily is immediately honest with Samara, letting her know she authored the letter, not the Danby coach. Just then, Pam sees the two together and invites Samara to celebrate at dinner, especially since Emily won't be celebrating with her usual friends. Samara accepts - this dinner seems like it'll be very different than the last time a girlfriend of Emily's came over. Samara offers to help keep Emily's secret should her mom get too nosy about the details.

Back at the Hastings' residence, Spencer walks into the barn, door ajar, and sees a suitcase filled with men's clothing and toiletries, including shaving cream. There are pain meds and pink lacy clothing - clearing belonging to Melissa. There is also Ian's passport tucked inside... Melissa is taking a shower, but runs out in her bathrobe when she hears a noise; Spencer hides, suspicious of Melissa's frantic behavior.

Spencer calls Aria to fill her in, who is also alone in her home and as equally scared as Spencer. When Mike comes home, he scares her by not speaking up when she asks who's there. She confronts him about his lies, but he brushes her off as he's not dealing with his transitioning family situation very well. Mike says if Aria tells their parents he hasn't been playing basketball every day after school, he will tell them she has been sneaking off to see her friends.

PLL204-0809 — Lucas with Danielle at Hanna's place

The scene then cuts to Hanna's place, where Caleb, Danielle, and Lucas have begun their evening. Danielle isn't enjoying the situation and suspects Hanna of still being "in love" with Lucas - being that she did sell Lucas on Danielle by claiming she was still into him. She sees Hanna as ruining their date by walking over so frequently and constantly looking Lucas' way, misinterpreting Hanna's intention to see that Lucas shows Danielle a proper good time. So, Danielle likes Lucas, but is worried that Lucas is responsive to Hanna's moves.

Surprisingly, Pam is impressed by Samara, especially her appreciation of Pam's craftiness and her sweet, polite demeanor. The subject changes to Danby, and Samara tries to make things better for a guilt-ridden Emily, who seems about to confess. Samara convinces Pam that given her swimming stats, there are other schools out there who would also love Emily. She dissuades Pam from contacting the Danby coach right away as that would make them seem too eager and would therefore give other interested schools the wrong impression. Pam agrees and Emily immediately feels less pressure.

PLL204-0810 — Hanna "puts up" with a hug from Caleb for Lucas' sake!

Back at Hanna's, Lucas lets Hanna in on why Danielle is not enjoying their date, so to convince Danielle that she's not interested in dating Lucas, Hanna tells Caleb to put his arm around her. Seeing them together calms Danielle's suspicions and she reaches for Lucas' hand.

The next day, Wren calls Melissa to schedule a meeting - with Spencer by his side, he convinces Melissa he must go along with her to see Ian as he's likely suffering from a serious staph infection. Later, Lucas thanks Hanna profusely, praising her for acting so selflessly and unlike Alison. This sends Hanna deep into thought which takes her all the way to Dr. Sullivan's office where she asks for an impromptu session to work through her thoughts.

At Aria's home, her dad picks up on Mike's abnormal behavior, but having been threatened by Mike that he would tell their parents about her hanging out with her friends, Aria denies what she knows. Mike forces Aria to agree she saw him playing basketball today.

At the therapist's office, in hopes of getting some sense of closure, Hanna tells Dr. Sullivan her true feelings about Alison. Her role playing makes it seem like Alison is really there, taunting Hanna for how she feels. She calls Alison her best friend, but also the worst enemy she ever had. Alison is condescending, but Hanna doesn't allow the mental torture to continue. In her head, Alison says Hanna wouldn't have her friends had Ali not given them to her and that Hanna can't live without her. But, mentally, Hanna lets the ghost know that she's over her, that she won't let her into her life anymore, and that she's ready to move on. Music sets in, as if Hanna has broken a spell...

At school, Samara reiterates what she said to Emily's mom the other night; Emily happily reports that her mother has started to look at other colleges. They plan a second date.

PLL204-1055 — Guess who trashed Dr. Sullivan's office?!

At night, Dr. Sullivan, returns to finds her office only to find it in a shambles! Broken glass is everywhere; it's been completely trashed! She then turns to see a message scrawled on the wall in red paint: "Nosey Bitches Die." Maybe "A" is afraid of being found out?

Wren calls Spencer who alerts the rest of the Liars to hit the road and join them. They're going 'Ian hunting.' But, at Hanna's home, her mom lets Hanna in on what happened to Dr. Sullivan's office. She's afraid because her daughter was the last patient in the office before everything went down. She asks Hanna what they discussed, but Hanna is reluctant; the point of confiding in the therapist is that it was confidential. But, Hanna's mom is not so sure... The police could blame Hanna for the incident. Hanna leaves in a huff, frustrated by all the false accusations that never stop flying around. She goes to find "answers."

At the office, the police let Dr. Sullivan know there were no signs of forced entry. She confirms she's the only one who has a key to the office.

In the car on their way to find Ian, the girls discuss how screwed they are that they can't call the police - mostly because that only ever makes them suspicious. Emily wants to film this to prove their honesty later on. From inside an old barn that Melissa led Wren to, they hear Melissa let out a gut-wrenching scream followed by uncontrollable sobs. They run in and Spencer goes to comfort her. But... there on the floor of the barn lies Ian with dried blood around a wound on his head. He is holding a gun, and beside him lies a letter of confession that he killed Alison. Spencer and Wren exchange horrified looks and the girls stare at the awful site before them. But... is it all over? Above them on the wall, some horseshoes are hung up, but there's a clear imprint where one is obviously missing. Is this a setup? Will Spencer, being in possession of the missing horseshoe, be tied to Ian's death? Will Melissa take Spencer's attempt to comfort her sister as genuine?

At the end, a gloved hand is seen putting Ian's phone into Spencer's purse.

Notes[]

"A" mentions in a text message to the Liars that, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend," which suggests "A" could be a girl.
The time on the broken clock in Dr. Sullian's trashed office reads 6:07, clearly the time "A" broke into Dr. Sullivan's office - just moments after her session with Hanna ended.
Ian's suicide note:

I killed Alison. I losT my Temper because she knew Too much. BuT There's only so much you can bury. IT won'T be ThaT easy, buT ~~pain~~ I Know how To geT rid of The pain. I can'T ~~hide~~ run from The law. Come and find me. - Ian

Continuity[]

The billboard beside the pawn shop is very similar to the one described on the road in Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." This book received attention on the board of Mr. Fitz's classroom in "Know Your Frenemies." In the book, the billboard showcases the eyes of Doctor T. J Eckleburg, a pair of bespectacled eyes painted on an old advertising billboard over the valley of ashes, a shady location. There is much debate over the meaning of the symbol, whether it might be the eyes of God staring down in judgment.
In this episode, they girls notice a similar billboard just after "A" sends her haunting text, and the girls look around to see who's watching them. They cast their eyes on another ancient looking billboard with chipped paint advertising for an optometrist, that reads "Dr. Lars Thorwald -- Someone's watching you, so look your best." (Lars Thorwald is the villain in the Hitchcock film about voyeurism, Rear Window.) On it are a pair of bespectacled eyes, at which the girls stare, hypnotized, and the camera spends several seconds lingering on the image. The neighborhood in which they stand seems pretty dodgy too.
In "Je Suis une Amie," A played with the five of the six famous "Clue" or "Cluedo" murder weapons associated with the game, including the wrench, noose, pipe, knife, and candlestick (trophy). Only the revolver had been missing, and interestingly, Ian's corpse is found beside one at the end of this episode.

Trivia[]

Twisted, the ninth book of the Pretty Little Liars Series, was published on this episode's original air-date, and like the book, this episode ends its current storyline and moves onto another one.
This is the first time we get a sneak peek of the barn. It will become relevant in further seasons.

Title[]

A blind date is a date between two people who have not previously met.
The closest thing to a blind date in this episode is that between Lucas and Danielle who are only somewhat acquainted with each other.
It can also count when Melissa had to meet with Ian.

Main Cast[]

Supporting Cast[]

Co-Starring[]

Amanda Leighton as Danielle
Cody Allen Christian as Mike Montgomery
Kevin Brief as Roy, pawn shop's clerk
Rickey Castleberry as Lewis, Mike's old basketball friend
Gatsby Coram as Policeman

Featured Music[]

“Two at a Time” by Shelly Fraley (when Lucas asks Hanna to join him on his date with Danielle)
"Hearts” by Blair (while Caleb and Hanna talk about being “wing people” for Lucas on his date with Danielle)
"Hawk Eyes” by The Kicks (when Aria searches for Mike at the basketball courts and bumps into Jason DiLaurentis)
"Be Brave” by Shelly Fraley (during the Haleb and Ducas double date)
"Into the Fire” by Thirteen Senses(when Lucas stops by the Marin home to thank Hanna for helping him out)

Gallery[]

Blind Dates has a photo gallery.

Memorable Quotes[]

Hanna: Alison is still with us.

Hanna [about seeing a therapist]: Can’t we just watch Intervention and say that I went?

Hanna [to Caleb, about Lucas]: Kid’s going to swallow his own tongue if we don’t do something.

Wren: Every time I get involved with you and your sister, people end up getting hurt.

Lucas: I'm completely off my game.
Hanna: You don't have any game.

Caleb: That was easy.
Hanna: Well, I’m not.

Alison [in Hanna's imagination]: Low self-esteem leads to hefty Hanna.

Aria: He’s the bad guy, right?

Emily: I’m living a lie I didn’t even tell.

Hanna: She pawned her sister’s wedding ring. You’re not going to go to Tiffany’s.

Aria [to Ella]: I would say you had really good mastery of the material, excellent eye contact with the students, but your handwriting could use some improvement though.

Lucas [to Hanna]: You’ve come a long way from being one of Alison’s posse.

Jason [to Aria]: You always did the unexpected, as opposed to me.

Mike [to Aria]: You think that’s all it takes? The four of us eat pancakes together and everything’s okay?

Melissa [to Spencer]: Don't make me choose between you and my husband.

Hanna [to Anne]: I thought talking to empty chairs was the kind of thing people come here to stop doing.