Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists - Lie Together, Die Together - Review: "Do you say Gala or Gala?" + POLL

Previously on PLLTP:

Dylan lied and Dana knows about it which makes her "A" or so the liar-perfectionist think and while they're all hooking up with new guys, the most boring of them all turns out to be hiding something in a lake.

Recap:

Picking up where last week's cliff hanger left us: Jeremy assures Caitlin he isn't a monster and that he did what he had to, which is what Nolan deserved. Now listen, this isn't how the big bad is going to reveal he was the killer I've seen enough PLL to know that. So Jeremy can continue being vague about whatever he did, maybe he decided to write a true crime novel and spy on everyone I don't care either way because we were never really invested in this romance, he's no Toby Cavanaugh. He tells Cate to leave town with him and never look back.

As their newest recruit, Taylor returns and greets her old friend Dylan and introduces herself to Ava, promising to let her know what Nolan couldn't tell her. Their recording of Dana proved to be just what the team needed to show Claire what she's been up to and everything's falling into place, which of course spells trouble.

Claire thanks the team for showing her what she already knew, Dana is shady and she gets the job done. At last, Claire stops playing nice and lays it on them, she doesn't give a shit about Dana manipulating them or torturing them because she thinks they're suspicious, they did lie about their alibi after all. Hearing all this, Taylor is regretting every decision she made and Claire dismisses them all apart from Ali.

If Claire thinks she can intimidate Alison, digger of shallow graves, wearer of wigs and redcoats, she has nothing thing coming. While she doesn't completely mistrust her, as long as she keeps lying for her students she's not willing to help Ali in any way and she warns her that if she drags Taylor into her mess, she'll have to answer to her because as always, there are things we don't know about (more on that later).To keep Taylor out of harm's/Dana's way she gives her a gala to run. Is there a more PLL appropriate event to end the season than a gala? I hope it's a masquerade one.

Dylan is preparing for getting kicked out and potentially blacklisted for the rest of his life. Andrew thinks he shouldn't be defined by one mistake since he clearly regretted cheating. Yeah that's not exactly how ethics committees work, at BHU or anywhere else. They get ready for one last day at BHU together.

To add salt to the wound, Dana thanks the perfectionists for getting her a pay raise. Dana, you are a genius. With Dylan almost out, Dana pushes Ava next by threatening to find her stash of stolen cash she's been living off. They both the usual SOS text from their third, Caitlin is scared Jeremy did it but like Taylor, we shouldn't be convinced unless we see a flashback of him doing it. She left Jeremy without any proof and the team enlists to help investigate him.

Ava shows her bag of cash to her fellow perfectionists, revealing her best-kept secret last. Caitlin hides it under her mother's record player when she should have gone for the lasagna boxes. She promises that her mom is never around but Ava is mortified when she pays a visit. Senator Park-Lewis is not too thrilled her daughter is friends with a criminal's daughter but they go to the gala.

Mona gets ready in her most jaw-dropping velvet red dress while Mason drools next to her and receives a call from Claire Hotchkiss, but not to worry, Vanderjesus has him wrapped around her finger (and sheets). Taylor uses her Scooby Doo mystery Machine to track Jeremy and gets a visit from Ava, and almost shoots her before assuring her of Nolan's loyalty. We learn that Jeremy did stalk Nolan like a "jealous boyfriend" (Called it) and also caused the blackout that night and was tracked walking towards the roof moments before the murder but that still doesn't put him at the scene of the crime ladies.

Caitlin's on the phone giving her worst delivery as the girlfriend who'll risk it all, friends, career, a clean record, for her crazy boyfriend. And Jeremy's giving his awful Bond villain who wears gloves at all times. With Cate as the bait (no rhyme intended), the liar perfectionists and Taylor plan to offer Jeremy to Dana on a silver platter. Taylor has no time for Galas but this is PLL, you gotta act normal bitches.

Claire thanks Mason for being there for her (did they hook up?) right before she orders active surveillance on him. Girl where were you when he was blackmailing the perfectionists? Controlling Taylor is like trying to contain the old Alison, the explosive unpredictable stubborn mastermind. She knows Claire is tracking her and they have a face-off at Alison's house while she's awkwardly standing by offering tea. Claire's trying to convince Taylor and everyone else that she's not mentally sound, which is the most problematic behaviour out of all of her micromanaging.

Caitlin's just not getting a break this episode, with Dana greeting her at her mom's house and the bag full of cash out in the open. Caitlin's quietly calculates her next move and doesn't confess to anything despite her mom's threats. Besides, she still has the affair to use as leverage on her. How can we even keep up with all these secrets I swear. Her mother puts her foot down to take her to DC with her and get her out of this mess, after the murders and hit and runs and stolen money. She's not wrong, she might be a bit late to the game but any amount of parenting, no matter how little, wouldn't hurt.

Mona arrives to the Gala looking like Linda Vanderjesus Evangelista. Dylan introduces himself as her gay friend to Caitlin's mom who exclaims "Out and proud. Good for you!" That's how I wish to be welcomed by everyone too. With Ava's money, Dana has something on everyone and waits for their next move before handing it in "like a cat playing with the mouse before she eats it". The perfectionists try and come up with a plan before their lives all falls apart but Jeremy's not getting back to Cate.

Before Mona can astral project using adrenalised hyper-reality, Claire ambushes her and fires her for having an inappropriate relationship with Mason. Again, perfectly reasonable but kind of trivial given all the other shit going down. Mona tries to flee from Mason who chases after her like a lost puppy and she breaks it off with him.

Alison asks Taylor about her past and learns Beacon Guard was her creation all at the age of 14 along but she got so obsessed she took it too far. So Taylor might be more Mona than Ali, or basically their love child. Ava chats with the Jamie Lee Curtis of Vogue, embracing the messiness of life is the fresh new perspective in her art. She helps Zach score his chance with the artist by covering for him after she makes out with him.

Dylan makes one last plea with Claire, who amongst all her other various duties also has the deciding vote on the ethics committee. She offers no mercy and kisses him goodbye. Andrew presents the piece Dylan made for him to a famous conductor in the crowd right as Caitlin gets a text from Jeremy and grabs the others.

Claire announces Taylor will be attending a psychiatric retreat against her will which sets her off but the scene gives them a distraction from the rest of them. If you didn't want her to make a scene why did you announce it in the middle of a Gala? Alison worries about her, having also been hospitalised against her will. #FREETAYLOR. In all this drama, Caitlin's feeling are rushing out: the fear and the hopelessness of them leaving each other but Ava reminds her that being family was worth the risk. They love each other and it's beautiful but Mona tells them to hurry the A up.

At the river, Caitlin waits for Jeremy who arrives on boat while the others are on the lookout and meet Taylor who got away from Claire by stealing her car but she has an axe to grind and Alison sees it coming. Caitlin begs Jeremy to turn himself in but he refuses to. The liar perfectionists have a face off and before Jeremy can escape, Taylor shoots him in the heart. Our girl has aim. Mona and the perfectionists are shook but Ali has already got a plan in the works: a new alibi for everyone who'll testify that they watched Jeremy try to attack Taylor and her shoot him in self-defence.

Sweepstakes:

Best Line:
Caitlin: At least we know Dana Booker won't be barging in here
Dana Booker: *Barges in there*

Killer Look: The entire Beacon Guard system could run on Mona's fiery red velvet dress

Lingering Mystery: What exactly did Jeremy do? If the liar-perfectionists hadn't been busy speaking over him and trying to kill him, we could have gotten a confirmation. Who is our "A"? After finally getting what I've been asking for this entire season: a classic "A" tag with a computer spying set up in a nondescript empty room, we saw Mona's hijacked wonder algorithm completing its list of suspects to include: Caitlin, Ava, Dylan, Mona, Ali, Taylor.. and Ray Hogadorn. Did "A" really need an algorithm to deduce this?

Verdict:

Rating: 5/5 A perfectly messy pre-finale climax

In its original run, PLL was criticised by many (and myself) for beating around the bush for too long without providing any answers to the myriad of crazy mysteries it juggled. While I could have definitely done with 10 more episodes of this, PLLTP has actually done a perfect job with keeping up a good pace and offering payoffs. If anything, it covered too much but if they're already shooting people in the pre-finale what the A is in store for next week?

Let us know what you thought in the poll and comments below. Only one episode left bitches #renewtheperfectionists so that Nikos is not out of a job and because we have yet to see Emily Fields, the rest of the liars OR Alex and Mary Drake and returning.