I'm Still Here, Bitches

I hate this show. Not really, but kind of. I feel like I enjoy at least some of it as I’m watching, but I forget most of the show immediately after. I didn’t catch up on last week’s episodes until last night because I just don’t feel that connected to the show and couldn’t get into the mood to watch it🤷‍♀️. You better believe I was on my couch every Tuesday night at eight to watch PLL. I watched the finale on my phone in the airport, waiting for a delayed flight. But this show? Eh. I just can’t think of many positives other than the inexplicable need to keep watching it, and @broswatchplltoo’s amazing commentary. 

1. None of the characters have distinct personalities. The girls are super bland and I literally can’t tell the boys apart, except Ash and Fake Ezra. Most characters seem defined by one or two characteristics, like “likes movies” and “tragic and pregnant.” This show equates characters having trauma with having personality traits. Karen and Kelly are the only interesting characters in this show, and one didn’t even make it past episode two.

2. Most of the characters don’t have very strong chemistry and don’t seem like they actually care about each other. The friendship between the Liars was one of my favorite parts about the original show, and this one just doesn’t deliver. PLL established such an interesting group of girls from the first episode. This feels more like a group project done by people who barely know each other, with only Tabby and Imogen kind of being close. And the relationships are even worse. You can say a lot about the guys in PLL, but at least you can tell them apart.

3. The mystery is the best part of this show. While I’m not nearly as invested in who A is, what happened with the mothers and Angela is interesting. I do think the flashbacks could be more engaging (it was one of the things PLL did best; flashback Alison was on another planet), but trying to figure out what happened to Angela is probably the best part of this show. I like the idea of the mother’s past affecting their daughter’s present and hope the next three episodes lean more into this aspect of the show.

4. Rosewood sucked. They didn’t even try to make it look the same, especially the Radley. And why couldn’t it be Aria’s Books? This show has so much about men being predatory, then chooses Ezra Fitz of all characters to reference.

5. I don’t like the fashion. More of a taste thing, but Karen is just dressed like a Regina George Barbie and the rest of the wardrobe is pretty underwhelming imo.

6. A’s look is...a choice. The black hood made sense because it was both anonymous and practical. Leather Face is very extra. I get wanting a new look for A, but it could be a little less ridiculous.

7. A lot of the dialogue is cringy, but not as bad as Riverdale.

8. I do like that it seems to be filmed mostly on location, but I think Rosewood got screwed because of this.