In today’s pod, we cover episodes 2.16, “Let the Water Hold me Down”, and 2.17, “The Blond Leading the Blind”. We discuss yet more fucked up ableism towards Jenna, Mona’s cashmere blend sweater sets, Emily misunderstanding beards, and worms in takeout boxes. Cameron might be getting paid by Big Chickpea, and Deepa read a play. Have we earned doll hospital yet? 

Theme song by Ashok R. Chandran.

Chickpeas Oh My Gosh!
Deepa’s Literary Analysis
  • Arthur Miller’s The View from the Bridge is about an older man who has an inappropriate and abusive relationship with a younger woman, but that’s probably not the parallel PLL intends us to take from it
  • “Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid” is not only not by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – it’s by Canadian pastor Basil King – but the quote itself is incorrect
  • Speaking of incorrect quotes about spirituality, here’s one by Marianne Williamson that is often attributed to…Nelson Mandela
  • Does PLL ever reference writers of color or more than two women in literature? Only time will tell
Things We Referenced Related to PLL
  • The title of episode 2.16 is probably a Talking Heads lyric?
  • There might not be gay men in PLL but there are in The Perfectionists
Things We Referenced Completely Unrelated to PLL
  • “Equal Rights (Not Gay)” from the Lonely Island movie Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (which you don’t need to watch the entire film for)
  • What’s Your Number? starring Anna Faris (which you should probably watch the entire film for)
  • The great bucatini shortage
Fashion Analysis

Deepa enjoyed Mona’s bohemian/hippie look and Emily’s date outfit, while Cameron liked Hanna’s black leather jacket and fishtail braid

Mona and Hanna standing in the school hallway. Mona is wearing a white patterned top tucked into a multi-patterned skirt with a red scarf over her shoulders
Mona and Hanna standing in the school hallway. Mona is wearing a white patterned top tucked into a multi-patterned skirt with a red scarf over her shoulders
Close-up of Mona’s face, showing off her low side-bun, red lipstick, and long dangly bearded earrings
Close-up of Mona’s face, showing off her low side-bun, red lipstick, and long dangly bearded earrings
Emily and Maya standing hand-in-hand in line for a concert, laughing. Emily is wearing a black leather over a long blue dop with sequins down the middle, a black miniskirt, and black boots.
Emily and Maya standing hand-in-hand in line for a concert, laughing. Emily is wearing a black leather over a long blue dop with sequins down the middle, a black miniskirt, and black boots.
Hanna sitting in the cafeteria. Her hair is in a very loose fishtail sidebraid and she has a black leather jacket on over a dark top.
Hanna sitting in the cafeteria. Her hair is in a very loose fishtail sidebraid and she has a black leather jacket on over a dark top.

We were completely in agreement on worst: Aria’s baffling combination of a bad beanie, weird fuzzy vest, black jeans with strips cut out of the side, and a necklace that was an ACTUAL CHAIN AND PADLOCK

Aria and Spencer standing in the school hallway, Aria wearing the outfit described in the tweet
Aria and Spencer standing in the school hallway, Aria wearing the outfit described in the tweet
Close-up of Aria’s face and the gray beanie and maroon vest she’s wearing
Close-up of Aria’s face and the gray beanie and maroon vest she’s wearing

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Spencer looks very concerned while watching Toby speak to someone offscreen. Spencer is wearing a blue-green top patterned with tiny owls, tucked into dark jeans, with a white light jacket over it that has large metallic buttons.

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Shot of the four Liars walking down the school hallways together. Hanna is wearing a pale green ruffly top with a blazer over it, black shorts, and black strappy platform heels

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