The Pretty Little Liars Ships: In Retrospect

[@emilysullivan3875]

"Have the cake and eat it too" is just all the show's storylines in a nutshell. As a Spoby shipper, killing Yvonne was just extremely lazy writing just to get her out of the way so that Spencer and Toby could get back together, it honestly made him look like he was settling for Spencer because he actively chose Yvonne over her. They could've just made Yvonne realize that Toby was still in love with Spencer and broke off the engagement amicably. Spencer and Toby also being the only couple to be implied to get back together was just rather insulting too because it really seemed like both of their characters were always getting the short end of the stick.

[@emilysullivan3875]

Thanks for the pin Serena!

[@weronikalinda4917]

Let's not pretend Emison wasn't another way the writers abused Emily. The fact that Emily even looked at Alison after how she had been treated by her when they were teenagers is beyond me. I absolutely despise the bully/victim to lovers dynamic, and they did it twice to Emily (it used to be a common practice in media with LGBTQ+ characters, unfortunately). And yes, I also don't think Alison was entirely undeserving of forgiveness but you can forgive someone without marrying them

[@SerenaSkybourne]

the fact they did the bully to lovers trope TWICE with Paige as well

[@IchibanOjousama]

YES, THANK YOU. I hate Emison with a seething passion

[@morganf1968]

THIS!!

[@gervonniejones4045]

Here’s my bone to pick Paige wasn’t the best no however she did genuinely cared about Emily way more than Alison did an she helped n comforted Emily when maya died an she did whatever she could to protect Emily , while I’m not a fan of her trying to control Emily or being a little to clingy to Emily during the time they were discussing their life after high school or pinning emily head underwater. But in the end she wasn’t as bad an had more development than ost of the other girls Emily dated an their relationship seems more realistic compared to everyone else. Dead wrong watch again Serena cuz u missed some happy birthday wishes

[@briebrownn]

Aaaand don't forget bully-to-lover with Paige too! She fucking drowned her 🙃

[@adeleaslan8182]

I'm honestly grateful Caleb was so critical of Hannah's relationship with Mona. Someone had to do it lol

[@carriecarebear]

What bothered me too was that they all ended up with their first love. First of all it is unrealistic because so many people don't end up with their first boyfriend or girlfriend. Second it sends the message that no matter how bad the relationship was or how much you have been manipulated, the first partner has this strong hold on you and no partner afterwards will ever compare. That really bothered me because not a single person ever had a realistic chance with the girls. No matter how good their new relationship was, as soon as the first love reappeared it was basically over. They were never able to let go and find someone better suited for them.

[@idil5294]

YES. even after the time jump, so many years have passed but all the characters stayed the same. they never showed any progression in any aspect of their lives at all (except some of them having jobs but it was also poorly written and their jobs ad zero impact on them as characters). it's depressing and boring.

[@allies5725]

Yes I agree, I think it was particularly annoying with Hannah and Caleb, and Spencer and Toby because Hannah and Toby were in healthy relationships that made them happy, very unrealistic. I get it’s just a show but they didn’t even seem that happy at the end.

[@hannajones1058]

@@allies5725Hanna wasn’t happy in her relationship with Jordan. You can see her uncertainty and unhappy looks at the end of the episode Jordan’s introduced. It was set up for Hanna and Jordan not to work out from the beginning.

[@aubreyjaymes7906]

​@@hannajones1058I think should did Lucas and hanna

[@13.gorgeous]

But they weren't their first loves Emily and Aria ended up with their first loves but Spencers first boyfriend was Alex and Hannas first boyfriend was Sean

[@rigrace]

Spencer and Toby had such a messy relationship, i think we only love them because Troian and Keegan had so much chemistry, only by looking at each other. Sometimes acting skills can make up for terrible storylines 😅

[@iz3762]

I remember the fact that Spencer was so embarrassed about her relationship with Toby for sooo long and was very much willing to keep pretending like she thought he sucked in public. That was so off-putting and really felt like something that should’ve been addressed more, but he just managed to move on about that. Kinda also felt like a bully to lovers trope

[@martianwarrior6334]

Keegan was not a good actor

[@MadelineWrites]

Ezra is definitely the most obvious- but there were SO many predators on that show. Wilden, Wren, Holbrook, Talia, Ian, Jason, Garrett, and Zack. Why was it just the default for adults to date teens???

[@MadelineWrites]

OH and Johnny and Colin- two rando fully adult men who kiss Spencer???

[@martina4864]

​​@@MadelineWritesactually 4 adult male kiss Spencer wren, Ian, Collin, jonnhy and the one who wants to kiss her but not ending doing it cause Spencer said no was dean

[@13.gorgeous]

I'll defend Gabriel with my life

[@sammarabernard5056]

Also when I rewatched recently, Toby just always seemed to be annoyed at/frustrated with Spencer. Like I know he was stressed “trying to protect her”, dealing with his own things, and sometimes dealing with her dishonesty, but it was giving moody Conrad from tsitp with that attitude😭

[@SerenaSkybourne]

For real, he’s always irritated at her lmao

[@nakitak4967]

This is a really good analysis about the other relationships in PLL. Caleb and Hannah have always been my favorite couple but I never really took the time to notice the red flags you pointed out. You should make a video about the moms of PLL. They were honestly some of the worst TV moms out there.

[@cristenkray5192]

Part of media literacy and critical thinking in general is being able to like something while also understanding and acknowledging the problems with it. Not getting defensive over your choices or what you like, not trying to downplay the issues or justify them- truly being able to be critical of them and doing the work to unpack aspects of them and what they say about you, about us, and about society. With the PLL fandom (and many other fandoms), I’ve seen a lot of people completely unable or unwilling to hear or understand the problems with their favorite ships or specific characters and storylines. I really appreciate videos like these where people can actually look at the show for what it was and unpack the issues within it- the comment sections are also top tier as well bc everyone is explaining their personal experiences with the show and the things they’ve noticed, it’s great.

[@Superplushie1]

Haleb is my favorite ship in PLL. I can understand how people could see he is a little controlling. I always saw it as him being over protective in a well meaning way. What I CANNOT forgive was what they did with Haleb in season 7. Throwing Caleb and Spencer together literally made no sense to me. After all they have been through, out of all the guys Caleb was the one guy who would not do that. That scene where Hanna was listening to Caleb pour his heart out to Spencer broke my heart. My love for Haleb runs so deep. The Ravensood thing...... I literally do not acknowledge because it led no where, he came back anyway because the spin off flopped.

[@fakexgolds]

Ezra almost made me quit the show, but you do make it pretty clear how blinded I was with my hate towards him I never noticed anything else with the other couples, except with Emily my poor heart she never had it easy

[@nocte.animam]

You're right about Ezra being an exploitative creep, lol. And he also pitted Aria against her friends. The whole Spencer thing when she was going through addiction and he tried to hide his own shady stuff by gaslighting everyone into thinking that her suspicions weren't justified bc of her addiction... damn.

[@nocte.animam]

So many things we overlooked. Makes you wonder if entertaining fiction can even exist without being problematic on some level. Also I wonder what a perfectly healthy relationship would look like on screen. Would it actually be that "boring"? Hollywood makes us think so, but maybe that's not the case. It all depends on how you pull it off. Amazing video as always!

[@_Celine_26]

Same. The only healthy relationships I've seen on screen lately are on Sweet Magnolias. It is kind of boring (not binge-watch worthy imo) but on the other hand, it is very kind and educational. It is nice to witness some growth in the relationships, whether familial or romantic. Maybe give it a try :)

[@nocte.animam]

Thanks for the tip!@@_Celine_26

[@BookwormBelle1191]

This is why I love Gomez and Morticia Addams. In every take of the Addams Family, they remain the healthy loving couple we all know and love while also being good parents to their kids

[@hayleekurtz9174]

im rewatching the show for the first time in a very long time and am noticing alottt, like how many times my favorite couples (Toby and Spencer and Caleb and Hanna) would break up or they would leave, things I’ve never really noticed before when I was younger, now that I’m older I’m realizing how unhealthy it is

[@talesyuki]

Spencer and Caleb! SPENCE AND CALEB??? WHAT WERE THEY THINKING??? I mean, I never got over it. So bad. How the hell did they come up with that idea? Why? God, why???

[@Nour-kk8cp]

Juste for DRama

[@BirdOnATypwriter]

I feel like what Caleb and Hanna suffer from the most is that the writers just couldn't let them have a stable relationship. I wish that especially after the time jump they would have just stayed together and be a functional couple. It makes it kind of hard to believe that at the end they just will live happily ever after. I have that problem with a lot of couples in longer running TV-Shows though. My guess is that they are afraid that the audience will get bored, but it's not like Caleb and Hanna's relationship was the main focus of the show.

[@Wolfwow5]

All the girls got kidnapped, individually and as a group, so I’m not as concerned about Caleb low-jacking Hanna’s car as I probably should be. I’ve always been fuzzy about how old Caleb and Toby are compared to the girls. Both stopped going to school very earlier in the series and then Toby seems to have become a cop in like 2 weeks of training? Alison was written as a sociopath in the flashbacks before she returned to Rosewood. Then she comes back and she is so weak. Like adults were scared of 14/15 Alison, then she comes back and she just whines and cries all the time. In S05E05, when Emily and Alison are in Emily’s bed, and Emily says, “Ali, are you awake?” And a cover of “I’ll be Watching You” is playing, and when it switches to Alison’s face and the line is “the games you play”. And Alison doesn’t seem to want to kiss Emily, she doesn’t seem to be into what is about to happen, but she needs Emily to support her so she turns on the bed and kisses her. It always seemed very calculated to me. I never believed that Alison saw Emily as anything but pawn. Ok, so you mentioned that Sasha looked uncomfortable, and maybe I read the actress being uncomfortable as Alison being dishonest. Also Sasha wasn’t just a minor, but for that first kiss, she was only like 12/13 years old.

[@rofeitl]

and Shay Mitchell was 21/22 which is really uncomfy to think about

[@TryingtoreachsubswithNovideos]

Toby is like a grade above Caleb was in the same grade

[@carriesnaps3508]

Btw speaking of trauma bonding, I think another conversation to be had is about the main quintet's relationship. I need to rewatch your video(s) on it to see if it's mentioned, but personally the so-called "sisterhood" that kept being pushed on the girls by the writers began to feel more and more disingenuous as the show went on. It's another sensitive subject to bring up among fans, but I don't think it was realistic that all of the girls remained close friends despite everything they've been through and how shitty they treated each other at times. The writers really tried to convince us that not a single one of the them would want to distance herself from people she shares so much trauma with?? Hell, if that was me I would've never set foot in Rosewood again.😅

[@Wolfwow5]

I think you’re right. At best, without the Trauma-bonding of A, they would have drifted when they left for college and maybe just remained Facebook friends. There are individual friendships within the group that maybe would have lasted but not all of them. There are just pairings that seem stronger than others, closer than others.

[@carriesnaps3508]

@@Wolfwow5 Exactly!

[@lizakatz23]

I agree! Honestly it's baffled me how they stayed friends with Aria - imo she was the worst friend

[@carriesnaps3508]

@@lizakatz23 I couldn't agree more. The way she was so cruel to Hanna when she told her about Zack kissing her. No wonder she was Alison's favourite. She didn't have to try as hard to bring out the worst in Aria unlike the other girls.

[@rebeccah9193]

I really missed your pretty little liars related videos! I am so happy I love registering to you talk about this show all the time

[@SerenaSkybourne]

awww i missed them too for real

[@kalinarice6417]

@@SerenaSkybourneI also love your PLL videos. I know that there’s only so much to discuss about this show, but I’d love if you could do some videos maybe reacting to fan unpopular opinions or theories.

[@sailormoon7952]

There is not a single good and heathy thing about Emison, and no i am not homophobic, just a cognitive person...If Alison were a guy and abused Em in the exact same way nobody would have advocate for him. The way Alison treated Emily was beyond redemption - she was playing mental games with her, used her, threatened to out her... People give it a pass only because they are a gay couple but they were even more toxic than Ezria. Serena I just honestly would like you to answer how after you make so many valid points about so many other couples in other shows you somehow actually SHIPPED these two? Please answer me.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yes totally agree they were so toxic

[@SerenaSkybourne]

What can I say, I was young and dumb

[@sailormoon7952]

@@SerenaSkybourne We all have so much PLL traume...

[@KASPlaysSims]

Hi . Yeah I agree with you . Younger me would not but I do . I used to love Allison and them together as well when I was younger watching but as I got older and look back that relationship is definitely not healthy like at all . Although it’s not the worst ( referring to legal age wise as they both are the same age ) it’s still off like cause sometimes Allison still says stuff that seem almost bully ish. Hope this makes sense .

[@SerenaSkybourne]

@@sailormoon7952yeah at one point I started thinking Ezria was kinda sweet, you start to lose your judgement over time

[@tamaraarda7100]

I suggest you to make a video imagining a new season of pll as adults ... would be interesting

[@carriesnaps3508]

Firstly, *happy birthday and I hope you're having a lovely day!* 🥳 Secondly, I was ready to rant about Emison but you were able to perfectly explain why I've never liked their relationship already. I genuinely think that a lot of fans tend to ignore the problems in their relationship because they were a sapphic couple and *main characters* which [at the time] wasn't very common to see on tv. So I kinda get it. I also agree with your ranking, Haleb was definitely the best couple on the show, with Spoby being a close second (despite their issues).

[@black-moon01]

10:18 That's not what happened though. The only reason Caleb stayed with Miranda at first was because Hanna insisted. Of course, it was his choice, but she put the thought on his head. Which is why when they break up later in the season, after he tells her he can't come back to Rosewood just yet, she says "I pushed you to her" (paraphrasing here lol). It's even worse if you remember that in the Halloween episode she literally says something like there isn't a boy she could trust more to leave with a beautiful stranger. Even if it was the writers speaking, it was still him who admitted having feelings for Miranda. I'm all for HALEB but this really pissed me off in my latest rewatch.

[@unicornlion1037]

"imagine someone touching your man with no shame

[@bloodyheart7883]

Omg Serena happy birthday! Damn, you know you're dedicated to your community when you bring out a new video on this special day :D hope you celebrate it to the fullest with your loved ones~ YES PLEASE to the continuation of the pll playlist

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I spent half the birthday making this thumbnail and I regret nothing 🍿❤️

[@yezenia9830]

I think the fact that the first love thrope is so strong in the series is due to it being targeted at teenagers. At that age we usually think our first love is our only love . And always in this show, plot twists and shock value are placed higher than character development and the story making sense . But I seriously remember the emotional effect it had on me to find out that Ezra was "A", that Toby was A and Spencer got sent to Radley. 😂

[@liliput0465]

happy birthday Serena!! thank you for blessing me with another pll deep dive

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Of course!!

[@evulpes]

I really need a Paige deepdive video. Why did this character trigger so much hate with viewers?

[@nootnoot630]

i perosnally couldnt forgive her trying to drown emily

[@evulpes]

@@nootnoot630 but other characters did shady things as well. I mean, everyone forgave Mona at some point eventhough she was A and made Ali disappear with some gaslighting, so she could become the it-girl with Hanna. So what more die Paige do to get that much hate? I always felt so sorry for the actrice...

[@grace-4072]

personally i hated her since she tried to drown emily and they still wanted to make her a love interest! and after the angel who was maya??? I was so frustrated

[@olive3094]

She was terrible, so annoying 🚬🚬🚬

[@bellasmind]

⁠@@evulpesi think the difference is that paige did “bad” things but was still meant to be viewed as a “good guy” unlike mona

[@dean.mcmxcvi]

Woo my fav series of yours. This one and when you talk about YOU. Thanks for another vid ❤

[@fernandaAaAaAaA]

you should do a video about gossip girl, i've seen some people mention how toxic blair and chuck were and so many people defending them, i really want to know your opinion about the show, especially about the relationships.

[@Adi-mf1fv]

Great video as always. LOVEEE your PLL content💕 I had never thought about a lot of these points so I’m reflecting on the whole show a little differently😂😅 I will probably always watch it annually though!

[@pjhunt4135]

Happy birthday serena 🎉🎉😊

[@kammyyedor4225]

Happy Birthday! I had the same feelings about Emily and Alison too. Loved them as a teenager but it wasn't until I grew up that I realized how terrible their dynamic was.

[@loveart429]

Happy Birthday Serena!!!! I'm watching this right now!

[@xcx-carla-drama4901]

Happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you had a great day

[@noname-jo2fc]

LATE HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I'm currently watching the vampire diaries for the first time EVER so when I'm done I'll come look for any vids abt it

[@madelynh7052]

Happy Birthday! 🎉🎁💝

[@kinga4k]

happy birthday!!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

they're my favourite

[@micahdavis__]

Happy birthday!!! I love your commentary and dedication ♥️♥️

[@catalinareszczynski9752]

Happy birthday Serena!!! Great video btw

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Thank you!! 😁

[@_Celine_26]

This kind of notifications really make me happy and excited 😝😝

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Making these videos gives me joy

[@skylar4444]

Happy Birthday!! ❤️‍🔥

[@SerenaSkybourne]

thankyou love

[@thebowandbullet]

Happy birthday, Serena! 🎉🥳🎂

[@glory3373]

Happy birthday girl🎉 hope you had a great day!! Love your videos🫶🏾🫶🏾 and PLL was just an unhinged show in every way🤣

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Thankyou cutie angel

[@aceoflights.]

Hey, its my birthday today too. Cool. Happy Birthday!

[@codezero7981]

I LIVE for your PLL analysis videos, please don't stop making them! 😂🙏🏻

[@Nightwing-Gemini]

Okay so I have to ask! As I was listening to you talk about Allison and Emily’s relationship I was wondering if you ever had seen PLL: The Perfectionists? You made so many good points that I think actually took fruit for them in the spin off. I would love to see your thoughts on that show.

[@taylorcala12]

Oh my.. I hate to be reminded of that Hannah, Caleb, Spencer bs. It honestly pissed me off and totally ruined how I see the relationships of the three characters. Everytime they were in a room together, it was just so weird and uncomfortable… even after everything was set and done. It just ruined it for me. Every time I rewatch PLL, I never watch THAT season and try to forget that situation ever happened between the three characters.

[@lindseykeller5980]

Happy Birthday!!!

[@boobabyboo2]

Happy birthday! I kinda hope you’ll also do analysis videos on each of the PLL books if you’ve read all of them lol

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yes I already did! This is part one kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJ6qoomhbdpnp7s

[@boobabyboo2]

@@SerenaSkybourne yay!!

[@dianaszuts398]

Yeeey, I love your videos💜 Also, happy bday!💙

[@SerenaSkybourne]

you're first here! Thankyouuu

[@dianaszuts398]

@@SerenaSkybourne 😊🌸

[@loveart429]

I love all your content... and thankyou for you PLL bday gift to us today!!!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

It makes me happy! ☺️

[@chloeemary]

Happy (belated) birthday!! Love your PLL videos (and more!, Recently just watched your insatiable vid and found it so interesting!)

[@kassykreutzer6972]

happy birthday Serena love the video as always

[@alysseileen6071]

Happy Birthday !! 🎉🎉💛

[@camillej1616]

Happy birthday 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@SerenaSkybourne]

thankyouuuu 💖💖

[@jadeskyewalker]

So many great points, some of which I never really considered or thought of. Every relationship in the entire show has some sort of negative connotations in at least one point in time; even the good ones. And while in a way that is realistic, it’s also not great and sets this weird expectation and representation to the audience that relationships should have red flags, and that’s just horrendous and not a good message to send, especially when it’s played off as “romantic”. One problem I had with the show overall when it came to relationships was the excessive emphasis on having the girls in a relationship almost constantly and not really allowing them to just be single, without throwing a negative undertone on it. The times they were single it seemed like it was always very short lived, and they always played it off that the girls were super depressed and not doing well until they met someone new. And that just gives a message of they need a relationship to be happy, and I really don’t like that. Whether that was an intentional message or not, it sucks. Another problem I had, a personal gripe with the show is the amount of unnecessary toxic or inappropriate relationships. Ezria is one thing (and to be clear I always loathed that relationship). I get they wanted drama and shock value etc, fine. But after a while, I interpreted it as the writers having a weird obsession with portraying inappropriate relationships and going out of their way to make them happen even if they made no sense. Along with my previous point another part I hate about the show is, making so many characters unnecessarily creepy, especially adult males. Almost every new character introduced, especially if they were a guy, ended up being a creep. It’s like they followed a formula where that guy had to have the creep factor or had to do something inappropriate and that every new adult male was going to automatically be hitting on the liars or their teen peers, even if it made no sense that their character would even do that. It’s gross! Like why!? Why was that necessary. Not only is it yucky but it’s also just, disappointing to watch and gives such a gross message that to me made it seem like either the writers believe that all adult males are creeps (and that just seems wildly unfair and a horrible thing to portray) or that they can’t think of any other way to create drama and tension than repeating an inappropriate relationship storyline. This did also happen with a few women too (Talia for one) which I also hate. I get they were “trying” to be inclusive with lgbt stuff but it’s just as gross when it’s a woman vs a man, just thought I’d acknowledge that. Although there was definitely alot more emphasis on it being primarily men throughout the series. The older I get the more I’ve really sat and analysed the show, the more I discover problems. No show is perfect ofc, and despite the issues and such, I do still love the show, and sometimes try to remember it’s fictional and not to get myself too riled up over it. But. It’s definitely fun to analyse and talk about and think about and discuss all these things even if it’s not real. Thankyou for continuing to do these videos I really love them!

[@samanthalacerda5362]

i just LOVE ur pll videos! u r the best at this game!

[@chrissy3875]

for real!!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Can you guess which of the Liars I'm dressed as today? 🤫 I put too much planning into this haha

[@domoniqueb.838]

I think Spencer, but Hannah would probably wear it too!

[@domoniqueb.838]

Also, happy birthday! 🎂 🥳

[@maddoxstephens5335]

Happy Birthday Serena!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

you got it! Preppy Spencer@@domoniqueb.838

[@SerenaSkybourne]

thanks babes@@domoniqueb.838

[@tokyolost4220]

I see your PLL content, I smile and I click - simple 💕

[@lianna832]

I loved Spaleb. I really dig unlikely pairings, so that could be it, but I did not hate them nearly as much as everyone else did. Hanna also frustrated me during that entire season. If I remember, Spencer did talk to her about it first and Hanna still went along with it knowing she wasn't comfortable with it. I get that most people do not date a close friend's ex/ex-girlfriend's best friend and the writers were horrible at illustrating an accurate time skip, so it seemed like Spaleb got together right after. However, I don't think it would be wrong to reconnect with someone years after they ended a high school relationship and everyone moved on, has a career, is in different relationships, etc. If the writing wasn't so awful more people would like Spaleb imo.

[@lianna832]

Additionally, Spencer and Caleb were friends/acquaintances. They were obviously not as close as say Toby and Emily, but it wasn't like Caleb was solely Hannah's boyfriend. He was a vital part of the liar's inner circle at one point, helping out with technical problems and even offering emotional support.

[@cheyennegarza2912]

@@lianna832 I 100% agree. Rewatching it i saw multiple times where I saw chemistry between them (maybe it was Troian and Tyler maybe it was Spencer and Caleb) and I thought that it would be cute to see them together. I got tired of the spoby when he started as a cop his character went down hill. I also liked Hanna and Travis so maybe that added to it

[@BreezyRenee333]

One of the biggest issues for me was that Hanna told Wren nothing would happen between them because she would never do that to a friend, even though Spencer and Wren were barely an item. Also, while Hanna and Caleb were very much together, Spencer talked about bottling up Caleb and selling him as a "best boyfriend in the world" perfume, which personally indicates to me that she already saw him a certain way. It seemed like Spencer would've had no problem going after him, meanwhile Hanna wanted to remain loyal.

[@daisycarter8442]

I wish they wrote it that aria realised how fucking weird her relationship with Ezra was when she returned to rosewood. This whole storyline was wrong. It’s so unrealistic they all ended up with their first love too!

[@amelia3146]

Emison was such a disaster. I would’ve loved it if Alison were just a villain, like in the flashbacks, and Emily ended single & happy with herself. And I don’t mean like, “boo, I hate that they did a forgiveness arc”. Alison just made such a good villain in the early seasons & all that seems like such wasted potential.

[@andrear4954]

Been rewatching the show and the short term relationships were probably the best, like Aria was with Holden or Jake and they were SO cute and weren't toxic, Spencer had Alex but he got written off for whatever reason, Hannah and Travis were cute but Haleb for the win, there were others too but I hate how the writers never seemed to let the girls give those healthier relationships a fighting chance 😭

[@MadChips202]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🥳 🥳 🥳 Hope it was a lovely day ❤

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Thankyou beautifulll

[@bewilderedbunnny]

does emison break up off screen in the perfectionists? i feel like i remember some off hand comment about how they couldn't make their relationship work to explain both why alison isn't in rosewood and why emily wasn't a part of the show and i felt like that was emily's happy ending. also happy birthday Serena!!!

[@ambercason5100]

From what I remember in the pilot of the perfectionists Alison looks at a pic of Emily and the twins and makes a comment about how they couldn’t make their relationship work and they sifted apart so they split up. And it’s implied that since the babies were biologically Emily’s then she got custody. And Alison needed a fresh start in another town, so that’s why she moved away and got a new job.

[@thewatcher2538]

Happy Birthday🎉

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Thankyou

[@franks_fiction]

Omg happy birthday!

[@lucaelmz1234]

New sub here happy birthday my friend I love everything you post here and I agree with you on a lot of the things [despite having disagreements with some lol]! I hope you have had an amazing bday 🎉🎉🎉🎂🎁🎈🎊❤️❤️❤️

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Thankyou it’s great to have you here! 🎉🎉

[@itscherylplayz8925]

This show is problematic in pretty much every single way

[@SerenaSkybourne]

and yet we still love it

[@itscherylplayz8925]

@@SerenaSkybourne yup, it’s addictive

[@misspelledtea]

thank you for bringing all of this to light!! i think this show honestly has the worst examples of what healthy relationships should be. honestly even as a kid watching this show, i always noticed the toxicity of all these relationships but im glad they're finally being talked about in an honest and non-biased way.

[@hannajones1058]

Spencer and Caleb weren’t any better (I’ve seen your other comments on them). Caleb used Spencer the whole time til he could get back with Hanna. Lied to her throughout their relationship plus was constantly having sex with her knowing he was still in love with Hanna. Caleb literally tells Spencer to come to bed right Hanna rejects the kiss being something more.

[@misspelledtea]

@@hannajones1058 yeah and i do agree with that but i feel like the writers made it weird purposefully because they couldn’t think of a better way to end the relationship (as they did with others.) this comment i made was about the main couples because i feel like their relationships were pushed the hardest despite the toxicity. I do agree with you that spencer and caleb weren’t much better at the end of their relationship BUT i will say that during the beginning he did really care about spencer romantically and of course he still cared about hanna, she was his first love.

[@hannajones1058]

@@misspelledtea I mentioned Spaleb because I’ve seen some of your comments about Spaleb plus most Spaleb fans like to constantly highlight Haleb’s flaws to throw out the words toxic without understanding the nuances cause they don’t like the ship. Caleb had spied on Hanna, and yes, it was wrong for him to do that, but folks forget his situation and how he was just trying to earn some money to survive (homeless teen), and did know how severe the situation between Jenna and Hanna was. He said it himself that he thought it was some generic bitchiness and that he needed the money. He didn’t even know Hanna then, and once did get to know her more as a person, he realized that he made a mistake. Just find it funny tho that people who dislike Haleb and bring that spying plus lying to Hanna thing up when Caleb did the same plus even worse than that by using Spencer and lying about still being in love with Hanna (while constantly having sex with her) until there was a chance to be with Hanna again. Just think Spaleb fans should keep the same energy there when that was worse since he toyed with Spencer’s heart in the process, regardless of he liked her romantically, because deep down he knew he’d never see her in a more serious light romantically

[@misspelledtea]

@@hannajones1058 woah woah, i never said i didn’t like haleb…despite knowing their relationship was toxic (because it did get that way) they were my favorite pll couple. also, his being a homeless teenager doesn’t excuse the fact that he was still USING that girl???? he was staying at her house, eating their food, running up ashley’s bills all to make money???? that’s still SO wrong. also also i NEVER brought this up when i talked about “spaleb.” like ever. i said i agreed with you already btw however, i do think you’re taking it a bit far to say he was using spencer to fulfill his sexual needs because you can see that was not the case. that moment between the three when he was begging spencer to let him in showed his feelings whether you want to admit that or not, it did. in the end, the way caleb treated them, i didn’t think he deserved either woman.

[@hannajones1058]

@@misspelledtea When I said Spaleb fans, I meant that most of them tend to say and do those things. I wasn’t talking about you specifically. The point I was trying to make with Caleb being a homeless teenager is that yes even though it is still wrong what he did, it is understandable considering his horrible situation. Dude had nowhere to go and was offered a place to stay (he didn’t plan on this and didn’t even want to bother at first until Hanna convinced him), so of course he took the offer since it would put him in a better situation. He didn’t purposely do it to just simply use Hanna as most keep framing it. That’s why he ended up giving Jenna no info on them because he realized Hanna and the others weren’t as bad as J kept making them out to be when again he didn’t know them yet. In no way am I saying that what Caleb did wasn’t still wrong, but looking at the nuances of the situation and knowing that he didn’t know Hanna at the time that he decided to take on the job to get money that he needed to survive, it is understandable, especially when once Caleb gets to actually know more, he quits it and doesn’t give Jenna anything. Like I said before, he didn’t know Hanna that well yet, and didn’t how bad and threatening Jenna could be when it came to her vs the Liars.

[@angelaholmes8888]

Emily totally did evolved in the series i really didn't like that she and alison ended up together

[@Smita-Says]

I still love this show but I was 22 when I watched it. Rewatching it, I completely agree.

[@jermaine04jones]

Happy birthday 🎉

[@dameliofamliy3322]

No the Hannah Spencer Caleb thing should have never happened no matter what Hannah said Spencer knew it was wrong

[@BreezyRenee333]

Exactly!! Especially since Hanna told Wren nothing would happen between them because she would never do that to a friend, even though Spencer and Wren were barely an item. Hanna offered Spencer respect that Spencer gave zero care to return. Also, while Hanna and Caleb were very much together, Spencer talked about bottling up Caleb and selling him as a "best boyfriend in the world" perfume, which personally indicates to me that she already saw him in a certain type of way.

[@lenasprw6523]

Honestly I’ve never seen Emison as a healthy couple. From the first season to the last it was just a placeholder

[@Jiji10_]

You should watch make it or break it! It’s about gymnasts that train for the olympics. Its has really interesting story lines and i feel like you can have a whole playlist on loren alone 🤣

[@lajourdanne]

Ick, Emison was always problematic. I think Maya was Emily’s last cute relationship.

[@xaninart]

Hi!! Sapphic woman here, I just wanted to make a small retrospect about what should have been my favourite couple (Emison) and why do I truly despise it so much. I'm not surprised that the writers didn't truly show us the very complicated nuances of a very young, afraid queer person that has grown up with homophobic undertones around them; but how those nuances do affect your love life when you start to discover who you truly are. That, plus the trope of dating your bully/abuser that was apparently so popular back then because awe, they are just like me but spicy violent (ew) is so, SO dangerous. Was so before, still is now. And queer people are more prone to end up in very complicated and unhealthy relationships already, so it doesn't help if the only portrayals we had on TV were people like us marrying the person who had abused them so much in the past. And i love Alison -as a villain. The character was amazing as a nightmare, larger than life to the point that the city of PLL still had wounds that started with her. Alison was such a good character... When the show didn't force a character arc on us and wanted us to forget just how messed up the lives of everyone around her were because of her own doings. Poor Emily, mate.

[@loveatfirstglow24]

Emisom was always terrible, I always thought they were fan service

[@sunnycastiglioni7512]

Happy birthday! I hope you treated yourself. ❤ Your PLL content is phenomenal, as always. I understand the criticism of how Hannah and Caleb's relationship formed, but I think it's a little unfair to say he was "spongeing off" them. He was a minor who was being profoundly neglected by his foster parents and the entire foster system, and they do show him using the money he made as a freelance tech genius to replace things he had eaten or used. And I may agree that having him move in unbeknownst to her mother may not have been admirable, but I do think it's the move a compassionate teenager would make for someone she saw in that situation regardless of gender or attraction. That was part of the reason she was my favorite in the earlier seasons. The whole thing about him being there as a spy for Jenna was really weird and sudden, and if that's a dealbreaker for someone, that's totally valid. My biggest gripe with it is that it seemed like a last minute decision they just threw in to make the situation look more interesting, it could have been way more narratively dramatic and tense if they had built up his side of it and gotten us invested in both the lie and the relationship. The way they did it, it may as well not have been there.

[@hannajones1058]

This. The way some just ignore the nuances of Caleb’s situation and making it seem like he did this solely to mess with Hanna is insane, especially when Caleb had no intentions of hurting Hanna plus he didn’t even know her at all yet. It was the money he needed that was his intentions (he says this in his breakup with Hanna in 1x20). His desperation for the money he needed to survive on since he was a homeless teen neglected by his foster parent Janet. Once he did get to know Hanna better and saw what kind of person she was, he cut off the deal with Jenna and didnt send out any info on them to her.

[@WoolCat5]

in defence of toby's terrible A team plan: he was very young and not some uber intelligent character like mona, so it does make sense that he made a dumb choice and didn't get much out of it even though i do believe his heart was in the right place. also this does not excuse the bad choices he made lol. but anyway, you know what would have been so much more satisfying to flesh toby out as a character? actually exploring his home life. i will always be a toby defender because this boy (yes, he literally was a child during a lot of this) 1. lost his dad (can't remember if he died or just left them, but still), 2. had to watch his mother succumb to mental illness and be institutionalised, 3. had his mother die mysteriously while institutionalised, 4. had his new stepsister sexually assault him and then threaten to tell their parents he was abusing her if he tried to get away from her, essentially forcing him to keep being abused with no way out, 5. was blackmailed into taking the blame for blinding said stepsister by another girl in town and sent away for a crime he literally didn't commit, and 6. when he finally returned after this he was automatically assumed to be a violent psycho by all of his peers, meaning he couldn't develop any relationships outside of his family because everyone hated him. i know he was in therapy but dear god i really cannot blame this guy for having problems and being extremely protective of the girl he loved to the point of physically grabbing her and joining her stalker's team to try and protect her. look what happened to his mom! of course he was terrified of losing spencer to the point of near insanity after all he'd been through. i wish they'd actually shown some of the trauma i'm sure he had with a childhood like that, and his plotlines could have involved him working through those instead of going to instant police academy (thank you mike's mic for that moniker). i think that would have really allowed some meaningful development in his relationship with spencer since she had substance abuse issues and her own mental health problems. it could have been such a heartwarming journey they could have undertaken together, learning to trust and rely on each other to work through their issues, and showing that even if someone relapses or backslides in their recovery, that doesn't mean they'll never heal and can still find happiness in the end

[@miizmurrderr]

Can you do a video of which show you think had the WORST relationships please? 🖤

[@rosaleestavroff92]

Part two please!

[@chelsea_Xxo]

How many teen girls gave men too many chances because of this series is what i’m wondering about

[@tonichan89]

Uhh so using the term "trauma bonding" as a positive is something I'd advise against. It doesn't mean you share a traumatic experience that's bonded you, it means the bond itself it traumatic; in other words, it's a term used for abusive relationships and the process that makes the victim attached to the abuser.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Yes I was thinking of Mona/Hanna when I said this, and Alison/Emily but it wasn’t clearly conveyed. I didn’t mean it in a positive way 😭 I mean, friendship bonding is good but not trauma bonding. I will be more clear in future, thankyou

[@kassandrarodriguez8057]

Happy birthday 🎊🎈🎂🎉🎁

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Tysm 💕

[@ZegetaX1]

Happy birthday have a great day

[@thewatcher2538]

all the couples were toxic and terrible, and yes i shipped haleb hard

[@vonterriojones]

Also Toby was either in juvie or reform school How was he able to become a cop

[@Nour-kk8cp]

My favor couples was Hanna and Caleb ❤

[@Kate_-uc2nf]

Happy birthday

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Most insightful comment will get pinned! Can't wait to read what you guys have to say

[@BenCrowie]

I feel like Spencer n Toby needed to take a break after she found out he joined the A team to protect her. Theres alot of conversations they needed to have .And honestly Spencer needed to make him work for it. He litrally caused her to have a mental breakdown n faked his death. He didnt really protect her or her friends when u really look at it either . He didnt even gain any valuable info anyway, which makes it SOOO ANNOYING TO WATCH . Fast forward to S5, i think they should've seriously broken up. Toby became so obessed over being a police officer that he completely disregarded spencers feelings, kept secrets from her n her friends(who were also his) and their relationship just lost the spark it'd once had.They fought all the time aswell over the same issues . At some point it just became annoying everytime i saw them together.. Furthermore, Toby became so cold 2 spencer in season 6 & 7. Its like he just didnt even want to see her or didnt really care. Even when spencer continously kept showing support n love towards his relationship with yvonne. I get they once where in a serious relationship and it ended bad. But, it was just idk really icky i guess.a lot of yrs had passed so i dont get it. If he did feel pressed then communicate that atleast. Even when spencer would just appear the vibe would change. Ultimately, when they sort of ended up 2gether in the end, i really didnt care. It was just done for me.Yvonne died so she wasnt even his first choice either😒.....Sorry guys but i really dont like Spoby xx

[@mintkit1064]

Happy belated birthday 🎉🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

[@Évrard_Elisea]

Randomly enough, I believe Allison was more loveable when she was a bitch than when she became a dull boring softy (an yet still selfish as you pointed out) in the last couple of seasons. An I never felt any kind of chemistry between her and Ems.

[@angiepangie9106]

charisma is more important than kindness. it sucks but like being nice just doesn’t make you intresting it doesn’t make up for lack of personality. mainly in fiction, everyone remembers an intresting villain more than a boring good guy. but can apply to real life too. as much as i hate when guys are like “girls don’t want a nice guy” like yeah kinda, if being nice is your only personality trait i wouldn’t date you, but i have dated people who aren’t nice but are fun to be around.

[@dominiqueknight6707]

It seems like the writers of PLL weren’t confident in the longevity of their ships so they kept having them break up and get back together to keep things interesting.

[@tamaraarda7100]

omg pll video 😍

[@SerenaSkybourne]

so exciting!

[@ie187]

Should of went in more detail about the shitty things the liars did to there bfs/gf like spencer literally kissed two boys while dating toby

[@Kdkd35000]

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