Warning: This article contains spoilers for Pretty Little Liars: Summer School.
Summary
- Pretty Little Liars: Summer School includes Easter Eggs to the original show, from characters to locations, maintaining a connection between the two.
- The HBOMax show mentions and shows familiar characters like Ezra, Aria, and Dr. Sullivan from Pretty Little Liars.
- Summer School pays homage to and deviates from the original Pretty Little Liars series through plot twists and easter eggs like the toffee reference and mannequin scene.
Because it's part of the bigger franchise, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School includes multiple references and Easter Eggs to the original Pretty Little Liars show. Starting with the eponymous book series by Sara Shephard, Pretty Little Liars has developed into a vast TV franchise including four TV shows and a webseries. The most recent addition to the bunch – Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, the second season of Original Sin – is the most different from the others in the group.
Rather than taking a drama/mystery tone, the HBOMax show is more similar to a horror/thriller. Pretty Little Liars: Summer School's cast refrains from bringing back any of the main characters from the original Pretty Little Liars. The villains also behave in very different ways, with Bloody Rose being more violent than her predecessors. Despite this, Summer School goes out of its way to maintain connections to the original show through references, Easter eggs, and character parallels.
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19 Welby State Psychiatric Hospital
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com"
After A is caught for the second time, he goes through trial and sentencing. Dr. Sullivan mentions that he will either go to Welby State Psychiatric Hospital outside of Rosewood or receive the death penalty. This location is a reference to Pretty Little Liars season 6. Both Charlotte DiLaurentis and Alison DiLaurentis spend time at Welby after Radley Sanitorium is shut down.
While Archer Dunhill died prior to the events of Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, it seems likely that Archie Waters would have been able to escape the hospital or do damage while in the hospital. After all, the hospital was willing to hire Dunhill and allow him to do whatever he wanted with Alison. This points to a corrupt leadership at the hospital. Moreover, Archie seems just as smart as Mona, who was able to get in and out of mental facilities without a struggle.
18 Dr. Anne Sullivan
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episodes 1, 2, 3, And 4
The only character who makes a direct appearance in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School is Dr. Anne Sullivan. The therapist was first introduced in Pretty Little Liars season 2, episode 1, “It’s Alive,” when the Liars’ parents force them to go to therapy in the aftermath of the Ian situation. Dr. Sullivan is extremely kind, patient, and caring. She serves as a counterbalance to the chaos going on in both of the Pretty Little Liars shows, providing a more logical perspective.
The girls seem to really find comfort in therapy during Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, showing a more positive depiction of mental health than what appeared in the original show.
In the aftermath of Archie Waters, Dr. Sullivan is brought in to provide group therapy for the new Liars, helping them process their trauma as well as prepare for the trial and sentencing. In a positive change of pace, the girls seem to really find comfort in therapy during Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, showing a more positive depiction of mental health than what appeared in the original show. Additionally, the cameo hints that other Pretty Little Liars characters, especially minor ones, could show up in future episodes.
17 Imogen’s Ezra Quote
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com"
The ending of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin provides a bothersome twist that Ezra and Aria would adopt Imogen’s baby. This would have undone the impact of the Tabby storyline. Luckily, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School’s beautifully savage Ezra line walks back this reveal. Dr. Sullivan brings up that Imogen backed out with the original adoptive couple last minute. Imogen explains the change by saying she "got a weird vibe from that Ezra dude.” The Ezra line is a good way to resolve the storyline before it becomes even more problematic than it already is.
The teacher’s relationship with Aria has always been morally wrong, but it has been called out increasingly fervently with shifts in societal attitudes. Imogen, pointing out the weird vibes of Ezra, confirms that the writers of Pretty Little Liars: Summer School are listening to the large portion of fans who find Ezria’s relationship and wedding deeply disturbing seven years after Pretty Little Liars’ ending. The change also solidifies the show's stance that relationships formed with that kind of power imbalance, whether it be student-teacher or boss-employee, are wrong.
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16 The Liars’ Kickboxing Class
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com"
When the new Liars start interacting with Bloody Rose, as is bound to happen, they will have a self-defense foundation to work with, making it more difficult for the villain.
One of the first scenes in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School shows the new Liars learning kickboxing. The kickboxing class is a subtle reference to the fact that Aria took private self-defense lessons from Jake during Pretty Little Liars season 4. Though short-lived, this is one of the few times that any of the original Liars learned to defend themselves, even though self-defense classes would have been a logical choice. Instead, the liars either simply knew how to get out of physical situations or became damsels in distress for someone to save.
This Easter egg proves that the new show is deviating from its source material. When the new Liars start interacting with Bloody Rose, as is bound to happen, they will have a self-defense foundation to work with, making it more difficult for the villain. By combining these factors, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School will probably include more intense action sequences.
15 Tabby Writing On The Gravestone
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com"
After being demonized for speaking out against Chip, Dr. Sullivan suggests that Tabby use her words in order to get out her pent-up anger and frustration. Eventually, she feels better after vandalizing Chip’s gravestone. Tabby’s actions are a reference to Spencer vandalizing Marion Cavanaugh’s gravestone at the end of Pretty Little Liars season 3. In the case of Spencer, she learns that Toby is part of the A-Team, so she scratches his name into his mother’s gravestone.
Tabby, on the other hand, takes spray paint to Chip’s grave, marking it with the word “rapist.” Obviously, despite the parallels in actions, the situations are vastly different. Toby is a genuinely good person who tries to protect Spencer by joining the A-Team. Meanwhile, Chip is the scum of the Earth. Still, the Easter egg is a fun nod to people who have watched since the very beginning of the TV franchise.
14 Red spray paint
Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com"
When vandalizing Chip’s gravestone in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Tabby uses red spray paint, a fun call back to the original series. Red spray paint appears in Pretty Little Liars numerous times. A mysterious figure, presumably A, paints over the last digit of the population of Rosewood on the entry sign after the homecoming dance in Pretty Little Liars season 1.
In season 4, A spray paints on the Rosewood sign that says, “You are now leaving The City of Rosewood; Come back again,” adding the word “Don’t” in front of the latter phrase. In Pretty Little Liars season 5, Spencer helps Jonny with what she believes is an approved mural. Her addition is the Bunny with red spray paint. Then, in season 6, Hanna remembers seeing the word “Carissimi” spray-painted on the wall in the basement of Radley Sanitorium. Ultimately, this Easter egg has no deeper meaning, but it provides a connection between the two series.