Pretty Little Liarsis a beloved teen drama TV show that quickly made a name for itself thanks to the episodes that fans and actors alike agree were the best the series produced. It’s difficult to pick just one favorite installment ofPLL, as almost every episode included unforgettable twists that changed how audiences saw the characters forever. ThoughPretty Little Liarsis considered the spiritual successor toGossip Girl, the series had a much darker and mysterious tone.PLLis at its best when it leans into the scary and melodramaticsides of the story.
Every episode that featured an"A" reveal inPretty Little Liarswas one for the history books. “A” was the mysterious blackmailer who plagued the central characters, Aria (Lucy Hale), Hanna (Ashley Benson), Emily (Shay Mitchell), and Spencer (Troian Bellisario). Though the girls had no trouble creating dangerous secrets to keep, it was “A” who took advantage of this and often framed the group for theft, betrayal, and even murder. Being accused of a horrible crime was a typical day for most people in Rosewood, but there are a few episodes that were so shocking they surprised the actors.
Ashley Benson’s Favorite Pretty Little Liars Episode Is “Welcome To The Dollhouse”
Many Audience And Cast Members Agree With Her
After playing Hanna for years onPretty Little Liars,Ashley Benson knows the series better than anyone,and she remembers the episodes of the show that are truly memorable. In an interview, Benson and her castmates, like Troian Bellisario, bring up season 5, episode 25, “Welcome To The Dollhouse,” as a standout addition to the story. The liars had been in life-threatening situations before, but this installment took things to the next level, putting them in “A’s” hands while bringing all their worst fears to life. Benson discussed how “Welcome To The Dollhouse” came at a pivotal time:
“Hunger Gameswas really hot and heavy in the teen world at that moment, so when we got to see the [dollhouse] set, it literally felt like we were doing aHunger Gamesmovie. I remember us all being so excited. We never got to do anything of that sort before, being locked in one place for two episodes.”
ViaEntertainment Weekly.
As far as season finales go, “Welcome To The Dollhouse” is one of the most memorable. Trapped inside a terrifying prison that “A” created, each of the girls goes through a lot. It’s easy to see why Benson and the other actresses would remember this addition to the series so fondly. AsPLLprogressed, the performers got to push their characters and give more intense performances, and few were as iconic as the work they did in “Welcome To The Dollhouse.” Additionally, the impact it made was felt not just within the show but on all contemporary teen dramas.
Why “Welcome To The Dollhouse” Is Such A Great PLL Episode
It Has Emotional, Physical, & Mental Games For The Liars To Play
One of the reasons this episode is ranked so highly is that the stakes and tension are at an all-time high, and the path to escape the Dollhouse unfolds like a classic survival adventure. Balancing the danger of the Dollhouse with the work the other characters do to track down the girls,“Welcome To The Dollhouse” has everything.One of the reasonsPLLwas so popular already was because it relied on the characters' ability to solve the problems “A” laid out for them and used classic murder-mystery tropes to keep the story interesting.
Introducing a new setting and focusing on the girls' chemistry as a group as they all use their different skills to solve the puzzle of the Dollhouse is mesmerizing. It also helped thatthe Dollhouse was genuinely scary,and the possibility that one of the characters might not make it out felt more real than ever. The reveal that Mona was alive and well and had been trapped in the Dollhouse all along was shocking. However, it was believable enough that the audience was willing to go along with the biggest twists that “Welcome To The Dollhouse” introduced.
81%
How The Dollhouse Comes Back In The PLL Universe
The Dollhouse Was Too Good Of A Concept To Be Forgotten About
The lasting effects that being in the Dollhouse had on the girls are felt throughout the remainder ofPretty Little Liars. At the beginning of season 6, the girls are still trying to escape, taking a long time to recover from what they experienced inside. However, there are also other ways that this brilliant set piece and episode come back to haunt the story.In the spinoff and sequel,The Perfectionists, Ali and Mona meet again,and this time, a new group of young liars is on the chopping block as another version of the Dollhouse appears in the story.
Mona is one of the best characters in thePLLfranchise, and having her return to stir up trouble inThe Perfectionistshelped the series capture the fans' attention. The dynamic between Mona and Allison had changed a lot by the time they’re reunited in the sequel series, but their shared history comes up many times, with Mona unafraid to call out how traumatic her time spent in the Dollhouse was.The Perfectionistsdeserved another season, as it was a strong successor toPretty Little Liarsand incorporated some of the best parts of the original series.
