Understandably, last week’s episode of “Pretty Little Liars” focused primarily on Spencer. The outcome of Spencer’s situation concerning whether or not she is psychotic could completely change the lives of Emily, Hanna, and Aria. Spencer’s mental health was the main focus in the season three, episode 22 entitled “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” that aired on Tuesday, March 5 on ABC Family.
The episode begins with Melissa, Spencer’s sister, visiting the high school to see Hanna, Aria, and Emily. Melissa asks the girls if they know where Spencer is, adding that Spencer never went home the night before. The girls have been worried about Spencer also, so Melissa calls the police. Meanwhile, Spencer has been checked into Radley Sanitarium— the institution where Mona was sent and where Toby pretended to work so that he could communicate with Mona. Spencer does not tell anyone at Radley who she is.
Dr. Sullivan, the girls’ old therapist, is sent to Radley to give Spencer a three-day evaluation that will determine whether or not Spencer is actually crazy. Spencer explains to Dr. Sullivan that she finds herself responsible for Toby’s death and that she does not think she has anything left to live for.
Hanna and her mom are out with Ted, Ms. Marin’s boyfriend, when they are approached by Wilden, who looks as healthy as ever. Surprise! Wilden says a quick hello and is soon on his way. Later, Ashley leaves for a seminar in New York, so Hanna stays at Emily’s house. Wilden pulls up and tells Hanna that all he wants is his car back, but Hanna refuses to tell him its location: the bottom of a lake.
Ezra needs a job, so Aria talks to her dad, Byron, about helping Ezra find a teaching position. Byron and Aria’s mom, Ella, discuss whether Byron should help Ezra or not. They decide that they should help because it might break Aria and Ezra up. Later, Aria’s principal questions Aria about whether or not she is seeing Ezra—a fact which she untruthfully denies, as she is aware that Ezra may be granted permission to substitute at the high school.
Melissa talks to Dr. Sullivan and finds out where Spencer is. Only family members are allowed to see Spencer until the evaluation is over, so the girls are left to worry. Spencer meets Eddie Lamb, the man whose identity was stolen by Toby when he pretended to work at Radley. Eddie reveals that there was a problem with the old security badges and that someone else inside Radley may have been helping Mona and Toby. Eddie reassures Spencer that she will be fine, and he tells her that she is in the same room Mona was in when she stayed at Radley—what a coincidence! Spencer finds the words “Will the Circle be Unbroken?” carved into a desk, and she has a flashback to a time when she went to church with Alison, who had made fun of Mona for the way she sang that song. In the flashback, Alison told Spencer about diaries she kept that were written for Spencer to read after Alison died.
Mona visits Spencer at Radley, which is strange because only family members are granted permission to visit. Mona tells Spencer that she has Alison’s diaries, which contain answers to questions that even Spencer has yet to think of. Mona tempts Spencer by saying that Ali was never really pregnant; however, Spencer does not fall for any of Mona’s traps this time, as she refuses to take the bait. Spencer tells Mona that she is not crazy, to which Mona replies, “You’re not crazy, you’re just as sane as I am.” The chilling response inspired fear and heightened the suspense within viewers everywhere.
Spencer finally opens up about her thought process to Dr. Sullivan and a group of patients. As she lets everything out, Spencer envisions Emily, Aria, and Hanna sitting in the chairs. She admits to “the girls” that they do not know her anymore and that they cannot count on her.
Watch the next episode of “Pretty Little Liars” on Tuesday, March 12 at 8 pm on ABC Family to find out what will happen now that Ezra is back in the school system, how far Wilden will go to get Hanna to confess, and whether or not Spencer will be diagnosed with a mental problem.
