This was without a doubt the worst episode in the history of the show. We were promised an episode in which all would be revealed, and the story would be beautifully tied together, but we were given a confusing, nonsensical mess. And sadly, it isn't even just the lies told by the writers, the major, gaping plot holes, the callously discarded time-line, or the sloppy writing that made it so terrible.
I'd like to begin by saying that this episode made no sense when compared to previous seasons. It is understandable that there might be a few small plot holes here and there, however this episode, which was supposed to clear up all of the mystery, seems to have dug itself into an even deeper hole. How could Marion have died when CeCe/Charlotte/Charles was a child, if we saw Marion interact with Alison (CeCe's YOUNGER sister) when Alison was a teenager? How was CeCe listed as the Prom Queen for a school she never attended? Why was there a Radley visitor pass created for CeCe if she was a patient there at the time? The list goes on and on.
Furthermore, for a show that used the tag-line, "Summer of Answers," it seems that we were only left with more questions. Who killed Mrs. DiLaurentis? Why was Sara Harvey so willing to torture the girls, if she never even knew them? So many things were never explained.
One of the most frustrating parts of this finale was the fact that CeCe's explanation for torturing the girls for three years was beyond anti-climactic. She states that she was simply upset that the girls were happy despite the fact that Alison was thought to be dead (nevermind the fact that they spent a substantial amount of time trying to solve the mystery of her supposed murder). And even if CeCe was merely using the girls as a way to lure Alison out of hiding, this does not explain CeCe's motivation for the less traumatizing (but still greatly upsetting) things that CeCe did to the girls, as well as the stalking. Fans have waited several years to learn why the elusive "- A" has been torturing these girls; It is not surprising that viewers would react negatively to a weak explanation. The story of this episode was a huge letdown.
But what was even worse, in my opinion, was the immature reaction that the creators of this show had to the criticism they received. I. Marlene King, Norman Buckley, and several others involved in the production of Pretty Little Liars seem to have done nothing but disregard and disrespect the loyal fans of this show. Buckley, in particular, acted immaturely in response to the criticism he received. First, he carelessly blew off fan concerns about time-line inconsistencies, stating, "I have said over and over again that concerns about the time-line miss the point. It is dream logic." To fans who have spent years theorizing and paying attention to every part of the show, this is a slap in the face. It is even more insulting when you consider the fact that those in charge of the show have stated time and time again that every little detail is significant, and that "there are no coincidences in Rosewood." What happened to that mindset?
Buckley later commented, "If you don't like any storyline, or show, or book, or movie, you're entitled. But it is not the responsibility of the artist to please you." While gist of Buckley's sentiment may be true, I believe that creators owe it to their fans, at least a little bit, to make something that will be appreciated and enjoyed by the majority of the fan base, while simultaneously staying true to the story and having it make sense within the context of the series as a whole. I, along with many other fans, do not believe that this is what happened in this episode.
King, on the other hand, has not been so much insulting as she has been evasive. In countless articles she makes up excuse after excuse for the plot holes in the time-line she has created. Rather than just fessing up to the inconsistencies, she offers confusing justifications. For example, when asked about the fact that Alison and Toby would be children at the time of the flashback with Marion Cavanaugh, King simply states that flashbacks, "are always interpretive." Not to mention the fact that many fans have accused her of stealing the story-line from the NBC show "Passions"...
All in all, "Game Over, Charles," despite being marketed as the greatest reveal in Pretty Little Liars history, ended up being the biggest letdown so far. I am not sure if I will bother to watch the show when it comes back on, as it seems like we will receive more of the same treatment. It is sad to think that this show, with characters and story lines that were loved by so many, has been reduced to this.
I'd like to begin by saying that this episode made no sense when compared to previous seasons. It is understandable that there might be a few small plot holes here and there, however this episode, which was supposed to clear up all of the mystery, seems to have dug itself into an even deeper hole. How could Marion have died when CeCe/Charlotte/Charles was a child, if we saw Marion interact with Alison (CeCe's YOUNGER sister) when Alison was a teenager? How was CeCe listed as the Prom Queen for a school she never attended? Why was there a Radley visitor pass created for CeCe if she was a patient there at the time? The list goes on and on.
Furthermore, for a show that used the tag-line, "Summer of Answers," it seems that we were only left with more questions. Who killed Mrs. DiLaurentis? Why was Sara Harvey so willing to torture the girls, if she never even knew them? So many things were never explained.
One of the most frustrating parts of this finale was the fact that CeCe's explanation for torturing the girls for three years was beyond anti-climactic. She states that she was simply upset that the girls were happy despite the fact that Alison was thought to be dead (nevermind the fact that they spent a substantial amount of time trying to solve the mystery of her supposed murder). And even if CeCe was merely using the girls as a way to lure Alison out of hiding, this does not explain CeCe's motivation for the less traumatizing (but still greatly upsetting) things that CeCe did to the girls, as well as the stalking. Fans have waited several years to learn why the elusive "- A" has been torturing these girls; It is not surprising that viewers would react negatively to a weak explanation. The story of this episode was a huge letdown.
But what was even worse, in my opinion, was the immature reaction that the creators of this show had to the criticism they received. I. Marlene King, Norman Buckley, and several others involved in the production of Pretty Little Liars seem to have done nothing but disregard and disrespect the loyal fans of this show. Buckley, in particular, acted immaturely in response to the criticism he received. First, he carelessly blew off fan concerns about time-line inconsistencies, stating, "I have said over and over again that concerns about the time-line miss the point. It is dream logic." To fans who have spent years theorizing and paying attention to every part of the show, this is a slap in the face. It is even more insulting when you consider the fact that those in charge of the show have stated time and time again that every little detail is significant, and that "there are no coincidences in Rosewood." What happened to that mindset?
Buckley later commented, "If you don't like any storyline, or show, or book, or movie, you're entitled. But it is not the responsibility of the artist to please you." While gist of Buckley's sentiment may be true, I believe that creators owe it to their fans, at least a little bit, to make something that will be appreciated and enjoyed by the majority of the fan base, while simultaneously staying true to the story and having it make sense within the context of the series as a whole. I, along with many other fans, do not believe that this is what happened in this episode.
King, on the other hand, has not been so much insulting as she has been evasive. In countless articles she makes up excuse after excuse for the plot holes in the time-line she has created. Rather than just fessing up to the inconsistencies, she offers confusing justifications. For example, when asked about the fact that Alison and Toby would be children at the time of the flashback with Marion Cavanaugh, King simply states that flashbacks, "are always interpretive." Not to mention the fact that many fans have accused her of stealing the story-line from the NBC show "Passions"...
All in all, "Game Over, Charles," despite being marketed as the greatest reveal in Pretty Little Liars history, ended up being the biggest letdown so far. I am not sure if I will bother to watch the show when it comes back on, as it seems like we will receive more of the same treatment. It is sad to think that this show, with characters and story lines that were loved by so many, has been reduced to this.