Every Pretty Little Liars Easter Egg & Reference In PLL: Summer School

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Pretty Little Liars: Summer School.

Summary Pretty Little Liars: Summer School deviates from the original series by incorporating more horror/thriller elements and new characters.

The HBOMax show maintains connections to the original Pretty Little Liars through references, Easter eggs, and character parallels.

Dr. Anne Sullivan is the only character to make a direct appearance in Summer School, providing therapy and a positive depiction of mental health.

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.

Related Pretty Little Liars: Summer School Review - Exciting Mystery Slasher Fails To Learn From Original PLL Pretty Little Liars: Summer School is just as compelling as everything that came before, but stops short of improving on the original series.

9 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.

8 Dr. Anne Sullivan

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episodes 1 And 2, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com" and "Chapter Twelve: Summer Lovin"

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.

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.

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.

7 Imogen’s Ezra Quote

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com"

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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.

Related Pretty Little Liars: Summer School Soundtrack Guide - Every Song & When They Play The Max slasher teen drama television series Pretty Little Liars returns with season 2, subtitled Summer School, and a soundtrack of new songs.

6 The Liars’ Kickboxing Class

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 1, "Chapter Eleven: SpookySpaghetti.com"

Image via Max

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.

5 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.

4 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.

3 The Dolls In Kelly Beasley’s House And The Antique Shop

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 2, "Chapter Twelve: Summer Lovin"

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One of the most immediately recognizable visual Easter eggs in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School is the presence of dolls in Kelly Beasley’s bedroom and at Mouse’s parents’ antique shop. Throughout the original Pretty Little Liars, dolls became extremely important. A called the Liars her dolls, even giving them dolls with messages. Within A’s lair, there are dolls made to resemble each of the Liars. A takes the Liars into her dollhouse and forces them to follow her rules like they are dolls with which she is playing.

These are just a few of the many examples of instances where dolls appear in Pretty Little Liars because there are too many instances to count. While these toys in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School do not have significance to the plot yet, it’s possible the dolls will become important down the line like in the original show.

Related Pretty Little Liars: Summer School Episodes 1 & 2 Recap: 10 Biggest Reveals Max's slasher teen drama Pretty Little Liars returns with Summer School, and following the terror of "A," the girls must face a new villain.

2 Faran As Swimming Captain

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 2, "Chapter Twelve: Summer Lovin"

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While Faran starts out as a ballerina in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, she switches over to weight training and swimming in Summer School. After trying out for a job as a lifeguard, Faran is the fastest swimmer and becomes captain of the lifeguards. This is a reference to the beloved Liar Emily Fields from Pretty Little Liars. Emily started swimming at a young age and is one of the best swimmers on the Rosewood Sharks team.

She goes on to fill the anchor position in the swimming relay and vies for the position of team captain on the swim team, going up against Paige McCullers. The choice to make Faran a swimmer points towards similarities between her and Emily. Both characters are competitive and driven, except that Faran acts tougher than her Pretty Little Liars counterpart. It will be interesting to see if she ends up just as emotional and sensitive on the inside as Emily.

1 Bloody Rose’s Video Call

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Episode 2, "Chapter Twelve: Summer Lovin"

The choice to parallel these scenes hints at the fact that Mouse could be the show’s equivalent of Aria.

The last Easter egg in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School is the video call that Mouse receives from Bloody Rose. This call is extremely similar to the call Aria receives in Pretty Little Liars season 7 from A.D. Both video calls include a distorted voice and the face looks like a bad filter. The messages are also extremely threatening to Mouse and Aria.

The choice to parallel these scenes hints at the fact that Mouse could be the show’s equivalent of Aria. After all, both characters can get obsessive over their interests and theories. They’re also both extremely unique from the rest of their respective groups. On top of this parallel, A.D. from the original show and Bloody Rose from Pretty Little Liars: Summer School could have similar methods of taunting and manipulating the Liars, with the big difference being Bloody Rose has a more hands-on approach to the violence.

Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Bailee Madison , Chandler Kinney Release Date June 28, 2022 Seasons 2 Network HBO Max Streaming Service(s) Apple TV+ , HBO Max Writers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Directors Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Expand