Are we ready for another I. Marlene King series where murder follows a group of young adults? The easy answer to that question is a resounding yes. It’s the intrigue that has swallowed millions of fans and even spawned a spinoff, despite the original doing more than enough damage to our heart. With the first season of The Perfectionist in the books, many fans are wondering who will return or make their first appearance in the upcoming year.
With the original Pretty Little Liars still embedded in our memories, fans are holding their breath just hoping some or all of the major players from the original will make an appearance in the new installment. While the PLL cast was indeed large, not all characters should be welcomed into the new game.
Murder is still the name of the game on the campus of Beacon Heights University but can the Ava Jalali, Dylan Walker, Caitlin Lewis, and Taylor Hotchkiss – combined with Mona and Alison – take down “The Professor”? It would be great to see some of the old characters join in on the fun, however, adding the wrong ones could send The Perfectionist spiraling towards cancellation.
Here are 5 Pretty Little Liars Characters To Bring Back (and 5 To Keep Locked Away)
Bring Back: Emily
This has to happen. If no one else makes it to BHU, Emily Fields must. Watching Alison go through heartbreak is, well, heartbreaking. She has spoken of her past getting in the way of their marriage but what does that mean? Alison was not that great of a friend to any of the original cast but if we had to single out one person she cared for, it was Emily.
Emily’s presence alone would change the dynamic of the show. This would give Alison something to truly fight for. Right now, she’s trying to keep her students safe but her demeanor changes if her family is put in danger. Emily started PLL timid but by the time the show hit its climax, she may have emerged as the toughest of them all. Alison needs her wife and protector by her side.
Lock Away: Toby
Keep Toby Cavanaugh far away from BHU. It may be good to have a cop on their side but Toby was not the smartest tool in the shed. A/AD had Toby in so many compromising positions in Pretty Little Liars that we had no idea if he was coming or going. The original cast used Toby supposedly for his muscle but in what case did he actually have to use his muscle? Even as a cop, he was often rendered useless when it came to stopping A/AD and often relied on the help of others.
Toby is a great guy and would sacrifice his life for his friends but his character was pretty dull in Pretty Little Liars. The Perfectionists has gone to great lengths to add the missing element that PLL was not able to do with their vast cast of characters and that was to give them all a personality of their own.
Bring Back: Caleb
Another male figure is needed. Where Toby failed, Caleb Rivers excelled. He’s smart, bold, and brash while already having great chemistry with Mona. The Perfectionists, equipped with two computer geeks in Mona and Taylor, may not appear to need Caleb as much.
Dylan Walker has his moments where he does show the strength the girls need by their side but to have another male presence that he can bond with will only strengthen the team. Caleb, despite his many distractions throughout PLL, is someone good to have in a tight situation. Much like Toby, he thinks of other’s safety before his own.
Lock Away: Hanna
Besides her closeness with Mona, why would The Perfectionists bring back Hanna Marin? As great as it was to make fun of her often “space cadet” cluelessness, she doesn’t fit into the current inner-circle. Her best input would not be catching “The Professor” but giving fashion tips to Ava Jalali.
Hanna was never much of a fighter, thinker, or leader. She was comfortable being a follower. A significant difference separating the new cast from the old is that each of The Perfectionists appears to have a mind of their own. Leaving Hanna behind is a wise choice, as she is likely to cause more trouble than actually solve.
Bring Back: Melissa
Not one of the best characters from the original but Melissa Hastings can be the sneak attack. Although she and Spencer are sisters, Melissa often proved her evil streak on many occasions. Right now, this is the temperament The Perfectionists need.
Not knowing who the killer is one thing, but not having a single person on their side ready to be that “bitch” has put them at a disadvantage of sorts. Melissa is a go-getter who will go the extra mile to make sure the person/persons she wants to take down is taken care off properly.
Lock Away: Aria
Too bad this is not Arya from Game of Thrones. If so, then BHU would be a battlefield. Instead, Aria Montgomery, despite the time jump, still might be that little scared girl who is terrified of Jenna. Over time, she gained a little confidence but that was because she knew she wasn’t alone.
Aria’s strengths are allowing someone else like Spencer, Ezra, or Alison to make the tough decisions for her. She was never fully able to step up on her own and this new challenge may be too much for her. For some fans, Aria’s presence still has many wondering what her place in the original was all about.
Bring Back: Jason
Jason DiLaurentis can enter Season 2 as a School Board member. His presence is much like Melissa’s. Every team needs muscle and Jason fits the criteria. He does not offer much in terms of strategy or intellect but he’s willing to take the fight to whoever deserves it.
Besides, his little sister Alison needs his guidance and undying love. Jason has the looks to be seductive and if “The Professor” is indeed a woman, who better than to have on their team than a man who just happens to know how to use his God-given talents to get what he wants.
Lock Away: Spencer
With Mona and Taylor as the head brainiacs on The Perfectionists, there’s no need to add another. Spencer Hastings, for all her smarts, was just a bit annoying in the original. If given enough time on the BHU campus, she may be able to figure out who killed Nolan in a matter of days. But, who really wants that?
Besides, without Toby by her side, Spencer tends to be a complete train wreck. She was great as a high school kid and a love-struck early adult; however, as a crime solver, her time has come and gone. Maybe she will be better used as a guidance counselor or professor.
Bring Back: A/AD
We don’t know much about “The Professor” as he or she has just made their presence felt in The Perfectionist. That being said, it is safe to surmise they are a killer and a manipulator. However, not even the death of Nolan has hit as hard as the drama A/AD put the original cast through in Pretty Little Liars.
It’s a cat and mouse game early on and we have no idea as to why “The Professor” is involved. With A/AD it was fun, scary, and intriguing to see the girls always two steps behind. A/AD were masterminds, so imagine how deadly this new game would be if the newbies, Mona, and Alison had to deal with a blast from the past.
Lock Away: All the Parents
This is college. No one at BHU needs their parents around. The ones present are mostly retreading the original cast’s footsteps. Are there secrets involved? Yes, but none will probably be able to reach the level of shock and awe we had in the original.
It’s time to focus on the kids and their lives outside of Rosewood or wherever they came from. Let the characters grow, make mistakes, and solve this murder on their own without the unnecessary coddling of the parents. Besides, shouldn’t they be locked in a basement somewhere?
