The new PLL: The Perfectionists episode picks up 3 days after Nolan’s shocking death, and Ava’s not doing too well with the grieving process. Neither is Dylan. He’s dreaming about Nolan. Caitlin is extremely stressed about it, but trying to put it off and stay focused on track. She admits to Jeremy that she’s relieved Nolan is dead. But she swears she didn’t kill him.
Out of the blue, Alison gets a text from Nolan. “Meet me on the roof of Thorne Hall. I need your help,” the text read. Alison is no stranger to cryptic texts, but even this has her shaken up. She goes to Mona’s place, and Mona has gone full-scale Mona with writings all over the walls. “I’m the reason he’s dead,” Mona says quietly. Alison doesn’t waste any time asking Mona whether or not she had something to do with Nolan’s death. Mona puts that to bed quickly. Alison thinks someone is trying to frame her for his murder. She knows how this goes. She’s also worried about Mona. “I know how easy it is for you to go down the rabbit hole and not come back,” Alison says.
Everyone comes out to pay their respects at Nolan’s funeral. Alison shows up and Mona reveals her latest scoop. There was a partial Beacon Guard blackout at the time of Nolan’s murder, which means that a handful of cameras went out along with cell service. That explains the Nolan text delay. This still doesn’t give Alison an alibi for the night of the murder.
Mason, one of Nolan’s childhood friends and Caitlin’s ex, shows up to the funeral. Later, he offers to give her an alibi. When she asks why he’s offering, he says they all need a good alibi until they figure out who killed Nolan. When Dylan goes snooping, he finds a note, “I found what you’re looking for. Who knew you were so naughty?” the note says. Someone knew he was coming.
BHU’s new head of security, Dana Booker, has a past with Ava. She previously worked for the FBI. She thinks Ava knows where her father is hiding. Dana has an ax to grind and vows to find out who killed Nolan.
At Nolan’s wake on campus, the trio is thrown off guard by someone who comes up to them and whispers, “It’s just like you imagined it.” When they turn to see who said it, the person is gone. When Alison comes home after meeting Dana Booker and Mrs. Hotchkiss is sitting there in her living room drinking wine. They have a heart-to-heart, but Mrs. Hotchkiss is acting a little weird, to say the least.
Alison is immediately not on board with Team Dana. She’s been down this road before with another investigator. At the end of the episode, she decides to give the trio an alibi. They were at her house at the time of Nolan’s murder. Dana is suspicious but doesn’t push it for now. “Bring it on, b*tch,” Alison says. Also, Mona gives Hanna a call to just talk. We learn that Hanna and Caleb had a baby! Spencer and Toby eloped and didn’t tell anyone! Now we just need an Aria and Ezra update!