Representational Codes: Pretty Little Liars Season: 5 Episode 16

Representational Codes

Pretty Little Liars S: 5 Ep: 16

Ethics:

Ethics is a huge part of this television series, as shown in the title. The whole series is based upon a lie and when lies are okay to tell, who can tell them, what lies are socially acceptable, ect. In this particular episode lies are shown as acceptable as a few main characters, who are innocent, lie in order to preserve themselves from potentially going to jail. The lie is seen as acceptable through the fact that when the lie was told there was no suspenseful music, no different shot angles, no over-dramatized edits, nothing. The lie was said smoothly as if was the truth. This then represents the idea that if lies are told to save an innocent person, the lie is justified and therefore okay to tell in certain circumstances.  

Authority:

Authority is often questioned throughout the whole series as many police officers have proved to be unjust and so the main characters are very cautious when trusting or telling the absolute truth to the police. In this particular episode a police officer has unexpectedly taken an unjustified leave, and, since the main characters have had past run ins with this particular officer they become skeptical with his random act of abandonment, especially since he was very passionate about this case. This then represents how authority should be questioned. This is heightened by the diegetic sound of suspenseful music that plays when the main characters find out about the officer's leave. The suspenseful music makes the audience also skeptical about why this officer has left and whether he is stirring trouble again, which makes the officer seem untrustworthy and therefore represents potential unjust police in reality. 

Social Pressures and Expectations:

The main characters are in their last year of high school and are currently going through the pressure of choosing, applying for and getting accepted into a collage. The process has proved to be tedious for them as all of them have not lived 'normal' lives. Especially one of the main characters called Spencer who comes from a family of overachievers and therefore is expected to get accepted into a well-known collage but, because of her past, she is rejected which leaves her depressed. Fortunately in this episode Spencer finds relief when another character explains to her that collage isn't the only option after high school. Because the stilled camera work and lack of background music during this scene, the scene turns out very realistic making it seem like the character that is speaking to Spencer is talking to you also. It is this that represents the idea that collage isn't the only option after collage and that not going to collage is an acceptable thing, regardless of what society says.

Mise-en-scene:
Majority of the time the setting and objects on the show are ordinarily and logically placed however, occasionally there are clues placed to help the audience piece together part of the mystery that Pretty Little Liars is based on. The clues are always strategically placed but are extremely difficult for the audience to notice as the clues are usually hidden within the background of the setting. The clues are usually revealed later in the season as the mystery is solved. In this specific episode 'A' (the villain of the production) pulls a bag of candy from the missing officers desk, the dark lighting of the majority of the shot combined with the illuminated candy bag suggests that the candy is of some importance and that the viewers should note it. Mise-en-scene is also used in ways to support the ethical values of the show. For examle, Emily, one of the main 'liars' of the series, is a lesbian and misen-en-scene is used to normalise the concept of her relationships. Whenever Emily and her girlfiend are shown they are always shown at school or with the rest of the 'liars' at a coffee shop- which are normal settings (Ep. 16). This then represents the idea that Emily being a lesbian is normal and her relationships shouldn't be treated any different that the relationships between the other main characters and their boyfriends.