All The Times 'PLL' Got A Little Weird

If you tuned into Pretty Little Liars because you expected the same basic high school drama that plagued you during your teen years, it would have taken you mere minutes into the first episode to realize just how radically different this show is from any real life experience — at least, I seriously hope it was. Call Pretty Little Liars the Twin Peaks for tweens: it's a twisted murder mystery with extremely high stakes, deadly villains, and more secrets than its six seasons have had time to unearth. Friday Night Lights this show is not: would that show have locked up the Dillon Panthers in a demented dollhouse, or buried Coach Taylor alive in a freak case of mistaken identity? Frankly, Pretty Little Liars gets really, really weird — and it's this weirdness that makes it so very interesting to watch.

Pretty Little Liars boasts moments that few other TV shows for teens could pull off: moments that edge just a little too far into the darkness, or are just a touch too creepy or bizarre for some series to pull off. The series prides itself on being one seriously twisted rollercoaster ride, and these bizarre moments are a huge part of that. Heck, even Pretty Little Liars writer/producer Joseph Dougherty agrees:

So what moments reminded us of just how weird Pretty Little Liars could be? Here are just a few to remind you of how far the show could go:

1. When Ali Tells The Story About The Murderous Twin

Ali's Halloween story is brutal and totally disturbing, especially considering that this episode is a prequel that takes place shortly before Ali is thought to have been murdered. Also, I'm totally convinced that the little twin girl who murdered her sister is Bethany Young, who just so happened to end up in Ali's grave.

2. When The Liars Sneak Into The Doll Hospital

The horrifying image of a dirt-covered Ali doll saying "Follow me, end up like me" will be burned into fans' brains forever.

3. When We Learn That Jenna Is 100% Creepier Than We Thought

Jenna went all Cruel Intentions and blackmailed Toby into having a sexual relationship with her, which is about as effed up as a show can get. This coerced sibcest plotline is seriously disturbing, and paints Jenna as one of the show's most disturbed villains.

4. When A Dead Body Is Found On The Ghost Train

This was just moments after Aria was locked in a box with Garrett's dead body, and yet the reveal that the characters have been pulling juice boxes out of the place where Ali's (a.k.a. really Bethany's) body was totally jaw-dropping.

5. When Spencer Gets Locked In A Room With A Snake

So many questions about this scene, but most importantly, where the heck did A get this snake?

6. When Spencer Finds Bones On Her Bridal Gown

We were all on Spencer's freak out level when she found out that her too-tight corset was too-tight because it was accessorized with finger bones. Eep.

7. When This Baby Doll Mask Shows Up

The baby doll mask is pure nightmare fuel.

8. When Nate Is Revealed As Maya's Killer

And then tries to murder Paige right in front of Emily. Because that's the level that this show gets sometimes.

9. When The Girls Go To The Dollhouse

Really, the entire first half of Season 6 could end up on this list: anything and everything that happens in this dollhouse cranks of the weirdness level of Pretty Little Liars to an 11. From the scary replicas of the girls' rooms (great way to reuse set pieces, PLL) to Spencer waking up covered in someone else's blood to Mona being dressed exactly like Ali on "that night," the dollhouse was about as weird as any show could be... teen drama or not.

10. When Cece Reveals That She's A DiLaurentis Who Dated Her Brother

Yes, Cece, it's screwed up that you dated your brother.

11. When Spencer Dances With Ali's "Ghost"

So... was this actually Ali's ghost, or was this a total hallucination? We may never find out that for certain, but this scene is as trippy as PLL ever got. I can still hear that creepy humming...

Oh, Pretty Little Liars. We don't love you despite your weirdest moments: we love you because of them.

Images: Eric McCandless/ABC Family