'Ravenswood': Caleb Explores A Town With Secrets

While our pretty little liars may face danger on a daily basis in Rosewood, even they wouldn't trade in Rosewood for the spook-tastic town of Ravenswood. Rosewood may have A, but Ravenswood has actual ghosts. And not of the Casper variety.

After the highly creepy Pretty Little Liars Halloween episode commenced, we stayed with Caleb and his new gal pal Miranda as they hung around Ravenswood searching for answers. For one, why does Ravenswood have headstones with Miranda and Caleb's faces on them? And, for two, why does Miranda's mortician-uncle seem to want nothing to do with her? I might feel bad for Miranda and her tragic family history if I didn't already blame her for splitting up Hanna and Caleb (#HalebForever, am I right, guys?)

It's not just Caleb who is a familiar face in the town of Ravenswood. Remember Ms. Grunwald, the creepy sorority house mother who saved Alison from death? She is the caretaker of Miranda and Caleb's new home and is just as terrifying as ever. After working in the sorority house, she returned to Ravenswood at the request of Miranda's uncle... and because "college girls can be very unstructured". (Can I please get that on a shirt?)

Unfortunately, Ms. Grunwald is not the scariest thing inhabiting this sprawling, decaying mansion... a few ghosts have also checked in to the residence. And they don't seem to be too thrilled by Caleb and Miranda's presence (at least, that's what I gathered by one black cloaked figure attempting to drown Caleb in the tub). There is also a mysterious lady-ghost with a penchant for hiding in the curtains. It's all very creepy.

Caleb, always one to take the bull by the horns, decides to investigate the mysterious town by going right to the source: the Ravenswood local paper. (Initially, he wanted to look at the website... turns out that Ravenswood doesn't have one! Spooky.) There he meets fellow teen Remy, who informs him that — surprise! — Ravenswood has a totally disturbing history. For a small town, it's seen a lot of death. A flood hit the town years earlier, washing the town out... and killing many of the residents. After that, Ravenswood became the town to swap stories about over the campfire, and for good reason.

While Caleb and Miranda were dealing with all of that, a few other Ravenswood teens were dealing with some everyday horrors of their own. Twins Luke and Olivia are reeling after the death of their father... potentially at the hands of their mother, whom the residents of Ravenswoods have taken to calling "The Black Widow". While Olivia is down to play the part of future Prom Queen and ignore the gossip, Luke has dealt with the tragedy in typical bad boy fashion: acting out, beating up kids in coffee shops, and ignoring his star-crossed lover, Remy.

But even Olivia can't ignore the ramifications of her father's murder when, in a Prom Queen parade, a stranger in a hood (weirdly, not A) splashes a can of red paint onto her gown. Luckily, her brother Luke is there with an extra jacket (aren't brothers the best?). Unfortunately, Luke also confesses something else to his sister: He's pretty sure that their mom did murder their dad.

While walking home in the rain, Luke and Olivia come across Remy, Caleb, and Miranda, who are swapping details about their own hauntings as they listen to The Civil Wars song, "The One That Got Away". Remy tells the twins to get in the car to avoid the rain. The five cursed teens drive up to a bridge, only to come across a figure wearing black. Remy swerves her car away from the figure, and the car cruises right off the bridge, into the lake. As the teens scream for help, we watch as the figure turns toward the camera: AND IT'S TOTALLY A DECAYING GHOST LADY. EEEK!!!

While it may have originated as a Pretty Little Liars spin-off, Ravenswood already feels like a completely different show. It's far eerier, with a darker premise and more serious attitude. It has a higher production value, making the horror all the more believable (as much as I live for Pretty Little Liars, I'm hardly ever actually scared by the show — after the ghost at the end of the Ravenswood pilot, I can't say that for its' spin-off.) I'm excited to see this mystery unfold.