That "Riverdale" Performance of "Jailhouse Rock" Is Eerily Like This "Pretty Little Liars" Scene

On Oct. 18, the increasingly absurd show that is Riverdale blessed viewers with a scene they never knew they needed: a Riverdale High River Vixens performance of Elvis classic "Jailhouse Rock," fittingly performed outside the yard where an imprisoned Archie is playing a football game with his fellow inmates.

In the scene, Veronica, Cheryl, and Josie lead the Vixens in the musical number that takes place in the middle of a montage of sweaty football players... well, playing football. And while it was very epic, it might not be the first time you've seen it — another angsty, crime-ridden teenage drama pulled a similar move just a year ago. In season 7, episode 17 of Pretty Little Liars, a high-energy scene includes a performance of "Jailhouse Rock" by one Mona Vanderwaal.

To refresh your memory, in the PLL scene, Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) has a vivid stress dream about her soon-to-be husband Ezra Fitz getting arrested and put in jail. The reason she's stressing about this particular occurrence is that, unlike Archie, who is innocent of the crime he's sent to prison for (murdering Cassidy), Ezra is guilty of statutory rape. The major Aria/Ezra plot line is that they began their relationship when she was a minor, and in season 7, Aria finds out that A.D. has discovered a police report Aria wrote up (and never officially filed) in which she calls Ezra a "predator." Which is not inaccurate, especially considering that in season 4 we find out Ezra knew Aria's age and who she was when they first met at the bar in season 1.

So to cope with the knowledge that her fiancé could see jail time (spoiler: he doesn't, because PLL never quite atoned for that storyline), she falls asleep and finds herself in a world where life is a Broadway set version of jail and Mona is the jailer and scene-stealer. Mona tauntingly sings "Jailhouse Rock" to Aria and Ezra as they try to have a wedding while Ezra is brutally beaten up by other inmates. It's not quite as light-hearted as the Riverdale version.

For all its ridiculousness, Mona brings all the attitude and confidence of a River Vixen to the scene, even though she's dressed in a jailer uniform while prancing around the set. Somehow, we can totally see the manipulative, forever-scheming Mona fitting right in with a crowd like Veronica Lodge and Cheryl Blossom.

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