Pretty Little Liars fans have to look for clues wherever we can get them, and this seemingly ordinary file could be a big one.
Alison did some detective work on Pretty Little Liars season 7, episode 8, and it may have yielded more than she hoped. She was searching for Noel Kahn’s file, but the fans had their eyes on a different name in the cabinet. We’ve heard the Cochran name a lot in the last few episodes of Pretty Little Liars, so when it appeared in writing as part of the Class of 2012, fans took notice.
Class of 2012 – Lisa Cochran. They wouldn’t have showed this for nothing! #PLL #PrettyLittleLiars #PLLSeason7 ? pic.twitter.com/LXrMFLdNI7
— Lilliana ✨ (@Trucyfinity) August 17, 2016
We met not one, but two Dr. Cochrans on Pretty Little Liars season 7, episode 8, “Exes and OMGs,” and there’s definitely more to them than meets the eye. There’s still a lot to uncover about this family and their connection to Mary Drake, and a relative from the Liars’ class could be the key to it all. Ever since the episode aired, more and more fans have been picking up on this subtle, yet potentially important clue.
Related: Pretty Little Liars 7×08 review: Grunwald returns
Hmm the surname Cochran came up a few times in this ep of @PLLTVSeries … including the Class of 2012 file cabinet at rhs #pll
— Chloe Wright (@_ChloeWrightRex) August 18, 2016
Can't help but think they'd solve it all quicker if they were more observant. There's a file for 'Lisa Cochran' in the filing cabinet #PLL
— Emma Stratton (@Rabbit_182) August 18, 2016
So it could be a coincidence but I spotted this in #PLL someone with the last name Cochran in the Class of 2012? Hmm pic.twitter.com/RAsPbF8RWi
— bea (@BexCelia) August 17, 2016
Did anyone else notice the Lisa Cochran file in the 2012 graduates drawer ??? interesting. Especially with what her father said #PLL #PLL
— Lauren (@LaurenPrice99) August 17, 2016
Anybody else notice there was a file with the name Lisa Cochran in the file cabinet in Hackett's office? Can't be coincidence. #PLL
— Lexi Rascon (@lexi_kinns) August 17, 2016
Um did I just see Dr. Cochran's name on one of those files? They had the worst classmates! #PrettyLittleLiars #PLL
— Christine Exe (@christine_exe) August 17, 2016
Of course, this file could mean nothing, as Lisa Cochran is the name of one of the Pretty Little Liars producers. TV shows often throw in nods to the cast and crew, so this could simply be an example of that. However, for that Easter egg to be thrown in during an episode that features two other Cochrans would be an awfully big coincidence.
Lisa Cochran’s file was found in the Class of 2012 cabinet, which would make her the same age as the Liars. She’s obviously not Dr. Cochran Sr., and she’s probably not Dr. Cochran Jr. either. The Liars are barely out of college with their undergraduate degrees, so it would be a stretch for someone in their class to have already finished medical school.
If Lisa is connected to the doctors, she would have to be a younger sibling or possibly a cousin. She could also be Dr. Cochran Sr.’s child from another woman, like Mary Drake, for example. The man definitely has some secrets, and we wouldn’t put it past him to have had an affair with one of his patients.
Related: 7 Pretty Little Liars theories about Mary Drake’s second child
That being said, if he didn’t raise the child, their last name likely would’ve been changed from Cochran. Fans would also be pretty disappointed if Mary Drake’s second child turned out to be this random girl that we’ve never heard of before! It’s more likely that she’ll be used as a tool to figure out whatever else the Cochrans are hiding, including the actual identity of Mary Drake’s second child.
Dr. Cochran Sr. lost his medical license while working for Radley, and Pretty Little Liars fans know that everything always comes back to Radley. Even though the sanitarium has been converted into a fancy hotel, it still holds plenty of secrets and answers. Since Dr. Cochran was so involved in the inner workings of the sanitarium at such a key point in the Pretty Little Liars mystery, it’s likely he holds some of those answers himself.
Dr. Cochran Jr. looked more respectable than her estranged father on the outside, but we’re willing to bet she has something to hide, too. She was far too eager to get Spencer and Aria out of her clinic, and she gave up information far too easily after her office was torn apart. At the very least, her complicated history with her father could conceal some useful information.
If Lisa Cochran went to school with the Liars, they probably at least know who she is. Even if they were completely oblivious to the rest of the student body when they were under Ali’s rule, they spread out into different social groups when Ali disappeared. Aria was with her family in Iceland, but Emily was an athlete, Spencer was in the academic clubs, and Hanna was popular.
So, we have our athlete, our brain, and our princess. Now we just need a criminal and a basket case to fill out our Lisa Cochran hunting breakfast club. Cue Mona, who can basically fill any one of these roles at any time.
We love the Liars, but sometimes they’re not the greatest detectives, so maybe Mona will have to step in to crack this case. We’re betting she has their entire class list memorized in order of GPA, zip code, and social standing, so once she hears the name “Cochran,” she’ll probably be able to pull up Lisa’s phone number, address, and banking information.
For some reason, Noel Kahn even wants a piece of this family. Whether or not he was the one who tore apart Dr. Cochran Jr.’s office, he was still trying to reach one of them on the phone. All signs point to him being hot on the trail of Mary Drake’s second child (if he’s not the child himself), so he may even be the one to seek out the mysterious Lisa.
No matter who finds her, she could be key to solving any of the many mysteries in Pretty Little Liars season 7. Or this clue could be yet another dead end! That’s just part of the fun of being a Pretty Little Liars fan. You never know which it’s going to be.