Spoilers ahead if you haven’t finished the show!
I am currently rewatching Pretty Little Liars for the millionth time and we need to break down
the relationship of Aria and Ezra. It was the relationship we all rooted for as kids, but watching it
as adults we can actually see just how disturbing it is. Going back to the pilot knowing all that
you know about Aria and Ezra makes it even more uncomfortable. First they meet in some
college bar, five minutes after they meet they are making out in the bathroom of the bar. First off,
why is a 16 year old in a bar in the middle of the day ordering food in the first place?
If you stuck around for the entirety of the show, you know that Ezra knew who Aria was all
along when he first met her. Not only did he know who she was, he was also writing a book on
her and her friends (you don’t find this out until season 4). Before that, though, they were just
two people in love who are fighting against all odds to be together. I vividly remember watching
this show as an 11 year old and being angry with Aria’s parents for not allowing Aria and Ezra to
be together. Watching it as an adult though is completely different. I totally get it, like what
parent would want their 16 year old daughter to be in a relationship with her 23 year old English
teacher? Not to mention, aside from the obvious age gap, the relationship itself was just
completely toxic. Aria made out with Ezra’s brother while she and Ezra were together and never
told him about the kiss, Ezra lied to Aria about having a secret love child with his high school
girlfriend, Ezra stalks Aria and all her friends, and the list just goes on and on.
Honestly, it boils down to the fact that – in my opinion – they just aren’t compatible with each other with all the problematic things they did to each other in the series. The fact that they ended up married in the end will forever keep me up at night.