I forgot how infuriating Aria’s storyline is
I’m rewatching Pretty Little Liars at 18 after first watching it when I was around 13–14, and I’m about to finish Season 2.
When I watched it the first time, I knew Ezria was “wrong,” but I don’t think I fully understood why. Rewatching it now, I’m honestly sitting here wondering what is wrong with the adults in this show.
The thing that confuses me the most is how quickly Aria falls for Ezra. She meets him at a bar, kisses him, finds out he’s her teacher, and suddenly she’s willing to lie to everyone, constantly sneak around, fight with her parents, and act like this relationship is worth risking everything for. Girl… you barely know this man.
And Ezra… why is he acting surprised that her parents don’t approve? You’re an adult dating your underage student. What exactly did you think was going to happen?
The only parent whose initial reaction actually made sense to me was Byron’s. Yes, he’s a hypocrite because of his own affair, but when he finds out about Ezra and Aria, his immediate reaction is basically, “Absolutely not. Get him away from my daughter.” That’s the reaction I expected from a parent.
Ella, on the other hand, genuinely frustrates me. She seems so concerned about Aria’s reputation and about keeping the peace instead of focusing on the fact that her teenage daughter is being groomed by an adult in a position of authority. At one point it feels less like she’s trying to protect Aria and more like she’s trying to make the situation manageable.
And when Aria threatens to expose Byron’s affair if they interfere with her relationship, the conversation somehow becomes about Aria’s behavior instead of the fact that an adult teacher is involved with their underage daughter. That just blows my mind.
I also don’t think Aria is a great friend or even a particularly likable character. I know she’s a victim in this situation, and I don’t blame her for being manipulated by an adult. That’s exactly how grooming works. But outside of that, I still find her selfish a lot of the time, especially in how she treats the people around her.
Maybe this storyline felt romantic when the show originally aired, but rewatching it now, I genuinely don’t see a love story. I see a teenager being groomed, and a bunch of adults who, after the initial shock, seem to gradually accept something that never should have been accepted in the first place.
Does anyone else feel like this on a rewatch, or is it just me?