Is This The Most Unrealistic Storyline In Pretty Little Liars?
For 7 seasons, Freeform's series "Pretty Little Liars" was largely defined by wild plotlines that blurred the lines of reality. Centering around four high school ex-friends, Hanna (Ashley Benson), Aria (Lucy Hale), Spencer (Troian Bellisario), and Emily (Shay Mitchell) are reunited when an anonymous cyberbully known as "A" starts a campaign to ruin their lives. This goes above and beyond classic bullying in teen dramas. Though there are the typical storylines such as A threatening to spill their secrets, "Pretty Little Liars" also dives headfirst into extreme scenarios. A has made several attempts on the Liars' lives, including hitting Hanna with their car and threatening Emily with asphyxiation.
All of these stories and more become common practice for the show, even culminating in the "Pretty Little Liars" finale with an evil twin twist. With so many interweaving and at times contradictory stories, it is difficult to choose what is the most unbelievable. But fans have come together to agree that the most unrealistic didn't have anything to do with the mystery, but was something closer to home.
Aria's parents should have had Ezra arrested
Fans support the many couples on "Pretty Little Liars" and are happy when they end up together. But the couple that stands apart is unequivocally Aria and Ezra. First hooking up in a bar bathroom in the first episode, Aria comes to realize that Ezra is actually her new English teacher. The show creates many storylines trying to make this couple romantic when it is extremely problematic (via The Huffington Post). Their relationship is not only illegal, but also portrayed unrealistically. This mostly has to do with Aria's parents' reactions to the relationship.
Aria and Ezra keep their connection a secret until Season 2, when they reveal the truth to Ella (Holly Marie Combs) and Byron Montgomery (Chad Lowe). Fans are baffled at how Aria's parents choose to handle the situation. "What's wrong with Aria's parents?!" exclaimed Redditor u/cguti94. "This may be more directed towards her mom but how could they justify not going to the cops when Ezra comes clean about their relationship?!"
At first Ella and Byron consider going to the police but ultimately decide against it. Fans had issue that any parent would not want to protect their child against a predator. This sentiment is common after seeing how the storyline progresses. "No responsible parent would allow their [daughter] to date a grown man," agreed u/outerspace_castaway. Not only do her parents allow it, they eventually accepted it.
Aria's parents support Aria and Ezra's marriage
For the latter half of Season 2, Aria struggles with trying to convince her parents that they should accept her relationship with Ezra. At the time, Ezra is no longer her teacher and Aria feels as though this is just something they have to come to terms with. Though this may be a realistic portrayal of how a teenager would act, the same does not go for Ella. Byron constantly wants to report Ezra and makes attempts to separate Ezra and Aria. However Ella seems to be on the fence. She doesn't want to bring more attention to Aria in light of her legal trouble. Fans believe that Aria's parents ultimately accepting the relationship makes no sense.
"I will never NEVER understand how Aria's parents just allowed this relationship with to happen. They didn't call the police, take Aria out of school, go to the press. They eventually just excepted it as if it was normal. They really allowed her daughter to marry the man who groomed her as a teenager," pointed out u/eli454. Ella and Byron are present at the wedding and smiling, as though there is nothing wrong with the situation. While Aria was an adult at the time of the marriage, her parents' lack of action and normalizing the relationship does not ring true to what any parent would do in that situation.