Rosewood would feel very different without Ian Harding's Pretty Little Liars character. From the moment he sets eyes on Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale), he's hopelessly in love with her, and an endgame couple is set in motion. Whether teaching at the high school, becoming a coffee shop owner, or writing his own book, Ezra is always one of the most intriguing people in this small town.
But just like Aria isn't the best character, there are a lot of things wrong with Ezra Fitz, and they seem to keep piling up with each episode. Even though he has many fans, with a bit more examination, it turns out that he's got a lot of character flaws.
He's Written As A Creepy Character
While Ezra and Aria are a popular couple, it's hard to ignore the fact that Ezra is written as a creepy character, and this gets worse as the series goes on.
In the pilot, the two meet at a bar, and then it turns out that he's her English teacher. That's definitely uncool, yet they start dating anyway. It always feels like Ezra is a man of mystery and that Aria can't really get to know him. Something always feels off about Ezra.
His Reason For Joining The A-Team Falls Flat
Ezra joined the A-Team but his reason for this definitely doesn't make any sense. He wanted to write a book about Ali, but didn't he realize that this would get him into some hot water with Aria?
It also seems like as a writer who should be good at research, Ezra could find another way to spy on the major players so he could pen his novel. He should know better than to get involved with something so dangerous.
He Keeps Betraying Aria
The PLL characters aren't always lucky in love, and Ezra keeps betraying Aria. He isn't always the best boyfriend. He falls in love with Nicole (Nafessa Williams), which seems like a poor decision on the writers' parts.
If Ezra and Aria really are endgame, why give him another major love interest? He doesn't even seem interested in Aria anymore, as he's totally consumed by Nicole's disappearance and all of the drama surrounding it.
He Doesn't Learn
When Aria learns that Ezra once dated Ali, it's super disturbing, since that proves that he dated two girls who are underage.
Ezra doesn't learn from his mistakes, as he moves on from Ali to a serious relationship with Aria.
He's Presented As Good, Evil, And Back Again
Ezra isn't a consistent character, which seems like a problem with the show's writing.
Eagle-eyed fans can tell that the series was always teasing who A was, but in the case of Ezra Fitz, no one ever knew whether he was good or evil. Sometimes he would be a sweet, romantic guy with Aria, and other times, he was on the A-Team and they thought that he murdered Charlotte. It's confusing, and it seems like his character should be on more of an even keel.
The Show Paints Him As Romantic When He's Problematic
Many fans love Ezra and think he's a perfect boyfriend and that's because of how the show has painted him.
But unfortunately, the age difference between Ezra and Aria means that he's a very problematic character. From the moment that he first appears in the pilot, he's always written as a sweet and romantic guy, a kind of brooding artist who is the best match for Aria. But the show doesn't address his shortcomings or the fact that his romance with Aria is illegal at first.
He's Supposed To Be A Mastermind, Yet Seems Naive
Ezra's character is all over the place. On the one hand, he's supposed to be a mastermind, dating Aria while essentially spying on her and her pals, and dating Ali so he can write about her, too.
And then he acts with extreme naivety, like when he believes Ali when she says she's closer to his age than she is, or he doesn't think he'll get in trouble or fired for dating Aria. Ezra's character should have been thought out more carefully.
He Would Actually Die After A Shot Him
In the season 4 finale, A shoots Ezra, and since he's one of the main characters on the show (and Aria's main love interest), he survives.
In reality, though, this kind of gunshot would definitely end his life. While most fans were happy he survived, it was rather unrealistic.
His Career Changes Don't Add Up
Ezra isn't written like a good teacher and his career seems all over the place. He loses his job at Hollis because Aria's father Byron learns of their relationship and makes sure that he isn't teaching there anymore. Then Ezra appears to leave teaching altogether and he buys the coffee shop The Brew.
Sure, The Brew is one of the major settings on PLL, but why would a writer and English teacher buy a coffee shop? It doesn't make any sense.
Ezra Can Be Distant... Like Right Before His Wedding To Aria
PLL fans could tell that the major love stories would get happy endings in the series finale. Anything else would have just been cruel.
But Aria and Ezra's engagement and then path to their wedding day is definitely confusing. Aria finds out that she can't have children, and she's worried about telling Ezra, which is odd because why would she be scared of being real and honest with him? Ezra doesn't always seem committed to Aria and he can be really distant, which is a big character flaw.