Might depend on how you’re going to vent the fireplace.

I forgot to note that It will be a gas fireplace. We originally wanted wood burning - but then would have to vent it with a towering chimney that would be well above the deck and it looked weird.

A fireplace in the middle will restrict how you can use the space, especially for entertaining. OTOH, everything jammed into one half of the patio doesn't work either. Can you find a much smaller fireplace that doesn't dominate the space? Maybe skip the TV or mount it on the wall? Or can a slim fireplace go up against the wall?

Good points! Or maybe move it in front of the stairs on the third/far open side? It’s not a huge patio to be split in two, but the deck kind of forces us into it. Thank you @einportlandor !

Think about the orienation of the sun and when you would be watching the TV. If it's for afternoons and summer evenings, you wouldn't want the setting sun shining on it.

Thank you! We are good on western sun- our patio is shaded by trees on that side.