Critic’s Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
3.5
There’s just no keeping those crazy college co-eds from getting their hands all over each other in the most toxic ways. This show shouldn’t be called Tell Me Lies. It should be called “Feed Me Poison.”
These kids are toting around a major amount of trauma and emotional scars. What’s that thing that people who think they are psychologists always say? Oh, right. Hurt people hurt people.
Regarding the characters in Tell Me Lies, the writers are unafraid to put these drama-prone kids through the wringer.
I know they’re young, with some of their brains not fully developed, but the writing is on the wall, and it says, “RUN, GIRL, RUN!”
Tell Me Lies Is Toting Toxic Trauma By The Tub-Fulls
Does anyone else go back and forth with how they feel about Lucy? Obviously, every decision she makes can’t be right, or nothing would ever happen, and we’d have no show.
Still, the series is toeing a fine line with the introduction of Leo. On the one hand, she needs to stay single and should’ve rolled with that thought process.
On the other hand, Leo is a great guy who can show her what it’s like to be in a healthy relationship. If Lucy doesn’t let her trauma from Stephen get to her, she may just manage an amicable ending with Leo.
We already know they don’t end up together because of the flashes from Bree’s wedding weekend in the future. Then again, the mark of any good show is how well it can surprise audiences.
Ironically, Lucy (Grace Van Patten) could end up being the toxic one in the relationship because Leo is a great guy. With the kind of emotional scars Lucy has, it would be very easy for her paranoia to get the best of her.
She has a guy who genuinely cares about her, and the fear of losing that could be debilitating. Lucy is a sweet girl, but in the immortalized words of the Goddess of Drag, RuPaul, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love yourself?”
Tell Me Lies Takes Its Time Finding Use For Some Of Its Characters
Speaking of finding love, is it me, or is the only purpose of Wrigley to make Pippa’s story more interesting? The character has done absolutely nothing since the start of the season.
Wrigley’s whole arc can’t be about proving that he’s not stupid. That’s just lazy writing for a character whose relevance is on life support.
I can’t take another scene of him acting like the cardboard cutout of every douchey athletic trope and cliche. He’s loud, handsome in a goofy way, and never says anything of value.
He’s a sweet guy, but let’s be honest, on a show like Tell Me Lies, nice guys don’t finish at all. There’s so much potential for an exciting story that doesn’t involve the overused “injured athlete” tired trope.
Then there is Miss Pippa (Sonia Mena), who had more time in the spotlight during Tell Me Lies Season 2 Episode 3. For that reason only, I won’t ding the show for having her do just about nothing in this episode.
I’d say we should worry about her ending up back together with Wrigley, but we already know the blonde bombshell ends up with Diana in the future.
And don’t worry because we will get to Miss Diana, but first, what in the hell is going on with Bree?
Bree And Oliver Are Gunning For Chaotic Couple Of The Century
I cannot be the only one who gets chills whenever Bree stares at Oliver or whoever else she is talking to. Seriously, I keep expecting her eyes to turn black or blood to drip from her mouth. I might be caught up in the spooky season already.
If nothing else, she needs to stop so the conversations can progress. How have none of the characters told her to speak up and pick up the pace when responding?
I had previously said in another review that I wanted Bree (Catherine Missal) to let loose and go wild, but I might be taking that back.
Since she’s not in jail for murder in the future, we know she doesn’t end up snapping. Still, she is serving Single White Female energy.
Don’t even get me started on Oliver. First, going from the sensational character Tom Ellis played on Lucifer to Oliver is just wrong. He went from sexy and charming to brooding and mopey.
Despite what he’s said to Bree, he doesn’t seem that concerned with getting caught. Also, we’re at the fourth episode of the season and still don’t know what’s wrong with his marriage.
The wife seems fine to me, so what could possibly be the issue that only an affair with a college co-ed could fix? He does realize she was a minor just a few short years ago, right?
The show tries to portray him as sweet and tender, but he seems like a sleazy guy. Then again, the bar is low when you have a character like Stephen.
Diana, You In Danger, Girl
I swear I’m going to have a PhD in psychology from analyzing Stephen’s (Jackson White) narcissism throughout Tell Me Lies Season 2. There is seriously something broken inside that guy.
At this point, I don’t even know if he is consciously being evil or if lies and manipulation are like an autonomic function. Either way, he is a danger to everyone around him.
I’m surprised he hasn’t ended up dead or in jail by the time Bree’s wedding comes around in the future.
However, no one needs a safe place to hide more than Diana. Eventually, she will believe Lucy about what Stephen did concerning Macy.
Then Stephen is going to find out that Diana knows. God only knows what that psychopath will do.
Diana, you in danger, girl. She needs to run from that man with the swiftness of a Gazelle. She is a genuinely sweet character, but like everyone else, Stephen brings out the worst in her.
The saddest part is that she doesn’t seem to have any close friends despite “knowing” a group for the guys to hook up with. She’s becoming that girl who only hangs out with her boyfriend and his friends.
As a guy, I will say that a healthy mix of male and female friends is pivotal at that stage in life.
At least she has a lovely future with Pippa ahead of her. Fingers crossed that we get to see the start of that in Hulu‘s Tell Me Lies Season 2.
Weirdly, for a show where the characters are pretty one-dimensional, they still manage to be complex and complicated. My hat is off to the series for managing to be so intense without anything actually happening.
As far as episodes go, this one felt like a filler because not much happened despite Lucy and Bree acting like stage-five clingers.
If I had to make any assumptions about where Tell Me Lies Season 2 is headed, the best guess is that there will be an Eat, Pray, Love episode in which the girls take a weekend road trip to get all the guys out of their heads.
I want one episode where I don’t have to throw my hands up in exasperation at Lucy.
What are your thoughts on some of the character arcs?
Do you think Diana will go to the police when she accepts what Stephen did the night Macy died?
Drop a comment below to let me know what you liked about this or any other show, and join me again when I review the next episode of Tell Me Lies!
