Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

4.5

In the immortal words of the great Michael Bolton, how can we be lovers if we can’t be friends? How can we start over when the fighting on Tell Me Lies never ends?

After an intense and riveting first season, the Hulu series is back with more drama, intrigue, and secrets. With a solid seventy-three percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this show was clearly missed.

Tell Me Lies is a series at the forefront of what has become the “evolved human experience” in teen and young adult programming.

Evan and BreeEvan and Bree
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

Yes, that means way more sex, but it also means more raw and vulnerable moments with characters that are forced to grow and change due to life.

It also doesn’t hurt that everyone on the series is hot enough to be on a CW show.

From Heartbreak To Becoming An Adult To Figuring Out Life, Tell Me Lies Doesn’t Bottle Its Emotions

There’s a fine line between love and hate, but Tell Me Lies Season 2 is finding a home in that small sliver of space. The gloves are off, and Lucy is ready to break a sweat.

The series’ strength lies in its ability to convey the emotional turmoil people in their 20s tend to experience.

You may have noticed that Tell Me Lies has an exciting mix of character-driven and plot-driven arcs. While some characters self-sabotage, some are victims of circumstance.

Lucy, Bree, and PippaLucy, Bree, and Pippa
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

This show manages to capture the feeling of those intense emotional moments. From heartbreak to becoming an adult to figuring out life, Tell Me Lies doesn’t bottle its emotions.

The exciting thing about shows like this is that nothing catastrophic ever happens. Maybe there’s a fire or a bridge collapse, but for the most part, the emergencies are all emotion-related.

That’s why it was critical for the creators of Tell Me Lies to develop characters, as awful as they may be, that viewers could connect with and root for.

And that’s not an easy feat when every character is a bold-faced liar.

Honestly, Some Of The Men And Women On Tell Me Lies Could Give the Pretty Little Liars A Run For Their Money

Some of the men and women on Tell Me Lies could give Pretty Little Liars a run for their money. Just don’t let them anywhere near Stephen.

Catherine MissalCatherine Missal
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

First up, there’s Wrigley, quite possibly the most one-dimensional character on the show. Don’t get me wrong, the character is easy on the eyes, but he doesn’t have a purpose.

He only shows up to act like the goofy athletic guy who is charming in a bumbling idiot sort of way. Between Drew and Pippa, Wrigley has very few characters to anchor him to the story. Oh, well. At least he’s cute.

Speaking of Pippa, I am gagging over her blonde hair. Typically, I take issue with a hair change-up to refresh a character, but with her, it works.

However, her lightened locks are the least exciting gossip because we are witnessing a different kind of love story in the making.

Pippa and Diana end up together in the wedding flashforward. Did you see that coming? I certainly did not, but I’m not mad about it.

As much as the series likes to pit Diana and Lucy against each other, she’s a sweet girl. And if Diana and Pippa’s love story starts with her saving Pippa from getting date raped, I am all for it!

Alicia CrowderAlicia Crowder
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

Lord knows dating Pippa is a monumental step up from being in a relationship with Stephen DeMarco.

Stephen DeMarco Is Not So Much A Character As He Is An Evil Entity That Brings Out The Worst In Others

Hats off to Jackson White for bringing his character to new levels of douchery in Hulu‘sTell Me Lies Season 2.

Stephen is a total and complete piece of crap. Like, when you first see him, you think, “Surely this man can’t be as big of a piece of crap as he seems to be,” but he is.

It’s like if a book was covered in crap, and then you opened it up, and there was even more crap. I guess what I’m trying to say is, “Stephen can kiss my ass.” That dude sucks.

Seriously, though, he doesn’t even feel like a character at this point. He’s more like a volatile entity that brings out the worst in everyone.

Jackson WhiteJackson White
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

He’s an absolute narcissist and almost seems to revel in the struggle of other characters. Stephen DeMarco is the devil.

Think about it. Every single bad thing that happens in the series is connected to Stephen.

Can you imagine how much easier Lucy’s life would be if she had never met Stephen?

There’s Going To Be An Apocalyptic Level Of Drama In Tell Me Lies Season 2

If nothing else, it’s fantastic to see Stephen’s love spell over Lucy has finally broken in Tell Me Lies Season 2.

That cafeteria scene where Stephen read Lucy for filth was truly messed up by the guy, but he was not wrong. Everything he said about her was accurate.

Grace Van PattenGrace Van Patten
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

Like a lot of toxic relationships, Lucy made excuses for Stephens’s terrible behavior and the way he treated her. Thankfully, her eyes are wide open now.

From lovers to enemies has to be one of my favorite tropes. The characters feel things personally and then take the situations too far. There’s going to be an apocalyptic level of drama in Tell Me Lies Season 2.

While Lucy deals with Stephen’s petty new position as a T.A. in one of her classes, hopefully, she’ll give Leo, played by Thomas Doherty of Gossip Girl, more time.

I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t write the guy off for getting into a little scuffle at a coffee shop with a guy who was a jerk to me. Especially not after dealing with Stephen’s toxic ass.

Leo is sweet and charming and has made Lucy laugh more times in the first couple of episodes of Tell Me Lies Season 2 than Stephen did in all of Season 1.

Grace Van PattenGrace Van Patten
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

That said, Lucy really shouldn’t be with anyone at all. She needs to spend some time being alone and enjoying being single.

She should take a page from Bree’s book and find herself a handsome man married to her professor with whom to start an affair and risk her academic career.

I know these characters are young, but it’s like they purposefully choose the worst possible decision in every situation. It makes for entertaining TV, though.

Tell Me Lies Season 2 is gearing up for a heated season of sex, secrets, and sabotage. With new characters filling out the roster, audiences have a host of handsome faces to look forward to.

Lucy, Pippa, and BreeLucy, Pippa, and Bree
(Josh Stringer/Disney)

I’m at the edge of my seat to see what else Lucy, played by Grace Van Patten of Nine Perfect Strangers, and Stephen have in store for their tragic love story.

What did you think of the Tell Me Lies Season 2 premiere?

Are you also hoping that Leo and Lucy end up together?

Drop a comment below to let us know, and join me again when I review the next episode of Tell Me Lies!



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