This article has mild spoilers for the “One Us Is Lying” TV show, so read at your own risk!
When I first found out that Karen M. McManus’ debut novel was being turned into a TV series, I was totally stoked. “One of Us Is Lying” is one of my all-time favorite books, and I couldn’t wait to see the world of Bayview High School adapted into a show. And, thankfully, the final product did not disappoint!
“One of Us Is Lying” is an eight-episode show on Peacock. The best way to describe it is “The Breakfast Club” meets “Pretty Little Liars.” The show starts when five characters receive detention on the first day of school. The only problem? Four of them walk out alive when Simon Kelleher winds up dead. Nicknamed the Bayview Four, the survivors of detention become the prime suspects in a murder investigation when the police find out Simon was planning to expose their secrets on his app About That. Yet all four claim to be innocent. So what really happened that day in detention?
The best element of both the book and the show is definitely the characters. Addy, Nate, Bronwyn, and Cooper, the four main characters, are multilayered, rootable, and fascinating all around. Their stories keep you invested and make you want to find out how they connect to the crime. All four of them come from different walks of life, so you’re bound to find somebody you can relate to. In the book, I couldn’t stand Bronwyn, the nerd. I found her to be grating and pretty unsympathetic. However, the show completely changed my point of view on her. I even found myself waiting for Bronwyn to get back on screen. For me, the standout character ended up being Addy, the popular girl. The show added new elements to her character that only made her more complex. We can’t forget about the side characters either. While they remain more in the background than the main focus of the show, they definitely pull your attention. Vanessa and Kris really added an extra spice to the show, making it that much more entertaining.
Many of the actors on “One of Us Is Lying” are up and coming, which I really appreciate in a show. It makes the experience more unique when you’re watching people really start their careers. The only actor I recall ever seeing in something before is Barrett Carnahan, who plays Jake, when he was in “Cruel Summer.” Although, he plays a very different role here.
The show is told mainly in the present, but we do get flashbacks. It’s an interesting way to watch the story unfold and lets the viewer put the pieces together. The pacing of the show worked well. Each episode is about 50 minutes long, and you rarely feel like it’s too much time for one episode. There’s a pretty equal balance of screen time for all four main characters, which speeds the show along. Peacock would release two to three episodes at a time until all eight were out, giving you something to look forward to each week. The episodes end in a way that leaves you wanting more. When I finished the final episode, I felt satisfied, but I definitely could use another season to learn even more about these characters. At the time of this article being written, there has yet to be an announcement of a second season, but there are more books in the “One of Us Is Lying” series, so there is certainly a chance we’ll get to see more from Bayview! And that ending left room for a season two, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Being a book-to-TV adaptation, there are obviously some major differences from the book. Certain characters have been erased (I’m looking at you, Luis), and certain characters played a bigger part in the show than in the book. Minor things were changed here and there, but nothing that ruins the heart of the story. The only thing that comes to mind that alters anything from the book is the ending of the show itself. If we get a second season, it seems like it would go in a different direction than the novel’s sequel, “One of Us Is Next,” as the show’s ending was a little less conclusive. However, I think this new ending works well. If you’re a fan of the book like me, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by the show!
Would I recommend you give “One of Us Is Lying” a watch? That’s a definite yes! Whether you’ve read the source material or not, you’ll enjoy your time watching it as long as you like a good mystery! If you’re interested in checking the show out, you can find it on Peacock.