In “Tell Me Lies,” innocence is a myth. Fine lines are drawn, leaving viewers wondering who is the victim or the villain, the lover or the manipulator, the friend or the foe. It makes you ask whether anyone is innocent.
Lucy Albright is vulnerable and dragged into a severely toxic relationship with Stephen Demarco. After the death of her father, she feels damaged. She wants her relationship to make her feel chosen, loved and excited.Â
Lucy, however, is no saint. She lies and betrays her friends trying to protect Stephen, and then trying to get back at him.Â
When Stephen leaves Lucy for his ex-girlfriend Dianna, Lucy sleeps with Evan, Stephen’s best friend and the so-called “nice guy.” Evan is Bree’s boyfriend, and Bree is Lucy’s best friend, driving the narrative that anyone can be a liar and stab you in the back.
The “nice guy” cheated on his girlfriend, who was nothing but good to him, and then lied. Lucy didn’t intend to hurt Bree; she was distracted by Stephen. But, she still did it.Â
Lucy is a victim, but that doesn’t mean she’s innocent.Â
Stephen is labeled as the main antagonist. He manipulates everyone around him, from Lucy to the girl conducting his interview. He twists the truth to maintain control, always acting very calculated.Â
Yet, Stephen’s character still has depth. He’s not the average villain. He has a difficult relationship with his mom, insecurities about money and social status and is desperate to climb the social ladder. He knows what he’s doing, and he knows that he does it well.Â
He’s very aware of his actions and how they affect others, which further distances him from innocence. Yet, the show still asks if his emotional neglect from his mother shapes him or if he is simply malicious.
The friend group itself is a disaster: Who’s loyal to who, who knows whose secrets and who chooses to protect themselves first.Â
Pippa has her own issues and lashes out. Bree seems more level-headed, but she has her own questionable morals, especially in her relationships with power. Even the fan favorite Wrigley isn’t perfect and cheats on Pippa with Bree behind Evan’s back.
No one does anything to correct their mistakes or confront the truth. This is where innocence fades with quiet complicity.
Using love as an excuse is a common theme throughout the show. Characters excuse their lies because of love. They tolerate the cruelty from their partner because it’s better than not feeling any type of passion at all.Â
They’re young, selfish, insecure and afraid. They aren’t monsters. They rationalize betrayal for self-preservation.
No character in this show is innocent, but some characters are objectively worse than others. Stephen’s manipulative personality is definitely worse than Lucy’s actions.Â
It’s not as simple to categorize the characters as good or bad. The characters’ innocence slowly drifted away as the show went on. Through silence, selfishness and one lie at a time.
The series is chaotic because the characters are chaotic, and that’s what makes it impossible to look away. It forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: Sometimes the villain and the victim are the same person.