We Were Liars, directed by Erica Dunton and Nzingha Stewart, is so far one of the best thriller/drama television series of 2025, and has been a major hit with Prime Video viewers as well as receiving a 71 percent on the official Rotten Tomatoes website. So many factors make up this TV show: the characters, writers, and most of all, the actors and their dedication towards their roles. This is also not people’s first time hearing about this plot. The show is a depiction of a book by E. Lockheart, written back in 2014, which is why so many people were looking forward to this new series.
We Were Liars takes place on Beechwood Island, a private island near Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts. We Were Liars follows a group of teenagers: Cadence Sinclair Eastman, Johnny Sinclair Dennis, Mirren Sinclair Sheffield, and Gat Patil. The story revolves around Cadence, who experiences a head injury during one summer (Summer 16) and suffers amnesia. As she returns to the island (during Summer 17), she begins to piece together the events of that summer. With the help of her family and friends alongside her, she remembers a shocking truth that leaves people on the edge of their seats.
The TV series spills a lot of emotion and heartache as well as dedication into one season that consists of eight one-hour-long episodes. The story mainly targets Summer 16, which was the summer that Cadence Sinclair, one of the three cousins (Cadence, Mirren and Johnny), experienced her head trauma. In the present, it is Summer 17, and throughout the series, it flashes to Summer 16 (which is how they number all the summers), also helping the viewers, along with Cadence, start to remember bits and pieces of what could have happened. In episode eight, the truth is finally revealed.
The series also dives a great deal into each individual character’s trauma, and every episode hints at the truth by going through each character’s revelations and secrets. It gives background on different aspects of psychological intrigue, drug abuse, and even racism, which all tie into the events leading up to what happened.
After riding many different waves of both sadness and happiness throughout the series, it all ties in at the end, leaving many viewers astonished. Most of the feedback has been positive, and many people recommend this series. Many critics are calling it “devastatingly beautiful” and fans are saying it was “gut-wrenching.” Additionally, many people compare it to the book, saying it was very closely portrayed with “some parts taken and added.”
In the end, this was a greatly received series and is still on the uprise. With its psychological intrigue and different forms of emotions,it ended up being one of the most unforgettable drama/thriller TV series of the summer, and left many satisfied and wanting more.
