As someone who hasn't read Karen M. McManus book series, I honestly did not expect that jaw dropping twist. I found the second season to be far superior to the first due mostly for its stronger character dynamics, refreshing and different tone, better screenplay, and a fully realized murder mystery without feeling dragged out or overlong. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season, yet it faltered in telling a cohesive and memorable mystery. Unlike the first season, the murder mystery of the second season was stretched out in a logical way and made me wish for additional episodes. It was a rollercoaster ride from start to finish. The writers of the second season of "One of Us Is Lying" managed to craft a rich and nuanced murder mystery with a bunch of twists and turns. The creators behind the series upped the ante this season and knew exactly what audiences wanted. Plus, the characters are all well-written, likable, and relatable with fleshed out arcs. "One of Us Is Lying" is one of the many teen shows with excellent queer representation and handles it with sensitivity and pathos. It isn't in your face and doesn't need to be pointed out constantly. Rather, it is very subtle and treated no differently. One of the criticisms I had with the first season was how the characters seemed quite unlikable and forgettable, which the second season fortunately rectified. I hope the series gets renewed for a third season. The finale raised a few burning questions, and even set up two murder mysteries. Who poisoned Fiona? Who allegedly killed or tried to kill the entire members of the murder club at their high school graduation? And finally, under what mysterious circumstances was Jake sent to a rehabilitation center? Fingers crossed for a third season. Peacock, please don't sleep on this vastly underrated and gripping murder mystery series with talented writers, actors, and producers.
Other tidbits:
*I hope Bronwyn forgives Maeve for her betrayal. Maeve didn't do it out of spite, rather did it out of love. She wanted to protect her sister, which in my book is noble and heroic. In my eyes, Bronwyn overreacted, and did not behave in that moment like Maeve's big sister.
*Bronwyn and Nate are endgame. Don't tell me otherwise. They are my favourite couple of the series. Cooper van Grootel and Marianly Tejada had a great rapport working together. Their chemistry is electric.
*I loved the overall tone of the season, and the slight similarities with the 2010 Freeform series "Pretty Little Liars" and the 1985 John Hughes film "The Breakfast Club". The first season felt more like a homage to "The Breakfast Club", while the second season feels similar in tone to "Pretty Little Liars." In fact, the author Karen M. McManus describes her book series as "The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars".
*I adored the song "Graduation (Friends Forever)" by Vitamin C played during the final shot and end credits of the season 2 finale. It capped off the season with a sense of melancholy and emotional resonance.
Final verdict: 9.5/10.
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