One of us is lying is an American mystery drama adopted from the same-named novel written by Karen M. McManus. Her novel was on New York Times bestseller list for a considerable time of almost 200 weeks. The series is developed by Erica Saleh. Executive producers are Jennifer Morrison, Erica Saleh, John Sacchi, Matt Groesch, and Darío Madrona. The editors’ team involves Scott Draper, James Kilton, Gaston Jaren Lopez, Nancy Morrison, Nick Towle, and Kelly Soll.
It was originally released on 7th October 2021 by Peacock. Season 1 consists of 8 episodes. Season 2 got confirmation somewhere in the middle of January 2022 when the Peacock renewed it. Fans are eagerly waiting all over the world to know what happens next!?
Series plot:
The story revolves around 5 high school students, studying at Bay-view High. The five main characters are Simon, Addy, Cooper, Bronwyn, and Nate. The series takes mysterious turn when Simon dies and the situation gives suspicion that the death looks more of a murder than just accidental death.
How the investigation takes place and how the criminal hide his/her name creates a really good mysterious story.
Cast list:
1. Annalisa Cochrane as Addy (famous cheerleader)
2. Chibuikem Uche as Cooper (baseball player)
3. Marianly Tejada as Bronwyn (focused scholar)
4. Cooper van Grootel as Nate (drug dealer on probation)
5. Barrett Carnahan as Jake (captain of the football team)
6. Jessica McLeod as Janae, Simon’s best friend
7. Mark McKenna as Simon,( gossip group creator)
8. Melissa Collazo as Maeve, (sister of Bronwyn)
List of episodes:
1. Pilot
2. “One of Us Is Grieving”
3. “One of Us Is Not Like the Others”
4. “One of Us Is Famous”
5. “One of Us Is Cracking”
6. “One of Us Is Dancing!”
7. “One of Us Is Not Giving Up”
8. “One of Us Is Dead”
Brief storyline:
I bet you surely remember how there is always a person/a group that is the hub for all the gossip in the school. Similarly, one of the main characters Simon is famous for creating an online chat group created just for gossip. Where all the good/bad right/wrong information is passed on.
Five students as mentioned earlier are kept in detention right at the beginning of the new year of schooling. Right after drinking some water, Simon gets an allergic reaction causing his death. The remaining four survivors are now put on a rigorous interrogation because Simon’s death looks more like a murder than just a casual death. Such suspicion arose because Simon had a peanut allergy and the cup of water had some drops of peanut oil.
Investigator knew that it was going to be so tough to find out who did it, as he drank water from the school cooler only but let us see where the movie takes us ahead.
Meanwhile, Nate notices that Bronwyn took away Simon’s laptop secretly and advises her to return it. Though Nate is on probation, she does not stop selling drugs! Addy on the other hand gets stressed due to the death of Simon and takes anxiety pills. While talking with his brother, Cooper confesses that he feels uneasy coming out.
During the investigation, the officer finds out that Simon had secret gossip content to post in the group, about all the four survivors and this gave him doubt that murderer might be one of them. Addy who was the girlfriend of Jake was afraid badly that what if Jake finds out about her sleeping with another guy once in the last year. Bronwyn is one of the most scholar students and is now afraid about what will happen when school would come to know about her stealing the laptop of a chemistry teacher. Not only that, Simon once wrote such a humiliating article about her sister’s party and her cancer. No doubt that she would have got so furious on it.
There are two secrets about Cooper, one of them was even though being a lead basketball player he took steroids, which however turns out to be wrong. Another secret about him is that he is cheating on his girlfriend Keely, by not telling her that he is gay and has a boyfriend named Kris too! Nate is our last but most prominent suspect because he has a criminal record of selling and taking drugs and though once put on a drug he continues with selling it. At Simon knew that fact. However, after his death and getting closer with Bronwyn he has chosen not to sell and take drugs anymore.
As the investigation proceeds, the detective wheeler checks the locker of all four and finds out that Addy’s locker has substances of peanut oil. Kris, boyfriend of Cooper gets offended on finding out that Cooper is still and high school student and not a college student. Though having a tough discussion, they continue their relations. The next day, at an event set after Simon at his home, Addy overhears detective Wheeler informing the family that the four students are suspects of the deceased and adds that they seem to have worked together. At the end of the episode, it gets revealed that Meave, the younger sister of Bronwyn stole a laptop when an anonymous post on a gossip group revealing Addy was posted. After that Jake breaks up with her.
Now once again an anonymous post is released stating Nate’s drug dealing and former addiction due to which he almost died. Posts do not stop there, another post about Cooper taking steroids is posted, which is totally incorrect. Bronwyn gets shocked when she comes to know that Meave was friends with Simon and they both get into a little furious conversation, where Meave tells her that she was trying to protect Bronwyn’s secret. However, at the same time, the post revealing Bronwyn stealing a laptop for chemistry exams is released. Meave also informs Bronwyn about how Simon ghosted her and got hurt. After seeing Cooper kissing Keely, Kris breaks up with him. On the other hand, Addy steals the phone from Janae and discovers that Jane was the one who asked Simon to delete the gossip group. Cooper after injuring his shoulder, buys an illegal painkiller from Nate.
A drug test of Cooper revealed that he had been taking an illicit painkiller and after getting to know this his father, Kevin scolds him. In the flashback, It is revealed that Janae was also a client of Nate buying drugs and once Nate saved her from having an overdose. All four tries to set Janae as a suspect but do not succeed. So many things happen altogether i.e. Kevin having a heart attack, Cooper’s sexuality getting revealed, an anonymous post stating that the four students have been meeting lately. After that officers check up on everyone’s house but find nothing in there. Evan and Bronwyn break up after the news gets viral. Nate unexpectedly meets mom not knowing her arrival. In flashback, it is seen that Nate was clearly threatened by Simon that he would destroy his life. On the other hand, Bronwyn and Nate destroy the laptop and, Meave sends the hard drive to the police department.
Episode 5 becomes the most exciting where some important secrets come out!
Addy and Cooper have now started doubting Bronwyn and Nate because they never informed them that they had laptop of Simon. The police officer finds out a video of Bronwyn and Simon having a fight. The same video, later on, gets posted in the gossip group too! Everybody is now worried about who the hell has been posting all the secrets of the group repeatedly. Addy who always suspected Janae collects some proofs and is now holding the Janae at knifepoint asking her to reveal the details. Janae accepts that she is the “anonymous user” who posted secrets, not only that she said that she kept the sexuality of Cooper a secret. However, she is not the one who posted the detail about the group having secret meetings or the last post of Bronwyn and Simon fighting. On the same night, Addy was chased after by a stranger, however running into Nate saved her. Isn’t it scary and mysterious? Who is the other anonymous user now? Episode 5 does not end here! In flashback, Bronwyn threatens Simon to kill him if reveals adult pictures of her sister Meave! Giving more and more doubts!
Not giving spoilers, I end the summary by informing that as the story moves ahead, so many unexpected things happen to leave everyone in doubt about the suspect. As the events take place, the suspects keep changing, confusing all the students and officers.
Review:
The show becomes interesting because the story runs really fast, not giving you the chance to get bored. Apart from that actors are perfectly chosen for the character and act mysterious in their own way. Also gives a brief idea about current high school life and how small disagreements can screw your life totally.
However, according to a few critics, the story seems stereotypical just like other Hollywood teen dramas and the story sounds a little depressing. Apart from that first 2 episodes had the most critics for dull acting and story speed.
Overall, it’s an 8 on 10 series so a must-watch list. Apart from that, it’s just 8 episodes each having just around 50 minutes of run time.