One of Us Is Lying Season 2 review: A deadly game of Simon Says

Murder Club is back in session. One of Us Is Lying Season 2 takes us on another twisty mystery to solve, and it’s worth the wait.

It’s been a year since Murder Club was last in session. When we met the group, they were four individuals at school who had no business being friends. And then one event pulled them all together. Five went into detention but only four walked out alive, and those four quickly became the prime suspects.

As the first season came to an end, we got to the bottom of the mystery. Jake had helped Simon set up what was supposed to be a prank. At no point did Simon actually want to die, but that didn’t matter. If you wondered why Jake would want Simon dead, you weren’t alone. The good news is One of Us Is Lying Season 2 brings us all the answers while delivering another Simon mystery.

The end of the first season saw Murder Club involved in Jake’s murder or disappearance. We never really knew which one, but someone does know. That someone is Simon Says, and it’s time to find out exactly what Murder Club did that night.

A twisty tale with plenty of ships in One of Us Is Lying Season 2

The main focus is naturally going to be finding out what happened to Jake that night. It doesn’t take long to find out every little detail, and it’s clear that Murder Club is on the verge of breaking. Not everyone believes Jake has just left Bayview. He wouldn’t do that, right? Well, one thing this series has made clear from the very beginning is that everyone has secrets.

Every. Single. Person.

Don’t trust anyone as you go through the series. Just as you think you’ve figured out who is behind it all, you’ll be thrown for another loop. There are some new characters introduced who add to the mystery and bring more questions than answers.

One of the best things is all the ships that are touched on. Upset that Natewyn ended during the first season? You’ll want to pay attention to One of Us Is Lying Season 2. If you know the book, you’ll know the reason Nate ended things with Bronwyn. I’ll leave you to find out whether the show brings us the same reason and outcome, but I can say this is a storyline worth paying attention to.

Then we have Cooper and Kris. The end of the first season brought an end to their relationship, but what about One of Us Is Lying Season 2? Don’t lose hope just yet.

And if you need another queer relationship, there’s a great one. In fact, I love this season as it delves into some of the very real questions teenagers have about gender and identity. This show doesn’t make a big deal about this, either. It feels like it’s the way it should be, but sadly, still can’t be around some areas.

The writing itself is on point. One thing we’ve become used to is mysteries dragged out to suit the length of seasons. There are multiple red herrings to keep us guessing, only to leave us frustrated and bored. That’s not a problem in One of Us Is Lying Season 2. While there are obviously cliffhanger moments and parts that don’t involve Simon Says, the story stays pretty tight from start to finish and the episode count definitely helps that.

Episode 5 is going to become your favorite episode

There’s always one episode of any show that stands out the most. When it comes to this season of One of Us Is Lying, it’s going to be Episode 5. When I spoke to Marianly Tejada and Cooper van Grootel, they did tell me that Episode 5 was one that stood out for them when it came to things they couldn’t wait for viewers to see. Once I got to that episode, I understood why.

I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give away spoilers. All I’ll say is everything Tejada and van Grootel shared. They get a chance of some sort of normalcy, and it’s certainly something they deserve after the year they’ve faced so far.

I think eight episodes of just this murder mystery would have been too much for the series. We need a lighter episode where we see these teenagers just get to be teenagers. Why it happens and how it all plays out will remain a secret, but it’s the perfect break midseason before pushing us into the final three episodes with all the big reveals.

Loyalties are certainly tested throughout One of Us Is Lying Season 2. Who do you think is Simon Says?

One of Us Is Lying Season 2 drops on Thursday, Oct. 20 on Peacock.