As a fan, I have to say, this show really hit hard. Just when you thought things couldn’t possibly get more complicated, they did! It’s based on a book, and follows Lucy and Stephen’s relationship all through college. The Hulu series took that story and really dug into how a truly unhealthy relationship can last so long, and how far someone will go – and what they’ll accept – when they’re caught in one.
The show Tell Me Lies featured complicated characters, with no one being completely good or entirely blameless. While many weren’t purely innocent, several made choices that led them down a dark path.
Wrigley Is the Only Decent Man
Everyone messes up sometimes, but Wrigley from Tell Me Lies is arguably the most consistently decent character. He definitely experienced the usual ups and downs of college life, including struggling with drugs and alcohol as an athlete, but at his core, he’s a good person. He quickly fell for Pippa because he recognized her kindness, and when he found out his brother Drew was involved in Macy’s accident, he was heartbroken and determined to help him.
Wrigley’s most damaging action occurred after his split with Pippa in Season 2. Believing she’d written a letter falsely accusing Drew of Macy’s murder, he cut her out of his life. As the football team captain, he used his influence to encourage his teammates to harass his former girlfriend.
Wrigley stood out from the other characters because he learned from his errors and genuinely tried to make things right. In a world of flawed individuals, he was remarkably genuine, consistently treating his friends with honesty and without hidden agendas.
Bree Doesn’t Deserve What She Gets
A particularly upsetting storyline in Tell Me Lies was the difficult time Bree had simply trying to navigate college life. While she mostly avoided serious consequences from her friends’ toxic behavior until Season 2, Evan’s infidelity sent her into a downward spiral. This led to a risky relationship with one of her professors, and Bree made a series of poor choices, desperately hoping Oliver would leave his wife for her.
Bree’s actions stemmed from deep-seated insecurity and a complicated situation. She was manipulated by someone older and in a position of power. This pattern of poor decision-making continued, potentially leading to an affair with Wrigley. Despite her mistakes, Bree didn’t mean to cause harm and, unlike some others, genuinely felt bad about what she did.
Diana Had Real Character Development
When Diana was first introduced in Tell Me Lies, she immediately seemed like a problem for Stephen and Lucy’s budding romance. She and Stephen shared similar, strong personalities – both were very driven and ambitious. This caused her to overlook some of Stephen’s serious flaws, and she often treated Lucy harshly, failing to recognize how truly dangerous Stephen could be until it was almost too late.
Diana’s friendship with Pippa helped her gain a new perspective. After leaving Stephen, she truly blossomed, becoming more understanding and compassionate towards others. Stephen had brought out the worst in her, but once she was free from his influence, she rediscovered her values and began to support those around her.
Pippa Was Led Astray Ocassionally
Like most young adults, Pippa stumbled along the way, but her intentions were always good. High school bullying left her wanting a fresh start in college, and she tried too hard to fit in, which led to a relationship with Wrigley. Unfortunately, Wrigley’s friends caused problems again, and Pippa found herself protecting a secret she hadn’t even known existed.
Despite being responsible for Macy’s death, Stephen led Drew to believe someone else was to blame. Pippa also contributed to the drama by repeatedly cheating on Wrigley with Diana, making her one of the show’s biggest deceivers. However, when looking at the entire series Tell Me Lies, Pippa’s actions don’t quite measure up to the most serious offenses committed by others.
Evan Is the Classic College Guy
It’s common for women in college to encounter difficult men, and many learned this through their experiences with Evan. While not as malicious as Stephen, Evan consistently disregarded the feelings of others. His most significant mistake was cheating on Bree with Lucy shortly after Stephen publicly humiliated her at a party. He then spent months lying about it, which ultimately led to Bree ending their relationship.
Evan kept behaving poorly towards women, especially Molly, who was clearly more interested in him than he was in her. Despite this, he continued to sleep with her while insisting their relationship remain casual, even though it was clear she wanted something serious. Once he reconciled with Bree, he completely ignored Molly and wasn’t honest with her about his feelings. While not the most problematic person on the show, Evan represented a certain type of inconsiderate behavior.
Lucy’s Sense of Right and Wrong Became Twisted
When Lucy started college, she was struggling with typical teenage issues, compounded by grief after her father’s death and a strained relationship with her mother. This made her vulnerable, and a connection with Stephen only worsened things. She began to rationalize his actions, eventually covering for him in connection with Macy’s death. Even after they separated, their problems continued.
Lucy repeatedly harmed people who loved her, often lied, and unfairly targeted Stephen’s sister, Sadie. Her biggest mistake was falsely claiming she was sexually assaulted. While she did this to shield Pippa, the actual victim, it caused significant damage. Her lie undermined the credibility of future assault survivors, making it harder for them to be believed. Though Lucy’s behavior was deeply problematic, it wasn’t the worst thing anyone involved did.
Lydia Revealed Her True Nature Eventually
Lydia’s story in Tell Me Lies is deeply connected to her long relationship with Lucy. The first season ended with a shocking reveal: Stephen was actually engaged to Lydia in 2015. The second season showed how they got together, beginning with the breakdown of Lydia and Lucy’s friendship. Despite knowing Stephen wasn’t a good person, Lydia completely believed everything he said about Lucy.
The biggest shock came when Lucy revealed Chris, Lydia’s brother, had assaulted her, but it turned out he’d actually attacked Pippa. Lydia defended her brother, even after another woman shared a similar experience. She clearly didn’t trust women, and then shockingly became engaged to a man who was particularly awful. Despite her own flaws, Lucy always remained loyal to her friends.
Nora Was the Reason Stephen Became a Monster
The mothers in the series Tell Me Lies are complex, but Nora DeMarco, Stephen’s mother (played by Jackson White), stands out as particularly damaging. She controlled Stephen’s choices and actions, creating a tense atmosphere whenever her children came home – everyone felt they had to carefully manage her emotions. At times, she simply manipulated people, and at worst, her behavior was psychologically abusive.
She took everything her children did or said as a personal attack and immediately involved others. When she found out Stephen had played a key role in sending Sadie to boarding school, she punished him. This pattern of behavior influenced Stephen, who simply mirrored what he had learned from her.
Oliver Is an Adult Version of Stephen
It was clear from the start that a relationship between a professor and a 19-year-old student was problematic, but Oliver’s behavior became deeply damaging throughout the second season. After sleeping with Bree for a semester, she discovered the situation wasn’t what she’d believed – Oliver and his wife, Marianne, had an open marriage, and she was aware of it all along. While this was a breach of trust, it also revealed a pattern of Oliver exploiting and abusing college students.
Oliver didn’t change his ways, and even tried to use Evan against Bree when he found out about her past. He then focused on undermining Bree’s confidence, hoping to prevent her from reporting his actions to the Dean. Oliver is similar to Stephen – someone who always got his way by skillfully understanding and exploiting others.
There Is No One Worse Than Stephen
In the opening scene of the series Tell Me Lies, Macy bluntly refers to Stephen DeMarco with a harsh expletive – and it’s a fitting description. Stephen is arguably one of the most unlikeable characters ever, and unfortunately, his behavior mirrors experiences many women have had in relationships. From the start, Stephen displays clear narcissistic traits that are immediately obvious to viewers. The series introduces him as he’s simultaneously trying to win over a new freshman, Lucy, while attempting to repair things with his established girlfriend, Diana.
Stephen consistently proved how far he’d sink, culminating in the tragic death of an innocent girl and, most recently, coercing Lucy into falsely admitting she lied about a sexual assault. He’s the series’ ultimate villain, seemingly incapable of empathy or typical emotional responses.
Stephen’s main goal is to control others, and he feels lost without it. The third season showed how far he’d go – after falling in love with Lucy, he became incredibly dangerous in his attempts to regain that control.
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2026-02-01 04:39