TV Review | We Were Liars (Prime Video)

We Were Liars is a thrilling and deeply moving series about infighting within a wealthy family. It has layers of secrets slowly peeling off.

We Were Liars is a series developed by Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries) and Carina Adly Mackenzie. It is based on the 2014 novel of the same name by E. Lockhart, who also serves as an executive producer and writer on this adaptation. It stars Emily Alyn Lind (Gossip Girl, Doctor Sleep), Joseph Zada (Haymitch in the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping), Shubham Maheshwari, and Esther McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi). The series is composed of 8 episodes and premieres on June 18 on Prime Video.

STORY

TV Review | We Were Liars (Prime Video) — Credit: Jessie Redmond/Prime

We Were Liars follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind), who has suffered a mysterious accident resulting in her amnesia. The series jumps between Summer 2016, just before her accident happened, and Summer 2017, her present, as she tries to discover what really happened. The story also follows her group of friends, the Liars, and her family, the Sinclairs, who are affluent. Each character has their subplot, allowing the audience to get to know each person.

This series is many things at once. It’s a love story between teenagers, it’s also a story about friendship with the Liars, but it’s also a story that explores the children-parents bond and the sisters’ bond in depth. In fact, it’s about complex relationships between people. Having it set on an island with a wealthy family is the perfect setting for drama. With rich people, it’s all about appearances while they try to hide their secrets, and they aren’t as good as they seem. It does remind me of The Perfect Couple.

CHARACTERS TRAPPED IN THEIR OWN WORLD

It’s thrilling to see Cadence trying to reclaim her life and her memories. She is caught up in the family drama. Everyone is hiding their secrets, and layers are slowly being peeled away. Some characters you will feel sorry for, but others you will also despise. Cadence is definitely a character you feel for because she lost her memory and suffered from an accident. Meanwhile, the three sisters are all about fighting each other for money. They always try to outdo each other to be the worst possible person. Although, it’s extremely compelling to watch them. Carrie Sinclair is one sister you can feel sorry for because she is a former addict. She clearly suffers from that trauma and tries to survive.

CAST

CAST

Moreover, We Were Liars gathers a talented ensemble cast led by Emily Alyn Lind, who delivers a heartfelt and moving performance. Among the liars, Joseph Zada is definitely the standout. He delivers a multilayered performance as this character is tortured by his own mistakes. You can tell through his character’s outgoingness that he actually suffers from the inside. Throughout the episodes, there is an evolution of his character and performance. Seeing Zada in We Were Liars makes me totally confident that he is an excellent choice for Haymitch in the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. He has the acting range to play the character.

Among the adults, the three daughters are absolutely marvellous to watch. Mamie Gummer, Candice King, and Caitlin Fitzgerald perfectly portray the wealthy sisters who struggle to get along, often preoccupied with money and appearances. David Morse is also great as the patriarchal figure of this family.

OPENING CREDITS & SOUNDTRACK

Starting from the second episode, the series features an opening credits. Series with opening credits always win more points. It puts you in the mood and encapsulates the atmosphere of the series. This one is great with ominous music. Indeed, it’s a stylish opening that evokes fleeting memories, which is very much in line with what the series is about. Cadence has amnesia and is trying to remember what happened to her.

Finally, each episode has its own playlist of songs. It’s something Julie Plec loves to do with her series, like in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. The choice of songs is undeniably good. Kudos for using Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers! However, songs shouldn’t be used in almost every scene; they should be reserved for key moments to have an impact. Otherwise, their effect is diluted. All the more so, since Michael Suby has composed a score that’s both good and ominous, but it’s barely used, which is a shame. In fact, there are a few scenes that feel like they exist solely to feature a certain song, rather than scenes that serve the story.

VERDICT

We Were Liars is a thrilling and deeply moving series about infighting within a wealthy family with layers of secrets slowly peeling off. Emily Alyn Lind leads a talented ensemble cast. Joseph Zada is one of the standouts, delivering a multilayered performance.