Premiering on June 18, 2025, on Amazon Prime Video, We Were Liars is a psychological TV series that blends coming-of-age drama, mystery, and family dysfunction into a haunting, sun-soaked story. Based on the bestselling novel by E. Lockhart, the series was adapted for television by Julie Plec and Carina Adly McKenzie, with direction from Nzingha Stewart and music by Michael Suby. The cast includes Emily Alyn Lind as Cadence Sinclair Eastman, Shubham Maheshwari, Esther McGregor, Joseph Zada, Caitlin FitzGerald, Mamie Gummer, Candice King, Rahul Kohli, and David Morse. Set on a private New England island owned by the powerful Sinclair family, the show explores wealth, memory, privilege, and unraveling truths—one summer at a time. This is not just a teen TV show; it's a multi-generational story of identity, secrets, and the costs of loyalty.
A Sun-Drenched Mystery with a Chilling Heart
At first glance, We Were Liars looks like another breezy YA summer drama—handsome teens, seaside mansions, complicated crushes. But very quickly, it establishes a deeper and more ominous tone. The series opens with Cadence Sinclair Eastman (Emily Alyn Lind) washing up on the beach with no memory of the events that caused her head trauma. Set across two timelines—Summer 16 and Summer 17—the mystery unfolds as Cadence returns to Beechwood Island a year later, determined to recover the truth.
From the beginning, the audience knows something terrible happened. The tension lies in discovering what that something is. The storytelling uses fragmented memory, symbolic imagery, and layered character dynamics to build a slow-burning suspense that stretches across all eight episodes.
Emily Alyn Lind Carries the Show with Grit and Grace
As Cadence, Emily Alyn Lind delivers a striking performance that elevates the entire show. She embodies the fragility of a girl trapped between privilege and trauma, balancing vulnerability and determination with impressive control. Her narration—part diary entry, part poetic stream of consciousness—may not be for everyone, but it captures Cadence’s inner turmoil effectively.
Lind anchors scenes that shift between dreamlike memories and harsh realities. Whether she’s confronting her mother, questioning her friends, or stumbling upon suppressed truths, Lind never lets you forget that Cadence is a teenage girl trying to claw her way out of emotional and psychological fog.
The Liars – Friendship, Romance, and Betrayal
The emotional core of We Were Liars lies in the bond between Cadence and the other “Liars”: Johnny (Joseph Zada), Mirren (Esther McGregor), and Gat (Shubham Maheshwari). Their chemistry feels authentic, especially in the early episodes set during Summer 16, when the group lounges on the beach, throws parties, and makes lofty plans. But cracks appear quickly.
Gat, in particular, is a compelling figure. As the nephew of Ed (Rahul Kohli)—the only non-white character integrated into the Sinclair family through a long-term relationship—he's positioned as both insider and outsider. His relationship with Cadence adds romantic tension but also raises issues of race and class that the show hints at without always fully exploring.
Zada and McGregor give depth to Johnny and Mirren, two cousins with secrets of their own. Their presence is both a comfort and a mystery, and their influence on Cadence’s journey is undeniable.
The Sinclairs – Wealth, Power, and Generational Damage
Beyond the teenagers, We Were Liars smartly devotes time to the older generation. The Sinclair sisters—Penny (Caitlin FitzGerald), Carrie (Mamie Gummer), and Bess (Candice King)—are not just background noise; they’re vital to the series' exploration of how wealth distorts relationships and morality.
The family patriarch, Harris Sinclair (David Morse), is the show’s quiet antagonist. His control over the family, particularly his adult daughters, underscores the toxic legacy being passed down. He uses inheritance as a weapon, creating competition where there should be connection. His casual racism and obsession with image speak volumes about the cultural rot that hides beneath the Sinclair family's polished exterior.
Scenes between the sisters bristle with resentment, disappointment, and barely contained contempt. Watching them scheme, argue, and posture for Harris’s approval provides some of the most emotionally satisfying (and disturbing) moments of the show.
A Tale of Memory, Trauma, and Fairy Tales Gone Sour
Much of We Were Liars feels like a modern gothic fable. Cadence often refers to her family in fairy-tale terms—her grandfather as a king, the island as a kingdom, the sisters as queens. This motif runs throughout the series, sometimes elegantly, sometimes excessively. At its best, it draws attention to the fantastical facade the Sinclair family projects. At its worst, it can feel a bit overwritten.
More impactful is how the show portrays memory and trauma. Cadence’s migraines, her fractured recollections, and the push-and-pull of what she wants to remember vs. what she’s afraid to remember are handled with haunting precision. Flashbacks are deliberately disorienting, and while not all visual choices land (some surreal sequences verge on unnecessary), the show successfully makes the audience feel Cadence’s dislocation.
Flawed Pacing, But a Rewarding Payoff
For all its strong points, We Were Liars is not without issues. The pacing, especially in the middle episodes, drags. While the atmospheric buildup is necessary for the final twist to land, the show takes its time getting there—perhaps too much time for viewers unfamiliar with the book.
The dual timeline structure—shifting between Summer 16 and Summer 17—helps create suspense but also causes confusion at times. Cadence’s changing appearance (blonde in Summer 16, brunette in Summer 17) helps differentiate the timelines, but some transitions are abrupt, breaking immersion.
Despite these missteps, the final episodes deliver. The emotional gut punch of the finale justifies the slow burn, and while the twist may stretch plausibility for some, it lands with dramatic impact.
Aesthetics and Atmosphere – The Island Is a Character Too
Visually, We Were Liars is stunning. The Beechwood Island setting is opulent yet eerie—sunlit during the day, shadowy and ominous at night. The show makes excellent use of its coastal location, framing the Sinclairs’ luxurious homes against a backdrop of moral decay.
Costuming and production design reinforce the family’s wealth and artifice, while the soundtrack (including a well-placed Fun. track in the finale) enhances emotional beats. Credit goes to composer Michael Suby, whose score underscores both the nostalgic romance and the growing dread that permeates the story.
Themes That Hit—and Miss
We Were Liars tackles race, privilege, class, and generational trauma, but not all themes are developed equally. Gat’s experience as a person of color in a white, hyper-privileged world is central to the story but sometimes gets sidelined in favor of Cadence’s inner monologue. The show hints at systemic issues—like Harris’s disdain for Ed and Gat—but doesn’t fully interrogate them.
That said, the depiction of intergenerational trauma is more fully realized. The show excels when it explores how patterns of emotional manipulation, favoritism, and denial echo across decades. Cadence’s story is powerful not just because of what happens to her, but because of what she begins to understand about her family's history.
Final Verdict: A Flawed but Fascinating Teen Mystery
We Were Liars isn’t perfect. Its pacing falters, its metaphors can be heavy-handed, and its themes occasionally go underdeveloped. But at its core, it’s a compelling teen psychological thriller TV show with real emotional stakes and one hell of an ending.
With a strong cast, atmospheric storytelling, and a twist that reframes everything, it’s the kind of show that lingers in your thoughts long after the final credits roll. Fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Big Little Lies, or The White Lotus will likely find something to enjoy here.
And if you go in blind—without reading the book—We Were Liars just might catch you off guard in the best way.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5)