Tell Me Lies Season 3: What happened in episodes 1-3 and how are fans reacting?

Tell Me Lies has returned with a third season, which promises more nailbiting drama, manipulation and chaos.

The Hulu and Disney+ series follows the on-and-off romance between Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White), which began in 2007 at Baird College and there's a time jump to 2015 as the toxic exes reunite for Bree's (Catherine Missal) and Evan's (Branden Cook) wedding.

The first two episodes of Season 3 dropped on January 13, and viewers were excited to see that the third episode was also released early by surprise.

Here is everything you need to know about the new season.

*Spoilers ahead for episodes 1-3 of Tell Me Lies Season 3*

How did Season 2 end?

Hulu/Disney+

In season two, viewers were left on a nail-biting cliffhanger - just before Bree (Catherine Missal) walked down the aisle to marry Evan (Branden Cook), she saw the text message from Stephen (Jackson White) that included a recorded confession of Evan admitting to sleeping with Lucy (Grace Van Patten) back in their college days.

If you thought that was dramatic, then there's plenty more where that came from in season three (and we're only three episodes in...)

What happened in episodes 1-3?

Episode 1- "You F*cked It, Friend"

Disney/Ian Watson

In the first episode, it picks up right where the finale left off, as we're in 2015, just moments before Bree's wedding to Evan, after she listened to the voice note Stephen sent her, where Evan can be heard confessing to sleeping with her best friend Lucy back in college.

But it seems a flustered Bree has a secret of her own as she freaks out and runs out of the room, and when Lucy follows her, which Bree tells her, "I'm a terrible person, I am, I promise. I'm probably the worst person you know."

It's then back to 2009 in the timeline at Baird College as the group returns from their Christmas break, still getting over events that happened on campus before they left.

Wrigley (Spencer House) is struggling to cope with the death of his brother, Drew (Benjamin Wadsworth), Pippa (Sonia Mena) spent the holidays with him as they're now back together, but being his emotional support is proving too much for her, as we soon see - as she later confesses to Diana she can't stop thinking about her.

Bree was getting over the affair with Oliver (Tom Ellis), her professor's husband, and her breakup with Evan, and she spent the holidays with Lucy and her family. (Although at this point she's still unaware that her best friend slept with her ex Evan at the end of season 1).

Stephen and Lucy decide to give their toxic relationship another chance, but Stephen is still reeling from the fact that Lucy and Evan slept together and tried to get Lucy to confess while she was high on MDMA at a party, but with no avail, and so decides to confront her about it

Meanwhile, Bree and Wrigley share a post-party bonding moment at a bus stop as the two are high off MDMA, as the pair connect over while chatting about Wrigley's grief over the death of his brother and Bree's curiosity about meeting her biological mother.

After the party, Lucy is called in and asked about the sexual assault accusation she made against Chris, her best friend Lydia's brother, who actually assaulted Pippa, but Lucy made up the accusation about herself because no one believed Pippa.

At the end of the episode, it's 2015 again, and Bree ultimately walks down the aisle and says "Of course, I do" to Evan - much to the surprise of Stephen.

Episode 2 - "We Can’t Help It If We Are A Problem"

Hulu/Disney+

In episode 2, Stephen and Lucy are trying to work things out, but Stephen can't get over Lucy sleeping with Evan.

The gang go to a karaoke bar where Stephen humiliates Lucy by not joining her on stage for karaoke, as he tells her, "Maybe I can't get over it."

Bree meets and befriends Amanda (Iris Apatow) at karaoke after seeing her coming out of Oliver's office. The freshman shared how she feels out of place in college and is missing her long-distance boyfriend.

Lucy has a panic attack, and Pippa calls drug dealer Alex (Costa D'Angelo) to bring pills to calm her down and also shows Lucy a calming tapping technique. Bree knows Alex from him being her foster brother, with the two growing up together in a group home, and the pair catch up.

Evan confronts Oliver after realising he was the married man Bree was having an affair with, but the professor gaslights him.

Stephen and Lucy discuss their relationship, and Stephen gives Lucy an ultimatum: tell Bree that she slept with Evan, and they can be together. But the two ultimately break up after Lucy refuses, and says she chooses Bree.

After the fight, Stephen has a go at Evan for telling him that he slept with Lucy.

Diana tells Pippa she was thinking about her, and they share a kiss.

Bree meets up with a tearful Amanda, who shares that she recently broke up with her boyfriend after she hooked up with someone else "way older" than her, who is married, after they met at a Christmas party before the break.

Wrigley and Bree pair up and bond in photography class.

Episode 3 - "Repent"

Disney/Ian Watson

In episode 3, we see Lucy have a bad dream about her betrayal of Bree, and we later see her apply for a study abroad writing program in Spain.

Bree invites Alex to the ski party, and she encourages Lucy to find a rebound, saying Alex isn't looking for a relationship. We then see Lucy end up back at Alex's place, where they start to hook up, but then stop as Lucy doesn't get the reassurance she is looking for from him.

Stephen speaks to his mum, who reveals his sister has lost part of her scholarship and refuses to let Stephen visit home.

Stephen calls Bree while she’s with Lucy, causing her to panic that he's going to tell her the big secret, and she rushes to his dorm to beg him not to say anything and says she loves him.

In her frightened state, Lucy shares another secret of her with Stephen that she lied about being sexually assaulted by Lydia’s brother Chris, and he makes her record a video, which he kept for himself, confessing that she lied about being raped in exchange for him not telling Bree she slept with Evan.

Bree sends a selfie with Amanda (Iris Apatow) to Oliver (Tom Ellis) to let him know they are friends.

Meanwhile, Evan offers to cover Stephen’s sister’s tuition, but says, “We’re good now," referring to Stephen's resentment towards him for sleeping with Lucy.

Diana finds out she's pregnant...

In the finale scenes, viewers see the full version of Lucy’s recorded confession as it cuts between her having sex with Alex and asking him to call her “pathetic.”

How are fans reacting to the first episodes?

Since the first three episodes dropped, fans are sharing their excitement at the show's return, although most of them aren't quite prepared for Stephen's toxicity...

One person wrote, "EP1 of season 3 tell me lies, and Stephen DeMarco is already putting me into fight or flight."

"Tell me lies season 3 is the most fucked up thing ever. Please give me 10 more #Tellmelies," a second person said.

A third person posted, "Me devouring the first three episodes of Tell Me Lies season 3 today."

"Me watching that Stephen and Lucy tape scene in Tell Me Lies episode 3," a fourth person commented.

A fifth person shared, "This is one of the worst scenes (compliment) that they have shown so far."

"Just finished season 3 episode 1 of Tell Me Lies omg REAL TELEVISION IS BACK!! I lowkey ship Bree and Wrigley after this episode but what if Bree said she's the worst person bc she slept with Stephen before 2015," someone else reacted.

"Turning on Tell Me Lies S3 to see the same group of college students be awful people and Stephen DeMarco terrorizing me once again."

"Tell Me Lies season 3 is already so unhinged. Like how are they still letting Stephen be a menace to society like this!?? How does he even still have them as friends!?"

"Season 3 of Tell Me Lies started and Lucy needs to be put in an involuntary psych hold, because my girl needs to get the hell UP."

Another person responded, "OMG! The first three episode of S3 Tell Me Lies… damn, Lucy, get yourself to a shrink, now. That’s some seriously messed up self hatred you’ve got. So many mind blowing moments. Bring on next Tuesday. Also, Bree, that was a foolish Manoeuvre that’ll bite you."

"I just finished the first 3 eps of Tell Me Lies S3 and all I can say is oh my goodness."

"Season 3, episode 3 of Tell Me Lies last 15 minutes….. Stephen DeMarco, you will pay for your crimes I will make sure of that…"

When are the next episodes dropping?

The first three episodes of Tell Me Lies Season 3 are now available to watch on Disney+ and Hulu, with a new episode dropping weekly.

Elsewhere from Indy100, Everything we know about Tell Me Lies S3 as official trailer released, and Industry Season 4 - where to watch and what critics are saying.

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