I mean, we watched these two dance around each other for, what, three seasons now? And every time, every single time, you thought, “Okay, maybe this is it, maybe they’ll finally get their act together or, you know, just actually split for good,” but no, they just kept circling, like sharks who were also each other’s chum, and honestly, it was exhausting, but also, you couldn’t look away, right? That’s the messed-up magic of Tell Me Lies, I guess. It was a masterclass in how not to do a relationship, and we all just ate it up with a spoon.
But here’s the thing. While the show itself might be done-done, the cast is already cooking up ideas for a potential spin-off. And when Us Weekly chatted with Grace Van Patten (our long-suffering Lucy) and Jackson White (the infuriatingly charming Stephen), they actually had some thoughts. Good thoughts, I think. Really good thoughts, if I’m being honest.
Van Patten, bless her heart, seems to be on the same page as every single viewer who ever yelled at their TV screen. She suggested that a new story line for Lucy would involve her being “done with revenge” and, get this, maybe she “finds herself.” And then she dropped the mic with, “We have enough revenge.” YES, GRACE. A thousand times, yes! We’ve had enough revenge. We’ve had enough emotional manipulation. We’ve had enough passive-aggressive texts and grand, empty gestures. Lucy deserves a freaking break. She needs to go to therapy, get a hobby that isn’t Stephen-adjacent, and maybe, just maybe, rediscover who she is when she’s not orbiting that black hole of a man.
And honestly, this is where I get excited. Because while the Tell Me Lies formula worked for a while-that delicious, painful slow burn of a toxic relationship-it had run its course. You can only watch someone make the same mistakes so many times before it stops being dramatic and starts being, well, kind of repetitive. Lucy evolving past that cycle? That’s a story I’d actually tune in for. Like, I’m talking popcorn and sweatpants on a Tuesday night kind of tune-in.
### Stephen’s Next Act? Hard Pass.
Now, Jackson White, the man behind Stephen, was also “on the same page about trying something new.” Which, cool. Good. But then he added that he “didn’t see another show centered around Stephen.” And while he was “willing to keep it in the family,” meaning maybe other characters from the original show… look, I’m just gonna say it: we do not need a Stephen spin-off. Not a full one, anyway. I’m sorry, Jackson, you played the character perfectly-he was the kind of charming manipulator you just wanted to shake until his teeth rattled. But a whole show dedicated to his questionable life choices and perpetual inability to commit? Nah, fam. I’m good. I’ve got enough real-life drama to deal with.
The thing is, Stephen’s whole schtick only really works when he’s bouncing off someone like Lucy, who’s caught in his orbit. He’s the villain, the catalyst, the walking red flag. You don’t build a whole series around the red flag itself, unless it’s a documentary on why you should run the other way. Which, actually, might be kinda funny. But probably not what Hulu is thinking.
But What Kind of Spinoff Are We Talking?
This whole “spin-off” conversation is interesting, though, right? Because it implies there’s still a hunger for this world, for these characters, even if the main story has, thankfully, concluded. And it also kinda signals that Hulu maybe wasn’t ready to let go completely. Or perhaps the cast just loves working together and wants to keep the party going, which, fair enough.
But a spin-off needs to feel earned. It can’t just be Tell Me Lies with a different title. It has to push the story forward in a meaningful way, or explore new facets of the universe. And for this particular show, with its deeply entrenched, often cyclical emotional patterns, that’s a tough tightrope to walk.
“Is Lucy done with revenge? Maybe she finds herself. We have enough revenge.” – Grace Van Patten to Us Weekly.
This quote, honestly, is the whole key. It’s the blueprint. If there’s a spin-off, it has to be about breaking cycles. It has to be about growth. Because if it’s just Lucy falling for another Stephen-esque guy, or Stephen somehow “finding himself” only to still be a commitment-phobe, then what’s the point? We just watched three seasons of that! We already know how that movie ends. And it’s usually with someone crying into a pint of ice cream.
The Real Heart of the Matter (and My Unsolicited Advice)
Here’s the real talk. Tell Me Lies resonated because it showed the messy, ugly, incredibly realistic side of toxic relationships, especially in those formative college and post-college years. Everyone knows a Lucy. Everyone knows a Stephen. Or, heaven forbid, they were a Lucy or a Stephen. The show held up a mirror, and sometimes that mirror was just, like, super depressing. But it was also addictive.
So, if you’re gonna do a spin-off, here’s my pitch:
Lucy’s Glow-Up: A series about Lucy, years later, actually thriving. Like, she’s got a great job, amazing friends, and maybe a relationship that’s… healthy? And she’s still got that edge, that intensity, but it’s channeled into something productive. And maybe, just maybe, Stephen pops up for one episode, like a ghost from her past, and she just calmly tells him to kick rocks. That would be so, so satisfying.
Bree & Evan’s Story: Remember Bree? Lucy’s roommate? And Evan? They were kind of the stable ones, the normal ones, in a sea of chaos. What happens to them? Do they stay together? Do they navigate the actual grown-up world? That could be a refreshing change of pace-a show about a relationship that doesn’t constantly implode. A radical concept, I know.
The College Years, From Another POV: What if we explored another group of friends at Baird College, but with a different kind of central relationship? Maybe something less overtly toxic, but still complicated and real. This would keep the Tell Me Lies vibe without dragging out the original drama.
What’s interesting here is that the cast themselves seem to understand the need for evolution. Grace Van Patten is clearly ready for Lucy to move on, and Jackson White, to his credit, doesn’t want to carry a show solely on Stephen’s shoulders. That’s a good sign. It means they’re not oblivious to the fact that the original dynamic, while captivating, wasn’t sustainable for another full series.
What This Actually Means
Look, I’m not gonna lie, I’m kinda bummed Tell Me Lies isn’t getting a proper Season 4. Because while the finale was a bit of a fizzle, there were still so many threads. But I also get it. Sometimes, you just gotta cut your losses and let characters, and viewers, move on.
So, for now, the show is done. Kaput. But the possibility of a spin-off? That’s definitely something to chew on. My hope? That if they do go down that road, they listen to Grace Van Patten. And me. And probably you, too. Give us growth. Give us characters learning from their mistakes. Give us a break from the endless loop of toxic love. Because, as Grace said, we’ve had enough revenge. And frankly, we’ve had enough of Stephen. Let Lucy find herself. And maybe, just maybe, let us watch her do it. That would be big. Really big.
