The Hulu drama series “Tell Me Lies” wrapped up its third and final season, leaving fans in a state of emotional distraught. 

“Tell Me Lies,” produced by Meaghan Oppenheimer and adapted from Carola Lovering’s 2018 novel of the same name, follows the emotional rollercoaster of a group of college students navigating their way through adulthood in a dual timeline style narrative. 

The series is centered on six Baird College students alternating from the year 2007 and their reunion at a wedding in 2015. While the show embarks on all six characters, Lucy Albright, played by Grace Van Patten, becomes the emotional entrapment character shown in all three seasons. 

Van Patten’s portrayal of her character embodies the duality of being academically intelligent and emotionally challenged. 

When Lucy first arrives at college, her character is carefree and eager to embark in her new environment. However, she quickly became entangled in an emotionally suffocating relationship with Stephen Demarco, played by Jackson White. Though her friends warn her of his manipulation, Lucy ignores all the signs, continuously falling into his trap and highlighting the psychological complexity of her emotional entrapment towards him. 

In an interview with Forbes, Oppenheimer explained that Lucy “saw all the red flags but ignored them,” symbolizing how self-sabotage can occur in an unhealthy relationship.

The constant theme in Lucy’s friend group is the concept of trauma bonding. Lucy and Stephen’s relationship throughout the three seasons was a constant cycle of affection, betrayal and reconciliation. Van Patten portrayed this vicious cycle by using vocal variety in her acting. Lucy often speaks with hesitation, showcasing how Stephen’s manipulation affects her. 

The storyline connected with the coming-of-age genre by taking place in college, following Lucy’s redirection in life. However, “Tell Me Lies” significantly differed from any past coming-of-age shows due to its realistic deliverance in young adulthood. 

While Lucy was seeking clarity in college, she fell victim to male manipulation. We see Van Patten’s performance capture this tension by slowly shifting Lucy from being independent to constantly seeking emotional attention. 

The show’s dual timeline narrative from 2007 to 2015 deepens the exploration of Lucy’s growth or lack of. In 2015, the audience is met with a guarded version of Lucy, however this act falls as soon as she meets Stephen. This is written in a way to establish the long-lasting effects of emotional trauma and the psychological trap it leads to. 

When asked, Van Patten sympathized with her character. 

She told USA Today she “realized how much she may not like herself, which was a very sad realization… She’s actually really vulnerable and thinks she might be getting what she deserves.”

“Tell Me Lies” challenges the traditional idea of coming-of-age stories ending with self-triumph, breaking the barriers of happily ever after and adding realism. While there was no specific justice, all the lies had come out and in the end, Lucy was alright. 

Oppenheimer explained the ending of “Tell Me Lies” as a story of emotional abuse. 

“If we meet anyone at the wrong time when we have a certain wound that is not healed in us, we can fall victim to a terrible dynamic,” Oppenheimer told TIME.

“Women have come up to us and said that the show has helped them get out of a toxic situation,” Van Patten told TIME. She hopes “Tell Me Lies” can continue to bring awareness of emotional entrapment through Lucy.