Hulu’s Tell Me Lies is currently in its second season. Based on Carola Lovering’s novel by the same name, the show follows the toxic yet exciting romance between college freshman Lucy Albright and college junior Stephen DeMarco over eight years.
Season 2 of the show is seven episodes long, and five have already aired. Fans of the show who can’t get enough of this part-obsessive and part-thriller romantic drama are already on the lookout for similarly themed shows.
Here is a list of 7 shows that are as intense and twisted as Tell Me Lies and will keep you guessing from the beginning to the end.
1. Dr. Foster
Plot: Dr. Foster follows Dr. Gemma Foster, a successful and talented family doctor whose life comes undone as she suspects her husband to be cheating on her. As she becomes determined to find the truth, the consequences of her actions run deep and result in more complications. With Suranne Jones playing the titular role, the series follows the themes of betrayal, romance, and revenge.
Similarities to Tell Me Lies: Although Dr. Foster deals with a much older generation compared to Tell Me Lies, both shows share the theme of a woman realizing that her partner cannot be trusted. Just like in Tell Me Lies, the discovery of her husband’s affair leads Suranne Jones’ character to larger and more complicated truths.
Where to watch: Dr. Foster can be streamed on Prime Video.
2. Sex Education
Plot: Netflix's Sex Education follows Moordale Secondary School and its staff, students, parents, and their awkward dilemmas related to their sex lives. It mainly focuses on Otis Milburn, who especially struggles with the idea of sex because his mother is a sex therapist who has multiple sexual relationships.
However, because of his mother’s expertise on the subject, Otis sees an opportunity and teams up with Eric to set up an in-school clinic to help their friends with their sexual issues. The story takes a turn when Otis gets emotionally attached to one of the clinic’s clients.
Similarities to Tell Me Lies: On the surface, it might seem that Tell Me Lies and Sex Education have nothing in common; however, on a deeper level, both shows take a somewhat comedic approach to young relationships. Moreover, Tell Me Lies focuses a lot on the complexities of sexual relationships that often turn toxic as well, a theme that can be found in Sex Education also.
Where to watch: Sex Education can be streamed on Netflix.
3. You
Plot: Another one from Netflix, You, premiered in 2018 and was an instant hit among the audience. The show follows Joe Goldberg, a New York bookstore manager with an obsessive nature that creates various thrilling and intense complications in his life and the lives of the women he invests in.
Similarities to Tell Me Lies: Much like Lucy’s obsessive nature in Tell Me Lies, Joe in You also possesses similar qualities. He’s a charmer who can insinuate himself in other’s lives. Both shows deal with the themes of romantic obsession, toxic infatuations, and disasters that can happen because of such behavior.
Where to watch: You can be streamed on Netflix.
4. A Teacher
Plot: Hulu’s A Teacher follows Claire Wilson, an English teacher in the fictional high school of Westerbrook in Austin, Texas, who gets involved in an illicit relationship with her student, Eric Walker. Spanning over ten years, the show focuses on how things go downhill after this 30-year-old woman begins her illegitimate affair with this 17-year-old student.
Similarities to Tell Me Lies: A Teacher and Tell Me Lies have many common themes regarding their moral messaging. Like Stephen in Tell Me Lies, Claire in A Teacher uses her structural power over Eric to get him involved in her crime. Both shows focus on the consequential aftermath of a relationship with unequal power dynamics.
Where to watch: A Teacher can be streamed on Disney+.
5. Scandal
Plot: A creation of Shonda Rhimes, Scandal follows Olivia Pope & Associates (OPA), a crisis management firm managed by Olivia Pope. Despite being a political thriller, Scandal has a good amount of relationship drama from the personal lives of the staff and members of Olivia’s firm and the people they come in contact with.
Similarities to Tell Me Lies: Both Tell Me Lies and Scandal deal with the themes of infidelity and how it affects both parties. It’s interesting how both shows have managed to portray their protagonists in a way that does not directly judge them yet does not let them off the hook. With themes of toxic relationships and eventual cheating, Scandal will surely appeal to the fans of Tell Me Lies.
Where to watch: Scandal can be streamed on Hulu.
6. Roadkill
Plot: Written and created by David Hare, Roadkill is a four-part British thriller series. The show follows the personal and professional life of Peter Laurence, a charismatic government minister on his way to getting a promotion. As he celebrates his win in a newspaper libel case, his life is turned upside down once the news of his extramarital affair goes public.
Similarities to Tell Me Lies: The most common theme between Roadkill and Tell Me Lies is that both shows deal with infidelity and how one wrong decision can change one’s life. Moreover, since Roadkill’s central character is a politician, the show takes a step further than Tell Me Lies to demonstrate the horrific aftereffects that an affair can have, especially if committed by a government minister.
Where to watch: Roadkill can be streamed for free on Plex or Plex Channel.
7. Euphoria
Plot: Euphoria is arguably the best show that deals with teenagers’ toxic romantic lives. The show’s central couple, Maddy and Nate, are in a toxic relationship in which they will go to any length in the name of love, only to destroy each other.
However, the show majorly follows the character of Rue, a teenager dealing with OCD, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse issues. As Rue comes out of rehab and goes back to high school, the lives of her and those around her are examined in Euphoria through friendship, love, and betrayal.
Similarities to Tell Me Lies: Much like Tell Me Lies, Euphoria also shows what kind of devastation a toxic relationship can bring. The show is full of secrets that unravel one after the other, resulting in intense and complicated consequences, just like the secrets in Tell Me Lies do. With the protagonists of both shows falling under a younger age bracket, Euphoria is a perfect watch for fans of Tell Me Lies.
Where to watch: Euphoria can be streamed on HBO.
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