Meaghan Oppenheimer has revealed Tell Me Lies is ending at the “perfect” time.
Meaghan Oppenheimer has revealed why Tell Me Lies had to end
The Fear the Walking Dead showrunner announced just hours before Monday’s (16.02.26) broadcast that the Hulu show’s season three finale would be last ever episode of the dark drama, which has followed college students and on-off couple Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) as their relationship devolves.
She told Deadline: “I think three seasons is the perfect amount.”
However, she added: “It was bittersweet. I think it’s so beautiful and rare that we got to do this for three seasons.
“We got really lucky that everybody loved the show and we were able to keep going, and it was so great. We were able to have a beginning, middle and end.”
Oppenheimer insisted while everyone has loved making the show – and she has a soft spot for its audience – she knows it’s right to end it at this point.
She explained: “I had had so many conversations with our writers, and when you actually look at what could happen next, Lucy’s not in school anymore.
“Most of the cast are graduating college in the future. They’re all living in different places. They’re not in the same industry. “There’s not a lot connecting them, so, while I think it’s such a privilege to know when a show is ending and be able to write an ending and quit while you’re ahead, it’s hard.”
She realised for the show to continue, it would need to be “completely re-imagined”.
However, she made sure to tell the cast and crew exactly what the situation was.
She added: “I had talked to them. I mean, I talked to them before this season [and told them] that I had written it with a certain amount of finality in mind.
“None of us knew for sure what was definitely going to happen, but we all went into it knowing that this could likely be the end.”
Oppenheimer let fans know on social media shortly before the finale aired, and insisted her top priority was “to protect the quality of the show”.
She wrote on Instagram: “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale.
“This was always the ending my writing team and I had in mind, and we are insanely proud of it.
“Your incredible response to this season inspired us to explore whether there was another organic way to continue the story, but ultimately we felt it had reached its natural conclusion.
“My main goal has always been to protect the quality of the show and give you the best experience I can give you.
“And so, while it is bittersweet to leave something that has been such a happy experience, I am very grateful that we are able to tell a complete story with an intentional ending – a privilege very few shows get.
“Thank you for loving our show. We are excited to bring you more stories in the near future.”
