Started October 7, 2021 · Canceled · Based on 2 seasons, 16 episodes through October 20, 2022 · TV-MA · 48 min
One of Us Is Lying is a Peacock teen mystery drama based on Karen M. McManus's novel. Five students go to detention and Simon dies from a peanut allergy. The other four become suspects while secrets spill on his gossip app About That. Season 1 ends with Jake's guilt and death. Season 2 continues with a new blackmail story called Simon Says after the book plot ends.
Queer and identity storylines run strongly beside the whodunit across both seasons. Cooper's closet, his relationship with Kris, Janae as an out lesbian, the Maeve and Janae romance, and Janae's season 2 genderfluid arc are major multi-season tracks. Sports culture is shown as hard on out gay athletes, and outing is used as a threat. Abortion appears as a blackmail secret rather than long activist speeches. The main engine is still a soapy murder mystery, not a pure identity manifesto.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for One of Us Is Lying.
Woke representation / casting
A mixed California high school cast is realistic, but several choices still feel identity-forward. Cooper is a black closeted star athlete and Kris is a black boyfriend, both different from common book readings. Latina Rojas sisters, South Asian Principal Gupta, and a multiethnic ensemble hold prominent roles. The gay star-pitcher love story reads as more than pure setting necessity.
46%
Woke political dialogue
The show returns often to clear identity talk about coming out, career risk if outed, and keeping sexuality secret for a coach dad. Janae talks with Addy about being genderfluid in season 2, and outing is used as a threat. Abortion appears as Ms. Avery's blackmail secret, not long activist speeches. The talk is noticeable without filling every scene.
48%
Identity-driven story themes
LGBTQ identity is a major multi-season track, not background flavor. Season 1 follows Cooper's closet, Keely as cover, Kris, coming out, out lesbian Janae, and the expanded Maeve and Janae romance. Season 2 weighs heavier with Janae's genderfluid arc and friends who affirm who she is. The show is still a murder mystery first, so it is not fully queer-centric.
74%
Western institutional / cultural critique
Sports and baseball culture are shown as hostile to out gay athletes. Jake is a controlling football captain cast as a toxic masculinity villain. Parents and coaches push secrecy and image. Ordinary teen-drama relationship critique is present, not a broad anti-Christian or anti-Western institutional attack.
38%
Woke character or canon changes
Cooper is race-cast Black versus a widely read white Southern book athlete, and Kris's race and nationality shift. Janae is made explicitly lesbian with cast and creator buy-in beyond book subtext. The series adds a Maeve, Simon, and Janae queer triangle and invents genderfluid Janae in season 2. Ordinary mystery changes such as Jake killing Simon are not scored here.
55%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
There was no sustained mainstream campaign calling the show too woke. Online gripes about race casting for Cooper and Kris and occasional gay-cliché comments appear in thin scatter. It was not a culture-war flashpoint.
8%
Creator track record context
Saleh is framed as entertainment-first while Madrona aligns with Elite-style LGBTQ and class teen drama. The writers room includes several high identity and queer track records. Directors and producers mostly score lower. Together they support identity-forward TV without one activist figurehead.
52%
Production
