In the hit TV show Tell Me Lies, Lydia is known for her captivating smile and charming personality. But behind that facade lies a web of hidden motives and ulterior intentions. Lydia’s story delivers the perfect itch on the skin feeling the show probably was intentional about adding. This is because Lydia is first introduced to the audience as the sweet, down-to-earth gal who has her bestie’s best interests at heart.
However, as the show rides swiftly to the finale, the plot delivers the perfect blow- a Lydia betrayal. Through the course of the series, Lydia’s true motives remain shrouded in mystery. Is she a master manipulator, pulling the strings from behind the scenes? Or is there a vulnerable side to her that we’ve yet to uncover? As we delve deeper into Tell Me Lies, deciphering Lydia’s true motives becomes quite the challenge. Still, if there’s ever been a moment to talk about her hidden agendas, this is certainly the time.
Character Analysis: Lydia – The Enigmatic Protagonist
From the moment Lydia appears on screen, her charm and captivating aura draw viewers in. But as the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is more to her than what meets the eye. However, since she’s in very few episodes, it’s hard to tell what her backstory is. What is evident is that she’s Lucy’s childhood friend and confidant. Plus, the pair are really close and constantly share their romantic woes.
Yet, what really stood out to the audience is Lydia’s one-liner in the pilot episode of Tell Me Lies. “Don’t worry. Some day some guy’s gonna get so far under your skin he’s gonna rot there, and I’m gonna laugh,” she jokingly tells Lydia over a friendly phone call. If nothing else precedes her potential betrayal, this certainly does. The Season One finale also features a deviation from Carola Lovering‘s book of the same name. in the book we are given a snippet of how significant Lydia is to Lucy, played by Grace van Patten.
Lucy And Stephen’s Twisted Relationship
During her freshman year in the fictional Baird College set in New York, Lucy and Stephen, played by Jackson White get into one roller-coaster of a relationship. In some ways, Stephen is her peace, but in others, he’s the toxic bait that pushes her to make some really dangerous mistakes. Their tumultuous relationship is the major storyline in this drama series, which ultimately covers about eight years of their lives.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Stephen breaks things off with Lucy and gets back together with his ex Diane. Still, that’s not the silliest thing Stephen has done. In fact, his character is quite dark and troubled. He does some really twisted things, yet seems to have no remorse about his actions. Stephen’s bad boy enigma is probably what excuses Lucy’s excesses in both the book and series. However, it’s Lydia’s entrance into their on-and-off romance that really gets people dazzled.
Lydia’s Dreadful Betrayal
The women-supporting-women ideology usually gets thrown in the mud more often than not, especially in romcoms and teen dramas. Tell Me Lies ends up towing the same path, as Lydia, who is supposed to be Lucy’s childhood friend, but ends up with her toxic ex-boyfriend. Sure, there’s the thought that she didn’t know the two were dating. Unfortunately, that excuse doesn’t hold true, seeing that Lucy had told Lydia about her feelings for Stephen.
Plus, in Season 1, episode 5, the two friends were discussing their boy troubles, and Lydia told Lucy that her high school boyfriend cheated on her with a girl named Laura. Of course, Lucy swings into action, escorts Lydia to his party, and even punches him in the face for being a douche to her friend. This is what makes the season finale’s plot twist even more surprising. Even more, it gives the next season a lot of pressing questions to answer. Like how Lydia got to meet Stephen in the first place, and why she would betray a friend that didn’t mind sticking up for her.
Meaghan Oppenheimer In Lydia’s Role
The Tell Me Lies Boss Maeghan Oppenheimer, divulged a little about Lyda’s character to Decider on the season finale’s plot twist. She even explained that the jaw-dropping scene was the first one to be shot. “That was actually the end of my pitch to Hulu, before they hired me. I was like, ‘And then he shows up with Lydia.” she explained. Oppenheimer also revealed that she knew Lydia would be the craziest and least-expected person to show up with Stephen. So, as a lover of drama and twisted cliffhangers, she decided that scene was a must-have. This certainly suggests that Season 2 will dive head-down into the true intentions of Lydia. Viewers will know for sure if she was just posing to be Lucy’s friend all along or if she used privileged information to get back at her childhood friend.
Natalee Linez’s Portrayal Of Lydia
Natalee Linez may have only featured in three episodes for the entirety of Tell Me Lies Season 1, but she still delivered a stellar performance. Of course, nothing less was expected of the actress, even as the star added her role as Lydia to her growing portfolio. Linez has made guest appearances in series like The Good Doctor, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Siren, and 9-1-1. Plus, the mysterious and double-sided persona is not new to the star, as she plays a similar role as Nicole in Siren. As viewers anticipate Season 2 of Tell Me Lies, there’ll definitely be much to look forward to with Linez playing Lydia. If there’s anything to learn from the producer’s storytelling in season one, Lydia’s true intentions will slowly yet satisfyingly unravel through the season.
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