Hulu's 'Tell Me Lies' Concludes With Season 3 as Creator Meaghan Oppenheimer Calls It a Complete Story
Creator Meaghan Oppenheimer announced the Hulu drama's season three finale will double as its series finale, capping a show that drew 5 million premiere-week views and a 150 percent audience increase over its run.
Feb 17, 2026, 04:06 AM
The toxic love story at the center of Hulu's "Tell Me Lies" is officially over. Creator and showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer announced on Monday evening that the drama's third-season finale — dropping on Hulu at midnight ET on Tuesday, February 17 — will serve as the series finale, bringing the saga of Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco to a deliberate conclusion .
Oppenheimer posted on Instagram that tonight's episode would be the final one, describing it as the ending she and her writing team had always envisioned ‘Tell Me Lies’ to End With Season 3variety.com·SecondaryOne of the most toxic love stories ever to be shown on TV has come to an end. Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies” will end with Season 3, creator Meaghan Oppenheimer announced on Monday, Feb. 16, ahead of what will be the series finale. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” the showrunner wrote via Instagram.. She noted that the show's strong audience response during Season 3 had prompted conversations about continuing the story, but that the creative team ultimately concluded the narrative had reached its natural endpoint ‘Tell Me Lies’ to End With Season 3variety.com·SecondaryOne of the most toxic love stories ever to be shown on TV has come to an end. Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies” will end with Season 3, creator Meaghan Oppenheimer announced on Monday, Feb. 16, ahead of what will be the series finale. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” the showrunner wrote via Instagram.. The announcement landed not as a network cancellation but as a creator-driven decision — a meaningful distinction in an era when streaming platforms routinely axe shows mid-story.
The drama, adapted from Carola Lovering's 2018 novel, premiered in September 2022 and quickly established itself as one of Hulu's signature series. At its core is the destructive, manipulative relationship between college students Lucy (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen (Jackson White), whose entanglement damages not only their own lives but those of an entire circle of friends at the fictional Baird College ‘Tell Me Lies’ Is Over Forever! Showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer Says Season 3 Is The Last, Why It Had To End And What’s Nextdeadline.com·SecondaryTonight’s Tell Me Lies Season 3 finale on Hulu tonight will be the last episode ever, showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer has announced. Obviously, given this shocking news, we had to ask Oppenheimer why it ends here, what she’s doing next, and who’s really to blame for the dark and twisted shenanigans between Baird college students Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White.. The show unfolds across two timelines — one during the 2008-2010 college years, and another set in 2015 around the wedding of friends Bree (Cat Missal) and Evan (Branden Cook) ‘Tell Me Lies’ Is Over Forever! Showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer Says Season 3 Is The Last, Why It Had To End And What’s Nextdeadline.com·SecondaryTonight’s Tell Me Lies Season 3 finale on Hulu tonight will be the last episode ever, showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer has announced. Obviously, given this shocking news, we had to ask Oppenheimer why it ends here, what she’s doing next, and who’s really to blame for the dark and twisted shenanigans between Baird college students Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White..
The numbers illustrate a show that grew steadily rather than arriving with a bang. The Season 3 premiere generated five million views globally across Disney+ and Hulu in its first seven days — a 150 percent increase over the Season 1 premiere, according to internal Disney data reported by Deadline. For a series that never chased viral moments or mainstream spectacle, that kind of organic audience growth is notable. It points to a word-of-mouth phenomenon, the sort of slow-burn cultural penetration that streaming executives claim to value but rarely have the patience to cultivate.
Oppenheimer described three seasons as the ideal length for the story she wanted to tell ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram.. Her reasoning was structural as much as artistic: with the characters graduating college in the future timeline, scattering to different cities and careers, the connective tissue holding the ensemble together was dissolving naturally. She told Deadline that she had weighed whether another season could maintain the same quality without feeling like a fundamentally different show, and concluded that it would require a complete reimagining — the framing device, she noted, was simply over ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram..
That kind of restraint has become increasingly uncommon in the streaming landscape. The dominant business model incentivizes extraction: squeezing every last season out of a proven property until audiences drift away from exhaustion rather than satisfaction. Netflix has drawn industry criticism for canceling shows after two seasons before residual payments kick in, while other platforms stretch successful series until they buckle under their own weight. Oppenheimer's approach — ending a commercially viable show with an intentional finale — echoes the British television tradition, where limited runs and planned endings are standard practice rather than creative luxury.
The cast expressed support for the decision. Van Patten told Deadline that the experience had been bittersweet, but that she valued having a show with a clear beginning, middle, and end ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram.. She and White began dating in real life after meeting during auditions for the series and have been publicly supportive of Oppenheimer's creative vision throughout the run. In a separate conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Van Patten called the finale ending exceptional, while acknowledging she would have been happy to continue if the writers found a way forward ‘Tell Me Lies’ to End With Season 3variety.com·SecondaryOne of the most toxic love stories ever to be shown on TV has come to an end. Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies” will end with Season 3, creator Meaghan Oppenheimer announced on Monday, Feb. 16, ahead of what will be the series finale. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” the showrunner wrote via Instagram..
One of the show's quieter achievements has been its portrayal of emotional abuse. Oppenheimer drew a sharp distinction between her two leads in her Deadline interview, pushing back against fans who view Lucy and Stephen as morally equivalent. She characterized Lucy as someone whose actions cause harm unintentionally, driven by impulses she does not fully understand — whereas Stephen, in Oppenheimer's telling, acts with deliberate cruelty ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram.. She also challenged the casual overuse of psychological terminology, arguing that the clinical label of narcissism has been diluted to the point where it no longer captures the severity of a genuine personality disorder ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram..
The show's exploration of how young women can lose themselves in destructive relationships was, Oppenheimer indicated, both intentional and personal. She observed to Deadline that she sees a gender imbalance in how much energy young women invest in relationships that damage them, compared to their male peers — a dynamic she wanted the show to illustrate through meaningful consequences for Lucy rather than a tidy redemption arc ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram.. That narrative commitment, she said, had been baked into the show from its very first episode ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram..
Season 3 introduced new dynamics that broadened the show's emotional range. A romance between Bree and Evan's best friend Wrigley (Spencer House) drew significant fan enthusiasm, with Oppenheimer describing the pairing as two characters at their lowest point discovering unexpected healing in each other ‘Tell Me Lies’ Is Over Forever! Showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer Says Season 3 Is The Last, Why It Had To End And What’s Nextdeadline.com·SecondaryTonight’s Tell Me Lies Season 3 finale on Hulu tonight will be the last episode ever, showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer has announced. Obviously, given this shocking news, we had to ask Oppenheimer why it ends here, what she’s doing next, and who’s really to blame for the dark and twisted shenanigans between Baird college students Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White.. The supporting cast — including Sonia Mena, Alicia Crowder, Gabriella Pession, Tom Ellis, Costa D'Angelo, and Natalee Linez — formed one of the deepest ensemble casts on any streaming platform ‘Tell Me Lies’ to End With Season 3variety.com·SecondaryOne of the most toxic love stories ever to be shown on TV has come to an end. Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies” will end with Season 3, creator Meaghan Oppenheimer announced on Monday, Feb. 16, ahead of what will be the series finale. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” the showrunner wrote via Instagram..
As for what comes next, Oppenheimer confirmed she is developing a new project under her overall deal with 20th Television, centered on dark, complicated relationships among adult siblings . A previously announced Hulu romantic comedy called "Second Wife," which would have starred her husband Tom Ellis, did not receive a series order, though Oppenheimer told Deadline it could be reworked as a feature film ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram.. Her stated ambition — to occupy the creative space of a darker, more subversive Nora Ephron — suggests whatever follows will carry the same unflinching sensibility that defined her breakout series ‘Tell Me Lies’ Ending With Season 3 Finalehollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryTell Me Lies is ending the cycle of Lucy and Stephen. Meaghan Oppenheimer, the creator of Hulu‘s buzzy drama starring Grace Van Patten and Jackson White, announced on Monday that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season. The news comes ahead of the highly anticipated season three finale, which releases at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Monday. “After three amazing seasons of Tell Me Lies, tonight’s episode will be the series finale,” Oppenheimer wrote on Instagram..
The finale, titled "Are You Happy Now, That I'm on My Knees?," arrives at a moment when the streaming industry is wrestling with what makes a show valuable beyond raw subscriber acquisition. "Tell Me Lies" was never the biggest series on Hulu. But its steady growth, its cultural footprint, and its creator's insistence on ending with intentionality rather than inertia make it something arguably more instructive: a demonstration that a streaming drama can tell a complete story and walk away on its own terms.
AI Transparency
Why this article was written and how editorial decisions were made.
Why This Topic
The planned conclusion of a hit Hulu series that saw 150 percent audience growth over three seasons is a significant entertainment industry story. It touches on broader questions about streaming business models, creative control in the platform era, and the rare phenomenon of a showrunner choosing to end a commercially successful series on her own terms rather than having it cancelled or stretched beyond its natural lifespan. The timing — announced hours before the finale drops — maximizes news relevance.
Source Selection
All three cluster signals come from Tier-1 entertainment trade publications: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety. These outlets had direct access to Oppenheimer through interviews and received the announcement simultaneously. Deadline's piece includes an extended Q&A with the showrunner that provides the most substantive quotes about her creative reasoning. The viewership figures cited are from a separate Deadline exclusive published in January 2026 based on internal Disney data. Cross-referencing all three sources confirms consistency in the key facts.
Editorial Decisions
Three Tier-1 sources (Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety) all confirm the announcement within the same hour. Oppenheimer's quotes are drawn directly from her extended Deadline interview and her Instagram post as cited by THR and Variety. Viewership data (5M premiere views, 150% growth) comes from Deadline's exclusive report citing internal Disney figures published in January 2026. The article contextualizes the ending within broader streaming industry trends without editorializing on the show's quality.
Reader Ratings
About the Author
CT Editorial Board
The Clanker Times editorial review board. Reviews and approves articles for publication.
Sources
- 1.variety.comSecondary
- 2.hollywoodreporter.comSecondary
- 3.deadline.comSecondary
Editorial Reviews
1 approved · 0 rejectedPrevious Draft Feedback (3)
• depth_and_context scored 4/3 minimum: The piece gives useful background — series origins, timeline structure, audience metrics, creator intent and industry context — that explains why the finale matters; it could add one or two paragraphs on ratings trends versus other Hulu dramas or financial considerations to reach excellent depth. • narrative_structure scored 4/3 minimum: The lede clearly states the news, a nut graf follows, and the article progresses logically through history, creator rationale, cast reaction and industry implications, finishing with a strong closing; a tighter final paragraph or transition into Oppenheimer's future projects would improve flow. • analytical_value scored 4/3 minimum: The piece goes beyond reporting by situating the decision within streaming-era incentives and noting a cultural pattern (planned endings vs. extraction); it could deepen analysis with data on renewal/cancellation patterns or expert quotes about the business trade-offs to score higher. • filler_and_redundancy scored 5/3 minimum: The article is concise and avoids repetition — each paragraph contributes new facts or interpretation and there is minimal padding or needless restatement. • language_and_clarity scored 5/3 minimum: Writing is clear, engaging and precise; loaded labels are avoided or explained (the article describes the show's themes and Oppenheimer's characterization rather than slapping on shorthand), so claims are substantiated and phrasing is strong. Warnings: • [article_quality] perspective_diversity scored 3 (borderline): The article includes creator and lead actor quotes and some industry context, but lacks divergent views — e.g., commentary from Hulu/Disney executives, critics, or fans resistant to the ending; add a studio statement, critic voices and a sample of fan reaction for balance. • [article_quality] publication_readiness scored 4 (borderline): The draft reads like a finished news feature and contains proper sourcing markers, but would benefit from a single-line studio response or attribution for the viewing figures and a quick copyedit for cadence in a couple of sentences before publication.
6 gate errors: • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "While I think it's such a privilege to know when a show is ending and be able to..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "For me, it was just about do I think there's another season in here that's going..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "The problem is that the word 'narcissist' is so overused, and just because your ..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "Young women specifically, I think waste so much time on relationships that do no..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "I don't see boys in college, just in general, throwing away opportunities becaus..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "consequences that actually really catch up to her and really change things"
6 gate errors: • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "While I think it's such a privilege to know when a show is ending and be able to..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "For me, it was just about do I think there's another season in here that's going..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "The problem is that the word 'narcissist' is so overused, and just because your ..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "Young women specifically, I think waste so much time on relationships that do no..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "I don't see boys in college, just in general, throwing away opportunities becaus..." • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "consequences that actually really catch up to her and really change things"
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