We Were Liars Season 1, Episode 8 Review: ‘My Friends Are Lying in the Sun’

Let it all burn.

I remember watching the final episodes of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals without shedding a single tear. But two minutes into the We Were Liars season finale, I knew I was going to be sobbing through the entire thing. And I did—hysterically.

I’ve tried to approach these reviews professionally, to separate my emotions from the craft. But this episode made that impossible. It broke me. It destroyed me. I fell apart.

Every single episode of We Were Liars made me feel something. And that’s rare. It’s strange, even, to move through such a whirlwind of emotions: from hate, to anger, to grief.

And grief… grief is messy.

Watching this finale, I didn’t just feel sadness—I felt hollow. Like the tears weren’t even helping. But that was okay. Because great television is meant to change you. It’s meant to make you feel. To offer an escape.

And this episode? It hit me in my core.

Because not all fairy tales offer happy endings. Some just remind us that time is precious, and there’s still time to change.

Summer Sixteen: The Night It All Burned

It’s the night everything changed. The night Harris was on the helicopter. The night Cadence was found on the beach. The night it all burned.

Johnny took the attic. Mirren claimed her mother’s wing. Cadence stayed on the ground floor. That moment—that decision—was the first step toward the Sinclairs learning the truth.

Pouring accelerant felt like peace. Seeing their mothers in a different light felt like guilt. They weren’t just trying to burn down a house. They were trying to burn down their pain.

They all lit a match.

And in remembering it all, Cadence unlocks the truth she buried deep: she was the only one who survived. Johnny, Mirren, Gat… they all died that night in the fire.

Surviving Summer Seventeen

Cadence’s breakdowns make sense now. Her panic, her disorientation. Losing the ones you love—your soulmates—is a pain the mind can’t always bear. Her not being able to remember was her memory shielding her. Until it couldn’t.

How did she end up in the water? The fire wasn’t well-planned (Johnny’s words). They forgot about the gas line. The explosion blew Cadence back into the ocean.

Who found her? Harris. So that’s where he went after leaving the hospital.

The Game of Scrabble: Remembering

The memories return during a game of Scrabble. Each word triggers a moment. Some bring pain. Others bring peace. Scrabble with The Liars made her remember.

She remembers. Everything.

The other Liars already knew. They had stayed away, not to punish her, but to protect her. They were ghosts. They couldn’t call. They couldn’t visit.

They only wanted one more summer together. One more chance to explore, protect, and love each other.

Cadence knew their time was limited—and now, she remembers what being a Liar truly meant. Her soulmates were gone, and she needed to be able to say goodbye on her terms.

Johnny

Each Liar gets a chance to say goodbye, to give Cadence closure, and to find their own.

Johnny is terrified. He fears he’s destined for hell. But Cadence assures him: any heaven she goes to will have him in it.

Their bond was deep, unwavering. Johnny deserved more. A new life. A second chance. He didn’t get that. But in this final moment, he got peace with her.

He thinks that he’s leaving, but we find out at the end – he can’t. He’s right there as his Mom takes pills. She still sees him.

And I think that is because Johnny couldn’t let her go until he knew that she was okay.

Harris Hasn’t Changed

Cadence apologizes to Harris for the dogs, recalling how they used to play on the beach. Harris, seemingly kind at first, gifts her the black pearls.

But when she tries to return them, he drops the act. He knows the truth about the arson. About the fire. About the deaths.

The official story? Faulty wiring. But Harris knows she committed involuntary manslaughter. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone – they’ve bought his story. Cadence has no desire to hurt anyone, but she’s not sure this is a secret she can keep.

And he lets her know: she has a role to play. He sees himself in her. There’s admiration in his disappointment, pride in her ruthlessness. It’s chilling.

Mirren

Mirren appears while Cadence sits watching the littles swim. She’s scared—scared of never being seen, of never having mattered. Mirren’s only thing she wanted in life was to be seen.

Cadence assures her she was loved, that she’ll never be forgotten. She promises to teach Mirren’s sisters to braid, to carry her memory.

Mirren made a difference. She mattered. She just didn’t get the chance to see it in life. It destroys us that she didn’t get that.

Gat

Mirren promised Gat would come, and when he does, I wanted to scream. I’d been so hard on him, but in that moment, I wanted him to stay away—for Cadence’s sake. I thought it would destroy her. So I screamed.

Because I didn’t want her to hurt, and I didn’t want to see him leave her.

But Cadence is stronger than we give her credit for. She needs to move forward. And that’s what Gat wants too.

He tells her he still loves her. He shared the dreams she had for their future. And for the last time, they say “I love you.”

The other liars show up, and Johnny says that they need to do it one last time. As if to make us all fall apart, they all jump into the water, together, one last time. But when a head comes above water, it’s only Cadence’s.

I Used to Be a Sinclair

Harris tells Cadence that she is his heir. That when Time Magazine visits the island, she must wear the pearls and take her place.

Time is on the island, and everyone is playing their part. Everyone but Cadence.

Cadence doesn’t show up for photos. She’s done playing the part. She doesn’t believe in fairy tales anymore.

Ed arrives. And it feels like a small gift to Carrie, who’s lost so much. She’s relapsed, and Ed may be the only one who sees it. He may be the only one who can help her.

Brody and Bess are still together, trapped by Harris’s manipulations. But Bess is changing. She is going to be better. She regrets how she treated Mirren. And she honors her memory by showcasing her paintings in a local gallery.

Mirren sees it. And I was crying.

She doesn’t believe in fairy tales anymore. Not the ones her family tried to sell her.

And while the ending sets up a possible second season, I know many will ask—how?

Trust me. It can.

What I know for sure is that this first season of We Were Liars was spectacular. It’s more than a show. It’s an experience.

Watch it.
Because it’s worth your time.
And that’s not a lie.

OTHER THOUGHTS

Harrus is such trash.
Cadence and her screams when she realizes what happened – I had to take a break and walk away. I was destroyed
Penny finding Cadence on the beach broke my heart
What did Bess do when she was 16?

We Were Liars is streaming now on Prime Video.