Television

One of Us Is Lying: Peacock cancels the LGBTQ+ inclusive series after two seasons

By Jordan Robledo

22nd January 2023

Peacock has cancelled the LGBTQ+ inclusive series One of Us Is Lying after two seasons.

Back in 2021, the show, which is based on Karen M McManus’ novel of the same name, premiered on the streaming service.

Set at the fictional Bayview High, the first season follows students Simon (Mark McKenna), Addy (Annalisa Cochrane), Cooper (Chibuikem Uche), Bronwyn (Marianly Tejada) and Nate (Cooper van Grootel), as they attend after-school detention.

However, things turn deadly when Simon dies from a mysterious allergic reaction, which leads the remaining four students to conduct an investigation.

Following its release, the show received acclaim from critics and viewers, with the first season earning a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Viewers also lauded the show for its LGBTQ+ representation, specifically regarding its queer protagonists Cooper Clay (Chibuikem Uche) and Janae Matthews (Jessica McLeod).

Due to its success, Peacock greenlit a second season, which picked up immediately after the events of the season one finale.

However, despite the show continuing to receive praise from viewers and the season finale featuring a shocking cliffhanger, Peacock announced the show would not be returning for new episodes.

While the streamer execs were happy with the series creatively, the show’s lack of a “requisite audience” was the reasoning behind its cancellation (per Deadline).

Shortly after the news was announced, showrunner Erica Saleh took to Twitter to express her gratitude for the series and its fans.

“Making two seasons of One of Us is Lying was a joy and honour,” she wrote. “I’m disappointed that our story won’t continue on Peacock, but I feel so lucky to have spent the past years alongside the best writers, cast, and crew I know, and so grateful to our fans for all the love and support.”

Rick Montano, a writer for the series, echoed similar sentiments in his own statement on Twitter.

“Huge thanks to the fans of the show for all your support. You have no idea how much you’ve meant to the crew and the cast. Y’all deserved an ending, and I wish we could have given you one. It was going to be awesome,” he tweeted.

In addition to Montano and Saleh, Tejada and van Grootel also acknowledged the cancellation by posting cast photos on their Instagram stories.

Here’s how fans reacted to the cancellation: