Tell Me Lies Season 3 Episode 7: Why is everyone losing the plot?

Dubai: We are one episode away from the Season 3 finale, and the chaos has reached levels that would make even the most dedicated viewer need a moment to lie down.

Spoiler warning: this recap covers Episode 7 in full. You have been warned.

Remember how Tell Me Lies has always been about deeply messy people making catastrophically bad decisions? Episode 7, titled "I Will Promise Not to Sting," takes that concept and sprints with it. Every single character, including the ones we actually quite like, appears to be competing for the title of 'Worst Decision of the Year'. It's a villain arc contest and nobody is losing.

Wrigley and Bree might genuinely share the most authentic relationship the show has ever produced, built on actual trust rather than the usual manipulation and chaos. Naturally, the show is already dismantling it.

Following their unexpected kiss, both decide they want to end their respective relationships. Wrigley follows through and breaks up with Pippa, telling her they feel more like best friends. He's not wrong, but Pippa is devastated, which feels slightly rich given that she's been actively cheating on him this whole time.

If there were an award for the worst single evening experienced by any character this season, Pippa would win it comfortably. She gets dumped by Wrigley, then has her secret relationship with Diana ended when Diana quite reasonably gets tired of being told who she can and cannot date. Two breakups in one night. Absolute carnage.

In a moment of vulnerability, Pippa rings Wrigley, and despite not being particularly enthusiastic, he sleeps with her anyway. This is then mentioned casually in front of Bree the very next morning.

Just when you thought Evan might be one of the more tolerable characters, he seeks relationship advice from Oliver, Bree's much older abuser. He then takes Bree's mother out for a drink before her photography exhibition and lies to Bree's face when her mum arrives visibly intoxicated. It's a deeply unsettling move that backfires spectacularly when Bree pushes him away.

Lucy is absolutely everywhere this week. She warns Teagan about Stephen, convinces Evan to deny everything if Bree confronts them about their private moments, and then tries to gaslight Stephen into thinking they have a future together in exchange for him dropping the confession tape situation.

Stephen sees through it immediately. He tells her she'll never get the recording, and Lucy, in her most raw moment yet, turns up at his door in tears and simply begs him to just release the tape and end the waiting.

In a genuinely unexpected twist, Stephen plays the tape for Lucy, watches her fall apart, and then simply hands her the flash drive, promising he never made a copy.

Whether this is a rare moment of human decency or a calculated move to make Lucy feel safe before pulling the rug out is anyone's guess.

The next morning, Lucy discovers she's been accepted onto her study abroad programme, producing the first genuine smile we've seen from her in ages. However, things take a worrying turn when she gives Teagan the exact same warning about Stephen she already delivered earlier, with absolutely no memory of the previous conversation.

Bree decides to make her relationship with Evan work, convincing herself Wrigley let her down. Whilst Evan showers, she spots a telling photo of him and Lucy on Facebook. Something clicks. She grabs his phone.

And that's where Episode 7 leaves us on a cliffhanger.

The Tell Me Lies Season 3 finale airs on Tuesday February 17 on Hulu. Brace yourselves.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.