'Tell Me Lies' to end with today's season 3 finale: Series creator says 'we felt it had reached its natural conclusion'

Grace Van Patten and Jackson White in Tell Me Lies — (Image credit: Hulu)

We've got good news and bad news, "Tell Me Lies" fans: Yes, there's a new episode this week but that season 3 closer — which dropped today, February 17 at 12 a.m. ET on Hulu — will also be its last episode ever, as series creator Meaghan Oppenheimer announced on Monday night that the sultry-yet-sinister romantic drama will not be returning for a fourth season.

"After three amazing seasons of 'Tell Me Lies,' tonight's episode will be the series finale," Oppenheimer wrote in an Instagram post. "This was always the ending my writing team and I had in mind, and we are insanely proud of it. Your incredible response to this season inspired us to explore whether there was another organic way to continue the story, but ultimately we felt it had reached its natural conclusion."

The announcement continued: "My main goal has always been to protect the quality of the show and give you the best experience I can give you. And so, while it is bittersweet to leave something that has been such a happy experience, I am very grateful that we are able to tell a complete story with an intentional ending — a privilege very few shows get. Thank you for loving our show. We are excited to bring you more stories in the near future."

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"Tell Me Lies" is based on Carola Lovering's 2018 novel of the same name and across its three seasons has centered on the admittedly titillating but very toxic relationship between Baird College co-eds Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White), and the ramifications of that tumultuous romance on their larger friend group over the better part of a decade. (Catherine Missal, Spencer House, Sonia Mena, Branden Cook and Alicia Crowder also star.)

Oppenheimer gave more insight into the unexpected decision to not move forward with more Lucy and Stephen drama in an interview with Deadline. "Obviously we love making the show, and I love our audience, but I had had so many conversations with our writers, and when you actually look at what could happen next, Lucy’s not in school anymore. Most of the cast are graduating college in the future. They’re all living in different places. They’re not in the same industry. There’s not a lot connecting them," the showrunner shared.

Tell Me Lies S3 | Official Trailer | Hulu - YouTube

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However, she added that while "it’s such a privilege to know when a show is ending and be able to write an ending and quit while you’re ahead, it’s hard," telling the outlet: "For me, it was just about do I think there’s another season in here that’s going to be as good, that’s not going to feel like a completely different show? And I felt like it would have to be completely re-imagined. The framing device is over. So yeah, while it’s difficult, I think the worst case scenario would be turning in something I didn’t believe in. And also just knowing how much the cast loved this ending, and they were the people who’d been embodying these characters for so long. That gave me a lot of peace about it."

We're sad to say goodbye to one of streaming's most addictively pulpy dramas, but at least you can revisit all three seasons of the romantic series over on Hulu. Plus, here are 5 best shows like "Tell Me Lies" to help heal those TV-loving wounds.

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Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, food and drink, travel and general lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York.

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