TV Recap/Review: "Tell Me Lies" - Season 3, Episode 7 "I Will Promise Not to Sting"

Recap: 

Bree and Wrigley (Cat Missal and Spencer House) are sitting down after their emotional kiss. Wrigley tells her that if she wants him to pretend that this never happened he will. When Bree asks him what he wants, Wrigley says he wants to kiss her again, but he does not want to be the person that hurts everyone.

He admits that he thinks about her a lot, and so does Bree. Wrigley tells Bree that he is going to break up with Pippa (Sonia Mena). Bree doesn’t want him to end his relationship because of their kiss, but Wrigley responds that there are multiple reasons for ending his relationship. Wrigley feels like he and Pippa are just best friends and nothing more. The two proclaim how much they care for each other, and Bree says she is going to break up with Evan. They both agree that this feeling between them is real and they want to explore it. (For all the times I have complained about the story in the past three seasons, or the irrational psychotic nature of some of the characters, this story between Bree and Wrigley is heartwarming and charming, and I am only sad to know that it will be ruined because that’s what happens in Tell Me Lies.)

Back on campus Lucy (Grace Van Patten) runs into Bree, and they both lie to each other about how they are doing. Bree enters her room to find Pippa sleeping and feeling guilty for kissing her boyfriend. 

Evan (Branden Cook) is waiting outside Oliver’s office. When Oliver (Tom Ellis) arrives, Evan demands to speak to him, even though Oliver is trying to brush him off. (Hmm, is Evan out to avenge Bree for what Oliver did? Is that why she never leaves Evan?)

Inside his office, Evan confronts Oliver about Bree. He tells the professor that he and Bree are back together, and Evan pleads with the older man to help him keep Bree. (Evan is seeking advice from a scumbag to keep possession of Bree. Evan is now definitely on my list of horrible people. This is so gross that it should make the audience revolt against ever caring for Evan. This is Stephen DeMarco level of awfulness.) Oliver tells him that Bree is a frightened person who is desperate for stability. 

Lucy walks into the coffee shop and runs into Tegan (Bianca Nugara). Tegan thanks her for being so nice to her and hopes that she wasn’t too embarrassing the other night at the bar. Lucy stops Tegan and tells her that Stephen is not a good guy. Lucy admits that she fears Stephen and that he is dangerous. Lucy’s heart to heart shocks Tegan and she thanks Lucy before walking away. Lucy calls Evan and leaves a message stating they need to talk about something. (Oh, I wonder if Lucy is going to try and take away Stephen’s power over her. Or maybe she wants some help studying for her upcoming exam. Lol, there are classes at this school, but the students have no time to learn.)

Bree is setting up her photography pieces for the exhibit, when Evan walks in. Remorseful, Evan apologizes about his behavior, and before he can say anymore, Bree says they need to talk about something bigger. Evan agrees and says they should do that after today because today is all about Bree. (Oh, I see he is employing the advice Oliver gave him.) When Evan offers to pick up her mom, Bree tries to stop him, but Evan convinces him with his stability and nice guy ways. (So, Oliver is to blame for Bree and Evan staying together? Yup, I hate him too.)

Back at his apartment, Evan opens the door to Lucy. Upset he didn’t answer his phone, Lucy walks in, even though Evan is trying to avoid her. Lucy tells him that Stephen is going to tell Bree that they slept together. Lucy tells Evan that they need to just deny what Stephen says because Bree hates him, and if Evan and Lucy are on the same page, she will believe them and not what Stephen says. (Good plan Lucy, except there is proof, you know Stephen is bound to have some form of proof. Also why don’t you just tell the cops about his involvement with the car accident in season one. That seems like some pretty big evidence to hold over a person. Plus, Evan could easily just pull the funding for Sadie’s school.)

Pippa once again gets Diana’s (Alicia Crowder) answering machine and hopes to connect with her. Wrigley walks in and closes the door. She senses something is wrong, and Wrigley comes clean. He states that they are best friends, and that lately that’s all that their relationship feels like. When Pippa pushes him to say what he wants to say, Wrigley apologizes and continues. (Spencer House is amazing. He not only walks the line of insanity with his idiotic friends, but his natural charm has made Wrigley one of the best characters in the show.) 

Wrigley admits that he is not in love with her and wants to know if Pippa feels the same way. She is floored by his statement. (Pippa, this is your time to be mature and responsible and tell Wrigley what has been going on with you and Diana.) While Pippa is upset about breaking up, Wrigley tells her that for awhile it has felt like she wasn’t that interested in him. He felt like she was with him because she felt bad about what happened to Drew. Wrigley goes on to explain that if he is wrong about that assumption, then he is sorry. Pippa asks him to leave, knowing in her heart that Wrigley is correct. (Sonia Mena handled this scene with perfection. Her eyes tell the story of what is happening in Pippa’s mind and heart, and it is heartbreaking.)

Lucy knocks on Stephen’s door and barges her way in. She tells him that everything he did yesterday was wrong, and Stephen wonders why she cares. When Lucy tries to bate him with issues of trust, Stephen sits and listens as she butters him up with compliments about how well he knows her. When Stephen takes the bait, he tells Lucy that if she is serious about telling Bree, it would go a long way in him trusting her again. Stephen admits that he misses Lucy, and when he sits beside her on the bed, Lucy pleads with him that if they get back together, he should give back the tape of her confession about making up the assault charge against Chris. This leads to them kissing. (While I am certain that Lucy is playing Stephen to get the tape, in some ways, I think she really wants to get back together with him.) 

Lucy tells Stephen he needs to tell Bree because it is hard for him with Evan. Shifting the conversation, Lucy tells Stephen they should talk about it tomorrow because Bree has her exhibit tonight and it would be too much for her now. (I see what you did Lucy, you planted the idea in his head.) When she notices his suit hanging on the closet, Stephen tells Lucy that he is going to a Yale event. Lucy leaves feeling regret and content at the same time.

Evan picks up Mary (Emily Meade) and they get along well. They have some time, and Evan offers to grab a drink, to which Mary agrees. (I see what you are doing Evan. You are setting her up for failure in order to destabilize Bree and make her dependent on you. That’s diabolical.) 

Diana greets Pippa at her dorm room, and she apologizes for not calling her back. She invites her in and says she was not in her best mindset the other day. Pippa gets to the point and tells Diana that Wrigley broke up with her. Pippa admits that she has no right to be upset, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t sad. Admitting that she didn’t handle it well, Pippa tells Diana that it needed to happen anyway. 

Looking to change the subject, Diana tells Pippa that she is going to Standford for Law School. Excited, Pippa is also worried about Diana being so far away, since it is on the west coast of the country. Diana is hoping that this will put enough distance between her and Stephen. (It will also put a lot of distance between you and Pippa.)

At the exhibition, Lucy sees a portrait of her and Bree admits that she took the photo during their freshmen year. In the distance, Bree notices Wrigley and joins him. He wonders if Bree’s mom has arrived, and then he tells her that he broke up with Pippa. Bree wonders if her friend is okay, and Wrigley reassures her that it was the right thing to do, and it wasn’t her fault. Just then, Evan and her mother arrive happy and giddy. (No doubt from their liquid libations.) 

Welcoming her mom, Bree thanks her for coming, and it’s clear that Mary has been drinking. When Bree asks Evan if she has been drinking, her boyfriend lies to her face and says her mom was like that when he picked her up. (Evan, you are going to pay for this.) Stephen arrives and meets up with Lucy. She is shocked to see him, and says since everyone else was coming he thought he might as well. (Sure Stephen, Lucy is playing you and you took the bait.) Wrigley joins them and is surprised to see Stephen there. When he tries to explain that he enjoys artsy things, Wrigley mocks his ‘friend’ and says that yes that is the first thing he uses to describe Stephen to others.  

Stephen leaves to look at Bree’s work, and Wrigley senses something is up. He asks Lucy what is going on between the two of them, and Lucy tries to act innocent. She’s just trying to keep the peace. At her exhibit space, while Mary drones on she notices her portrait, and is not happy about seeing her picture on the wall. 

Back in Diana’s apartment, she can sense that Pippa is not happy, and then  explains she needs to get to the exhibition. Pippa has no desire to be around Lucy, and then Diana tries to defend Lucy, which angers Pippa. Diana finds it unfair for Pippa to put so much pressure on her to base her choices on her happiness. Diana then breaks the dam of emotion and says they shouldn’t see each other anymore. (Ouch, broken up with twice in the span of twenty-four hours. I feel bad for Pippa.) 

Mary continues to drink and pick apart her picture. Bree is trying to compliment her mother and apologizes once again for putting the picture up. Marianne (Gabrielle Pession) arrives and congratulates Bree on her success. Marianne then wonders if Bree feels better about the whole Oliver situation, and Bree does not. It is at this point that Mary stumbles in and makes life even more difficult for Bree. Mary introduces herself to Marianne, and Bree pulls her away. Lucy comes by and joins them with smiles and compliments. 

Evan notices the portrait of Wrigley and asks him when it was taken. Wrigley half answers with a stumbling response which allows Stephen to join them and ask if that was Bree’s mom with her.

At the bar, Bree tries to give her mom water, which Mary does not want and slams the glass of H2O down and asks her daughter if she is embarrassing her. (Evan really should never be forgiven for what has happened tonight. Bree should never marry this guy.) As much as Bree tries to reassure her that she wants her here, Mary wonders why Bree looks so sad. 

Wrigley gets a call from Pippa, and though she recognizes he is busy, she asks if he can come to her place. Wondering if she is okay, Pippa tells him she is not okay and that she needs him. Wrigley, being the good person that he is, agrees to meet Pippa at his place. He feels awful for leaving Bree behind in a difficult situation with her mother. 

Bree is asked to pose with the other artists. Lucy tells her not to worry and follows Mary outside to convince her not to leave. She begs her not to stay and Lucy explains how excited Bree was to have her mom at her big night. Lucy tells Mary that Bree is the best person she has ever met, and she should stay because if she leaves it will really hurt Bree. Mary agrees to stay and say goodbye first. 

Stephen was watching from the door and confronts Lucy about all the kind things she said about Bree. Now, Stephen thinks this would be the best time to tell her about Lucy and Evan, but Lucy pleads with him not to do it. Lucy then states that if he just gave her the tape, she would tell Bree about their affair. (Lucy, to use a card term, you showed your hands and proved you were bluffing behind the bravado.) Stephen tells her she is so bad at schemes, and then Lucy demands he give her the confession tape. Stephen taunts her with the notion that he made copies. 

Mary returns to her daughter and tells Bree that she is going to go but wanted to say bye. Wondering if she is mad at her, Bree tells her no and then embraces her mom. Evan joins Bree and then describes how drunk Mary was when he picked her up. (Evan is a dirtbag.)

In Wrigley’s room, he finds Pippa crying on his bed. She tells him that it feels like she is losing everyone. It’s at this moment that Bree calls Wrigley, and he doesn’t know what to do. Pippa is emotional and vulnerable, and Wrigley doesn’t want to hurt her, but he loves Bree and is stuck in what to do. Pippa begs him to have sex just for the tonight, and Wrigley does. (This was not a smart move Wrigley.)

Lucy comes to Stephen’s room crying, and she begs him to show her the confession tape. She wants to know how bad it is. He obliges her and plays the confession tape for Lucy on his laptop. The video ends and Stephen wonders why she is doing this. Lucy begs him to release the tape because she can’t handle wondering when it will happen. Through a torrent of tears, she begs Stephen to end this. Then Stephen does what no one expects, he gives her the flash drive with the video on it. (I suspect, perhaps, he got what he wanted in tormenting her.)

Shocked, Lucy wants to know if he made another copy. Stephen tells her that he can believe him or not, it’s Lucy’s choice, but he didn’t. 

The next morning, Lucy wakes up in her room, with a content heart and a feeling of joy. Checking her phone, she listens to a message that she has been accepted in the study abroad program for next semester. (I think the good times will be short for Lucy.) Bree wakes up as Wrigley call’s, but before she could answer Pippa comes in, and apologizes. 

Near tears, Pippa stops talking as Lucy joins them crying as well. She is relieved and her friends wonder what is happening. Lucy tells them that Stephen had a tape of her that would ruin her entire life. But, she has it now, and Lucy plans to destroy it immediately. Lucy then apologizes to Pippa for how she has acted towards her.

Pippa lets the beans spill that she and Wrigley spent the night together, and this rocks the emotional core of what Bree thought her life was becoming. Bree decides to shower, and as soon as she enters the bathroom she starts crying. (Poor Bree.)

Checking her phone, Bree sees a message from Evan that tells her he loves her. (Barf! He doesn’t love you. He loves possessing you Bree.)

Walking through the halls of Baird College, Lucy is feeling happy and delighted, she encounters Tegan, and proceeds to tell her how terrible Stephen is, and that she should stay away from him. It’s at this point that Tegan tells Lucy that she already told her this yesterday. (Oh my god Lucy is going crazy.) Trying to laugh it off, Lucy is internally shocked by this revelation. 

Evan answers the door to his apartment, and Bree has arrived. She enters and tells him that she just wants to hide out for the day at his place. Bree apologizes for how she acted yesterday and tells him that she doesn’t want to shut him out. Evan hits the shower. Bree sits at the table, looking through facebook photos and finds a picture from the night Evan cheated on her. In the photo it shows him with Lucy, and Bree is starting to suspect something is up with her best friend and boyfriend. She grabs his phone and starts to snoop for evidence. 

Review:

I want to like this episode simply for the opening moment of the Wrigley and Bree storyline. It felt so genuine and sweet that it would be impossible not to root for those two kids. I think if they just moved off campus, they would be fine. However, this is a place that is filled with misery. 

Now Lucy, is unraveling in a manner that is impossible to describe. How does Lucy have her year ruined. I suspect she releases the tape herself because she has so much trauma from the death of her dad and her mother’s affair, that Lucy is looking to self-destruct. Lucy is doomed by her own actions, and not Stephen DeMarco.

Branden Cook has really brought a new level of danger in Evan. He started off being a nice guy, but now, Evan is a predator who can’t be trusted and will manipulate his own girlfriend for his needs. Stephen is who he is, but Evan is trying to mask his terrible acts with his nice guy persona. 

For the penultimate episode of season, I rank episode 7 with a distinguished honor of a 4 Tequila Shot rating. There is so much revealed and so much possibility for what will come with the explosive final episode, that you may want to avoid what happens next with the worst hangover ever by sleep it off.