Tell Me Lies season 3 continues to escalate its emotional stakes, and episode 5 arrives at a pivotal moment for nearly every major character. Following the revelations of episode 4, the Hulu drama deepens the fallout from Bree’s mysterious phone calls, reshaping relationships across both the 2008 college timeline and the 2015 wedding-day storyline set at Baird College.
Episode 5, titled “I’d Like to Hold Her Head Under Water,” premieres on Hulu on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. ET. Viewers on the West Coast will be able to stream the episode earlier, beginning Monday, January 26, at 9:00 p.m. PT. This overnight release window is consistent with Hulu’s Tuesday drop schedule for the season. Season 3 originally premiered on January 13, 2026, with the first three episodes released simultaneously, and like season 2, it consists of eight episodes total. With episode 5 marking the midpoint of the season, four episodes remain as the consequences of long-buried secrets continue to unfold.
Because Tell Me Lies is a Hulu original series, all episodes are available exclusively through the platform. Hulu currently offers a 30-day free trial for new subscribers on its ad-supported plan, which costs $10.99 per month afterward. The ad-free plan is priced at $18.99 per month, and the show is also accessible through select Disney+ bundle options that include Hulu.
The emotional groundwork for episode 5 is laid in episode 4, “Fix Me Up, Girl,” which once again jumps between the characters’ college years in 2008 and Bree and Evan’s wedding in 2015. The episode was widely noted for how it connected impulsive, messy choices from the past to the polished surface of adulthood. In the college timeline, Lucy continues to drift away from Stephen DeMarco, even as his influence over her grows more insidious. One of the episode’s most striking moments centers on the idea that “being a woman is a prison,” a line that resonates as Lucy observes another student struggling with whether to report a predatory professor. The show presents the emotional weight of that decision without offering easy answers, emphasizing how institutional pressure and fear often silence victims.
The episode also leans heavily into period-specific details that ground the story in the late 2000s. From references to elaborate prom hairstyles held together by countless bobby pins to nostalgic pop culture moments like slow dances and early Facebook activism, these details serve as reminders of how normalized certain behaviors once were. The contrast between youthful naïveté and adult regret becomes especially stark as the narrative flashes forward to the wedding timeline.
In 2015, the wedding scenes take on a darker tone as it becomes clear that something is deeply wrong beneath the celebration. Wrigley appears withdrawn and haunted, while Bree tries to push forward with Evan, despite unresolved feelings from her past. The emotional tension culminates in the long-awaited reveal that the person who repeatedly called Bree on her wedding day was not a stranger or authority figure, but Wrigley himself. This revelation reframes their entire relationship and explains the unspoken grief and longing that has lingered between them for years.
Members of the cast later discussed the twist in interviews, revealing that even some of the actors were unaware of the caller’s identity when earlier scenes were filmed. Catherine Missal, who plays Bree, explained that she initially imagined several possibilities for the caller and was genuinely shocked when she learned the truth. Spencer House, who portrays Wrigley, revealed that he had known about the arc for some time and viewed it as a slow-burning romantic tragedy woven into the show from its earliest moments. For Branden Cook, who plays Evan, the twist added an especially painful layer, as the betrayal comes not just from his wife, but from his closest friend.
Looking ahead to episode 5, the official synopsis suggests that gossip will spiral around Lucy during a pool party, while Bree searches for answers rooted in her childhood. The episode also promises to explore the dangerous power dynamic created by Stephen’s knowledge of Bree’s secret. As Stephen has demonstrated time and again, he is quick to weaponize information, and this revelation gives him new leverage to manipulate those around him.
With four episodes remaining after episode 5, Tell Me Lies has ample room to deepen the emotional consequences of Bree’s silence, Evan’s growing mistrust, and Lucy’s ongoing struggle to reclaim control over her own life. The series continues to examine how youthful decisions echo far into adulthood, often resurfacing at the moments when characters believe they have finally moved on.
As the season moves into its second half, episode 5 stands as a turning point. The truth about Bree’s caller has shattered the fragile stability of multiple relationships, and the fallout is only beginning. When the episode drops on January 27, viewers can expect a tense, emotionally charged hour that pushes every character closer to a breaking point.
