The mid-season finale of The Lying Game was fantastic! Taking place on Emma and Sutton’s seventeenth birthday, Emma decided it was time to tell Sutton’s parents the truth. But she couldn’t find herself to do it, so subtle goodbyes became her route of choice. Then there’s the wrath of Sutton, coming to ruin any peaceful goodbye that Emma had planned. This is certainly not the warm reunion between the sisters that any of us would have liked to have seen.
Sutton came back and pretended to be Emma in front of Ethan just for the moment that they all would come face to face. Not only did Emma not get to hear Ethan tell her that he loves her, Emma was threatened by Sutton with identity theft. Vindictive is right. What’s disheartening is knowing that it’s not so much the act of Ethan breaking up with Sutton that is the real pain…it’s the simple fact that Emma took what wasn’t hers without Sutton’s permission – control. But before Sutton could tell “the truth” to her parents at the birthday party, she is run off the road and into the river by a mystery person in the back seat. Meanwhile, Emma shows up to the party, soaking wet, and ready to tell the real truth. But a distant Annie distracts her from the big reveal and viewers are left watching just outside the party, Emma as Sutton and Sutton’s mom questioning a nearby Annie’s presence.
And while Emma and Sutton’s mother are getting closer to finding out answers, Thayer is left in the dark. He comes so close to discovering the truth that the result is head pounding! Thayer becomes more suspicious than ever of his father and confronts him like a man only to have his perspective turned on its heads. His spy tactics need a bit more work because Alec is just too good! Alec has got his lies all planned out! It truly is mind bending finding out what people are willing to do to keep the truth away. What a fascinating game Alec is playing.
Though what really struck me in this episode was Sutton’s distance from her parents. It was made very clear when Sutton first interacted with her mother upon her return home. Emma is so warm while Sutton is so disconnected and broken. Sutton may be the villain but she wasn’t born that way. That said, the girl’s heart has been in pieces long before Emma arrived and because of that, we get this reclusive behavior. It’s incredible how reclusive she is while being such an extrovert. Not at all ironic I would say. Sutton’s got a depth to her that is not to be overlooked. I cannot wait to see where she is headed in the second half of season one. The writers really did a superb job with the mid-season finale!
Many times throughout the episode, I found myself talking to the television screen, which I rarely ever do. Limits were tested. Emma’s best friend connected to Sutton’s world more which was a very exciting new moment on the show. Love was in the air. There was a lot going on and all of it kept me glued to the screen. The element of mystery that I loved so much when reading “The Lying Game” by Sara Shepard put itself front and center in this episode and hit a home run. And there was so much more to enjoy as well. It must also be said that Alexandra Chando is doing a fabulous job at playing both Emma and Sutton. This is not an easy task to accomplish, so props to Chando.
The mid-season finale left us with just the right amount to appreciate coming to the light as it did with what we are left in the dark about. That is not easy to do either, so bravo! There is literally nothing to complain about here. I love where everything is headed, even though we are left in the dark about quite a bit, but it’s perfectly alright. That’s what is going to make this wait so exciting. See you back on ABC Family in January!
The Lying Game returns to ABC Family January 2012.