Liar: Season 1/ Episode 2 – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Liar has to be one of the few shows which has me really second guessing what I think, what I should write, and I both love it and hate it for that.

What If He Is A Rapist?: Andrew, Luke, Laura, Tom

 

That post Laura put online ends up with over 10,000 shares and is leading to whispers. The kind of whispers which make it so neither Andre nor Laura can honestly go to work. After all, Luke, Andrew’s son, is in her class giving her a mean stink eye. On top of that, both the staff and students know and it makes every giggle a mockery of what she been through.

 

Which she wasn’t expecting at all. Laura was expecting more comradery, the damnation of Andrew, yet she is getting flack. People commenting how she could be so lucky, how she is a slut, and then the police. Oh,

– they’re useless in Laura’s eyes. If only because she is expecting a quick turnaround time. She said Andrew raped her so where is the arrest? Where is the warrant to search his house for GHB or some similar substance?

With her getting blown off, she remembers that Andrew, since his wife was alive years ago, has hidden a key under this ugly gnome. It’s something he told her on the date and she remembered that. So, with a key to his house, she investigates and finds a vial. Something she thinks will be a smoking gun but even with her manipulating Tom, and Tom manipulating a co-worker, they find nothing. All they learn is that someone in Andrew’s house needed insulin. That’s it.

What If She Is Confused or a Liar?: Andrew, Denis, Laura, Detective Harmon, Detective Maxwell

As you can imagine, working a rape case is difficult. There is this instant desire to believe the survivor, especially since only 2 to 8 percent of rapes are false accusations. On top of that, think of the connotations that come with being involved. We see it throughout the episode. The survivor takes almost as much blame and insults as those they accuse. Not just in dramas like this but as seen in The Invisible War alongside Netflix’s Audrie & Daisy.

Making it hard to really judge when Laura sort of goes overboard. She is being told to wait while she believes her rapist is allowed a normal life, with minor inconvenience. He is still going to work, seemingly not under the scrutiny he deserves, and yet there remains the question of whether he did it?

As noted in the first episode, things don’t seem very Black and white here. Not because Andrew is attractive but more so how everyone seems to know each other so well. Much less, is open about each other’s business. In the last episode, the key thing to note was how loquacious Katy was. In this episode, it is Andrew telling a woman he only knows through her sister about a key to his house. The house he doesn’t live alone in but shares with his son.

Really pushing the idea this show is trying to direct us to the idea it is not Andrew but someone who knows his life well. Hence why he notes to the HR person how long he has known them. It’s a hint. Though, with the introduction of Denis (Peter Davison), someone seemingly accused by Laura in the past of rape, it throws in the idea that Laura’s secret could be beyond her formally taking medication.

Question(s) Left Unanswered

Highlights

It Makes It So Hard To Judge Laura

As said with the first episode, this show forces you to confront your assumptions and add on a layer of scrutiny to your thoughts. Not just because the internet is forever and someone taking what you said the wrong way can ruin your life. More so, it makes you really get into the mind of Laura and understand her impulsiveness.

Take her breaking into Andrew’s home or posting her side of things on social media. From the outside looking in, both actions seem idiotic. However, really think about it. Stats wise, a lot of rape survivors, particularly women, don’t necessarily see convictions. From the police questioning, public scrutiny, and being left with a mark on you, I’d imagine it would come to a point where you feel like just moving on. Not that you easily can but, how much longer can you fight for your truth to be validated?

So with that in mind, you can understand why Laura did what she did. Being told to wait as someone is given time to build a defense, to impress people with his charm, that hurts. You pay money into the justice system, believe it is on your side, but when it is time to put up and not shut up, it fails you. Making you think that the only advocate you truly have is yourself, so you have to grab onto justice with your own hands. Which, with that earring left during her detective work, may mean that Laura could mess up her case.

It definitely seems Detective Harmon and Maxwell surely are getting tired of her not trusting them.

Criticism

I Can Imagine A Last Minute Twist

Similar to Hotel Beau Séjour, I can fully imagine someone who the show hasn’t even been pushing us towards being the culprit. Right now, for me, it has to be Katy and Andrew’s co-worker. If only because he comes off odd, is seen just enough to be relevant, and has all he needs to know. He knows what type of drugs to use, knows Laura’s past likely through Katy and probably was familiar enough with the ins and outs of Andrew’s life to pin something on him if need be.

Hence why, when I saw that vial, I figured it was planted. After all, he has kept a key underneath a gnome since his wife was alive – more than a decade ago. Thus making him someone so easy to setup since, being that Andrew and Luke are on a schedule, Andrew’s easy to find and Luke’s easy to predict due to school, it gives ample time to point things his way. But, with nothing being in that vial, that part of my theory is debunked.

I still think Katy and Andrew’s associate is the rapist though. But imagine if it really was Andrew…

Why Is Laura Inviting People To Upset Her?

I can give a past to Laura for a lot of her behavior but replying to someone saying she is lying? Answering Andrew’s phone call? Why did she do that? It makes not the least bit of sense to me.

On The Fence

Katy’s Love Triangle

I’m trying to understand how someone really thought with all that is going on with Laura, pairing that with her sister messing around with her ex would be a good idea. Yeah, it may cause more drama, maybe lead Laura to feel like she can’t trust anyone but, bleh. I get giving actors juicy roles is how you can attract good ones but it really does feel like there is enough going on here that we don’t need this on top of it.