The day was Oct. 31—Halloween. The year was 2020.

COVID-19 stopped everything in its tracks, but I formed a new tradition: watching exorbitant amounts of television and eating exorbitant amounts of junk food with my best friend.

That year, 2020, we watched three movies in the Ocean’s franchise. The year after that, though, we continued the tradition with a TV show that had come out three weeks earlier: One of Us Is Lying.

We thoroughly enjoyed season one, and when season two was released almost one year later, we knew that we needed to watch it during our third Halloween marathon.

One of Us Is Lying is based on a book by the same name, written by Karen M. McManus. It is a murder mystery that follows a group of high school students as they are framed for the murder of one of their classmates. They must solve the mystery and reveal the true killer before they are arrested for a crime they didn’t commit.

Although season one of One of Us Is Lying is fairly faithful to the book, season two follows an entirely new plot. Season one ended with a series of events leading to a cliffhanger that did not occur in the book, setting up a new story for the “Murder Club,” as the group of friends is known.

Season one was enjoyable because of the nostalgia of the storyline, but season two was outstanding for completely different reasons. The new plot was even more suspenseful as lives were put on the line, rather than just freedom.

The relationships between characters were fleshed out further; romances that were hinted at in the first season were realized, and all of the protagonists grow closer, closing out the season as a tight-knit group.

One highlight of the season was episode five, “Simon Says Ho Ho Ho!” In this episode, the group makes a difficult decision (no spoilers here) and spends the rest of the episode making the most of their day together.

This episode is bittersweet and so adorable, but it also displays character growth in each protagonist, personally and as a group. Prior to this episode, they had been arguing frequently and often at each other’s throats, but throughout this episode, they begin to form the bonds that allow them to ultimately succeed.

The plot twist near the end and the reveal of this twist was also masterful; it worked for both shock factor and believability. There was just enough foreshadowing that I was able to see what I had missed, and the explanation of the trifecta—means, motive, and opportunity—made it seem realistic. The reveal of this twist also came at the perfect time so as to increase the tension and suspense.

To top it all off, the last scene of the season was, in my opinion, perfect.

It was shocking and left me wanting so much more while still allowing some closure. Nevertheless, I am impatient for season three. If it is released a year after season two, on Halloween night you’ll find me in my basement with an outrageous amount of sugar, watching season three of One of Us Is Lying.