Tell Me Lies: Official Podcast

Episode: The Worst Game Ever

Host: Stassi Schroeder | Guests: Grace Van Patten, Costa d’Angelo, Lauren Mayberry
Release Date: February 3, 2026

Overview

This episode of Tell Me Lies: Official Podcast dives into the drama and emotional chaos of Season 3, Episode 6 of Hulu’s Tell Me Lies. Host Stassi Schroeder chats with stars Grace Van Patten (Lucy), Costa d'Angelo (Alex), and later superfan/musician Lauren Mayberry about the latest relationship upheavals, on-set dynamics, and the Gothic Valentine’s Day party that centers the episode’s tension. Wry, candid, and often hilarious, the conversation unpacks new character pairings, the infamous “paranoia game,” and the emotional truth behind the show’s messy romances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Episode 6 Recap and the “Paranoia Game”

• Dramatic Developments:
  Stassi recaps the episode’s key events: Steven’s sabotage, the awkward introduction of Teagan, Brie inviting Alex as Lucy’s date (which only adds tension), and the “paranoia” party game ripping the group open emotionally.
  • "The squad spills what they really think of one another in a painful game of paranoia. I thought games were supposed to be fun, but it sparks a tense moment between Brie and Wrigley…” (01:19)

2. Cast Icebreakers & Behind-the-Scenes Antics

(03:00–06:30)

• Who’s Most Likely To…

  • Ad-lib a Line?
    All agree: Jackson White (Steven).
    • “The few moments I had with him, he was ad libbing and it made me nervous and I said… stop doing that… No, no, he’s great.” – Costa d’Angelo (03:44)
  • Break Character & Laugh?
    Grace admits it’s her; Costa recalls a door scene they couldn’t get through without giggling.
    • “There was one in particular… I had to open the door for Grace, but she didn’t even knock yet. I was just so ready… It was hilarious.” – Costa (05:31)
  • Pranks on Set?
    Grace is known for her “electric” prank gadgets (shock pens, lighters, etc.), though the dark tone of the season left little room for mischief.

• Balancing Dark Material and Set Vibes:
  Despite intense plotlines, the cast keeps things light off-camera.

  • “It’s such a good group, and everyone’s pretty chill... we keep it pretty fun.” – Costa (06:52)
  • “We all love hanging out with each other.” – Grace (07:12)

3. Welcoming Costa (Alex) to the Cast

(07:24–09:15)

• Grace describes Alex’s role as “fresh blood” and praises Costa’s chemistry read, while Costa recalls feeling immediately welcomed—highlighted by a birthday dinner in Toronto.
  • “It was my birthday and they got me a cake… I felt the love, honestly, from day one.” – Costa (08:36)

4. Deep Dive: Lucy & Alex’s Relationship

(09:39–13:41)

• Alex’s Character Arc:
  Costa shares that on paper, Alex seemed like “the worst guy ever... obsessed with Lucy,” but playing him revealed layers of heartbreak and vulnerability.

  • “He looks like he could kill you… really intimidating guy… But I had to bring my own flavor to him… He’s a really tragic character and… finds something in Lucy that heals a part of himself.” (09:39)

• Lucy’s Motives:
  Grace explains it’s a new dynamic for Lucy: not about desperate love, but two people using each other as vessels to work through trauma.

  • “Lucy and Alex were kind of dealing with their own trauma separately, but together… It was a way for them to work things out for themselves.” (10:54)

• Sex Scenes as Storytelling:
  Both praise showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer for writing intimate scenes that reflect the characters’ psychology, not just physicality.

  • “Every sex scene… is always a continuation of where they are mentally and physically... it’s everything they can’t express through words...” – Costa (12:01)
  • “I’ve never seen anything like that on TV.” – Grace (12:28)

• Are Lucy & Alex Healthy?
  They agree it’s not a relationship in the traditional sense—neither expects much from the other, but Lucy rejects care when Alex finally offers it, reinforcing patterns of self-worth.

  • “I think we accept the love we think we deserve...” – Grace (13:16)

5. Honesty & Vulnerability Between Lucy and Alex

(15:04–16:48)

• Lucy’s comfort telling Alex she’s “not okay” comes from a shared vulnerability—unlike her relationships with friends or Steven.
  • “I don’t think Lucy has ever been met with vulnerability… it gave her permission to do the same.” – Grace (15:18)
  • “Alex and Lucy… they’re the only two characters that don’t lie to each other, at least for a while… trauma bonded in a way.” – Costa (15:48)

6. On Filming Intense Scenes & Decompression

(16:13–19:47)

• Both treat intense scenes as “just another day at work” but admit emotional exhaustion can linger. Grace reveals she’s still learning to “shed” the role after a season.
  • “I always think that I’m really good at separating it… and then, without fail, after every job, I’m like, why do I feel so weird?” – Grace (18:57)
• Costa decompresses with music and has a specific “Alex playlist.”
  • “I might post it one day… My Costa playlist is the complete opposite of Alex. You might hear my trailer just thumping music…” (18:21)

7. Character Strengths and Self-Reflection

(19:47–21:14)

• Alex: Values honesty and directness.
  • “He doesn’t lie and he’s honest… he’s got these rules that he doesn’t break until he meets Lucy.” – Costa (19:52)
• Lucy: Aspires to be a good friend, even if she stumbles.
  • “I appreciate who she wants to be and who she attempts to be… but just doesn’t know how yet.” – Grace (20:28)
• Both note the characters’ youth, mistakes, and the messiness of finding oneself in college.

8. Max and the Messy Fallout after the Valentine’s Party

(21:14–24:51)

• Costa and Grace discuss the Max bar scene, revealing Alex is trying to help Lucy, not party with her, while Lucy’s unresolved trauma blocks intimacy.
  • “He can’t always protect her. He can’t protect everyone…” – Costa (23:26)
  • “Lucy won’t allow him to… how does Lucy get back to this dynamic that they’ve established, which isn’t sweet, it’s not caring…” – Grace (22:32)
• All agree: Poor Max deserves better and should come on the podcast!

9. The Paranoia Game and Self-Hatred

(25:10–26:22)

• When Evan “dags” Lucy as most likely to secretly hate herself during the paranoia game, Grace says it’s cruel but not inaccurate.
  • “Is he wrong?… I think Lucy in episode six... does not… is not happy with herself.” – Grace (25:31)
• The season’s emotional heaviness is noted again.

10. Games and Coping on Set

(26:23–30:22)

• The cast plays games like “Got It” and does puzzles between scenes to decompress.
• Grace’s favorite is the “Shocktato”—a hot potato that shocks whoever’s holding it.
  • “It’s been around since season one… a little plastic potato with little shockers on it... when you catch it and the music is done, it shocks you.” – Grace (29:35)
• Costa: “I love a puzzle now.” (29:13)
• These rituals help offset the season’s dark themes and strengthen cast bonds.

11. Lauren Mayberry on the Soundtrack, Character Chaos, and Relatable Nostalgia

(31:27–43:08)

A. Taylor Swift, Powerpuff Girls, and Emo Nostalgia

• Lauren identifies as a Swifty and says her style is “gothic power puff girl with big witch energy.”
  • “My favorite dance mode is lying down crying to Taylor Swift.” – Lauren (32:16)
  • She and Stassi compare their Powerpuff Girl energies—Blossom for life-of-the-party, the dark haired one for “depressing Swifty.”

B. Most Relatable Character

• Lauren relates most to Lucy—“minus a couple of really shocking things”—and appreciates how the show allows for characters with both good and bad parts.
  • “Other than Steven, I feel like there are good parts and bad parts to every character... that’s part of growing up.” (34:17)

C. Social Media, Online Harassment, and 2000s Nostalgia

• Lauren and Stassi reminisce about the proto-social media era, the innocence of uploading unvetted party albums, and the newness of online drama.
  • “That specific 2007–2008, that's why the soundtrack really works for me… being at house parties when these songs were on…” – Lauren (35:52)
  • “I remember being in a relationship on Facebook… and then seeing that they had listed themselves as single. And I was… life ruined.” – Lauren (36:43)
• Both have personal stories about relationship drama playing out on Facebook.

D. The Toxic Pull of Steven & Advice for Lucy

• Lauren notes Steven’s “Patrick Bateman” long-game manipulation and Lucy’s relatable inability to break away from toxic relationships.
  • “You’re not gonna win… Even when you think you’re gonna win this, you’re never gonna win.” (39:12)
• Advice for Lucy: It’s time to run; some mistakes you just have to make.

E. Shipping Bree & Wrigley

• Stassi and Lauren delight in the “so messy, but so right” pairing of Bree and Wrigley, feeling it overshadows Evan’s character.
  • “I ship Wrigley and Brie so hard that it’s then making me resent Evan—and Evan was one of my favorite characters. How did this happen?” – Stassi (40:15)

F. Lauren’s Music on the Show & Soundtrack Choices

• Lauren contributed two songs to this season, including a cover of “Addicted to Love” for the wedding scene.
  • “We need to get the flow of the scene to work with what's happening. But it should feel foreboding… Don’t make it too nice and weddingy.” – Lauren (41:53)
• Notes how the show’s music choices capture the era’s emotional texture (e.g., using Death Cab for Cutie).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Alex’s tragic core:

  • “As the season goes on… he’s really heartbroken and finds something in Lucy that heals a part of himself from when he was a kid.” – Costa d’Angelo (09:39)

• On sex scenes as character insight:

  • “It’s not just these two young people having sex. It’s literally everything they can’t express through their words…” – Costa (12:01)

• The paradox of cast chemistry:

  • “We all like love hanging out with each other.” – Grace (07:12)
  • “It’s like harder to get into it than, like, you know, like… Oh shit, I’m sad and angry at you right now.” – Grace (07:19)

• On self-worth and love:

  • “We accept the love we think we deserve.” – Grace (13:16)

• On post-scene decompression:

  • “I always think I’m really good at it… and then, without fail, after every job, I’m like, why do I feel so weird?” – Grace (18:57)

• On getting lost in character:

  • “I might post [the Alex playlist] one day… My Costa playlist is the complete opposite of Alex.” – Costa (18:21)

• On onscreen vulnerability:

  • “Alex and Lucy… they’re the only two characters like that that don’t lie to each other, at least for a while. They’re just trauma bonded in a way.” – Costa (15:48)

• On unapologetic self-care:

  • “My favorite dance mode is lying down crying to Taylor Swift.” – Lauren (32:16)

• On emotional stakes of the show:

  • “It truly is sad for everyone. It’s like such a culmination of all these past years… It is heartbreaking. And that’s life.” – Costa (26:09)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Show Recap: 00:32–02:34
• Cast Icebreakers & Set Stories: 02:54–06:30
• Welcoming Costa & On-Set Chemistry: 07:24–09:15
• Lucy & Alex’s Relationship Deep Dive: 09:39–13:41
• Vulnerability, Honesty, and Explosive Party Scene: 15:04–16:48, 21:14–24:51
• Decompressing & Leaving Characters Behind: 16:13–19:47
• Games & On-Set Coping: 26:23–30:22
• Lauren Mayberry Joins – Music, Fandom & Nostalgia: 31:27–43:08

Final Thoughts

This episode blends genuine emotional exploration, behind-the-scenes fun, and fan-fueled conversation, reflecting both the heaviness and catharsis of Tell Me Lies’ third season. It paints a vivid picture of the cast’s camaraderie, the pains of growing up, and how the show’s music and messy relationships mirror the struggles of an entire generation. The episode ends with playful speculation about the future, love for the soundtrack, and a toast to the complexity of every character—including poor, steadfast Max.