You've probably seen the grainy, sun-drenched aesthetic of the Sinclair family taking over your social media feeds. If you spent any part of the last decade crying over E. Lockhart’s massive YA hit, you know the vibes. It’s all "beautiful people" and "tragic secrets." But now that Prime Video has finally moved forward with the adaptation, the big question on everyone's mind is a logistical one: how many episodes is We Were Liars going to actually be?
There is nothing worse than a show that drags out a twist. Especially this twist. If they give us twenty episodes of teenagers staring at the ocean, we’re going to lose it. Thankfully, the streamers seem to be leaning into a tighter format for this one.
The Episode Count Breakdown
The first season of We Were Liars is slated to have ten episodes.
Ten feels right. It's that sweet spot where you have enough time to actually care about the Liars—Cadence, Johnny, Mirren, and Gat—without the middle of the season feeling like filler. Most modern prestige dramas or high-end YA adaptations like The Summer I Turned Pretty or Daisy Jones & The Six play in this 8-to-10 episode sandbox. It allows for that slow-burn tension that Lockhart’s writing is famous for. You need the time to feel the heat of Beechwood Island. You need to feel the confusion of Cadence’s amnesia.
Honestly, if it were a movie, we’d lose the nuance. If it were 22 episodes like an old-school CW show, the mystery would get watered down by unnecessary love triangles and B-plots. Ten episodes gives the creators enough room to breathe life into the Sinclair family’s prestigious, rotting core.
Why the Count Matters for the Twist
If you've read the book, you know. If you haven't, don't worry, I'm not spoiling it here. But the structure of the story relies heavily on a "before and after" narrative.
Cadence spent her fifteenth summer on the island. Something happened. Now, she’s back for summer seventeen, and her memory is a fragmented mess of migraines and half-remembered conversations. A ten-episode arc allows the show to dedicate roughly half the season to the "past" and half to the "present" mystery, or, more likely, weave them together until the final two episodes deliver the hammer blow.
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Most people asking how many episodes is We Were Liars are really asking: "How long do I have to wait for the reveal?" Based on the production schedule and the way Julie Plec (the showrunner) usually operates, expect those final two episodes to be where the world falls apart.
Who Is Bringing Beechwood to Life?
It’s not just about the length; it’s about the pedigree. This isn't some low-budget project thrown together to fill a slot. Amazon MGM Studios put some serious weight behind this.
Julie Plec is a name you probably recognize if you ever went through a Vampire Diaries phase. She knows how to handle teen angst better than almost anyone in Hollywood. She’s joined by Carina Adly MacKenzie, who worked on Roswell, New Mexico. These are people who specialize in "pretty people with massive problems."
The cast is equally stacked.
- Mamie Gummer (yes, Meryl Streep’s daughter)
- Caitlin FitzGerald
- Candice King (another TVD alum!)
They play the Sinclair sisters—the aunts who spend their time fighting over their father's inheritance while pretending everything is perfect. The actual "Liars" are played by a group of fresh faces, which is a smart move. You want the kids to feel like real teenagers, not 30-year-old actors in varsity jackets.
The Aesthetic of the Show
Expect the episodes to be visually heavy. When people search for how many episodes is We Were Liars, they are looking for a binge-watch experience. The show was filmed on location, capturing that specific New England "old money" summer vibe.
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Think:
- Private islands.
- White linen that stays inexplicably clean.
- Golden hour shots that feel like a dream.
- A growing sense of dread.
The production design has to do a lot of the heavy lifting here. The island itself is a character. It's a gilded cage. If the show doesn't make you feel slightly claustrophobic despite all that open water, it isn't doing its job.
What if They Change the Ending?
This is the fear, right? With ten episodes, there is a lot of room to deviate from the source material. E. Lockhart is an executive producer, which usually keeps things on the rails, but TV is a different beast than a novel.
In a book, you are inside Cadence’s head. You feel her physical pain. In a show, you’re an observer. To keep people engaged for ten hours, they might have to add more subplots involving the adults. The Sinclair sisters have a lot of baggage that is only hinted at in the book. We might see more of their infighting over the houses on the island—Windemere, Cuddledown, and Clairmont.
Some fans are worried that the episode count suggests a "stretched" story. But think about it this way: the book is actually quite short. It's a quick read. By expanding it to ten episodes, the showrunners can explore Gat’s background more deeply. Gat is the outsider. He’s the one who sees the Sinclairs for what they really are—prejudiced, entitled, and stagnant. Giving him more screen time makes the emotional payoff much stronger.
Comparing the Count to Other Adaptations
Let's look at the data for a second.
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- The Summer I Turned Pretty (Season 1): 7 episodes.
- One of Us Is Lying: 8 episodes.
- Looking for Alaska: 8 episodes.
- Thirteen Reasons Why: 13 episodes.
At ten episodes, We Were Liars is on the longer side for a YA miniseries. This suggests they aren't just rushing to the finish line. They want to build a world. There’s even been talk about whether this could become an anthology series. Since Lockhart wrote a prequel (Family of Liars), a successful ten-episode run of the first book could easily lead to a second season focusing on the previous generation’s secrets.
How to Prepare for the Premiere
You shouldn't just go into this cold. If you want to get the most out of these ten episodes, there’s a bit of a strategy.
First, re-read the book. Seriously. It’s a two-hour commitment at most. Re-reading it allows you to spot the "clues" that the showrunners are almost certainly going to pepper into the early episodes. Look at the way characters react when Cadence asks questions. Look at who avoids eye contact.
Second, watch the teaser trailers with a skeptical eye. Prime Video loves to hide things in plain sight.
Third, get your snacks ready. This is not a "background noise" show. If you miss a line of dialogue in episode three, the finale might not make sense.
Key Details to Remember
- The Setting: Beechwood Island, Massachusetts.
- The Family Motto: "Be a Sinclair. Never be a nuisance. Never complain."
- The Conflict: A family feud over an inheritance and a tragic "accident" that no one will talk about.
- The Episode Total: 10.
Final Thoughts on the Sinclair Mystery
Basically, we're looking at a tightly packed, ten-hour descent into madness. The question of how many episodes is We Were Liars is answered, but the question of how they will handle that infamous ending remains.
It’s a story about the lies we tell to protect our own comfort. It’s about how privilege can rot a person from the inside out. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the book or a newcomer looking for the next White Lotus with teenagers, this episode count suggests a focused, intentional piece of storytelling.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Pace your watch: Don't binge all ten episodes in one night if you want to soak in the atmosphere. Try two a night to let the mystery simmer.
- Check the Prequel: If you finish the show and feel a void, pick up Family of Liars. It explains why the aunts are the way they are.
- Watch for symbolism: The Sinclair family is obsessed with fairy tales. Pay attention to how the show uses those metaphors in the dialogue; it's usually a hint about what's actually happening.
- Stay off social media on premiere day: Spoilers for this story are everywhere, and once the twist is ruined, you can't "un-know" it. Protect your experience.