We Were Liars: parents' guide
Best for ages 14 and up. Rated TV-14.
A moody, glossy mystery set on a rich family's private island, best for teens 14 and up with a parent. Cadence returns after an accident she cannot remember, and the slow reveal of what happened involves the deaths of young people and grief that hits hard. Along the way teen and adult couples have sex on screen without explicit nudity, f-words come up in every episode, teens drink heavily, and Cadence numbs her migraines with painkillers and alcohol until she is hooked. The content runs heavier than the TV-14 label suggests. A wealthy white family's racism toward two South Asian characters is a key thread.
What's in it
Violence
ModerateA teen washes up on a beach with a serious head injury, two boys nearly drown in a storm, a video shows a teen violently beating a rival, and a gun appears. The central mystery turns on a tragedy that kills several teens.
Language
StrongF-words show up in every episode, with three in the first episode alone by one count, plus s-words, ass and misuse of God's name.
Sex and nudity
ModerateTeen and adult couples have sex on screen with movement and sounds but no explicit nudity; an affair shows a man's bare backside. There is also teen sexting, a same-sex encounter and revealing outfits.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
StrongTeens drink to excess at parties and on a booze cruise while adults look the other way. An adult struggles with alcoholism, and the heroine self-medicates with painkillers and alcohol until she becomes addicted.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateMemory loss, migraines and hints that something is badly wrong build to a tragic reveal involving the deaths of several teens. A grandmother dies in her sleep, the grief is heavy, and a late twist reframes earlier scenes in an unsettling way.
Sensitive topics
- Addiction
- Racism
- Death of a child
Worth talking about
The Sinclairs care intensely about money and appearances. How do the family's secrets and prejudices push the teens toward a terrible choice?
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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, Wikipedia, justwatch.com. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.