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Young Adult novels (and subsequent film and television adaptations) were all the rage in the 2000s, and they’ve come back with a vengeance over the last few years. They’re like low-rise jeans. So teenage fans had a lot to get excited about when it was announced Peacock would adapt the 2017 YA novel “One of Us Is Lying,” from author Karen M. McManus, into a TV series.
The story’s basically “The Breakfast Club” if it was written by Agatha Christie. In fact, if you’re a fan of the best films inspired by Christie’s works, it’s worth a watch even if you’re not familiar with the source material. Five students are given detention, including Simon (Mark McKenna), who operates a blog that spreads gossip about other kids. Simon unexpectedly dies while serving his punishment, and it’s no accident. An investigation ensues when it comes to light that all of the other students had a reason to kill him.
Season 2 of “One of Us Is Lying” debuted in October 2022. A few months later in January 2023, the news broke from Deadline that Peacock wouldn’t move forward with more episodes. As per the report: “Deadline understands that execs at Peacock were happy with both shows creatively but they just didn’t find the requisite audience to justify further seasons.” Low viewership can tank any series. But it’s odd in this instance because one would assume fans of the book would’ve tuned in more en masse. However, looking back, 2023 simply wasn’t a good time for live-action novel adaptions, especially ones in the YA genre.
One of Us Is Lying had sequels to develop if it hadn’t been cancelled
The announcement of Peacock cancelling “One of Us Is Lying” came bundled with the news that “Vampire Academy” would also get the axe after only one season. “Vampire Academy” had come out in September 2023, so it really didn’t get enough time to build out an audience. Later in 2023, Netflix cancelled the YA series “Shadow and Bone,” so it was a rough time to be a fan of YA stories.
“One of Us Is Lying” was on the New York Times’ best-seller list for five years. There should’ve been a ton of fans waiting in the wings to check it out, and it doesn’t seem like the kind of series that would’ve cost a lot of money to produce, especially with a largely unknown cast. And there could’ve been ample opportunities to flesh out this world into season 3 and beyond. The original book spawned two sequels — “One of Us Is Next” and “One of Us Is Back.” Interestingly, season 2 of “One of Us Is Lying” doesn’t really adapt the second book but instead pursues a new story.
The silver lining to all of this is that there’s a solution for anyone who wants to continue being immersed in this world, and it’s to pick up a book and start reading. But with these cancellations, perhaps the YA adaptation trend is about to go away … like low-rise jeans.
