We Were Liars Season 1 Episode 1: Tell Me Sweet Little Lies

We Were Liars opens with a flashback to Summer 16 (2016) and the night Cadence Sinclair Eastman suffers a terrible, mysterious accident: she lies unconscious on the beach until her eyes suddenly snap open. The story then rewinds to earlier that summer, when Cadence's mother Penny finds her swimming in the lake and sends her off to get ready for the family photoshoot.

The photoshoot introduces the Sinclairs: patriarch Harris and matriarch Tipper; their daughters Penny, Carrie and Bess; and the grandchildren Johnny, Mirren, Cadence and the littles. Ed Patil, who is dating Carrie, and Gat Patil, Ed's nephew and Cadence's friend, arrive for lunch. A flashback to Summer 8 reveals how Gat became friends with Cadence, Johnny and Mirren, the foursome who dub themselves the Liars. Every summer the family, Ed and Gat stay at Harris and Tipper's private island, Beechwood.

At the beach afterwards, Cadence tells Mirren that Gat looks different and it becomes obvious her feelings are shifting. Left alone, Gat opens up about his recent trip to India while Cadence hangs on his words. They almost kiss while washing off after the beach, and later that night Cadence sees Gat sealing a letter with a beach flower, assuming it is for her. The next day they arrange to meet that night for the meteor shower.

Johnny notices how close Cadence and Gat have become and, not wanting a romance to break up the group, spooks Gat with the story of a friend he hooked up with whose friendship fell apart. That night Cadence waits with a blanket, but Gat arrives with Mirren and Johnny and invites her onto a party boat; feeling brushed off, she leaves — and when Gat realises she is gone he swims back to shore and starts to confess before the others dive in and cut the moment short.

Gat gets another chance later, alone on the beach, and finally confesses his feelings; they share a passionate kiss. The episode then flashes forward two months to the night of Cadence's accident: she lies on the ground, someone turns her over, and black beads are shown in one of her hands before the scene cuts to credits.

As of S1E1, the episode shows only that Cadence is found unconscious on the beach two months after the kiss; the cause is not revealed.

As of S1E1, the closing shot shows black beads in Cadence's hand with no explanation.

As of S1E1, Cadence only assumes the letter is for her; the episode does not confirm it.