“Desperate Lies” (season 1) is a family drama about Liana and Tomas wanting to have their own kids. Tomas cheats on Liana, but all is forgiven when Tomas meets with an accident. However, the lies have already started because Liana was sexually assaulted, and now she is pregnant with twins in a rare condition where each child has two different fathers. When Tomas finds out, he is only interested in his child and wants to abandon the other. However, once the twins are born, Liana is not ready to let go of the other child. The marital disputes and the lies they come up with go too far, leading to death and Tomas ending up in prison. The troubles aren’t over as the twins grow up and seek answers to the lies that have been spun for over 18 years.
This article contains spoilers.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 1 “More Than I Ever Wanted” Recap:
“Desperate Lies” opens in 2006. Liana has gone into labor, and since she can’t make it to the hospital, her husband Tomas helps her. Liana has twins at the house. Eight months earlier, Liana has already had two miscarriages. Her brother Lucas has died, and Liana wants nothing more than to have a family of her own. Hence, Liana is working on a schedule that annoys Tomas, as the spark in their marriage has died down. When Liana is ovulating, she has sex with Tomas, but she also finds out that Tomas is cheating on Liana with a woman named Claudia. They fight, and Tomas walks out on Liana to go on a biking trip with Claudia and others.
Liana has her clinic and helps her sister-in-law Silvia’s son, Inacio, who seems to have a problem with vision. One of Liana’s closest friends is Debora, who tries to cheer Liana up and takes Liana to Debora’s brother Oscar’s nightclub. In the club, Liana drinks, and Oscar gives her some drugs, and they end up in Liana’s house. They try to have sex, but Liana keeps refusing. In the end, it seems like Oscar took advantage of Liana. The following day, Liana wakes up with a hangover and asks Tomas to call her back later because the previous night seems like a blur. However, Oscar is excited and happy after sleeping with Liana.
It’s been 13 years since Liana’s brother Lucas passed away. In a yearly ceremony, Oscar and Debora arrive at Liana’s mother’s house. Liana wants to forget about her despicable encounter with Oscar, but Oscar flirts with her. Infuriated, Liana confronts Oscar, who denies taking advantage of her. To make matters worse, Tomas has met with an accident but asks Silvia not to inform Liana. During Inacio’s routine check-up, Silvia tells Liana about Tomas’ accident.
Hurriedly, Liana visits the hospital, and Tomas and Liana make up and return home together. Romance starts to spark between the two, and one morning, Liana faints. At the hospital, Silvia is also a doctor, and she reveals that Liana is pregnant with twins. Instead of feeling joyous, Liana is worried about knowing who the father of her children is. She vents to Debora, who suggests getting a paternity test. The tests are conducted, and the doctor reveals that Liana is a rare case as one of the twins is Tomas’s child, and the other is Oscar’s.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 2 “Eyes Wide Open” Recap:
The episode continues with Dr. Vincente explaining about the children’s father to Liana. Overwhelmed with the information, Liana walks away from the clinic and cries. Meanwhile, Inacio’s vision, especially at night, gets worse. Since Liana is an occupational therapist, she spends time with Inacio in her clinic but seems distracted that day. At Oscar’s nightclub, Debora’s ex-boyfriend Kiko takes some drugs and gives them to his lady friend and takes advantage of her just like Oscar had done to Liana. Even though Tomas is pampering Liana, Liana is burdened with worry because of her pregnancy. As Liana leaves her clinic, Oscar drives by, and they start to argue.
Oscar is in deep trouble as Kiko is suing him because of the incident at his nightclub. Subsequently, Oscar takes his father’s help to get out of the mess. At the hospital, Silvia and Dr. Vincente know each other. He asks Silvia to visit him and check out the rare cases he has encountered. It turns out Oscar’s father is a long-term client in Tomas’s father’s firm, and Tomas and his father are handling Oscar’s case. However, Tomas is shocked when he realizes that his father is hiding evidence and making sure Kiko does not sue Oscar to let Oscar go. Tomas is mad, and he gives Oscar a piece of his mind, but Oscar is ungrateful and arrogant. Once they leave, Tomas’s father reveals that Lucas and Oscar were drinking and on drugs when their accident took place, and Tomas’s father handled the matter.
Outside the firm, Claudia tries to win over Tomas, but he refuses to see her again. Before leaving, Claudia asks him to find her when his life is a mess. Meanwhile, Silvia finds out from the case that it is Liana and is shocked. That night, Tomas tells Liana about Oscar’s case, and Liana can’t help but take it personally. To make matters worse, Tomas tells his parents about Liana’s pregnancy, which goes against her wishes. The following morning, Silvia arrives at Liana’s house. Liana tells her the whole story about her pregnancy. Silvia asks Liana to go to the police since Oscar has committed a crime. But Liana refuses, and the only option left is for Liana to tell Tomas the truth. Later that day, Liana musters up the courage and insinuates that Tomas is the father of only one of the twins, perplexing Tomas.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 3 “A Love Divided” Recap:
The episode continues with Liana informing Tomas about the truth of her pregnancy. After a while, Tomas understands the implications and starts throwing things around. He calls Liana a whore in anger, but once he has calmed down, Liana reminds him that she had forgiven him when he cheated on her. Later, Liana tells Tomas that the other child is Oscar’s son, and they are now unsure how to proceed with their life. After giving it a lot of thought, Tomas has an idea to abort the other child and keep his. As a professional, Silvia explains the dangers. Liana suggests they go through with the pregnancy, and once the child is born, they give Oscar’s child away for adoption.
Meanwhile, Inacio cannot skateboard because of his vision. Therefore, he decides to play the guitar and sing as he loves music. At the office, Tomas’s father informs Tomas about a luncheon his mother wants to host for Liana’s pregnancy. That night, because of stress and anger, Tomas decides to call Claudia and have sex. However, he can’t go through with it as he wants to be home with his wife.
At home, Liana and Tomas confess their love for each other and have sex and later decide to tell everyone that they are having a single child and not twins. To start, Liana tells Debora that the first ultrasound did not reveal the number of children in her womb correctly, and she is giving birth to one child, and it is Tomas’s child. When Debora points fingers at Liana, Liana reveals the truth about Oscar and Lucas’ accident. After hearing this, Debora confronts Oscar, who does not seem to care as long as he survives.
At the luncheon, Liana’s mother starts to suspect that Liana has twins. But Silvia jumps in and says she is sure Liana has only one child. Meanwhile, Inacio is at a sleepover, and his friends are kind toward him. Silvia and Vincente go on a date and kiss. Now, Liana is adamant about having a home birth and is learning everything to have one. Later, she visits an orphanage and meets a couple looking to adopt.
Liana promises to give the other child to them and lies that her husband doesn’t want any children, and hence, she is giving the child away. Meanwhile, Oscar’s nightclub has become a hot spot, and he continues to serve drugs. Liana and Tomas go on a holiday. At night, Liana’s water breaks, and as she wishes, she has a home birth. The first child, Mateus, is healthy, but when the second child comes out, it is purple, and they are unsure what to do.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 4 “In Pieces” Recap:
The episode opens with Silvia and Vincente in bed, where Silvia says she does not believe in marriage. Meanwhile, Inacio is performing at the school music festival. As he gets off the stage, he is unable to see clearly and bangs his head on a wall and bleeds from the head. At the country house barn, Tomas manages to bring Marcus to life. However, Tomas is mad at Liana for hiding her plans. The next day, Silvia arrives at the country house but holds back on yelling at Liana for carelessness as she needs to rest. Liana has equal affection towards both Marcus and Mateus, but Tomas is sure to give up on Marcus.
Meanwhile, a police officer, Nelson, searches Oscar’s nightclub and finds drugs, and arrests Oscar. When Liana is asleep, Tomas is adamant, takes Marcus to his new parents’ house (Sergio and Benita), and leaves him there. The next few days, Liana is upset over losing Marcus, but she tends to Mateus, and Silvia asks Tomas to be patient as the situation is difficult for everyone. Later, Tomas’s father calls Tomas and informs him of Oscar’s arrest. Tomas asks his father to stay away from Oscar’s family and not get involved. Now, Oscar is moved to the detention center. It turns out Tomas was the one who gave an anonymous tip through Nelson to put Oscar behind bars.
Meanwhile, Debora bumps into Patricia (who Kiko has taken advantage of). She tells Debora about the broken CCTV and expresses how glad she is that Oscar is in jail. At the same time, Tomas tells Liana about Oscar’s arrest and is excited about having a baby boy. When Tomas is in the shower, Liana takes Mateus, goes to Sergio and Benita’s house, and makes sure to bring Marcus home even though Benita is hurt. Upon arriving at the country house, Liana informs Tomas that she intends to keep both the kids as they are her children.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 5 “Tough Choices” Recap:
The episode starts with Oscar sulking about his situation in jail. Luckily, he gets out on bail. As soon as Oscar gets out, he sees Nelson, who warns him to run away before things get rough. Meanwhile, parental instincts overpower Tomas’s hatred towards Marcos, and he agrees to raise both the kids. However, Tomas pays more attention to baby Mateus and ignores Marcos. Eventually, Tomas and Liana get into an argument. Tomas promises to stay, and they inform their families that Liana has had twins. The parents don’t understand Tomas and Liana’s reasons for hiding it.
Back at the clinic, Liana shuts out Debora, not even allowing her to see the twins. When confronted, Liana expresses that it is because of Oscar. In retaliation, Debora says she knows two different narratives of that night, and she is stuck between Liana and her brother. Oscar is moving to Buenos Aires so he can start fresh. Eventually, as the twins grow up, Liana lets Debora hang out with them, and she loves them like they are her nephews.
The kids become best friends, always protecting and caring for each other. As they grow up, Marcos feels neglected by his father, Tomas, who treats Marcos and Mateus differently. The twins always make Liana and Tomas fight, but Tomas is unwilling to accept Marcos wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, Liana’s mother, Norma, has a fire in the house, and Liana brings Norma home. The kids love having Norma around. However, she compares Mateus and Marcos to Lucas and Oscar, which triggers Tomas.
As the boys develop different interests, Liana takes them for a football tryout, and she bumps into Claudia. Hearing this, Tomas wants to change the football club. But Liana clarifies that she does not mind Claudia being there as an assistant for football games. Meanwhile, Inacio’s vision has deteriorated, but he wants to live a fulfilling life. Vincente asks Silvia to do the same and marry him, but she refuses.
Since Tomas is on edge, Silvia suggests to Liana that the family needs a change. Taking Silvia’s advice, Tomas and their family visit the country house, and Tomas asks the boys not to enter the waterfall without his supervision. Near the waterfall, Tomas sees a newspaper article about Oscar and gets furious. At the same time, Marcos jumps into the waterfall. His leg is stuck, and he is drowning. As this occurs, Mateus calls out to Tomas, who freezes seeing Oscar’s article without attempting to help Marcos.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 6 “The Writing on the Wall” Recap:
The episode begins with a flashback to when Marcos and Mateus are young, and Tomas teaches them how to cycle. However, Tomas leaves Marcos and takes Mateus to cycle around. Later, Mateus teaches Marcos how to cycle. In the present, Tomas wakes up from his trance and saves Marcos. Subsequently, Tomas and Liana get into another fight. This time, Tomas takes the kids cycling and tells them he wishes they will always be happy. Meanwhile, at the clinic, delusional Debora continues to believe Oscar has changed, but Liana ignores conversations regarding Oscar.
Meanwhile, Norma is lost as she walks around, forgetting where she is or what she is doing. A woman helps her out, sending Norma home safely. At Silvia’s house, Vincente proposes to her and gives her time to think and answer. Later that night, Liana convinces Tomas to watch the kids play football, and he obliges. At the game, Tomas continues encouraging Mateus but misses watching Marcos. This upsets Marcos. Liana, later at home, learns that Norma has dementia and that Norma cannot be left alone. At the clinic, Liana feels anxious when Debora says Oscar is back home. It seems like Oscar has gotten into trouble again, but Debora believes the lies Oscar cooks up.
Now that Liana is scared about Oscar’s return, she confides in Silvia, who asks her to reveal the truth to everyone, especially Marcos, as he deserves to know his birth father. But Liana thinks it’s a bad idea and decides to continue hiding the truth. The anxiousness spreads when Liana tells Tomas the news, and he bumps into Nelson, who is fired from the police force. Unfortunately, Tomas is rude to Nelson, who warns him to be careful. Meanwhile, Inacio has pursued his passion for music and is now a DJ. After finishing his gig, he gets mugged, but a fan helps him. When Inacio returns home, he loses his temper with Silvia because he treats him differently.
Meanwhile, Debora shows Liana’s family pictures to Oscar, who thinks Marcos looks exactly like him, and Oscar digs deep to know more about the boys. Oscar opens a small bar, and Nelson ends up there looking for a job. When Oscar does not let him work for him, Nelson lures him by saying he will reveal who had ratted Oscar out and sent him to jail. Now Oscar goes to Marcos and Mateus’s football practice and plays with the boys and Marcos says he wants to play like Oscar. A nervous Liana watches the interaction, and Oscar and Liana lock eyes while Oscar hugs Marcos and Mateus.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 7 “Secrets and Shadows” Recap:
The episode continues as Liana watches Oscar with her kids. She thinks about the time Oscar sexually assaulted her despite her refusing him. Meanwhile, Oscar hires Inacio as a DJ for a gig at his new bar. Inacio invites all his family and friends to see him perform. Finally, Silvia has accepted Vincete’s proposal, and they are engaged. At the clinic, Liana is furious with Debora for telling Oscar about her life because now Oscar is keen on spending time with the twins.
It’s time for Inacio’s gig, and Liana arrives and bumps into Debora. Confused, Liana looks at Silvia, who reveals the bar is Oscar’s. As soon as she finds out, Liana informs Tomas that she will be home soon. Unfortunately, Tomas arrives at the bar and bumps into Oscar and Nelson. Through the conversation, Oscar reveals that he is working with Nelson, and Nelson loves to talk, implying that Oscar knows who had ratted him out. After the gig, Oscar and Claudia sleep together, confessing to each other about their crushes on Liana and Tomas. Now, Oscar starts to feel that the twins are his children, but he does not want to raise any kids.
Meanwhile, Inacio promises Silvia that after performing a few more gigs at Oscar’s bar, he won’t play for Oscar ever again. Despite Oscar’s cruel intentions, he is in trouble as he needs money to run the bar. His father has cut him off, and Debora has no more money to lend Oscar. After the twins’ football game, Oscar shows them pictures of himself and Lucas, including the kids, and everyone feels Marcos looks like Oscar. When Liana arrives at the game, she confronts Oscar, who thinks both the kids are his. Furthermore, Oscar threatens to tell the world his version of the incident and believes the kids need to know the truth. Afraid, Liana tells Tomas about the situation, who rushes to Oscar’s bar.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 8 “Uncomfortable Truths” Recap:
The episode begins with Oscar venting to Debora and revealing that Tomas had sent him to jail. Later at the bar, Tomas arrives and asks Oscar to stay away from his children, but Oscar is sure the twins are his kids. In an attempt to negotiate, Tomas offers to pay Oscar any amount of money to leave his family alone, but Oscar says Tomas will pay a price for what he has done. Meanwhile, Nelson gives Oscar a gun for his safety. Infuriated, Oscar visits Liana and threatens her to get a paternity test done and prove that the twins are Tomas’s kids.
Tensions escalate when Liana arrives at the twins’ football practice and finds them with Oscar. Furious, Liana talks to coach Ricardo and asks him to ensure Oscar is not around her children. At the bar, Debora and Nelson flirt with each other, and the bartender is not pleased with it. Now that Vincente is living with Silvia, he helps Inacio by teaching him how to pitch a tent as he plans on going on a trip with Bia and his other friends. Meanwhile, it’s almost the twins’ tenth birthday. They decide to have a small party at Tomas’s parents’ house. It is Inacio’s last gig at the bar, and Oscar gets information about the twins’ birthday from him.
Meanwhile, Vincente is excited to see Inacio kiss Bia, and Inacio says he is in love. It’s the twins’ birthday, and Oscar shows up with an excuse to pay Inacio for his gig. Seeing Oscar, Tomas is mad and walks with him to Oscar’s car. And Oscar insists on getting a paternity test as he has a right to do so legally. When Tomas raises his voice, Oscar pulls out a gun, frightening Tomas and Liana. Later, Oscar and Claudia have a romantic night, and Claudia helps out Oscar. Now, Liana is worried and asks Tomas to do something about their situation. Tomas says if Oscar disappears, no one will miss him. After the chat, Tomas heads to a gun range to practice shooting.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 9 “Never Again” Recap:
The episode begins with Vincente lecturing at a conference about the rarity of twins with two different fathers. Meanwhile, Oscar has found online kits to determine DNA results and asks Claudia to help. The perfect opportunity arises when Ricardio takes a break during football practice, and Claudia uses the cheek swabs to collect Marcos and Mateus’s samples. At the same time, Liana is scared and mad at Tomas for bringing a gun home.
As things escalate, Liana decides to bail on her clinic, upsetting Debora. Still, before leaving, Liana says their friendship will remain damaged as Debora has not come to terms with Liana’s truth and is siding with Oscar. Happier times await Inacio as he goes on a camping trip with Bia and his friends. Meanwhile, Tomas’s father favors Marcos as he shows prospects of becoming a lawyer one day, which amuses Tomas. The DNA test results arrive, and both Oscar and Claudia are surprised. To infuriate Liana, Oscar lies to Norma that Liana has permitted Oscar to hang out with the twins. Moreover, without telling anyone, Oscar takes the kids to his house and shows them his football trophies.
However, when Liana arrives at the court, she is furious and eventually finds the boys at Oscar’s bar. Now, Oscar needs to understand if the DNA results are medically possible and get confirmation from a doctor. The doctor attended Vincente’s conference and reached out to him immediately, and he, in turn, told Silvia. Once everyone is out of the house, Oscar barges into Liana’s house, shows her the DNA test, and asks for a million-dollar compensation. They continue to argue, and Tomas arrives and pulls out his gun. Seeing Liana’s fear, Oscar tries to fight Tomas, during which a shot is fired, and blood splatters.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 10 “Picking Up the Pieces” Recap:
The episode continues as the gun is fired, and Oscar is dead. Tomas panics, leaves Liana alone in the house and runs away. But as he gets to the gate, the police arrest him. To make matters worse, Marcos and Mateus watch their father get arrested. During the court hearing, Tomas is sentenced to 12 years in prison, which angers Cesar (Oscar’s father) as it is the minimum sentence. Meanwhile, Debora still thinks everything is Liana’s fault.
The news of Tomas’s prison sentencing takes a toll on Liana, who decides to take the family and stay in the country house until Tomas’s release. The kids are holding up, and Liana helps them cope with their father’s absence. When Liana visits the prison, Tomas does not want his children to see him in prison, and he opens Marcos’s letter, in which Marcos calls him the world’s best dad. In Prison, Tomas’s cellmate gives Tomas a bible and asks him to read it to pass the time. The kids have changed schools, and Liana asks them to tell everyone that their father is abroad for work.
One day in prison, Tomas receives a letter from Claudia, in which she confesses her love for Tomas and tells him everything she had done with Oscar that led him to go to prison. After that, Claudia starts receiving letters from Tomas, and the letters to Liana are less frequent. It’s 2024, Norma passes away, and the boys are getting along in their new school. One of the boys, Robson, seems to pick on the twins, but the twins stick together no matter what. Their teacher, Dante, invites Liana as a guest to talk about her profession, and it seems like he has a crush on Liana. In Prison, Tomas asks Liana not to visit him anymore. Marcos and Mateus invite their new friends to the waterfall near their house. In the final scene, Tomas gets a tattoo that reads, “Truth will set you free.”
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 11 “The Truth Will Set You Free” Recap:
The episode begins with Tomas addressing the other prisoners about speaking one’s truth and how it can set people free. Ironically, in his cell, when one of the inmates brings up Marcos, Tomas gets violent. Meanwhile, Liana wants to hide the truth from the kids forever. From the conversation with Silvia, Liana learns that Tomas will be let out soon. So, she visits the prison, but Tomas refuses to see her. Meanwhile, Marcos and Mateus take their friends to the waterfall, and as a joke, Robson tries to drown Marcos even though he knows about his trauma. However, Marcos is fortunate enough to be with Pamela, and they end up kissing.
At school, Robson gets to know the twin’s family name, looks up on the internet, and finds articles about Tomas. When he discovers the truth, Robson sends videos and articles about it to his classmates and puts fliers on the campus. This triggers Marcos, and he hits Robson. Subsequently, Liana is called to the school, and the twins get a suspension. As the kids get punished, Dante comforts Liana. Dante tells the children that he has made a mistake as a parent, and if they think he should not be forgiven, they can pelt him. The point is made, and the kids realize what they have done.
At home, Marcos says he does not want to hide the truth about his father anymore. At night, Marcos and Mateus have a conversation. Marcos is curious about why Tomas is in prison, but Mateus asks Marcos to forget about it and move on. The next day, Liana runs into Benita and Sergio and has coffee with them. Through the conversation, Liana apologizes to the couple, but Benita is still not over what Liana did to them.
After suffering in silence, Liana calls Dante, and he offers her support. Unfortunately, Dante misreads the signals and gets close for a kiss, but Liana refuses. Meanwhile, Julia (Mateus’s crush) helps out and learns from Liana about her work, and they bond. Later, the twins and Julia get to school together, and Mateus and Julia kiss, but Marcos is solemn as he has a lot on his mind. Pamela is also ghosting him. At home, Liana hears the door unlock, and she gets out to find Tomas back home.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 12 “Love and Fear” Recap:
The episode begins in a flashback when Dante’s child had an accident that caused her to lose mobility and sensitivity in one of her hands, and because of that, Dante blames himself. In the present, Tomas is back. He is more violent and tries to have sex with Liana forcefully, but she refuses. However, Tomas wants to reveal the truth to everyone and, more importantly, his truth. As they argue, Marcos and Mateus come home. But Tomas does not care about Marcos at all, and Mateus ignores his father. After exchanging pleasantries, Tomas leaves, saying he will rebuild his life and won’t be living with the family.
Although Marcos is joyous at seeing his father, Mateus senses the change in Tomas. The next day, Silvia goes to her parent’s house and welcomes Tomas home, who refuses to accept Marcos as his son. Eventually, it is revealed that Tomas will get into politics and speak the truth, as truth will be liberating. After a trip to India, Debora returns home, and Cesar is infuriated to know Tomas is out of prison. Meanwhile, Bia and Inacio are looking for a place of their own. The owner is disrespectful because Inacio is blind, but Inacio stands up for himself. At her clinic, Liana helps Dante’s daughter. They hug each other, which Marcos and Mateus see. The twins assume Tomas is not living with them because Liana did not put in the effort.
Meanwhile, Tomas has joined hands with Claudia, who is helping him on his political journey. Sick and tired of the lies, Marcos and Mateus visit Tomas, but he is away. Olinda (Tomas’s mother) says Liana had an affair with Oscar, and that’s why Tomas killed Oscar. However, Silvia defends Liana and asks the boys to talk to Liana about it. Dejected, Marcos and Mateus visit Julia, and Marcos is mad at Liana and sides with his father. However, Julia’s parents return home, and it is Benita and Sergio. When they realize who the twins are, Benita reveals the truth. Angered and confused, the twins get home and confront Liana as to why Marcos was put up for adoption.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 13 “Settling Scores” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback of Tomas’s time in prison. At the prison, Tomas calls for Claudia and asks her to save the DNA test results, and they sleep with each other. In the present, Tomas is cheating on Liana again. He wants to turn Mateus against Marcos and end his marriage with Liana. Meanwhile, the earth shakes beneath Marcos’s feet as Marcos learns the truth about who his father is. In frustration, Marcos cycles to the waterfall, and Mateus follows right behind when he realizes his brother is not home.
At the waterfall, Marcos feels his whole life is shit. Mateus tells him that no matter what, they will get through everything together. Nobody else to turn to Liana seeks comfort in Dante’s words. In Silvia’s house, Inacio and Bia sign the lease to their new apartment but don’t let Silvia know. At the same time, Marcos and Mateus are at Tomas’s parents’ house. Everyone disowns Marcos, blaming Liana for having an affair but not bringing up Tomas’s affair or Liana’s sexual assault. Amidst all this, Silvia stands by Marcos and calls Tomas a son of a bitch. At home, Julia apologizes to Liana and tells her that it is always easy to blame women for the choices they make, and Liana needs to know that Julia is on her side.
The twins head to Silvia’s house. Inacio tells Marcos he got stronger only because of Liana, and Tomas is equally to blame for everything. With new information about Oscar’s family, Marcos heads to the bar, and Debora is excited to have her nephew. In her excitement, Debora brings Cesar, who calls Mateus names, and it almost seems like he is having a heart attack. When Debora leaves, Marcos heads inside, sees Nelson stealing money, and starts recording. They start a fight, and Mateus arrives and fights alongside his brother. Things get out of hand as Marcos cuts Nelson’s hand.
The cops come, and the blame is put on the boys. Debora is sure the boys are innocent, but the cops won’t let them out until their parents arrive. Tomas does come, but he signs the papers only to take Mateus out. Mateus stands firm that he won’t leave without Marcos. Outside, Debora is mad at Liana for lying about Marcos. She signs the papers for both the boy’s release and breaks up with Tomas for not accepting Marcos as his son. Later, Tomas casually takes the ring and leaves.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 14 “The Truth Hurts” Recap:
The episode begins with a flashback when Liana takes Marcos away from Benita and Sergio. After that, the couple is shattered, but the adoption agency calls them at the right moment, and like a miracle, Julia is their child. In the police station, Tomas tries to win over Mateus, but he gets away from his father. Marcos is annoyed as Nelson has deleted the video from his phone. In the car, Liana tells Marcos that they are family, but Oscar is a criminal, and he should not contact Oscar’s family. At the bar, Debora already knows about Nelson’s theft and has hired a lawyer to deal with it.
Meanwhile, Silvia advises Liana to tell the boys her truth, but she refuses. No matter how much Mateus tries to cheer Marcos, he continues to be furious. In Silvia’s house, Inacio breaks the news about moving out, and as expected, Silvia is worried. Both Silvia and Inacio have a heart-to-heart conversation about their feelings. Meanwhile, Tomas has completely lost his mind. As revenge, he records a video to tell his story publicly. In his story, Tomas portrays himself as a great man who forgave Liana for cheating. The video goes viral, affecting both Mateus and Marcos in school.
Already tormented, Marcos leaves home and projects his anger towards Mateus. Mateus tries to stop Marcos, but they fight, and Marcos takes Dante’s bike and rides in fury. Reminded about all the times he has been rejected, Marcos rides fast, meets with an accident, and goes into a coma. Despite Marcos’s life-and-death situation, Tomas refuses to see him in the hospital, which infuriates Silvia. After a few days, Marcos wakes up and recognizes Mateus but can’t remember his mother.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 15 “Can Lies Heal?” Recap:
The episode begins with Marcos waking up and remembering only Mateus and nothing else. The only thing they can do now is wait for Marcos’s memories to return. Meanwhile, Claudia encourages Tomas to meet Mateus, and he does as he is told. When Tomas meets Maetus, he tries to express his love. However, Mateus is only concerned about helping Marcos recover. Furthermore, Mateus is furious at Tomas for telling the family’s life story online.
After all the procedures, Marcos comes home, and when Mateus takes him on a bike ride, Marcos remembers Tomas as his father. Mateus lies to him, saying Tomas is out of town for work. Meanwhile, Debora does not know about Marcos’s accident and tries to reach him but does not get any answer. After a stressful time at home, Mateus comes to school for a poetry slam, and Julia tells Mateus that it is nice to remember the good things. Taking this idea, Mateus convinces Liana that they should help Marcos remember the good stuff. Once he gets better, they can reveal the truth. However, Dante thinks it’s a bad idea as Marcos will be protected only within the four walls.
Mateus shows Marcos pictures from their childhood to help him. Meanwhile, Tomas takes things too far when he goes on a Television interview and continues with his false story, which affects Mateus as journalists call him for an interview. Having had enough of this, Liana visits Claudia’s house and tells her to ask Tomas to leave his family alone. However, more things are revealed when Claudia says she was sleeping with Tomas for years. As Liana is about to leave, Tomas comes out, and Liana calls him a monster.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 16 “Cause and Effect” Recap:
The episode opens on an exciting note as Bia is pregnant, and she is ecstatic. Meanwhile, Liana asks Tomas to stop the revenge and leave her alone. But he continues to act impulsively and remains delusional about his life stories and says that she is linked to him forever and can never be free. As Liana leaves, Claudia is upset by Tomas’s statement. He offers an excuse that Liana is a devil and Claudia is his partner. Meanwhile, Debora is upset watching Tomas’s interview, and she makes out with Eudora, the bartender. At home, Liana calls Dante, and they spend a romantic night together. The next day, Dante reveals that he will be moving, but both he and Liana are free.
When Liana gets home, Mateus is disappointed as he knows Liana has spent the night with Dante. When Mateus enters his room, Marcos seems to have weird feelings about Tomas, but Mateus brushes them off. Later, when Mateus meets Julia, she refuses to play along with Mateus’s lies. But she likes him, and Benita advises her to let Mateus fix the problems before getting involved. Meanwhile, Tomas’s parents are worried about Inacio and Bia’s pregnancy as they worry that the baby may have the same disease as Inacio. However, Silvia and Vincente comfort Inacio and Bia.
When Marcos is alone at home, Robson visits him and shows a video of Tomas. That video triggers Marcos’s memories, and now he remembers everything. As soon as Mateus comes home, he starts hitting him. Now, Liana intervenes and tries to stop the fight, but Marcos is out of control again. The following day, Marcos informs Mateus that he is leaving town for good and learns about Mateus’s break-up with Julia. To help his brother, Marcos invites Julia, and they see each other. Mateus and Julia start to fight, but Liana intercedes. With no other option left to reveal the truth, Liana tells the kids that Oscar raped her, and she has tried her best to hide it all her life.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 17 “My Other Half” Recap:
The final episode opens with Liana telling the truth about her sexual assault and her feelings when she hears about the twins’ fathers. The kids are heartbroken, and everyone cries. Liana leaves the room, unable to bear the pain. As Liana locks herself in the room, Julia gives the boys a perspective on how a woman feels when she goes through something so traumatic. After a while, Liana comes out, and the twins hug her, and they cry. After revealing the truth, Liana gets her closure as she divorces Tomas, and she also manages to let Tomas meet Mateus only once every two weeks.
Infuriated with the set-up, Tomas vents to Claudia, who reminds him that he has her now and they are free. As the congressman approaches Tomas for some work, Tomas asks him to be the best man at his wedding with Claudia. Meanwhile, Debora manages to get a hold of Marcos, who asks her never to contact him again as he knows the truth about what Oscar has done. Someone had to give Debora a reality check, and that is Eudora, who tells Debora that she needs to side with Liana instead of a rapist. Understanding her mistakes, Debora meets Liana, begs for her forgiveness, and asks Liana to let her be a part of Marcos’s life if he is willing. It is the twins’ 18th birthday, and Liana invites Julia, her parents, and Debora to the party.
After many years, the family seems happy for the first time. Debora asks Marcos to give her a chance. Meanwhile, Silvia convinces Liana to call Dante, but when she does, Dante’s daughter answers the call and does not let Dante know about it. It’s Tomas’s wedding day. Mateus attends the ceremony with Julia, and Marcos spends time with Debora. In Debora’s house, Marcos gets a chance to meet Cesar. But Marcos gets uncomfortable when Cesar brings up Tomas and sees Oscar’s gun. When Debora arrives, they realize Cesar and the gun are missing. At Tomas’s wedding ceremony, Cesar tries to kill Tomas, but Marcos stops him.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Episode 17 Ending Explained:
After the ceremony, Tomas shows his gratitude to Marcos but continues to act like a madman. This behavior infuriates Mateus, and he verbalizes the emotions he is holding onto. Mateus says he does not consider Tomas his father and asks to be left alone as Mateus and Marcos are brothers. He further states that if he insults Marcos, it is as good as insulting Mateus. Seeing Mateus’s courage, Liana tells her story with Julia’s help. The video goes viral, and more sexual assault victims come forward, including Patricia, sharing their stories. Meanwhile, Bia gives birth to a girl child, and the family is excited. The troubles catch up to Tomas as he gets drunk and kicked out of his political career.
After passing out, Tomas wakes up hallucinating about Liana, rushes to her house, and burns the house down. Inhaling the smoke, Liana wakes up, breaks down her son’s door, and brings them out. They find Tomas staring at them. Luckily, the firefighters and the police arrive on time and arrest Tomas. In prison, Tomas continues being the leader, and Claudia cheers Tomas. Later, Dante’s daughter accepts her father’s relationship with Liana, and the families, including Julia, spend time together.
The season ends by providing closure to all the stories. Tomas is back in prison, and justice is served, but he continues to be reckless with his ideas in jail. Liana’s family goes through a complex healing process from all the trauma and live a happy life. Marcos and Mateus remain inseparable. Bia and Inacio have a child, and Inacio gets the independent life he has always wanted. Cesar is happy again as Tomas is back in prison, Debora is in love with Eudora, and they open a bar together. The series with dark family stories ends on a happier note as Liana, Marcos, and Mateus can call themselves a family, putting all the lies behind them.
Desperate Lies (Season 1) Review:
“Desperate Lies” takes us on a long journey of family drama with exaggerated story set-ups. The series has an interesting premise of families that have gone through trauma and how this trauma impacts the family dynamics while navigating their obstacles in life. However, extreme characters like Tomas and Oscar make you confused about the whole story’s purpose, as Oscar did not have a character arc. He dies a scumbag without showing any remorse. On the other hand, Tomas goes from bad to worse after his time in prison, which makes no sense. Deborah continues being delusional until the last episode, in which she has a reality check.
The idea of infidelity and sexual assault felt like the hook, but it was not appropriately handled. Most characters were filled with red flags from the start – the exceptions are probably Silvia, Inacio, and Vincente. The series is perhaps saved by the last episode, offering a fitting closure to all the stories. Thankfully, though the healing process for each character took time, the storytelling did not make it seem effortless. The show was unnecessarily lengthy as it took a very long time for Liana to tell her children the truth.
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