Summary
This episode finds the murder club contemplating turning themselves over to finally end the twisted Simon Says game.
We recap the Peacock series One of Us Is Lying season 2, episode 5, “Simon Says Ho Ho Ho,” which contains spoilers.
By far the strongest episode of the series so far, Simon Says Ho Ho Ho brings almost no holiday cheer to the complicated lives of our teens The Murder Club contemplate turning themselves in and confessing to Jake’s murder. Would going to the police finally put an end to Simon Says‘s blackmail?
Recap – what happened in One of Us Is Lying season 2, episode 5?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, that’s not quite true for the Murder Club. The episode starts at a Christmas tree lighting event the teens are attending. While the school’s principal is giving a speech, Janae is doing something sneaky behind the stage. It turns out S.S. had a festive task for the group: Set the town’s Christmas tree on fire.
After committing yet another felony together, the group gathers to discuss their next steps. Addy suggests they turn themselves in. She argues that if Giselle’s death was their fault, any future murders S.S. commits will be blood on their hands. Everyone else (not so) respectfully disagrees, and they turn their attention back at Cole possibly being Simon Says.
The next day, Addy and Cooper try talking to a clearly terrified Vanessa. At this point, the poor girl is convinced her Murder Club classmates killed Giselle, and she’s afraid of meeting the same fate. She also reveals someone, who she believes to be a murder club member, tried paying Giselle off to leave town, explaining why the money Nate stole was in her motel room.
Things are still a bit awkward between Cooper and Keely after they decided to end their fake relationship, which led to her abusive ex, Zach, bothering her again on Halloween night. She asks Cooper where he was after she punched Zach that night, and, of course, he lies and assures her that he and Addy were looking after an intoxicated Vannesa ( Not murdering Jake and getting rid of his body or anything like that).
Bronwyn and Nate team up once again to commit a felony together. This time, they try to break into Cole’s car. However, he catches them in the act, and some punches get thrown around. In the meantime, Addy agrees to speak to Detective Wheeler. During the interview, Addy learns that Cole was with police the night Giselle died, meaning he can’t be Simon Says.
Faced with the fact that Cole is yet another dead end, the group finally decides to turn themselves in. They realize there’s no other way to stop the twisted game of Simon Says they’ve been forced to play, and everyone agrees, apart from Maeve. But Maeve doesn’t get a vote as she wasn’t involved in Jake’s murder.
Everyone spends their last day of freedom getting their affairs in order. Bronwyn lies to her mom that she got into Yale (she hadn’t even opened the email from them) and attends a celebration lunch. Nate asks Kris to look after his lizard. Janae enjoys a rare moment singing with her dad while Addy spends the day decorating her home for Christmas.
The ending
Later in the evening, the teens meet up for one last Christmas party. Janae, Maeve, Bronwyn, and Addy start the night with some wine. Before the boy’s arrival, Bronwyn confesses she doesn’t want to go to prison as a virgin and that she wants to sleep with Nate.
Maeve and Janae break into the school in a last-ditch effort to try and find who S.S. is, while the rest of the group go skinny dipping and then on to a karaoke night. Leaving Nate and Bronwyn alone, Addy, Cooper, and Janae end the night at a gay warehouse party. It’s there that Cooper and Kris reconnect. Janae finally has the confidence to introduce her pronouns as they/she, and Addy briefly considers turning herself in to save the rest of her friends from prison. Nate and Bronwyn make love, and afterward, she reveals that she didn’t get into Yale.
All members of the Murder Club meet at midnight in front of the police station. As they walk in ready to confess to Jake’s murder, they see on the news that TJ was arrested for Giselle’s killing The box Janae received from Simon Says contained a creepy doll singing “Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas!” The five realize that turning themselves in would not stop Simon Says.
What did you think of One of Us is Lying season 2, episode 5? Comment below.
