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#41 - A Summer Romance Teen Drama Set in the Imperial Core: Postcolonial Class Consciousness in ‘We Were Liars’ Season 1
**SPOILERS INSIDE** DO NOT LISTEN BEFORE YOU FINISH SEASON 1.
At first glance, WE WERE LIARS (2025-present) might seem like any other rich kid teen drama, but this show goes much deeper with its anticapitalist and anticolonial messages than most. Maria and Kelly Diaz break down the entire first season as the Liars – Cadence Sinclair, Gat Patil, Johnny Sinclair, and Mirren Sinclair – begin to shift their perspectives on the private island where they spend their summers, and the high-profile capitalist patriarch Harris Sinclair who rules over it all.
For this episode, we STRONGLY recommend you first watch the entirety of WE WERE LIARS Season 1, streaming on Prime Video, and/or have read the entirety of the book We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok, bluesky: @leftistteendrama | twitter, letterboxd: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com
_
ABOUT US:
MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator, organizer, and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, tenant organizing, and writing and reading (fan)fiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions.
KELLY DIAZ (she/her; recurring guest) is a Research Program Manager at Yale University studying disability & chronic illness justice, access, and inclusion. She is also an adjunct instructor of Media Studies at the City College of New York (CCNY). She has a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania where she wrote her dissertation on depictions of youth activism on television. She loves to analyze and discuss the intersection of pop culture and politics and is passionate about the role entertainment plays in social justice movements. She has a dog, Matilda "Tillie," who is named after the magical, brilliant, and justice-serving character!
JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, works in the cannabis industry, and loves talking old TV.
CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/he; art) is a designer + writer based in Richmond, VA. They're currently getting their MFA in Graphic Design at Virginia Commonwealth University, and spend most of their time unsuccessfully scheming how to get off Instagram (@c.s.0.l).
Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned.
intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats
All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.
_
SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:
September 17, 2025, Elle, We Were Liars Season 2: Everything We Know by Aimée Lutkin and Lauren Puckett-Pop
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By Leftist Teen Drama
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1212 ratings
**SPOILERS INSIDE** DO NOT LISTEN BEFORE YOU FINISH SEASON 1.
At first glance, WE WERE LIARS (2025-present) might seem like any other rich kid teen drama, but this show goes much deeper with its anticapitalist and anticolonial messages than most. Maria and Kelly Diaz break down the entire first season as the Liars – Cadence Sinclair, Gat Patil, Johnny Sinclair, and Mirren Sinclair – begin to shift their perspectives on the private island where they spend their summers, and the high-profile capitalist patriarch Harris Sinclair who rules over it all.
For this episode, we STRONGLY recommend you first watch the entirety of WE WERE LIARS Season 1, streaming on Prime Video, and/or have read the entirety of the book We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL | instagram, tumblr, tiktok, bluesky: @leftistteendrama | twitter, letterboxd: @leftyteendrama | website: leftistteendrama.com
_
ABOUT US:
MARIA DIPASQUALE (she/her; host/editor) is a Brooklyn-based union communicator, organizer, and writer who watches too much TV. She splits her free time between devouring teen dramas, creating this podcast, tenant organizing, and writing and reading (fan)fiction. Follow Maria on Twitter @Maria_DiP26, IG @mdzip, and tiktok @marialovesunions.
KELLY DIAZ (she/her; recurring guest) is a Research Program Manager at Yale University studying disability & chronic illness justice, access, and inclusion. She is also an adjunct instructor of Media Studies at the City College of New York (CCNY). She has a Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania where she wrote her dissertation on depictions of youth activism on television. She loves to analyze and discuss the intersection of pop culture and politics and is passionate about the role entertainment plays in social justice movements. She has a dog, Matilda "Tillie," who is named after the magical, brilliant, and justice-serving character!
JEFF MCHALE (he/him; producer) is an extremely online guy who plays games, works in the cannabis industry, and loves talking old TV.
CHARLES S. O’LEARY (they/he; art) is a designer + writer based in Richmond, VA. They're currently getting their MFA in Graphic Design at Virginia Commonwealth University, and spend most of their time unsuccessfully scheming how to get off Instagram (@c.s.0.l).
Maria and Jeff’s good union cats CLARENCE and VINNY may make an appearance and/or be mentioned.
intro song: Stomping the Room by Delicate Beats
All opinions shared on this show are that of individuals and do not represent the views of any organization we may be affiliated with.
_
SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:
September 17, 2025, Elle, We Were Liars Season 2: Everything We Know by Aimée Lutkin and Lauren Puckett-Pop