Abhiroop Das
Created by Dorien Goertzen, ‘The Perfect Lie,’ or ‘De Eetclub,’ is a Dutch mystery thriller adapted from Saskia Noort’s novel of the same name. Centered on Karen, a newcomer to the town of Bergen, the story explores the inner life of a hedonistic group of friends who go by the nickname “The Dinner Club.” While all of them seem to have perfect marriages on the surface, cracks constantly seem to be showing up internally. The mysterious death of Evert is seemingly all it takes for the fractures to emerge to the surface, leaving everyone confused and paranoid about whom to trust. In the end, Babette, Evert’s wife, is revealed to be his killer, but that alone doesn’t exactly set things back to how they used to be, especially with Hanneke’s fall still being a mystery. While Netflix has not confirmed a season 2 as of writing, in the best-case scenario, fans can expect a sequel to release in 2028.
The Perfect Lie Season 2 Can Continue Adapting the Book Trilogy
While season 1 of ‘The Perfect Lie’ ends with a cliffhanger, Netflix’s decision to renew the series for a sequel ultimately depends on how much demand there is among fans. Interestingly, the novel this story is adapted from, ‘De Eetclub,’ is the first entry in a trilogy by Saskia Noort, followed by the novels ‘Debet’ and ‘De Nazaten.’ This means that Karen’s journey is far from over, and the writing team already has a blueprint for what might come next in the story in case it is renewed for a sequel. However, there appears to be a key difference between the show and the book, in the form of Hanneke’s fate. While the first novel ends with Karen leaving the dining club behind and acknowledging Hanneke as her only true friend, the show takes on a completely different mystery, with the person who threw Hanneke off her balcony still at large.
If the show is greenlit for a sequel, it will likely pick up exactly where the season 1 finale left off, with a mysterious, hooded figure sneaking into Hanneke’s hospital room. Whether this person is a friend or foe, and whether they are there to talk to Hanneke or kill her, can alter the entire flow of the story. Another distinction is that the novel ‘Debet’ features a timeskip and another significant twist at the very start, making it tough for the show to bridge these plot beats convincingly. Thus, we might just get a completely original season, focusing on the Hanneke storyline while navigating a very different dynamic between Karen and characters like Simon and Patricia.
The Perfect Lie Season 2 Can Still Bring Actor Edwin Jonker Back as Evert
Given that ‘The Perfect Lie’ is shaped around a single death and everyone’s reaction to it, not a lot of shifts in the cast are expected, unless the potential sequel goes for a massive overhaul. While Evert Struyck is dead, that doesn’t necessarily mean that actor Edwin Jonker cannot return for flashback sequences, which are essentially the show’s bread and butter. Alongside him, the series is expected to retain its core cast, with actor Loes Haverkort reprising the role of Karen van der Made. Alongside her, Teun Luijkx and Isabel Merbis can also be expected to return as Michel and Sophie van der Made, completing the family.
A potential second installment is also likely to put a lot of the spotlight on actor Rifka Lodeizen, who essays the role of Hanneke Lemstra. However, that can very easily change if Hanneke is killed off early on in the season, as that is one of the many possible trajectories the season 1 cliffhanger can take. Actor Remko Vrijdag, who plays the role of Ivo Smit, can also be expected to make a comeback, alongside Markie Lucas, who portrays Wolf Lemstra. Additionally, actors Matthijs van de Sande Bakhuyzen and Charlie Chan Dagelet are also expected to step back into the roles of Simon and Patricia de Jager, respectively, but whether Noortje Herlaar will return as Babette Struyck in a full capacity, or for guest appearances, remains up in the air.
The Perfect Lie Season 2 Might Shine a Light on Ivo and Michel’s Stories
As season 1 of ‘The Perfect Lie’ ends with Simon and Patricia getting out of prison and resuming their usual lives, we hardly get an answer about how they are psychologically. From the looks of it, Patricia appears to have forgiven Simon for the affair, but if Babette’s story says anything, it’s that we cannot take the surface-level actions of partners as the truth. In reality, Patricia may very well shape up to be the new antagonist of a sequel, given how much power she likely wields over Simon now, and considering that we have already seen how much violence and manipulation she is capable of. With Babette behind bars and Hanneke unconscious, the show is set to become a direct confrontation between Karen and Patricia, regardless of what new twists arrive.
Apart from Karen, Patricia, and Simon, the show still has a lot of threads left to resolve when it comes to Ivo and Michel. In Ivo’s case, the ending of season 1 serves as the biggest leap in characterization, as he opens up about his sexuality and ultimately helps bring the case to a close. Depending on what happens to Hanneke going forward, the next season will likely follow where their relationship goes from here. The same can be said about Michel, who seems to have agreed to give his marriage a second chance. Given that the truths and lies in relationships make for the defining theme of the show, Michel and Karen’s story can make for a perfect foil to whatever darker twist awaits.
Read More: Is The Perfect Lie Based on a True Story?
