ITV’s Liar viewers blasted tonight’s final episode, branding it an ‘anti-climax’ after serial rapist Andrew Earlham’s killer was revealed to be his victim, Laura Nielson, all along.
Throughout tonight’s show characters were knocked off the suspect list – up until rape survivor Laura Nielson (played by Joanne Froggatt) was questioned by DI Karen Renton (Katherine Kelly).
In a shocking flashback, Laura repeatedly stabbed Andrew (Ioan Gruffudd) in the neck before leaving him for dead in the local marshes.
But many viewers claimed they weren’t surprised the killer turned out to be Laura, suggesting it meant the drama came ‘full circle’.
One tweeted: ‘Knew it had to be Laura. Series 1 started with us thinking she was a lair, so it had to do a full circle back to the start.’
Gobsmacked fans were quick to comment on the final episode of series two yet many were left disappointed and begged ITV producers not to consider a third series
Another tweeted: ‘All of that for that ending. What an anticlimax.’
At the start of the episode, viewers witnessed Andrew’s son Luke (Jamie Flatters) be questioned by Laura and her sister Katy Sutcliffe (Zoë Tapper) about Oliver Graham (Sam Spruell).
In previous episodes, Oliver has been trying to set Laura up for the murder of Andrew, believing she killed him.
After discovering his identity, Laura and her sister travelled to the headteacher Oliver’s primary school in Scotland to question him.
ITV’s Liar viewers blasted tonight’s final episode, branding it an ‘anti-climax’ after serial rapist Andrew Earlham’s killer was revealed to be his victim, Laura Nielson, all along
Rape survivor Laura Nielson (played by Joanne Froggatt) was questioned by DI Karen Renton (Katherine Kelly) at the end of the episode – pictured together
This lead to him calling up Greg Maxwel (Jack Colgrave Hirst) and trying to further blackmail him to help his scheme – but unbeknownst to him, the police were listening into the conversation.
Oliver had been blackmailing Greg about his previous drug overdose, as it wouldn’t look good for an up-and-coming star of the National Crime Agency.
To Laura’s relief, Oliver was arrested and questioned, with DI Renton explaining that they’d found the clip Andrew used to blackmail the headteacher for his help before his death.
The footage showed Oliver sexually abusing a man and lead the police to charge the headteacher with his friend’s murder, suggesting he killed Andrew to stop being blackmailed.
At the start of the episode, viewers witnessed Andrew’s son Luke (Jamie Flatters) be questioned by Laura and her sister Katy Sutcliffe (Zoë Tapper) about Oliver Graham (pictured) (Sam Spruell)
After discovering his identity, Laura and her sister travelled to the headteacher Oliver’s primary school in Scotland to question him (pictured). Soon after, Oliver was arrested for Andrew’s murder
However, as Laura happily sat in a cafe with her sister, DI Renton turned up to speak with her. To Laura’s shock the detective admitted she didn’t believe Oliver killed Andrew and instead suggested Laura had done it after all.
‘I’ve figured out,’ DI Renton said. ‘What happened to Andrew Earlham. Oliver Graham, he had motive, Andrew was holding something over him.
‘Let’s put it this way, it was something pretty grim, plenty of reason to point the finger at you… So we’re going to charge him with Andrew Earlham’s murder.
But to Laura’s (pictured) shock DI Renton later admitted she doesn’t believe that Oliver killed Andrew and instead suggested the rape survivor did it
‘I’ve figured out,’ DI Renton (pictured) declared to Laura. ‘What happened to Andrew Earlham’
‘Except I still think you’re the one who killed him.’
Following this shock announcement, viewers were shown how Andrew drugged Laura whilst she was out, hoping to frame her in his ‘disappearance’ before he left town.
However, Laura woke up before he could take her anywhere and fought back before quickly rushing off to the nearby marshes.
Andrew followed her and a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensued before the serial rapist withdrew a knife and attacked Laura.
But the rape survivor gained the upper hand and repeatedly stabbed Andrew in the neck before leaving him.
Elsewhere, Oliver was supposed to be moving Laura’s car to the prearranged spot, showed to him by Andrew.
Following this shock announcement, viewers were shown how Andrew drugged Laura whilst she was out. However, Laura woke up before he can take her anywhere and fought back before quickly rushing off to the nearby marshes (pictured)
Andrew (pictured) followed her and a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensued before the serial rapist pulled out a knife and attacked Laura
But soon, the rape survivor had the upper hand and repeatedly stabbed Andrew in the neck before leaving him (pictured)
However, as DI Renton told Laura: ‘Oliver Graham told me he couldn’t get to your car so he came back to the boathouse and saw signs of a struggle.’
Laura quickly questioned: ‘How can you believe anything that man says?’ but the detective explained: ‘Because he’s admitting to everything now.
‘He admits to bribing DI Maxwell (Danny Webb) to re-programme the Sat Nav in your car, he admits that once he knew Andrew was dead he broke into your flat and planted the car key.
‘He said he thought if he could point the finger at you, maybe no one would come looking for him.’
‘Sounds like you’ve got it all worked out?’ Laura said, before adding: ‘Except for, you know, evidence.’
‘You’re right and that’s always the tricky bit,’ replied DI Renton. ‘Whatever went down between you and Andrew at those marshes, you should’ve called the police.’
To the shock of viewers, DI Renton (pictured) finished with: ‘I’m stepping off this case, as far as I’m concerned, it’s done. Goodnight Laura’
‘After what I’ve been through, you think I could ever trust the police,’ Laura admitted. ‘Sometimes bad things happen and you just have to deal with them. Right there and then.
‘Andrew Earlham ripped into so many lives. Even the lives of the people who loved him, people he called friends, that man destroyed everything he touched.
‘And despite all that, despite him, we have to carry on don’t we, we have to leave the darkness behind and try and remind ourselves of all the good things. That there is a future for us all, however bad things may seem.
‘We have to try don’t we, we have to try and find the hope, somewhere, in all the mess. I’ve had enough of nightmares.’
To the shock of viewers, DI Renton then declared: ‘I’m stepping off this case, as far as I’m concerned, it’s done. Goodnight Laura.’
Following the final episode of series two, many viewers were left disappointed and begged ITV producers not to consider a third series.
Kayleigh Jayne Beaton wrote: ‘I genuinely feel like this completely defeats the object of the series.’
Sam Martin added: ‘Oh dear God please don’t be lining this up for a third series.’
Another user described the series as ‘convoluted and far-fetched’ and said wouldn’t have been surprised if the gnome, where Andrew hid his spare key, was in on it.