Cal Lightman
Created by Samuel Baum

"Now sod off!"

Presenting the human lie detector as prick...

Lie to Me is yet another show about "private investigators" who aren't quite "private investigators."

But while he may not be a private eye, trained psychologist and human lie detector DR. CAL LIGHTMAN, does indeed offer the well-respected if controversial Lightman Group's services in the aid of criminal and civil investigations, often on a confidential basis, on behalf of clients.

That those clients tend toward the rich and powerful, police departments and even, occasionally the FBI itself, doesn't really matter -- in the long run, they're just clients. And not, as the temperamental, impulsive, slightly unhinged and prickly Cal makes abundantly clear often enough, his bosses.

Sure, it's a gimmick, but it's a good one. With his dark and troubled past, Cal is obsessed with the black-and-white world of truth and lies, but it's the all-too-human gray areas that really trip him up, particularly in his personal life. He's not exactly likable, but he is fascinating to watch.

In fact, despite the supporting cast of professional colleagues, assorted family members and occasional love interests, Lie to Me is in many ways a one-man show. Certainly, when he's onscreen it's hard to take your eyes off the squirrelly, bug-eyed Cal, played to twitchy perfection by Tim "Pulp Fiction" Roth. Cal is, of course, the biggest liar of them all: a shrewd, arrogant jackass; a swaggering blowhard on the side of the angels, part trained psychologist and part flim-flam man, using every trick in the book, including body language, facial expressions, hypnosis and drugs, not to mention lying, cheating, stealing, falsifying evidence, insulting and berating suspects to get at the "truth" -- whatever that turns out to be.

To its credit, there’s no woo-woo here, and despite the occasional mawkish descent into Cal's personal life (I really don't want to see his cuddly side), there's much to admire in this flawed but often fascinating show. The ripped-from-the-headlines archival images that frame each segment, a barrage of stills of various celebrities and politicians caught in their own well publicized moments of disgrace and dishonesty, just add to the gritty, off-kilter “there but for God” vibe. Deeper and often darker than you’d expect, Lie to Me is one of the few network shows to plough into the murk of ethics and philosophy and science and deliberately push buttons.

TELEVISION

• LIE TO ME
  (2008-11, FX)
  Created by Samuel Baum
  Starring Tim Roth as DR. CAL LIGHTMAN
  With Kelli Williams as Dr. Gillian Foster
  Brendan Hines as Will Loker
  Monica Raymund as Ria Torres
  Hayley McFarland as Emily Lightman
  and Mekhi Phifer as Agent Ben Reynolds

• Season One...Buy on DVD...Buy on Blu-ray
• "Pilot" (January 21, 2009)
• "Moral Waiver" (January 28 , 2009)
• "A Perfect Score" (February 4, 2009)
• "Love Always" (February 18, 2009)
• "Unchained" (March 4, 2009)
• "Do No Harm" (March 11, 2009)
• "The Best Policy" (March 18, 2009)
• "Depraved Heart" (April 1, 2009)
• "Life Is Priceless" (April 8, 2009)
• "Better Half" (April 22, 2009)
• "Undercover" (April 29, 2009)
• "Blinded" (May 6, 2009)
• "Sacrifice" (May 13, 2009)
  
  
• Season Two...Buy on DVD.
• "The Core of It" (September 28, 2009)
• "Truth or Consequences" (October 5, 2009)
• "Control Factor" (October 12, 2009)
• "Honey" (October 19, 2009)
• "Grievous Bodily Harm" (October 26, 2009)
• "Lack of Candor" (November 9, 2009)
• "Black Friday" (November 16, 2009)
• "Secret Santa" (November 23, 2009)
• "Fold Equity" (November 30, 2009)
• "Tractor Man" (December 14, 2009)
• "Beat The Devil" (June 7, 2010)
• "Sweet Sixteen" (June 14, 2010)
• "The Whole Truth" (June 21, 2010)
• "React to Contact" (June 28, 2010)
• "Teacher and Pupils" (July 12, 2010)
• "Delinquent" (July 19, 2010)
• "Bullet Bump" (July 26, 2010)
• "Headlock" (August 2, 2010)
• "Pied Piper" (August 16, 2010)
• "Exposed" (August 23, 2010)
• "Darkness and Light" (August 30, 2010)
• "Black and White" (September 13, 2010)
  
  
• Season Three...Buy on DVD.
• "In the Red" (October 4, 2010)
• "The Royal We" (October 11, 2010)
• "Dirty Loyal" (October 18, 2010)
• "Double Blind" (October 25, 2010)
• "The Canary's Song" (November 8, 2010)
• "Beyond Belief" (November 15, 2010)
• "Veronica" (November 22, 2010)
• "Smoked" (November 29, 2010)
• "Funhouse" (January 10, 2011)
• "Rebound" (January 10, 2011)
• "Saved" (January 17, 2011)
• "Gone" (January 24, 2011)
• "Killer App" (January 31, 2011)

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.