Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, a compelling new drama from the producers of 24, about the world’s leading deception expert who studies facial expressions and involuntary body language to expose the truth behind the lies.
- Audio: English: 5.1 Dolby Surround
- Language: Dubbed: English / Subtitled: English, French & Spanish
- Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 1.78:1
Disc 1: 190 Minutes
- Pilot
- Moral Waiver
- A Perfect Score
- Love Always
Disc 2:
- Unchained
- Do No Harm
- The Best Policy
- Depraved Heart
Disc 3:
- Life Is Priceless
- Better Half
- Undercover
- Blinded
- Deleted Scenes
Disc 4:
- Sacrifice
Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), a deception specialist, believes that “the truth is written on all our faces.” Unlike the psychics of Medium and The Mentalist, he reads body language rather than minds or dreams to crack cases, from murders to business matters, for a variety of law enforcement agencies. His team includes Eli Loker (Brendan Hines), Ria Torres (Monica Raymund), and Dr. Gillian Foster (The Practice‘s Kelli Williams). Though the show opens with the disclaimer that “the following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event,” Lightman often looks to real life for reference, so archival images enter into each episode, sometimes resulting in cheap shots at political figures, like Richard Nixon (“I am not a crook”), but their contradictory gestures can be instructive. Overall, Lie to Me manages to feel both familiar and distinctive. Sleuths who deal better with problems than with people are a television staple, and Lightman is no different (Jennifer Beals plays his district attorney ex-wife). He also condescends to those he considers intellectually inferior or overly instinctive–like Torres–but Roth makes him sufficiently sympathetic. The stories, however, offer more surprises, since they cover the gamut from depressed pilots to gambling addicts. During these 13 episodes, Torres falls for a secret service agent, Foster experiences a personal setback, Loker experiences a professional one, and Ben Reynolds (ER‘s Mekhi Phifer) becomes a liaison between the Lightman Group and the FBI.
In the making-of featurette, “The Truth About Lies,” creator Samuel Baum explains that he strives to explore “situations where honesty may not be the best policy” (Loker believes in “radical honesty,” while Lightman won’t hesitate to lie to expose a liar). Fun trivia: the first season ends with Roth walking toward the camera in slow motion, a move eerily reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs. –Kathleen C. Fennessy.
Stills from Lie to Me: Season One (Click for larger image)
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Buy “Lie to Me: Season One” For Only $29.44
March 5, 2010
#1
Fox is a terrible network. Terminator was the only show that was worth watching on the stupid channel.
March 5, 2010
#2
Am I missing something here?
An entire season on one(1) disc and a running time of 60 minutes.
No thanks, especially at $31.89
March 5, 2010
#3
As mentioned above, if you really have trouble sleeping, just play any of the discs in the set, including, or mainly, the pilot. Although the idea is good, the makers of this series mercilessly spoiled it. I got bored with the pilot, but decided to give it a try for the next 3 episodes. Absolute waste of time. the acting is bad, the characthers unconvincing,and the stories themselves are totally predictible. The only positive note I have is Tim Roth, he is so above the other actors. Too bad for him.
March 5, 2010
#4
I decided to sample Disc I of Season 1 and was generally pleased, although the “Pilot” episode was shot in a much too rapid fire way with little or no time given to nuance or reflection. Subsequent episodes were much more coherent and consist of enjoyable “who-dunnits” overlaid with the schtick of a grizzled investigator and his photogenic companions who are gifted with teasing out the liars from the truth tellers. In all honesty, I have no great desire to rent additional Discs in this series, but was not sorry to have sampled the initial episodes.
March 5, 2010
#5
La calificación de cuatro estrellas se debe más a su originalidad que a su puesta en escena. Quizás remedando al Dr.Paul Ekman, quien investigó en profundidad el lenguaje gestual dentro de su cultura (por ejemplo, su obra “Telling Lies: Clues to Deceit in the Marketplace, Politics, and Marriage”), Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), titular del Lightman Group, se dedica a extraer la verdad de los “sospechosos” a través de la observación.
La serie tiene una estética aceptable, y la actuación de Roth en mi opinión está a la altura del personaje. Quizás la mayor virtud de “Lie to me” no esté en los guiones, sino en hablar de nosotros mismos (“una persona común mientre en promedio tres veces en diez minutos”), y nos mueve a examinarnos desde la perspectiva del personaje. Este ejercicio introspectivo, sobre todo al principio, puede llegar a incomodarnos, por eso me creo que vale la pena. Luego de ver la Primera, quiero ver la Segunda Temporada.