Studio: Fox
Starring: Tim Roth
Director: Various
Rated: 14A
Time: 572 mins
Back Cover
In this powerful and engaging new drama from Imagine Television, the producers of 24, Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, a deception expert whose uncanny ability to read facial expressions and body language makes him a virtual human polygraph. Joined by psychologist Dr. Gillian Foster, Lightman tackles compelling cases of sabotage, scandal and murder, always uncovering the one thing that matters most – the truth.
Television Review
Calculated.
In a word that sums up, Lie To Me. Obviously all television series are calculated in that they are designed to attract as many viewers as possible. Especially those viewers in the target 18 – 49 demographics that advertisers covet and upon which the whole basis of ratings success is based. Some shows hide those calculated choices better than others. In the arena of crime procedurals the seams tend to stick out more as each iteration tries to build based upon the success of the current crime show ratings kings.
It is no coincidence that Lie To Me bears the watermarks of the CSI and NCIS shows. A disparate group of people using the latest in technology to track down criminals. Lie To Me goes one better and apes a sister FOX show, House as well, making the lead character, Dr. Cal Lightman(Tim Roth) not only irascibly brilliant but also British. Lie To Me replaces the forensic underpinnings of a CSI show and places the emphasis on House-like diagnostic abilities, in this case the ability to spot lies by being able to read tell tale facial expressions and body language.
This is based on a theory of, ‘micro-expressions,’ that have been researched and proven by Lightman to be universally constant against all races. This sounds like a cool concept in principal but the micro portion proves problematic to dramatize. That requires the actors to over pronounce expressions and gestures which may be further emphasized via closeups and slow motion replays. Visual cues that take the viewer out of the drama of the moment.
This conceit also sets up lengthy expositional sequences between characters as they build up theories of character behaviour inferred from expressions making for a very talky show. Often this is done at the expense of more traditional investigative procedures. To the show’s credit they spice things up by having Lightman et al being able to discern what true feelings are being felt but without the why said feelings exist. This is when the more traditional investigative avenues are tracked which seems antithetical.
Roth’s portrayal of Lightman is solid but feels a little too House cookie-cutter. The surrounding cast also feels assembly line stamped with the requisite earnestness and quirkiness designed to cascade against Lightman’s crustiness. One character has an annoying self imposed edict of full honesty that especially feels contrived to generate false sparks of drama and humor.
If you are a procedural fan and want to be able to pop in and out of a show that requires little foreknowledge or emotional investment then Lie To Me should fit the bill. It is a slick, professional show that one can easily consume and move on from.
Crave Factor – 7
Video
The 1.78:1 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer of ‘Lie to Me’ is an interesting one. For the most part it brings that expected extra dimensionality that HD transfers bring but the contrast levels are set a bit too hot. White levels tend to bloom and overpower indoor scenes. Quite problematic as the home base for the show features a building with white everywhere. Walls, halls and offices are predominantly white. This proves distracting at times with the unintentional effect of flattening those scenes. Outdoor scenes fare better. Daylight scenes are solid but night time scenes with illumination sources ie street lights, outdoor lamps become flattened as well because of the hot whites.
Crave Factor – 7
Audio
‘Lie to Me’ features a workman DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack.
Clarity of dialogue is the big bonus here, especially for such a dialogue heavy show. Another characteristic that arises from the dialogue quotient is the soundstage being front heavy. Directionality of voices and sound effects works well with the front channels.
As with most TV shows the rear channels are under used.. Rarely is an 360 degree enveloping field created. Very little LFE is employed as well. One scene with an exploding bus barely stirred my subwoofer. Most bass is generated by music.
In summary, perfectly adequate but undistinctive.
There is also a DD 5.1 audio track. Subtitles for Spanish and French are included plus English SDH.
Crave Factor – 7
Extras
- Exclusive Featurette: The Truth About Lies:
(HD, 26 min) – a run of the mill brief overview of the genesis of the show from the showrunners, the casting process, and the actors talking about their characters plus working with the other actors.
- Deleted Scenes:
(HD, 20 min) – nothing of note. Have to question their inclusion as no new depth is added to what aired. Better off to have dropped them entirely and had a few episodes done with a commentary track.
Crave Factor – 6
Menu & Packaging
A standard Amray case. No booklet is enclosed.
Crave Factor – 7
Conclusion & Final Thoughts
If you like crime procedurals, like shows you can drop in and out of with ease, and are looking for a new flavor of crime investigation then Lie To Me should fit the bill.
