lie to me

Lie to me is the latest newcomer in a long and exhaustive line of procedurals, albeit on FOX, a network that isn't known for its prowess in this area. This lukewarm copy is a less appealing version of The Mentalist, Psych, Monk, or any handful of police dramas with main characters who solve crimes somewhat differently than the standard badge would.

As a start, the main character Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) isn't quirky. He just makes a living by being very very good at reading people's facial expressions and knowing when someone's lying. Cal heads up a consulting firm called the Lightman Group, where he's helped by Dr. Gillian Foster (Kelli Williams of The Practice) of the sweet and maternal variety, and two underlings whose names I can't recall at the moment. The team helps out on a variety of cases (I can't remember any of them right now) and works with the police/Feds/law enforcement, who look at the 'scientists' first with disdain, then grudging respect as they find the details that solve the crime.

The problem is that most of their crimes are not interesting, and the method that the Lightman group employs to solve the crimes are even less interesting. In a good or even mediocre procedural or more generally, any TV show, we expect a number of things to happen. First, the plot has to be interesting, and there needs to be a twist or two. True to its sentiments, Lie to me plays it incredibly straight, which equals the type of boring that demands loud snoring. Moreover, the characters are forgettable. Tim Roth passes with his British accent, and I suppose Kelli Williams is all right despite the trademark way that her mouth contorts (Keira Knightly does something similar). The rest of the cast is predictable and so lethargic that I'm going to give up writing about them.

There's nothing terribly horrid about Lie to me. Rather, it might even be better if the acting was atrocious (Dollhouse and Legend of the Seeker), or if everything was way over the top (CSI:Miami), or if everything was out of sync (KINGS), or if everyone was having torrid affairs (Without a Trace)...the list goes on and on. This show's sheer mundane conservatism and goal of underachieving is going to drive itself to an early grave.