From white lies to malicious distortions of the truth, the things people say often do not reflect reality or their feelings about it. But the protagonists of Fox's show "Lie To Me" are able to see beyond individuals' attempts to conceal the truth by noticing minute details of their body language.
The program stars Tim Roth as Cal Lightman, a psychologist who runs a firm that specializes in using body language and so-called micro-expressions (involuntary facial movements that give away someone's true emotions) to determine when someone is lying. The Lightman staff is contracted out by local agencies like school boards or national entities including the federal government.
Lightman is aided by his co-worker Dr. Gillian Foster (Kelli Williams), who acts as the voice of reason when Lightman's often irrational antics get out of hand.
The supporting cast is just as important to the show as the leads. Lightman employees Eli Loker and Ria Torres (Brendan Hines and Monica Raymund, respectively) are considerably younger than their counterparts, but display the knack necessary to work for the firm.
Loker is quirky and nerdy — and is brutally honest, a trait that makes him a good fit for the job. Torres was a Transportation Security Administration agent before Lightman and Foster spotted her as a natural reader of micro-expressions in season one.
"Lie To Me" is decidedly rooted in fiction, but the character of Cal Lightman is based off of a psychologist named Paul Ekman, who studied how emotions can affect our facial expressions and body language.
"Lie To Me" is a combination of drama, mystery and intrigue, with a few funny moments tossed in. It is definitely not the typical "CSI" or "Law and Order" crime drama, although its creators obviously are aware of and embrace the influence of other shows.
There is plenty of action and even a little violence, but "Lie To Me" focuses more on the reasons behind the lies people tell and character development.
The most intriguing character in the show is Lightman himself; he is simultaneously the most developed and the most mysterious.
Lightman often uses his unorthodox strategies to verify his personal beliefs. Early in season one, Lightman sets out to prove that lie detectors don't really detect lies, but merely measure the change in a person's state of arousal. This crusade against lie detectors ends up embarrassing high-profile FBI agents and justifying Lightman's beliefs.
The show does a good job of establishing Lightman as a maverick. He embarrasses the high and mighty with his rebellious antics, but they need him. He is not disposable.
When Lightman isn't interrogating witnesses or telling people that their loved ones are lying to them, he is a dedicated father to his daughter, who is in the middle of her parents' messy divorce.
This family angle is an interesting break from psychological-thriller parts of the show, focusing on the issues a human lie detector must deal with after work.
His daughter resents that Lightman uses his abilities to find out when she is skipping class or going to frat parties, but their bond is strong, and teenager Emily (Hayley McFarland) even comes into the office to offer her own opinions on her father's cases. Season two is off to a great start, as Lightman has already tackled socially taboo issues like schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder, as well as statutory rape and prophet communes that may (or may not) be perpetrating tax fraud.
Erika Christensen ("Swimfan," 2002, and "The Perfect Score," 2004) appeared on the season premiere and gave a wonderfully frightening performance as a girl with myriad personalities.
"Lie To Me" is a fast-paced ride with twists, turns, emotional moments and a little bit of science to help back it up. This combination provides for an entertaining pleasure that is sure to catch viewers, whether they are liars or not.
