Pilot
- Episode aired Jan 21, 2009
- TV-14
- 45m
Dr. Lightman and Dr. Foster search for the truth in cases involving a devoutly religious high school student accused of killing a teacher, and a congressman accused of having an affair.Dr. Lightman and Dr. Foster search for the truth in cases involving a devoutly religious high school student accused of killing a teacher, and a congressman accused of having an affair.Dr. Lightman and Dr. Foster search for the truth in cases involving a devoutly religious high school student accused of killing a teacher, and a congressman accused of having an affair.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRadical Honesty: Eli states that he practices "Radical Honesty"; Radical Honesty is the name of a self improvement program developed by Brad Blanton that challenges people to give up their addiction to lying. The Radical Honesty technique includes having practitioners state their feelings directly and in ways typically considered impolitic (the technique is sometimes confused with the person having functioning autism or Asperger's due to the practitioner's brutal honesty).
- GoofsWhen Lightman is speaking to James for the first time in the prison, after asking him how he felt about his teacher dying, the boy responds, "I prayed for her soul." Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the existence of a soul.
- Quotes
Emily Lightman: No, we're not doing this. You just go let Dan in while I finish getting ready and you better not do some covert scientific technique to find out what we're doing or not doing tonight. Promise!
Cal Lightman: No covert science, I promise.
[opens front door]
Cal Lightman: Hi Dan!
Dan: Hi Dr. Lightman!
Cal Lightman: Are you going to try and have sex with my daughter tonight?
- ConnectionsReferences A Current Affair (1986)
Leading credentials belong to Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), founder and leader of the Lightman Group, an organization that is hired by various government agencies and/or private companies when cases get - you guessed it - complicated. Working with him are psychologist Gillian Foster (Kelli Williams), who tries to focus on the human side while Lightman is very cold and rational, and Eli Loker (Brendan Hines), whose penchant for "radical honesty" isn't as charming as he'd like to think (when coming late for work he calmly admits he got drunk the night before). While working on a delicate matter (a minor who's facing the death penalty for allegedly killing his teacher), Cal also hires airport security officer Ria Torres (Monica Raymund), whose track record indicates she's a "natural" when it comes to spotting lies.
What sets the show apart from any other cop show (except possibly the CSI franchise) is its staggering attention to detail: as Sherlock Holmes used to say, all the clues matter, and no other series highlights it more. Whether it's an eyebrow twitch or a seemingly casual shrug, nothing escapes Lightman and his team (see the highly entertaining teaser sequence), and that makes for a fascinating watch episode after episode (plus, it's intriguing to see guest actors deliberately pull off what normally is considered completely involuntary). Also, on a writing level, the show isn't afraid to explore delicate subjects, often with surprising results, as this episode's cases show (the second one involves a politician suspected of paying for sex).
More than anything, however, the show really stands alone thanks to Tim Roth's sardonic central performance. Not that the other three regulars aren't up to it (Hines' earnestness provides a nice contrast to Williams' warmth and Raymund's youthful energy), but it's the leading man's uncompromisingly quirky work that gives the show its admittedly weird heart and show (just watch the scene between Lightman and his daughter). Besides, it's a pleasure to finally hear a British actor speak with his own accent, as opposed to Hugh Laurie (House M.D.) and Damian Lewis (Life): it adds that extra dimension to a character who is already memorable.
The truth (pun not intended) is all in the details, and based on the pilot, Lie to Me has everything going for it. A brilliant program, worth watching over and over again.
- MaxBorg89
- Jun 6, 2010
Details
- Runtime45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD