Creators:
Samuel BaumCast:
Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Monica Raymund, Brendan Hines, Hayley McFarland, Kristen Ariza, Mekhi Phifer, Tim Guinee, Wayne Dalglish, M.D. Walton, Tim Griffin (more)VOD (2)
Seasons(3) / Episodes(48)
Plots(1)
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. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
Jefferson Mays
USA
Best series:
Westworld (2016) (series)
The Americans (2013) (series)
Fringe (2008) (series)
Jason Spisak
Best series:
Arcane: League of Legends (2021) (series)
Young Justice (2010) (series)
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2001) (series)
Seth Peterson
USA
Best series:
The Shield (2002) (series)
Lie to Me (2009) (series)
Deadwood (2004) (series)
Kathleen Gati
Canada
Best series:
Carnivàle (2003) (series)
The Fosters (2013) (series)
Lie to Me (2009) (series)
Chad L. Coleman
USA
Best series:
The Wire (2002) (series)
Invincible (2021) (series)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005) (series)
Jack McGee
USA
Best series:
Twin Peaks (1990) (series)
Shameless (2011) (series)
This Is Us (2016) (series)
Christopher Darga
Best series:
Strange Luck (1995) (series)
How to Get Away with Murder (2014) (series)
Modern Family (2009) (series)
David Sutcliffe
Canada
Best series:
Friends (1994) (series)
Lie to Me (2009) (series)
Private Practice (2007) (series)
Annette O'Toole
USA
Best series:
Marvel - The Punisher (2017) (series)
11.22.63 (2016) (series)
The Good Doctor (2017) (series)
Jim Beaver
USA
Best series:
Breaking Bad (2008) (series)
The Boys (2019) (series)
Better Call Saul (2015) (series)
Barry Shabaka Henley
USA
Best series:
Better Call Saul (2015) (series)
Shameless (2011) (series)
Oz (1997) (series)
Arye Gross
USA
Best series:
Better Call Saul (2015) (series)
Friends (1994) (series)
Six Feet Under (2001) (series)
John Diehl
USA
Best series:
The Shield (2002) (series)
Friday Night Lights (2006) (series)
The X-Files (1993) (series)
Micah Hauptman
USA
Best series:
Homeland (2011) (series)
Supernatural (2005) (series)
Masters of Sex (2013) (series)
John Amos
USA
Best series:
Roots (1977) (series)
My Name Is Earl (2005) (series)
Lie to Me (2009) (series)
Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
USA
Best series:
The Wire (2002) (series) - a.f.
Friday Night Lights (2006) (series)
The Deuce (2017) (series)
Keith Robinson
USA
Best series:
White Collar (2009) (series)
A Million Little Things (2018) (series)
Lie to Me (2009) (series)
Michael B. Jordan
USA
Best series:
The Wire (2002) (series) - a.f.
House M.D. (2004) (series)
The Sopranos (1999) (series)