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Please Save ‘Lie To Me’ From Lockstep Ideology
by John Romano
“Lie to Me,” a new crime show on FOX is a novel take on the genre as the lead character is an absolute expert at reading facial expressions. Dr. Cal Leightman, played by Tim Roth, can always tell when you’re lying, so beware. I’d hate to see him at a poker table or buying a new car!
Like most formulaic crime shows, the main premise of “Lie to Me” is that someone is falsely accused of a crime, or the perpetrator is revealed but isn’t proven guilty until the shows waning minutes. In “Lie to Me” the methods used to get to the bottom of the case are not what you would call textbook detective work. FOX is playing it safe thus far; rest assured in episodes 1 and 2 of “Lie to Me” that a straight white male’s horrible deeds will be revealed by the shows’ conclusion.
The secondary plot is a bit different. A liberal or minority is absolved of a crime, even though they are guilty, because they had grand intentions. In the pilot, it was a Democrat congressman who is caught with a hooker who turns out to be his long lost daughter. He is paying her for conversation and to assuage his guilt. What a great guy! In the second episode, an African-American basketball star takes a $50,000 bribe to play at a certain college. His parents died a year earlier and he is raising his little brother alone. Did I mention he has arthritis and will never see the NBA? Who wouldn’t take a bribe in that case? He loses his basketball career but is given the chance to finish college.
The upshot?
I hope that FOX gets with it on this one and varies the villains a bit. The show’s setup is really fun and Tim Roth is genius in this role. However, PC casting is anything but fun and will wear on viewers by episode 5. Just mix up the villains a bit! Trust me, no one will be offended. Okay, sure they will, someone always is, but why blow a great franchise before it gets off the ground?
I’ll give “Lie to Me” another episode or two on Hulu.com before I make a final judgment.
Episode 1 was about a murdering high school principal. In episode 2 it was a raping Sgt. in the Army. My bet for episode 3 is a corrupt cop (a straight, white male of course), for the sub-plot I’m betting Asian or Hispanic and something to do with illegal immigration. Perhaps Thai immigrant brothel slavery backed by a white entrepreneur down on his luck – say an ex banking or mortgage exec? We shall see.
“Lie to Me” is on FOX, Wednesdays at 9:00 pm.
Originally Posted at bighollywood.breitbart.com