A reboot could finally do justice to Tim Roth’s underrated crime series

The Underrated TV Show Lie to me starred Tim Roth as fraud expert Cal Lightman, who has a shady past, contempt for the FBI, and a talent for reading facial expressions. This science of “microexpressions“forms the central storyline throughout the show’s first two seasons. Although Lie to me differs from most crime dramas, it was marketed similarly to crime shows like Criminal Mindswhich didn’t do justice to its premise. 1st season of Lie to me may not have thrilled critics, who gave it a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences were impressed, rating it 88%.

Lie to me follows Cal’s fraud detection agency, The Lightman Group, and its employees as they analyze a different situation in each episode. These range from interviewing politicians to capturing active serial killers. Cal has a dark past, a rebellious employee and a curious teenage daughter, and many of the characters find themselves in dangerous situations. With their kidnappings and murders, Lie to me it often felt like a thriller when watching some of the more suspenseful episodes. Lie to me was abruptly canceled after its third season aired, leaving a cliffhanger ending and room for a much-needed Lie to me revival.

A Lie to Me reboot would fit right in with true crime’s current popularity

Unusual character dynamics make Lie To Me different from other true crime shows

Lie to me shares its themes and factual basis with many successful true crime shows. Lie to me The episodes often feature serial killers and psychopaths, and the series is based on the work of a real person. Psychologist Paul Ekman inspired the series and served as a consultant. True crime is a popular and one Lie to me the reboot would be perfect for modern true crime fans. It has a simple crime formula, the “real life“elements of a documentary and the compelling characters of a drama, while adding a unique twist to true crime.

The main characters in Lie to me are experts in deception rather than crime scene investigators, which makes it very difficult to lie to each other. This gives them an extremely different dynamic than the characters on most other true crime shows. Cal is arrogant but loyal, with a dark history that slowly unfolds. Lie to meand his employees include a psychologist, an FBI agent, and a man who practices “radical honesty“refusing to lie, ever. This main cast was also unusual compared to many popular TV dramas of the late 2000s.

Lie To Me was ahead of its time in many ways

Lie To Me featured women in many different roles

Although the main cast of more modern TV shows like How to get away from murder present an even wider diversity, Lie to me is still surprisingly ahead of its time. The main characters include a black man and two women, one of whom is Latina, all of whom occupy positions of power and respect. Many Lie to me episodes acknowledge differences in cultural norms and inherent biases, which was extremely rare in a 2009 show. Even rarer, Lie to me cast deaf actress Shoshannah Stern in Season 3 and seemed ready to make her a regular before the show’s cancellation.

Lie to me It regularly featured women in positions of power, with stories that didn’t always revolve around the male cast members. Cal’s business partner, Gillian, is a psychologist who wears dresses and reads novels and who often notices details that Cal doesn’t. The Lightman Group’s newest recruit, Ria Torres, is a Latina woman with a natural ability to detect deception. Even the characters that appear in single episodes are presented as complex and nuanced, rarely conforming to stereotypes. However, as Lie to me progressed, it began to fall into the same traps as other popular seriesneglecting the plot arcs of female and minority characters.

A Lie To Me Reboot Could Fix The Original’s Flaws

Lie To Me wasted one of its most interesting characters

A reboot could do justice to forgotten characters who perhaps haven’t received as much attention as they should. Mekhi Phifer’s Agent Ben Reynolds exemplifies this, as Ben’s main storyline elaborated on his backstory but was later abandoned. There is also the issue of Ria; Lie to me It briefly looked like it would become a show with a well-written LGBTQ+ character when Ria mentioned a previous same-sex relationship. However, she later described him as “a phase”, rendering the detail irrelevant and seemingly adding to the shock value. ONE Lie to me rebooting making Ria bisexual would bring much-needed positive representation for the often forgotten bisexual community.

One of Lie to meThe most interesting character in was Eli Loker, who started the show by refusing to lie under any circumstances. His self-imposed policy was repeatedly challenged, with Eli eventually lying to protect Gillian. This episode should have been a turning point for his character, but Lie to me focused on Eli’s potential romance with Ria. Lie to me missed the opportunity to create a strong platonic friendship between the two, which is still a rarity in shows today. ONE Lie to me the reboot should revisit the “radical honesty“politics and strengthen his friendship with Ria.

What a Lie Reboot Would Be Like for Me

Emily Lightman may take control of the Lightman Group

If the cast returned for a Lie to me reboot, the show would need to update some key elements that have aged since Lie to me aired for the first time. A reboot would need to ensure that black characters are not just seen, but developed, and that female characters have stories outside of cliché romances. If Eli remains in Lie to meher tension with Cal must be resolved. This is essential because one Lie to me the reboot would need a significant time jump to account for actress Emily Lightman, Hayley McFarland, growing into adulthood.

ONE Lie to me the film could be a compelling thriller, but a reboot could explore other possibilities. If Tim Roth didn’t return to play Cal, Ria could take control of The Lightman Group, becoming the main character and resident deception expert. Ria also has a dark past that could catch up with her. Another option is for Cal’s daughter, Emily, to take over (or even inherit) the business. If Cal were dead or in prison, that would give a Lie to me reboot a mystery to present while bringing the focus back to the lies people tell.