We have all told a lie at one point in our lives. While our the lies we have told may be small, one needs to look no further than his or her local news to see that not all lies are harmless. Sometimes though lies seem like a last resort and getting the truth isn't as simple as a lie detector. Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) would be the first to tell you a lie detector is garbage and he illustrates this point in an early episode in the new series "Lie to Me." A lie detector establishes a baseline for truthful statements and then measures body factors like pulse rate, skin conductivity and temperature; any changes from the baseline readings indicates a lie. The problem is as Dr. Lightman shows in his trademark sardonic fashion, do something as simple as introduce an attractive woman in the room and the most honest man will instantly be a liar to the machine. His solution? Himself.

"Lie to Me" throws viewers into the world of human lie detector, Cal Lightman. His lie detecting skills rely on universal facial expressions and how a well-trained individual can detect a liar from reading "micro expressions." Lightman heads up the private deception detection firm The Lightman Group and throughout the course of "Lie to Me's" thirteen freshman episodes, Lightman and his associates Dr. Gillian Foster, Eli Loker, and new protégé Ria Torres will put their finely trained skills to the test as their group is hired from clients ranging from billionaires worried about potential gold diggers to law enforcement in stopping a copycat serial rapist. As absurd as the notion of Lightman being able to read facial expressions to determine whether a person is lying is, prepare to be blown away, as it's all based on the very real and groundbreaking research of Dr. Paul Ekman.

Dr. Ekman pioneered the study of micro expressions and universal emotion and serves as a creative inspiration for Roth's character. The creators have kept Ekman in the loop throughout the creative process and Fox allows Ekman to blog about what is factual and what is exaggerated on the show's website, which earns this new series bonus points for giving viewers something to think about once the episode ends. Where "Lie to Me" diverges from reality is in many of the stories, as the Lightman Group is employed on numerous occasions to take a crack at criminal cases. It's a concept that is initially aggravatingly absurd, especially as the show itself acknowledges this fact, but in the end, Lightman is always the man to save the day.

Lightman's grandiose genius can often be the biggest hurdle "Lie to Me" faces. New viewers familiar with "House" will immediately see huge parallels between the two shows; Lightman, like House is sarcastic and at times very anti-social, he often domineers over his very capable colleagues, but in the end, he's always right, often to the shock of those around him. Fortunately, like Hugh Laurie does for his series, Tim Roth turns in an absolutely phenomenal performance every episode that makes up for the formulaic nature of each episode. Roth's acting in early episodes is so intense that many bit players deliver performances that are either completely stilted or far too melodramatic. Once Roth is able to establish himself in the role of Lightman and we get bits and pieces of his human side (his relationship with Dr. Foster as well as his teenage daughter), flaws in secondary acting roles aren't as evident.

Fortunately, the formula of the show does allow for Lightman's other colleagues to hold their own as there is almost always a secondary case assigned to the pair not working with Lightman on the primary case. This allows for character bonds to be formed, in some cases from scratch as Monica Raymund's character, Ria Torres, is a new addition to the team and provides some great dramatic tension from time to time as her ability is natural, which often draws the ire and jealousy of her brilliant boss.

Finally, the most unique positive aspect of "Lie to Me" comes from viewers being able to play along at home. As we learn little explanations of micro expressions from Lightman (which at first seem heavy handed, but a necessary evil), in later episodes it's fun to try and spot character motivations before they are revealed to us by one of the team. I can't say I personally did this in every episode I watched, especially towards the very end when some of the plots became very intense, but it did make some episodes just a bit more fun.

The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is yet another example of why handheld digital cameras (a fact relayed in the making-of-featurette) should not be used at a professional level. Color reproduction is rich and the primary foreground detail is very strong, which is very apparent in many of the series' scenes with Lightman verbally facing off with a character. However, background detail is exceptionally soft and riddled with distracting digital grain.

The Audio

The 5.1 Dolby Digital English audio is more than adequate, especially for a dialogue heavy show. It's very front heavy, but when the music picks up or something dramatic happens, the surrounds do kick in to good effect. English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese subtitles are also included.

The Extras

The two sole extras are a brief making-of featurette titled "The Truth About Lies." It's a good rundown of the genesis of the show from Dr. Ekman's work, to the casting of Tim Roth. The people involved in the making of the show definitely take their jobs seriously, especially when integrating the psychology aspect into the show. It's a vital component that if handled haphazardly, would have killed the show before it left the starting gate.

Finally, a handful of deleted scenes from a few select episodes is included.

Final Thoughts

Despite it's formulaic nature, "Lie to Me" is a welcome new addition to the primetime television lineup. It's another in a long line of shows that is helmed by a fantastic actor, who is allowed to bring to life a character that is a fascinating mix of fact and fiction. The show should easily appeal to fans of "team" shows like "House" or "CSI," as it brings a very new solution to solving mysteries to the table. Recommended.