Comments | samuraimarmoset: Lie To Me in Review

samuraimarmoset

Lie To Me in Review

Jan 22, 2009 13:31

So I watched the first episode of that new Tim Roth crime drama 'Lie To Me' last night; that's the one where the world's foremost expert on lying assists the police/FBI/whatever in solving crimes. And you know what? It really hit home to me just how formulaic the genre has become. It doesn't matter that no one's done a show about a lying expert (an ( Read more... )

Comments 12

thegamehiker January 22 2009, 19:08:25 UTC

Monk beat them all to the punch and covers most of those areas 1-10.

Though looking at it, Psych isn't quite so formulaic, but it's meant to be a comedy. I should watch that more, since I never do.

gero_jimbo January 22 2009, 19:37:02 UTC

I love Psych, and yes, it's meant to be a comedy despite the whole murder-solving aspect. XD

samuraimarmoset January 22 2009, 20:37:42 UTC

Ah, I've actually never seen Monk, but there you go, then. XD

Psych? I've never even heard of that one. XD

gero_jimbo January 22 2009, 21:13:04 UTC

Psych is about a guy who is sort of hyper-observant, instead of just using that to help the cops solve crimes, he pretends to be psychic, and uses that to help solve crimes, with often hilarious results. XD

eurythmicprince January 22 2009, 19:24:22 UTC

Also sounds like Apollo Justice! But I hope him and Trucy don't develop any sexual tension later. >_>

samuraimarmoset January 22 2009, 20:38:03 UTC

Yes...that would be bad. XD

kotukawi January 22 2009, 19:28:30 UTC

I'll take me Numb3rs any day of the week. Then again, I'm biased. :D

samuraimarmoset January 22 2009, 20:38:39 UTC

Or 'Numbthreers' as my family calls it...as well as the mathematician protagonist. That is his name to use now; Numbthreers. XD

kotukawi January 22 2009, 20:42:41 UTC

Yeah, I always thought inserting the number into the word was dumb as it was just trying to gain favour as a "1337" show. But whatever; the show itself is pretty good.

gero_jimbo January 22 2009, 19:40:32 UTC

Sometimes one can enjoy a show despite it being formulaic (just look at the original Law & Order, which is pushing twenty years of being on the air with three spinoffs at this point---and only one of those spinoffs ever got cancelled).

But yeah, sometimes crime shows can be too similar. Then again, occasionally shows that are truly original about it (Pushing Daisies, for instance) get canned despite being amazing.

samuraimarmoset January 22 2009, 20:43:50 UTC

Yeah, that's very true. And the one Law and Order spinoff that got canceled only ended up canceled because of Jerry Orbach's untimely passing.

It's weird how TV works like that. And I can see Lie to Me probably lasting awhile, 'cause of the formulaic set-up and because they've attached a reasonably well-known star to it. I don't think it's for me, though. XD

innamoramento January 22 2009, 22:47:25 UTC

Eleventh Hour also follows this formula to a frightening degree, save #6 and #7, though only because the guy's in the care of the FBI and thus not hurting for money and there's really no DA there to go after the quickest target.

Yet somehow when it comes on, I get engrossed. I like the sidekick more than the main character, though I do like the science behind it, especially because a lot of it is actually real-- at least, the biology aspect is, according to my roommate.

I'm a sucker for the format of law shows, I guess. I just don't tend to like them when the main character winds up being too much of a walking, talking wish fulfillment. Jacob Hood is a quirky genius, but he's not a perfect quirky genius, thankfully.