In this week’s episode of Lie to Me, entitled “The Canary’s Song,” Dr. Lightman investigates the deaths of several men in a mineshaft explosion.
Once again, Dr. Lightman arrives at conclusions about the people being investigated without any apparent reasoning behind them. There was little science in this episode and it seems like Dr. Paul Ekman, the scientific consultant to the show, agrees.
For example, while attending the miners’ funeral, he stands at the door to analyze all of the miners that pass through. He somehow deduces that one of them not only blames the company for the explosion, but is also contemptuous towards the foreman, who was also killed.
Furthermore, the writers continue the pattern of inserting photographs from the media for unexplained reasons, as shown in this next clip:
The emotion being conveyed in those photographs would not be obvious to most people. Because of this, there is no real purpose for these photos being flashed on the screen, other than adding a brief but unnecessary sense of drama.
This episode is also upsetting in the way Dr. Lightman goes about interrogating those involved in the explosion. In order to get more information from the miners, he has the fans turned off so that methane goes into the shaft, then threatens to turn on a lighter if they don’t start coughing up information.
We would never go to such extreme measures in order to get information out of a suspect. It is astonishing that Dr. Lightman is able to get away with these methods of interrogation. Investigations do not work that way, and it is upsetting that Lie to Me is creating such a terrible image of what our line of work really involves.
Throughout this season, Lie to Me has continued to follow the same formulaic pattern, depicting Dr. Lightman as a mind-reader who can get away with doing whatever it takes to get the answers he wants. The science that once made the show unique and interesting is completely ignored. Even from a dramatic perspective, the storylines this season have been rather dry and uninteresting. The writers really need to listen to Lie to Me’s fanbase, and bring the show back to what it used to be.
Did you watch this week’s episode? What did you think of it?
I watched the episode and i think that was mediocre. I think that writers chosen this way thinking to raise the rate. I’m still trustful on this show and i like it although is not like season 1 and i think that this show approached more people to this science and to all products, books and other things about it..
I watched it this week. I didn’t hate it, as a drama, and I was also glad to see Lightman not being such a psychotic jerk for a change. I’m getting a little irritated with the lack of science, and from Dr. Ekman’s blog post I’d gather I’m not alone. I think it’s pretty telling when a show’s scientific advisor has such a limited and terse thing to say about the show he’s working for. It makes me sad, because he’s a tremendous asset for a show like this. It’s upsetting to me that the show’s executives don’t seem to appreciate what they’ve got.
As far as I’m aware, the show’s ratings just keep dropping. I wish they’d clue in to the fact that they’ve completely lost their way and get it back on track. But I’m not holding my breath either, because I recognize the possibility that the show’s fanbase, in terms of those who watch it for the science too, may be a bit limited and the network may want to pursue something more lucrative with their time slot.
I hate to say it, but unless there are fairly drastic changes, the show is probably on its last season as a result of its direction. I’ll miss it because I love the actors and the premise, but I won’t miss it as much as I might, because the Lie To Me that I fell in love with hasn’t been around for a season or so now. Guys, PLEASE fix the show! This is a sad state of affairs. 🙁
This is so sad if they throw this show away because I have given numerous presentations on the importance of reading facial expressions with emotions in my line of work and used many clips from the show on Hulu. Going to have to find a way to record them now for a show that once was… :/
see comment #2, above.
..i couldnt have said it better.
As much as I usually hate this idea, hopefully Fox will create a spin-off show, since Lie to Me is basically dead. For example, have a team of Naturals do investigations. I agree with the others, Fox has totally blown this one. It’s not “Fox” at all, at least not any more (unless to be “Fox” is to kill a great show). Now it’s just one more crime show, indistinguishable from many others in a lot of ways.
Since they have basically killed Lie to Me, hopefully someone has enough of a profit drive to make a spin-off (or something like that), and start getting some ratings for Fox and some profit for the network. Unless, of course, they are not interested, which is how it looks today, but hopefully the future is better than the present.
I also agree with Keith’s comments, very well said (as usual!)
Russ Conte