The television series Lie to Me*, based on the work of Paul Ekman, aired on the FOX network from 2009 to 2011. It ran for three seasons, with a total of forty-eight episodes, and has aired in over 60 countries worldwide. Ekman served as a scientific consultant for the show, analyzing and critiquing each episode’s script.

 

In the show, Dr. Cal Lightman (the actor Tim Roth) and his colleagues in The Lightman Group provide a professional deception-detection service to government agencies, corporations, and individuals. The team displays extensive knowledge of microexpressions and the Facial Action Coding System while solving cases.

 

 

The Truth About Lie to Me*: Separating the Facts from the Fiction

 

To aid viewers in distinguishing what was science-based and what was invented for entertainment in each show,  Dr. Ekman critiqued each episode. The entries appeared on FOX’s website and are now available here.