mostly Lie to Me

[pellucid]

I have blazed through all the Lie to Me that there is so far, and I find myself a little disappointed. I really loved season 1. Season 2...much less so. And it's entirely because Gillian went from being an equal partner in the plot, with agency and an interesting role, to being a fairly one-note subordinate. If this continues through the rest of

Comments

[etoilefilante]

I came over for your fic and found your analysis. This is exactly how I feel about Lie to Me. I adore season 1. It's original, it's well-written, and Cal and Gillian are fascinating to watch. Season 2 comes along with a new leader from a big tough show and, yes, it gets better ratings, but it sacrifices so much to achieve that. In season 1 I always believed that Cal had a past and had the ability within himself to be violent or dangerous should he need to protect those he loves, but they really have pushed him being this violent, gun-toting adrenaline junkie. It saddens me greatly because his intelligence and his science is being pushed to the background.

That's not to say season 2 isn't without its brilliant moments - the end scene of Honey being one of my favourites. But the scene you highlighted from Undercover where they discuss the line has always been my favourite scene (I think tied with their introductory scenes in the Pilot). I remember my breath hitching a little when I first watched it because they suddenly started to click into place for me and I loved what I saw.

[pellucid]

Is season 2 getting better ratings? I thought I'd seen somewhere that they'd dropped. But I don't usually pay that much attention to that sort of thing.

But yes, I think that we got enough in season 1 to suggest that Cal does have this side to him, and I think that's fascinating and worth exploring, but in diving whole hog into it, the show has lost so much of its subtlety. Instead I feel like I'm being beaten over the head over and over with Big Bad Cal, and everyone else has been pushed into the background.

I agree with you that there are some lovely moments in season 2--definitely. I do love the ending scene of "Honey," and if we've got to have a Cal-in-danger ep, I'll take that whole ep over any of the others. I thought the scenes between Cal, Emily, and Zoe in "Truth and Consequences" were really excellent, and I also loved the easy domesticity of Gillian with Cal and Emily in "Black Friday." And I'm generally a fan of Reynolds and what he's added to the cast. So yes, lots to like in season 2, but overall, I do find it a disappointment. Here's hoping that the back half, whenever it arrives, does a little better--though I don't think I'll hold my breath.

(Oh, and thanks for dropping by and saying hello!)