9 Shows Like ‘Lie to Me’ to Watch If You Miss the Crime Drama
The truth is, Lie to Me only lasted three seasons but racked up countless fans.
The Fox procedural, which ended after three seasons on January 31, 2011, starred Roth as Dr. Cal Lightman, an expert in the facial micro-expressions that can expose a subject’s lies, even lies that would elude a polygraph. Cal and his colleagues at The Lightman Group — played by the likes of Kelli Williams, Monica Raymund, Brendan Hines, and Mekhi Phifer — use his psychological expertise and their own to solve cases that stump law enforcement.
“Love this show intensely,” a Reddit user wrote just last year. “Tim Roth took the quirky leading detective type that is so popular to a brand new and exciting place.”
Another viewer added, “It’s one they could bring back. I wish they would. It was bloody good.”
If you’re missing Lie to Me now, 15 years later, we can think of several TV shows that might scratch that itch. Check ’em out — like, really scrutinize them, Lightman-style — below.
Bones
Like Cal Lightman, Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) can intuitively read people and pick up clues that others miss, and those talents sometime clash with the scientific methods of colleagues like Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan (Emily Deschanel) in this hit procedural. Currently streaming on Prime Video.
Bull
Compared to Bones, Bull was less popular and far more controversial, but it, too, has Lie to Me vibes. In this series, Michael Weatherly plays Dr. Jason Bull, a “trial science” expert who studies jurors’ behavior patterns and claims to know what they’re thinking before they do. Currently streaming on Paramount+ and Roku Channel.
Elementary
But if we’re talking masters of observation, we have to talk about Sherlock Holmes, played in this procedural by Jonny Lee Miller. Elementary provides a modern-day version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective, now working with the NYPD with Lucy Liu’s Dr. Joan Watson as his sidekick and sober companion. Currently streaming on Hulu and Prime Video.
Found
Cruelly canceled on a cliffhanger last year, Found follows Gabi Moseley (Shanola Hampton), a former kidnapping victim-turned-missing person recovery specialist. And Lie to Me alum Kelli Williams, pictured here, plays her associate Margaret Reed, who possesses fine-tuned powers of observation and deduction. Currently streaming on Netflix and Peacock.
High Potential
There’s a High Potential you Lie to Me fans will appreciate this detective show, too. Kaitlin Olson plays Morgan Gillory, a single mother who goes from Los Angeles Police Department cleaner to criminal consultant when her keen eye helps solve a case. Plus, Lie to Me’s Mekhi Phifer is on the show, as seen here! Currently streaming on Hulu.
The Mentalist
After using his powers of observation for personal gain as a fraudulent psychic, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) decides to put his abilities to a better cause in this procedural. He becomes a consultant for California’s Bureau of Investigation (though there’s one investigation in particular in which he’s interested). Currently streaming on Hulu.
Monk
Tony Shalhoub landed three Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Emmys for his performance as this show’s title character. If Sherlock Holmes had overwhelming phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder — but still cracked countless cases for the San Francisco Police Department — he’d be Adrian Monk. Currently streaming on Prime Video.
Poker Face
As Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) lets on in Poker Face’s first episode, she “can just tell if someone is intentionally lying.” And after her job as a lowly casino employee gets her into deadly trouble, Charlie goes on the run across the country, solving cases we see play out in Columbo’s inverted “howcatchem” format. Currently streaming on Peacock.
Psych
A more comedic spin on the aforementioned Mentalist is this buddy comedy-drama starring James Roday Rodriguez as Shawn Spencer, a Santa Barbara Police Department consultant who only seems psychic because of his incredible memory and observational skills, and Dulé Hill as Burton “Gus” Guster, Shawn’s long-suffering, straight-man best friend. Currently streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.
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