Though its performance hasn’t been stellar, FOX has finally ordered a full season of Lie to Me. What does this mean for the sophomore drama’s future?
Lie to Me follows Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), a human lie detector, and his team of experts who help law officials solve their most difficult cases. The cast also includes Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines, Mekhi Phifer, and Monica Raymund.
The dramatic series is currently in a plum spot on the FOX schedule, sitting behind successful House on Monday nights. Unfortunately, it doesn’t hold onto much of the Hugh Laurie show’s audience. This past week, for example, House was first in the 18-49 demographic (4.6) and second in total viewers (11.95 million), opposite the Dancing with the Stars finals. Lie to Me shed 40% of the lead-in audience in both areas, attracting a 2.7 and 7.16 million.
Despite the so-so ratings performance, FOX has finally given the drama a full season and ordered nine additional installments. The decision comes several weeks after the decision to order more episodes of other shows like Glee and The Cleveland Show.
It will be some time before viewers see these episodes of Lie to Me however. The drama will be leaving the airwaves in mid-January, making way for the return of 24. FOX has indicated that Lie to Me will return at some point in the spring.
Unfortunately, the full season order is more likely of an indication that FOX anticipates they’ll be needing more original programming than their being satisfied with Lie to Me’s performance. What’s more, the show being put on hiatus isn’t likely to help the ratings.
At this point, Lie to Me looks like it will be firmly “on the bubble” come May. A third season isn’t assured and the show’s future will likely be decided by the strengths or weaknesses of FOX’s pilots for the 2010-11 season.
What do you think? Is Lie to Me worth watching or do you think FOX could do better? Would you move it to another night rather than put it on hiatus?
Image courtesy FOX.
If Fox would put it back to Wednesdays where it was, that would be ideal.
The first few episodes of this season were a bit different from the tenor of last season, but its still a really great, imaginative show that doesn’t rely on sex jokes and scatalogical humor. It actually requires the viewer to have something besides concrete between their ears. What a novelty.
Please keep Lie to Me on the air. One of the finest that Fox has presented. If it is decided to show the series in the summer, that would be great. As long as it remains on the schedule, we fans will be pleased. Great cast and great story lines. We need quality shows such as this one. Don’t let it get lost. Thanks.
“Lie to Me” is a great show! Why more people are not watching is a mystery. It has great a great cast and wonderful storylines. FOX would be crazy to cancel it!
The show is one of my families favorites. We miss it and hope that FOX will extend it. The story line is great. I love the way they tie in people in the news that we know have lied and use there body language & expressions to make conlclusions. Hope FOX give it a chance.
I love “Lie to Me” and am intrigued with the show’s premise and the innumerable uses for this science. Interesting story lines should be easy to come by. If only we could accurately analyze our politicians by this method! Sure hope they don’t decide to cancel it. Perhaps moving it to another night would help. I don’t think “House” fans would necessarily want to move right into “Lie To Me” since there is a considerable difference in pace and intensity.
I love that House and Lie to me are back to back for the very reason you sited that House fans might not want to move into the Lie to Me show the following hour. I would not want “like” shows in a row….that equals redundancy in my humble opinion. I certainly respect your opinion too. We all just want Lie to Me to stick around for a long while.
I thoroughly enjoy it, from the pilot to tractor man. I only found this post because i was trying to find out why it hasn’t aired in almost 2 months.
I LOVE THIS SHOW , I MISS IT ,AND WISH IT WOULD RETURN , ALSO THE ACTOR.S ARE GREAT TOGETHER, THE STORY LINES ARE GREAT, LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.
We love this show. The characters are great and the storylines are fresh and engaging. Please keep it on the air!
I love this show. It’s unlike anything else on TV right now; it keeps show fans engaged, but gives rookies a chance to get hooked, even if they don’t know what’s happened previously. A+ in my book!
I love this show, i feel that it is a great show to follow House. The plots are very good and it keeps you on the edge of you seat. I have to agree with everyone else, I don’t care what night it is on just has long as they don’t cancel it.
I like the storylines and everyone lies.
I don’t like the potential romance between Torres and his lab rat.
I like the plausible reasons why a person lies.
I didn’t know there were facial expressions involved. Iwant the program to stay on.
When will network TV executive abandon the Nielson Ratings and embrace the power of the internet? I couldn’t care less what night of the week a show is on, or what time slot it is in, or what show it follows, or, for that matter, what network it is on! I go to great sites like Hulu and look for great shows to watch according to MY day/time schedule. Then, if a show is worthy of my time and effort, I will watch EVERY episode, past and present. Networks need to rethink a show’s advertising potential far beyond initial broadcast… Read more »
I wholeheartedly agree!
“Lie to Me” is one of our family’s favorites. I don’t care what night they put it on cause I’ll record it to watch it anyway, but I just hope they keep showing it!
I watch “Lie to Me” every week. I have been watching House since it first began and I am 19 now. The show is a little repetitive but they are giving great plot twists. I don’t know, I feeel that “Lie to Me” is a great assest to the Fox network. IF it did air in the summer, I believe that it would get better ratings. At that point, the only thing on television are reruns and cartoons. A viewer would not have to make a choice regarding what shows to watch, cause that would be the only show to… Read more »
I love “Lie To Me”. I hope Fox doesn’t cancel it. Maybe it would acquire a better fan base if they had MORE episodes of the show to view! I haven’t missed an episode and many I’ve watched numerous times on the Internet. I agree with one of the other comments regarding putting the show’s new episodes on in the summer. I think that’d be a fabulous idea. I look forward to my “summer shows” rather than a bunch of reruns! Don’t cancel this amazing show, please.