Tim Roth headed to series TV in "Lie to Me"

By Nellie Andreeva and Kimberly Nordyke

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox has picked up the Tim Roth-starring drama pilot "Lie to Me" as a series, ordering 13 episodes of the crime procedural for a midseason launch.

Inspired by real-life behavioral scientist Paul Eckman, "Lie to Me" centers on deception expert Cal Lightman (Roth), who runs a private agency contracted by the FBI, local police, law firms, corporations and private citizens when they hit roadblocks in their searches for the truth.

Kelli Williams co-stars as Lightman's professional partner, with Brendan Hines and Monica Raymund rounding out the cast.

"Lie," whose lead character is reminiscent of Hugh Laurie's Dr. House, has been touted as a potential "House"-size hit for Fox.

Series creator Sam Baum is executive producing "Lie" with Brian Grazer, David Nevins and Steve Maeda.

For Grazer, whose Imagine TV also co-produces the Fox drama "24," "Lie" has been a passion project for five years, since he met Eckman and decided to do a crime series built around a deception expert.

"'Lie to Me' has a sensibility that is very similar to '24,' and it's also intense like '24,'" Grazer said.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter