The world's leading deception researcher, Dr. Cal Lightman, studies facial expression, body language and tone of voice to determine when a person is lying and why, which helps law enforcement and government agencies uncover the truth. But his skills also make it easier for him to deceive others.
Written by Sophie and last updated on jan 22, 2023.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Ria hasn't seen or heard from her little sister, Ava, since she was sent to a juvenile detention center, so when she receives a message from Ava, desperately pleading for help, Ria, Cal, and Gillian run to the rescue.
The episode was rated 7.91 from 409 votes.
A man from the American Embassy in Mexico asks Cal to "unofficially" investigate the disappearance of an American woman after local police refuse to look into it. Meanwhile, Cal's rival, Jack Rader, works with Gillian to identify the person responsible for tainting the blood bank supply when several patients become seriously ill, and one dies.
The episode was rated 7.92 from 481 votes.
After Cal's journalist friend, Julie, is murdered over an investigative piece she was writing on political corruption in Baltimore, Cal decides his team should continue her work and finish the story.
The episode was rated 7.92 from 381 votes.
Cal is approached by a young woman who claims she saw a murder in a vision, but the police won't believe her. Meanwhile, Ria interviews a Supreme Court nominee for the White House to determine if there are any skeletons in his closet.
The episode was rated 7.93 from 513 votes.
Cal uses virtual reality and other unconventional therapy to help a war veteran get to the root of the cause for the severe PTSD he's been plagued with since returning home from the Middle East.
The episode was rated 7.93 from 381 votes.
Years earlier, Cal worked on a botched CIA case that resulted in the death of the wife and young daughter of an Irish terrorist named Doyle. Now Doyle was back in town, seeking answers and revenge. This incident leads up to Cal and Gillian meeting for the first time.
The episode was rated 7.97 from 409 votes.
After being shot and left for dead, a police officer spends the last few hours of his life paralyzed, unable to move or speak, before finally succumbing to his injuries. Hoping to get some shred of information that may lead them to the people responsible, the FBI brings in Cal to see if there's any possible way to read a person who can't even move his eyes.
The episode was rated 7.98 from 407 votes.
Emotions run high when Eric Matheson, accused of murdering his wife, takes the Lightman Group hostage to force them to help him uncover the real murderer.
The episode was rated 7.99 from 467 votes.
At a ground-breaking ceremony for a new community center, an assassin's bullet misses the governor, killing a young female staffer instead. When the governor jumps nine points in the polls, Cal immediately suspects the governor, or someone close to him, for what he calls a "bullet bump."
The episode was rated 7.99 from 400 votes.
Cal and Zoe attend the execution of a man they helped put on death row. Moments before dying, the murderer claims to be innocent... and Cal believes him. Racked with guilt that he might have sent an innocent man to his death, Cal defies orders from the FBI to stay out of it and goes in search of answers.
The episode was rated 8.00 from 399 votes.
When Cal's old pal, Terry Marsh, comes to town, he brings plenty of trouble with him. Meanwhile, the rest of the team meets with some students from a prep school to determine if any of them are responsible for a threatening tape that was sent to the headmaster.
The episode was rated 8.00 from 448 votes.
A farmer, angry about being foreclosed on, protests by parking his tractor, packed with explosives, right in front of the US Treasury building. Meanwhile, a group of third-graders are brought in by their teacher to find out who stole the class turtle.
The episode was rated 8.03 from 431 votes.
A distraught father comes to Cal for help finding his 18 year old daughter who disappeared and then turned up in a porn movie. Meanwhile, Cal pits Eli and Ria against each other as they vie for the same promotion.
The episode was rated 8.04 from 388 votes.
Cal is hired by the DA to be an expert witness at the trial of a beautiful, young woman charged with murdering her high-powered, and much older, billionaire husband... and Zoe is representing her. Meanwhile,Ria lets Eli in on a little secret.
The episode was rated 8.04 from 402 votes.
While giving a talk to some college students, Cal matches wits with a dangerous sociopath who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Meanwhile, Eli and Ria get the run-around from the government when they look into a UFO sighting.
The episode was rated 8.10 from 434 votes.
