Truth be told, before I go on with this, I have to say that Tim Roth is one of my favorite actors of all time, so at times I may be over glorifying him too much, but that's just me.
The whole point of this 'article' or 'opinion', as it were, is to let you see Cal Lightman as I see him, and show you how I take everything that he does and analyze it until I can understand his motives and personality. (I know, I have absolutly nothing else to do.)
I watch Lie to Me mainly because of this character, and it goes the same for House. I love studying them both and seeing where they take themselves. (I know that that's the writers decisions not made by the characters or actors, but more on the actors later.)
I will be comparing Cal to House ALOT here because I have been studying House for over 3-4 years, so I know him well.
Now, let's boogey! (I just watched Charlie and the Choclate Factory for the third time today, so sorry in advance for any further refrences that may be made towards that movie).
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Cal Lightman. Where do I begin? Like House, it will take over 5 books and over 15 different authors and Psychologists to just scratch the surface of who this character is underneath. This just goes to show you how well the wirters do, and how amazing the actor is at potraying their character. As of right now, August 9th 2009, they are currently filming their 2nd or 3rd episode of Lie to Me in it's Second season, and the character of Cal Lightman has already progressed past what we already know about him. So it is indeed difficult to try and piece a character together when they only give us one episode a week. But that's why I'm writing this in the Summer... =D
Now Cal Ligtman could easily be the long lost brother of Gregory House considering the fact that both shows belong to Fox, and thanks to that, anything is possible in this world.
The simmilarities: Where do I even start? They're both obsessive, both extremley scientific and smart, (by saying that I mean they know what they are doing, regardless of how they do it), and not to mention, both EXTREMLEY good looking. (A little side note, both are played by British actors. Is it just me, or do actors from the UK seem to do the best acting in the world?) These characters are both so involved in their cases that they take almost no regard for other events taking place around them. (More House than Lightman, but when you study them like I do, it's the first thing you see) Sure, Cal Lightman DOES take notice in these little things, and he DOES do something about it...after his case is solved.
The differences: Cal is more balanced as a person. He knows who he is and he dosen't need drugs and a quick tounge to figure that out. Obviously, House does have a problem, his leg, but he's taken it far beyond the pain and it's reached him mentally rather than just physically. That's the only thing that REALLY seperates these characters from one another. Their differences are little, yet big. Cal is nice, House...isn't. Cal has friends (plural)....House has a friend. (Wilson) and people who do care about him, but he shuts those people down 24/7. Cal dosen't limp. House...you get the idea. It's those things that set them appart, but mentally, I think their thought process is the same method. (Only House's is Medical, and Cal's is Psychological)
The individuality: While they are both damaged, (simmilarities), they are both damaged in different ways (differences). Cal is emotionally damaged, though you can't see it as well partly because his job is to hide and uncover emotions and lies. And when a man does that as his job every day of his life, he will get pretty good at it. Now House is damaged physically, not his fault mind you, but that's what makes him so good at his job. He dosen't want to mess up. Same applys to Cal.
Cal Lightman watched his mother die, and he know's why, HE discovered the answer, only it was to late. Now that can lead to some deep emotional scarring there, and thats why I study the character like I do.
Cal needs answers to uncover MORE about himself. Sure he knows who he is at this moment, but he want's to know more. He treats himself like an experiment, and he uses what he's learned about himself against his cases.
I know that's roundabout, but it's the only way I can explain it. I see Cal as a mystery, and everything that he says and does I take into account. Not just as a show, but as reality. It could just be because the writers know what they're doing, and they need more credit than what's given to them, or it could be the flawless performances that Tim Roth gives every episode, and how he stays in character so effortlessly that he should be nominated for an Emmy right along with Hugh Laurie.
Of course, it's just a show. Right?
Not to me. I see Cal Lightman as a person. A person that looks like Tim Roth, and speaks the words of the writers. But his personality is all his own.
Cal Lightman will forever to be a mystery to me. But as the Second season nears, more questions will be answered...more questions will be raised. Conflicts will be resolved...and some will remain...no one knows.
At least, not until September 28th...
