House Of Lies Season 1 Review

13th Jan 2013

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you know you’ve got a show when Alan Dale makes an appearance. The man is the stamp of approval to any American season.

House of Lies is about a team of management consultants and their immoral, sex driven, soulless behavior as they get companies to pay them to do…something. A running joke throughout the season is that no one really knows what a consultant does and knowing consultants myself this is entirely true. Now on paper you may find yourself asking why you would want to watch this show, the characters are awful people, promoting money and promiscuous infidelity as a glamorous way to live. They do not redeem themselves and there’s no heartwarming round-off to any of their behavior. But this is Showtime’s forte.

If you didn’t know already Showtime are an American cable network which have produced and broadcast some of the most, what should be, unlikeable characters in recent years. Why do we route for Dexter a serial killer? Hank a sex addict with no morals (Californication), Jackie a pill popping nurse (Nurse Jackie) and, their current shining glory, Brody a terrorist (Homeland). The shows have gratuitous sex, breasts poking you in the eye, foul language and in more than one case the main character addressing their inner turmoil directly to camera. If these shows don’t interest you stop reading now and go find a review for Once Upon a Time.

What tends to make these shows and turns what could be awful indulgent viewing into an examination of the depravity of human behaviour is the perfect casting. And I can honestly say this show would not be what it is without Don Cheadle leading the helm. Cheadle plays Marty Kaan, the show’s protagonist, a genius consultant who will do anything and anyone to get the job. He has a 10 year old son who is exploring his transsexual freedom of expression and the most deliciously written psychotic ex-wife (Dawn Olivieri). Marty has a team of the beautiful and always lovely to watch Kirsten Bell as Jeannie and the double act idiots Clyde (Ben Shcwartz) and Doug (Josh Lawson). There is a reason Cheadle has received Golden Globes, Emmys and nominations for just about every other acting award. He plays Marty so well you can easily say you don’t like him but just can’t help watching the messes his behavior causes to unfold and the self-loathing but compulsively destructive actions. Bell is in my opinion an under-rated actress, she knows how to express subtleties and a character who is both vicious and vulnerable, immoral but with some sense of what is moral. The chemistry between Cheadle and Bell is what will give this show further seasons although it will be interesting how they handle Bell’s current real life pregnancy in season 2 (about to air in America). It is not only these two who offer acting delights, we also have Richard Schiff as his boss (Rob Lowe and Bradley Whitford be damned Schiff was always my love in The West Wing), Greg Germann (him of Ally McBeal) and Griffin Dunne (remember him as the teacher Vada has a crush on in My Girl?).

For me though the highlight from the cast is Dawn Olivieri as Monica the psycho ex-wife (she was the tattoo lady in Heroes). The amazing body aside she is just a joy to watch. The character is so utterly insane you have to love her and she evidently plays her with such lack of embarrassment and relish.

If you haven’t already then House of Lies is a boxset worth picking up. But be warned if you don’t like the shows I mentioned before you will doubtfully have a taste for this. And even if you do it does leave a rather unpleasant bitterness, good job I’m rather partial to that flavor.