TV's Saving Personalities

There are good actors and there are good acting personalities.  The former need a good script and direction to flourish, the latter can do well with a script written by a 12-year old and directed by ..., well, by anybody really.

As an example of what an intense personality can do, check out 'Lie to Me', the FOX channel's answer to 'The Mentalist' (CBS).  'Lie to Me' stars the Brit ex-pat Tim Roth, a veteran of the big screen, most recently in 'The Incredible Hulk'.  'The Mentalist' stars Simon Baker, an Aussie who hasn't quite the movie pedigree of Roth, but who's paid his dues in TV.

Of the two shows, 'The Mentalist' is the better written and directed.  The scripts mix dry wit, mild humor, drama, and a little action in a pleasant stew reminiscent (in the best way) of TV crime dramas of the 70's.  It's mild but entertaining stuff, and might succeed even if led by a merely talented actor.  Baker, however, as the former entertainer (a mind-reader) turned investigator Patrick Jane, does more than deliver his lines well.  His characterization rivets your attention. Even when the action comes to a full stop the show is never boring when his character is on screen.  

'Lie to Me', takes a step downward in concept and writing, and makes Roth's presence more critical for the show than Baker's to his.  No one on TV today has a screen presence more intense than Roth's (although fellow-Brit Hugh Laurie of 'House' might challenge), and he carries the show, despite the awkward staging and unrealistic dialogue his character, Cal Lightman ('the world's leading deception expert'), must endure and deliver.  The producers of this show must find a way to work Roth into every scene, even if it's only a brief cutaway to show us his face, deep in thought, or flashing skeptical, whimsical, and quizzical looks.  To do otherwise would be to risk viewers actually second-guessing the plot, which, unless the writing improves with subsequent episodes, might be fatal to the project.

Both actors are perfectly cast for their roles.   Try to imagine switching them for a moment.  See Tim Roth as Patrick Jane and Simon Baker as Lightman.  Now run a few scenes of each in your head - not very good, 'eh?  Even if Roth would discard his British accent and Baker re-assume his Aussie one for the swap, it wouldn't make a difference.  Some sort of special award ought to go to the geniuses who cast these two in their proper roles.  (They are almost as brilliant as the bright person who cast Hugh Laurie).

It remains to be seen which of these shows will succeed in the long run.  'The Mentalist' has the better chance, due to it's overall higher quality, making the presence of Baker the tasty icing on an already edible cake.  But 'Lie to Me' might make it too.  If it does, it will be almost entirely due to Tim Roth.