Behind the Screens with Joshua Maloni A lighter ‘Lie to Me’ ahead for fans The truth will hurt less when the show returns with a new episode on Monday

Niagara Frontier Publications, November 7, 2009

The Lightman Group returns to expose the truth behind the lies in season two of “Lie to Me.” Pictured from left are cast members Brendan Hines, Tim Roth, Monica Raymund, Mekhi Phifer and Kelli Williams. (photo courtesy of Fox Broadcasting Co./CR: Sam Jones/FOX)

On the Fox Network Web site, there’s an image of Tim Roth as Dr. Cal Lightman. He appears to have two black eyes and a damaged nose. … And a huge smile on his face.

If the new promotional poster for “Lie to Me” is any indication, the show is headed in a lighter direction. And that’s just fine with co-star Kelli Williams.

Toward the end of the first season finale in May, her character, Dr. Gillian Foster, was experiencing some marriage problems. Her husband was likely having an affair. As a member of the Lightman Group’s batch of human lie detectors, she knew what he was trying to hide. Her team, after all, lives to extract secrets from those with nefarious intentions.

In a recent episode, a villain mocked Foster for not having children. She really, really wants kids. It was a stinging blow.

But, when the show returns Monday (9 p.m. on Fox), and for the duration of this season, Williams expects Foster’s mood to brighten.

“They’re trying to make me keep (it) together,” she says of the show’s writers. “At the end of last season, they did sort of have me going on sort of a downturn in my relationship, and my husband’s addiction issues, and stuff like that. And it got very serious. I think the writers, this year, they want me to be single, for one, and be a bit lighter, which I appreciate. I mean, I’m happy. It’s fun to play both of those emotions. But, I’m enjoying being lighter.

“And there’s a little bit more levity, I think, in the show at times, (when it’s) appropriate. But it’s a lot of fun to play with Lightman – you know, Tim Roth’s character – to find that tease of our chemistry, and how we feel about each other. We’ll start to explore that throughout the season.”

Fans shouldn’t expect much more than teasing between Lightman and Foster. As with every Fox drama these days, there is a “will they or won’t they?” question on “Lie to Me.” But, unlike a “Bones,” “House” or even “24,” where there’s a strong chance of the male and female leads finding romance with one another, Williams doesn’t expect such coupling between the stars of “Lie to Me.”

“They obviously love each other, and care about each other a lot,” she tells “Behind the Screens.” “They built this business together. I feel like it’s better to keep the chemistry there, and the feelings that they have for each other, sort of, in their relationship, but not play those cards.

“I think that when you do that, what do you have left? Are they a couple? Do they realize it’s a mistake? I think that that flirtation is more fun long term. And if the show has legs, it will be fun to sort of play that out.”

“I like it the way it is,” she added. “It’s fun. And we try to sneak a couple things in, here and there, just to sort of make it seem like there’s something else going on – to have you go, ‘What? What’s that between them?’ It’s a little bit of a tease.”

If that news is disappointing to the show’s audience, well, Williams says nothing is set in stone. True love may be found … some day.

“We’ll see what the writers have in store,” she says. “They don’t tell us anything, you know.”

Fans, now, will be left to wonder what’s the truth, and what’s a lie.