By Ari Howorth
Staff Writer
Showtime aired the premier of its new half-hour comedy “House of Lies” after over a year of development, “House of Lies” attempts to portray the world of management consulting in a unique and light; however, the show falls short is its attempted portrayal of the lives of the rich and famous.
“House of Lies” follows Marty Kaan (Don Cheadle), a high-flying and successful management consultant who is viewed as one of the best. He is joined by a team of good-looking, intelligent consultants (including Kristen bell) who shows that just how easy life is for the smart and pretty.
One of the only positive points of the show comes from Cheadle’s performance as Kaan. Though self-destructive in both personal and professional life, he possesses a charisma that still brings the viewer to the conclusion that everything will work out.
Kaan’s family dynamic provides the show’s few laughs and one touching moment. Kaan finds himself in a dispute with his transgender son’s principal and argues his son’s right to play a woman’s role in the school’s production of “Grease.” It is reassuring to see a good side of Kaan as viewer question his morals throughout the episode.
The show’s sense of humor is fast paced and attempts to use the wittiness of the writing to add to the smooth lifestyle of the characters. Unfortunately, the show lacks this wit, and as the character tryies to demonstarte their excess of it, they come off as flat and simply unlikable.
The show unrealistically trys to show how easy the work of a management consultant is. “House of Lies” also overly simplifies the complicated buiness world with blatent extremities.
“House of Lies” lacks originality with an annoying and unprofessional gimmick of having Cheadle break the fourth wall throughout the show to explain various aspects of management consulting. Besides feeling awkward and unprofessional for a show about the most professional people, it also feels condescending to the viewer, who begins to feel lost in a story line that is easy to comprehend.
When the show is not concentrating on management consulting, it is focusing on the abundance of unnecessary sexual intercourse. In an effort to make the show comparable to the successful AMC show “Mad Men,” an excess of sex is used to complete the life of a high-class, wealthy management consultant.
“House of Lies” fails to be the intelligent show that it could be. Even with an actor as prestigious as Cheadle, it is anything but innovative and creative. Its failiure to explore the real world of management consulting by making light of an actually very sophisticated and high-pressure occupation make the show a failure.
“House of Lies” plays on Showtime at 8 p.m. on Sunday nights.
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