[Richard Dower]

start the review roundup now;

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/the-...-so-41413.aspx

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117...ews|LatestNews

http://washingtonexaminer.com/entert...tely-teen-soap

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,6286914.story

[Richard Dower]

So....i watched the pilot, but did anyone else?, more thoughts later.
LTG FLOPS!! http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/201...h-more/100609/

[_Bella_]

I watched the pilot and I would have to say it was pretty average. I think the show does have potential and hopefully we will see the characters fleshed out a bit more as they all seemed very superficial and unlikable. I'm a bit confused by the part in the warehouse, was that Sutton's necklace she found, and if so why didn't she mention it to the boyfriend. It seems the show is trying to be like 90210 but with a bit of mystery thrown in with the sister not reappearing. I'll watch the next few episodes as I think the success of the show will depend on how the mystery progresses. Have to say that I am quite surprised by the low viewing figures, thought a lot of the PLL audience would tune in.

[Richard Dower]

Detailed ratings breakdown, there is no positives in these numbers or demos....it's a massive flop, the lowest rated premiere in over three years:

Secret Life of an American Teenager (ABC Family, 8 PM)
-1.45 A18-34
-2.28 W18-34
-2.75 W12-34

The Lying Game (ABC Family, 9 PM)
-0.65 A18-34 (-55%)
-1.10 W18-34 (-52%)
-1.63 W12-34 (-41%)

The Lying Game (ABC Family, 10 PM)
-0.606 million viewers
-0.20 A18-49
-0.28 A18-34
-0.49 W18-34
-0.75 W12-34

I'm considering waiting to see the next ep. of TLG before reviewing, i'm not sure that pilot is a strong indication of the tone and direction the show is going....but comments by showrunner Charles Prart do seem to mirror the pilots content.

[Richard Dower]

This is interesting...and i suspected this would happen, TLG slightly increased in overall viewers this week. It didn't drop....i had a feeling last weeks numbers might be the result of people not knowing about the show.

Ep. 2 was better, i thought Pasdar was good as the unihnged and slightly creepy uncle. Emma/Sutton + Ethan...major chemistry!

THE LYING GAME

- 0.48 A18-49 (tied exactly with last week)
- 1.470 million total viewers

TLG was better last night then the pilot, Adrian Pasdar added a certain gravitas to the show, they’ve finally mentioned what The Lying Game is or at least was alll about, the characters of Mads and Char were more fleshed out, fake Sutton and Ethan have actually very good screen chemistry, loved them ballroom dancing.

As for numbers, adding 100k is good but it’s still a nail biting time for everyone on the show and ABCF, if the next 2/3 weeks don’t show DEMO improvement it’s curtains for Sutton and her sis.

[lindtee]

Still unsure about this show but it still has enough going for it for me to tune into the next episode, still not loving any of the characters though.

[Richard Dower]

Originally Posted by lindtee

Still unsure about this show but it still has enough going for it for me to tune into the next episode, still not loving any of the characters though.

I'm also undecided thus far, but as you say it's got *just* about enough to warrant future viewing, my issue is it's too teen drama and not enough mystery. It's basically a glossy Gossip Girl type show with a minor tagged on PLL type mystery.

Chando is good, it's interesting to note she auditioned for Elena on TVD...she looks ALOT like Nina Dobrev!

I like Sutton's sis, least she's noticing the differences and sussing out fake Sutton, there needs to be more of the dangers of Emma slipping up and being sussed out as not being the real Sutton, also....they *need* to fully introduce the actual Lying Game, not just talk about what the girls did in the past....or, do a PLL and have past Lying Games come back to haunt the girls.

[Richard Dower]

Bugger all else on Mondays, besides Alphas

[Richard Dower]

Thoughts on ep. 3?....awaiting ratings to post. [update]> The Lying Game had a 0.5 adults 18-49 rating, even with last week and 1.310 million avg. viewers, down 160,000 vs. last week.

^ this ain't good...ABCF ran a mini marathon after last weeks episode of PLL, they showed the first two eps. of TLG right after PLL. So this means those that sampled it didn't impact positively on TLG ratings, in fact it went down from last week....160,000 lost viewers.

[Asphyxia]

Great episode!

Alex stealing Sutton's laptop and planting it on Ethan I wonder what he got off it beforehand... The Lying Games... Their birth mother search data

The whole mystery about the women that was paid off to put her name on the birth certificate.. Emma should have ended up in Beverly Hills and her real birth mother apparently turning up on the doorstep taking back the child

So many questions! Alec knows more than he's letting on...also jumping back to episode Two, what was the secret bewtween Alec and Ted

Can't wait for the next episode, I'm really enjoying it

[squeakyduck]

OMG! Just started watching this last night. So good!

I've got most of the day off tomorrow so I'll check out the other episodes!

[squeakyduck]

Ok, I just finished the last episode what will I do till the next one?!

[Richard Dower]

Originally Posted by squeakyduck

Ok, I just finished the last episode what will I do till the next one?!

I have ep. 3/4 to watch...it's on my list for tonight along with Revenge....you should check that out Squeeky!

[squeakyduck]

Originally Posted by Richard Dower

I have ep. 3/4 to watch...it's on my list for tonight along with Revenge....you should check that out Squeeky!

OOOH! I love having some free time between classes for some TV time. I'm teaching a drama class on desperate housewives and I've not watched it before I'm really enjoying it!

[Richard Dower]

Originally Posted by Asphyxia

Great episode!

Alex stealing Sutton's laptop and planting it on Ethan I wonder what he got off it beforehand... The Lying Games... Their birth mother search data

The whole mystery about the women that was paid off to put her name on the birth certificate.. Emma should have ended up in Beverly Hills and her real birth mother apparently turning up on the doorstep taking back the child

So many questions! Alec knows more than he's letting on...also jumping back to episode Two, what was the secret bewtween Alec and Ted

Can't wait for the next episode, I'm really enjoying it

Just watched ep. 3/4 there...yeah there is quite alot of info being handed out, it's moving along at quite a pace, and unlike PLL the answers are coming.

Clearly the adults are harbouring alot of secrets, especially Ted and Alec....clearly they had an illegal adoption of the twins, or i suspect perhaps Ted had an affair and Annie Hobbs got pregnant and alot of skullduggery went down.

Best part of ep. 4 was Laurel walking in on the video chat! - woah!, how close was Emma/Sutton to being busted?
Mads doing the ballet teacher?...kinda saw that coming, then we have Nisha pulling an A and snaping stalky pics

Lots of lying and shenannigans going on, the thing is though....i don't feel a sense of threat or urgency you get on PLL, you see scenes of Emma as Sutton almost being caught out or her personality/behaviour being different to real Sutton, but there is no sense of real threat of being exposed as a fake.

Also, the whole twins/adoption/mother story while moving along dosen't quite grip you as much as the PLL arch. I hope they have something in store, is there more to this?, a few twists would be nice. TLG is watchable...it's getting better as it goes along but it's not a patch on PLL.

The bigger issue is the MASSIVE differences between the books and the tv show, books spoilers...they change one huge thing from the books Spoiler: very early on Sutton gets killed whereas in this show Sutton is being shown alot, more then expected.

I thought they'd focus solely on Emma as Sutton but they are clearly doing a major revamp of the books, also....The Lying Games, this was CENTRAL to the books, whereas the show just has them as something the girls previously did.

Pasdar as the creepy DA is great, he's the best thing about the show....i think Chando is doing a good job as well playing two different characters. I love Laurel....she's sassy and funny, props to her for taking the fall for the stolen laptop. As for Mads and Char....they just seem like minions...they need to flesh these characters out more.

I'll definately watch all 10, ratings are still poor so don't expect any resolution by ep. 10 and expect cancellation.