To Tell the Truth
American television game show
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel show. Four celebrity panelists are presented with three contestants (the "team of challengers", each an individual or pair) and must identify which is the "central character" whose unusual occupation or experience has been read aloud by the show's host. When the panelists question the contestants, the two impostors may lie whereas the "central character" must tell the truth. The setup adds the impostor element to the format of "What's My Line?" and "I've Got a Secret".
The show was created by Bob Stewart and originally produced by Mark Goodson–Bill Todman Productions. It first aired on CBS from 1956 to 1968 with Bud Collyer as host. From 1969 to 1978, the show was revived in syndication, with Garry Moore as the first host. Former panelist and frequent guest host Joe Garagiola took over in 1977, following Moore's health issues. Garagiola hosted until the show's cancellation.
Robin Ward hosted a 1980–81 syndicated revival of the program, and a 1990–91 revival on NBC featured a succession of different hosts: Gordon Elliott, Lynn Swann and Alex Trebek. The show was revived again in syndication from 2000 to 2002 with John O'Hurley as host. The most recent version aired on ABC from 2016 to 2022 with Anthony Anderson as host.
Basic rules.
Although there have been some variations in the rules over the years (including the addition of a secondary game in some versions), certain basic aspects have remained consistent throughout all versions of "To Tell the Truth." Three challengers are introduced, all claiming to be the central character. The announcer typically asks the challengers, who stand side by side, "What is your name, please?" Each challenger then states, "My name is [central character's name]." The celebrity panelists then read along as the host reads aloud a signed affidavit about the central character.
The panelists are each given a period of time to question the challengers. Questions are directed to the challengers by number (designated "Number One," "Number Two" and "Number Three"), with the central character sworn to give truthful answers, and the impostors permitted to lie and pretend to be the central character.
After questioning is complete, each member of the panel votes on which of the challengers he or she believes to be the central character, either by writing the number on a card or holding up a card with the number of their choice, without consulting the other panelists. Any panelist who knows one of the challengers or has another unfair advantage is required to recuse or disqualify themselves, which, for scoring purposes, is counted as an incorrect vote. They would also sit out of the questioning.
Once the votes are in, the host asks, "Will the real [person's name] please stand up?" The central character then stands, often after some brief playful feinting and false starts among all three challengers. Occasionally, the central character would be asked to do something else related to his or her story instead of standing up. The two impostors then reveal their real names and their actual occupations. Prize money is awarded and divided among all three of the challengers, based on the number of incorrect votes received by the impostors.
History.
1956–1968, CBS.
"To Tell the Truth" was to have premiered on Tuesday, December 18, 1956, on CBS in primetime as "Nothing But The Truth", but the program title was changed to "To Tell the Truth" the day before the show's debut. (There was one pilot episode titled "Nothing But The Truth"; both the planned and eventual titles derive from the standard English court oath "to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.")
The series was recorded in New York City, initially at CBS Studio 52 (the future Studio 54), before moving to the Ed Sullivan Theater late in its run. The existence of an audience ticket for a taping indicates that the show originated in color at the CBS Broadcast Center in late 1966.
Bud Collyer was the show's host (Mike Wallace hosted the pilot); recurring panelists by the 1960s included Tom Poston, Peggy Cass, Orson Bean, and Kitty Carlisle. (Cass and Carlisle stayed on as panelists for most subsequent editions.) Earlier regular panelists included Johnny Carson, Polly Bergen, Jayne Meadows, Don Ameche, Hy Gardner, Dick Van Dyke, Faye Emerson, Hildy Parks, John Cameron Swayze, Betty White, and Ralph Bellamy. Bern Bennett, Collyer's announcer on "Beat the Clock," was the inaugural announcer of "To Tell the Truth" in the 1950s. Upon Bennett's transfer to CBS's Los Angeles studios, Johnny Olson, who in time became the best-known of all Goodson–Todman Productions announcers, joined the show in 1960 and remained with the show until 1972.
On the pilot and the primetime run, three games were played per episode. For the pilot, a wrong vote from each of the four-member panel and one wrong vote derived from the majority vote of the audience (a total of five votes) paid $300, the total prize money divided among the three challengers. The studio audience also voted, with the majority vote counting equally with that of one by a celebrity panelist; thus, the maximum of five incorrect votes resulted in $1,500 divided among the challengers. If there was a tie for the highest vote from the audience, and for each panelist who was disqualified, a wrong vote was counted. There was no consolation prize for no wrong votes.
For the majority of the primetime run there was no audience vote, thus each wrong vote from the four-member panel paid $250, divided among the three challengers, for a possible $1,000 for a complete stump of four wrong answers. A consolation prize of $150 was awarded and divided among the three challengers if there were no wrong votes. For each panelist who was disqualified, a wrong vote was counted. A design element in the set for this series was a platform situated directly above and behind the emcee's desk. The contestants stood on this platform during their introduction, allowing the camera to pan directly down to the host. They then traveled down a curved staircase to the main stage level to play the game. Some subsequent versions would use a variation of the original set design; others did not and had all the action at floor level.
On Monday, June 18, 1962, a daytime five-day-per-week edition was introduced, running at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The daytime show, also hosted by Collyer, featured a separate panel for its first three years, with actress Phyllis Newman as the only regular. The evening panel took over the afternoon show in 1965; in early 1968, Bert Convy replaced Poston in the first chair.
The daytime show was reduced to two games to accommodate a five-minute CBS news bulletin towards the half-hour mark. On the CBS daytime run, each wrong vote paid the three challengers $100 for a possible total of $400 divided among the three challengers for a "complete stump" of all four wrong votes. If all the votes were correct, the challengers split a consolation prize of $75. During the show's final year and a half, the studio audience also voted, with the majority vote counting equally with that of one of the celebrity panelists, thus a maximum of $500 divided among the challengers could be awarded for the maximum five incorrect votes. If there was a tie for the highest vote from the audience, and for each panelist who was disqualified, a wrong vote was counted. The audience vote was utilized on the nighttime show for its final six episodes (increasing the maximum possible payout to $1,250).
One CBS daytime episode featuring Dorothy Kilgallen, best known as a regular panelist on "What's My Line?", was broadcast in the Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones on Monday, November 8, 1965, as news of her sudden death was circulated by wire services. The breaking news story prompted CBS newscaster Douglas Edwards to announce her death immediately after the episode ended. She had videotaped the program six days earlier, according to the "New York Herald Tribune". The newspaper added that Kilgallen and Arlene Francis both pretended to be Joan Crawford while sitting next to the real Crawford in a celebrity segment that the daytime series featured regularly starting in 1965. The episode was one of the large majority of "To Tell the Truth" daytime episodes that were destroyed because of the common practice of wiping videotape for reuse, prior to the development of less expensive technology. This was a different half-hour telecast from the 1962 primetime episode on which Kilgallen can be seen and heard as one of the panelists. Game Show Network repeated that episode decades later.
The primetime show ended on May 22, 1967, with the daytime show ending on September 6, 1968. The latter was replaced by the expansions of "Search for Tomorrow" and "Guiding Light," the last two remaining 15-minute programs on daytime television, to 30 minutes apiece, in a scheduling shuffle with "The Edge of Night", "The Secret Storm", and "Art Linkletter's House Party." Like the primetime version, the daytime show's popularity underwent a steady decline toward the end of its run, as it faced two popular daytime dramas on ABC and NBC, "General Hospital" and "Another World," respectively.
Metropole Orchestra leader Dolf van der Linden composed the show's first theme, "Peter Pan", used from 1956 to 1961. From 1961 to 1967, the show switched to a Bob Cobert-penned theme with a beat similar to "Peter Pan", and then to a Score Productions tune during its final CBS daytime season.
Most episodes of the original nighttime run of the series were preserved on black-and-white kinescope, along with a few color videotape episodes. Only a handful of shows remain from the CBS daytime series' first three years because of the then-common practice of wiping videotapes and reusing them due to their high cost and limited storage space. Many daytime episodes (including some in color) from 1966 to 1968 exist, including the color finale.
Reruns of the black-and-white kinescopes have been shown on Buzzr and Game Show Network.
1969–1978, syndication.
"To Tell the Truth" returned only a year later, in autumn of 1969, in first-run syndication. During the early years of its run, the syndicated "Truth" became a highly-rated component of stations' early-evening schedules after the Federal Communications Commission imposed the Prime Time Access Rule in 1971, opening up at least a half hour (a full hour, usually, on Eastern Time Zone stations) to fill with non-network fare between either the local or network evening newscast and the start of their networks' primetime schedules for the evening. Other stations found success running the program in place of a daytime network game or soap opera, or in the afternoon fringe time period between the end of network daytime programming at 4:30/3:30 Central and the evening newscasts.
Like the network editions that preceded it, the syndicated "To Tell the Truth" taped its episodes in New York for its entire run. Initially occupying the same studio space at the Ed Sullivan Theater that it had for the last few years of the network series, the show would eventually move operations to NBC's studios
at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in the early 1970s.
Each wrong vote in this version was worth $50 to the challengers; complete stumps of the entire panel won the challengers a total of $500. There were two games per episode, and there was often a live demonstration or video clip to illustrate the central character's story after many of the games.
The show was first released to local stations on September 8, 1969. A total of 1,715 episodes of this version were produced, with the series ending on September 7, 1978. Some markets that added the series after its initial 1969 release opted to carry the show for another season or two after 1978 in order to catch up on the episodes that had not aired in their viewing area.
To host the revival series, Goodson and Todman made a call to original host Bud Collyer; however, Collyer had been suffering from a series of health issues that led to his death on the day the 1969 series premiered, and he told them "I'm just not up to it." The next call they made was to Garry Moore, the former host of "I've Got a Secret" as well as the CBS variety series "The Garry Moore Show." Moore had largely been away from television since his variety series was cancelled in 1964 (he left "I've Got a Secret" around the same time), but he decided the time was right to return and he accepted the offer to host the new series. Regular panelists included Orson Bean during the first year, Peggy Cass, Kitty Carlisle and Bill Cullen, who was also the designated substitute host whenever necessary. Many regulars from the original run appeared, including Tom Poston and Bert Convy. Semi-regulars during the 1968–73 time period included Gene Rayburn, Joe Garagiola, Alan Alda, Tony Roberts and Nipsey Russell.
In late 1976, during the eighth season, Moore was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and left for the remainder of the season to deal with his illness. As he had done numerous times before, Bill Cullen became his replacement. As Cullen's time as host continued on, Mark Goodson noted how Cullen's serving as host, rather than as a panelist, hurt the chemistry he had shared with Cass and Carlisle. A decision was made to have Cullen return to the panel permanently and give semi-regular panelist Joe Garagiola the hosting position. Using a baseball term for "substitute," Garagiola stated that he was "pinch hitter" for Moore, who returned to the series for a farewell performance on the ninth-season premiere in 1977. Moore explained why he had left the program, then after presiding over one last game, announced his final retirement from television and handed the host position to Garagiola permanently. "To Tell the Truth" ended production at the end of the season.
Johnny Olson stayed with "To Tell the Truth" when it moved to syndication. He left in 1972, when he moved to Los Angeles to announce the Goodson-Todman revivals of "The Price Is Right" and "I've Got a Secret." NBC staff announcer Bill Wendell succeeded Olson from 1972 to 1977, with Alan Kalter taking over during the final season. Don Pardo, also an NBC staff announcer, served as a backup to Wendell and Kalter.
"To Tell the Truth" used three distinctive sets throughout its nine-year syndicated run. The first, designed by Theodore Cooper and making heavy use of the psychedelic art styles popular in the period, was used for the first two seasons and the first four weeks of the third; those designs were muted somewhat with pastel shades on the second set used from that point through the first 30 weeks of the fourth season. The third—and longest-lived—set, which Cooper also designed, was a mostly-blue block motif with gold accents, and included a large on-stage representation of the show's new logo, which made use of stacking and interlocking letters, behind the panel. This set was used for the remainder of the run, and the logo would be reused on the future 1990 revival.
This version featured a lyrical, pop music-styled theme song written and composed by Score Productions chief Bob Israel and "Truth" producer Paul Alter, along with veteran theme composer Charles Fox; an instrumental, and orchestral, version would be used for the 1990 series.
The bulk of this version is intact. However, the current status of the first season is unknown, and is presumed to be lost to wiping. GSN has never rerun the first season of the show, and had always begun with the second season, in 1970. One episode from the first season exists in the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Buzzr began airing episodes from 1973 in October 2018.
On the October 5, 1973, episode, one of the challengers was Georg Olden, who disclosed that he was the graphic designer who created the "To Tell the Truth man" icon that was used during the 1956–1978 seasons.
1980–1981, syndication.
On September 8, 1980, a new "To Tell the Truth" series premiered in syndication. The new series emanated once again from Rockefeller Plaza in New York, and Canadian TV personality Robin Ward served as the host, with Alan Kalter returning as announcer. A new theme and set were commissioned for this edition of "Truth." Even though previous regulars Bill Cullen, Peggy Cass, and Kitty Carlisle made frequent appearances, there was no regular panel for this edition. The new "Truth" aired for one season in syndication, but it never recaptured the popularity of the original, and aired its final episode on June 12, 1981, with reruns airing until September 11, 1981.
Two games were played, and each wrong vote paid the challengers $100; $500 was paid if the entire panel had been fooled. No consolation prize was given if the entire panel correctly identified the subject.
After the second game, a new game called "One on One" was played with the four impostors from earlier. One fact had been purposely withheld from the panel about one of the impostors and it was up to the panelists to determine correctly to which of the impostors it applied. One at a time, each panelist would be given twenty seconds to question the impostor sitting directly across from him or her and would then say whether he or she believed the fact applied to that impostor. Wrong votes still paid $100, with $500 paid if the panel did not correctly determine to whom the fact pertained.
The 1980 edition of "To Tell the Truth" was a rarity in that it was still based in New York while nearly all television game show production had moved to California by this point. There was only one other game show in production during the run of this "To Tell the Truth" series that emanated from New York. "The $50,000 Pyramid", which premiered at the midway point of the 1980-81 season, was the other; the series was taped at ABC’s Studio TV-15, the former Elysee Theater, on West 58th Street. These two would be the last non-cable productions to tape regularly in New York until 1999 when "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" premiered on ABC.
1990–1991, NBC.
"To Tell the Truth" returned to NBC for a run that lasted only eight months, from September 3, 1990 (Labor Day) to May 31, 1991. Unlike previous versions that originated from New York, the 1990 version was taped at NBC's The Burbank Studios in California. The show's theme music was an orchestral remix of the 1969–78 theme (minus the lyrics), and the show utilized the block-letter logo from 1973 to 1978. All episodes of this series exist and have aired on GSN in reruns.
Actor Richard Kline hosted two pilot episodes with Charlie O'Donnell as announcer; one of these was accidentally aired as the premiere episode in the Eastern and Central time zones. Australian "A Current Affair" reporter Gordon Elliott hosted "To Tell the Truth" for its first eight weeks (September 3 to October 26, 1990). The bespectacled Elliott bore a passing resemblance to former "To Tell the Truth" emcee and panelist Bill Cullen. A dispute with Elliott's former employers in Australia temporarily forced him off American television altogether; his replacement was then-frequent panelist Lynn Swann. Swann, the first African-American host of "To Tell the Truth", hosted the show for the next 14 weeks (October 29, 1990 to February 1, 1991) until his job as a reporter for ABC Sports at the time forced him to leave. Alex Trebek was brought in as his replacement for the remainder of the run (February 4 to May 31, 1991), at the same time he was hosting "Classic Concentration" on NBC and "Jeopardy!" in syndication. Mark Goodson filled in for two episodes Trebek missed when his wife Jean went into labor during a taping with their son Matthew. The announcer for the 1990 series was Burton Richardson (O'Donnell served as his substitute).
The celebrity panelists for "To Tell the Truth" during this period included several of the 1970s panel stalwarts, including Kitty Carlisle, who appeared on a majority of the shows, taking the fourth and most upstage seat. The first seat, furthest downstage, saw Ron Masak and Orson Bean alternate on the panel for 34 of the 39 weeks the series was on air. The chair next to that was occupied by rotating guests, although voice actress Dana Hill appeared in the seat most often. The third chair most often featured David Niven Jr. as a panelist, although Masak and Bean would also sit there if both were to appear on the same program. Polly Bergen and Peggy Cass, who began appearing on the original series, would appear from time to time, and other frequent panelists included Vicki Lawrence, Cindy Adams, and Betty White. The panelists were introduced in twos, with the male panelists escorting the female panelists down the set's main staircase, followed by the host. For one week, Monty Hall (who would later replace Bob Hilton as a permanent guest host on the 1990 version of "Let's Make a Deal") sat in the first seat.
Two games were played with two sets of impostors. Any incorrect votes up to two paid $1,000. If three of the panelists had voted incorrectly, the players split $1,500. On the pilot, each incorrect vote earned $500. If the panel was fooled entirely, the players split $3,000.
After the second game, a new version of the "One on One" game from the 1980 series was played. A seventh civilian player was brought out with two stories, and a member of the studio audience was given an opportunity to win money by trying to figure out which of the two stories was true. Each panelist was given the opportunity to ask the contestant one question for each story, and after both stories had been presented the audience member chose which one he or she thought was the truth. After the choice was made, the contestant revealed the right answer and if the audience member came up with it, he or she won $500. If the contestant stumped the audience member, that player won $1,000.
Occasionally, celebrities whose faces were not well known would attempt to stump the audience during this part of the game. For example, Hank Ketcham, the creator of "Dennis the Menace" and a challenger on the original "To Tell the Truth" in May 1962, tried during the show's Christmas Day episode to convince an audience member that he was really the songwriter to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Johnny Marks had actually done this), but was unsuccessful in doing so.
2000–2002, syndication.
The show then had a two-year run in syndication, starting in 2000, with John O'Hurley hosting, and Burton Richardson returning as the announcer. The series was again produced at NBC Studios in Burbank, California. Gary Stockdale supplied the music for this edition. In most markets, it was paired up with "Family Feud", which was then hosted by Louie Anderson; O'Hurley would eventually join that program in 2006 and host it until 2010, when Steve Harvey took over.
Actor Meshach Taylor was the only regular to appear on every episode of this edition, while Paula Poundstone was a regular during the first season. Panelists appearing in at least six weeks of episodes included Brooke Burns, Dave Coulier, Brad Sherwood, Traci Bingham, Kim Coles, and Cindy Margolis. The show's website touted Coles and Burns as regulars for season two in place of Poundstone, though neither panelist was featured in every show that year. Kitty Carlisle appeared as a panelist for one episode in the first season, making her the only panelist to have appeared on all incarnations of this show to that point. It was Carlisle's final appearance in the franchise before her death in 2007.
This edition of "To Tell the Truth" brought back the audience vote that the original series had last used. Its vote was revealed after the panel had cast their votes, just before O'Hurley asked for the subject to identify himself or herself. Each incorrect vote paid $1,000, with a maximum of $5,000 available if the challengers managed to completely fool both the panel and the audience. (A tie in the audience vote or panel disqualification counted as a wrong vote, as they had in previous versions.) In the first several weeks of shows, a game that resulted in five incorrect votes was worth $10,000 for the challengers.
According to Steve Beverly's tvgameshows.net, this edition of "Truth" never received a rating higher than 1.8. It was cancelled on January 28, 2002, only 96 episodes into its second season. However, repeats continued to air through March 15, 2002. Episodes of this series have aired on GSN in reruns.
2016–2022, ABC.
ABC ordered six episodes of the show, hosted by Anthony Anderson, which taped in July 2015 and began airing on ABC on June 14, 2016. Anderson is the second African-American host of the franchise; the first was Lynn Swann on the short-lived 1990 NBC daytime version.
The new, weekly 60-minute primetime series, while maintaining the show's core gameplay elements, presented itself as more of a comedy series. Most notably, it refocused the competition on the panelists themselves, who received points for correctly identifying the central character(s) in each round; at show's end, the winning panelist was briefly recognized while the "loser" was made to suffer a small comical humiliation. No mention was ever made on-air as to compensation to the central characters or impostors.
Also appearing on the new series was Doris Day Bowman, Anderson's mother, presented as the "scorekeeper." In some cases, where a panelist knows the central character or one of the impostors, Bowman also plays on their behalf. When Anderson's family appeared on "Celebrity Family Feud", the behavior of "Mama Doris" was so outrageous that the producers approached Anderson about having her on "To Tell The Truth".
The first season also included a house band, Cheche and His Band of Liars, and David Scott as an offstage announcer; these were replaced in season 2 by prerecorded music and an introduction provided by Anderson himself.
In this version, most contestants introduce themselves solely by claiming the central character's story, rather than by name (e.g., "I was a Bond girl" rather than "My name is ..."); some panels have contestants of different genders. The questioning period is not split distinctly among the panelists, and Anderson and Bowman often participate in the questioning.
Five rounds were played per episode, along with one additional round entitled "Before You Go", which was played with the two impostors of the just-completed round, one of whom had their own story.
Many episodes include a demonstration by one of the central characters.
Scoring.
Panelists receive 10 points for correctly identifying the central character in each round, or 20 points for the final round (1 and 2 points in earlier episodes).
At the end of the episode, the losing panelist is subjected to some sort of minor humiliation; if panelists are tied, Bowman chooses the loser. In season one, the losing panelist was subjected to "Tweet a Lie," in which Anderson posted an embarrassing tweet to that panelist's Twitter account. In later episodes, the panelist was awarded a "dummy" crown by Bowman and asked to promenade in the style of a beauty pageant winner.
Starting with the August 11, 2019, episode, panelists who earn a perfect score win the "Doris Award," a gold-colored bust of Bowman. To date, three panelists have won the Doris Award: Oliver Hudson, on September 22, 2019; Deon Cole, on June 25, 2020; and Michael Strahan, on August 6, 2020. (Bowman had to play one round on Strahan's behalf, as he knew the central characters.)
Panelists.
The first season featured three regular panelists: Betty White, NeNe Leakes, and Jalen Rose; White has appeared on all three broadcast network versions of the show. In season two, the regular panelists were eliminated.
To maintain social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the sixth season reduced the number of panelists from four to three.
Four panelists made ten or more appearances on the show: Sherri Shepherd (eleven), Nikki Glaser (ten), Joel McHale (ten), and Jalen Rose (ten, including six as a season one regular). Former host Alex Trebek was a panelist in a 2018 episode, making him the first host to appear on a subsequent version as a panelist.
Merchandise.
A board game was released by Lowell in 1957.
During the run of the 2000 version, a single-player online game was offered by the short-lived website Uproar.com, and promoted by host John O'Hurley at the end of each episode.
A video slot machine game, based on the 1969 version, was released to American casinos nationwide by Bally Gaming Systems in 2002.
Notes.
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To Tell the Truth (Canadian game show)
To Tell the Truth is a Canadian version of the original 1956 American game show "To Tell the Truth". It was broadcast on CTV between 1962 and 1964. The show was hosted by Don Cameron and the panelists included Toby Tarnow, Robert Hall, Dorothy Cameron and Stan Helleur. It aired at 10 PM on Thursdays.

To Tell the Truth (disambiguation)
To Tell the Truth is an American panel game show that debuted in 1956.
To Tell the Truth may also refer to:
See also.
Topics referred to by the same term
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 This page lists associated with the title .

Tell the Truth (British game show)
1957 British TV game show (1957–1961, 1983–1990)
Tell the Truth is a panel game show based on the US version, "To Tell the Truth". It was originally aired on ITV and produced by ATV from 17 September 1957 to 6 September 1961. Hosted first by David Jacobs in 1957, McDonald Hobley took over as host from July 1958. Finally, Shaw Taylor took over as host from 1959 to 1961.
It was then revived on Channel 4 in 1983, produced by LWT in association with Goodson-Todman Productions and Talbot Television until November 1985. During this time it was hosted by Graeme Garden and then finally aired back on ITV produced by TVS in association with Mark Goodson Productions and Talbot Television from 11 April 1989 to 26 October 1990, during which time it was hosted by Fred Dinenage.
Transmissions.
ATV era.
None of the ATV episodes survived.
Channel 4 era.
All 51 Channel 4 episodes survived.
TVS era.
None of the TVS episodes survived.
References.
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Penn & Teller Tell a Lie
American television series
Penn & Teller Tell a Lie is a six-part series starring Penn Jillette and Teller. Each episode contains six or seven stories, including a demonstration performed by the hosts during the recording of the show as the last story. One of the stories is falsified, and the rest are true. During each broadcast, viewers can guess which story is the lie, voting on Discovery's website, with the answer and voting results revealed at the end of the episode.
The series aired on the Discovery Channel beginning Wednesday, October 5, 2011.
The show is also broadcast in the UK on Channel Quest which premiered on 2 May 2012.
Development.
On April 14, 2011, Penn and Teller announced that their previous show, "", had ended and that a new show, Penn & Teller: Secrets of the Universe, would begin on the Discovery Channel. The show was later renamed "Penn & Teller Tell a Lie".
Recording of the first episode began on June 1, 2011. The show started airing Wednesday, October 5, 2011.
Critical reception.
Reviews of the show have been mostly positive, although many reviewers compare the show to the Discovery Channel's other skepticism-themed show, "MythBusters". Matt Blum of "Wired Magazine" wrote:
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Brian Lowry of "Variety" wrote that the show was "A perfect companion for Mythbusters" and "a clever way for Discovery to ventilate its whimsical side without pandering". Kevin McFarland of "The A.V. Club" called the show a mix of the icebreaker game "Two Truths And A Lie" mixed with a "Mythbusters-type reality show". He went on to say that the show was "sincerely watchable", but noted that "there are still kinks to be worked out".
References.
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Truth Be Told (2015 TV series)
American sitcom
Truth Be Told, known during production as People Are Talking, is an American sitcom television series created by D. J. Nash and executive produced by D. J. Nash and Will Packer for Universal Television. The series aired on NBC from October 16 until December 25, 2015. On December 24, 2015, "Truth Be Told" was cancelled after one season.
Synopsis.
The series revolves around two diverse couples, who are best friends and neighbors. They share their observations about the world around them. The show centers around Mitch, a college ethics professor who is determined to change the part of the world he lives in today. Alongside Mitch is his wife of five years, Tracy, who is also an attorney and loving mom to their five-year-old daughter, Sadie. Right next door is Mitch's best friend, Russell, a stand-up comedian and often Mitch's voice of reason, and Russell's new wife Angie, a doctor, who always keeps him in check. The show is loosely based on the life of creator and executive producer D. J. Nash.
Cast and characters.
Main cast
Recurring cast
Production.
The pilot was picked up to series by NBC on May 7, 2015. On July 27, 2015, NBC changed the title of the series from "People are Talking" to "Truth Be Told". NBC reduced the season order from 13 episodes to 10 episodes on October 27, 2015.
Reception.
The show received generally negative reviews from critics. On Metacritic, it holds a score of 26/100 based on 20 reviews indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 15% approval rating based on 34 reviews, with an average rating of 3.33/10. The website's critics' consensus reads: ""Truth Be Told" wants to be topically edgy, but only sends viewers on a bland descent into a world of unfunny and grating sitcom characters."
References.
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Truth Be Told (2019 TV series)
American drama television series
Truth Be Told is an American legal/crime drama television series. The series was created by Nichelle Tramble Spellman for Apple TV+ and is based on Kathleen Barber's 2017 debut novel "Are You Sleeping". Spellman also acts as executive producer and writes for the show. Unlike the book, Poppy Parnell (Octavia Spencer) plays the main role, as a podcaster who revisits the case that made her famous with the hope of finally getting to the truth.
The series premiered on December 6, 2019. The soundtrack, composed by John Paesano, was released by Lakeshore Records on the same day. New York's Paley Center also aired episodes of the show.
The second season began in August 2021. In December 2021, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on January 20, 2023 and concluded on March 24, 2023. In April 2023, the series was canceled after three seasons.
Premise.
In season 1, Oakland journalist Poppy Parnell restarts the true crime podcast that made her famous and reopens the 1999 murder case of Stanford professor Chuck Buhrman after new evidence suggests Warren Cave, the man she helped put behind bars, was wrongly convicted.
In season 2, Poppy investigates the murder of a controversial filmmaker at the request of his wife Micah, an equally controversial wellness guru whose friendship with Poppy compromises her judgment.
In season 3, Poppy works with a high school principal to investigate the disappearances of several young black girls in Oakland whose cases lack mainstream media attention. Meanwhile, a mayoral candidate uses a white girl's disappearance for his campaign.
Episodes.
Season 3 (2023).
The titles are from a poem.
Production.
Development.
On January 3, 2018, Apple announced that it was developing a television series based on the novel "Are You Sleeping" by Kathleen Barber. The show was created by Nichelle Tramble Spellman who also wrote and executive produced the series as well. Other executive producers include Octavia Spencer via her Orit Entertainment, Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for their company Hello Sunshine, and Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kristen Campo for Chernin Entertainment. On May 2, 2018, Apple announced that they had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. On June 13, 2018, it was reported that Anna Foerster would direct the series' first episode. A featurette from the series was released on November 26, 2019. On March 5, 2020, Apple renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on August 20, 2021. On December 7, 2021, Apple renewed the series for a third season which premiered on January 20, 2023. On April 24, 2023, Apple canceled the series after three seasons.
Casting.
Simultaneously with reports of the series' development, it was confirmed that Octavia Spencer has been cast in the series' lead role. In June 2018, it was announced that Lizzy Caplan, Aaron Paul, Elizabeth Perkins, Mekhi Phifer, Michael Beach, Tracie Thoms, Haneefah Wood, and Ron Cephas Jones had joined the main cast. Caplan, Paul, and Perkins all reportedly signed one-year deals for the series. In July 2018, it was reported that Tami Roman and Moon Bloodgood had joined the main cast and that Nic Bishop, Annabella Sciorra, Molly Hagan, Billy Miller, Brett Cullen, and Hunter Doohan would appear in recurring roles. In August 2018, it was announced that Lyndon Smith had joined the cast in a recurring capacity. Additionally, it was reported that Bloodgood had dropped out of the role of Cath Min after filming of the first four episodes had been completed. The role was expected to be recast and her already-filmed scenes to be reshot. On October 8, 2018, it was announced that Katherine LaNasa had been cast to replace Bloodgood, and her character Cath Min, in the newly devised recurring role of Noa Havilland.
In October 2020, it was announced that Kate Hudson would be starring in the second season of "Truth Be Told". The next month, it was reported that Merle Dandridge, Jason O’Mara, Alona Tal, David Lyons, Christopher Backus, Cranston Johnson, Hale Appleman, Anthony Lee Medina and Mychala Lee has been cast for the second season of the series. On March 23, 2022, Gabrielle Union was reportedly cast as a lead role in the third season. On April 5, 2022, it was announced that Ana Ayora had joined the cast in the third season.
Filming.
Principal photography for the series commenced on June 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Filming reportedly concluded on December 12, 2018. Production for the second season began in Los Angeles on October 26, 2020, after being briefly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2021, Leimert Park was planned to be a filming location for the second season but was delayed due to protesting against the filming. Filming moved to the Arts District in Los Angeles for the duration of April 2021 and wrapped by the end of the month. It was announced by Apple that third season has begun filming on April 15, 2022.
Reception.
Critical response.
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of the series has a score of 28%, based on 29 critics' reviews, with an average rating of 5.4/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "A twisty thriller that never quite comes together, "Truth Be Told"'s commitment to the true crime at its center is less interesting or engaging than the family drama orbiting in the periphery." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 46 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
References.
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Teletruth
American children's TV series
Teletruth is an early United States television series. It is notable as an early example of a television game show for kids, though it was not a network series. It aired on New York City station WNBT from 1945 to either 1946 or 1947. It was originally hosted by Pat Barnes. Jay Marshall later took over the hosting job.
Critical response.
A September 2, 1945 review in the Louisville "Courier Journal" described the premise of the show, and concluded, "If this is the television programming the big brains are giving forth, cancel my order for a set, will you please?"
The October 20, 1945 edition of "Billboard" magazine gave the series a mixed review, saying of the series "Tele-truth, despite its corny name, is the first video quiz this department has seen so far which was 100 per cent visual and perhaps 85 per cent entertaining", but also said that "Teletruth could be improved considerably if a few things were done to it."
A later review in "Billboard" reported that a magician's hands were not fast enough, so that sometimes "it was obvious just what he was doing." The review also found fault with the camera work and noted that "questions must still be within the kid scope and plenty of them weren't this evening."
Episode status.
Practical/viable methods to record live television did not exist during the run of the series. As such, it is most likely lost today, except possibly for still photographs.

The Truth (podcast)
Fiction podcast
The Truth was an anthology fiction podcast and founding member of Radiotopia by PRX. Episodes were released about once every two weeks. Several nationally syndicated public radio programs, including "This American Life", "Studio 360", "Snap Judgment", and "The Story," featured work by "The Truth".
Voice actors who appeared on the show included Jesse Eisenberg, Lauren Adams, Scott Adsit, Craig muMs Grant, Tami Sagher, James Urbaniak, Tom Ligon, Jo Firestone, Tallie Medel, Jackie Hoffman, and F. Murray Abraham.
History.
In 2009, Jonathan Mitchell and Hillary Frank received funding from American Public Media to produce pilot stories together. One of those stories was "Moon Graffiti", which was later featured on "The Guardian" podcast and won the 2010 Gold Mark Time Award. This story later became the first episode of "The Truth".
In December 2011, Ed Herbstman and Mitchell hired a group of improvisors (many from the Magnet Theater, which Herbtsman co-founded) to write stories together, with the goal of producing a story in one month. The first piece was "Interruptible". The group continued working together and eventually reached the podcast's current output of two stories a month.
"The Truth" was named by iTunes to be the Best New Arts podcast of 2012 and the #1 new podcast of 2012 by "The Daily Dot".
The show's title comes from a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures."
"The Truth" stopped production in 2023 after the episode "Pariah".
References.
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The Whole Truth (TV series)
The Whole Truth is an American legal drama television series that ran on ABC from September 22, 2010, to December 1, 2010. Episodes aired on Wednesdays at 10:00 pm ET/9:00 pm CT. The show, which starred Rob Morrow and Maura Tierney, chronicled legal cases from the points of view of both the prosecution and the defense; it was set in New York City and shot in Los Angeles.
ABC canceled "The Whole Truth", in October after four episodes had aired. Initially it planned to air the remaining episodes. Two months later, the network pulled the show from its schedule with seven episodes unaired. The unaired episodes later aired on the Nine Network in Australia and in the Netherlands on NET 5 in 2012 and in Brazil on SBT.
Production.
When ABC announced its 2010 fall schedule in May 2010, "The Whole Truth" was set to star Morrow and Joely Richardson in the two lead roles. Richardson filmed the original pilot After the show was picked up, Richardson dropped out for personal reasons and was replaced by Maura Tierney, who went on to re-film all the Katie Peale scenes from the pilot. Tierney took on the role in addition to her recurring role on "Rescue Me".
On-location production began in August: the show, set in New York City, was shot in Los Angeles, with Los Angeles City Hall, for example, standing in for the New York City Criminal Court.
Reception.
Before the show's premiere, Matthew Gilbert of "The Boston Globe" said, "Having seen the original Richardson pilot, which was re-filmed to add in Tierney, I can tell you that Tierney saves the show from near worthlessness. She brings a passion, a finely gauged sense of humor, and a strong chemistry with costar Rob Morrow that were missing before." In general, though, the show has received mixed reviews, with Metacritic assigning it a score of 57.
According to Joe Flint of the "Los Angeles Times", the "solid" ratings of the second-season premiere of "Modern Family" and "disappointing numbers" for the second-season premiere of "Cougar Town" were followed by "just 4.9 million" viewers for "The Whole Truth". In comparison, the legal comedy-drama "The Defenders", in the same time slot as "The Whole Truth", was the "highest-rated new show for the night, with 12.1 million viewers."
References.
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Truth Be Told (2007 film)
2007 Singaporean film
Truth Be Told () is a 2007 Singaporean drama film directed by Teo Eng Tiong and written by Lim Jen Nee, a husband-and-wife team. It tells the story of Renee, a television presenter who returns to her home in Tiong Bahru Estate, only to be confronted by a former neighbour who threatens to reveal the past she wants buried. The film stars Yvonne Lim, Bernard Tan, Liang Tian, Steven Woon and Luis Lim. It was theatrically released on 28 September 2007.
Plot.
As a television presenter struggles to conceal her real identity in order to complete an assignment in the neighbourhood she ran away from 10 years ago, she is forced to confront her past.
Production.
The film was shot at Block 33 in the old Taman Ho Swee Estate, where director Teo Eng Tiong had lived for 30 years. Filming took a total of 18 days.
References.
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Face the Truth (TV series)
Face the Truth is an American syndicated panel talk show hosted by Vivica A. Fox, which ran from September 2018 to May 2019. It was distributed by CBS Television Distribution (now known as CBS Media Ventures).
Series background.
In March 2018, CBS announced that "Face the Truth" would be coming to its daytime television lineup. The series was produced by Jay McGraw and Stage 29 Productions and had recruited panelists such as Jon Taffer, Judy Ho, and Rosie Mercado. Phil McGraw also served as an executive producer on the series. The show was filmed at Paramount Studios’ Stage 30 and used the same set as fellow CBS talk show The Doctors.
It was described as a series focused on conflict resolution, with guests presenting problems and receiving advice from the panel of experts. The program also featured participation from a live studio audience that offered opinions on the problems presented in each episode.
The show premiered on September 10, 2018. After one season, CBS announced the program’s cancellation in April 2019.

The Truth (2008 TV series)
The Truth () is a Singaporean Chinese modern suspense drama which was telecasted on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp Channel 8. It made its debut on 7 April 2008 and ended on 2 May 2008. This drama serial consists of 20 episodes, and was screened on every weekday night at 9:00 pm.
Synopsis.
The series main focus is a treasure map that was inherited by Su Zhenyuan from his late father. That same map is also coveted by Lu Rongguang, who was Zhenyuan's business partner.
Meanwhile, Chen Shuxian and Chen Shufen came to Singapore for career opportunities, but their mother, who came with the sisters, was murdered shortly after arrival. Through the subsequent investigation, Shuxian got to know police officer Lu Zhiwei, and Shufen began an intimate relationship with Zhenyuan's son, Alex Su.
Shuxian, meanwhile, discovered that her mother's death may be linked to Zhenyuan, and later became embroiled on Rongguang's plot to get the treasure map.

Tell Me Your Secrets
American thriller drama television series
Tell Me Your Secrets is an American thriller drama television series created by Harriet Warner that premiered on Amazon Prime Video on February 19, 2021. The series was also written by Warner, who executive produced alongside Bruna Papandrea and Casey Haver.
Premise.
"Tell Me Your Secrets" follows "a trio of characters, each with a mysterious and troubling past: Emma (formerly known as Karen Miller) is a woman who once looked into the eyes of a dangerous killer, John is a former serial rapist desperate to find redemption, and Mary is a grieving mother obsessed with finding her missing daughter. As each of them is pushed to the edge, the truth about their pasts and motives grows ever murkier, blurring the lines between victim and perpetrator."
Production.
Development.
On July 24, 2017, TNT officially gave the production, then called "Deadlier Than the Male", a pilot order. The show was one of two pilots that TNT ordered with an eye toward a new programming block it is prepping, TNT Mystery, along with "Deep Mad Dark".
On February 15, 2018, it was announced that TNT had given a series order to be created and written by Harriet Warner. The series order was reportedly for a first season in which Warner will also executive produce alongside Bruna Papandrea and Casey Haver. John Polson directed the series and also serves as an executive producer. Production companies involved in the series include Made Up Stories and Studio T. On June 18, 2018, it was announced that the series had been retitled "Tell Me Your Secrets".
In June 2020, it was announced the series would not be aired on TNT and had been scrapped. However, at the end of October 2020, Amazon Prime Video announced it had acquired the series set to air in 2021. On January 27, 2021, it was announced that the series would premiere on February 19, 2021.
Casting.
Alongside the initial series announcement, it was reported that Lily Rabe, Amy Brenneman, Hamish Linklater, Enrique Murciano, Chiara Aurelia, Ashley Madekwe, and Bryant Tardy had joined the show in series regular roles. In June 2018, it was reported that Xavier Samuel and Stella Baker had joined the main cast and that Marque Richardson would appear in a recurring capacity. In July 2018, it was announced that Katherine Willis and Charles Esten had been cast in recurring roles.
Filming.
Principal photography for the series took place in mid-2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Reception.
The critical response to "Tell Me Your Secrets" has been mixed. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 50% based on 22 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Lily Rabe, Amy Brenneman, and a glut of insane mysteries nearly save "Tell Me Your Secrets" - alas, it's simply too underwritten and cynical to fulfill its alluring promise." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 55 out of 100 based on 6 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
References.
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List of The Truth Seekers episodes
Mediacorp Channel 8's television series The Truth Seekers is an investigative series produced by Mediacorp Studios in 2016. A bunch of 'cold case' private investigators look into unsolved cases from years ago and break new ground with the help of scientific and technological advancements. Over the course of their investigations, members of the crime-busting team fall in – and out – of love as they learn other hidden truths about themselves and their comrades.
The show will begin airing on Mediacorp Channel 8 on 28 April 2016 with 23 episodes.

Truth Today
Truth Today () is a Thai political talk show hosted by Veera Musikapong, Jatuporn Prompan and Nattawut Sai-kua. The talkshow began in 2008 during the Samak Sundaravej government on the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand TV station. After Abhisit Vejjajiva was appointed prime minister, the talkshow was cancelled by the Abhisit government due to its pro-Thaksin leanings. In 2009, "D-Station" began airing the talkshow again.

The Truth Is (TV program)
The Truth Is is an Australian current affairs television program. It aired on Network Ten from 3 June to 17 June 2013, and was hosted by Hamish Macdonald. In the United States the program aired on Al Jazeera America.
References.
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Tell Me (TV series)
South Korean television show
Tell Me (Korean: ) is a South Korea quiz show program on JTBC starring Jun Hyun-moo, Park Na-rae, Kim Jung-nan, Moon Se-yoon and Lee Jin-hyuk. The show airs on every Tuesday at 22:00 (KST) starting from August 13, 2019.

I've Got Something To Tell You
I've Got Something To Tell You is British television series that has aired on the W channel from 3 October to 7 November 2016. The programme, presented by Amanda Holden, aims to reunite people offering support as friends, partners and relations break life-changing news to loved ones in front of the cameras.
Synopsis.
With the help of Amanda Holden the series offers a platform for people who are desperate to tell something to someone. It gives an insight into others lives and emotions, as they tell their loved ones something they have been putting off for a while. Amanda is seen watching from the sideline acting as a waitress and mediator, offering support when needed. All confessions are made public in the setting of an English country retreat.
References.
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List of Penn & Teller Tell a Lie episodes
This is the episode list of the television series "Penn & Teller Tell a Lie" which airs on Discovery Channel.
Episode overview.
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Episode 1.
Originally aired on October 5, 2011
Episode 2.
Originally aired on October 12, 2011
Episode 3.
Originally aired on October 19, 2011
Note – This episode only had 6 stories, not 7 as the introduction stated.
Episode 4.
Originally aired on October 26, 2011
Note – There was a second lie in this episode. This episode only had 6 stories, not 7 as the introduction stated.
Episode 5.
Originally aired on November 2, 2011
Episode 6.
Originally aired on November 9, 2011
References.
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Tell Me a Story (TV series)
2018 American psychological thriller web television series
Tell Me a Story is an American psychological thriller anthology television series created by Kevin Williamson for CBS All Access. Based on the Spanish television series "Cuéntame un cuento", it depicts iconic fairy tales reimagined as modern-day thrillers. Each season features a mostly different cast ensemble, with Danielle Campbell and Paul Wesley appearing in both seasons of the series.
The first season premiered on October 31, 2018, and concluded on January 3, 2019, after 10 episodes. A second season was announced shortly before the first season ended, which premiered on December 5, 2019, and concluded on February 6, 2020, after another set of 10 episodes. In May 2020, the series was canceled after two seasons. Subsequently, the television broadcast rights to the series were picked up by The CW, where it premiered in July 2020 and aired through December 2020.<templatestyles src="Template:TOC limit/styles.css" />
Premise.
"Tell Me a Story" takes "the world's most beloved fairy tales and reimagines them as a dark and twisted psychological thriller. Set in modern-day New York City, the first season of this serialized drama interweaves "The Three Little Pigs", "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Hansel and Gretel" into an epic and subversive tale of love, loss, greed, revenge, and murder."
The second season of the show, set in Nashville, Tennessee, reimagines the princess-themed tales "Beauty and the Beast", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderella".
Had it been renewed, the third season would have included adaptations of "Snow White", "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Rapunzel".
Cast and characters.
Recurring.
Season 1.
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Season 2.
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Music.
Musical performances were featured throughout the series' second season, all performed by Natalie Alyn Lind. On February 11, 2020, CBS All Access released the official soundtrack containing full versions of the second season's songs.
Production.
Development.
On November 30, 2017, it was announced that CBS All Access had given "Tell Me a Story" a series order. The show is being developed for American audiences by Kevin Williamson and is based on the Spanish television series "Érase una vez" created by Marcos Osorio Vidal. Williamson is also set to write the series and executive produce it alongside Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor. The series is being produced by Kaplan's production company Kapital Entertainment. On May 9, 2018, it was reported that Liz Friedlander would direct and executive produce the first two episodes. On December 17, 2018, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a second season. On May 11, 2020, the series was canceled after two seasons.
Casting.
In May 2018, it was announced that Billy Magnussen and Kim Cattrall had been cast in the series' lead roles. In June 2018, it was reported that Danielle Campbell, Paul Wesley, James Wolk, Dania Ramirez, and Sam Jaeger had joined the main cast. In July 2018, it was announced that Davi Santos, Zabryna Guevara, and Dorian Missick had been cast in series regular roles. In August 2018, it was reported that Michael Raymond-James, Kurt Yaeger, Rarmian Newton, and Paulina Singer had joined the cast in a recurring capacity.
Filming.
Principal photography for season one began on June 28, 2018, in New York City, New York. and ended in early November 2018. Filming for season two began on July 1, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee, and wrapped on December 18, 2019.
Release.
On August 5, 2018, it was announced during the Television Critics Association's annual summer press tour that the series would premiere on October 31, 2018. The second season premiered on December 5, 2019. The day of the series cancellation, The CW picked-up the television broadcast rights to the first two seasons. The first season premiered on July 28, 2020, followed by the second on October 13, 2020.
Marketing.
On July 19, 2018, the series held a panel at San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego, California moderated by "Entertainment Weekly"'s Henry Goldblatt and featuring executive producer Kevin Williamson as well as series stars Paul Wesley and James Wolk. The panel included the premiere of an exclusive teaser trailer for the series. On August 5, 2018, a "sneak peek" trailer for the series was released. On October 5, 2018, the official trailer for the series was released, first premiering during the series' panel at the annual New York Comic Con.
Premiere.
On October 23, 2018, the series held its official premiere at the Metrograph theater in New York City, New York. Those in attendance included creator Kevin Williamson, executive producer Dana Honor, and cast members Becki Newton, Danielle Campbell, Dania Ramirez, and James Wolk.
Reception.
Critical response.
The series has been met with a mixed response from critics upon its premiere. Based on 15 reviews, the first season holds a 60% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 5.42 out of 10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Despite an enticing cast and promising premise, "Tell Me a Story"'s overly plotted, grim take on Grimm's Fairy Tales fails to enchant." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 45 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
In a positive review, "Refinery29"'s Sesali Bowen commended the series saying, ""Tell Me A Story" captures its viewers to put themselves in the shoes of some of their favorite fables with its realism. So far it's better for it. This new CBS All Access program has enough to stand on without it thanks to an array of characters who are interesting if not a little cliche." In a more mixed critique, "Variety"'s offered the series qualified praise saying, "For all its faults, the series is enthusiastically pulpy, moving with a propulsive energy that, to be frank, most streaming dramas lack. It's not nearly operating on the same prescient level as, say, "The Good Fight", nor quite the radical re-imagining of fairy tales as advertised. But if nothing else, "Tell Me a Story's" got a wicked bite that might serve it well when trying to grab curious viewers on a streaming platform that doesn't quite have anything else like it." In an outright negative assessment, "RogerEbert.com"'s Brian Tallerico criticized the series saying, "There are talented TV veterans in "Tell Me a Story", likely lured by Williamson's pedigree, but even they fail to give what could reasonably be called good performances. The pacing, the dialogue, the (complete lack of) visual language, the world building—it's impossible to point to a single element that works."
Home media.
The first season was released on DVD in Region 1 on October 1, 2019.
In 2023, Paramount+ removed the show from its website.
References.
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Tell Me Lies (TV series)
2022 American drama television series
Tell Me Lies is an American drama television series created by Meaghan Oppenheimer, based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Carola Lovering. The series was released on Hulu on September 7, 2022. It stars Grace Van Patten, Jackson White, Catherine Missal, Spencer House, Sonia Mena, Branden Cook, Benjamin Wadsworth, Alicia Crowder, and Tom Ellis. The series follows a relationship between Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco as it unfolds over the course of eight years after meeting at college. In November 2022, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on September 4, 2024. In December 2024, the series was renewed for a third season.
Premise.
Set in the late 2000s at a fictional Upstate New York school called Baird College, it chronicles the turbulent romance between college freshman Lucy Albright (Grace Van Patten) and college junior Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White) over the course of eight years.
Production.
Development.
On September 1, 2020, it was announced that Emma Roberts had signed a first-look deal at Hulu via her production company, Belletrist TV, and her first project was adapting Carola Lovering's "Tell Me Lies" for television. On August 3, 2021, it was reported that Hulu had given the production a straight-to-series order. The series is created by Meaghan Oppenheimer is also expected to executive produce alongside Roberts, Karah Preiss, Laura Lewis, and Shannon Gibson. Production companies involved with the series are Belletrist Productions, Rebelle Media, and Vice Studios. On April 14, 2022, Jonathan Levine joined the series to direct the pilot and executive produce the series. On November 29, 2022, Hulu renewed the series for a second season. Filming for the second season began on January 17, 2024. On December 19, 2024, Hulu renewed the series for a third season.
Casting.
Alongside the initial series announcement, it was reported that Grace Van Patten was cast in a lead role. On November 19, 2021, it was announced that Jackson White joined the main cast. On December 9, 2021, it was reported that Sonia Mena, Catherine Missal, and Alicia Crowder were cast as series regulars. On February 4, 2022, it was announced that Branden Cook, Spencer House, and Benjamin Wadsworth joined the cast in starring roles. On April 14, 2022, Gabriella Pession, Edmund Donovan, and Natalee Linez joined the series in recurring capacities. On January 24, 2024, Tom Ellis was cast as a new series regular for the second season. On February 14, 2024, Thomas Doherty joined the cast in a recurring role for the second season. On March 5, 2024, Jacob Rodriguez and Katherine Hughes were cast in recurring capacities for the second season.
Release.
"Tell Me Lies" was released on September 7, 2022. The second season premiered on September 4, 2024, with two new episodes and the rest debuting on a weekly basis.
Reception.
Viewership.
Whip Media's viewership tracking app, TV Time, which tracks viewership data for the more than 25 million worldwide users of its TV Time app, reported that "Tell Me Lies" was the tenth most-streamed original series in the U.S. for the week ending September 8, 2024. It subsequently climbed to ninth place during the week of September 15 before moving to eighth place in the week of October 20. TVision, which utilizes its TVision Power Score to evaluate CTV programming performance by factoring in viewership and engagement across over 1,000 apps and incorporating four key metrics—viewer attention time, total program time available for the season, program reach, and app reach—calculated that "Tell Me Lies" was the twelfth most-streamed series from September 2—8, 2024. It later moved to twentieth place from September 23 to October 6 before advancing to fifteenth place from October 14—20, 2024. "Tell Me Lies" remained in Hulu's "Top 15 Today"—a daily updated list of the platform's most-watched titles—for over 50 consecutive days throughout and following its season two run.
Critical response.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 75% approval rating with an average rating of 5.4/10, based on 12 critic reviews. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 65 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Angie Han of "The Hollywood Reporter" said "Tell Me Lies" works effectively through its nuanced portrayal of the toxic relationship between Lucy and Stephen. Han found that the show's deliberate ambiguity about Stephen's character enhances the psychological depth, setting it apart from typical romance dramas. Han stated that the series captures the era's hookup culture with insight and nostalgia. Despite some slow-moving subplots, she noted that the performances and sharp realism create a compelling blend of guilty pleasure and reflective drama. Steve Greene of "IndieWire" gave "Tell Me Lies" a B grade, noting that the series str