Similar crime procedurals, who ever would have thought? THR's James Hibberd says sparks flew at TCA after the inevitable attempt by the press to compare the two shows:

"Go at it boys," says Tim Roth.

"The difference between the two shows is that our show is based on actual science, while 'Mentalist' is, I think, more of a scam," says actor Brendan Hines. "Our show is based on the most cutting-edge research used by TCA and NSA. What you see on the show is based on real science and techniques that are simple and that people can bring to life." [...]

More superficially, Tim Roth kept his British accent — unlike transplanted Brits such Hugh Laurie.

And quite unlike Australian Simon Baker, whose native accent was tamped down lest a besotted Barbara Walters hurl herself at the TV screen. Still, familiarity has never hurt this genre before, so why should it now? There's room enough for both shows, plus Fox's own reality spin, Moment of Truth—in fact, we eagerly await the upcoming plotlines that find Baker and Roth obsessed with examining the validity of men's stuffed crotches.

• 'Lie to Me' panel: 'The Mentalist' is a 'scam' [THR]

Meanwhile, Tim Roth is hoping the grass — or at least the money — is greener at Fox, where he's aboard Brian Grazer's Lie to Me, about a FBI-recruited scientist "with the innate ability to read whether people are telling the truth":

Net has officially picked up a 13-episode order. Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, a specialist who can read the human face, body and voice and determine, more accurately than any polygraph, whether the person in front of him is lying. [...]

Imagine TV and 20th Century Fox TV are behind the show, which is loosely based on the real-life exploits of psychologist Paul Ekman, who's considered an expert in the science of facial micro-expressions.

Brian Grazer said he's been fascinated by Ekman since reading about his work. Baum, meanwhile, had also been doing his own research about so-called human lie detectors.

That's... it? No chain-smoking, ad-selling prowess or terminally ill meth manufacturing? Where's the show? Still, we're optimists; here's hoping Roth falls on the right side of the crossover spectrum, more Alec Baldwin than Christian Slater, more Martin Sheen than James Woods. And that the door swings back the other way — may Roth, too, someday have the opportunity to reject his tired old terrain of "human lie detecting." Seriously, that shit will never beat James Spader.

• Clooney and 'ER' return? [Reuters]
• Fox Ready to 'Lie' With Tim Roth [Variety]

· Tom Cruise CareerCoolingWatch: Clear and Present Danger director Phillip Noyce is "negotiating" to join Edwin A. Salt, which Cruise has been attached to for several drafts now—one of which will surely join the rest of his leatherbound keepsakes in the Tom Cruise Produced-Screenplay Library and Museum at Telluride. [Variety]
· The Incredible Hulk's shirtless psycho (where you been hiding those pecs, mister?) Tim Roth will make the leap to TV on Fox's Lie to Me, in which he'll play "a human lie detector." We're seeing Moment of Truth femmebot-V.O. crossover potential! [Variety]
· Christopher Guest has joined the cast of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, thus ensuring for a few months at least that he'll be unable to produce another improvised endurance-test as wretched as For Your Consideration. Hooray! [THR]