Home > House of Lies > Season 1 « TV Series Page House of Lies: Season 1 (2012) SEASON: Season 1 Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5 Want to see Episode List Season 1 House of Lies Critics Consensus House of Lies is a stylish, cynical show with crackling dialogue, but frequently pushes bad taste and sex to the extreme. 58% TOMATOMETER Critic Ratings: 38 79% Audience Score User Ratings: 98 NEW More Info × Close Want to see Super Reviewer Submit Super Reviewer Edit Review Episodes 1 Gods of Dangerous Financial Instruments Air date: Jan 8, 2012 A black comedy about a big-moneymaking management consultant and his high-rolling, low-ethics team. In the premiere episode, they head to New York to concoct a plan for bankers trying to justify their annual bonuses amidst financial chaos. On the home front, team leader Marty discovers his son wants to audition for the school musical, specifically the female lead. More 2 Amsterdam Air date: Jan 15, 2012 The owner of a major sports franchise in Arizona is going through a messy divorce, so the Pod flies to Phoenix to help him over the rough spots. Meanwhile, Jeannie hooks up with a former flame, but cools things when she discovers his ulterior motives; and back at home, Roscoe's penchant for cross-dressing continues to ruffle feathers at school. More 3 Microphallus Air date: Jan 22, 2012 Marty learns that MetroCapital is seriously interested in acquiring Galweather-Stearn; the Pod pop on out to Indiana to consult on a beverage-company account; and Clyde has doubts about Doug's encounter with a transvestite. At home, a confused Roscoe has feelings for both a girl and a boy. More 4 Mini-Mogul Air date: Jan 29, 2012 When his father heads out of town, Marty decides to take Roscoe on his business trip to San Francisco, but quality time between dad and son takes a backseat to Marty's days being monopolized by the teenage CEO of a software company. Meanwhile, recently engaged Jeannie picks up a musician in a coffeehouse. More 5 Utah Air date: Feb 5, 2012 Jeannie has to take charge of the Pod when the racist CEO of a motel chain has reservations about dealing with Marty. Meanwhile, Clyde hopes to hit it off with a lovely Mormon virgin; and when Monica finds she has some free time on her hands, she decides to spend it with Roscoe. More 6 Our Descent Into Los Angeles Air date: Feb 12, 2012 Marty takes on Roscoe's school after his son is slapped with sexual harassment charges for kissing another boy; back at home, Marty receives a surprise visit from the stripper he wined and dined in New York. Meanwhile, Jeannie has second thoughts about her engagement. More 7 Bareback Town Air date: Feb 19, 2012 April challenges Marty to stay monogamous while the Pod is consulting for a pharmaceutical firm in Washington, D.C., which leaves Jeannie on the hook for being especially friendly to a female client. Back at home, Jeremiah confides in April about something serious and personal; and Monica has big news for Marty. More 8 Veritas Air date: Mar 4, 2012 At the annual recruiting event for the cream of the Harvard Business School crop, the wannabe employees are wined, dined and sized up; and Marty singles out the lone black aspirant for special guidance. Meanwhile, Doug tries to prove to Clyde that he can coach any recruit into making the cut; and Jeannie's interview with a flirtatious female potential hire proves revealing. More 9 Ouroboros Air date: Mar 11, 2012 Marty and the Pod's archrivals at Kinsley-Johnson put the consultants through the wringer. Later, Jeannie accidentally leaks her big secret to Marty; and Roscoe and April bond while Marty becomes privy to a secret that Jeremiah has been keeping. More 10 Prologue and Aftermath Air date: Mar 18, 2012 Jeannie gets the opportunity to make a big name for herself when she leads the Pod to her hometown, where they hope to resurrect a foundering church. Meanwhile, Marty and Monica meet for a mediation over custody of Roscoe. More Show More Episodes House of Lies: Season 1 Photos View All Photos (37) Tv Season Info In the first sries of this black comedy, successful management consultant Marty Kaan (Don Cheadle) and his high-rolling, low-ethics team known as the Pod try to stop an unpopular merger while also continuing business as usual for their firm. While Marty's right-hand woman, Jeannie (Kristen Bell), proves very capable in business, her personal life poses more of a challenge as she begins a slow and reluctant march toward the altar. Marty faces challenges of his own on the home front as he attempts to guide his son, Roscoe (Donis Leonard Jr.), through identity issues, battles his ex-wife, Monica (Dawn Olivieri), and begins a relationship with stripper April (Megalyn Echikunwoke). Genre: Comedy Network: Showtime Premiere Date: Jan 8, 2012 Creator: Matthew Carnahan Exec. Producers: Jessika Borsiczky, Stephen Hopkins, Matthew Carnahan, Don Cheadle Cast Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan Kristen Bell as Jeannie van der Hooven Ben Schwartz as Clyde Oberholt Josh Lawson (II) as Doug Guggenheim Dawn Olivieri as Monica Talbot Glynn Turman as Jeremiah Kaan Donis Leonard Jr. as Roscoe Kaan Richard Schiff as Harrison 'Skip' Galweather Griffin Dunne as Mario 'The Rainmaker' Pelicos Greg Germann as Greg Norbert Megalyn Echikunwoke as April Michael Rady as Wes Spencer Mo Gaffney John Aylward as K. Warren McDale Michael McMillian Amy Landecker Currie Graham as Grant Stevens Nick Stahl as Kurt Anna Rose Hopkins Julio Oscar Mechoso Josh Brener as Will Davis Anna Wood Ryan Pinkston Leslie Odom Jr. David Julian Hirsh Cat Deeley Peter Mackenzie Peyton Peggy Lipton as Phoebe Utkarsh Ambudkar Kai Caster Andrea Savage Jenn Proske Tom Irwin Phil Abrams Anna Camp Daphne Duplaix John Ross Bowie Alan Dale Joe Ochman Show More Cast News & Interviews for House of Lies: Season 1 Game of Thrones Leads Nominations and Other Emmy News View All House of Lies: Season 1 News Episodes 1 Gods of Dangerous Financial Instruments Air date: Jan 8, 2012 A black comedy about a big-moneymaking management consultant and his high-rolling, low-ethics team. In the premiere episode, they head to New York to concoct a plan for bankers trying to justify their annual bonuses amidst financial chaos. On the home front, team leader Marty discovers his son wants to audition for the school musical, specifically the female lead. More 2 Amsterdam Air date: Jan 15, 2012 The owner of a major sports franchise in Arizona is going through a messy divorce, so the Pod flies to Phoenix to help him over the rough spots. Meanwhile, Jeannie hooks up with a former flame, but cools things when she discovers his ulterior motives; and back at home, Roscoe's penchant for cross-dressing continues to ruffle feathers at school. More 3 Microphallus Air date: Jan 22, 2012 Marty learns that MetroCapital is seriously interested in acquiring Galweather-Stearn; the Pod pop on out to Indiana to consult on a beverage-company account; and Clyde has doubts about Doug's encounter with a transvestite. At home, a confused Roscoe has feelings for both a girl and a boy. More 4 Mini-Mogul Air date: Jan 29, 2012 When his father heads out of town, Marty decides to take Roscoe on his business trip to San Francisco, but quality time between dad and son takes a backseat to Marty's days being monopolized by the teenage CEO of a software company. Meanwhile, recently engaged Jeannie picks up a musician in a coffeehouse. More 5 Utah Air date: Feb 5, 2012 Jeannie has to take charge of the Pod when the racist CEO of a motel chain has reservations about dealing with Marty. Meanwhile, Clyde hopes to hit it off with a lovely Mormon virgin; and when Monica finds she has some free time on her hands, she decides to spend it with Roscoe. More 6 Our Descent Into Los Angeles Air date: Feb 12, 2012 Marty takes on Roscoe's school after his son is slapped with sexual harassment charges for kissing another boy; back at home, Marty receives a surprise visit from the stripper he wined and dined in New York. Meanwhile, Jeannie has second thoughts about her engagement. More 7 Bareback Town Air date: Feb 19, 2012 April challenges Marty to stay monogamous while the Pod is consulting for a pharmaceutical firm in Washington, D.C., which leaves Jeannie on the hook for being especially friendly to a female client. Back at home, Jeremiah confides in April about something serious and personal; and Monica has big news for Marty. More 8 Veritas Air date: Mar 4, 2012 At the annual recruiting event for the cream of the Harvard Business School crop, the wannabe employees are wined, dined and sized up; and Marty singles out the lone black aspirant for special guidance. Meanwhile, Doug tries to prove to Clyde that he can coach any recruit into making the cut; and Jeannie's interview with a flirtatious female potential hire proves revealing. More 9 Ouroboros Air date: Mar 11, 2012 Marty and the Pod's archrivals at Kinsley-Johnson put the consultants through the wringer. Later, Jeannie accidentally leaks her big secret to Marty; and Roscoe and April bond while Marty becomes privy to a secret that Jeremiah has been keeping. More 10 Prologue and Aftermath Air date: Mar 18, 2012 Jeannie gets the opportunity to make a big name for herself when she leads the Pod to her hometown, where they hope to resurrect a foundering church. Meanwhile, Marty and Monica meet for a mediation over custody of Roscoe. More Show More Episodes Critic Reviews for House of Lies Season 1 All Critics (38) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (16) There are few shows in the known universe that try this hard to be perceived as shocking and unlikable. Sep 16, 2013 | Full Review… Andy Greenwald Grantland Top Critic It's so blisteringly vulgar and knife-edged - yeah, even by Showtime standards - that smart turns into vicious. Jan 8, 2012 | Rating: C+ | Full Review… Verne Gay Newsday Top Critic House of Lies can be annoying and entertaining at the same time. Jan 8, 2012 | Full Review… David Hinckley New York Daily News Top Critic The production values are first-rate and the storytelling is crisp. Jan 8, 2012 | Rating: B | Full Review… Ed Bark Uncle Barky Top Critic This House' is mostly built on Cheadle's shoulders and the actor appears sturdy and engaged. Jan 8, 2012 | Full Review… Sarah Rodman Boston Globe Top Critic Doesn't show you how smart and clever it is as much as begs you to think it so over and over and over again. But, thanks largely to its talented cast, it passes the ultimate test of a premiere. Oct 9, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review… Brian Tallerico HollywoodChicago.com I'm cautiously optimistic that House of Lies can find a groove and do something better with itself. Worst case, at least we get a season of Cheadle and Bell, and if that's all we get from the show, I'll take it. Oct 9, 2018 | Full Review… Seth Freilich Pajiba Ultimately, House of Lies' first season shows some interesting avenues and intriguing characters, and offers plenty of panache and punch lines. Oct 9, 2018 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review… Kristy Puchko CinemaBlend Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. In House of Lies' case it would be applied thus: just because Showtime allows you to show lady parts, doesn't mean you are compelled to slap them across every single episode. Oct 9, 2018 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review… Emily Breen HeyUGuys As the rest of the story begins to take shape, a far more interesting character study emerges that gives lead actor Cheadle some great material to work with. Oct 9, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review… Kari Croop Common Sense Media View All Critic Reviews (38) Audience Reviews for House of Lies: Season 1 Aug 26, 2015 An impressive comedy that follows the life of a Management Consultant expert Mary Kaan (Don Cheadle). A self centered opportunist with a gift for convincing clients they need him to help them with the operation of their companies. He is surrounded by a team of people called a 'Pod' that help him to do the analysis that helps him swing his pitch to his favor. Jeannie (Kiristen Bell) is his brilliant right hand woman. Clyde (Ben Schwarz) & Doug (Josh Lawson) round out the team. Marty meets with a big client only to cause a problem for one of it's executives by contributing to wrecking his marriage. The company hires him only later the man he hurt comes back and convinces his boss a merger with Management Consulting firm that Marty works for is a good idea. Marty does everything he can to prevent the merger while raising his cross dressing son Roscoe who is just as brilliant as his father while the mother Monica who is substance abusing Management Consultant fights for physical custody. Jeannie sabotages her engagement by sleeping with other men. Marty and his team keep up their successful pitches to clients while finding evidence that could shut down the merger. Jeannie ends up revealing something that hurts Galweather. Great show.... Akiko A Apr 15, 2014 Slick looking but often fights off clichés both with its characters and writing. Manages to do just enough to keep me intrigued. Dean E See all Audience reviews News & Features 150 Erotic Movies Ranked worst to best! 2019's Most Anticipated 63 movies coming up this year 200 Essential Movies Chosen by RT staff! 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