From 2012 to 2016, Showtime’s comedy/drama House of Lies was one of the cable network’s top shows.
Now, the entire five-season run of House of Lies has come to Netflix nearly a decade after the series’ conclusion.
The show stars Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan, a management consultant to the rich and powerful. He’s basically a legitimized con man who never stops looking for his next mark.
Think of this show as a smarter version of Entourage for the corporate world. But if you need more convincing, here are three reasons to watch House of Lies on Netflix.
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Don Cheadle Is Devilishly Charismatic As Marty Kaan
The star of House of Lies is also its most valuable player. This series wouldn’t work without Cheadle’s overly confident portrayal of Marty Kaan. Most of the show takes place from Marty’s perspective, and he’s got an unusual relationship with the audience that lets him break the fourth wall and tell all of us what he really thinks.
Marty’s less convincing as a family man when his son, Roscoe (Donis Leonard Jr.), or his father, Jeremiah Kaan (Glynn Turman). But in the corporate world, Marty is the apex predator who has few moral qualms and a willingness to do or say almost anything to close a deal. He’s a true TV antihero, and it’s always fun to watch Marty show off what he can do with the power of his charisma alone.
‘House of Lies’ Has a Great Supporting Cast
Marty’s “pod” is another one of the show’s strengths. Kristen Bell is particularly good as Jeannie Van Der Hooven, one of the few characters in House of Lies who can give Marty a run for his money. In her own way, Jeannie can be just as underhanded as Marty, and their relationship goes through some dramatic ups and downs.
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Ben Schwartz‘s Clyde Oberholt and Josh Lawson‘s Doug Guggenheim don’t have as much drama surrounding their relationships with Marty and Jeannie. They give the show most of its comic relief and they’re reliable performers to play off Cheadle and Bell. They are natural sidekicks and they do it very well.
Dawn Olivieri is also a standout as Monica Talbot, Marty’s ex-wife, rival, and the mother of their son. The sheer disdain that Monica and Marty have for each other is very amusing, especially since they still have occasional hookups despite their mutual animosity. Monica is also an amoral consultant, but she can’t match Marty’s ability to go even lower.
The Show Makes Us Laugh While Rich People Get Fleeced
House of Lies‘ entire premise is built around Marty and his associates convincing corporate clients that their services are needed. Some of those needs are genuine, but Marty’s team is more concerned about their best interests over their clients. And while there are occasions in the series where Marty pays the price for that approach, usually he gets off scot free.
Marty and his closest friends have no qualms about bringing down a business if the outcome works out in their favor. Even their own employers are fair game, including former friends and foes alike. There aren’t many people of good moral character on this show, but there is something very fun about watching Marty trick rich people into giving him almost anything he asks for in return for very little. It’s a corporate fleecing on a massive scale, and we love to see it.
House of Lies is streaming on Netflix.
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