Aayush Sharma
Showtime’s comedy drama show, ‘House of Lies,’ follows the journey of a man named Marty Kaan (Don Cheadle), who has been rigorously working as a partner at the consultancy firm Galweather Stearn. It doesn’t take much time to realize that Marty is the best at what he does. That’s why he has become so successful in this field. His accomplishments make him realize that he is now fit to lead his firm, and that’s what he does when he quits his job and establishes his own firm, Kaan & Associates. As soon as he gets directly into the competition with other firms, he realizes that a lot of players don’t want his firm to be successful. Instead, they want Marty to be out of this business, and the show, which began in 2012, takes viewers on a funny, yet enthralling ride through the chaos.
The series, created by Matthew Carnahan, not only explores Marty’s professional life but also smoothly captures the events of his personal life, shedding light on the difficulties he faces navigating both his business and personal aspects. ‘House of Lies’ manages to give an introspective look at how the world of management consultants works. Moreover, through Marty’s thrilling journey, it doesn’t shy away from telling that there are fewer friends, more enemies in a world where success means more than loyalty.
House of Lies is a Riveting Adaptation of a Book by Martin Kihn
Although many situations shown during the course of the series are fictional, ‘House of Lies’ is a TV adaptation of Martin Kihn’s 2005 book, titled ‘House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time.’ The book chronicles Kihn’s journey and experiences post joining the world of consultancy after graduating from Columbia Business School. For over three years, he worked for a large consultancy group, which helped him see a clearer picture of the management consultancy. Since the Yale University graduate began his professional journey as a writer, he perceived his work in the consulting world with a critical lens. Thus, Kihn concluded that consultants often focus on perception and presentation rather than delivering valuable insights.
As a result, the author thought of writing ‘House of Lies,’ wherein he remarks how consultants use fancy words to let people know what they already know. Written for the television by Kihn, Theo Traves, David Walpert, Sarah Walker, and Karin Gist, the show takes inspiration from the aforementioned source material and presents it in a way that feels universally relatable. While talking about it in an interview, Carnahan noted that the idea of the show was given by one of the show’s executive producers, Jessica Borsiczky, who handed him the book written by Kihn.
After reading it, Carnahan called Jessica and told her that he knew about this world because his brother used to work for a consultancy firm. However, what shocked him was the stories that he heard from other players working in consultancy. He said, “I read the book that night. I called Jessica the next day and said, ‘I know this world and I know how to make this show.'” However, it was not easy for Carnahan to make the show because he wanted actors who could handle the fast-paced environment of the show. Thankfully, things worked out with Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, whose seasoned acting prowess brought emotional depth to their respective characters.
The Show Roots Marty Kaan’s Story in Reality While Taking Creative Liberties
‘House of Lies’ remains faithful to the memoir written by Martin Kihn, and several instances are translated to the screen with precision. Most of the consultants didn’t like what Kihn wrote because it exposed a profession’s reality through witty writing by coming forward with what he saw during his days as a consultant. However, when it comes to the show, most of it is purely fiction. In a write-up for Fortune, Kihn didn’t shy away from calling most of the show “pure fiction.” However, in an interview with MinnPost, the author, who worked a consultant on the show, stated that the sequences shot in the office were “grounded” in the book, and the language used during the consulting scenes was “real.”
Keeping these two aspects authentic gives the show a much deeper meaning and ensures the audience is kept glued to their screens. Even though the name of Cheadle’s character is pretty similar to Kihn’s real name, their personalities are very different. While the author praised Cheadle’s compelling work on the show, he made it clear that he doesn’t really identify with the character. “Kaan is the man I would be if I were somebody else, but I don’t identify with him. I watch the show like anybody else: as an outsider. It’s probably better that way. As my wife says, ‘If they made a show about our real life, nobody would watch.’ Not even me,” Kihn stated.
The show further becomes more authentic when it starts taking references from real-life cases. There have been several instances where people working as partners with big consultancy firms have gone to prison for unethical business practices and illegal activities. In 2022, Puneet Dikshit, a former Partner in McKinsey & Company was sent to prison for 24 months after he plead guilty to one count of securities fraud “in connection with his scheme to commit insider trading based on material, nonpublic information regarding the upcoming public announcement that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., which Dikshit and McKinsey were advising, would be acquiring GreenSky, Inc.” By emphasizing that particular element, ‘House of Lies’ showcases how backdoor arrangements are made to share information between two clients who are competitors.
The Show Draws a Connection to Power Dynamics Between Men and Women
There have been many studies that state that women are underrepresented in the consulting industry due to several reasons, such as gender bias, discrimination, and work-life balance challenges. In ‘House of Lies,’ Marty’s team consists of only one woman, Jeannie van der Hooven (Bell), because, in reality, the consulting industry is mostly led by men. Though the gap is getting narrower, men still outnumber women in the world of consultancy. Even though the show leaves no stone unturned to paint a picture that mirrors the real world, it takes creative liberties to enhance the viewing experience. Kihn served as a consultant on the show and kept giving the makers information that helped them in striking the perfect balance between fact and fiction. Therefore, ‘House of Lies’ remains an unflinching adaptation of Kihn’s work.
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