# Deception (2018)

> A disgraced illusionist turned FBI criminal consultant uses his magic skills to solve crimes while hunting for who ruined his career.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/62593

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 13
- Episode runtime: 42 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Chris Fedak
- Network: ABC
- Cast: Jack Cutmore-Scott, Ilfenesh Hadera, Lenora Crichlow, Amaury Nolasco, Justin Chon, Laila Robins, Vinnie Jones, Lucas Hall
- TMDB rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6461812/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: playful, clever, brisk, suspenseful, light

## What critics say

Audiences found the illusionist-meets-FBI premise entertaining and well-crafted, rating the single season positively.

## Synopsis

Deception (2018) is an American network crime drama created by Chris Fedak for ABC. Jack Cutmore-Scott plays Cameron Black, once the world's greatest illusionist, whose career was destroyed when a carefully staged secret came out, and who suspects the exposure was no accident. Working alongside the FBI, he applies misdirection, sleight of hand, and a performer's eye for deception to unravel federal cases, with Ilfenesh Hadera as FBI agent Kay Daniels and Laila Robins as Agent Deakins supplying the official pressure around him. Each forty-two-minute episode tends to center on a new case where a suspect's lies mirror a magician's tricks, while a season-long thread pushes Cameron toward the truth about his own downfall. The single thirteen-episode season, later canceled, gives the show a brisk, playful rhythm, blending glossy caper energy with procedural crime beats. Its tone is light and clever rather than grim, with a sense of showmanship running through the investigations. Fans of The Mentalist, White Collar and Leverage will find a similar appeal in charming con-artist protagonists and ingenious case-of-the-week puzzles.

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