Deception

Cameron Black is the world's greatest illusionist. At least, that's what people used to call him—before his greatest secret was exposed and his career destroyed. Even worse, Cameron has good reason to believe this was no accident.

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.

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

• The Mentalistshared procedural crime structure with a charismatic outsider consultant and case-of-the-week mysteries
• White Collarshared premise of a criminal consultant helping the FBI and a sleight-of-hand trickster's talents applied to investigations
• Leverageshared light-hearted crime tone with a con artist protagonist and heist-style cons

Created by

Chris Fedak

Release Date

2018-03-11

Episode runtime

42 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (259)

What is Deception about?

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

What is Deception like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Deception as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Deception violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Deception as mild.

What did critics think of Deception?

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

Which shows are like Deception?

Shows with a similar feel include The Mentalist, White Collar, and Leverage.

How long is Deception?

Deception: 1 season, 13 episodes.

Is Deception still running?

No, Deception was canceled.

Where can I watch Deception?

In United States, Deception is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home.