Media Life magazine writer Diego Vasquez's characterization of The Moment of Truth as New York Times, "...Nielsen estimated that the show delivered 23.2 million viewers, more than any series premiere on any network in almost a year."



Interestingly, in its first episode, the show made no claims about the accuracy of lie detectors, perhaps supposing that Americans already have sufficient belief in the pseudoscience of polygraphy that no explanation was necessary. The polygraph itself takes a backseat in the show. Contestants are asked some 50 questions while hooked up to the lie detector prior to the show's taping. As each contestant is introduced, the screen displays rapid-fire video sequences from the person's polygraph examination. Let's look at some frame grabs.



Here we see that polygrapher Nick Savastano is using a four-pen analog (non-computerized) polygraph instrument. There is no channel for a seat pad or strain gauge (used by many polygraphers nowadays in an effort to detect or deter physical countermeasures such as the anal sphincter contraction):







Note that the polygraph chair has no arm rest for the examinee's left hand (to which the galvanic plates are attached). The examinee's right arm rests on a table:







Here we see that Savastano's polygraph instrument is a Lafayette Ambassador:







Another glimpse of the polygraph instrument:







The first contestant was personal trainer and former XFL football player





Ty Keck in the polygraph chair





Ty Keck on stage



The next contestant was George Ortuzar, marketing manager at the





George Ortuzar in the polygraph chair





George Ortuzar on stage



And by accident or design, sleeveless blouses were de rigeur for wives and girlfriends:





Ty Keck's wife, Catia





George Ortuzar's girlfriend, Lily While I agree withmagazine writer Diego Vasquez's characterization ofas "an hour of poor taste," it seems the viewing public may feel differently. According to Benjamin Toff of the"...Nielsen estimated that the show delivered 23.2 million viewers, more than any series premiere on any network in almost a year."Interestingly, in its first episode, the show made no claims about the accuracy of lie detectors, perhaps supposing that Americans already have sufficient belief in the pseudoscience of polygraphy that no explanation was necessary. The polygraph itself takes a backseat in the show. Contestants are asked some 50 questions while hooked up to the lie detector prior to the show's taping. As each contestant is introduced, the screen displays rapid-fire video sequences from the person's polygraph examination. Let's look at some frame grabs.Here we see that polygrapher Nick Savastano is using a four-pen analog (non-computerized) polygraph instrument. There is no channel for a seat pad or strain gauge (used by many polygraphers nowadays in an effort to detect or deter physical countermeasures such as the anal sphincter contraction):Note that the polygraph chair has no arm rest for the examinee's left hand (to which the galvanic plates are attached). The examinee's right arm rests on a table:Here we see that Savastano's polygraph instrument is a Lafayette Ambassador:Another glimpse of the polygraph instrument:The first contestant was personal trainer and former XFL football player Ty Keck , who played for the Los Angeles Xtreme. He made it past the first round of personally intrusive questions to win $10,000, but decided to risk it and proceed to the second round, during which he was eliminated for allegedly lying when answering "no" to the question, "As a personal trainer, have you touched a female client more than was required of you?":The next contestant was George Ortuzar, marketing manager at the Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood, California. He made it past the first round of personal questions, went on to the second, and will continue on next week's show:And by accident or design, sleeveless blouses werefor wives and girlfriends: