For once I'm not choosing Hal. Shocker! Jack it is. I agree with your assessments, Domino.  

This is more tricky than it seems!

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Hal lied many times for many reasons. But he also lied for his friends about things they could not understand cause he didn't want to loose them. Mentally his friends kept him straight, he also loved them.

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Albert lied because he wanted to do good work and make up his pass (and present) mistakes. He was also victim of manipulation. He had goodness in his heart and he regret deeply about his lies. He also lied for a woman, because he didn't want her to get hurt because of him.

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Jack lied because he wanted justice. He wanted to catch the bad guy. He knew who was guilty but without evidence he could not actually do anything. It was about children and he was ready to loose his job so he could get the responsible one behind bars.

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So, which one had the most benevolent reason to lie? Good question domino, good question!

I have to think about my answer, I have been analyzing lot these characters but not in this point of view. 

Interestingly worded question, domino.  Most benevolent reason.....not the most justifyable reason. I'll have to think about this one (lol!) but my first reaction is that I don't agree with everyone else! 

I do think you can make a case for the fact that Jack's motivation may have been founded in a belief that he was doing the right thing when he attempted to plant the evidence.  But he didn't succeed.....so, in many ways, he didn't need to lie to Martha - fessing up would not have affected the investigation.   The lie was not to catch the bad guy.....he lied to save his own skin.  He lied to avoid being sacked, suspended, or - at the very least - being taken off the case.

I voted Jack for basically all the reasons stated already.  He does lie "for the right reasons", or at least he had in mind to do something wrong, but for the right reasons.  His lie, as fifi pointed out, was to save his own skin.  But it also wasn't a lie that affected anyone else, ultimately.  I would also like to point out that we've only seen Jack lie once, (besides any manipulations he might have done in interviews - I'm sure at times it becomes necessary to say things to Suspects in hopes of getting them to open up) whereas Flight lied many times to cover his tracks, and with deadly consequences.  And then there's Hal... well, you can barely believe anything that comes out of his mouth... well that's not entirely true, Hal doesn't exactly lie about everything.  He just tends to be circumspect and leave things out. 

very cool discussion guys...
You make an interesting point about Albert, Rosie and Jozie... he lied in order to do good work. And I agree, he is a good man with a good heart, ultimately. But there is a bigger context I would argue, and as tortured as he was by the situation (and a victim as a few of us have pointed out) he kept his confessions to a confidential confession box for a long time before actually confessing - to allow him to do good work, but he was allowing some very bad work, by others, to continue too. It felt to me that Flight was not fully aware of the extent of Shine's evil doing. But he was aware that he had been sent to spy. Yes, there was a level of denial and naivity that despite all of that he could do good work, but on the other hand he was a very smart, cocksure young man, and not at all stupid.

"but can lies really be benevolent?" Good question Rosie... but as fifi pointed out, worded deliberately as 'most benevolent'.... *evil cackle*..... Not benevolent but on the scale towards benevolence, if there is such a thing! I was going to say least malevolent... but this way was more thought provoking.

Oh good point fifi, Jack lied because he knew he had done something wrong procedurally that could get him in hot water. I was more annoyed that he wasn't honest with Martha than the fact he tried to fix some evidence, because she had gone out of her way to give him so many chances and when his antics were questioned higher up than her she covered for him, which he showed not gratitude for. So his intended 'wrong doing' for the right reason is not relevant... it the fact he didn't tell her the truth. for no benevolent reason whatsoever...

whimsy you make a good point too, about the quantity of lying, that has to be relevant!

I find myself question how much sympathy i feel for each of these characters lying. I actually sympathise with Albert and Hal (in his 'good' phases) more than Jack! Albert was so troubled... and never was there a more tortured creature than 'good' Hal there are times when he withheld the truth that made my heart ache because he was so tortured by what he had done... and even though it was self preservation, he also did not want to hurt others with the truth...

And there were lies that were more understandable than others....

But, there were many versions of Hal... and even when not bad old Lord Harry in full force, he did tell some unforgiveable lies...

well they say a picture speaks a thousands words Rosie - I'd do well to remember that and use less!

What  a gloriously complex character Flight is - naivity, innocence, denial / intelligence, complicity, guile.

Hmmmm??  Wha.....?  What were we talking about?

GAAAAAHHHHHHH...

Hhhot.  It's hot in here.  Can someone open a window?

I need to rewatch Ripper Street sometime.  Poor sweet puppy dog Flight...

muahahahaha!  

If we're looking at a sliding scale towards benevolence, even taking into account the quantity of lying that each character does, I still can't vote for Jack, because even though he only lied once....his lying failed 100% to register on the belevolence scale!

I have been desperately searching my memory to find an example of Hal lying for some benevolent reason....and the only one I can think of is that he lied to Crumb that he was able to live a 'full and happy' life without blood - a lie intended to stop Crumb from despairing...as he eventually does when he realises the futility of their situation!  There may be other times when he lied having convinced himself that is was for the good of others, but I think that ultimately his lies are a means for him to manipulate people for his own benefit.  Please, please, somebody give me an example of when Hal lies genuinely for the good of others!

Although Flight's lies are primarily to protect himself, there is one shining example of when his lies are not only indended for good, but are actually successful......when he lies to Evelyn.  It is also the time when he is probably the most truthful! (up until his final confession to Reid....).  He lies to Evelyn in order to get close enough to her to find out what her father is doing.  This lie is of no benefit to himself - indeed it seems that he would much rather be truthful with Evelyn - and ultimately it saves the lives of all the people who turn up to see the presentation. 

So at the moment I'm leaning towards Flight..... But I'm not going to vote just yet, because I want somebody to defend Hal! Please....somebody...!!

I was going to vote for Jack first, but then again after thinking, I'm not going to.

Oh fifi, I would want to defend Hal and here I go:

Hal was once human and human lies are more like what Jack's and Flight's lies are like. Goals of those lies are based on human nature. When Hal turned into a vampire, his nature changed, he wasn't human anymore.

I'm thinking about human nature vs. vampire nature. I mean, when Hal was human I don't think he could have been able to kill people just like that without feeling anything.

When Hal stopped drinking blood, his human nature came out and he felt guilty about his doings, but constantly his vampire nature was shadowing his every step.

So, when Hal lies for his friends or enemies, he is lying for humanly reasons. But, there's always his vampire nature controlling his sayings and doings. He is in constant pain and self control, something that will affect his actions, even his lies. 

So basically, every time "good Hal" lies, he's trying to protect his human part, his friends, his friendships, I think those are very benevolent reasons to lie. Everything he holds dear so and don't want to lose and became "bad Hal" again.

When Hal is bad, and he is lying, it's more like lying for surviving. Those are heartless lies in heartless life. So when he is trying to protect his good life he has, and being more human, he lies on the way, but never wanted to hurt his friends by those lies, but protect them and himself for staying good.

Flight and Hal remind each other very much.