The Mentalist

I started watching this show late in the game, only to find it hard to stop watching because of many factors, first: that Simon Baker is very handsome, second: Robin Tunney is team leader, and lastly, the reoccuring arch that surrounds "Red John". The latter reason will probably go on slowly and simmer into an extravangant boil, which I truly love in a show. The dynamic of the team, the witty banter of the lot and the relationships in focus also captivate me, as well as the theme of vengeance throughout the show. The man who is trying to redeem himself, is a theme I really like played out - a Hamlet of sorts.

'The Mentalist' is a breath of fresh air for the crime drama genre. Delivering hours of entertaining storylines, with loads of drama, action, intriquing storylines and humour.





The show follows former "psychic" Patrick Jane, who decided to become part of the CBI (California Bureau of Investigation) after his pretending to be a phychic and bad mouthing the infamous "Red John" got his wife and daughter murdered. Although he masks his pain with a dark humour and very unique character, the dark side of Jane occasionally comes out. In one episode declaring that he wants to "watch Red John bleed".





All in all, 'The Mentalist' is a great show and could well run for quite a few years (let's just hope so!).

-"you a psyqhic?"


-"no, I just pay close attention"





Patrick Jane, who used to pretned be a psyquic before, becomes a CBI agent when his wife and daughter are murdered by a serial killer known as Red John. Using his previous "psiquic habilities" he solves every case he is sent to solve.





The series is one of the most popular series now days, and it has only run for 1 season. A second one is coming soon in september, and with each episode things start to go better. Is an amazing series, with great stories and incredible pieces of acting. Simon Baker as Patrick Jane might be the best agent in TV.

The Mentalist is one of the most unique shows to appear on television in recent years. It is not unique in the sense of the cop-catches-criminal storyline. What sets it apart from other shows of this genre is the willingness of the the writer's to patiently develop universal themes such as revenge, obsession, the existence of God, and relationships. They don't give way to the sometimes shallow entertainment-only factor and that is refreshing. Not that The Mentalist isn't entertaining, it is certainly that; however, like any great novel, the characters and setting are being used to seriously address some of the deeper and perhaps darker sides of human nature. Using Jane's character to illustrate, it was obvious from the first episode that he was arrogant, egotistical, and self-absorbed-Jane: "they [doctors] always want to be the smartest person in the room don't they, when in fact that's me, obviously." But Jane is exposed on an even deeper level in his obsessive and at times careless pursuit of Red John, the brutal murderer of his wife and daughter. This aspect of the storyline is foundational for the series much as Ahab's quest for Moby Dick was for Melville's great novel. The rest of the cast certainly have the credentials to make The Mentalist one of television's all-time great shows. If the writer's give them some maneuvering room in Season 2, this show could gel into something quite rare on prime time these days-art and entertainment.

This is a pretty good show that has a great lead actor, so great that he makes it a better show than it even is. He is so charismatic that he is very believable in his role as a very charismatic guy. And even when the mysteries are quite predictable which frankly they frequently are, the show's watchability remains very high because you still want to see what 'Patrick Jane' will do. I guess in that way you could compare it a bit to the Closer where you know who the murderer is but want to see how she's going to get the confession, and she's enjoyable to watch because quirky and extremely charming all the while she is manipulating people. That said, the mentalist seems quite fresh and new somehow (which I didn't expect at first glance of the premise since it sounded like a copy cat of Psych - thankfully it's not!).

As a fan of these type of shows i expected this to disappoint. I was surprised. It's a whole new take on these existing programs and completely new and different. Not only can this show be be quite serious with the cases that Patrick Jane and the rest of the team investigate but it's also funny with the way Jane acts, figures things out and the way he always just comes straight out with things. Jane and the rest of the gang interacting is hilarious and never fails to make me laugh. This show has a lot of work to do with the competition out there but i for one will always tune in to watch. Only 4 episodes in and this is one viewer who is already addicted!!

Great show, one of the best new series of the season. The plots of the episodes are very clever written. Also the acting of Simon Baker makes the show even better. It is very enjoying to watch him give disturbance to other chracters of the show. The series is about Partick Jane who used to be an Psychic "not a real one, but a good manuplator" before a serial killer killed his wife an daughter. And now by using his manuplative skills he is helping FBI to solve crimes.


Maybe in further episodes we can the watch development of a relationship between Lisbon and Jane like "Bones". I think it would be nice for the series.


For me the series show us that how people can easily deceived by people.

The other reviewers have already said most of it,


but the part of the episode that impressed me the most was Janes view on revenge. We see again how good he is at deceiving people and hiding behind his cheerful mask. He is able to impress on a teenager how "bad" revenge is, at the same time he makes it very clear to Lisbon what his very own angle on it is. And On my part, he convinced me that he is very serious. It will be exciting how Lisbons dilemma, who of course has to protect the law etc., will turn out. Great acting on Simon Bakers part, and Tunney pulls of a very convincing reaction too.

This show, as I've classified it as, is a classic. It is very well written and acted. It is an amazing idea brought to life with even amazing stories and sensibilities. I usually don't like or see Police Procedural dramas, but this one's an exception for me. I found about this series when I was browsing for something else. I just watched the pilot because I had nothing else to do that day and I loved it. This series and concept has the potential to go a long way. A lot of more interesting stories are waiting to be said.

Only on the second episode here in the uk up to now but i can tell already it is going to be unmissable. Same storyline as a series called psych wich i realy enjoyed but this show has fixed the only problem that psych had which was the cheesy not serious enough aproach and added the appeal of cracker or fitz as it was called in the states. They have took all the best parts and made it even more enjoyable to watch. Great story, just glad they've not over artifized it ( if thats a word, think it should be) as they have a habbit at the moment of doing that to perfectly good ideas.

This show is worth a try for anyone who doesn't quite like the format, if only to watch the lead character. This is probably the few times in television production where the actor cast in the role is absolutely perfect. There is nothing special in the format per se, its a regular cop show, but the magic comes from an of the wall main character. Think of him as the 'Dr House' of the cop show, only more endearing and witty. It is often lighthearted and I think it is great at not taking itself too seriously all the time, which is refreshing for the format.


The only drawback is that this might not have a long shelf-life. It remains to be seen whether the show can build on its unique selling point or get tired and gimmicky.


Overall, the first season is going very well.

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't like the Mentalist, but I just don't think it's THAT great.


I'm happy there's this story line in it about Red John, it doesn't keep me from not watching, although I missed a few episodes.





I love Simon Bakers' humour in the show. Every time it surprises me again how he can act like a fool.


One thing for sure: I really don't like Robin Tuney.


I already didn't like her in Prison Break.. There is just something annoying about her and I don't know what.





Unless the Mentalist gets REALLY boring, I'll keep watching this.

This great show started right off with a bang. Just when you think you could not possibly watch another cop show. CBS makes amends for the countless (CSI/Numbers/Criminal Minds) cop shows with this new twist on an old genre. "Patrick Jane" (played by Simon Baker) is a consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation. He once made a living as a psychic medium, which he admits was a scam. Now he takes those same skills of observation and reasoning to help law enforcement solve cases. Baker's charm, sense of humor and quick wit greatly add to this shows greatness. He ties the whole cast together with great interaction making it easy to watch.

Didn't think this show would be any good. But I was wrong. This one is great! First episode and then I was stuck.





New story in every episode, so you can miss one and don't get lost. Thats also great.





And I just love the team. But sometimes it's becomes a bit too easy, I like when you must think a little. Sometimes the episodes give you too much info on who the bad person is. Thats the only bad thing about this story.





If you have not seen this yet, do it now. I'm sure you will enjoy like I do.





5 of 5 points!

What this show lacks in originality it makes up for in the platonic chemistry of the cast. Sure, we wonder how a mediocre agent has made it to team leader and don't really care if the junior agents hit the sheets but Simon Baker is worth watching and is the reason I gave it a great rating rather than terrible. Giving Patrick the history of a fraud psychic-gone-honest was good but the murdered family leaves too many dangling threads. Did the wife know he was a fake, did she help him con people? Were they priming their child to also be involved like Sylvia "I hope you aren't recording this" Browne has done with her son? A twin brother who was murdered by the smiley face killer who had mistaken him for Patrick would have made a "cleaner" storyline but writers are always trying to leave things messy just in case the need a quick storyline. The snarky dialogue, bright smile and 'watch this' attitude gives the show interest when otherwise you'd get an hour of quasi-mystery with much-too-pat conclusions. When people say that actor would be interesting just reading the phone book this is the kind of performance they mean. I won't be surprised, though, if it doesn't last more than a few seasons especially if the two leads become lovers.

The writers do an excellent job at making the shows so great. The plots of the episodes are great and fast moving, never a dull moment. All the actors and actresses do a great job. But I have to say that Simon Baker is the star!!! I liked him when he was in The Guardian and I am so glad he is back on. The Mentalist is a great character for him. His facial expressions and mannerisms add so much to the character. The other actors/actresses are well suited to their rolls too. Don't EVER think of taking this show off the air.

I enjoy getting to know the characters more with each passing plot..The Mentalist is a bit more original than some of the other ones out there..I like House but his is a good show that has a great lead actor, so great that he makes it a better show than it even is. He is so charismatic that he is very believable in his role as a very charismatic guy. I love the perfect blend of humor and drama that this show has...I even watch the reruns .Every Tuesday I eagerly tune in promptly to see what else they have in for me.This is a pretty good show..I'd like to see more seasons of.

This show is officially my favorite. I just love everything about it! Patrick Jane is such an amazing character, and Simon Baker does a wonderful job potraying him. I love the perfect blend of humor and drama that this show has. While there are many crime dramas out there, The Mentalist is a bit more original than some of the other ones out there like CSI. Every Tuesday I egerly tune in promptly to see what else they have in store for me. I even watch the reruns on the rare occasions that they're on, which I don't usually like to do. The Mentalist is definitly a keeper that I'd like to see more seasons of.

Each episode, from the beginning, has left me wanting more. I enjoy getting to know the characters more with each passing plot. I enjoy the tense romance(s) between several of the main characters. Also, I really enjoy the underlying "Red John" plot. The relationship between Jane and Lisbon is just tasty enough to be real, but has an underlying sexual current that can be felt during several of the pivotal moments during the show. All of the characters have good chemistry and the show flows well. I find myself intrigued by both the coming character development and the cases to be solved. Overall, it's my new CSI, which has fallen completely out of my favor with it's new additions/deletions.

The show follows the exploits of Patrick Jane a 'mentalist' who used to make a good living as a psychic. The problem is he wasn't really a psychic he was a fake! And when he taunted a serial killer who he was helping the police to catch his whole family were killed.





As such Jane quit his life as a psychic and now works as a consultant for the California beauau of Investigation using his powers of observation, misdirection and persuasion to catch criminals all the while on the look out for the man who took his family from him.





This show is somewhat like psych except that it is far more serious and in many ways far more compelling to watch. The plotlines are clever, the script is spot on and the acting is great. I just hope that this show runs and runs so we canget the most out of it.

Let me start off by admitting these facts first, I'm a sucker for criminal dramas. I'm a fan of smart detectives. I enjoy playing "Who dunnit?" in front of my tv. And this show gives me the combined pleasure of all three. What more could I ask?





Though sometimes highly pretictable, the show has interesting cases each episode, has an ongoing vendetta for the main character and a theme for episode names. So far doin' it all right. But as the season(s) progress they'll eventually have to create some situations for the supporting characters who are currently not being developed much. It's not a problem yet since it's so early in the series, but will grow if ignored, imo. Patrick James is the back bone of the show, the star, without question. And Simon Baker is very enjoyable, charming as this not psychic but mentalist character. I'm liking him very much so far, he has this Sherlock Holmes feeling, overly smart, quirky and with questionable morals.





Teresa Lisbon (been waiting for the obvious Mother Teresa jokes ever since the pilot!) is a character with potential, I personally love Robin Tunney, and her pouting skills. She's so cute, trying to control Jane but clearly failing. But they can dig more into her past and family. There's some drama material there.





Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt are enjoyable, they get quite moderate screentime with good lines but I think they need to be givn some kind of background. Especially Cho. All in all I'm hooked with this show and will stick around to se where it goes.

i really like this show. i have been watching since it started, bc it intrigued me. i tried to get my family to watch it but since the first episode was slow to get into, they didn't like it. their loss. its sooo good. the characters have each others back and are partners. lisbon and jane are soo perfect as partners.. and i sense some romantic chemistry between them as well. i like all the characters.. the storylines are good.. i mean this probably the only show on tv where you would be following along with the episode and think you know what is going on and then wham! you were wrong and then you are at the edge of your seat confused as heck but earning for more. its amazing. great show. :)

What a New Year's kick-off!! Again The Mentalist proves it's one of the best written and acted show on the field. I absolutely love Patrick Jane besides being charming, he is the hottest actor out there, he makes you feel the character and keep you interested all the way. I mean it's the fastest 40 minutes on earth when I'm watching it.


I guess the show evolves around Red John, but we do need him to catch him, please!! We can't seem to get enough of Jane on each episode and I just hope it keeps going the same way because even though we got a lot of crime-thriller shows this one is unique and original and truly manipulates you to keep watching it and wanting more on each episode. My thumps up for this new show and its writers, off the edge!

I admit The Mentalist seems like a rip-off of Psych but The Mentalist is incredibly entertaining. I've never watched Psych before so I don't get outraged the minute The Mentalist comes on.





The Mentalist is entertaining and it's one of my favorite shows. The characters are incredibly amusing, especially Lisbon, Jane and Cho. The plots can be a little bit cliche but seeing Jane using his quirky ways to figure out who the killer is makes the episode all worth it.





Lisbon and Cho could smile a little bit more. Jane could tone down his flirting with women suspected to be involved in crimes. Rigsby and Van Pelt could get their act together.





All in all, The Mentalist is one of my personal favorites. Watch it then decide whether you like it or not. Don't let these reviews have such a huge impact on your decision to watch this hit show.

Om i have to say that, ay first, i heard comments from some of my friends that makes me take the choice as "DONT watch it" Why? Because my friends told me that it was like Psych but without the comedy and i said "OK then its a waste of time" but when i watch the first episode i said "OMG iots good"


then i watch it since it started


Simon Baker its an awsome actor no question and the show seems to go "Uphill" fast really nice Tv show and imagine that for one second probably i missed it because of my friends comments


Really Good Tv Show


:):)

Marks (Scale 1-10):


Originality - 9


Lead Actor Simon Baker: 10


Supporting Cast: 5


Backstory: 8 (Jane's family / Redjohn)


Continuing Storyline: 7


Writing for Lead: 9


Writing for Supporting Cast: 4





My Overall Rating - 8.2





Why you should watch this show:





Because Simon Baker is phenomenal as former "psychic" con-man Patrick Jane, turned law enforcement consultant, and brings a great new twist to the tv detective genre. While the art of reading behavior is nothing new for law enforcement (real or television), you love the Baker/Jane because he's very low key, his confidence and intelligence doesn't spill over into arrogance, and there's no pursuit of personal glory in doing what he does. Much like Damian Lewis in Life, the unassuming front conceals a much greater truth, and you can't help but love this character. There is depth in the character - which ranges from confidant con-man, to comedic side-show, to tortured soul whose family was murdered by the serial killer Redjohn, which is the basis for his working with the CBI.





What Keeps This Show from Greatness:





First off, the premise that the supporting cast are special agents with the CBI: California Bureau of Investigation. For starters - there's no name recognition. And California Bureau of Investigation is a mouthful to unload. If you go strictly by the acronym, nobody would know who they were. While there are more than enough FBI based shows on at the moment, CBI lacks credibility and weakens the presence of the supporting cast. Remember, Baker/Jane is merely a consultant, not an agent, and I think this hurts not only the premise for the show, but the believability of the supporting cast. Besides the whole CBI thing, the cast playing the agents could use some training in the handling of weapons and police procedure. This would probably go a long way to bolstering their lacking credibility.





Which brings me to.....the supporting cast (or lack thereof.) While I'm sure that they were going for an unassuming background ensemble that makes Baker stand out, the supporting cast is completely one dimensional.





Tim Kang / Agent Cho - not really believable as a human being, much less a special agent. He tries to be the tough guy among the four agents, but comes off like a robot playing a human. If this show doesn't make it, he might be great as a T-888 on Terminator. However, when they do let him be a regular guy, he's great. They just don't do it enough.





Owain Yeoman / Agent Rigsby - great in the role as the young, inexperienced agent who isn't the sharpest knife in the set, but awful when required to be the confident tough guy. He's not bad though when he's just being himself, or the shy guy who likes Agent Van Pelt. The writers don't give him much to work with.





Amanda Righetti / Agent Van Pelt - she does very well as the young, somewhat naive agent who stands on principle. Surprisingly, Van Pelt is the most developed character of the supporting cast.





Robin Tunney / Agent Lisbon - a wonderful actor, but as Agent Lisbon, the character is very one dimensional. You do see just how good she could be in this role when she and Baker connect, but much like the others, there aren't enough of those moments where we see the character behind the lacking agent persona.





Summary:





Great show with an under-developed, poorly written supporting cast. Baker is wonderful, and the show succeeds on that alone.

Best show I've seen this season. Who knew? Oh my gosh! Yah, yah, Simon Baker is adorable but this show has so much heart and what appears to be spontaneity that it just works. Tonight's show was just goofy enough, but the kid who played Tommy WOW! It's not so predictable that it becomes corny (CSI's). I've always been a Simon Baker fan, but I watched out of curiosity and have been hooked ever since. It forces us to look at ourselves and answer those questions we don't want to know about ourselves. Would I seek revenge? Is it o.k. for someone else? The lead actress may not be that hot, but at least it's realistic, finally.

To be perfectly clear, I enjoy this show; I watch it when I can and DVR it when I can't. The reason is simple: Simon Baker (as Patrick Jane) has fleshed out an original character with a complex spectrum of emotion. His character is softly mysterious with an air of amusement as event unfold around him. His poker face bests the police, the suspects, and the killer; you never know what Jane knows until he reveals it, often in a showy style that suits his own smiling outward demeanor. But at the same time, there is much tension and toning to this man.





Other than the Mentalist himself, though, the show doesn't shine. The supporting cast, well, simply supports him, and the plots themselves don't compel the audience. Much like the show "House", the audience is intrigued by the character more than any story development, but, again, much like "House", Patrick Jane himself is enough to keep the audience tuned in.

The Mentalist is a show that I still have a number of reservations about. The character of Patrick Jane is really well played by Simon Baker but the rest of the regulars are not particularly interesting and never seem to gel as a team. Most of the episodes have decent storylines and I like the 'red' links between them. There are still plenty of questions to be answered so I will still keep watching but I would like more interaction between Simon Baker and the rest of the regular cast. This is probably one of the better crime dramas of the 2008-9 season but I am not sure whether it will continue beyond this season.

There is something I'm particularly interested in...Mr. Mentalist's past. How did he develop such amazing techniques? I, also, wish the other characters would show more emotion. Such as, more jealousy of him, or more surprise when he figures stuff out. They aren't animated enough. I am not really interested in him and the woman cop (I can't think of her name right now) getting together romantically. I think it would take away from the real purpose of the show. That is not to say that I do not want to see him with someone, just not her. She does not feel warm enough. Other than that, I love the show! I love the clever comedy as well!