The Mentalist. El mentalista

Out of the thousands of police procedural shows to choose from I have to say that The Mentalist is one of my favorite! It has everything you want in a good police show...drama, action, comedy, suspense, etc. Simon Baker is absolutely perfect as Patrick Jane as he leads an all around great cast!

I am very interested in the sort of mental tricks that are shown on this show. Not that I want to be the guy, I'm more interested in why the human brain works the way it does, and so far the tricks he uses are well based in reality...as strange as they are.

As much as I like crime dramas, there are so many of them on TV right now. I wish they could have exposed the psychology to viewers in a different format, but on the flip side, I can't suggest a better alternative either for the moment. For choosing an over-used format I take two ratings off a perfect 10. As the last reviewer suggested the plots will have to get strange to be new.

In contrast to the last reviewer, I do like the lead character a lot, probably because I understand more why he does the things he does. Simon Baker does a great job of acting as a Mentalist, from whom is he drawing his inspiration from? They must have a consultant helping the show.

If you want to understand the show better, you may be interested in Derren Brown - Tricks of the Mind videos.

The lead character Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) aka the 'Mentalist' plays a 'psychic' consultant for a serious crime unit headed by Lisbon (played Robin Tunney, "Prison Break") along with the rest of the cast, Cho (Tim Kang "Rambo"), Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti, "OC") and Rigby (Owain Yeoman "Nine"). But Patrick is no psychic, he relies upon acute observation and a penchant for playing mind games with the 'suspects' (and other members of the unit)to solve the case.

The character of Patrick is full of intrigue; he's sexy, funny, smooth but at the same time is tormented by a dark secret of his own doing. The dynamic between him and the rest of the unit is one of great 'hooks' of this show. The conventional law abiding enforcement officers are often at odds with Patrick's eccentric and often risqué way of going about solving crimes. The show plays up to this. The humour and tension between the characters do not appear to be contrived. And of course its always Patrick that comes out on top.

Unlike other crime TV series such as CSI, that depend on sophisticated, often over-the top 'scientific' methodology (CGI effects) to appeal to audiences, the Mentalist brings us back to the good old 'detective's hunch' style of crime-busting. It is a breathe of fresh air in a genre saturated with technical jargon and outlandish plot.

The way each case is solved is complex, yet very believable, and the magic comes from the sense of wonder at Patrick's mind tricks.

The show however still follows much of the conventional approach to to the crime genre, with the cliché of red-herrings, incompetent officers and a detective on a personal mission, but the charisma of Simon Baker as the lead detective Patrick Jane pulls the show together.

Another drawback is the seemingly lack of character depth in the minor cast members. Lisbon, Cho, Rigby and Van Pelt all play second fiddle to Patrick and look like sidekicks rather than team members. But the show is slowly providing space for their development.

The show is named after the lead protagonist, and he promptly delivers. He is charming yet gritty, nonchalant yet brilliant, careless yet vulnerable. He's warm and cold at the same time, full of contradictions and full of flaws. Simon Baker portrays these subtle shades of Patrick's personality with an ease, and has made this so accessible to the audience.

The Mentalist is one of those tortured anti-heroes the strikes a cord with the audience and we can not wait to unravel Patrick's full story.

I honestly say that the first I heard of this show I thought the premise was too simple and too recurrent. However I seem to find myself waiting impatiently for each week's episode and what is Patrick going to pull this time!

Also, I'm sick and tired of all the comparisons with Psych and House and whatever you may come up with! This show is NOT House, it's NOT Psych, it has a clear identity and is surely not a copycat. Sure it has similar elements: the House-like vibe of the background music and types of situations, or the Psych-like fact that the main character can spot details with one look; but what show these days doesn't? I mean, all CSI variants are the same! Come on...

So I tell you: this is a very good show, it can still pick up some pace (at least I can see that they're taking advantage of the Anime-style fillers) but every episode is fun to watch and grips you to the last minute.

The main character was what surprised me the most though. Despite the fact that being Portuguese I enjoy that the lead detective is called Lisbon, Mr Patrick Jane seemed just another pretty face on TV. However I can now see that I was terribly wrong: it is a great character and is portrayed by a very good actor; the changes between whimsical smiles and disturbing stares are... well disturbingly good!

So watch it, it's worth it and you might learn a thing or two!

This shows is master class in acting.

Robin Tunney and Simon Baker have a chemistry and credibility so rare that it's simply wonderful to watch every single scene. These are two of the greatest actors I've ever watched. I wish they won more awards and received greater recognition.

With the character development in the series, the writers were on point. Jane and Lisbon are mature characters; credible, solid, exceptionally developed in all aspects. Because of the subtlety of the writing and nuanced performances, their arc over the 7 seasons is just sublime.

Humour and darkness are perfectly balanced and refined in both the writing and performances. It doesn't talk down to its viewers. It doesn't go in for shallow drama to create tension. It's inventive. All is purposefully done. That I deeply respect.

Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt really become a truly lovable team and they somehow create a sense of home. Tim Kang, Amanda Righetti and Owain Yeoman were perfect at every turn. Very rare. I missed the team so much. That's a testament to the actors.

Exquisite guest stars mean this show is rife with the most memorable, bizarre and irreplaceable characters. There are too many to name. It would clog the word count. I mean. Monster talent. All in one show. Every single person created a memorable and an immensely enjoyable character. I wanted to see more of them.

I remember at the time it aired, people were going mad speculating about Red John. He was an excellent catalyst - a truly horrific storyline and figure.

But to me the show was never truly about him. It was about Jane, Lisbon and the team. Finding your people and purpose. Growing and learning from pain.

I love the music by Blake Neely. Psychological, eerie, haunting, funny, emotional, heartwarming, reflective, sentimental... He aced it. I revisit it constantly.

Bruno Heller and Chris Long created something incredible. The fact they honoured what the fans wanted in Season 6 and 7 is a tremendously rare outcome in this business and unlike any show I've ever seen. They truly nailed it.

I miss this show and characters and always will.