The Mentalist

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.

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.

I've only seen about four of five episodes of this show and I liked it, but as others have said, it follows a rather familiar vein. Trying not to compare it to anything else though, I found it to be enjoyable at face value. The lead character is likable and keeps the interrogations and methods of discovery light and conversational which is nice. I like that his part isn't really dark and sinister, which was an avenue obviously available to the writers given the main character's back story.

I liked the charisma between Baker and Robin Tunney and I like that his character doesn't take himself to seriously. Yes, the writers do ask you to suspend your belief occasionally and to get viewership the writers have had to make the stories bizarre and convoluted, which isn't necessarily a problem, it just makes it look like they've got heat from network people to make it edgy when it could be more mind-bending instead.

It's a fun show that can be watched at leisure and enjoyed without a serious dedication to it, which can be nice in an age of shows with year-long story arcs. If you miss one, you're not totally out of loop. If you've got an hour to spare, give it a shot. It's enjoyable.

'The Mentalist' is the latest American crime drama to make its way to British shores and so far, it is proving itself to be a promising show which will hopefully continue to flourish. The show revolves around Patrick Jane, a mentalist (someone with a highly developed sense of observation who can give the illusion that they have psi abilities) with a haunted past, who uses his unique skills to help the California Bureau of Investigation solve crimes.

A show of this genre is obviously going to attract comparisons to other shows like 'Medium' (which is ridiculous because Jane is steadfast in his view that he is not psychic and there are no such thing as psychics) or 'Psych'. In the case of the latter, admittedly, there are similarities to be had but 'Psych' is very much drama-lite comedy whereas this show can be dark and is a serious take on having an adviser with such abilities working with law enforcement.

Simon Baker does an excellent job depicting Patrick Jane as a man who, on the surface, is genial, charismatic and arrogant but hides his dark emotional problems that we catch glimpses of as the show progresses. Jane, for all his relaxed persona, is a man who cannot come to terms with his tragic past and is an insomniac with anti-social tendencies and a cynical view of the world around him. He is a truly fascinating character and it will be interesting to see how he continues to develop. The rest of the cast do well but for now their characters take second place to Jane. Female lead character Teresa Lisbon is the leader of the CBI team that Jane liaisons with and is starting to stand up as a character in her own right as well as someone who is beginning to understand the secrets of Jane. However, everyone else still need time to be develop, which is understandable for a show only in its infancy.

In all, 'The Mentalist' continues to excel and seeks to be yet another success from America (so, CBS, please don't cancel it!). It offers a unique insight into crime and the people involved. It also involves tantalising characters who leave the viewers desperate to uncover what makes them tick. Here's looking to a good few seasons to enjoy.

The Mentalist is easily one of my favorite police shows of all-time. I loved every episode of every season. It's only been off the air for a few years and I already miss it. The entire cast is fantastic but the real standout here is Simon Baker as Patrick Jane. He was born to play this role. It's about a former "psychic " who serves as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation. He uses his incredible smarts and observation to solve cases in unusual ways. He's also there to find a killer named Red John, who killed his wife and daughter. If you're looking for a good show that you'll have a lot of fun watching them give this a try, you won't be disappointed!