Saturday 22 September 2012

Series Review – The Mentalist

Almost everyone these days are following different TV series, which explain different storylines and scripts. It is indeed addictive when watched from a laptop. Some of them really bring out the child in us.Here is my first ever review on one of my most favorite TV shows.


Cop: “So, the dead man tell you who done it?”

A pause followed by a sneer. From the tall man with blonde hair who bends over the body, sniffing him out.

“Leather pants, musky cologne, phallic jewellery. A ladies man. Went after high end cougars with moderate success. Casual cocaine user. Plays guitar-not well. Works in the non creative end of a creative business. Advertising maybe. Nothing worth killing anyone over anyway. So he died from romantic reasons. Where are those suspects you mentioned?”

Cop (sheepish and dumbfounded): “The witnesses?”

“Whatever.”

For all those out there who had seen The Mentalist- s02e01 and find this familiar, I know that even you were grinning and scratching your heads with your mouths open, regardless of whether you saw it with or without the subtitles. But for the eyes which still remain puzzled and eyebrows which still remain raised, you are about to read a review of CBS’ most eagerly watched TV series – The Mentalist, from an ardent, totally hooked, die-hard fan of the show. Me.


Everyone in my family is a hardcore fan of Sherlock Holmes. Why, almost the entire literary world still remains in awe of the famous sleuth’s methods and powers of deduction. It is a common fact that some feature, script, or trivia in the aired/currently airing crime oriented series is inspired and influenced from Doyle’s Holmes. Psych, Millennium, House and Castle to name a few. Bruno Heller, creator and executive producer of The Mentalist also openly stated this fact. This series, however, captures imagination and experience to give its fans a delightful, humour filled and more importantly, an intellectual treat. A treat which I feel, has been delivered with outstanding screenplay, an intriguing plot and spellbinding dialogue delivery from an ensemble cast.

The entire series chiefly revolves around the developments after the personal trauma of the protagonist, Patrick Jane, who initially is a con-man, pretending to be a psychic to help tragic victims. He taunts an unknown serial killer named Red John, on the pretext of helping the police in catching him, on live television. In retaliation, Red John murders his wife and daughter, leaving Jane an emotionally broken man. He then joins the CBI (California Bureau of Investigation) in the quest of catching him, assisting Special Agent Teresa Lisbon and her team. Quite unlike the other agents, Jane, who is only a consultant, uses his uncanny abilities to manipulate people and read their minds, eventually becoming CBI’s valuable asset- unearthing clues, uncovering secrets and hence solving many gruesome and strange homicides.

Simon Baker, who plays Jane, fits into his role as a mentalist with absurd ease. For a man above 40 and voted as the sexiest man in 2009 by V magazine, Baker is still a heartthrob to many fans of the show. Robin Tunney, playing Lisbon, equally shares the limelight with Jane sharing witty moments of trust and cop issues. Tim Kang dons the role of Kimball Cho, the tough agent with a deadpan sense of humour. The Joker and Romeo of the team is Wayne Rigsby, another agent who keenly mimics Jane’s antics played by Owain Yeoman. The glamour quotient and the romance element are further spiced up by Amanda Righetti who plays Grace Van Pelt, a young and an eager agent. Special guest appearances are occasionally graced by other notable actors namely Emannuelle Chriqui, Samaire Armstrong, Micheal Gaston, Terry Kinney and others (the former two in the later seasons).

As of June 2012, The Mentalist has completed four seasons with good ratings. And CBS has renewed it for a fifth season as well. Show times were shifted from Thursdays 8 30 pm to Sundays 8 30 pm starting from the fifth season. There are many episodes/cases in the show which are independent from the Red John storyline. Bruno Heller uses such episodes to display the deep bonding and the other side of the agents’ lives. This and the intriguing fact that the viewers have not got to see even the antagonist’s face keep the series going strong every year.

The Mentalist is not just a series where mind-boggling-but-simple deductions are made and few laughs are shared. The show also portrays pretty accurately the psychology of people, the reasons for criminal bent of mind and sheds light and knowledge on lot of other worldly happenings. It can be said that Heller is a man of spiritual experience and a wise person who has understood the ways of the world, for there are many deep meanings that can be perceived from almost every scene. My family and I are eagerly waiting for the fifth season.

Now I am going to read you like a notebook and voice what your mind is thinking. Hmmmm.......

You are excited. And tempted. You feel the article is good and has nicely captivated your mind. The need to know more about this series is increasing. I can FEEL the aura around you, slowly and gently, oscillating with questions......
Im pretty good, right? No???

Never mind. Thank you for your time.

The premiere of season 5 of The Mentalist is scheduled to be telecast on  Sunday, September 30th, 2012. Catch the action and drama as the mystery deepens!!

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