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TV Review: 'The Mentalist'
Can we get something out of the way up-front about CBS' The Mentalist? It isn't really all that much like USA's Psych.
Yes, The Mentalist, which premieres on Tuesday (Sept. 23) on CBS, focuses on a former fraudulent psychic (played by Simon Baker) who now uses his powers of observation to help fight crime. But in terms of characters, tone, structure and execution, The Mentalist has almost nothing at all in common with Psych, so when you hear that person making the "I liked this show more when it was called Psych" joke, kindly roll your eyes at them.
While Psych is a quirky character-driven comedy, in keeping with the USA brand, The Mentalist is an entirely humorless procedural, which means that it's very much in CBS' wheelhouse.
Baker's Patrick Jane consults for the California Bureau of Investigations, working with a team of agents (including Robin Tunney, Amanda Righetti, Tim Kang and Owain Yeoman) who appreciate his success with clearing big cases, but worry that he's a bit of a loose cannon. Jane doesn't play by the rules, but what good TV investigator does?
How does Jane solve his crimes? Well, mostly he seems to squint a lot. Written by Bruno Heller (Rome) and directed by David Nutter (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), the pilot for The Mentalist may set a TV record for most insert shots, quick cut-aways as Jane looks into the minutiae of the world around him, picking up clues that mere mortals wouldn't notice. Of course, the producers are hoping that once the clues have been presented in isolation, viewers will be able to pick up on the hints, because they've promised that if you follow closely, you'll be able to solve the crimes along with Jane. So really, The Mentalist is a lot like Clue: The Series, but not Clue: The Movie.
Does that sound fun to you? Because otherwise, The Mentalist is a very by-the-numbers affair, which probably means that it will be more successful than some of the more ambitious dramas CBS fooled around with last year. CBS learned a lesson from Moonlight, Jericho, Cane and Viva Laughlin, a lesson that appears to have been "Stick with what you know." So The Mentalist is somber, quick-paced and easy to keep up with. It looks as if each episode will be a stand-alone case, though the background presence of a serial killer named Red John and a tragedy from Jane's past may add an occasional serialized touch.
Baker is a known commodity for CBS, achieving moderate success with the conventional The Guardian and swift failure with the more complicated Smith. He's confident and capable and even this straight male critic has to acknowledge that he's got nice, expressive eyes, which helps with all of the squinting close-ups. As we saw on Smith and in The Devil Wears Prada, Baker's actually totally capable of delivering comedy in addition to intensity and The Mentalist would be well-served to make Jane less tortured and more snarky, even if that won't help with those Psych comparisons.
Although it's Baker's star vehicle, he's backed by several supporting players who could carry some of the weight, particularly Tunney and Yeoman. I've been a big fan of Righetti from The O.C. and even North Shore, but casting her as the uptight new member of the team is a bit of a waste.
In addition to the regular ensemble, The Mentalist has to be one of the best cast pilots in recent memory, or else the most wasteful. The pilot has one-off roles for Steven Culp, Gail O'Grady, Jeffrey Nordling, Tim Guinee and newly minted Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek, all of whom will be instantly recognizable to regular TV viewers. If producers continue this profligate casting, they'll run out of character actors by the end of the first season.
CBS is convinced that Simon Baker is a star, though viewers may not have caught on just yet. His appeal is obviously central to the potential success of The Mentalist. For viewers who remain unconvinced, here's hoping The Mentalist develops a bit more of an individual voice and perhaps tries to vary its tone. Otherwise, it may just blend into CBS' procedural pack, which probably wouldn't concern the network honchos at all.
The commercial with the homophobic scene where he identifies a corpse as gay because of a pedicure was enough to not make me want to watch. Note to CBS - straight men get mani-pedis now too! Idiots.
Chuck | Sep 22, 2008 12:56:13 PM | #I'm sorry, but is this the same exact concept for USA's "Psych"? Both "look" closely at things and pretend to be what they aren't; both work for a police department where some of the people don't believe in what they do; and both use their skills to solve cases. Someone, please tell me I'm wrong.
Mark | Sep 22, 2008 12:57:11 PM | #The previews for this looked good, and I will watch.
And no, straight men do not even say "mani-pedi" let alone get them.
Ron | Sep 22, 2008 2:20:42 PM | #Well...it appears Mark didn't actually read the review, since the Psych-Mentalist comparison was already addressed.
So as Daniel suggested, I will kindly roll my eyes at you
Corey | Sep 22, 2008 2:24:28 PM | #oh well, at least arnold still sleeps with his rocks and stones under his pillow. and his turkey foil wrapped round him... just like the olden days, no tv n no electric..
menthalist | Sep 22, 2008 3:15:26 PM | #sorry, but just cuz you change the flavor of something, it doesn't mean you always change what it is...
comparisons to psych are totally valid...it's just psych-with-a-stick-up-its-ass.
i'll give it the standard 3-episode try-out, but i'm not expecting to be convinced.
i mean, i've already SEEN all the CSIs...do i really need CSI:SANS-LAB or PSYCH:NO-FUN??
NonImus | Sep 22, 2008 4:43:51 PM | #oh, btw, if "menthalist" was a stab at being a smoker...i dig the clever wordplay!
if it's a typo...nevermind!
NonImus | Sep 22, 2008 4:45:50 PM | #I'm sure the Mentalist will do well and will likely get a full season. Since the show is nicely sandwiched between Cold Case and Without a Trace the ratings will probably be strong as opposed to other new shows that CBS premiered in the Tuesday 10pm slot that failed.
Steve | Sep 22, 2008 5:45:02 PM | #I gotta agree with NonImus... changing the TONE of something does not stop it from being a rip-off.
ForgivenTheWarlord | Sep 22, 2008 5:45:33 PM | #I read the review...and my question still stands Corey. The only difference the author states is that "Psych" is a comedy while this show is not. Did I miss anything else or can I roll my eyes at you now?
Current translation of this show: "Psych" but with no jokes or funny.
Mark | Sep 22, 2008 6:23:56 PM | #This reminds me of another two shows that were about the same thing: the behind-the-scenes workings of a late night sketch comedy show. One is funny and just won a s---load of Emmys, the other wasn't and got put on 'hiatus' for sweeps month so it wouldn't drag down the ratings/advertising prices. Anyone else see a pattern?
Jim | Sep 23, 2008 1:23:49 AM | #I know what you mean, Jim.
The 'so-called' funny one brought all it's humor down to the lowest level and succeeded.
The 'other' one, had well written dialogue, good acting and great storylines and was cancelled after a year.
The mob has spoken: GIVE US CRAP!
Brett | Sep 23, 2008 6:22:13 AM | #Well said, Brett. I personally find "Psych" too goofy to watch, so I'll be watching this one.
Sara | Sep 23, 2008 6:37:51 AM | #Actually, The Mentalist is what the main character from Psych would become after his fake-psychic schtick got his family slaughtered by a deranged serial killer he annoyed.
I've seen the pilot, and for my money it was one of the most promising I've seen this season. Not ground-breaking, but just very good with a solid USP.
I will definitely be watching, the show looks interesting- a new take on the standard crime drama. But importantly, it stars the super handsome Simon Baker. I always find him so engaging and charismatic-- I can't wait to see what he'll be doing with this character.
Chelsea | Sep 23, 2008 7:15:29 AM | #I've been watching the previews and the one with the corpse being gay is a stretch. He has no history on the person and yet he makes a broad assumption about the person's sexual orientation. If a woman corpse had rough hands and dirty nails are we to assume that she's a roughneck lesbian? By his casual ignorant observation, it would be a yes. No, I will not be watching this show because it emphasizes the same stereotypical white male arrogance that this character exudes from his pores. The persona of this character has no warmth or appeal and even with the mysterious past, it doesn't come forth as being genuine. This one dimensional observation is like saying every person is presumed guilty by what they wear, do, or say. It will not last the season unless CBS has a vested interest in it and starts to move it around to find its audience.
Bobbie | Sep 23, 2008 10:12:02 AM | #the mentalist is nicely sandwiched between NCIS and without a trace. cold case airs on sundays.
jeff | Sep 23, 2008 10:23:16 AM | #I love how the group known as The Chronically Offended always manage to find something to bitch about, even before a show has aired. If one stupid scene about identifying a man as gay based on the fact he had gotten a male pedicure is enough to boil your blood, then I would recommend you blow up your television, burn all your books, purchase at least ten years' worth of basic supplies and go camp out in the wilderness somewhere for a decade or so, just in case something in the world won't fit into your extremely narrow mindset. Better shoot all the birds, too, because I'm sure some of them tweet wrong.
The only thing that has "offended" me so far about this show is that it is yet another procedural put out by CBS, which doesn't seem to understand the term "original," nor do they promote shows that depict even a hint of it. Granted, they tried with Jericho and really did give that show a chance, but CBS is like Joe Paterno of the Penn State Nittany Lions: as long as it works, why change it, even if every college football team in this solar system (and possibly some a few galaxies over) knows what's coming. While I don't believe in catering to those the advertising execs deem as worthy, neither do I wish to see show after show looking just like every other one on the network, just with different actors and a slight change in the modus operandi. CBS produces shows like certain publishers produce romance novels--different cover, same book.
(BTW--not that it matters, but I am both lesbian and a pagan...I also possess something known as an open mind, something a few posters here might want to consider purchasing; I hear they sell them cheap on E-Bay)
Lilith Says Hi | Sep 23, 2008 1:12:47 PM | #I've already seen the pilot, so I can comment on some specific points.
I disagree that this show is "entirely humorless." It's merely mostly humorless. It does have a few flashes of humor here and there, which is better than I can say for most other procedurals.
It does have a lot in common with Psych. The basic premise, which is a bit unusual, is the same thing! I do like this show much better than the overly glib Psych and I enjoyed the pilot very much.
Promising new series here. Give it a try.
Lisa | Sep 23, 2008 2:38:28 PM | #Well, I just watched it, and I missed the part where a pedicure was referenced. I thought he pulled the gay vibe out of his butt.
As for the lead, I'll always remember him as the actor who was killed on L.A. Confidential. Despite his autopsy report, he was straight! Yes, funny if you've seen the movie. But if not, then stick to reality TV.
As for the show, unless he begins to join the team and becomes less than a know it all, ala House, I'll be skipping this one as well.
I absolutely loved this show. Psych is stupid and has no depth. This guy is not pretending to be psychic and no one thinks he is one. He is just very observant and makes that clear. Great show! Loved the way he picked up on the clues. It is on my favorites list now.
B | Sep 24, 2008 4:51:32 AM | #Love Simon Baker but the show was just okay - the look, the writing, the supporting players were just......okay. Good concept but execution that was just......okay. and not to be among the chronically offended but the make-the-doc-the-villain (i just hate House btw) and giving the team rookie attitude cause she believes in God....thats just sooooooo network prime-timey
Nan | Sep 24, 2008 7:37:34 AM | #I liked it. I'll be tuning in again. So far this is the only new drama that has interested me enough for a 2nd outing.
Simon Baker should still be on Smith, a show that was too quickly cancelled IMO.
But now he's got a great vehicle. I liked how he went "Aussie" for the next week's preview
voice over.
I was a Prison Break viewer until Robin Tunney was killed off.
Good to see her on a quality show.
Amanda Righetti, quite a change from the O.C. and North Shore
characterizations. I guess there's only space for one dynamic
female in the room
I'm not much for procedurals (At all---in fact I don't watch any). However, I enjoyed the casting, the tone of this show. It went deeper into character pysche than I had expected (To my delight). I will watch it again, but I'm catuious as I really dislike stand-alone episode series. I hope it branches out to a strong degree from that format.
David | Sep 24, 2008 10:58:53 AM | #
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