Like EW TV critic Gillian Flynn, I wasn’t expecting to find CBS’ latest procedural, The Mentalist, what’s the word… necessary. If I want banter (and a man who can wear a suit) over my dead bodies — and I do — I watch Bones. But after last night’s series premiere, Gillian isn’t the only one planning to tune in again. (Read her official EW review of The Mentalist here.)
Simon Baker plays Patrick Jane, a man who pretended to be a psychic until a serial killer, known as Red John, whom he bragged about profiling for the police on TV, murdered his wife and child in their home — and left Patrick a note saying that were he a real psychic, he wouldn’t need to open the bedroom door to know what had been done to his family. Hor-ri-fy-ing. That flashback was set up beautifully: Now aiding the California Bureau of Investigation, as a skilled observer (not psychic), Patrick had already established that Red John always puts the smiley face he draws in the victim’s blood on the first wall a loved one will see when he or she enters the room. Why? He wants the person to see it before the body, so that he or she will experience a moment of pure dread. Cut to us watching Patrick climb the stairs to his bedroom, read the note, slowly open the door, and set eyes on a dripping red smiley face. That I had to rewatch that scene to write about it meant I slept with the lights on last night. (Even after watching The CW’s exceedingly delightful Privileged to bring me back to a semi-happy state.)
I know CBS wants me to want Simon Baker (as that shameless promo proclaiming "There’s nothing sexier than a man who pays attention" proved), but funnily enough, the reason I don’twant to bed Patrick Jane is the exact reason I’ll keep watching him: HESLEEPS UNDER THAT DRIPPING RED SMILEY FACE. What a great dark, disturbing, slightly unbelievableway to show how much Patrick hates himself. Like, how do you even livein that same home, let alone leave that face up to taunt you while yousleep under it on a crummy twin mattress? The reveal was a fantasticfinal shot, I thought. Not as mind-blowing as the 1996 Profit pilot. (We found out that besuited sociopath Jim Profit, played by Adrian Pasdar, sleeps inside his posh apartment in a cardboard box— like the one he was reared in — naked and surrounded by scraps offood.) But definitely promising, if CBS is willing to let the showrunners probe Patrick’s pain. That backstory, and the Red John murders,will be tough to top though when the series goes into case-of-the-weekmode. (I suspect we won’t hear the words "Red John" again untilNovember Sweeps.) I suppose it will be fun to watch Patrick set more"mentalist traps," but the show’s gonna need to cast their villainswell. With Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek (Damages) playing the RedJohn copycat killer in this episode, Patrick had a worthy opponent.Even if said opponent could be distracted by non-threatening objectsflying almost near his face. (Was that throw-something escape technique supposed to make me laugh out loud?)
So, what’s your reading on The Mentalist: Necessary or barely better than the crime procedural Doc Jensen is pitching, The Bloodhound?Is there any chemistry between Baker and Robin Tunney, pictured, who plays the ball-bustinghead of the "serious crimes" unit? (I’m not feeling it… yet.) And howaccurate was Gillian in her review when she wrote, "With his rapid, just-above-a-whispercadence and cucumber-cool reactions,Bakerreminds you of Val Kilmer in his spryReal Genius days, but with really great hair"? (Very.)
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I liked it. I’ll watch it again.
Okay, if you’re watching Bones, where’s my TV Watch?!!!
I’d like to read some privileged recap again
And yes the mentalist, even though it’s a serious version of Psych, is really nice to watch. Simon Baker does it for me. I don’t much care about tunney or the other girl or the other guys, for that matter.
I didn’t expect to like it, but I was drawn in. And that ending shot – it creeped me out AND made me want to cry ………talk about having some serious baggage!
Privileged is awesome! Please write more about it. Also, the mentalist is pretty good too, probably my two favorite new shows of the season.
Privileged is awesome! Please write more about it. Also, the mentalist is pretty good too, probably my two favorite new shows of the season.
More Privileged please!!! I so in love with this show .. it has been a long time since I started to care for a show …hhhmm since Gilmore Girls! … so can you or someone write more about Privileged … please.
I thought the show was pretty good, mostly due to the oh-so-yumminess of Simon Baker. The last shot REALLY creeped me out, though!
Was anyone else surprised that two great TV actors, Gail O’Grady and Steven Culp, basically had cameos? I found it odd that their character sappeared for all of, what, five minutes?
Best line of the night? “He irks me. He’s irksome.” I will definitely be using that one!
Didn’t watch The Mentalist, but I agree that Privileged is awesome. Can we get a TV Watch or a PopWatch posting??
I had to watch it twice to “get” it (it was DVR’d. Was also waiting for Culp and Grady to reappear. Not sure how Jane observed that one of the victims was gay, though – observations are a bit of a stretch, but I like to idea of a serious Psych.
I really liked it. The ending shot kinda freaked me out, but I thought the show was awesome. I also enjoyed that line: “I’m sorry, he’s irks me…he’s irksome.” Plus, Simon Baker is a total hottie.
I really liked it. The ending shot kinda freaked me out, but I thought the show was awesome. I also enjoyed that line: “I’m sorry, he irks me…he’s irksome.” Plus, Simon Baker is a total hottie.
I LOVED “The Mentalist”! Patrick Jane is very charismatic, funny, and dark…all wrapped up in the Simon Baker-package:-) I have to say, I knew the end shot was coming, but that didn’t make it any less gratifying. I hope that it obtains a loyal audience and stays around.
I really enjoyed this show. Simon Baker was really great as a creepy, sexy, damaged guy. I noticed right at the beginning he had a wedding ring on. The end was awesome, I will definitely watch again!!
And no, there was NO chemistry between him and that other chick. She was generic.
I actually was not at all won over by the “Red John had murdered Jane’s family” backstory. It feels like it’s been done before. The head of the investigative unit (the woman in the photo attached to this story) was underwhelming but has potential. The rest of the team were disposable and remind me of cardboard cutouts designed to surround the main character to give the show some window dressing while the main character demonstrates his genius (see: “House,” “L&O: Criminal Intent,” “Monk”).
The “Fangoria” line (which preceded “He’s irksome”) was the one that had me chuckling. Jane has a tendency to screw with people’s heads by employing his mad skillz when they annoy him or question his beliefs. Anyone else notice?
Oh, and my early money is on Cho for Red John.
I LOVE Privledged. So much fun and a great way to relax after work. I missed The Mentalist this week but I am make sure i catch it next week or online.
“Profit” was the best show no one ever watched. Although, I thought the most shocking scene in that pilot was “Hello, mother.” Buy/rent the DVD collection — You won’t regret it.
UGH- i just CANT get past simon baker’s hair… its just. so. horrible!
Was that Amanda Righetti playing the buttoned-up conservative on the team? Wow, talk about playing against type. I dig Robin Mattson and Tim Kang and the overall team dynamic. And the opening scene with Steven Culp and Gail O’Grady was top notch. I’ll stick with it.
AWESOME SHOW!! I AM DEFINENTLY ANTICIPATING THE NEXT ONE.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Mentalist last night! That last scene also gave me flashes to the Profit pilot and I’m glad I’m not the only one. Here’s hoping this show sticks around longer than that one.
I adore Simon Baker. The Mentalist has already been added to my Season Pass list.
great first scene, the best show new episode yet, this year
This show is such a knock-off of “Psych”. And “Psych” is much better. No duo can beat Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dule Hill). And “Psych” has funny, witty banter. “The Mentalist” is just a somber take. The plot lines are almost identical. I’m disappointed that CBS doesn’t have any good ideas of their own, so they had to steal USA’s…
I decided to check this show out last night only because Simon Baker was in it. I was very pleasantly surprised. I thought it was really well done, included some curve balls and am looking forward to see it again. I actullay liked the supporting characters also, althought I thought Robin Tunney was trying too hard to be tough. Hopefully she won’t clench her jaw so much next week.
I was really looking forward to seeing Simon Baker in a new show…was not disappointed. Never watched the show Psych (not that big into comedy) so I don’t care one way or another about the comparisons that have been made between Psych and The Mentalist. And yes, the “irksome” comment was great. I grinned a lot watching the show. I’ll be looking forward to a weekly TV date each Tuesday night with Simon Baker/Patrick Jane.
I thought the pilot was excellent. I will definitely continue watching this show. Though I’ll admit that the only reason I was interested in watching this show in the first place was due to how incredibly attractive Simon Baker is. Glad I watched it though because this show looks like it has great promise.
Simon Baker was OK, but the 2 female leads were so UPTIGHT! If they were sitting on coal, they’d get diamonds. They irked me. They were irksome. Is this show going to have a cavalcade of stars with cameos each week, or just for the pilot? O’Grady, Jeffrey Norling, Zeljik I-whatever his name is… Great to see them, but the rest of the cast was blah. And the brilliant crime fighter with the tragic loss/horrific crime backstory? Monk and Life have it covered already, thank you. Thank goodness Psych didn’t play that card, unless you count Shawn’s mommy-issues.
Since EW was on the topic of best movie titles ever, how about we try Worst TV Show titles ever. Oh, I got one, The Mentalist!
oy! simon baker is yummy. i love his character. i like Psych, but I’ll take Patrick Jane over Shawn anyday.