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The Mentalist

The Mentalist

TV Series · 2008–2015 · 15 people

Bruno Heller created The Mentalist, an American crime drama, and was also its executive producer. It ran on CBS from September 23, 2008 to February 18, 2015 for seven seasons and 151 episodes of about 42 minutes. It was considered the best debut of 2008, with 15.6 million viewers. Critics likened its lead to a modern Sherlock Holmes.

The story follows Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), a former fake psychic who works as an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Jane once claimed to read minds and talk to the dead, and he now admits it was showmanship built on sharp observation and deduction. He helps senior agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and her team solve murders. His disregard for protocol and his vanity often infuriate Lisbon, yet his results keep him on the team. The team includes agents Kimball Cho, Wayne Rigsby and rookie Grace Van Pelt, and the cast features Tim Kang, Owain Yeoman, Amanda Righetti and Rockmond Dunbar. When the CBI is later disbanded, Jane carries on working with the FBI in Texas.

The show follows classic detective work more than forensic science. Simon Baker was nominated for a Golden Globe. CBS ordered a seventh and final season of 13 episodes in May 2014; it ran from November 2014 to February 2015.

Production companyPrimrose Hill Productions, Warner Bros. Television
NetworkCBS

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Cast

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Rockmond Dunbar Rockmond Dunbar Actor · 53 years old Fay Masterson Fay Masterson Actor · 52 years old Simon Baker Robin Tunney Tim Kang Owain Yeoman Amanda Righetti Emily Swallow Josie Loren Shaun Toub Brett Cullen Mark Pellegrino Rick Worthy Dina Meyer Michelle Page

Titles sharing this cast

Through different eyes

Series Binger A series devotee tracking character arcs, cast chemistry and season pacing.

The real engine of The Mentalist is the friction between Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon. The tension between Jane's protocol-ignoring vanity and Lisbon's patience is what gives the weekly murder cases their continuity, and the team dynamic with Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt provides a footing that balances the pair. Over seven seasons the formula does wear thin in places. The CBI being disbanded and the story moving to the FBI in Texas is a turn some will see as a breath of fresh air and others as a break. Keeping the final season to 13 episodes was, in my view, a sound decision that stops the farewell dragging on.

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

The critics' Sherlock Holmes comparison fits: the show turns back to the classic detective story built on observation and deduction rather than forensic labs, a choice that sets it apart from science-heavy procedurals. A former fake psychic putting his skills of deception to work on cases also hands the character a built-in moral tension. The problem lies in network TV's case-of-the-week structure: across 151 episodes, a murder every week, a list of suspects and a solution that arrives through one of Jane's tricks. The formula is solid but prone to repetition; individual episodes are enjoyable, yet watched back to back the pattern shows itself far too plainly. Simon Baker's Golden Globe nomination also tells you who carries the show.

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

There is a murder case in every episode, so the subject is heavy, but the storytelling relies more on puzzle-solving. Jane's vanity and the way he drives Lisbon up the wall lighten the mood. It is not suitable for young children. It works better as evening viewing with teenagers or adults; families who enjoy a crime story as a battle of wits will have fun with it.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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