The Mentalist: Not Just Another Procedural

The Mentalist has been the surprise hit of the season. If there was ever more of a time for science fiction shows or procedurals to shine, this strange, off-kilter season would be it. But as a fan of CSI, Law & Order and Without a Trace, The Mentalist hit the spot and filled a void that I, usually, turn to USA to fill.

You see, The Mentalist is a lot like Psych. It’s a show about an ex-fake psychic with an acute understanding of people and a keen sense of observation, and while a lot of people say that producers stole the idea from the “character” network, I don’t blame them if they did. It’s a great idea, but CBS gives it a different twist. The show is light and airy at times, but it can be dark and morbid. It’s a tribute to Simon Baker that he plays both sides so well.

Patrick Jane uses his skill to work for the California Bureau of Investigation to solve murders. He acts more as a consultant than as someone who reports to a higher authority which gives him the chance to act a little more liberally when it comes to the suspects. This includes hypnosis and the power of suggestion. He also has an ulterior motive. Being close to CBI allows the possibility that he will come across Red John, a serial killer who didn’t like that Jane’s psychic fame was built on a lie. He then proceeded to kill his wife and kid in the same demented way as his other murders.

Very few crime procedurals can pull off such a sad backplot, but The Mentalist is special. The dark touches are surrounded by enough light that you can often forget about them. The leads (Robin Tunney, Amanda Righetti, Tim Kang, Owain Yeoman) choose to play their characters as optimal workers who can leave behind all their troubles to get the job done. Yet, the episodes, where the gloominess chooses to peek through, are engrossing and believable.

Now, Simon Baker is definitely not hard on the eyes, but with his recent record of one for three (The Guardian, Smith), no one could have predicted the success of a show that seemed to be just another procedural and, to others, just another clone. But with everyone going through hard times, it’s not hard to see the potential in a show that makes you laugh, makes you imagine a world where the most gruesome of things can be dealt with by donning a smile and where the bad guy never wins.

So far they’ve caught a crazy cop, a not-so-grieving widow, a friend out for revenge and each time Jane’s abilities were always integral in finding out the truth. And each time, no matter how straight and professional his colleagues are, he always has to solve a case with a light tone and leave with a light load.

There’s also that bond between the team with the perfect balance of diligence, dedication, teamwork and camaraderie. The ideal fantasy for us all! While Without a Trace is more cold, CSI is more chummy. Where Law & Order always has a partner that lays down the zingers (Jerry Orbach being one of my favorites), The Mentalist has its own 24/7 performer in Jane. (Endless tricks, mental manipulation, perfect guesses. The writers’ choices are endless.) And there’s the philosophical conversations always raised between them over belief in the paranormal, spirits or something higher.

The nice thing is like your typical procedurals a certain blueprint and style is always followed. (1. Open with the crime scene. 2. Jane notices something about the first person that he interacts with. 3. He does/says something funny. 4. He picks up things along the way as they interview suspects, and is always right. 5. He hints that he knows whodunit and sets up a way to sneakily prove he’s right. 6. And he always is… 7. He does/says something funny before ending the show.) However, though they follow the script to a tee, they always manage to entertain me with a trick I’ve never seen and Jane’s wit, sarcasm and amicability.

If I had to place a bet, I would say The Mentalist is here to stay for a long time.

The Mentalist, CBS, Tuesdays at 9pm

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Photographs courtesy of CBS and IMDbPro