A favorite amongst Thursday night television viewers, “The Mentalist” has quickly overtaken former cult-favorite “CSI” for the ratings crown. The combination of drama laced with searing wit and using masterful illusions to trick criminals into revealing themselves, “The Mentalist” has captured the imagination of viewers.
The show is premised on the idea that a former professional psychic was recruited by the California Bureau of Investigation in a mutually-beneficial symbiotic relationship: CBI gets the use of Patrick Jane’s (Simon Baker) unique skills and Jane is in turn given free reign to assist in tracking down his wife and daughter’s killer, the infamous Red John. Additionally, at the end of the 2nd season, Red John kidnapped Jane’s latest lady friend, Kristina Frye (Leslie Hope).
Aiding Jane’s quest are the CBI investigative team comprised of agents Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney), Kimball Cho (Tim Kang), Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman), and Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) and their supervisor Madeline Hightower (Aunjanue Ellis).
While a majority of the episodic series features a mystery who-dun-it of the week, the ongoing story of who is Red John and why is he singling out Patrick Jane to torment remains a core mystery of the show. When not haunted by Red John, Jane is a formidable foe for anyone who thinks that they can get away with murder or any other nefarious crime. The Sherlockian storylines are entertaining as viewers are invited to solve the crimes and share in the ruses used to induce a criminal into confessing their sins.
The series alternates between simple stories of lies and deceit, and the darker themes of criminals driven to succumb to their darkest desires. But in the midst of it all, Jane, Lisbon, Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt sprinkle bits of comedy and heart-warming moments. The end result is a wonderful concoction of mystery and humor that makes Thursday nights a must-watch night of television.
Do not miss “The Mentalist” which returns for its third season on September 23rd. “The Mentalist” airs Thursday nights at 10:00 p.m. on CBS.
Related article (SLIDESHOW): http://www.examiner.com/museum-of-tv-and-radio-in-los-angeles/the-cbs-hit-drama-the-mentalist-returns-for-its-third-season-on-september-23rd
