Mental (Fox)

MENTAL follows psychiatrist Jack Gallagher (Chris Vance) in his new position as the director of Psychiatric Services at Los Angeles' Wharton Memorial Hospital. While searching for creative ways to help people dealing with a wide array of syndromes, the dedicated doc often finds himself at odds with his boss, hospital administrator/former flame Nora Skoff (Annabella Sciorra). And then there's the drama brought on by his colleagues -- including resentful Drs. Veronica Hayden-Jones (Jacqueline McKenzie) and Carl Belle (Derek Webster) -- and the younger medical professionals who need mentoring, like nurse Malcolm D. Washington (Edwin Hodge) and residents Arturo Suarez (Nicholas Gonzalez) and Chloe Artis (Marisa Ramirez). As he strives to help his patients, inspire his staff, and deal with annoying administrative responsibilities, the quirky Gallagher also quietly holds on to the hope that he'll somehow find his mentally ill sister.

Mental demystifies mental illness by showing it through the eyes of both the doctors and the patients. It explores the featured disorders in a way that's informative and revealing rather than tragic or sinister. It also highlights the existing tensions in the medical community, which is still full of conflict about the appropriate way to treat patients who suffer from these kinds of afflictions and help them reclaim their lives.

Although the show is open-minded and compassionate, it relies on some so-so dramatics to keep the stories going. Some of Gallagher's treatment tactics are a little far-fetched, and some of the special effects meant to help viewers "see" patients' delusions are a bit over-the-top. And like most medical dramas, Mental intertwines the patients' stories with the staff's romantic and personal relationships. Still, in the end, Mental offers thoughtful -- if not thought-provoking -- entertainment.