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What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Melissa Camacho

Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) is a former self-proclaimed medium who now uses his sharp observation skills to help a team of agents from the fictitious California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) solve serious crimes. The one-time celeb -- who now claims to have faked his paranormal abilities -- impresses agents like Kimball Cho (Tim Kang), Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman), and rookie Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) with his charming, rather theatrical ability to solve high-profile cases without supernatural help, but his reckless disregard for the rules doesn't sit well with Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney). And throughout it all, the seemingly self-absorbed Jane must find a way to cope with his own tragic past.

Is It Any Good?

3

Like most other crime dramas, THE MENTALIST spends a lot of time discussing the particulars of unsolved cases. What makes this series unique is its focus on disproving the existence of the paranormal. Jane is vocal about the non-existence of a psychic universe and, when solving crimes, often finds success with just the "tricks" he used when pretending to be psychic. In the course of debating the reality of supernatural forces, characters sometimes end up discussing the existence of God, an afterlife, and other spiritually oriented topics.

Despite The Mentalist's interesting premise, it's not the cleverest of crime dramas. It isn't particularly well written, and moments that are intended to be witty usually fall short. Plus, it's quite violent and has generally adult content. Older teens and adults may find the characters and subject matter compelling enough to outweigh the negatives, but it's definitely not for younger viewers.

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