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The Mentalist: Season 1

The Mentalist: Season 1 (2008-2009)

Seasons: 1 2 3 4 5 6

tomatometer

59

Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 17
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 7

The setup and episodic storytelling is far from original, but The Mentalist distinguishes itself from other procedurals mostly due to the talents of Simon Baker.

64

Average Rating: 6.1/10
Critic Reviews: 14
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 5

The setup and episodic storytelling is far from original, but The Mentalist distinguishes itself from other procedurals mostly due to the talents of Simon Baker.

Where's audience score?

Season Info

The first season of this crime drama finds Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) a former psychic, adjusting to his new job as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation. Jane's not big on following proper procedure, much to the chagrin of his boss, Agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney), but his keen powers of observation help them solve cases. Cases involving elusive serial killer Red John are of particular interest to Jane, because this killer murdered his wife and young daughter a few years

Genre: Drama

Network: CBS

Cast

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Episodes

1
Air date: Sep 23, 2008

Pilot

The murders of a pro golfer's wife and her doctor are investigated in the opener of a series about a former fake psychic (Simon Baker) who now uses his gift for observing details to assist a California crime unit.

2
Air date: Sep 30, 2008

Red Hair and Silver Tape

The team probes the murder of a waitress in Napa Valley, but Patrick opts to conduct his own private investigation, using Grace as bait.

3
Air date: Oct 14, 2008

Red Tide

The body of a young woman washes up on the beach, and Patrick tries to trick her surfer pals into revealing what happened.

4
Air date: Oct 21, 2008

Ladies in Red

When an investment banker is found murdered inside his locked safe room, the team unlocks the secret that he was stealing millions from clients. Jane sets a trap to catch one of the suspects.

5
Air date: Oct 28, 2008

Redwood

A dazed girl is caught holding the weapon used in the murder of her best friend, but she can't recall anything. Believing she's not the killer, Jane finds a way for her to relive the event to jolt her memory.

6
Air date: Nov 11, 2008

Red-Handed

The investigation of a casino owner's death finds Jane working his skills at the card table to solve the murder---and win some cash.

7
Air date: Nov 18, 2008

Seeing Red

Jane believes a supposed psychic is a killer and sets up a seance in hopes of exposing the criminal.

8
Air date: Nov 25, 2008

The Thin Red Line

A witness in a narcotics case is murdered along with his girlfriend. All eyes point to the drug dealer whom the victim was set to testify against, but Jane perceives a different motive and suspect.

9
Air date: Dec 2, 2008

Flame Red

When three National Guard vets are murdered, Jane goes undercover to prove that the only surviving member of the unit is the killer.

10
Air date: Dec 16, 2008

Red Brick and Ivy

A professor is killed by poisoning, and Jane takes a personal interest in the case when the man's wife---and Jane's former psychiatrist---becomes the prime suspect.

11
Air date: Jan 6, 2009

Red John's Friends

Jane quits the CBI to devote all his efforts to proving a convicted killer's innocence after the man promises Jane information about Red John if he is released.

12
Air date: Jan 13, 2009

Red Rum

A high-school football star is murdered and a self-proclaimed witch says she cast a spell on him after he killed her cat.

13
Air date: Jan 18, 2009

Paint It Red

The team investigates the theft of a $50 million painting from the office of a business tycoon and the murder of the man's son-in-law, whose body was found near where the painting hung.

14
Air date: Feb 10, 2009

Crimson Casanova

Jane tutors Cho, who goes undercover as a ladies' man in order to catch a Casanova killer.

15
Air date: Feb 17, 2009

Scarlett Fever

A prominent member of a country club is poisoned to death, and the team uncovers a community with many secrets to hide.

16
Air date: Mar 15, 2009

Bloodshot

Jane loses his sight as the result of an explosion while investigating a financial adviser's murder, forcing him to rely on his other senses.

17
Air date: Mar 24, 2009

Carnelian, Inc.

The team investigates a string of murders at a financial firm's Sierra Nevada retreat.

18
Air date: Mar 31, 2009

Russet Potatoes

The team searches for a criminal who uses hypnosis to persuade people to kill.

19
Air date: Apr 7, 2009

A Dozen Red Roses

The team travels to Hollywood when a movie producer is murdered.

20
Air date: Apr 28, 2009

Red Sauce

The murder of a mobster who was in witness protection is investigated.

21
Air date: May 5, 2009

Miss Red

A software company CEO is found murdered on his yacht, and Jane plays two suspects off each other in order to find the killer.

22
Air date: May 10, 2009

Blood Brothers

A student in a wilderness program for troubled youths is murdered.

23
Air date: May 19, 2009

Red John's Footsteps

In the first-season finale, Lisbon has reason to believe that Red John is orchestrating a trap for Jane when the team investigates the murder of a girl and the abduction of her twin sister.

Critic Reviews for The Mentalist: Season 1

By now, of course, eccentric white male smartypants on police procedurals are all too common.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: PopMatters
Cynthia Fuchs
PopMatters

We don't need another cop show, that's for sure -- especially on CBS. But if we're going to have one anyway, "The Mentalist" is definitely the way to go.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Washington Post
Tom Shales
Washington Post

As the setup for a TV show, this is no more ridiculous than Profiler and at least as likely as Patricia Arquette. And so far, so-so.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Vulture
John Leonard
Vulture

The stories seem dashed-off, and whodunit quickly becomes whocareswhodunit.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Boston Globe
Matthew Gilbert
Boston Globe

Psychological sleight of hand can't fill an hour every week. For that you need complicated, interesting crimes and complicated, interesting characters solving them. "The Mentalist" seems prepared to deliver just that.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times
Mary McNamara
Los Angeles Times

There's an old-school feel to the storytelling (shades of "Columbo") that makes it feel comfortable - perhaps too comfortable, or at least too easy.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle
Tim Goodman
San Francisco Chronicle

Finally allowed to showcase the cad-you-can't-resist appeal he brought to The Devil Wears Prada, Baker emerges as the full-blown TV star CBS thought he'd be.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: USA Today
Robert Bianco
USA Today

Simon Baker is transfixing to watch in this role. It's embarrassing to admit it, really. Just promise me that you'll tune in for the first episode.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Salon.com
Heather Havrilesky
Salon.com

What sells The Mentalist aren't the standard-operating-procedure crime-show features but the promise of a master at paying attention pitted against a criminal hiding in plain sight.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly
Robert Abele
L.A. Weekly

For the most, "The Mentalist" plays like just another clue-sifting procedural, so forgettable that I had difficulty recalling the particulars of the central case 15 minutes after watching it.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety
Brian Lowry
Variety

Mr. Baker keeps "The Mentalist" easy on the eyes and brain.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: New York Times
Alessandra Stanley
New York Times

As a show, The Mentalist sets the power of science on the side and says up with people. In turn, we're paying it attention.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Slate
Troy Patterson
Slate

Its modest competence certainly makes it stand out from the otherwise pallid fall crop.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune
Maureen Ryan
Chicago Tribune

Unless the storytelling gets more interesting, you have to really like Baker to make "The Mentalist" more than something you pay casual attention to at best.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger
Alan Sepinwall
Newark Star-Ledger

Too many serial killers threaten to overwhelm "The Mentalist."

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: New York Post
Adam Buckman
New York Post

Its semi-psychic hero is intriguing enough and confident enough to bring viewers under his spell.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Wall Street Journal
Dorothy Rabinowitz
Wall Street Journal

With his rapid, just-above-a-whisper cadence and cucumber-cool reactions, Baker reminds you of Val Kilmer in his spry Real Genius days, but with really great hair. It's a mesmerizing little act.

September 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly
Gillian Flynn
Entertainment Weekly

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