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The Mentalist

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The Mentalist
File:The Mentalist 2008 Intertitle.png
GenrePolice procedural
Comedy-drama
Created byUsama
Directed byChris Long
David Nutter
StarringSimon Baker
Robin Tunney
Tim Kang
Owain Yeoman
Amanda Righetti
Opening theme"Theme from The Mentalist"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes112 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersBruno Heller
David Nutter
ProducerCharles Goldstein
Production locationCalifornia
Running time40–44minutes
Production companiesPrimrose Hill Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 23, 2008 (2008-09-23) –
present

The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series that debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS.[1] The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also its executive producer. The show follows former "psychic" Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), who is a consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), using the highly developed observational skills he previously employed to "read" people's minds. The show's fifth season premiered on September 30, 2012.[2] On March 27, 2013, CBS renewed the series for a sixth season.[3]

Synopsis

The Mentalist follows Patrick Jane, an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) based in Sacramento, California. Although not an officer of the law, he uses skills from his former career as a successful yet admittedly fraudulent psychic medium to help a team of CBI agents solve various crimes. The ultimate goal of Patrick Jane in his cooperation with the CBI is to track down the killer known as "Red John," who was responsible for the brutal murders of Jane's wife and daughter.

Jane formerly had a lucrative career as a con man, successfully posing as a psychic medium and enjoying near-celebrity status. Five years before the events in the show's pilot episode, he appeared on television to claim that his paranormal abilities helped the police profile a serial killer named Red John. Red John, angered by the perceived slight, murdered Jane's wife and young daughter in revenge.

Jane subsequently abandoned his job as a psychic and teamed with the CBI, using his skills to help them solve various crimes. His main focus is on the cases involving Red John or Red John copycats. He admits to faking the supernatural aspects of his skills, often asserting that "there's no such thing as psychics," yet he has finely honed skills in cold reading, hypnotism, and pickpocketing, as well as powerful observational skill and a deep insight into the human psyche and behavior.

Production and distribution

The show often sets episodes in fictional locales with names like Salinger Mill and Rancho Rosa. Like the majority of American television shows, The Mentalist is mostly filmed within the studio zone in Los Angeles County, but occasionally films a few scenes on location in Sacramento. The structure used to represent the CBI headquarters in Sacramento is the back of the Pico House in downtown Los Angeles. On October 15, 2008, CBS ordered the first season of The Mentalist[4] and the show has subsequently been renewed annually since 2010 both in the domestic market and overseas.[5][6][7]

TNT began syndicating The Mentalist in the fall of 2011.[8]

Cast and characters

Episode list

DVD releases

Warner Home Video has released the first four seasons on DVD in Regions 1, 2, and 4.[9][10][11]

DVD Name Ep # Release Dates
Region 1 Region 2 (UK) Region 4 (AUS)
The Complete First Season 23 September 22, 2009[12] March 8, 2010[13] September 23, 2009[14]
The Complete Second Season 23 September 21, 2010[15] November 8, 2010 November 10, 2010[16]
The Complete Third Season 24 September 20, 2011[17] October 10, 2011[18] October 26, 2011[19]
The Complete Fourth Season 24 September 18, 2012 October 8, 2012 October 31, 2012

Reception

The pilot episode had an audience of 15.6 million viewers in its first airing, and 7.8 million in a re-airing three days later.[20] The December 2, 2008 episode, "Flame Red", was the highest-rated television show of the week, marking the first time a program in its first season had achieved that distinction since Desperate Housewives four years earlier.[21]

Awards and nominations

Director of Center for Inquiry West & IIG West, James Underdown presents Editor Jimm Gadd with award August 21, 2010

U.S. ratings

Season Episodes Timeslot (EST) Original Airing Rank Viewers
(in millions)
Season premiere Season finale TV season
1 23 Tuesday 9:00 pm September 23, 2008 May 19, 2009 2008–09 6th 17.52[27]
2 23 Thursday 10:00 pm September 24, 2009 May 20, 2010 2009–10 10th 15.37[28]
3 24 September 23, 2010 May 19, 2011 2010–11 9th 15.24[29]
4 24 September 22, 2011 May 17, 2012 2011–12 12th 14.57[30]
5 22 Sunday 10:00 pm September 30, 2012 May 5, 2013[31] 2012–13 TBA TBA

References

  1. ^ Michael Schneider, "CBS sets premieres after debates," Variety June 26, 2008
  2. ^ Gorman, Bill (March 14, 2012). "CBS Renews 18 Shows: 'The Good Wife,' 'Blue Bloods,' '2 Broke Girls,' 'The Mentalist,' 'Mike & Molly' & Many More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  3. ^ http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/03/27/the-good-wife-elementary-person-of-interest-2-broke-girls-ncis-la-the-mentalist-mike-molly-blue-bloods-renewed-by-cbs/175317/
  4. ^ "Breaking News – Cbs Gives A Full Season Order To "The Mentalist"". TheFutonCritic.com. June 29, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  5. ^ "Fall TV: CBS Announces Premiere Dates". TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  6. ^ "CTV.ca | The Mentalist (HD)". CTV.ca. Retrieved September 7, 2009.
  7. ^ "CBS Announces 2010–2011 Primetime Schedule".
  8. ^ McDuffee, Debbie (November 6, 2009). "TNT: The little network with the smart decisions". CliqueClack TV. Retrieved November 6, 2009.
  9. ^ "The Mentalist DVD news: Announcement for The Mentalist—The Complete 4th Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  10. ^ "(UK): The Mentalist Season 4 DVD – Free Delivery". Play.com. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  11. ^ "Mentalist, The – The Complete 4th Season". Ezydvd.com.au. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  12. ^ "The Mentalist DVD news: Press Release for The Mentalist-The Complete 1st Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  13. ^ "The Mentalist Season 1 [DVD] [2008]: Amazon.co.uk: Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Amanda Righetti, Tim Kang: DVD". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  14. ^ "Mentalist, The – The Complete 1st Season (6 Disc Set)". Ezydvd.com.au. September 22, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  15. ^ "The Mentalist DVD news: Box Art and Release Date for The Mentalist – The Complete 2nd Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. May 25, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  16. ^ "Mentalist, The – The Complete 2nd Season (5 Disc Set)". Ezydvd.com.au. November 10, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  17. ^ "The Mentalist DVD news: Announcement for The Mentalist – The Complete 3rd Season". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  18. ^ "(UK): The Mentalist Season 3 DVD – Free Delivery". Play.com. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  19. ^ "Mentalist, The – The Complete 3rd Season (5 Disc Set)". Ezydvd.com.au. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  20. ^ "Breaking News—CBS WINS PREMIERE TUESDAY WITH ITS LARGEST AUDIENCE ON THE NIGHT SINCE 2001". TheFutonCritic.com. June 29, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  21. ^ Collins, Scott (December 9, 2008). "CBS takes weekly ratings as 'Mentalist' soars". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  22. ^ "People's Choice Awards 2009 Nominees". People's Choice Awards. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  23. ^ "61st Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  24. ^ Allen, Kate (September 7, 2009). "Coben, Cole, Atkinson vie for crime awards". The Bookseller. Retrieved September 7, 2009.
  25. ^ "The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
  26. ^ "IIG website". Iigwest.com. August 21, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  27. ^ "SEASON PROGRAM RANKINGS (THROUGH 5/24)". ABCMedianet.com. May 24, 2009 (2009-05-24). Retrieved April 12, 2010 (2010-04-12). {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  28. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 16, 2010). "Final 2009–10 Broadcast Primetime Show Average Viewership". Tvbythenumbers.com. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  29. ^ "2010–11 Season Broadcast Primetime Show Viewership Averages". Tvbythenumbers.com. June 1, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  30. ^ Gormam, Bill (May 25, 2012). "Complete List Of 2011–12 Season TV Show Viewership: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'American Idol,' 'NCIS' & 'Dancing With The Stars'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  31. ^ http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/03/11/cbs-announces-finale-dates-for-the-good-wife-elementary-person-of-interest-vegas-ncis-the-big-bang-theory-more/172911/