I really enjoyed the pilot episode of this fast-paced show. The acting is very good; actually the lead actor, Simon Baker, is great. He is mesmerizing whenever he's in a scene. The premise is that Patrick Jane (Baker) is a former fake psychic whose family was murdered by a serial killer, Red Jack. Partically as atonement for having pretended to have psychic abilities, Jane is now on the side of the good guys. He is often called upon to help police solve crimes, not with any psychic abilities, but with his unusual and highly attuned powers of observation. The serial killer,Red Jack, is still on the loose several years later. In the pilot, another Red-Jack-like murder has just taken place. Only Jane realizes that the killer is a copycat and not the real Red Jack. Through his uncanny abilities and keen sense of observation and reading people, Jane is able to identify the real killer. The show has a great supporting cast and is smartly directed and shot. But the real pull and the big star is Simon Baker. He is simply great as the mentalist. He shows just the right amount of angst and humanity that has you pulling for him and feeling the pain and sorrow of his family's death, even though it occurred 5 years ago. He carries this show on his very capable shoulders.
Review of The Mentalist
