Feat of Mentalism

I very rarely make accurate ratings predictions, so I have to make a big deal of them when I do. And with news that The Mentalist scored nearly 20 million viewers the other night, I can’t help noting that I kinda-sorta pegged it for a hit last fall:

The Mentalist is, in the end, a crime procedural, and thus will probably join my list of the myriad perfectly good crime procedurals I won’t make time for. But I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of other people do. CBS may not be trying to do anything exciting this season, but in returning to its meat and potatoes, it may prove that—like Patrick Jane—it knows its audience better than they know themselves.

OK, it’s not exactly Nostradamus, but still. I will admit I haven’t watched The Mentalist in weeks, but I’ve been recently watching a review screener of Lie to Me (Fox’s procedural with Tim Roth as a human lie detector). With House still up in the ratings, there seems to be an endless appetite for shows about people who tell lies and the arrogant/cynical/manipulative geniuses who find them out. (That’s the basic premise of House, right? That the human urge to lie is often even greater than the urge for self-preservation.)

Simple odds suggest that at least some of you are watching The Mentalist too, so I’ll put it to you: what’s the appeal?

beerbaron

I guess people still need to be reassured that if they or a loved one are ever murdered, some handsome wise-cracking detective will wrap up the case in a cool 42 minutes. As for me, I’m pretty sick of seeing that smug bastard’s face on my TV during CBS’NFL telecasts.
http://tv-eh.com Diane

What’s the appeal? Silly James: Simon Baker is dreamy. The show is barely mediocre, I’m not a fan of the crime drama, but I find myself watching (while multitasking – I almost never understand the case because I haven’t paid enough attention) and hating myself for it. The character is almost focus-group designed to appeal to women: wisecracking smart ass with a vulnerable streak and killer smile. I hate to admit I’m that shallow, but apparently I am.
http://procrastinationchronicles.com procrastinator

i won’t argue the dreamy point, he is, and having a charismatic lead (or leads) in a procedural draws me in (or at least an interesting lead a la House), and i like a procedural as a balance to the rest of my schedule… But there is also something appealing about someone who for whatever reason can pick up on and tell us about details that the rest of the mere mortals miss, even if it’s because we aren’t paying much attention while doing online bill pay.
rhys1882

I wouldn’t say that’s the basic premise of House. The character my offer that opinion, but the character is often wrong. The show is simply engaging, with entertaining characters, humorous writing, and the ability to some how keep the formula fresh. I don’t think it’s a particular viewpoint that creates the success, simply the entertainment value. Of course, clever cynical bastards are entertaining.
wildecat

What’s the appeal? Simon Baker’s rakish grin and twinkly blue eyes, of course. Swoon!
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