The Mentalist

[tammyy2j]

Soap fans might recognise Simon Baker from his short-lived appearance on Home And Away, but many know him from roles in The Devil Wears Prada and LA Confidential. The Australian-born actor is back on the small screen in Five’s House replacement, The Mentalist. Why has the US show been so successful? We sent Digital Spy’s LA correspondent Adam Tanswell to the set to find out.

Why did you sign up for The Mentalist?
"I was attracted to The Mentalist because it is a procedural show. I’m Australian, so I grew up watching English shows like Prime Suspect and Cracker, as well as American series like Columbo, Kojak and The Streets Of San Francisco. These were all character-based procedural shows. You remember the characters and you identify with the characters – and you want to see the characters in these procedures. I wanted to be part of one."

Did you agree to sign on immediately?
"I was reluctant going into it because I didn’t want to end up on a show that was just about procedure after procedure after procedure. If there was no character to work on, it would be the death to anything creative for me. But as soon as I spoke to [the show’s creator] Bruno Heller, I realised we were on the same wavelength and wanted the same things."

How would you describe your character?
"Patrick Jane has a lot of complexity to him. There’s a lot of depth there with his grief and self-loathing. In his back story, his wife and daughter were murdered when he was making a living as a TV psychic."

What are your thoughts on psychics?
"Psychics have always intrigued me, but that has been mainly fuelled out of narcissism. I have never been to a psychic, but I have been to see tarot readers on a number of occasions. Often, when I’m away from the family on location and I’ve got a day off, I’ll go and see a tarot reader. I’ll sit down for a bit and shell out $20 for a 20-minute reading and see what they have got to say. I’ve been to them in Tokyo and Paris, but I’ve never really believed in what they’ve told me."

Why do you think the show is so successful in the States?
"The Mentalist fulfills when it has to deliver to an audience that wants a beginning, a middle and an end. In a way I think that’s why procedural shows are having a little bit of a heyday at the moment. I think people like the idea of sitting down to watch an hour of television and getting that closure."

What input did you have into the show and the character?
"They're very accommodating with my input because it is very tricky to establish a character on a TV show that is potentially going to run for five years. I talked to Bruno about some ideas of how to play things and by the end of the pilot you think, ‘Great, this character can go in so many different directions.’ I knew I wouldn’t be bored as an actor on the set."

When did you get your big break?
"I guess I got my big break back in Australia. The show I started on was called E Street and then I did a four-week stint on Home And Away back in the day. It was post-Danni Minogue, but I remember Melissa George being on it when I was working on it. I wasn’t on it for long, but it’s funny how the Brits always bring it up."

Do you miss Australia?
"In my heart, home is always going to be Australia – but I am going to be in LA for as long as the show goes on. Australia is the essence and core of who I am, although I am fond of the USA and it has been an interesting place to live. I have a lot of close American friends and two of my children are dual citizens because they were born here. I’m enjoying myself for now and I hope to be here for a while, so let’s see what happens."

The Mentalist starts Thursday at 9pm on Five.

[DaVeyWaVey]

I was really impressed with the first episode. The storyline was bog standard but the character of Patrick Jane really makes it unique. Loved the start where he immediately asked the husband "did you kill your daughter?" as soon as he walked in!

It was good to see some background and depth to his character in the first episode too.

[Bad Wolf]

who was he in home and away? he looks so much like peter baker, but its not

[Abigail]

Has anyone been watching this? I caught the first episode on the demand player (http://demand.five.tv/Series.aspx?seriesBaseName=TheMentalist). It's pretty good, better than I thought it would be. I love the back story of Patrick.

I wasn't going to watch it because it took House's slot on a Thursday but I have a feeling I will be watching the rest of the season online before the episodes are shown on Five.

Rach, he wasn't in Home and Away. Nick Bishop played Peter. Very similar in looks, I thought they were the same person to begin with.

[Chloe O'brien]

I watch it not one of the best American dramas but its alright. love how he works out who has committed the crime.

[Trinity]

He played a guy called James Healy for 4 weeks in 1994.

[Abigail]

Can anyone explain why all the titles of the programs have the word red in them?

[Trinity]

It probably relates to the guy who killed his wife and daughter - he was called Red John, and is the guy who paints the red smiley face in his victims blood on the wall.

[Bad Wolf]

ive been watching this, i really like it!!!

[tammyy2j]

who was he in home and away? he looks so much like peter baker, but its not

His character briefly dated Roxy (Blake and Karen's sister) - they lived in Irene's house and he was a teacher - he wasnt in the show that long

I remember him mostly from The Guardian ( a great show that was cancelled)

[Perdita]

The list of non-US stars making a name for themselves in America is ever-growing: Hugh Laurie fronted House, Olivia Williams did Dollhouse, and Simon Baker became The Mentalist. Add to the aforementioned list Baker's co-star Owain Yeoman, a Welsh actor who has appeared in the likes of Generation Kill and Terminator, among others. Now playing Officer Wayne Rigsby in the PI-flavoured Mentalist, we caught up with Owain to see how the LA life is treating him.

What sort of reception have you had since The Mentalist started?
"It's been really warm. The audience is the one thing you can never control, so it's great that it's been received well. We borrowed the House timeslot over here in the UK, which was nice! There are other similar shows - the crime-solving ones - so it fits in nicely. It shows you real characters and real relationships. In the States, it's been received really warmly too."

Do you think it's similar to any other shows out there at the moment?
"It's a great piece of TV - it's an hour where you can wrap things up, similar to things like Murder She Wrote. You don't have to get worried about tuning in and out, and there's no worry of, 'Did someone open a hidden hatch to a parallel universe?' This is a return to a much simpler format. You see Simon's character being a little bit like the character in House and subverting all the things you see traditionally on shows like CSI."

What can we expect between now and the end of the season?
"Well, I can promise you me in my underpants! That's the penultimate episode. There's a lot of ongoing stuff - the Red John story really returns with great force towards the end of the series. And without giving too much away, they get very close on the heels of him and you see a much darker side of Patrick Jane. The show enjoys being flippant and fun but at the same time there is an undercurrent of seriousness that really will set us off in a darker direction for season two."

I hear that Alicia Witt is joining for the finale...
"She is! She plays a girl that is extremely heavily embroiled in the Red John storyline. She's a blind pianist and that's all I'll say for now. It's an intriguing device: using someone who is the key to identifying Red John, only to find out they're blind. It's an episode that returns to the sombre note that was introduced to Patrick's character in the pilot."

Do you know any of the season two stories?
"Yeah - we've had a few meetings. Over the first season you have to establish things, but now we've got to a situation where we can take things for granted. We can assume a degree of audience familiarity and that allows us to dig into past stories. There's been talk about origin stories - looking at how we all became to be part of the CBI. Especially Patrick Jane, because that's still a bit of a mystery. Also the dynamics of characters outside of the Mentalist. I think we can see a reliance on the darker elements during the second season."

How long do you think the series can run for?
"I never like to guess! You never know - you just have to be grateful that the audience like it. I think it's a nice relatable format and if the storytelling stays good, it has a bright future. I'm very happy - it's the luxury of being in front of the camera every day. As an actor, you can't ask for more. It's a small but great cast and going into work, it doesn't feel right to be paid for it! It's genuinely good fun - no one takes it too seriously."
You appeared briefly in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. What do you think of the show being axed?
"I love the show - doing that show was great. It's a huge franchise to step into and I didn't want to end up being robot of the week. The format of all the Terminator movies is very simple - it's a chase format and I think, for me, there was only so many hours of mileage in that. But credit to the guys involved - they've made a show which turned over some very interesting backstories to Sarah Connor."

The Mentalist airs Thursdays at 9pm on Five.

[Hannelene]

I like this show
I have been looking for something new to watch :)

[tammyy2j]

Owain Yeoman is married to Lucy Davis (Dawn from The Office)

[lizann]

Former Oz actor Terry Kinney is joining The Mentalist as an ex of Lisbon's (Robin Tunney) and a major player in the Red John investigation.

Kinney, who most recently starred in ABC's short-lived cop dramedy The Unusuals, will play the recurring role of Sam Bosco, a by-the-book California Bureau of Investigations agent who heads up the division overseeing the Red John case. Bosco served as Lisbon's mentor as she was coming up through the ranks, during which they shtupped once or twice (or a lot). Further complicating matters: The two share a deep, dark secret!

Bosco is also one of the few people immune to P.J.'s charms. He hates his unorthodox methods and is determined to oust him from the CBI.


The Mentalist kicks off its second season on Sept. 24.

[Abigail]

Oh I hate "deep dark secrets" that go on for months and months.

[lizann]

I really like this programme at the moment - Jane is so likeable and funny

I hope Simon Baker wins the Emmy for best actor :thumbsup:

[Hannelene]

Do you think he will? Who is he up against?

[lizann]

Do you think he will? Who is he up against?

Lead Actor in a Drama

Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Hugh Laurie - House
Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Simon Baker - The Mentalist

[Abigail]

Hugh Laurie wins hands down for me I'm afraid.

[Chloe O'brien]

kiefer should have been nominated in this catergory. just wait until January when the screen actor guilds awards are on 24 will wipe the floor with the lot of them.

[tammyy2j]

The second season which will premiere on September 24 2009 in the US

[tammyy2j]

Patrick Jane, Kimball Cho and co. have been chasing the mysterious Red John for almost two years now, and the serial killer is still showing no signs of sloppiness. With the promise of more Red John-centred episodes later this season, we thought now a good time to catch up with The Mentalist cast. Are the team any closer to figuring out the killer's identity? And how will the show change when the truth outs? We called Tim Kang - aka Jane's right-hand man Cho - to find out.

We're approaching the second season finale now. What's coming up?
"We're about five episodes ahead as far as shooting goes. In the next few episodes, a few more bits of information come to light about his background. Things are sort of getting back to normal as far as the gang stuff goes. We haven't seen scripts for the finale yet. I have an idea though - we're certainly gonna have another visit from Red John. We're gonna have our hands full and Jane and Red John will get closer. We'll get more clues about who he is. Those episodes are a lot darker in nature."

Cho's been in the spotlight recently with the gang storyline. Will that be explored further?
"At some point, yeah. I think along with that, it'll shed more light on his background. A quick recap will come up with the gang stuff, as well as his army life. It certainly makes it much more interesting for me to play when you have that extra information. Otherwise it's just the weekly murder mystery!"

What's your personal theory on Red John?
"We've talked about that quite a bit on set. Honestly, Bruno [Heller, creator] has done a great job shepherding this particular character that I can't even hazard a guess. He's a slippery guy!"

How likely is it that Red John is someone we already know?
"I don't think that that's very likely. If they decide to do something like that, it's for the shock value. I might be a bit disappointed if that happens - there needs to be an exploration of another character. If the story is moved forward, it'll shed more light. I think it is more interesting to have it be someone we don't know, because then you get to know a new person. It's a tougher route to go, but ultimately it's more interesting."

You don't fear for your job and worry that it could be you?
"No! It's definitely not me!"

When can we expect a conclusion to the Red John story?
"We haven't really beaten that thing to death, so there's still a lot of room for him to rear his ugly head. At least another season! We've only hit it a few times in total and they were big episodes where we lost a couple of characters. I think somewhere in season three we could find out and have the finale to the story."

How will the show change once the truth is revealed?
"It'll change the show quite dramatically - I honestly believe that. I think it makes sense for it to happen around season three. That resolution of this quest that Jane has been on - that's why he joined the CBI. That will all be resolved and send the show in a new direction. It's refreshing at that point."

Do you think he resents Patrick's powers?
"Certainly not! I've talked about this before - he's always had a huge amount of Patrick's 'power' - it's just that he's a proud man and he doesn't wanna give Patrick the satisfaction in terms of 'I got one over on you'. He takes a lot of his cues from Patrick - he looks at the way he observes a crime scene. He can only learn from him and become a better cop by appreciating what Jane brings to the table."

How many series do you see it running for?
"I don't even wanna guess - I'll jinx it! Some people say 10 years, some people say five... For me, each episode I treat as I did the pilot. I'm happy that we're shooting episode 15 this week. There's no guarantees in this business."

Have you discussed stories for season three yet?
"We have touched on it a little as far as storylines go. We're working out details for characters like Cho being into motorcycles. But as far as specific stories go, I don't even think the writers know! I'd like to explore his military background - I think that's very important. We need to explore why he never cracks a smile! He wasn't always like that, so this military background could shed some light on his personality and why he is the way he is."

The Mentalist continues tonight at 10pm on CBS in the US and Fridays at 9pm on Five in the UK.

[tammyy2j]

Friday Night Lights alum Kevin Rankin has been tapped for the potentially recurring role of Patrick Jane's brother-in-law, Danny Ruskin, on The Mentalist, a CBS rep confirms.

As we first reported, Rankin's character is a charismatic con man who uses his charm and bravado to mask his anxieties.

"He's a hustler, a con artist, a ladies' man — a cunning ne'er-do-well," creator Bruno Heller told Entertainment Weekly, which first reported the casting. "Through his sister, he has an emotional hook in Jane that he's not afraid to tug at when it serves his nefarious purposes."

Ruskin also blames Jane (Simon Baker) for his sister's death. But he will have to rely on Jane to help him when he is suspected of murder.

Rankin will appear in Season 3's second episode, which is scheduled to air Thursday, Sept. 30 at 10/9c.

[tammyy2j]

Eric Winter has joined CBS crime drama The Mentalist in a recurring role.

Entertainment Weekly reports that the actor will play Craig O'Laughlin, a former football player turned FBI agent.

The character will serve as a new love interest for Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti).

Winter previously had a recurring role on ABC drama Brothers & Sisters where he played Jason McCallister, brother of Senator Robert McCallister (Rob Lowe) and love interest of Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys).

He has also appeared in films such as 2008's Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and 2009 romantic comedy The Ugly Truth.

The third season of The Mentalist begins on CBS on September 23.

[tammyy2j]

Simon Baker has finalised a new deal with Warner Bros Television over his series The Mentalist.

On the show, Baker plays Patrick Jane, a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation who uses his enhanced powers of observation to help solve crime.

According to Deadline, Baker will now net more than $30 million (£19.5m) on the series, including the money that he is currently paid for his role of Jane. The new deal also extends Baker's six-year contract by one year.

In addition, Baker will receive a producing credit on the series beginning in season five. The Mentalist is currently in its third season.

The Mentalist airs Thursdays at 10pm on CBS.

[tammyy2j]

Anyone still watching this? I am thinking Patrick is really Red John himself

[Dazzle]

Anyone still watching this? I am thinking Patrick is really Red John himself

That's an intriguing idea, but I'm not sure it fits with the facts. Haven't the team met with people who knew Red John? I'm sure someone described him as being an older man.

I'd be a brilliant twist if he was Red John, though.

[Dazzle]

deleted

[lizann]

when does season 5 start over here anywhere?