CBS
(Season 1, Episode 4)
“Ah, the handsome one. You’re gay, yes?” – murder victim’s mistress, to Jane
Anyone else get the feeling that this could serve as the pilot episode? The start of the episode shows the Mentalist logo, but it isn’t the opening we’ve been seeing; there’s text on the screen telling us what the definition of “mentalist” is. In the first scene, a female detective tells us a bit about Jane and Jane answers that he gets “no badge, no gun. They don’t even give me dental.” Minelli, the CBI chief, also has a big role in this episode compared to the other three episodes (if we even saw him at all, I’m drawing a blank on the character). Not that I think it is the pilot episode, but it does seem like it was filmed before the last two eps.
The mystery in this episode is a lot easier to figure out. Maybe not the way that the wife was involved or who helped her or what exactly happened to the murdered man found in the safe room. But just the fact that the wife is the guilty one is kind of a letdown, plot-wise.
Now the good parts: I like the interaction between the team members, how Jane is still trying to get two of them together, how each person has their job within the team. I also really like the way Simon Baker is playing Jane: charming, smart, but really kind of a blunt pain-in-the-ass. He probably wouldn’t be on cases long if this was the real world. In fact, if this was the real world he probably wouldn’t be on the case at all. He’d be helping out but I doubt he’d be so public about it, interacting with victims and suspects. A real consultant. Jane is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
But it’s still a fun show. It’s always teetering on the edge of being pedestrian and predictable, but there are enough quirks and cleverness to keep you entertained.
I’m still wondering when Red John will make another appearance though. These individual cases are fine, but you know that a big, personal story for Jane is coming up to extend the back story we learned about in the first episode. Maybe in the season cliffhanger.
Clacked by Bob Sassone 
on Oct 21, 2008 @ 22:21 EST5EDT
i didn’t notice anything different in the opening title card, it’s the same definition as previous episodes (or am i missing something?)
Anyway, the show is fun. Sure it’s predictable, in fact, I knew the evil-doers in every episodes so far this season right away in the first scene they’re on (the only surprising one was the restaurant owner’s wife helping her husband in the second eppy.) But, most tv procedural are pretty predictable, and honestly, I really don’t care, neither do I care about that serial killer Red John. It really is the quirks and the cleverness and Simon Baker nailing his character that keep me entertained.
Interesting how both Simon Baker and Jonny Lee Miller from “Smith” a couple years ago are now on Tuesday night tv schedule better than ever.
I gotta say I was disappointed with this episode. CBS ruined it with their promos all week. There was no suspense. The least they could do was further the Red John storyline, because that’s the only reason I could see Patrick Jane being useful in this episode.
It played out more like a spec script than an actual episode. Don’t get me wrong, I like the show, but this episode wasn’t necessary at all.
Speaking of Red John, does anyone else think that Gregory Itzin’s character may have a connection with Red John? Maybe I’m just projecting because Itzin was an evil character in 24, but I have a feeling he was introduced for a reason.