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The Mentalist - season 1

#31
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1/8/09 at 10:37am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
...the girl's mother (the housekeeper) appeared unconcerned about the same relationship?

We don't know that she was unconcerned about it. The subject never came up when Jane and Lisbon interviewed her because Jane didn't figure that angle out until later. We never saw the Udine's mother in a context where the fact of the incest was being discussed. We don't even know when she found out about it or what her original reaction was. It could have been only days before her daughter's death. (Everyone except Jared and Gardner's mother seemed to have been surprised by the affair at the time of the killing.)

We only know that months after the event she lied about the affair in court, having been paid off to do so.

A year later, with her daughter dead and buried, it isn't likely that she'd bring up the incest angle while talking to two strangers she didn't much like to begin with. There was no need for a "second reveal" or any plot revisions.

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Joe
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#32
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1/8/09 at 11:13am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

The housekeper knew about the affair, and that they were in love. If she knew immediately about the incest (and she should being the mother of the girl), it's implausible that she just let it go. She broke down pretty easily to Jane about the payoff, it's hard to believe she didn't confess about the incest as well (which would have weighed just as heavily on her mind).

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#33
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1/8/09 at 11:47am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino
I've never seen the point of inviting myself in just to pee on the carpet.

Your cleaning that up!


The guy who played Jared also appeared as a Terminator in a recent episode of the Sarah Connor Chronicles. He seems to be the hot new guest actor on tv shows now.

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

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#34
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1/8/09 at 2:37pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
If she knew immediately about the incest (and she should being the mother of the girl), it's implausible that she just let it go.

Who says she did "let it go"? She might have had a screaming argument with Udine about it, but Udine ignored her. Since we have no idea what passed between them (we only see the mother in a single scene with Jane and Lisbon) this is all speculation.

Or it may be that she was horrified at the whole thing, but didn't dare tell her daughter about it for fear of having all the family secrets come out. I'm fairly certain the she would not have told Udine who her father was growing up, it would have made the whole situation impossibly complicated and Udine would almost certainly not have embarked on an affair with Jared if she'd known of their genetic tie.

Since we have no idea how long a) the affair had been going on and b) how long before the murder the mother knew about it (or whether she only learned about it afterwards) the only thing we can say for sure if that the writers didn't think her reaction enough of an issue to bring her back for another scene so we could see her emoting about it. That also pretty much kills the idea that Jared and Gardner's mother had a secret affair of her own and that Udine was not their half-sister, but that this point somehow got left out of the script.

Quote:
it's hard to believe she didn't confess about the incest as well

Why? The payoff was what Jane was asking about. She was already guilty and ashamed about that, and it was hard for her to confess it. Why one Earth does everyone think she would volunteer to a perfect stranger (who had no prior knowledge of any of this) that Udine was her illegitimate child who just happened to be involved in an incestuous affair with her own half-brother? Especially since the mother had no way of knowing that this fact might be relevant to the murder investigation? (She did not know that anyone else was wise to the affair or the identity of Udine's father.)

I just don't see this as any sort of "issue".

Regards,

Joe
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#35
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1/8/09 at 2:45pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanson Yoo
..."hey, it's Dale from The Riches!" I always think he's secretly a conman regardless of his actual role.

Ditto here. Stashwick has certainly gotten a lot of work since that gig. He's pushing Garret Dillahunt for the highest visibility title.
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#36
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1/9/09 at 8:44am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

This is definetly my favorite Drama on TV. Simon Baker does an incredible job of playing the quick witted genius known as Patrick Jane. I beleive that the writers are some of the best and the smartest writers in TV today. It is not as predictible as some other shows in it's genre (CSI, NCIS, Law and Order, etc...). Even if an episode is predictable, Patrick Jane keeps me enjoying the show with his humor and the fact that he is the smartest guy on the show. His on going power struggle with Red John is just yet another reason I watch this show weekly. Yes it does have some similaitys with Psych, but The Mentalist is a crime drama not an comedy.

"As soon as television became the only secondary way in which films were watched, films had to adhere to a pretty linear system, whereby you can drift off for ten minutes and go and answer the phone and not really lose your place."
-Christopher Nolan

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#37
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1/9/09 at 9:32am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd s
Well from last nights episode we have to assume Red John is in law enforcement.
I wonder if its...

Warning Spoiler! Click to show
The head of the CBI Virgil Minelli(Gregory Itzin)? He would have access to the database. And would know the movements of his agents. Just a guess.

I doubt he's in Law enforcment.

"As soon as television became the only secondary way in which films were watched, films had to adhere to a pretty linear system, whereby you can drift off for ten minutes and go and answer the phone and not really lose your place."
-Christopher Nolan

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#38
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1/14/09 at 12:37pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

One little nitpick I had this week... Wasn't Jane suspended last episode? Couldn't they have put in some throwaway line about him being on probation or something like that just for some slight continuity there?
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#39
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1/14/09 at 2:32pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe_H
One little nitpick I had this week... Wasn't Jane suspended last episode? Couldn't they have put in some throwaway line about him being on probation or something like that just for some slight continuity there?

He wasn't suspended, he quit. The rest of the team was suspended for helping him - but the boss didn't file the suspension paperwork. Instead he went out of town for awhile and promised he'd tear it all up if Lisbon and company took care of business by the time he got back. Otherwise he'd make the suspensions official.

Once Jane solved the case, he presumably withdrew his resignation and the boss (back from vacation and without having actually suspended anyone) was happy to go along.

I don't think it is a big deal. It is also possible that the network is airing the shows out of order, something they frequently do with non-serialized shows, and we might get a call-back to this next week or even the week after.

Regards,

Joe
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#40
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1/14/09 at 3:46pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Oh I agree that it wasn't really a big deal, that's why it was only a nitpick rather than an issue for me.
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#41
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1/15/09 at 5:43am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino
I don't think it is a big deal. It is also possible that the network is airing the shows out of order, something they frequently do with non-serialized shows, and we might get a call-back to this next week or even the week after.
Or they just want to preserve the syndication ability to show most of the episodes in any order and just not mention it again.
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#42
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1/20/09 at 6:51am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Another great episode. I loved when Lisbon told Van Pelt that everyone knows Rigsby is in love with her.

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

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#43
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1/20/09 at 4:42pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd s
Another great episode. I loved when Lisbon told Van Pelt that everyone knows Rigsby is in love with her.

Ha yeah that was great. We still have ten episodes to go this season. I thought we were getting toward the end. I can't decide which I like better: The Mentalist or Psych. Tough.

"As soon as television became the only secondary way in which films were watched, films had to adhere to a pretty linear system, whereby you can drift off for ten minutes and go and answer the phone and not really lose your place."
-Christopher Nolan

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#44
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1/20/09 at 5:01pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

This is my first post since the pilot and I must say that i've changed my tune with this show, i'm really loving it now.

The great pleasure I get, besides getting to see the ever so hot Amanda Righetti every week, is from watching the character of Patrick Jane. Baker plays him with such a wise and wide-eyed innocence that you can't help but like him and at times, when he's vulnerable, your heart breaks for him.

He gets these charming and funny instances where he encounters something he knows to be remarkably absurd and gets this wide child-like grin on his face as if to say "This is hilariously preposterous, i'm going to have lots of fun debunking this." lol.

Great character and a funny and breezily written cop show.
"You have no idea how far i'm willing to go to acquire your cooperation." - Jack Bauer
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#45
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1/21/09 at 7:50am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Hammer, I am glad you changed your mind. And from the ratings..So have a lot of the viewing public.

With regards to Simon Baker. He definitely should be nominated for an Emmy. He really sells the character. His delivery and mannerisms really bring a reality to the character.

And yes Amanda Righetti is always nice to look at.

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

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#46
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1/21/09 at 5:06pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd s
Hammer, I am glad you changed your mind. And from the ratings..So have a lot of the viewing public.

With regards to Simon Baker. He definitely should be nominated for an Emmy. He really sells the character. His delivery and mannerisms really bring a reality to the character.

And yes Amanda Righetti is always nice to look at.

Agreed. Simon makes the show. The only time I felt as though he was acting poorly was when he was crying at the end of the episode when he was told that his daughter didn't feel any pain. That ruined the mood for me. Other then that he has been great.

"As soon as television became the only secondary way in which films were watched, films had to adhere to a pretty linear system, whereby you can drift off for ten minutes and go and answer the phone and not really lose your place."
-Christopher Nolan

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#47
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1/22/09 at 4:12am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Have to disagree with ya there, Spartan, Jane broke my heart in that scene. It was actually the scene I was specifically thinking of in my previous post when I was talking about vulnerability.

It showed that he can act as casual and playful with the job all he wants but under that he is a deeply hurt human being, the psychic touched that nerve and he broke down. Whether she was genuine or not doesn't matter, she told him something deeply personal and something that he was desperate to hear.

Completely understandable considering what Red John did to his family.
"You have no idea how far i'm willing to go to acquire your cooperation." - Jack Bauer
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#48
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1/22/09 at 6:37am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspector Hammer!
Have to disagree with ya there, Spartan, Jane broke my heart in that scene. It was actually the scene I was specifically thinking of in my previous post when I was talking about vulnerability.

It showed that he can act as casual and playful with the job all he wants but under that he is a deeply hurt human being, the psychic touched that nerve and he broke down. Whether she was genuine or not doesn't matter, she told him something deeply personal and something that he was desperate to hear.

Completely understandable considering what Red John did to his family.

Hammer, you are absolutely right. But, it's not only what Red John did to his family. Their death wasn't random. He feels tremendous guilt that his arrogance caused their deaths.

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

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#49
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2/11/09 at 8:10am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

I am just really enjoying this show. Even when the plot is weak. The dialogue and acting between the characters feels real and not scripted. Even the little nuances between the male characters when they are discussing things about women.

Also, I love how the normally cool and calculating Jane loses it whenever he sees someone show no or bad feelings towards spouses and/or children. Just shows you the scars of his lose are still very strong.

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

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#50
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4/20/09 at 7:01am
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

You might be interested in
PaleyFest: 'The Mentalist'--The Live Feed
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#51
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5/20/09 at 9:13pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

The whole ensemble is great, and works very well together. All of the characters are very distinct and very specific. But the past few weeks I've especially been loving Tim Kang as Cho. His whole Joe Friday "Just the facts ma'am" approach is just hysterical. He isn't as flashy as - well, everybody else. But that's what makes him so funny. And it must be hard to never smile. I just think it is a gem of a performance, and easy to overlook.

And Amanda Righetti and Robin Tunney are impossible to overlook, so that works out well.

BTW, am I the only one who kept waiting...


Warning Spoiler! Click to show
...for Alicia Witt's character to turn up dead at the end of the finale. I kept expecting Jane to get the news that she'd be horribly murdered by Red John, revenge for losing his apprentice and current victim, not to mention missing his chance to capture Jane. Maybe I just have a more sadistic turn of mind than the writers do.


Regards,

Joe
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#52
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5/21/09 at 6:14pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Another thing which is interesting...Baker plays Jane like most people in a dangerous situation....They are nervous and back away from the danger. Unlike most shows were the main character would be the tough guy. Jane isn't. And everytime the team moves in..You see his skittishness. Thats why it was a huge thing for him to kill the sheriff with the shotgun.

Bring back John Doe! Or at least resolve the cliff-hanger with a 2hr movie or as an extra on a dvd release.

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#53
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5/21/09 at 6:25pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

I also really like the show. I didn't start watching it right away, but I think I have now seen all of the episodes and have started appreciating it more and more.

Even though it has a nice ensemble feel, it is really Baker's show and he does a great job with it (see Todd's comments above). I love the supporting characters too (see Joe's comments above).

The Red John storyline has been well done and really gives Jane's character a lot of weight. I like the fact that his skittishness goes away when it comes to pursuing Red John.
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#54
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5/21/09 at 6:31pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd s
Another thing which is interesting...Baker plays Jane like most people in a dangerous situation....They are nervous and back away from the danger. Unlike most shows were the main character would be the tough guy. Jane isn't. And everytime the team moves in..You see his skittishness. Thats why it was a huge thing for him to kill the sheriff with the shotgun.

Exactly right, Jane isn't a cop afterall, he may be brilliant but physical force isn't something he particularly likes to get involved with and it makes him nervous.

As much as I love his character he makes me nervous whenever he gets close to Red John and starts to go all Death Wish, threatening openly that Red John is his and his alone and wants to hear nothing of arresting him or prosecuting him.

Jane wants that man dead and that's that.

On a sidenote I would have a very difficult time working with Vanpelt, especially if I was attracted to her, the woman is just too damned hot lol.
"You have no idea how far i'm willing to go to acquire your cooperation." - Jack Bauer
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#55
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5/21/09 at 6:54pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
As much as I love his character he makes me nervous whenever he gets close to Red John and starts to go all Death Wish, threatening openly that Red John is his and his alone and wants to hear nothing of arresting him or prosecuting him.

Actually, I'm pretty sure that whole rant to Lisbon was his way of telling her he wanted to go off with the sheriff alone while she followed. They had obviously worked that out in advance, which is one reason why Jane walked into that basement so blithely. He knew Lisbon and the cavalry were on the way. Interesting that they have enough of a rapport that they can communicate privately, in between the lines of an apparent argument like that.

Regards,

Joe
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#56
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5/23/09 at 10:34pm
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Re: The Mentalist - season 1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino
Actually, I'm pretty sure that whole rant to Lisbon was his way of telling her he wanted to go off with the sheriff alone while she followed. They had obviously worked that out in advance, which is one reason why Jane walked into that basement so blithely. He knew Lisbon and the cavalry were on the way. Interesting that they have enough of a rapport that they can communicate privately, in between the lines of an apparent argument like that.

Regards,

Joe

I was thinking the same thing.

Dave

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