Mental (1 Viewer)

[mattCR]

Fox's new show premiered last night, revolving around a zany psychiatrist working a mental health hospital.

Imagine House running a psyche ward. I'm sure that was the pitch in the meeting.

It's not bad, and had some surprisingly good special effect moments (yes) when you see what's going on in the delusional person's mind.

 

[Greg_S_H]

I recorded it but haven't watched it yet. I liked seeing Whistler and Haywire together is why I'm giving it a shot.

 

[Mark_B]

It is House running a psyche ward except he keeps his English accent. I really do hope that take some of the similaritys away. He has his "team" that he sent out to get more information. He has the female hospital administrator that loves his work so she will put up with his antics that would get most folks fired. The special effects were just like House, going inside the patient of the week to show us what's wrong and of course by the end of the show he was able to "cure" the patient. Even the background music sounded the same. If this isn't put out by the same people that put out House, then the House folks need to sue for plagerism.

 

[Bryan Toth]

Despite the obvious similarities with "House" I did enjoy the pilot quite a bit. I do like both the leads (Chris Vance was probably the best part of a lousy 3rd season of Prison Break - and Jacqueline Mackenzie was always enjoyable on The 4400). I don't know if this just an attempt to burn off episodes that they paid for earlier, or if the show is actually going to get a decent shot of surviving, but I could see it paired with "House" at some point down the line if it did go beyond the summer ....

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Well, the pilot did its job - it got the show sold, and as a first episode it has given me enough of a reason to tune in again next week. Agree with all the comments vis a vis House, down to the similarity of the music. (Not the same composer. Trevor Morris on Mental, Jason Derlatka and Jon Ehrlich on House.)

In the meantime, the thing I'm most interested in is who was the girl in the green top who crossed in front of the two docs and the crazy guy's younger brother when they were talking in the street. There's nothing like the combination of hi-def and slo-mo.

Since she had no lines, she's not in the credits. :frowning:

Regards,

Joe

 

[mattCR]

Hmm. A second-party delusional pregnancy. That's a new one on me.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Amusingly enough I had just watched an old CSI episode that centered on a first party delusional pregnancy.

Another decent episode. Yeah, it still feels like a House rip-off, but the thing is, I like House - so this is a nice substitute.

Lots of soap opera background laid in this week that they didn't really have time for in the pilot - most of which I could have lived without. Adultery? Check. Hot female doctor turns out to be gay? Check. Slick office politician? Check.

Yawn.

Show me some cool cases and keep the personalities (apart from the lead) in the background for the most part. That's an element of House worth emulating. Not every character needs an "interesting" back-story or a personal mystery.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Stan]

I'm enjoying this, hope it stays around. Similarities to House, but the lead is much more likeable, House is always such a grouch with an attitude problem. Pius they've dumped some really likeable characters. CTB was a nice addition, along with House's private eye guy they had for a while, even Chase has been delegated to a pretty minor character for quite a while.

Just had DISH installed, and they show the episode number in their description. Thought I somehow missed episode 2, but it turns out episode 1 was broadcast, then 3. This upcoming week they're going back to show 2. Just hope this is given a chance to succeed.

The "Rebecca" story-line is beginning to get annoying, let's hope that gets settled quickly, either becoming an interesting part of the show, or just being dropped.

Never seen Chris Vance before. Is he like Patrick Jane or Hugh Laurie and faking the accent, or is that really him? Sounds kind of Australian to me.

 

[KapilNarain]

This one is also mostly great.ya rally

 

[JyBhushan]

Fox's new show premiered last night, revolving around

 

[Greg_S_H]

He's from the UK and sounded exactly the same on Prison Break.

 

[mattCR]

I didn't realize until I watched last night that David Carradine would be the guest sick person this week... interesting.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

I just kept thinking, "That looks like David Carradine." It caught me by surprise as well.

'Mental': David Carradine gets a grim send-off | Prime-Time TV commentary | News, TV last night | Ken Tucker's Watching TV | EW.com

 

[Mark_B]

Now we know why the episodes were switched around. I assume due to the death of Carradine.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

The 2nd episode aired (production number 103) on June 2nd. I believe David Carradine died on June 4th. Given that I have my facts straight, his death had nothing to do with switching the episodes. Shows just sometimes do this for a variety of reasons.

 

[mattCR]

The most recent episode, about a child suffering bipolar was pretty amazing stuff for broadcast TV. A little bit over-the-top at points, but I think the idea they are trying to setup, to see the world through the minds of those with mental abnormalities is really unique.. and it was damn effective in this ep.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

"I don't want to be that way anymore" (loosely) was sadly touching.

I still like House better as a show, but on some level, I enjoy having a hero I can root for.

 

[Brian^K]

I'm still finding it quite distracting that the sound engineer is so incompetent. You can really tell that this show is filmed somewhere that just doesn't have its technical act together yet.

 

[mattCR]

Very surprising ending that I assume is a series finale. If it is, I thank the writers for a brilliant closing.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

The Futon Critic shows this show's fate as "undetermined". I think the writers did a smart thing in writing a season finale that could also serve as a series finale - while leaving the door open to Jack's return. (Does anyone think Carl won't screw up royally if he gets control of the clinic?)

I did love Jack punching Carl out at the end, which I'm sure was quite satisfying, quite apart from forcing Nora's hand. (I guess there wouldn't have been time, but it sure would have been nice if Nora had shaken the drug company rep's hand on their deal - with Carl and Veronica as witnesses. Jack out, the clinic gets the money. Then she could have either fired Carl for his own actions or appointed Veronica to the job he assumed he was getting.

Regards,

Joe