Director: David M. Barrett
"Your life is in chaos, you're lonely, you're depressed,you're addicted to drugs and pornography -- and a
little nuts, to be honest. You're exactly the kind
of man that does terrible things to women."
-- Patrick Jane (Simon Baker)
After a compelling, well-written and intelligent pilot, The Mentalist is losing me very, very fast -- and it's only the third episode. The reasons for my dissatisfaction: there's been no mention of serial-killer Red John since episode 1 (I'd assumed he was the big overarching storyline), Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) has taken to doing dumb parlour tricks around the office, and methods used to crack cases are straining credibility…
I was worried about the direction The Mentalist was edging towards last week, but my fears crystallize with "Red Tide"; credibility takes a hike, Baker is made to look stupid with an abundance of goofiness (building a finely-detailed sandcastle?) and I just found it difficult to get invested in a murder investigation where you never knew the victim, or come to understand her posthumously. My sympathy levels were at rock-bottom throughout, and I had no desire to watch Patrick find the culprit. And that's quite a problem for any police procedural.
Here, a teenage school girl's dead body is washed ashore on a Santa Marta beach and suspicion immediately falls on her surfer friends. The formula of the show is set in motion: Teresa (Robin Tunney) takes conventional steps to find the killer with the other cops, as Patrick wanders off to interrogate bystanders psychologically (asking them weird questions; like what animal do they perceive themselves as!) Despite the fact Patrick is a trusted consultant whose expertise are valued by the CBI, Teresa never seems particularly happy about hearing about his left-field input, either. As much as I like Robin Tunney, as an actress she sometimes appears impenetrable on-screen, and she hasn't defrosted enough to make me warm to Teresa yet.
Even Simon Baker's charms can't rescue "Red Tide", as he's made to do tricks and drift around the story like a blonde Derren Brown. I'm very disappointed recent scripts haven't focused on Patrick's observational acuity and psychological skills, but instead write him as a quirky trickster and hypnotist. It makes sense that Patrick would have a wide array of magical skills in his repertoire, but must they be employed in the serious context of murder? I really want to see Patrick crack cases using his insight, intelligence, observation and deduction -- but only the pilot has struck that balance. The last few episodes have seen the plots leapfrog logic; cutting corners by leaning on Patrick's "guesswork" -- that are always, eventually, proven right.
Unfortunately, while I'm willing to believe the writers could find their groove and creator Bruno Heller can improve things, there's just not enough here to sustain my immediate loyalty. As much as I enjoy Baker's performance, this episode proves that even he can drown if the stories aren't strong. Five have purchased the rights to this US drama, so I may check back in when The Mentalist makes its UK debut. By then, I'll have heard from other critics if this series is worth persevering with. I certainly hope so, as the pilot was one of the strongest this year -- but, while a pilot sets the tone and attracts attention, it's the strength of the follow-up episodes that stop viewers swimming away.
14 October 2008
CBS, 9/8c
Cast: Simon Baker (Patrick Jane), Robin Tunney (Teresa Lisbon), Tim Kang (Kimball Cho), Owain Yeoman (Wayne Rigsby), Amanda Righetti (Grace Van Pelt), Owen Beckman (Andy), Brando Eaton (Danny Kurtik), Jamie McShane (Jack Tanner), Michelle Page (Hope), Will Rothhaar (Win), Hayley Chase (Darlene Pappas), John Lacy (Kyle Rayburn), JF Pryor (Philip Handler), Brett Cullen (Dane Kurtik), Gregory Itzin (Virgil Minelli), Kaylin Stewart (Lisa Tanner), Harley Graham (Girl #1) & Kathrine Herzer (Sandcastle Kid)
