What is the appeal of the show the Mentalist?

[NJmaverick]

I know it's a highly rated show, but I tried watching the show a few times. I just don't see the appeal. I enjoy cop dramas and comedy dramas, even the off beat ones like Monk and Psych. Yet this show does nothing for me. The plots are pretty simplistic, the writing poor, the characters bland and the actors mediocre. What am I missing? Why is it such a popular show.

[LaurenG]

1. The star of the show is smoking hot?

And he uses logic to decipher cases which some people really like. :hi:

[NJmaverick]

3. Well that would explain a lot

although I had one woman tell me she thought he was sort of creepy, what with the staring. :hi:

[Blue_In_AK]

28. Indeed.

He's a cutie-pie.

[bigwillq]

2. I couldn't get into it

when I watched it. And I normally like those types of shows. Not sure of the appeal either.

[Patiod]

4. simon Baker's smile

I know so many women who watch the show just to see him smile. Yes, it's a little dopey, but he is a really fun actor to watch if you're a hetero chick (or, I'm guessing, a gay guy).

My SO abuses me about it, but then again, he'll watch anything, however dopey, with Eliza Dushku in it....

[NJmaverick]

5. Sex appeal, that would trump most of the things I listed

[Debi]

14. Baker is attractive - but the guy who plays Rigsby makes me melt!

[gbate]

6. This would be a good reason for its popularity.

[Patiod]

7. Thank you - much nicer picture than mine

Lovely.

[BarenakedLady]

8. Yup

That's why I watch it.

I'm shallow.

[NJmaverick]

9. I am beginning to see a pattern here

and I think I got my answer

[rcrush]

10. Why is he called The Mentalist?

Cause he's just a smart guy? What a douche.

[NJmaverick]

11. Actually they start each show with the definition of a mentalist

I don't have their exact wording, but in general a mentalist is this:

Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, use mental acuity, cold reading, warm reading, hot reading, principles of stage magic, and/or suggestion to present the illusion of mind reading, psychokinesis, extra-sensory perception, precognition, clairvoyance or mind control. Hypnosis is also included in this category

[NewJeffCT]

27. What an elitist!

he needs a special category just for himself!
:P

[Ptah]

12. Here's a Time magazine review that might explain.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1891755,00.html

<snip>

"There is, at first blush, no good reason for this. There is nothing
unique or distinctive about The Mentalist (which is not to say that
it's a bad show — more about that in a minute). There's no cutting-edge
science, no fancy camera work, no how-did-they-think-of-that hook.
Every week, Jane goes out, talks to people, observes details and solves
uncomplicated cases the same way Columbo did 35 years ago. We've seen
this a million times before on television."

<snip>

"That said, The Mentalist works because it's such an elegant example
of its kind; if it's comfort food, it's prime-grade meat loaf. Much
credit goes to the sly scripts, overseen by Bruno Heller (HBO's Rome),
which take the viewer to familiar places by clever routes, providing
a jocular corrective to the relentless noir gore of CSI et al. The
mysteries are engaging but not byzantine; you can probably figure out
the culprit just a step before Jane does. And who doesn't want
a handsome man to make him or her feel smart?"

[Debi]

13. Becuase I get to spend an evening looking at this!

[graywarrior]

15. Simon

Otherwise the show is shit....except for maybe the asian guy, who is also sorta intriguing.

[NJmaverick]

16. It's a amzing a show can become top rated

by simply providing some eye candy for the women. :wow:

[graywarrior]

17. Plus the fact that nothing good is on at the same time

[SeattleGirl]

20. Yeah, too bad women can't be more intellectually oriented like men.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Moondog]

21. With respect,

you haven't been paying attention. Remember Miami Vice?

[Patiod]

18. The Asian guy is hot, too.

They're focusing a little more on his character recently - giving him kind of a "bad boy" backstory.

As someone else said, it's eye candy for women in a time slot where not much else is on, at a time in the week when you need some comfort food.

[graywarrior]

22. Yes, he is a more interesting character than the two love birds

[jobycom]

19. Weird thing, but I think it's because some people like it.

Thus, it appeals to them. Same with Rush--one cannot always understand these things.

[NJmaverick]

23. In this case I think I got my answer

it's all about sex appeal

[Patiod]

26. Which says something about a lot of women

We don't need the guys to be 18 and glamorous, or buff and shown in the gym working out - but put three fairly handsome guys in suits (and one guy has a killer smile), throw in a mildly interesting story, and we're happy as clams.

I ask people if they watch "The Mentalist" and they either scowl and roll their eyes, or they smile, like I just asked if they like chocolate. And the ones that smile immediately launch into praises of Simon Baker.

[elocs]

24. Here's the basically simple concept: not everyone likes the same things.

Just because somebody does not like a certain food does not make that food bad because others probably do enjoy it. Those who don't like the food cannot understand why anyone would eat it. If you don't like it, don't eat it. If you don't like it, don't watch it. Even the worst tv show or movie has some who like it and most others simply do not understand why. Such is life.

[undeterred]

25. Simon Baker is the appeal.

You don't need to have the sound on.

[Pharlo]

29. NCIS lead in combined

with no major competition. Add to that the 'eye candy', and you have a hit. Seriously, I don't think this show would have done as well without the NCIS lead in.

[Recovered Repug]

30. What' not to like?

It's just like Pysch - only not as good. Pysch even took a jab at it in one of their episodes.

[NJmaverick]

31. Yes I caught that. A quick comment

and I agree Pysch is ten times better.