TV GUIDE MAGAZINE'S SEXIEST MAN
ET Online

"Patrick Dempsey had the distinction of being TV Guide magazine's sexiest man on TV two years in row. This year he has been replaced -- and ET knows by whom!
It must be in the hair because both Patrick and TV Guide magazine's new sexiest man on TV -- "The Mentalist" star Simon Baker -- share something in common -- a mop of unruly locks.
Also, neither man takes the title seriously. Simon says, "My wife said to me this morning, 'I could take a photo of you right now and they might take that title away from you.' I said, 'That is the kind of encouragement I need as I go off to do a photo shoot about having to be sexy.'""

Full Article:
http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/03/71850/


Tim Kang; From ART to CBS - with a hit
By Sarah Rodman
boston.com

"Q. You've done a lot of episodic guest-starring stuff but now you're a regular on the biggest, and pretty much only, hit of the new season. Of course you were hoping for success, but does the experience match what you were expecting?

A. I just looked at it one script at a time. And that's how I approach every script that comes our way: How can I do this specific thing this week the best I can? Beyond that, whatever comes our way is icing on the cake. I think we got some pretty decent notices for "Mother Courage," for example, and that was a blessing. We didn't expect anything. All we did was try to work together and come up with some good ideas and the reception we got was great. It's out in the world now and you can't control it anyway so why worry about it?"

Full Article:
http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2009/02/22/from_art_to_cbs___with_a_hit/


Ecollywood: Simon Baker’s mysterious use for newspaper
By Gerri Miller
Mother Nature Network

"Although he speaks with an American accent on The Mentalist, Simon Baker is from Australia, where he grew up green on the island of Tasmania. “In Australia we’re pretty conscious of it, always have been. It’s always surprised me, the amount of household rubbish that each house in my neighborhood puts out every week here, whereas in Australia you get one rubbish bin and one for recycling. There’s a bit more consumption in America.” Baker does his part in his adopted home by growing vegetables, driving a Prius and making use of yesterday’s news. “We wrap our Christmas presents in newspaper,” he says. “We’re a very conscious family.”"

Full Article:
http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/ecollywood/stories/ecollywood-simon-bakers-mysterious-use-for-newspaper


Head-to-head with ‘The Mentalist’
By Bill Brioux
TV Guide Canada

"Executive producer Bruno Heller, who previously worked on the big-budget HBO series Rome, says the beauty of Patrick Jane is that he’s “a dark character whose heroism is not in muscles or action but in being positive in life despite what he does and the tragedy that he’s faced with. He’s positive, so simply on that level, he’s a good role model.”

It takes a special actor to pull that off, says Heller. “What Simon brings to it,” he says, “is a combination of great, Cary Grant-ish charm, but underlying it is real steel and menace.” Keeping it light and dark at the same time is “really, really difficult to do as an actor,” says Heller. “It takes a lot of discipline and work and skill.”

Baker says that when he was developing the character, he often thought of “a very dear friend” who used to tell the actor when he was down, “Let your smile be your umbrella.” Baker says it was just “a little old adage that he had. And I thought about that a lot when I was playing around with the character.”"

Full Article:
http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/Headtohead+with+The+Mentalist/Interviews/Features/Articles/090209_the_mentalist_BB.htm?isfa=1


The Mentalist's Amanda Righetti Preps for Love Triangle
by Mickey O'Connor
TV Guide

"TVGuide.com: Did you have any idea that The Mentalist would be a hit?
Amanda Righetti: No, I don't think you ever know going in. I've done a lot of shows that didn't do well. You have to go in with a 50-50 take on it. If it goes well, fantastic. Hope for the best and plan for the worst. I thought [The Mentalist] was clever and different from other procedural shows. The wittiness was interesting. At the table read, when Simon and the whole cast were there, it really started to come together for me.

TVGuide.com: What did the producers tell you about Van Pelt going in? She had a juicy expository speech in the pilot.
Righetti: I actually had conversations with [co-executive producers] Bruno Heller and David Nutter. We spoke a lot about where she came from and her naivete playing into Jane's hands. She comes from a small town, and has a few brothers. She was a beat cop, so this reassignment is new and exciting for her. As the show goes on, a little bit of that backstory will be revealed."

Full Article:
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mentalist-Amanda-Righetti-1002701.aspx


'THE MENTALIST''S ROBIN TUNNEY TALKS ABOUT HER SEXY CO-STAR
ET Online

""The Mentalist" is the No. 1 new series of the fall 2008 season, but series star Robin Tunney recalls that just days before the show premiered, she and Simon Baker were really worried about whether or not viewers would tune in.
"Simon and I were the most nervous because we had been through it before," she tells ET. "We were telling guest stars, 'You have to watch the show.' We were trying to do a grass roots thing. We were paranoid. What if we put it out there and nobody liked it? We really wanted it [to succeed] because we were having such a good time together.""

Full Article:
http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/01/70141/


Simon Baker and The Mentalist Try to Maintain Perfection
By Tim Molloy
TV Guide

"All is right in the perfect world of The Mentalist.

On the show's set, on a crisp, sunny day in Los Angeles, everyone is smiling. The stars are smiling, the public relations people are smiling, and the reporters shuttled in from their hotel to eat donuts and talk to the cast are smiling. But no one smiles brighter than Simon Baker.

The star of the CBS hit is about as handsome as a person can be. His hair is wavy but unfussy, his eyes seem kind, his teeth form perfect lines. When he smiles, you want to root for him because his smile contains such a mix of mischief and humility. "

Full Article:
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mentalist-Simon-Baker-1002141.aspx


The Mentalist: We Visit The Set (And Simon Baker!)
By Susan Young
film.com

"On the Warner Bros. set of The Mentalist, Baker is relaxed and comfortable talking to the small group of reporters gathered on his home turf. It's quite a departure from a few years ago, when Baker starred in another CBS drama, The Guardian. Then, he came across as resentful and angry, much like the repressed and depressed character he played.

"[The Guardian] was a harder show emotionally; playing such a depressed character did rub off on me," Baker says in his native Aussie accent. "I never thought I'd be the kind of actor who would be affected by the role that I'm playing, but playing it day in and day out, it does, yeah. But [Patrick Jane] is such a fun character."

Baker says The Mentalist is all about entertainment."

Full Article:
http://www.film.com/tv/the-mentalist/story/mentalist-we-visit-set-simon/25586050


OK! Interview: Simon Baker
OK! Magazine

"OK!: Do you have a secret talent?

I’m pretty good at gardening. It consumes my time, and it feels like I’m doing something constructive.

OK!: Are you into male grooming?

No, I just clean my teeth!

OK!: What do you miss most about Australia?

The physical beauty of the area where I grew up. And I miss my close friends. I miss trivial things too... like meat pie!"

Full Article:
http://www.okmagazine.com/news/view/11274


Mystery of serial killer on "The Mentalist" won't be solved until the end
By Hal Boedeker
Orlando Sentinel

"Crime procedurals are booming for CBS. Baker attributed the trend to a desire in society.

"We are in a time where people sort of look for closure," the star said. "With a procedural show, you do get closure at the end of the episode."

Robin Tunney, who plays agent Teresa Lisbon, agreed. "Osama bin Laden, they didn't find him, whereas procedurals, we would have gotten him, right?" she said.

"Next season," Heller said.

I asked Heller how he describes the relationship between Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon.

"Jane is a rule-breaker, and Robin is playing someone who is all about the rules, has to be," Heller said. "So there's an underlying dramatic tension there that drives that side of their relationship. On the other hand, they respect and love each other."

What would Heller say to viewers who read more into that relationship or see more potential in it?

"That's nice," he said. "I think seeing it and reading it as opposed to having it is the fun bit."

Full Article:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2009/01/serial-killer-o.html

Tags: Articles, Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Amanda Righetti, Tim Kang, The Mentalist

In this corner: The Mentalist vs. Lie to Me
By Bob Sassone
TV Squad

"More TCA news: an actor from Lie to Me calls The Mentalist "a scam."

Reporters asked the panel from the new FOX drama about the possible similarities between the two shows (which a lot of people have been talking about), and Brendan Hines said "the difference between the two shows is that our show is based on actual science, while Mentalist is, I think, more of a scam." I'm not sure what the hell that is supposed to mean."

Full Article:
http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/01/14/in-this-corner-the-mentalist-vs-lie-to-me/


CBS says ratings success proves network TV viable
By Jill Serjeant
Reuters

"CBS ranks as the most-watched network at a time when commercial television is grappling with competition from the Internet and video games, changing viewer habits ushered in by digital video recorders and advertising declines precipitated by the recession.

CBS had nine of the top 20 top prime-time shows last week, including detective series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," the sitcom "Two and a Half Men" and the most popular new drama, "The Mentalist," according to Nielsen Media Research.

Tassler acknowledged that the next few months would be tougher for CBS, given the return of the ratings juggernaut "American Idol" to News Corp's Fox. But she noted that CBS retained 95 percent of its audience on Tuesday when "Idol" returned for its eighth season."

Full Article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSTRE50D6DK20090114


Quiet Leader: CBS' ratings success isn't getting much press
By Lisa de Moraes
The Washington Post

"CBS is having a good TV season. And yet no one is writing about it.
The network is once again the country's most-watched television network -- with nearly 2 million more viewers than its closest competitor, ABC.
It is ranked No. 1 among the younger viewers so sought after by advertisers. Five of its returning prime-time series are up from a year ago among those 18- to 49-year-olds. That's more than twice as many improved series as its closest competitor.
CBS' The Mentalist is the season's only new series that can be called a bona-fide hit. And it is the only newbie on any network performing better in its time slot than the show it replaced. The drama series, which stars Simon Baker, attracted more than 19 million viewers to its most recent original episode -- CBS' largest audience for a regularly scheduled program on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. in nearly 14 years.
Sadly, you're not reading or hearing much about CBS' Really Good Season. That's because, although CBS is now averaging the most young viewers of any broadcaster, it pulls in even more older viewers. That's called "broadcasting."
CBS' competitors are focusing on increasingly narrow, young audiences for which advertisers will pay a premium.
"Niche-cast" is the new broadcast. "Broadcast" is the new dirty word."

Full Article:
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jan/14/quiet-leader-cbs-ratings-success-isnt-getting-much/

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

Simon Baker Arrival Interview At Golden Globes
TV Guide Broadband
Glamour arrives at the 2009 Golden Globes red carpet! Joey Fatone interviews Simon Baker from the hit show THE MENTALIST.



PCA Red Carpet Interview Robin Tunney
CBS



The Mentalist's Maxine Bahns Is Expecting
By Ulrica Wihlborg
People

"Maxine Bahns, who plays Simon Baker's wife on the CBS drama The Mentalist, is pregnant with her first child, the actress tells PEOPLE.

"I'm very excited," says Bahns, who is due with a girl at the end of February. "The whole pregnancy has been amazing and I can't wait to love this baby." "

Full Article:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20251535,00.html


Seven Bizarre Moments That Made the People’s Choice Awards Worth Watching
By: Mark Graham
New York Entertainment

"Poor Robin Tunney. We always thought she had the chops and the looks to break out in movies, but things never quite worked out for her. Now she's forced to play second banana to Simon Baker's eyebrows on The Mentalist. Adding insult to injury, PCA producers fed her what might go down as the single worst setup line in awards-show history: "Whether you're getting a little 'Satisfaction,' enjoying a 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' or taking that 'Stairway to Heaven,' a great rock song can be a real trip. One you want to take over and over again." Total groansticks. Oh, and she forgot to wear a bra."

Full Article:
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/01/peoples_choice_awards_1.html


15 Hottest Guys at the Golden Globes
People

"SIMON BAKER
Before The Mentalist nominee took to the red carpet in a bold, black-trimmed blue jacket, his day was a little more ordinary: "I woke up and did the dishes," he tells PEOPLE."

Full Article:
http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/redcarpet/2009/gallery/0,,20249194_20251634,00.html


Spain welcomes 'Mentalist': Strong debut on La Sexta
By John Hopewell
Variety

"Hot fall freshman skein “The Mentalist” has hit strong out-of-the-gate numbers in Spain -- just as U.S. series appeared to be losing some of their shine on Spanish broadcast networks.
Bowing back-to-back Thursday primetime on terrestrial web La Sexta, the first two episodes of “Mentalist” took an 11.1% share and 2.2 million viewers for the first, and 13.1% and 2.3 million for the second.

Ratings broadly doubled Sexta’s average 6.1% January channel share. They also mark Sexta’s biggest bow ever, and its best result for a non-sports event."

Full Article:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117998258.html?categoryid=19&cs=1

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

Amanda Righetti: 'I am Skeptical of Psychics'
Posted by Jarett Wieselman
New York Post

"PopWrap: With all the procedurals out there, what was your initial attraction to "The Mentalist?"
Amanda Righetti: It was sort of like the anti-procedural, procedural. I think most of all it was the role because it was so unlike anything else I've ever done on television. Grace's completely opposite of what I'm usually cast for and to be able to have fun with something different is really attractive.

PW: And I love that in just a handful of episodes, you guys were able to create a real fun dynamic between the CBI team.
Amanda: I think it helps that we're like that when the cameras aren't rolling as well. We definitely have a lot of that dynamic off camera as well. It's a really fun working environment."

Full Article:
http://blogs.nypost.com/popwrap/archives/2009/01/amanda_righetti.html


The Mentalist: Owain Yeoman Teases New Episodes
By Mickey O'Connor
TV Guide

"Welsh actor Owain Yeoman is, surprisingly, not sick of answering "the accent" question. In fact, he loves it when people think he's American. As "jock cop" Wayne Rigsby on CBS' The Mentalist (Tuesdays, 9 pm/ET), Yeoman is responsible for a lot of the drama's lighter moments, as he gorges himself on whatever food is available and stumbles sweetly in his attempts to woo a fellow agent. Yeoman spoke to TVGuide.com about Rigsby's future romantic prospects, precisely which accent he's aiming for and why his answers to our questions will be way better than Tim Kang's."

Full Article:
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mentalist-Owain-Yeoman-1001283.aspx


'Mentalist,' '24' star chats about hit shows
By Kathy Hanrahan
WRAL

"From Fox’s “24” to the new CBS hit “The Mentalist,” actor Gregory Itzin has a knack for butting heads with unique main characters. On “24,” Itzin’s President Charles Logan tried to frame lead character Jack Bauer for the death of former President David Palmer. His “Mentalist” character, Virgil Minelli, is engaged in a battle to get his employee California Bureau of Investigations Agent Teresa Lisbon to control consultant Patrick Jane, who has a habit of going rogue."

Full Article:
http://www.wral.com/entertainment/blogpost/4254451/


CBS Is First Advertiser To Run Ad On Front Page Of New York Times
By Claire Atkinson
Broadcasting & Cable

"Rather than touting a particular show, however, CBS chose to run a brand campaign promoting the network’s many successful series including: CSI, Two and A Half Men, The Mentalist, 60 Minutes, as well as its football coverage."

Full Article:
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6626347.html


Celebs (including Simon Baker) Call Obama 'Best Gift of 2008'
Webcastr




In Step With Simon Baker
By James Brady
Parade

"I first got to know Baker when he was doing the powerful legal drama The Guardian. Since then, he’s been busy appearing in films such as The Devil Wears Prada. “That was a happy experience,” he told me of the movie. “I came in, did a couple of takes here, a couple of takes there.”

That casual Aussie attitude carries over to his starring role on The Mentalist, in which Baker plays Patrick Jane, a onetime showbiz psychic turned nonconforming sleuth. So far, the show has been one of the standout successes of the past season. “It’s a good outlet for me,” he said. “In this economic climate, we’re lucky. I signed for five years.”

Baker’s been living in the United States for 13 years. Knowing how fiercely Aussies love their own country, I off-handedly asked him, “Any interest in becoming an American?” Simon stopped talking, stared at me, and said, “Funny you mention it.” Then he dropped this unexpected news: “The morning after your election in November, I said to my wife Rebecca, ‘You know, I’m thinking about becoming an American,’ and then she said that she felt the same way. "

Full Article:
http://www.parade.com/celebrity/2009/01/simon-baker.html


Old Perceptions Die Hard for Flourishing CBS
By Lisa de Moraes
The Washington Post

"CBS's "The Mentalist" is the season's only new series that can be called a bona fide hit. And it's the only newbie on any network performing better in its time slot than the show it replaced. The drama series, which stars Simon Baker as a former made-for-TV psychic who now uses his super powers of observation to help cops solve heinous murder cases, attracted more than 19 million viewers to its most recent original episode -- CBS's largest audience for a regularly scheduled program on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. in nearly 14 years."

Full Article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/28/AR2008122801876.html?hpid=topnews


Reading the minds of the men behind 'The Mentalist'
By Emily Yahr
Savannah Morning News

"BAKER SAYS: I love con-men characters in film. It's such a joy to be able to play one, when you don't necessarily know when you're telling the truth or lying, but at the same time you like the character.

The fact that Patrick Jane was a fraud and entertainer and showbiz man, that informs his whole outfit, the look. Initially, he was a little more razzle-dazzle. And we played against that because I wanted that to be more in his persona. So the suits are all worn, and my shoes are really worn out. The idea was to show he hadn't bought any suits since the tragic incident with his wife and child. At that moment, he gave up on the physical appearance."

Full Article:
http://savannahnow.com/node/643119


PSYCHIC FRIEND: HOW SIMON BAKER BECAME TV'S HOTTEST NEW STAR ON 'THE MENTALIST'
NY Post

""He's a very handsome man," admits Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment and the top programmer at the network. "What we've had the chance to observe over the years with him is extraordinary.""

Full Article:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12212008/tv/psychic_friend_145014.htm


Tim Kang Teases New Mentalist Episodes
By Mickey O'Connor
TV Guide

"TVGuide.com: What did they tell you about Cho going in?
Kang: Bruno fleshed it out a little bit, but also gave me enough room to contribute my own ideas to imprint on the character. Just from reading the script or seeing what Cho says to his teammates or whatever, you get an idea of his demeanor or style, which is a testament to Bruno's writing. It was crystal clear to me from Day 1. I don't necessarily know where we're going to go from here, but at least I got something to sink my teeth into, which was great.

TVGuide.com: Do you personally believe in this form of heightened perception that Patrick Jane practices? Does Cho?
Kang: I believe there are people out there who have powers of observation that are greater than my own. To the extent that Patrick Jane does it, Simon has told me some stuff about his research, and it sounds amazing. I think Cho absolutely believes in this power or talent. I think that he likes to look at it as a talent for picking these things out when everyone else misses them. There's no resentment or animosity because Jane gets the job done."

Full Article:
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Mentalist-Tim-Kang-1000922.aspx


A cop show with a reformed fake psychic -- it was in the stars
Maria Kubacki
The Ottawa Citizen

"It's a psychic show and a police procedural, all in one convenient package. One-stop watching: who has the time to commit to both Ghost Whisperer and CSI, or Medium and Law & Order?
No wonder The Mentalist emerged as the one real success in a season littered with faltering favourites (Heroes) and promising new shows that just didn't manage to get off the ground (My Own Worst Enemy)."

Full Article:
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=f03432d6-7906-4034-b784-53c4610d4f49

Tags: Articles, Simon Baker, Tim Kang, Owain Yeoman, Amanda Righetti, The Mentalist

Who's TV's New King? (Hint: It Ain't Grey's or CSI)
By Joal Ryan
E! Online

"Question 1: So, can you think back to a time when the Usual Suspects (CSI, Housewives, Grey's) were not No. 1? (Answer: Don't think so hard. The answer is just last week, when The Mentalist blew up by about 3 million viewers, and blew straight to the top of the Nielsen rankings—the first time a freshman show has pulled off the latter feat since, CBS said, Housewives was but a wee, young thing back in 2005.)
Question 2: So, what was so special about last week's Mentalist? (Answer: Nothing. Just "more exceptional storytelling," a CBS rep said modestly. That, and Dancing With the Stars is dark on Tuesdays until the spring.)"

Full Article:
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b72466_whos_tvs_new_king_hint_it_aint_greys_csi.html


Best Of 2008: Top 5 New Series
By Emily Hochberg
Fancast

"1. The Mentalist

Entertainment Weekly deemed The Mentalist the only hit TV show of the 2008 fall slate. It’s witty, it’s smart, and it stars a hot Aussie. Well, he’s American on the show, but Simon Baker nails it as Patrick Jane, a former TV psychic who’s admitted to faking his visions of the future but is the real deal when it comes to solving crimes. His unconventional approach clashes with no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon, played by Robin Tunney and their fellow team of agents who dislike his narcissistic ways but can’t belittle his knack for cracking cases. Created by Bruno Heller, The Mentalist is a bonafide hit for CBS with stellar ratings, and is one TV show we look forward to following for seasons to come."

Full Article:
http://thebiz.fancast.com/2008/12/top_5_new_series_of_2008.html


Mr. TV: Best, Worst of ’08
By Marc Berman
MediaWeek

"SNL may be the toast of late night, but two shows in prime time that deserve to be touted are CBS Tuesday dramas NCIS and The Mentalist. While they may not be magnets for young viewers, NCIS is now the third-most-watched program in prime time and lead-out The Mentalist, the perfect counterpart, is the highest rated new series of the year."

Full Article:
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/community/programming-insider/column/e3if39d7edc6dfc96b5d3a829e6f4f4d99f


Reading 'The Mentalist's' Mind
by Emily Yahr
The Washington Post

"Jane, played by Simon Baker, is a detective/former faux-psychic in the new CBS drama "The Mentalist," the sole breakout hit of a dismal fall TV season. The series features the California Bureau of Investigation and Jane, its brilliant and most controversial employee. Haunted by the murder of his wife and daughter, Jane uses his keen sense of observation, dead-on instincts and frighteningly blinding smile to charm his way into solving any crime.
We talked to Baker and creator Bruno Heller about the idea for this unique character."

Full Article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/style/studio/122108.html


Zap2it's Year in Review: The least-watched shows of fall 2008
By Rick Porter
Zap2it

"This fall has not been a great one for television, as has been widely both here and elsewhere. Ratings are down across the board, and with the exception of CBS' The Mentalist, which started strong and has stayed that way, there are no new hits to be found anywhere. Including in this post."

Full Article:
http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2008/12/zap2its-2008-ye.html


The Mentalist Simon Baker voted US star of the year
The Herald Sun

""I am one actor in a bunch of people that work very hard and tirelessly to get this show on the air. I am incredibly blessed,"said Baker, 39, in a phone interview from Santa Monica, where he was Christmas shopping with his wife, Rebecca, with whom he has three children (fellow Australians Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts are godparents for two of them).

Baker was reacting to the news that The Post's TV Week had named him its star of the year. "I'm incredibly flattered," he said humbly. "I enjoy the flattery of it, understanding too well that I'm just one piece in a big machine. "

Full Article:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24833002-5006022,00.html

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

What celebrities are thankful for this year
American Entertainment Productions

""I'm thankful that America actually stood up and did something quite extraordinary (with the election). ... I've been over here for 12 years and I have a green card and I've been delaying becoming a citizen because I was really troubled by the politics in this country, and sort of befuddled by it." — Australian actor Simon Baker, "The Mentalist.""

Full Article:
http://www.amentinc.com/blogs/2008/11/26/WhatCelebritiesAreThankfulForThisYear.aspx


Mentalist an unpredicible hit
Alex Strachan Canwest News Service, CNS
Financial Post

""One of the basic skills mentalists learn is how to tap into their own prodigious memories," Heller said. "People don't expect you to literally memorize phone books, but good mentalists can do exactly that. What they're doing is far more extraordinary than simply talking to someone on ‘the other side.'

"It says something profound about how the mind works. The human mind is an amazing thing. And what Patrick Jane does with his natural abilities is more extraordinary than talking to ghosts, I feel.""

Full Article:
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1001981


Q&A: 'The Mentalist' creator Bruno Heller
James Hibbard
The Hollywood Reporter

"THR: Did you watch police procedurals before creating the show?

Heller: It gives me vertigo to watch TV dramas. Previously I did "Rome" and I couldn’t watch any Roman things. So my process was to get things back to basics and try to do the show as if no one had done it before. So I very deliberately avoided seeing what was out there.

THR: When you first wrote the script, who did you picture for the role? Simon Baker is great, but he’s unusual enough so that I wouldn’t think a writer would imagine him per se.

Heller: Yes, as it turned out, he brings whole other stuff to the role that I hadn’t imagined. It needed somebody with grace -- physical and spiritual grace. I imagined a Cary Grant type of role. Somebody who moves and looks graceful, because those guys -- mentalists and psychics -- they have to be people you’d want to get close to because that’s what they are trying to do with you. Simon has those things in spades."

Full Article:
http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/11/qa-the-mentalis.html


Simon Baker sees future in The Mentalist
By Lynn Elber
Providence Journal

"Asked to dissect the appeal of The Mentalist, however, Baker was far more cautious than flip.

“I don’t want to touch it. I’m really happy. Knock on wood. ... This day and age, it’s a very competitive world, the television world. If people want to turn the television on and watch The Mentalist, then I’m very, very happy.”"

Full Article:
http://www.projo.com/tv/content/lb_TV_Mentalist_12-01-08_T4CB99H_v6.2993833.html


‘Mentalist’ Is a Hit, but Who Can See Into Its Future?
By Lisa Bernhard
NY Times

"BRUNO HELLER, the soft-spoken, British-born creator of the CBS series “The Mentalist,” about a television psychic turned crime-solving sleuth, was having a good laugh. He had just been asked what it’s like swanning around Hollywood as the man responsible for the fall television season’s top-rated new show.

“You make that sound very exciting and glamorous,” he said in his dapper English accent, followed by more laughter. “Not much happens, really. No rose petals are scattered in my path. I haven’t been to any parties. And if I went to parties, they would say, ‘Well done.’ And then they would say, ‘Let’s see how he does in the back nine,’ when I walked away.”"

Full Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/arts/television/30bern.html


What's His Secret? Watch and Learn
By Becky Krystal
Washington Post

"Baker said he was undaunted by having to depict a hyper-aware character whose thinking process unfolds before the audience.

"I've had a bit more problem with the showmanship side of it, because I haven't really played roles like that," he said.

"The watchful stuff is easy for me. Easier for me. Easy," Baker paused, then added, laughing, "None of it's easy for me!""

Full Article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/20/AR2008112002166.html

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

`Mentalist' performs real trick: it's a TV hit
By Lynn Elber
San Francisco Chronicle

"In a ho-hum TV season in which most new shows have been greeted with a collective shrug and a click of the remote control, CBS' freshman "The Mentalist" has managed to deduce what viewers want."

Full Article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/19/entertainment/e045329S07.DTL


‘Mentalist’ follows CBS formula, with a twist
By Andy Dehnart
MSNBC

"Playing the main character on CBS' "The Mentalist," Simon Baker smiles. A lot. He grins and smirks and looks as charming as possible, frequently while he's delivering lines that demonstrate his character's acute and surprisingly prophetic powers of observation, which help a team of law enforcement agents solve crimes.

But really, 90 percent of his time on the CBS show, he's smiling, grinning wryly whether he is confronting someone or is completely alone.

Why he's smiling so much isn't clear, especially since his character is supposed to have experienced significant tragedy. Perhaps he's just smiling because he's on fall's most popular new show."

Full Article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27829441/


A Chat With Robin Tunney Of The Mentalist
By Will Harris
Bullz-Eye.com

"BE: When you first heard that the hook of the show was going to be on Simon’s character, Patrick Jane, did you need a certain amount of assurance that Teresa wasn’t just going to be spending every episode apologizing for Patrick’s methods, only to have him save the day in the end?

RT: It was more a fear of mine that -- in the pilot, I felt the relationship was coming off as a power struggle, and it was about me getting angry at him. And I had a conversation with Bruno that I didn’t really feel that that was going to work, and he agreed with me that I had to have a three-dimensional relationship with the guy. Like, at times, to find what he’s doing entertaining and funny and useful, because he’s right, and not just sort of be, “No, I’m By-The-Book Girl!” I think that would get dull. And I also think that, with all of your relationships in your life, you have different reactions to people. Depending on your mood and depending on the situation, somebody around you can be annoying or be entertaining or make you mad. And he seemed to be on the same page about that. So that was a bit of a worry, and also how the writing would come off, so I wouldn’t seem like an idiot for having arguments with him about the other side of the case. You know, it’s based on a formula, and The Mentalist is always going to be right, and people are going to want that, but to make my dialogue strong enough to prove the other point, where I don’t just look like an idiot. And I think they’ve been really good with that. It’s not, like, “Oh, my God, she’s not making any sense,” or, “Come on, we know!” What’s trying about the show is that I don’t think people tune in to see who did it; I think they tune in to see how we’re going to find out who did it."

Ful Article:
http://www.bullz-eye.com/television/interviews/2008/robin_tunney.htm


Simon Baker Has His Head In The Game
CBS News

"Baker's character's strength is that he is very perceptive.

"Well, you know, when I signed up for this job, people always ask me 'OK, well what is his skill, what is his power?' And the interesting thing is he doesn't have a power. Psychics have powers, alleged powers. He's a mentalist so he has honed skills and techniques -- acute observation, apparently, awareness. So, he reads people. A lot of rapport building and mirroring and suggestion. So, he uses those skills to that and a lot of good old fashioned guesswork to help solve crimes," Baker said."

Full Article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/24/earlyshow/main4630144.shtml


Also, be sure to check out Simon Baker as the cover boy for the November 24th, 2008 issue of the TV Guide and as "Sexiest Blond" in the December 1st issue of People magazine

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

SIMON BAKER IS 'THE MENTALIST'
ET Online

"Despite the fact that "The Mentalist" is the No. 1 new series of the 2008 season, the controversy continues to swirl around its leading character Patrick Jane (Baker). Is he really psychic but pretending not to be since the death of his family and the ensuing threats by their murderer, Red John? Or is he really the fraud he says he was?
"My favorite thing about the character is everybody has a different interpretation of that," Simon tells ET. "What I find interesting is some people say, 'I think he is Red John.'"
For those not in the loop, it was the brutal slaying of Patrick's wife and daughter that led him to give up his career as a psychic and volunteer his services to the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to help them solve crimes. And, whether he is or he isn't clairvoyant, the end result is another hit series for CBS."

Full Article:
http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/11/67845/


SCIENCE PROJECTS
by Kelefa Sanneh
The New Yorker

"“The Mentalist” is cheerfully familiar: it’s an old-fashioned procedural starring Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a fake psychic turned raffish consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation. Perhaps you have observed that there is already a TV show about a crime-solving fake psychic (“Pysch,” on USA). And perhaps you have noticed that “C.B.I.” sounds a lot like “C.S.I.” Happily, California has no law against sincere flattery.
The show is essentially a support system for Baker, a thirty-nine-year-old Australian actor with tousled blond hair, a sly but kind smile, a rumpled silk vest, and eyes like apostrophes. He’s so charming that his charm is itself a running joke. In his first scene, he surprises a grieving mother in her kitchen and says, softly, “My name is Patrick Jane. I’m here to help you. Would you like a cup of tea?” Of course she would."

Full Article:
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2008/11/24/081124crte_television_sanneh?currentPage=2


Critic's Corner Tuesday
By Robert Bianco
USA Today

"One of the fall's most interesting time-slot battles is the ongoing clash between the season's two best new shows: CBS' The Mentalist and Fox's Fringe (both 9 ET/PT). Fine individually, together they represent an excellent argument for putting a DVR on your Christmas list."

Full Article:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/criticscorner/2008-11-17-critics-corner_N.htm


Ask Matt: Nov 17, 2008
By Matt Roush
TV Guide

"Question: I read your column all the time and have not seen The Mentalist mentioned lately. Do you still like the show and where it's going creatively? I really enjoy it but vow not to use the "L" word in relation to it until at least Season 2. Simon Baker's portrayal of Patrick Jane is amazing in the way he is able to keep an impassive look on his face while convincing someone to do something. The character is written with flaws, but he is witty and likable as well. Robin Tunney does a good job making Agent Lisbon seem like a real person, too. I look forward to seeing where this show progresses and hope we get to see Jane finally catch his wife and daughter's killer a couple of years from now. — Susan

Matt Roush: The Mentalist is a keeper, and I look forward to seeing it every Tuesday. It's good escapist fun, and Simon Baker is a mischievous joy. I've gotten some negative mail about Robin Tunney, but I don't mind her (especially when you compare how annoying she was on Prison Break before getting killed). It's pretty much all about Patrick Jane at this point, anyway. If we don't make a constant fuss about this show, which will soon be featured on the TV Guide cover, it's probably because it tends to get lumped into CBS's glut of crime-drama procedurals, and while I enjoy the show, it is rather formulaic, though clever about it. All told, it deserves to be a hit."

Full Article:
http://www.tvguide.com/Roush/Shield-Heroes-Mentalist-67052.aspx


'The Mentalist': Two more reasons to love it!
By Michael Slezak
Entertainment Weekly

"There are a lot of reasons I'm hooked on CBS' jaunty hit procedural The Mentalist. Simon Baker's Patrick Jane sports the most dapper duds (and most magical hair) in primetime. Robin Tunney's hard-boiled Teresa Lisbon is a sour delight, crabbily in charge of her team without ever devolving into shrewish bossy-lady caricature. Supporting players Tim Kang and Owain Yeoman have a breezy chemistry that makes me kind of wish I worked for the California Bureau of Investigations. Heck, I even like the way murder victims' families actually weep for their lost loved ones, as opposed to most procedurals where they're either totally composed or blithely uncooperative."

Full Article:
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/11/mentalist-lance.html


What's the best new show of the season?
By Bob Sassone
TV Squad

"A lot of people would say FOX's Fringe. A lot of people would say CBS's The Mentalist (it's also the #1 new show ratings-wise). Some might even say CBS's Worst Week..."

Visit The Full Article To Vote:
http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/11/11/whats-the-best-new-show-of-the-season/

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

'The Mentalist' again shows that crime pays for CBS
By Chuck Barney
Contra Costa Times

"It's a blast to watch him gaze upon a crime scene and, like a fluffy-haired Sherlock Holmes, see and sense things that somehow elude his skeptical co-workers, including no-nonsense senior agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney of "Prison Break").
There's an I'm-so-cool cockiness to Jane, who regularly utters smart-alecky dialogue and takes obvious pride in being the smartest guy in the room. But he also brandishes a killer smile and has the kind of unassuming, aw-shucks charm that can throw suspects off guard, a la Columbo."

Full Article:
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_10930040


Simon Baker concentrates on having fun on 'The Mentalist'
By Kelley L. Carter
USA Today

"The 39-year-old actor who signed on for the role of Patrick Jane on CBS' The Mentalist (Tuesdays, 9 ET/PT) says he has spent too many years taking himself too seriously — a nod, he says, to the sharp critical tongues of Sydney. "I used to want to move people and let people identify with me as an actor, you know? But with this show, I just want to entertain people," Baker says. "I just want to have a good time."

Until recently, Baker's television success has been mixed, with a 2002 Golden Globe nomination for his work in the dour legal drama The Guardian and a blink-and-you-miss-it stint on the quickly axed 2006 heist caper Smith. But now he has a certified hit in The Mentalist, this season's top-rated new series with an average 16.2 million viewers and a full-season order from CBS."

Full Article:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-11-10-simon-baker_N.htm


The fabulous Baker boy: Not even its star could have predicted success of CBS’ ‘Mentalist’
By Amy Amatangelo
Boston Herald

"Simon Baker wasn’t sure his new CBS series “The Mentalist” (Tuesday night at 9 on WBZ, Ch. 4) would be a success until he showed it to his wife, actress Rebecca Rigg.

“She’s my litmus test,” Baker said. “She just said, ‘I think this show really has a shot.’ Usually she says, ‘Yeah, that was all right.’ ”

His wife was correct. “The Mentalist” already has been picked up for a full season and is the only new series to consistently make Nielsen’s Top 10 household rankings."

Full Article:
http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/general/view.bg?articleid=1131455


New TV characters who’ve made an impression
By Stuart Levine
MSNBC

Visit the link below and vote for your favorite new TV Character. Patrick Jane of The Mentalist is currently in the lead. You want to keep him there, don't you?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27647201/

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

It'd Be A Crime To Ax The Mentalist
By Jennifer Nixon
nwanews.com

"The one new show (within the defined limits ) that deserves protection from the network’s arbitrary ax is The Mentalist on CBS. What a breath of fresh air. The story line involves a former psychic impersonator who is simply very aware of his surroundings and helps solve crimes. In addition to his intriguing background as a psychic charlatan whose life was destroyed when a serial killer butchered his wife and child in revenge for a slight of ego, the Mentalist’s Sherlock Holmes ‘elementary’ style of solving mysteries is absolutely delightful."

Full Article:
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Style/242496/


Young Viewers Flocking to CBS in a Season of Disappointments
By Bill Carter
nytimes.com

"The secret, at least as the chairman of CBS, Leslie Moonves, sees it: “comfort food.”

While other networks sit and watch their glossy serial dramas featuring expensive casts crash CBS has added yet another successful crime show, “The Mentalist.” It has also added a couple more “funny comedies that probably won’t win any Emmy Awards” as Mr. Moonves described them: “Gary Unmarried” and “Worst Week.”

Apparently, what is good for CBS is a bad economy. CBS’s lineup of police procedurals, where the criminals always get caught, and sitcoms that are reliably funny in unchallenging ways, seems to be becoming a safe haven for viewers worried about jobs and mortgages.

“When the road gets rocky, the center is the best place to be,” said Kelly Kahl, the chief scheduler for CBS. “It’s kind of a cliché,” Mr. Moonves said, “on CBS the good guys win.” "

Full Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/business/media/03ratings.html


Simon Baker on The Mentalist and working with Scorsese
By Deanna Barnert
sheknows.com

""It may be called The Mentalist, but what sets it apart from other procedural shows is that you could see the other characters already there too, from the pilot, and they've had room to develop as we've gone on," raves Baker in his natural Aussie accent.

"Bruno (Heller, the writer also responsible for HBOs Rome) is great at that and shooting the pilot, I was so excited to see the other actors do stuff with what he gave them. I said to my wife, 'I'd rather go to work with upstart actors who have the balls to try things, which is risky and difficult.' A lot of people accept the job as 'just background characters', but not here.""

Full Article:
http://www.sheknows.com/articles/806417.htm


Rating the new shows: How you voted
usatoday.com

"Last week we asked you to tell us what you thought of the new fall series. More than 2,100 of you weighed in.It?s totally nonscientific, of course.
Nonetheless, you told us which shows you watched every week – and which ones never appealed to you.

Topping the list of favorites: CBS' The Mentalist and Fox's Fringe fared best, with 34% and 32% of respondents saying they watch the show each week, respectively."

Full Article:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-11-04-fall-tv-survey-response-data_N.htm


Closet dramas: Some TV fashionistas need a wardrobe re-write
By Jill Radsken
bostonherald.com

"Mental-vest

Patrick Jane keeps his unique police-solving powers close to the vest. Preferably of the buttoned, European-cut variety.

The sleeveless garment appears to be Jane’s signature style piece from episode one of CBS’ hit new show “The Mentalist.” Jane visits a crime scene sporting a vest. Grills a witness in a vest. Chases a suspect in . . . a vest.

Jaded fashion plates might pooh-pooh actor Simon Baker for being a one-note Nancy. But Baker’s not having a mental block. He knows he’s good-looking enough to get a pass. But viewers hope he’ll do more.

Nothing as radical as a pocket square, but crocodile loafers wouldn’t hurt."

Full Article:
http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/fashion/view/2008_11_05_Closet_dramas


Also, be sure to check out the November 10th, 2008 issue of TV Guide for a behind the Scenes peek n the set of The Mentalist.

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist

“The Mentalist” Appears Unstoppable
By Sam Sloan
sliceofscifi.com

"The new CBS series “The Mentalist” is this new season of shows first bonafide consistent ratings hit. While all other new shows, including the successful Fox venture called “Fringe,” are fluctutaing week to week or downright tanking, the Simon Baker starrer has seen nothing but a steady climb in its ratings with each new episode.
Its sixth episode since premiere night was its best to date clocking in with an astounding 16.1 million viewers which equates to around a 3.9 rating — or — 9 share in TV-exec-speak. That’s an 8% rise over its showing just last week, which in itself was a head-turner."

Full Article:
http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/10/30/the-mentalist-appears-unstoppable/


The Best New Fall Shows Come Down To Casting
By Jeff Simon
Buffalonews.com

““The Mentalist,” at long last, is the perfect role for Simon Baker after many years of trying to find one in movies and TV shows. He’s the kind of handsome, blond hunk that almost anyone would assume would flutter female hearts and be big star material, and yet there’s always been something just a wee bit off about him that keeps him from becoming the common council president of George Clooneyville. To his credit, he can do creepy exceedingly well and has often had enough edge and performing feistiness to want to.

Casting him as the star on “The Mentalist” was an act of off-hand network genius. He plays a refugee from the slimier realms of show business — a sort of matinee-idol Kreskin — who now employs all of his slipperier talents to help the cops, which hits everything that might have been dubious about Simon Baker dead center and turns it into extremely witty and canny casting in prime time TV.”

Full Article:
http://www.buffalonews.com/entertainment/story/481515.html


Baker Likes What He Sees in 'Mentalist'
By David Kronke
la.com

“One hardly needed psychic abilities to predict the success of "The Mentalist," CBS' newest crime procedural. Simon Baker has popped as the season's hottest new star: the droll and dashing Patrick Jane, who once posed as a TV psychic but left such chicanery behind when his bravado triggered a personal tragedy.

Jane now works as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation, in a unit led by Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney), where his unorthodox skills at perception and playing mind games help him crack open cases.

Patrick Jane joins a group of eccentric TV detectives, including Jim Rockford, Theo Kojak and Columbo.

"Popular TV characters are defined by the signature choices that they make, knowing how a situation will arise in the procedure of the show, and knowing how he's going to react," Baker notes on the set of the series the day after CBS announced it had been picked up for the entire season.”

Full Article:
http://www.la.com/tv/Baker_Likes_What_He_Sees_in_Mentalist.html

'The Mentalist': Crime Pays for CBS
By Alynda Wheat
ew.com

“The temple of harmony is a sham. It's just the shell of a house on a studio lot, with a sign promising ''wellness through clairvoyance'' (whatever that means). The Mentalist's Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) knows it's bunk, as he's about to insinuate to the woman who runs the joint (Leslie Hope). But first, Baker has to stop yammering. The director has called for sound, the cameras are rolling, but there Baker goes, chatting away with Hope in his Australian cadence, right up until ''Action!'' Instantly, the American accent kicks in, lines roll off his tongue perfectly, and he nails his take.

The star's comfort on set is understandable — this is his third CBS series, after all. The difference between The Mentalist and Baker's other two shows (Smith and The Guardian), however, is a big one. CBS' freshman drama about a man with extraordinary powers of perception who consults for the California Bureau of Investigation has done something no other new entry this season has been able to do: become a bona fide top 10 hit. Averaging 15.6 million viewers, The Mentalist not only holds its own against the Tuesday-night Dancing With the Stars results show on ABC, it also easily trounces Fox's much more heavily hyped Fringe in total viewers.”

Full Article:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20234178,00.html?xid=rss-feed-todayslatest-20081021-%27The+Mentalist%27%3A+Crime+pays+for+CBS

Tags: Articles, The Mentalist