The Mentalist
Let the mind games begin.
Created by Bruno Heller
On CBS
A clever procedural built on a charismatic con man's psychological manipulation, balancing case-of-the-week satisfaction with a long-arc serial killer mythology.
Patrick Jane, a former celebrity psychic medium, uses his razor sharp skills of observation and expertise at "reading" people to solve serious crimes with the California Bureau of Investigation.
Clusters
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is The Mentalist scary? Somewhat. More frightening than 66% of series.
Is The Mentalist easy watching? Somewhat. More comforting than 66% of series.
Is The Mentalist violent? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Is The Mentalist sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
Does The Mentalist leave you hopeful? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Opposite of HBOFinding
- Whose Show Is It?Finding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Distinctly its own thing.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like The Mentalist, and what each one shares →
Like The Mentalist
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as The Mentalist
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like The Mentalist, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like The Mentalist, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like The Mentalist, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
