Think of "The Mentalist" as USA Network's "Psych" with prettier people, more money, slightly more upscale locations, and shorter sentences. Working as a consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation, Patrick Jane"”expertly played with appropriate style and savoir faire by Simon Baker"”uses his exceptionally well-honed powers of observation to solve big-time homicides. As the "The Mentalist" series unfolds, we learn more about Jane's con-man past: he once made a spectacular living as a television psychic, who used his command of "tells" or nuances of expression, body language, and intonation to put willing patsies in touch with dead relatives and future lovers. Of course, a life-changing tragedy inspired him to use his (almost) super-powers for good. Summing-up his new-found crime-fighter philosophy, Jane flatly declares, "There's no such thing as real psychics. Anyone who claims to have a sixth sense is either deluded or dishonest." Like all of television's elite criminalists, "The Mentalist" shows that refined powers of observation are at least as rare and valuable as ESP. Best of all, "The Mentalist" always looks wonderfully fashionable as he nabs the bad guy.

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