If you’re revisiting the season or watching for the first time, these fan-favorite episodes are must-sees: The Mentalist: Season 1 | Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes
When The Mentalist premiered in 2008, the TV landscape was already crowded with procedural "super-detectives." Yet, Patrick Jane—portrayed with a magnetic, "cucumber-cool" charm by Simon Baker—instantly carved out a unique space. Season 1 isn't just about solving murders; it's a 23-episode introduction to a man who used to be a professional fraud and is now using those same "dirty tricks" for a much darker purpose: revenge. The Hook: Tragedy Behind the Smile The Mentalist - Season 1
The series opens by revealing the tragedy that haunts every episode. Five years prior, Patrick Jane was a celebrity "psychic" who publicly taunted a serial killer known as Red John. In a horrific act of vengeance, Red John murdered Jane’s wife and daughter, leaving behind his signature blood-drawn smiley face. If you’re revisiting the season or watching for
Jane now serves as an independent consultant for the . He doesn't use forensics; he uses observation, hypnosis, and cold reading to "read" people like open books. Dynamic of the Team The heart of Season 1 is the chemistry within the CBI team : Five years prior, Patrick Jane was a celebrity
Kimball Cho (Tim Kang) brings a stoic, no-nonsense attitude, while Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and rookie Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) provide a lighter, developing dynamic within the group. Essential Season 1 Episodes
The grounded, by-the-book leader. She is the "responsible mom" to Jane’s "naughty kid," often taking the fall for his illegal stunts while relying on his brilliance to close impossible cases.