The Mentalist (2008)
Let the mind games begin.
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.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 23 September 2008 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 18 February 2015 |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery |
| Created by | Bruno Heller |
| Starring | Simon Baker, Robin Tunney and Tim Kang |
| Seasons | 7 seasons, 151 episodes |
| Episode length | about 44 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 111 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | TMDB users 8.4/10 |
Where to watch The Mentalist
The Mentalist is streaming on Hulu ($18.99 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 3 months of Hulu, or $56.97 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 12 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
Bruno Heller built a show where the magic is mundane. Patrick Jane, played by Simon Baker, fakes the supernatural but wins cases with mundane observation. It is a crime procedural with a soul, running 44 minutes per episode across 7 seasons. That totals 151 episodes and roughly 111 hours of your life. The tagline promises mind games, and the show delivers them with a wink. It relies on the tension of a man who knows more than he lets on, a dynamic that keeps the stakes high even when the crimes are standard. The dry wit here is earned, not forced. It is a long haul, but the pacing keeps it from dragging.
What the critics said
The reception leans favorable, though the ceiling is modest. Rotten Tomatoes gives season one 60% from 25 critics, while Metacritic sits at 65, labeling the reviews generally favorable. Robert Bianco of USA Today called it "a well-done copy" driven by Simon Baker. He found the premise lacking in originality, but Baker’s performance carried the weight. Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe noted the show is "wily and brisk enough to engage you," even if the dramatic heft feels thin. The consensus agrees Baker is the anchor; the procedural format is where the air leaks out.
How it did with audiences
The Mentalist has no box office numbers to report. Instead, the measure of its success lives in the numbers people assign it. On TMDB, users rate it 8.4 out of 10. That is a strong score. It found its audience in the living room, where the real voting happens.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Mentalist.
Sources
- The Mentalist on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q204228 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Mentalist” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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