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Brian Turntime Special user 671 Posts |
So, the premise of The Mentalist is keen observational skills developed by a guy who used to pretend to be psychic.
A literary perspective might see this as a derivation of ratiocenation, and/or Sherlock Holmes keen powers of deduction. Recall when Holmes told the life story of the former owner of Watson's watch, to the point of appearing supernaturally cognizant. Watson was offended, "This is most unworthy of you, Holmes!" because he suspected Holmes had done research: however, he was applying observational talent to clues on the watch. Thus, there's nothing new or unique about a keenly observant detective whose talents appear psychic, although granted it is new that one used to claim that title. But how far can that backstory take you afield of all the detective literature that has gone before? Sleuths have always been shocking people with what they've observed, appearing omniscient. "The Mentalist" can't do much with his backstory beyond allude to it. Now, he's just another Holmes no matter what he's done prior. (Though if he was a practicing fake psychic....) Which brings me to Monk. Now, here was something truly original. The defective detective... whose OCD and neuroses not only made the character uniquely quirky, but provided his "powers." His obsession with everything being in place, in order... fit perfectly with a detective looking for something out of place, or a hidden detail that most of us would ignore. His flaw was a gift: now that's creative. Tony Shalhoub is such a likable guy you forgave the annoying neurotic behavior. It provided dramatic friction that he was so unbalanced. So I don't see the Mentalist as a terribly substantial new twist on the theme. If the writer's can do something that hasn't been demonstrated in Arthur Conan Doyle or Edgar Allen Poe's writing, I'd be surprised.
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Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died. - Steven Wright |
balducci Loyal user Canada 227 Posts |
FWIW, I've heard it said that The Mentalist is an even more obvious knock off of another recent show, Psych, than it is of Monk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mentalist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psych
Make America Great Again! - Trump in 2020 ... "We're a capitalistic society. I go into business, I don't make it, I go bankrupt. They're not going to bail me out. I've been on welfare and food stamps. Did anyone help me? No." - Craig T. Nelson, actor.
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S2000magician Inner circle Yorba Linda, CA 3465 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-09-23 11:05, Brian Turntime wrote: That would make it Psych, no? Quote:
On 2008-09-23 11:12, balducci wrote: Bingo! |
Greg Arce Inner circle 6732 Posts |
Personally, I like Monk much more than most of the detective shows out there. The Mentalist was pretty good, but no Monk. Let's see how long it lasts.
Greg
One of my favorite quotes: "A critic is a legless man who teaches running."
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Pakar Ilusi Inner circle 5777 Posts |
That's like comparing Apples and Durians...
Look up "Durian"...
"Dreams aren't a matter of Chance but a matter of Choice." -DC-
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kregg Inner circle 1950 Posts |
Why look it up when you can smell it?
I thought The Mentalist was a bit flat. The excessive compulsive shtick on Monk is too much of an annoyance for me to watch it. I choose Nero Wolfe.
POOF!
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airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
Monk -> Psych -> the Mentalist.
At least Psych added a bit of a twist to the whole Monk theme. The Mentalist adds nothing new at all.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
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Leland Stone Inner circle 1204 Posts |
I wanted to like Nero Wolfe...hey, it's set in an era I find appealing. But, geez loueez, I just wanted to slap that guy! Sweet mother of mercy, I'd rather be duct taped to a chair and forced to watch "The Singing Detective."
"Psych" -- annoying, smarmy, and, like totally NOT my demographic, dude. Jury's still out on "The Mentalist" (I kinda like Baker), but it does look like somebody watched "Raynes" and decided they could do a better job of ripping off...I mean, riffing on..."Monk." |
jsereb New user 58 Posts |
Premise on "The Mentalist" was pretty thin...it should be called "The Behavioral Psychologist" or something. We'll see how it'll do but they do need to change the title!
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-09-24 09:39, kregg wrote: I remember when Nero Wolfe was on, I was working at Marvel at the time and everytime an ad for Nero Wolfe would mention his "footman" Archie Goodwin, someone would pin it up on the bullpen wall since (as most comic fans know) Archie Goodwin was actually the name of a senior editor at Marvel at the time!
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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Brian Turntime Special user 671 Posts |
One other thing: the Patrick Jane character was never a "mentalist," unless Sylvia Browne or John Edwards was a mentalist...
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Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died. - Steven Wright |
jsereb New user 58 Posts |
Good point, Brian. In the flashbacks to his previous career, the character was one of those crossing over psychics whereas we think of a Mentalist as someone who entertains with ESP/Mind-Reading/Telekenesis type routines. I have seen a few episodes and, despite the consistently high ratings, I just cannot get into it. Every episode I've seen has the same pattern - - get you to suspect a few red herrings while some other "innocent" character is really the guilty party. Last night, I guessed right away whodunnit.
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S2000magician Inner circle Yorba Linda, CA 3465 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-01-28 15:27, jsereb wrote: Hardly a fair test: last night's was a rerun. ;) |
bitterman Inner circle 1189 Posts |
Simon Baker is the selling point of The Mentalist, much like a mentalist's personality not the effects are what really sell their shows.
If you are not cheating, you are only cheating yourself.
Dutchco is about to put out some new Ebook: DUTCHCO. Get 'em while you can. |
Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
Monk is brilliant, psych is worth checking out but its not a favourite, I shall have to check out the mentalist.
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MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
I think Monk is my favorite TV show of all time, I'll watch reruns just to see different aspects of it. I also like psych and enjoy how they kind of goof on the fact they know it is a TV show. Monk is a well developed character and often the twist is really a twist at the end.
I like the mentalist (love Robin Tunney) but feel it is predictable. I do wish they wouldn't mumble so much, I am trying to figure out how to turn on my closed captions just to follow it because the sound is so bad on it. All three are based on observation but for different reasons. Monk observes things because anything that doesn't fit his compulsion he notices it because it stands out glaringly to him. The guy in Psych was trained by his father to be observant, which is what his lordship Harry Loryne suggest doing to improve memory, the Mentalist dude learned it in the scope of performance. Three good shows with Monk being a great show. |
S2000magician Inner circle Yorba Linda, CA 3465 Posts |
On this evening's episode of Psych, the main character, Shawn Spencer, said that he was going to visit his father, whereupon the two of them would watch a couple of episodes of The Mentalist.
The circle of life. |
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