Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Mentalist

While I'm on the subject of TV and because -- oh, happy day! -- the next bit of the manuscript doesn't seem to need nearly as much work as the first three chapters have (please, oh, please!), I'm going to talk about this new show.

First, Simon Baker. I've liked this guy since he was in L.A. Confidential (a movie I love). He's cute in that special Aussie way and when I heard a promo for the show in his native accent? 'Twas swoon-worthy. I think they should have let him keep his accent in the show. I mean, why couldn't he be an Aussie who emigrated to LA? Seriously. I love me that accent.

I thought the premise was okay. Not super cool, but okay. I enjoyed the first episode, although the ending was grim. Reminded me of that show about the ambitious, avaricious guy who slept in a cardboard box (the actor who played Box-sleeping Weirdo is now in Heroes playing Nathan Petrelli).

I missed the second show because...I forgot. Not a good sign. But I caught the next one and it seems they're going to downplay the tragic backstory. I'm not sure that, having set up that backstory, they can really let it go. It's too bad they didn't choose something less gruesome and grim to begin with -- Simon Baker's boyish charm and winning grin might have been a sign that Dark and Heavy might not be the way to go. Also, if folks want gruesome and grim, there's already plenty of that -- CSI in all its incarnations, for instance. And is it just me, or does every cop show now have to show amputated body parts? Enough already!

My verdict so far? I'll keep watching (if I remember), but it's not "must see TV."

Tonight, I'm off to a concert of baroque music. Just so you know I do have other interests besides writing and TV. :-)

5 comments:

Kimber Chin said...

Ahhh... accent, no accent, one of the differences between U.S. and Canada. Cdns are okay with accents. The average American doesn't like them (other than American accents).

That's why we see even U.K. commercials dubbed over in the U.S. Oh and that hilarious and often annoying IKEA man? Doesn't exist there.

Margaret Moore said...

This goes under the category of learning something new every day.

Pity...

Pam P said...

I caught one show and would watch it again, but not a must for me either, as I'm more into The Fringe at the same time. The quirk factor isn't quite doing it for me like Charlie with his Zen sayings on Life, that's one I can't miss. I did like Simon Baker portrayal a lot though on an older show he was on as a corporate attorney, The Guardian

Margaret Moore said...

Oooh, yes, I remember The Guardian. That was good, but didn't last very long, did it?

Pam P said...

No, The Guardian didn't last long at all, like so many shows. I liked his character much better in that one, more angsty.