The top-rated new show on American television this season is a rarity; it's a show that admits that all psychics are frauds, or at best deluded.
Not only does it admit it, it practically shouts it.
What a refreshing show in a medium that normally touts the likes of the evil fraud Sylvia Browne.
The series stars Simon Baker as a former television psychic, whose shenanigans ended up getting his family killed. So now he uses his powers of observation along with lots of old carny tricks to aid law enforcement.
In one sense it's just a standard tv crime drama.
But nearly every episode features some delicious dialog proclaiming the non-existence of real psychics.
In a recent New York Times interview the series creator, Bruno Heller, talks about "The Mentalist":
Take, for instance, the show’s unabashed message that television psychics in the vein of John Edward are shams. “The show is not directed at him particularly,” Mr. Heller said. “You name the TV psychic — they’re con men. I can say that with complete confidence because John Edward is not going to sue anyone for libel on that score. The reason I know that is because the techniques he uses are those carnival psychics and soothsayers have been using for hundreds of years.” (Asked for a response from Mr. Edward, his publicist sent an e-mail message: “No comment.”)
