Fans Call It ‘One of the Best Shows EVER’: The Mentalist Returns on Prime Video, Sparking a New Wave of Obsession

Seventeen years after it first captivated audiences, one of television’s most clever and addictive crime dramas is back — and fans old and new are calling it “one of the best shows ever made.”

The Mentalist, the sharp, stylish CBS series that ran for seven seasons between 2008 and 2015, has just landed on Prime Video. Within days, the series surged in popularity, reigniting nostalgia among longtime fans and sparking discovery for new viewers who never saw it during its original broadcast. Social media timelines are once again filled with discussions of Patrick Jane, Red John, and the twists and turns that made the series a must-watch for nearly a decade.

A Detective Who Wasn’t Really a Detective

At the heart of the show is Simon Baker’s iconic performance as Patrick Jane — a former con artist who once posed as a psychic medium. After publicly taunting a notorious serial killer named Red John, Jane’s life is shattered when his wife and daughter are brutally murdered in retaliation. Haunted and guilt-ridden, Jane abandons his fraudulent psychic act and joins the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as a consultant, using his razor-sharp observational skills to solve cases.

Unlike traditional TV detectives, Jane has no badge, no gun, and no formal police training. What he has is an uncanny ability to read people — picking up on the tiniest details others overlook. His charm, wit, and psychological manipulation often leave both suspects and colleagues off balance, making every case as much a battle of minds as a hunt for evidence.

“Patrick Jane is unlike any other crime procedural hero,” one fan wrote in a recent Prime Video review. “He’s not a cop. He’s not a genius scientist. He’s just a man who notices everything — and that makes him more dangerous than any badge could.”

The Chemistry That Drove the Series

While Baker’s charismatic lead performance anchored the show, The Mentalist was never a one-man act. Robin Tunney’s Agent Teresa Lisbon provided the perfect counterbalance — pragmatic, disciplined, and constantly exasperated by Jane’s unorthodox methods, yet gradually becoming his most trusted ally.

Rounding out the team were Tim Kang as the stoic Agent Kimball Cho, Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby, and Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt. Together, the ensemble created a balance of humor, tension, and warmth that made the show feel as much about relationships as it was about crime-solving.

Fans have often praised this dynamic. “Each and every one of the actors are terrific,” one Prime Video viewer commented. “But special mention goes to the chemistry between Jane and Lisbon — it’s subtle, it’s slow-burn, and it’s one of the best written partnerships in TV history.”

From Standalone Mysteries to the Red John Saga

When The Mentalist premiered on CBS in 2008, it drew a massive audience — over 17 million viewers tuned in for the debut episode, making it one of the most successful new dramas of that season. Part of its appeal lay in its clever mix of episodic and serialized storytelling.

Each week, viewers could enjoy a neatly wrapped mystery, often featuring Jane dazzling suspects and colleagues with his psychological sleight of hand. Yet, beneath the surface, a darker, serialized arc simmered: Jane’s relentless pursuit of Red John, the serial killer who destroyed his family.

This balance earned the series comparisons to Sherlock Holmes — with Jane’s uncanny deduction skills evoking the great detective — while the Red John arc gave the show a brooding, serialized tension that kept viewers hooked season after season.

A Cultural Hit Across Seven Seasons

Over its seven seasons and 151 episodes, The Mentalist built a devoted fan base around the world. In the U.S., it remained a steady performer for CBS, while in the UK it became a fixture on Channel 5.

By the time it ended in 2015, the series finale drew more than 11 million viewers — an impressive number in an era when audiences were already fragmenting across streaming platforms. While ratings declined toward the end, the finale gave fans closure, wrapping up Jane’s quest for vengeance and delivering a satisfying conclusion to the Jane-Lisbon relationship arc that had quietly developed over years.

Simon Baker’s work on the show did not go unnoticed. His performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination and later an Emmy nomination, cementing his place as one of the standout leading men of TV’s procedural boom.

The Prime Video Revival

Fast forward to 2025, and The Mentalist is enjoying an unexpected second life. With all seven seasons now streaming on Prime Video, the series is reaching both nostalgic fans who watched it week-to-week on CBS and newcomers discovering it for the first time.

“This show is timeless,” one Prime Video review raved. “I don’t normally write reviews, but I had to for this gem. If you’re debating whether to watch, don’t hesitate. You won’t regret it.”

Another viewer was even more emphatic: “Hands down the best show I have ever watched. Each actor is brilliant, but Simon Baker — the charming, suave, dashing, breathtakingly handsome Patrick Jane — makes it unforgettable.”

The outpouring of praise reflects a broader trend in streaming: shows from the 2000s and early 2010s are finding fresh audiences online, proving that strong storytelling and memorable characters don’t age.

Why 

The Mentalist

 Endures

So why has the show stood the test of time? Critics and fans point to several reasons:

• A Unique Lead: Patrick Jane was neither cop nor superhero, but his brilliance came from keen human observation — a skill anyone could imagine possessing, if only they looked closer.
• The Balance of Light and Dark: The series blended breezy, almost playful case-of-the-week episodes with the grim, slow-burning menace of Red John.
• Character Growth: Unlike many procedurals, characters evolved. Jane’s grief, Lisbon’s conflicted feelings, Cho’s dry wit — these arcs deepened over time.
• The Payoff: Long-term fans stuck around not only for the mysteries but for the promise of resolution. When the end came, it felt earned.

What Happened After 

The Mentalist

Since the series wrapped, Simon Baker has continued acting, starring in films like Breath and Blaze, as well as the BBC drama Ten Pound Poms. Robin Tunney appeared in The Fix and Netflix’s Horse Girl. Tim Kang joined the cast of Magnum P.I. reboot, while Amanda Righetti starred in Colony and The Reunion.

Yet, for many viewers, the cast will always be remembered as their Mentalist characters — a testament to how indelible the series remains.

A Show Worth Rediscovering

In an era saturated with true-crime documentaries, gritty thrillers, and flashy procedurals, The Mentalist still stands out. Its sharp writing, elegant mysteries, and unforgettable central performance make it more than just another crime drama. It’s a show about loss, redemption, and the human ability to notice what others miss — and in doing so, to find truth.

Seventeen years later, Patrick Jane’s smirk, his teacups, and his uncanny