New year paves the way for new beginnings. Will it be a fresh start for one of CBS’s most loved procedural drama of all times? Will this year see the renewal of ‘The Mentalist’? Let’s find out.
Created by Bruno Heller, ‘The Mentalist’ premiered on CBS on 23 September 2008 with a whopping 15.6 million viewers worldwide. The series stars Simon Baker in the role of Patrick Jane, a psychic who has made a fortune conning people. But his perfect world comes crashing when his wife and daughter are brutally murdered by serial killer Red John. ‘The Mentalist‘ explores his journey from being a wounded widower to becoming a consultant with the CBI, intending to avenge his family’s killing.
Highlights:
- CBS cancelled ‘The Mentalist’ – True or False?
- Did ‘The Mentalist’ Season 7 leave room for season 8?
- ‘The Mentalist’ Season 8 release date announced?
CBS cancelled ‘The Mentalist’ – True or False?
Despite being a top player for most of its 7-year and 151-episode-run, ‘The Mentalist’ concluded on 18 February 2015. But, is it true that CBS cancelled ‘The Mentalist’? Or were there other reasons at play?
When the series premiered in 2008, the idea of a charming psychic solving crimes got viewers instantly hooked. It started off on a highly interesting note, but, unfortunately, the viewership started dipping over the years, thanks to the exaggeration over the character of Red John.
The overindulgence into the Red John revenge plotline resulted in the series painfully transitioning from a psychologically-exciting crime drama to a sloppy, whimsical one. From 15 million, the viewership dropped to 8 million. While the numbers aren’t bad as compared to the other shows of that time, with a network like CBS, one expects a lot more. This is probably why CBS cancelled ‘The Mentalist‘.
It wasn’t like no efforts were made by the makers to save the sinking ship of ‘The Mentalist’. Quite surprisingly, the series managed to achieve something that few shows of the genre have been able to.
It not just took the risk of a major creative reboot, but also wrapped up the Red John mystery a third of the way into season 6, shuffled the supporting cast, and moved them 1800 miles from California to Texas. Audiences gladly welcomed the reinvention. But, unfortunately, the improvement in viewership wasn’t enough to change CBS’s mind.
Did ‘The Mentalist’ Season 7 leave room for season 8?
‘The Mentalist’ concluded with a proper send-off to all the main characters. Since the home network, CBS had already announced the cancellation in 2014 itself, the makers got enough time to neatly tie up each and every loose end in just 13 episodes. The final episode saw Teresa Lisbon (played by Robin Tunney) announcing her pregnancy to Jane and the couple finally tying the knot. A happy ending for all.
This left fans confused. Why did the makers undergo a creative reboot if the series was to end in the very next season? The answer was simple. CBS wanted to lure back the long-lost viewers one last time for the series finale, and guess what, the plan worked well. So much so, that ‘The Mentalist’ fans started an online petition to bring back the show for season 8. Should fans be hopeful for ‘The Mentalist’ Season 8 release date? Read on to find out.
‘The Mentalist’ Season 8: Plot, release date, cast
It’s been 5 years since the show was cancelled but fans are still hopeful about the renewal status of ‘The Mentalist’. With CBS rapidly moving on to other shows, the possibilities of a ‘The Mentalist’ Season 8 are slim to none.
Renewal status of ‘The Mentalist’hasn’t been confirmed yet. It may head on to some other streaming site, but definitely not CBS. Even if it does, it’s clearly not happening now, but maybe in the latter half of 2021. As for the cast, none of them have officially confirmed their return for a new season.
‘The Mentalist’ Season 8 could focus on Jane and Lisbon’s life after marriage. But with Jane’s revenge angle missing, ‘The Mentalist’ could become just a run-of-the-mill crime drama. Actor Simon Baker told “The Washington Post”,
“Jane really has nothing left to live for, except for a form of revenge and justice, and his own kind of take on what justice is”
Executive Producer Tom Szentgyorgyi also shot down the rumours of a spin-off following the character of Kimball Cho. Szentgyorgyi told “Deadline”,
“The truth is, no, although Cho is a great character and Tim Kang did an extraordinary job playing him”
Thus, it would be safe to say that the renewal status of ‘The Mentalist’ hangs in the balance.
Would you like a ‘The Mentalist’ reunion in 2021? Let us know in the comments below!
