The Mentalist

I have just started watching a new CBS show called The Mentalist. I am not much of a crime series fan, but I am cautiously optimistic about this show.

Simon Baker stars as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigations. He was a psychic in his past. Without revealing any spoilers, his career as a psychic did not end well and he now admits he was a total fraud and is using his skills to solve crimes (and not always by the book!) He uses the tricks of the trade of psychics, cold readings and astute observations. Of course realism is not 100% in this show. they don't reveal all the tricks and I would expect that the techniques would not solve every crime, but you can make that criticism of almost every crime show.

The thing I really like is that he openly says he was not psychic and that psychic powers do not exist! How many shows take that sort of attitude? I would like to see him blast astrology and other such nonsense as well. We need more skeptical thinking portrayed on television and less mumbo jumbo. The Mentalist is well produced and hopefully will spawn a few imitators.

So, any other good new shows I am missing?