The Mentalist A quick chat with The Mentalist’s Simon Baker

Simon Baker returns as old-style crime-solver Patrick Jane in a new series of The Mentalist on Five...

A big hit in the US, and now with a loyal following in the UK, the drama returns with Australian actor Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, the former fake TV psychic who works as a police consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation.

We caught up with 40-year-old Baker to find out more…

What do you think is the secret of The Mentatlist’s success?
"On The Mentalist, we’re not slaves to procedure the way many shows are. We don’t use DNA, we don’t use microscopes; I don’t even carry a gun. It’s a very old-fashioned show in that the truth is found in human nature. Patrick Jane is part Columbo, part Kojak. He uses his powers of acute observation and a lot of old-fashioned guesswork to help solve crimes."

As the series returns, Jane is still obsessed with catching Red John, the serial killer who murdered his wife and daughter
"Jane has become totally distracted by Red John and is starting to lose his mind a bit. He can’t catch the guy, so he’s feeling very frustrated. He becomes so preoccupied that he makes a terrible mistake on another investigation."

What implications does that have?
"Jane is pulled off the Red John case and replaced by Sam Bosco [Terry Kinney]. But Jane’s not going to let the Red John case slip through his fingers. He can’t – it’s what drives his entire life. So he does everything he can to get in Bosco’s face and discredit him."

Success came relatively late for you, didn’t it?
"I know I’m lucky. There are a million actors out there, so I know I stepped in the gold stuff. Jane is a great character to play. He has a sense of humour and a sense of mischief, but that’s how he deals with his pain and the tragedy in his life. It’s like the tears of a clown."

We understand one US magazine named you the Sexiest Man on TV last year?
"It was flattering, but I was a little embarrassed. You can’t take things like that too seriously. My children certainly aren’t impressed. To them, I’m still the embarrassing dad who dances at parties."

*The Mentalist screens on Fridays on Five