Two of my favorite shows are essentially the same show: a fake psychic helps the police solve murders.
I’ve read lot of discussion about how The Mentalist is a rip-off of Psych. And on paper, I agree – sort of. They have pretty much the exact same premise, but there is a slight difference between the two shows though.
Where one show has the fake psychic readily admitting he has no real psychic powers (The Mentalist), the other show has the fake psychic conning the police and only his dad and best friend know the real truth (Psych).
To the best of my memory, The Mentalist has never even remotely referenced the tv show Psych. It’s not their way – it is a more serious crime show and serious cops probably don’t start their day discussing who got voted off last night on America’s Next Top Model.
But Psych, ah, beloved Psych. It’s a fun, goofy show that’s thoughtful, engaging, and educational. I’m serious – it is! Tonight I learned what to do when held captive in a trunk, being chased, or tied to a chair. Very useful stuff, especially living in LA.
My favorite part, however, from the season premiere of season four, is when Shawn and Gus (played by James Roday and Dulé Hill, respectively) blatantly accuse The Mentalist of ripping them off.
Here’s the dialogue, verbatim:
Shawn: (talking to a Canadian police officer) Here’s the thing, Robert. The thing is this. I am a psychic.
Gus: We work for the Santa Barbara Police Department. We’ve solved over 47 cases. I’m also a pharmaceutical representative, if that means anything to you.
Shawn: You’ve seen The Mentalist, right?
Robert: Yes!
Shawn: It’s like that.
Gus: Except that guy’s a fake.
Shawn: Right. If I was a fake psychic, it’d be eerily similar.
Gus: Exactly the same.
Shawn: A virtual carbon copy.
And the punchline? Shawn is a fake psychic.
Cue rimshot.
So no matter who came up with the idea of a fake psychic helping the police solve crimes, both shows are individuals in their own right. Both have a season pass on my DVR, which in the world of electronics means that they both have their own place in my heart.
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