And it can't be a cheap show to make, either. Are the ratings bad? I thought the S2 renewal came pretty early.

They're not great, and they dropped last night from the premiere. link I really want this show to get 7 seasons so the writers can do everything they have planned.

Did not care for last nights Mentalist. Some of the same flaws as the Red John episodes. Part of the problem is the new team is not as amusing an ensemble as the old team. (Even with Lisbon and Cho on it.) Rigby and Van Pelt are not as fun without Jane and Cho to give them shit. And not enough screen time to Jane being an asshole. Some other problem - I'd say that the stakes were too high, but we've had good eps where the stakes were high before. OK the way he built the relationships with the suspects in this episodes. Normally he builds a relationship with and torments a small number of people. In this he built a relationship with one among a large group of suspects, while dealing with the rest only as a mob. And he did not really torment either the one person or the group until the very end. The Mentalist is best either in intimate settings, or where Jane creates a small group intimate relationship from among a large group, then subjects that small group to emotional abuse. [Yeah does not say anything nice about me as a person that this is what makes a good Mentalist episode for me, but I suspect it is not just me. It is a show where we laugh at the main character subjecting his team and strangers to emotional abuse while charming them and delivering good enough results that they tolerate it. Now and again he gets some consequences for his behavior which is also funny..]

Yeah does not say anything nice about me as a person that this is what makes a good Mentalist episode for me, but I suspect it is not just me.

How many Mentalist viewers wish we could be just that good at something that everyone else would have to take crap from us, and to feel so little pressure from other people's expectations that we don't worry about giving out said crap.

You are right - the being an asshole is wrapped in competence porn.

The Hawkeye and Trapper John syndrome.

So good and indispensable, they can get away with sh*t.

Oh GOD, I just caught up on Hannibal.

I heart everything about JZ's post.

Oh, yes. Absolutely.

Oh yeah. HANNIBAL. In his plastic suit.

Oh, the plastic suit. Damn.

When he showed up at Bedelia's home I was muttering, "She's gone, she ran, she can't be there..." and when the covered furniture was revealed I threw my hands in the air and exclamed, "Good girl!" That's some powerful fear to cause a virtual shut in to flee.

I find myself watching each episode twice. Once for the story and again to study all the design elements. I am somewhat randomly fascinated by a painting in Bedelia's place that I don't think has ever been fully in focus.

Perception: They freakin forgot to explain why the CIA grabbed all the evidence in journalist's death. (And no, their interest in Daniel does not explain it. They become interested only after he exposes the hoax.) I may not be Raymond Chandler not knowing who committed one of the murders but it is close. Even if they don't explain it, why did nobody even wonder?

I think Hannibal is going to try to make someone else look guilty of the murders to help Will. Bedelia? The reporter? Alana?

Chilton is on the stand essentially describing himself.