I think the main thing that alienates people from The Mentalist is the protagonist. I'm okay with him being a non-violent sociopath. But I've read a lot of dissatisfied former viewers who've grown to hate him and what they see as the text's excusing of his behaviour.

I think he's hysterical. At precisely the distance he is--aided and abetted by Simon Baker's charisma.

I don't think the show excuses his behavior. Or if it does, Baker's acting against the text and doing it damn well.

I agree, I have liked Jane less and less as the show has gone on.

I don't hate Jane, and I don't look at the show closely enough to feel that the show excuses his behaviour. What I do find is inconsistent writing of how amused we're supposed to be by the fights he starts (which may be "excusing his behaviour" phrased differently?), the almost non-addressing of the deeper, darker issues, and Lisbon's character (yeah, still hate her and how Tunney plays her).

I was getting really tired of The Mentalist until ita explained that Jane is a psychopath, and then the show seemed different and I liked it better. Because I no longer have to like Jane, or anybody who likes him/condones his behavior.

That said, I'm about four episodes behind and not in any hurry to catch up.

What's the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?

I don't think the text excuses him either. I can handle most of the team's loyalty to him without respecting them less, except Lisbon.

I think the show can't afford to dwell on how dark they sometimes show Jane to be--sleeping under the bloody smiley face, being committed to the psychiatric facility, before you get to his manipulation of the world around him, because they really wouldn't be able to drum up an audience with him that messed up all the time. I don't think the House magic is going to strike too often. And I certainly can't bear House.

Zen, I use them interchangeably--I don't know if that's accurate. It feels weird to use them talking about procedurals in a non-violent sense, but it's the void of emotions that I mean.

void of emotions

That's what I'm trying to put my finger on - if Jane were devoid of emotion/human connection, he wouldn't be so shattered by the loss of his family, would he?

I think he's operating in a void because he's shattered. Hmm.

Let me think on it a bit more.

A void of emotional connections is more like it. I think that an arc for him is the developing of connections to the team, perhaps even shippy ones with Lisbon, but right now he sees other people like chess pieces, and even when he regards their emotions with interest, it's not with great empathy.

me too!

wrong thread