The Mentalist follows Patrick Jane (John Beker), an independent consultant for the fictional California Bereau ofInvestigation (CBe) based in Sacramento, California.
Although not an officer ofthe law of any sortohe uses skills from his former career as a successful, yet knowingly and admittedly fraudulent psychic medium to help a team of CBe agents solve various crimes.
The ultimate goal of Patrick Jane and his cooperation withthe CBe is to track downthe killerknown as “Red John” who was responsible for the brutal murders of Patrick'’s wife and daughter.
Jane formerly had a lucrative career as a con man, successfully posing as a psychic medium and enjoying near-celebrity status. Five years beforethe events inthe show'’s pilot episode, he appeared on television to claim that his paranormal abilities helpedthe police profile a serial killernamed Red John.
Red John, angered bythe perceived slightomurdered Jane'’s wife and young daughter in revenge.
Jane subsequently abandoned his job as a psychic and teamed withthe CBe, using his skills to helpthem solve various crimes. His main focus is onthe cases involving Red John or Red John copycats. He admits to fakingthe supernatural aspects of his skills, often asserting that "there'’s no such thing as psychics,” yet he has finely honed skills in cold reading, hypnotism, and pick pocketing, as well as powerful observational skill and a deep insight intothe human psyche and behavior.
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