Storyline Decline in Longterm Episodic Television

Simon Baker is an excellent actor.  He’s likable, funny, and you can tell the guy has a terrific personality.  You like spending time with him in your living room.  As the star of CBS’ “The Mentalist” you can enjoy Simon’s company every week.

Unfortunately, for Mentalist fans, there are original airings of the first shows in rerun, and I happened upon one of the earlier episodes.  I was surprised at how fresh and light the show felt compared to more contemporary episodes.  The actors were all thinner — of course — and not as polished, but they were fun and young and spritely.  There was a sense of fun and wonder to the show.

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