Amazon Prime Just Dropped the Iconic 00s Crime Thriller Fans Still Call ‘The Best Show Ever’ — 7 Seasons of Twists, Mind Games, and the Most Terrifying Serial Killer Hunt of the Decade!! The wait is over — one of the most legendary crime thrillers of the 2000s has finally landed on Amazon Prime, and fans are already losing it. The Mentalist isn’t just another procedural — it’s a razor-sharp game of cat and mouse, following Simon Baker’s Patrick Jane, a brilliant but haunted former ‘psychic’ whose every case is shadowed by the chilling presence of Red John, the serial killer who destroyed his family. With seven full seasons now streaming, viewers are calling it “the best show ever,” a masterclass in psychological deception, shocking twists, and heart-stopping suspense. Whether you missed it the first time or you’re ready to relive the obsession, this is the ultimate binge that will swallow your entire weekend.
ith it being one of the most popular genres, there’s never a shortage of amazing crime dramas to binge. Whether you’re in the mood for a 23-episode-long police procedural or a cosy crime show that lasts for around six episodes, there are plenty of options to tune in. One of the best shows to come out of the noughties was CBS’ The Mentalist, which lasted for seven seasons between 2008 and 2015. The series featured Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a former ‘psychic’, who joins forces with the fictional CBI as they try to track down Red John, a serial killer who murdered his wife and daughter. And if, for some reason, you missed the show when it first aired, Amazon Prime has just added its entire run to its library.
The addition of the series came just in time, as the drama recently celebrated its 17th anniversary, with its first-ever episode broadcasting on 23 September 2008. The series was very well received when it first aired with contemporary critics saying: “The setup and episodic storytelling is far from original, but The Mentalist distinguishes itself from other procedurals mostly due to the talents of Simon Baker,” while another review read: “Psychological sleight of hand can’t fill an hour every week. For that, you need complicated, interesting crimes and complicated, interesting characters solving them. The Mentalist seems prepared to deliver just that.”
Likewise, fans were regularly tuning in for the show. Its first season managed to achieve 17 million viewers, and the first-season episode, Flame Red, became the first episode to achieve the highest-rated TV show in its first season for four years; before this, it was Desperate Housewives. However, viewership eventually started peeling away, and when the show was cancelled, it was only watched by 11 million people.
Fan reaction
Fans have long hailed The Mentalist as one of the best shows to have been produced. One penned: ” I don’t normally write reviews, but I have to for this gem. First of all, if you’re in a dilemma of deciding whether should watch it or not then put your doubts aside and give it a go, you will not regret it. This is one of the best shows I have ever seen. The story is very well written, and it’s surpassed only by the acting of the cast involved. Simon Baker’s performance in The Mentalist is nothing short of spectacular, he brought the character of Patrick Jane to life.”
© CBS via Getty ImagesA second commented: “Hands down the best show I have ever watched, and I have watched quite a few shows in my lifetime. Each and every one of the actors are terrific, but a special mention is surely deserved by the charming, suave, dashing, breathtakingly handsome, with an infectious smile that lights up the room, Simon Baker.”
Meanwhile, a third wrote: “Definitely the best TV series out there. Watching it over and over again and it never gets boring. It is so perfect and not over the top… every episode different and the way of catching the killer is so different and fun, making it so much better than other tv series that repeat themselves.”
