"The Mentalist" & Simon Baker

We missed the pilot episode of this new TV series starring Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a former stage psychic (but "a fake"), turned CBI investigation assistant who says he considers "there's no such thing as a psychic". He does his "magic" though intense powers of observation and perhaps a dash of intuition....we are led to believe.

After enjoying a subsequent episode, I skipped through a number of reviews of the pilot to discover Patrick Jane's back-story. It appears that his wife and small daughter were murdered as a result of a remark Jane had made on stage, some years ago, about a serial killer in the locality. After this tragedy the former fake psychic turned away from stage performance and secured a job assisting the CBI to investigate crimes.

A number of the reviews I read on-line were written by avowed skeptics. They are gleefully gloating about what they see as a TV series adopting a skeptical approach to the subject of psychics. I don't think they need be feeling quite so gleeful. I saw Patrick Jane possessing what are commonly called psychic skills, in spite of his protestations. He had used them on-stage. Because of the tragic outcome of a passing remark he now denies them, and denies that psychic ability exists at all. Yet he still uses the same talents in his new occupation. Maybe the script is cleverly constructed so that each viewer, skeptic, believer, or a mix of both (like me) can interpret the story as he/she wishes. I suspect that Jane does have psychic skills. In later episodes it wouldn't surprise me a bit if evidence emerges that there is more to it than observation and intuition - both of which, in my opinion, play an important part in what is called psychic ability anyway.

About Simon Baker: he is a very attractive guy who originated as an actor in Australian TV soap operas. He has since appeared in both movies and TV series in the USA since emigrating here in 1995. He was born on 30 July 1969 in Launceton, Tasmania. No birth time available - 12 noon chart below:



I've taken quotes from two interviews with Simon Baker (linked at foot of post), and added notes in red of what I see as astrological connections. Factors relevant here: Sun and Mercury in the show-biz sign, Leo. Moon somewhere in Aquarius (degree not certain without time of birth). Uranus conjunct Jupiter, Saturn in Taurus square Sun. Venus in Gemini quincunx Neptune in Scorpio.

"I'm not an actor because I have a need to see my name up in lights or because I want to be a multi-millionaire. (Sun in Leo square Saturn in Taurus). I do it because I've got something in me that has to come out (Mercury in Leo)....... Baker also concedes that he has to make some acting choices based on survival. "I have to balance art and commerce. I am an artist, that's who I am, and everything I do, whether it's a shit movie or whatever it is, I still try to do the best I can and express whatever. But at the same time, I have a wife and three kids and I have to support them. I'm not in a position where I can dance around all over the globe." (Venus = his artistic temperament is in irritable aspect to Neptune planet of creativity and dreams - he is not always free to do what his creative side might wish. And, here again, Saturn in Taurus grounding him to practicality, the need to support his family.

"If you look at my career, I’m not exactly good at the business of: okay, now I should do this or now I shouldn’t do that. I think that’s because I’m a little too erratic, and, depending on certain moods and how I feel at certain times, certain things appeal to me in a different way." (Moon in erratic Aquarius, and Uranus conjunct Jupiter) ...... while Baker could have taken advantage of the success of L.A. Confidential, he chose not to be lured by the prospects of fame and celebrity. "I certainly don’t crave what you have to give up for that." He says he is content to be where he is, in Hollywood’s scheme of things. "I kind of fly under the radar pretty well, and I appreciate that." Asked if it is that sense of reality that keeps him grounded, (Saturn in Taurus again) Baker says, "I don’t know, mate, I don’t analyse that so much, I possibly think so."

........it’s why I became an actor," Baker says. "It’s a way to speak to people without sitting down and having a chat with everyone. It’s a way to be able to speak to them and have people speak to themselves, try to question themselves and try to understand stuff. (Mercury in Leo)Films can be really powerful and don’t HAVE to be massive extravaganzas. They can be incredibly personal.


(Simon Baker and Robin Tunney in a scene from the series.)

http://www.femail.com.au/simon-baker-land-of-the-dead.htm
http://www.femail.com.au/simon_baker_the_guardian.htm