We’ve been spending a lot of time on Grace and Rigsby’s relationship and Lisbon’s certainly had her moment in the spotlight. Sure, Cho has definitely stolen the show in past episodes (which was exactly a year ago, so I wonder if this is by design?), but it was nice to get more of his background and get a vibe on why he is the way he is. I really enjoyed Tim Kang‘s performance.
Cho’s demeanor sometimes makes me think he’s hiding something, but he was very open with Jane in his matter-of-fact Cho way. He’s definitely a man of few words, yet he was very open about the facts of his past … just not his feelings. I loved how understanding Cho’s girlfriend was and how she knows him well enough to give him the space he needed.
I liked a lot about this episode, but I’m really enjoying just how protective Jane has become of the team. Last week, we saw Jane looking out for Grace and Rigsby and the tender way he manipulated Lisbon into not turning them in and keeping her from feeling guilty. This week, because Jane is so insightful to people’s feelings, he knew Cho was having trouble with David’s death and he didn’t leave him alone for one moment. It was funny the way Jane kept popping up, but telling when Cho just accepted his presence and let him come along.
Did you notice how symbolic the coin trick was? When Jane brought up Ockham’s razor, and how the simplest solution to a problem is usually the correct one, it was cute in context with the coin and Rigsby’s complete gullibility. Rather than assume there was another coin, Rigsby looked for every other possibility to explain 20 heads in a row.
Cho did the same for his friend’s death. He looked for every possibility to prove that David didn’t turn his life around, that he was using drugs, dealing, lying to his mother (grandmother?) and living the gang life again. Cho was big enough to go to Mrs. Seung at the end and apologize her to her, and confess that he didn’t want to admit that David had turned his life around because then he’d have to admit that he let David down.
Other moments of greatness:
Did you enjoy the Cho-centric episode of The Mentalist?
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Feb 14, 2010 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
I like “The Mentalist” but I think this episode was very contrived. Too many things that happen fall into place at the end of the show. It’s not like there’s a real payoff anymore. They can do whatever they want whenever they want to. There was never a real question whether Cho would investigate. Jane never really convinced him. Cho never really held back but at the same time we all knew he could do whatever he wants to because there’d be something that get him out of his problems – just like the “I never heard that” solution with Rigsby and Van Pelt.
I don’t know – I think either the formula is getting stale or the actors are starting to phone it in. It’s not novel anymore and I expected more from this episode, especially because all the pause led to me noticing the exteriors having a destingt backlot look. The location where he stole his first car at age 14 looked like a backlot shot on “Seinfeld”. It was all very disappointing to me to be honest – the only good that came from it is that it makes “Human Target” not look that cheap when you put them side by side.
The only real good scenes where Rigsby getting fooled by Jane and wondering about it – with finally being told what the answer is. A first if I’m not wrong on the show – and the last scene between Cho and the mother of his former best friend. That was the emotion I really expected from the rest of the episode.
I think it all felt off because Cho’s girlfriend wasn’t introduced earlier. Caring for her was on the one hand nice, but on the other you have to question why he didn’t get involved with his former gangbanger-friend who really tried to not get into jail again. He basically let him down and when you look at it closely, Cho only investigated because he wanted to get rid of the chimp sitting on his shoulder – not because he was wrong or anything but rather to give his mind some rest. Either it was because Tim Kang hasn’t the gravitas to play real emotions or the one-dimensionality of his character didn’t allow for the emotions to come across. At least not for me.
I don’t know – I don’t understand why the writers aren’t putting in more time to fledge things out on “The Mentalist”. In the first season the things the characters said were always within their characters set of reactions and emotions. Now I get the feeling that things are starting to blend in.
You mentioned that Jane seems to care about the team. I think that’s what the writers are trying to get across, the problem I have with all this is that too many of the actual things going on on the show are pure and simple selfish. The scene where Cho didn’t answer to Lisbon’s calls when he was getting to his car made that pretty clear to me. Cho is a person who’s bound by his code of honor AND the rules of the trade as a police investigator. Right at that time I thought about situations I have been in when I didn’t answer to somebody who was superior to me – once when I left the field at a Soccer game and didn’t answer my coach and just directly went into the showers. Once when my father told me to come back after insulted a family member…
I’m sorry, but the show isn’t dealing with these situations the way they should be dealt with. Maybe I’m asking to much, but this huge amount of “not caring” about the things they do really break my suspension of disbelief big time. I mean what are the chances that when Cho puts his Jacket into the back seat he doesn’t notice Jane sitting in the passenger’s seat? That must’ve been the flattest car in the world, especially because when cho gets in Jane must’ve been the best lit passenger in the Universe. Or the simple fact that the suspect numero Uno so willingly plays dead man when Cho spills fake blood on him – oh by the way, where’d he get THAT from all of a sudden?
This show can do better. Much better. I’m disappointed in the way they used one of its most interesting characters.
The only good I got from this episode is that it was repeatedly mentioned that Cho was in the Army. So I guess we can expect the next chance for Cho to shine on this show in about twelve months and I sincerely hope they get their act together then.
I should really write this stuff down and correct it before I post. I hope I’m is still getting across what I meant to say :-)
I think you pretty much nailed it. Clearly, if not succintly.
The Mentalist is, frankly, a show I only keep on the DVR because I like all the actors, if not all the characters, and it doesn’t conflict with recording another show. The superficiality of the writing has long been a weak point, and while the show remains comforting, I doubt it has the capacity to ever truly surprise me.
Cho was really great during this episode as we got to see a lot more of his true character. It was really interesting how they ended up solving the crime. Check out this article on The Mentalist Blood In Blood Out episode.