The Mentalist and more shows to watch if you like The Irrational

If you love The Irrational, there are several shows just like it that you should check out!

The Irrational has become a big hit for NBC. It stars Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer, a brilliant psychologist who aids the FBI and others on cases. He has great insight into human behavior, and episodes revolve around his unique studies and viewpoints to get at the truth. That's the latest in a long line of TV shows of unique investigators who rely on mind games to learn what really happened to a victim.

Some are a bit more comedic with the main detective having a quirky mind himself. There's also the use of psychology and behavior to find the truth with cases that challenge regular investigators. If you're a fan of The Irrational, these ten shows can be appealing, win you over, and make you think. 

The Mentalist

This CBS hit stars Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a fake psychic who makes the mistake of angering a serial killer. Said killer takes out Jane's family, sending him into a breakdown. He recovers by aiding the police in solving crimes using his unique skills as a con man and mentalist. Baker is mischievous in the role and shows a darker side at times.

A major subplot is Jane trying to hunt Red John and the twisted game they play can be thrilling. There's also watching Jane pulling his old con games on the perps and the rest of the cops (with Robin Tunney as their boss) putting up with his antics. It keeps you on your toes for a fun viewing. 

Streaming on Hulu and Max

Psych

This is basically the comedic version of The Mentalist. Shawn Spencer (James Roday) was raised by his cop father to be highly observant and piece together clues nicely. However, because of Shawn's slacker nature, the cops refuse to believe he can be this good a crime solver. So, he convinces people he's psychic, with his best friend Gus (Dulé Hill) helping him on cases.

The show is a delight thanks to Roday's performance, with Shawn often solving a case quickly and then having to go through the motions of pretending to "see" the clues. He's backed by a top supporting cast, and the show is never too serious, so it's no lie how much fun it can be for crime-solving buffs. 

Streaming on Peacock

Monk

This is a famous case of an eccentric crime solver, yet it does work well. Tony Shalhoub won three Emmys for his work as Adrian Monk, a former cop broken by his wife's murder. That's made him a germaphobe and obsessive-compulsive to the highest order but that makes him a more brilliant detective. He helps the police, who put up with his often bizarre behavior. 

It's all about Shalhoub's performance, which always captivates with his wonderful quirks and finding new ways to show off Monk's behavior. It's fun seeing him figure out a case early and then finding the evidence to back it up. That performance alone elevates this show with a truly one-of-a-kind investigator with a mind all his own. 

Streaming on Netflix and Peacock

High Potential

This new ABC series is already showing itself to be a top hit. A batch of cops stymied on a case are baffled that cleaning lady Morgan (Kaitlin Olson) is able to solve things in seconds. Morgan has a 160 IQ which is great for observing details and remembering minute trivia but terrible on her personal life. She ends up aiding the cops in order to find out what happened to an old love of hers.

The show is hitting its stride with Morgan's unorthodox approach clashing with the police, reminding her that these antics can ruin a case. It also touches on the drawbacks of Morgan's "gift," such as how she literally cannot sleep because her mind is moving so fast. It's a good time to latch onto this as the series has serious potential in being a great new crime series. 

Airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. Next day streaming is available on Hulu.

Lie To Me

This 2009-2011 FOX series has great appeal for Irrational fans. Dr. Carl Lightman (Tim Roth) is the founder of a group that assists law enforcement with their psychological insight. Lightman himself is practically a human lie detector able to see through people's falsehoods and crack cases. That's offset by his rather irascible attitude driven by some darker actions in his past.

Each episode has the team using their great skills in interrogations to get at the truth, complicated by how easily people lie every day. The three seasons are a good watch for a FOX spin on a regular procedural and Roth makes for a compelling lead. 

Streaming on Hulu and Tubi

Perception

This 2012-2015 TNT drama stars Eric McCormack as Daniel Pierce, a neurologist enlisted by the FBI to help on cases. Pierce has special insight into mental issues as he himself suffers from 
paranoid schizophrenia. This means quite often, he'll be hallucinating complete conversations with people, including the murder victim, that bear unique clues. 

Rachael Leigh Cook is a good co-lead as the FBI agent helping Pierce and Kelly Rowan as a chief hallucination who has a surprising real-world connection to Pierce. That you often don't know who's real or not adds a special layer to the show, with McCormack's performance making it more mysterious. 

Available for purchase on Amazon

Numbers

One of CBS' better 2000s procedurals has a nice setup. Rob Morrow is an FBI agent leading a special team handling tough cases. To get unique insight, he enlists his brother (David Krumholtz), a mathematical genius who uses his calculations to crack the cases. It's fascinating seeing the mathematics going into anything from a serial killer hunt to a terrorist attack. 

It's a good balance between the leads as the gung-ho agent and the eccentric professor meld well together and the rest of the team have their own challenges. Running a good 118 episodes, you don't have to be a math geek to get a kick out of this fun show. 

All seasons streaming on Freevee. Seasons 4-6 on Pluto TV.

Unforgettable

Running on CBS, then A&E, this 2011-15 series stars Poppy Montgomery as Carrie Wells, a NYPD cop blessed with an incredible memory. She can remember the most vivid details of events years ago, which is pretty handy for a homicide detective. Each episode has the fun of Carrie recalling crime scenes and earlier events to piece together clues and figure out the truth. Montgomery is stellar in the lead, with Carrie a fun-loving cop rather than so dour in her work. That's a refreshing change of pace and sparks up a show you'll remember for a while. 

Available for purchase on Amazon

Hannibal

Note: A previous version of this article cited Hannibal as being based on The Silence of the Lambs. This has been corrected.

A TV series based on Red Dragon may seem tricky but this glorious NBC show is a stunning watch. Mads Mikkelsen is brilliant as Hannibal Lecter, putting his own spin on the role so you stop comparing him to Anthony Hopkins. Hugh Dancy matches him as Will Graham, the FBI agent enlisting Lecter to help catch killers, only to realize Lecter is the worst of the bunch.

There's so much to admire about this show: The gorgeous cinematography, the top-notch supporting cast (Laurence Fishburne, Gillian Anderson, Caroline Dhavernas, and more), the twisted relationship between Hannibal and Will, the use of food analogies; it's all a amazing watch. It's a twisted ride but compelling to be one of the best shows of the 2010s and more than worthy of the source material. 

Streaming on Prime Video and Pluto TV

Mindhunter

Acclaimed director David Fincher created this stunning series examining the creation of what became the FBI Behavioral Analyst Unit. Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany are FBI agents in the late 1970s working with psychologist Anna Torv to examine the rise of serial killers. It's intriguing as many in the FBI don't grasp these guys even exist and so the trio are embarking on a new field. 

The show uses real-life cases like the Atlanta Child Murders, the Son of Sam and more. The actors are wonderful, and Fincher's unique style comes through in the direction. It's too bad it only lasted two seasons, but it deserves a watch for a fascinating real-life story of trying to understand what makes killers tick. 

Streaming on Netflix

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