(S02E13) "I so love that new car smell." - Jane

And we so love that new episode smell, don't we? Jane definitely loved more than that new car smell in this new installment of 'The Mentalist', he loved the politics of a popular and pricy dealership and had loads of fun analyzing and toying with the staff.

But what Jane probably loved most this week, which coincidentally is what I enjoyed most in the episode, is that he was able to make a friend!

If you haven't seen our game before, we give you a picture from a recent episode of a TV series and you provide the caption!

Last week's winner is Tom with this: "Who, her? Oh she's just keeping the seat warm until Conan's available."

This week's pic is from last week's episode of The Mentalist.

(S02E12) "It's a good rule of thumb to avoid doing things that require wearing a mask. And you're such a handsome fellow too." - Jane

"How'd you know I'm handsome?" - Jasper

OK, so The Mentalist is starting to hit some of the formula plots that all shows eventually get to. This one was the "someone is making a documentary about CBI and each person is interviewed and we learn more about them" episode. I could have done without it. I'd rather they concentrate on the main mystery rather than mix in this subplot. Or maybe the reason they had this documentary being filmed was because without it the mystery wouldn't have been as interesting.

The good news? It was better than The Office clip show we had tonight. The bad news? It didn't quite work.

(S02E11) "They're a little old to be necking, aren't they?" - Van Pelt
"There's an age limit on that?" - Jane

I love Jane's humor! Don't you? This week, our favorite mentalist was a fish out of water when the case of the week lead the team to a high school reunion, an event Jane never attended before since he was too "busy" to go to school. Based on the previous episode, he was probably too busy conning people for/with his father.

As Jane told Lisbon, everyone at such a reunion lies, making it difficult for them to find out the killer. So to help get the truth out, Jane resorted to blackmailing a friend!

(S02E10) So this was the inevitable flashback episode of The Mentalist. We've had flashbacks before, of course, but we knew we were going to get one where we learn how Patrick Jane became who he is. An episode where we see a teen Jane scamming people by making them think he could read their minds (though he's more talented than that and really can figure things out, just not in a mystical way). The kid playing young Jane was pretty much spot on doing a young Simon Baker.

Too bad the present-day mystery wasn't that interesting.

(S02E09) "This is a murder investigation, I can be as hard ass as I want to be." - Jane

Jane has played with fire before and crossed the line a few times. This week was no different and he was very upfront about it, repeating at least two times that he could be hard ass as he wanted to be during an investigation.

When you are cocky and push the envelope a bit too much, karma will more than likely ensure that you pay your dues. It wouldn't surprise me that one of the bad guys introduced in this episode comes back to seek revenge on Jane for being a hard ass.

Don't blame Jay Leno. NBC's risky experiment, gutting its 10PM drama slate to air Leno's low-budget variety hour five nights a week, may not have paid off in ratings, and the move may have made NBC an easy target for scorn and ridicule. But Nielsen ratings numbers suggest that no one could have slowed the slide during the final hour of primetime.

According to the Associated Press, the 10PM hour has become the time when viewers catch up with the shows on their DVR queues. So viewership of first-run shows at 10PM is down at all of the big three broadcast networks.

(S02E08) "God, you're a cold bastard." - Lisbon, to Jane

Wow. Just... wow. I have to hand it to The Mentalist. The previews showed several agents dying and lots of tension and upheaval at CBI. But really, I thought there would be some trick to it. Agents we've never met would be killed or something similar. But they actually killed off regulars! Another agent quits! Two people professed love for one another!

This was like a season finale, really, which makes me really excited to see how this season is going to end.

A little while back, 'The Mentalist' star Simon Baker and I had a little playdate ... a playdate that included taking a private plane to Phoenix and chatting live in front of a couple thousand national advertisers at their annual conference. Yep, it's all in a day's work people!

I took along some cameras to capture every minute so you all can feel like you were there too, sitting right next to Simon. We chatted all about how his life has changed since 'The Mentalist' (Thursdays, 10PM ET on CBS) became such a huge hit. Simon then gave his honest opinion about whether or not the CBI team will ever catch Red John, and if there's romance in store for his character, Patrick Jane, and his partner-in-fighting-crime, Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney).

We also talk about what a family guy he is. Fun fact: The dad of three actually took the part in 'The Devil Wears Prada' because his daughter told him to. What does she want him to do next? "A romantic comedy," he said with a smile -- a smile that says he's seriously considering it. Swoon.

Watch our video interview now to see it all, and don't miss a few other outtakes -- like the perils of having a 16-year-old daughter -- on The Show Girl. Because, really, isn't everything just a little more fun with Simon Baker?

CBS is promoting this Thursday's episode of The Mentalist as "the episode you've been waiting for." Not sure about that, but this preview below does seem rather intense. Three people are murdered in the CBI office and Red John might be involved? Yikes.

[Watch clips and episodes of The Mentalist and other shows at SlashControl.]

You've got questions? I've got answers. I'm The Show Girl!

This week, I sit down and get personal with 'The Mentalist' star Simon Baker in a very special interview, even getting him to answer a fan question from the live audience, and open up about being a dad.

And, for you 'Fringe' fans out there, I have scoop straight from Joshua Jackson on everyone's favorite bald man of mystery, The Observer. (Don't you want to know why he puts Tobasco on everything?) I also get 'Southland' star Ben McKenzie to promise he'll finally get on Twitter ... if fans of his do one little thing.

Want more? Email me TV questions at TheTVShowGirl@aol.com -- who knows, I might just give you an answer on the show. Now watch, enjoy and come back next week for more. Until then, happy TV watching! -- By Maggie Furlong

(S02E07) "This man ... I don't even know what he is. He is an accident waiting to happen." - Bosco about Jane

Don't adjust your computer screen. The picture above was not tempered with: Jane and Bocso are in the same area and are not at each others' throat! As Bob hinted at the end of his review of last week's The Mentalist episode, the "Jane and Bosco having to work closely together on a case" episode we've been expecting since Bosco joined the show has finally arrived!

Did the USA Network decide not to buy the Simon Baker series The Mentalist for syndication because it would conflict with their own psychic detective show Psych?

You have to wonder, because The Mentalist has been snatched up by TNT in a lush syndication deal. How lush? About $2 million per episode, a broadcast series record. (The overall record is HBO's The Sopranos going to A&E for $2.5 per episode.)

(S02E06) "No takebacks!" - Jane, to the killer, about her confession

So this episode had two things that scare the hell out of me: prison and mice. I think we all view prison as a place that would freak us out if we ever found ourselves in one. I hate the very thought of being in that situation. I think I'd try to escape like Jane did tonight. What's the worst that could happen, they'd send you to prison?

As for mice, I have a few every winter in my apartment. They come in through the wall behind the fridge looking for warmth and food. Really irritating and gross.

And this episode had both of those things. Gah.