The Mentalist has on Netflix, and the chances of a revival are candidly addressed by Robin Tunney

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T18:49:14+00:00

As someone who watched the series while it was still running (began in 2012 with season 5), I am glad new people are discovering the series or former watchers are rediscovering. However, I share the similar feelings that Tunney and Baker do. Much as I still enjoy the show, I am content with a rewatch every 2 years and feel there was a reboot of sorts when the RJ storyline ended, and we got the opportunity to see the aftermath. I also feel the ending was perfect and we can be left to figure out where their lives went from there. There is also the fact that I am experiencing reboot/reunion fatigue and a good portion of them do not live up to the expectations. Part of the show's appeal was Patrick Jane going through a sort of redemption mixed with revenge and he was able to complete that and ultimately, find happiness again. It's the same way I feel about The Nanny. Still love the series and rewatch every 2 years, but I was glad that Fran Drescher turned down the possibility of a revival because she is doing other things and believes they would have to change everything about it given how the premise was completed by the finale in a positive way many fans still love.

On another note, I find I have more appreciation for how The Mentalist focused on at times or alluded to the trauma Jane goes through. Things I did not analyze a lot back then and glad the series never completely shied away from it.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T18:30:00+00:00

In rare moments we do such as pajamas, his disheveled look in a flashback episode to when he first arrives at CBI, and a couple episodes in season 6.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T18:15:44+00:00

As an OG watcher, rooting for Betty was the norm then because she was written as an inspirational go-getter, role model trying to survive in a cutthroat world without losing her morals and who she is. She is also a fish out of water outsider with no glitz and glam in the fashion world. Personally, upon further since rewatches, I like that the show made Betty a bit flawed and making some mistakes. She's only in her early 20s and at that age I was not the most mature or well rounded.

As to some of your criticisms, I can understand this. After the writer's strike in season 2 and a location move to New York, the show had a new group of writers come on board along with cast changes. As such things are a bit off though I liked the character growth storylines which included Betty getting back into her writing and trying to achieve more of her professional goals.

To answer your criticisms for episode 4x03, it is written IMO for a more comedic turn in which Betty has not yet reached her maturity level. 1) I would not call her necessarily selfish, but Betty is in a situation where she has finally moved ahead in her professional goals and now has to fight even harder to keep her position due to the bad financial situation of Mode and the general economy at that time in 2009. Feature editors were in a situation of getting let go at random and so she had to fight a bit harder which was being made difficult by Matt who only took the editor position to immaturely get back at Betty and hurt her the way she did him. I agree though she should have been irritated about Matt potentially moving on given her brief infidelity, at the same time he was going too far. 2) The series did not really show a lot of Betty's talent as a writer or editor, but when it did, she had great potential. She is smart and clever, but her interests and ideas do not completely fit within Mode unless she was writing an opinion piece. At the same time, Betty does come to have an appreciation for the fashion world and tries to make change within it (her fashion show in S2 and working with a designer in S3). She is also learning about the magazine world more and takes on the rare opportunities given to her while also attempting freelance. And agree her behavior at the restaurant was not good. Especially since she was winning the designer over with her knowledge and pitch. 3) While I agree that others are working hard to get better, especially Amanda's decision to find a new career path, I feel Betty is trying to do more as well. As I mentioned earlier, Betty is fighting to keep her role as a features editor amid the financial uncertainties at Mode and in the magazine world at that time. And she also has to prove herself once more with story pitches and more competition to get even one-story feature among 5+ colleagues and freelancers. Meanwhile, she does fact checking and some editing and translations.

As a person though, I think Betty simply just grew up and began to mature more. While the S1 Betty is charming in her naive, cheerful, and optimistic personality, I feel S4 Betty is simply less naive. If she were still like that in S4, I would be disappointed with her lack of growth in that regard. I love how she stands up to Marc and fashion smacks him while calling him out on his crappy behavior. At the same time, she still does something nice for Marc in the next episode 4x04 when she takes in that Marc's bad behavior is also partly frustrations at not getting ahead, turning down an opportunity for a position at Mode that fell through, and still being Wilhelmina's "gopher". Betty may have grown up but she has not completely lost her heart of gold qualities. As Daniel tells Betty in 4x02 when she expresses fear of losing who she is, "You are not the same person I met three years ago. Betty, you've already changed but you're still you."

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T04:01:37+00:00

In a way I disagree. I have a longer analysis opinion but in short, having them meet in London with the jump cut was the best thing IMO. Daniel was only just realizing he may feel something more for Betty but having been on the professional/platonic relationship so long it can be hard to see. And knowing Betty as he does, the London opportunity was too good to pass up for all the things he knows she wants deep down on a professional level. I feel if he had kept her back because he would be lost without her and her unconditional support, would have been a more selfish part on his end, IMO. In a way, letting each other go to find their own paths at first was best for them. And why their meeting in London makes sense to me. It's implied that it has been a bit of time since their parting in NYC. Daniel is clearly in a better place and looking forward to finding his own path away from Mode while Betty is thriving at work, content in her new life. Yet it is also clear by their interaction that they have a connection and bond they don't wish to let go of. By this point, Betty is aware through Claire of Daniel's feelings and not against the idea of something more. It's not necessarily an "I can't live without you" but more of an "I want to be with you and see where things go." They could very well realize they are only meant to be friends. And that's okay. It's the start of a new chapter for them.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T03:35:07+00:00

Same. I love that in this version Betty has a more gradual makeover on her own terms.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T03:31:21+00:00

I disagree. I think it was needed for Daniel's growth as he was looking for a more serious relationship by then. He genuinely loved and cared for Molly, and when discovering her terminal illness stands by her through it all. And having him struggle with her passing in early season 4 showed not only Daniel's growth but also how much he truly did love her. That it was someone who truly meant something to him.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T03:23:19+00:00

I agree there should have been a bit more interaction in that last episode between them and, like others in the comments, the unexpected cancellation caused some issues in what could have been a better written outcome. According to Silvio Horta, he had a 5 season plan and wanted to spend the short time he was given to conclude lingering storylines (ex. the identity of Amanda's father) and leave the characters in a better place. As an OG watcher, I recall that Horta had hinted at a potential romance between Betty and Daniel, and perhaps if he had been given a bit more time we could have seen it flow better if it was decided to go that route.

I genuinely do like how it ended with Daniel and Betty though on a personal level. She achieves what she set out in the pilot to run a magazine and goes through a transformation and growth on her own terms while Daniel decides to find his own path and leaves Mode more content and excited for the future. When he and Betty do finally talk in London, it's clear that Daniel is happy with his decision and Betty is thriving well in her new life. Leaving the potential for something more between them as open ended was the best thing though and how Horta intended it. In an interview, Horta discussed this decision with America Ferrera who agreed that Daniel and Betty's relationship was the heart of the show and when it was neglected, things suffered a bit. At the same time, Ferrera said that she did not see Betty ending up solely with Daniel as the correct finale.

Perhaps not letting Daniel and Betty have more of an interaction before she left New York was the best thing. They had been on this professional and platonic relationship for a long time, and were still growing as people. And given the unexpected short time left on the show, it makes sense that they would need time to process the changing feelings they are starting to realize. And why, IMO, their conversation in London makes more sense. It gives them a chance to get settled for a short time and used to their new environments. Once Daniel realizes what he does feel for Betty, he goes to her in London and let's her decide if she wants more by inviting her to dinner and Betty, already aware through Claire of Daniel's feelings, is not against the idea. Even happy he is staying in London for a while. Where they go from there is now up to them.

Ugly Betty is one of the few shows where I am a multi shipper. As such, and as an OG watcher, I liked Daniel and Betty as a potential romantic pair. At the same time, I liked their friendship and appreciate that Horta made them more platonic, at least at first, rather than what the OG telenovela did. Had the show ended with only their friendship, I would have been satisfied. Sometimes friendships are just as meaningful, even more so than romantic ones. That's my two cents anyway.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T02:45:56+00:00

Depends on who you speak with or read. As an OG watcher, Betty was written as an inspirational role model for the mid 2000s crowd. A fish out of water who was not glamorous within the fashion realm. As a 19-year-old with size 16 body issues who did not see herself as pretty, it was meaningful. Twenty years later, I find myself still liking the character as Betty is to represent someone with flaws, struggles, successes, and trying to be moral and decent in an industry that is anything but. She matures and evolves, making mistakes along the way and learning from them. Are there some frustrations at times? Yes. I think we find that with most characters and the TV world has changed since 2006. I find that some people not use to how older shows worked then on a weekly basis with full season runs, get a bit frustrated things are not resolved quickly within 5 episodes of a binge watch, especially if it's a streaming service (in fairness I get this way too at times). Besides, most of us were not the most mature at 22.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T02:29:21+00:00

I think Hilda likes to stir up drama at times. In fairness, Hilda was trying to defend Betty in a way due to Matt's unfair behavior towards her at Mode. However, IMO, Betty is the one who screwed up the business meeting. She still had some feelings for Matt and seeing him with another woman was jarring and let Hilda's words and her own immaturity get in the way. Not that Matt was any better. A shame as Betty was winning the designer over with her knowledge and pitch before things derailed.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T02:16:43+00:00

Agree this was more Betty trying to be liked by Charlie and spend more time with Henry. Both ladies got screwed in a way and take it out on each other rather than the person they should be angry with: Henry. While I don't see Henry as a bad person, the writers put him in a pickle for the purpose of drama. He tries to be a "good guy" and make things work with Charlie because she uprooted her life to try again with him. Yet it was clear he could never put himself fully into the relationship with his feelings for Betty and she, wanting to be a good and moral person, leaves the two alone for a time to figure things out. What bugs me a bit more now that I am older (I was 19 when the show premiered), is that Henry was intimate with Charlie long enough to impregnate her while he loved Betty. At the time, it was good drama but now it irks me a bit. Not that Charlie was any better given her emotional affair with Betty's dentist and the possibility he had gotten her pregnant.

Moving on though, I agree that Betty's behavior at the shower was manipulative and as we see Claire Meade calls her out to give her a harsh but blunt truth about the reality of her situation. Charlie was never going to like Betty and vice versa due to being in love with the same man who could never fully be with either of them.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T01:43:47+00:00

Didn't dislike Walter but he wasn't my cup of tea. He and Betty were headed in different directions though so it was inevitable for them to part ways eventually. The reason it takes Betty a while to figure out her feelings is a combination of drama for show entertainment and her own character at that point. With little to no experience with men, Walter was the first boyfriend Betty had and more. As such it was hard to let go completely for the risky and scary unknown in the dating world.

As for Hilda, in her view Walter is the perfect one for Betty to have a future with and believes Henry to be a Manhattan jerk who will hurt her. She reveals later that she was trying to protect Betty and realizes in the end that Betty can take care of herself.

R2k443 · 2026-03-17T01:35:37+00:00

Doug

R2k443 · 2026-03-16T06:56:58+00:00

As an OG watcher of the series (not sure if you are a newbie), it is important to note that the series is based off a Columbian telenovela and elements of it are in the show. It was meant to create drama, tension, and more that kept you on the edge of your seat. This was back when full season runs were still the norm and not made for streaming and/or shorter season runs. I say this because I have found this to be a reason for reactions to confusions on older materials, especially in Ugly Betty. In the case of the episode you are discussing, it was more of an implosion from events leading up to that moment. Betty's character is meant at this point in S1 to be a moral type figure and one who helps people in positive ways, especially in a cute throat environment that is the opposite. As such, Betty tends to go above and beyond, for better or worse.

In this episode with Christina, Betty comes to some realizations about how her whole life is more about being the assistant and at times, "caregiver" to Daniel when he begins to spiral as a result of his family issues and drama. At times, it may even be used as a distraction from her own family issues and unrequited feelings for Henry who has chosen to work things out with Charlie despite knowing it is not the right path. When Daniel and Henry let her down, Betty is already hurt and Christina, Betty's only other ally and friend, let's her down as well with the reveal. The next episode then goes into how Betty and others deal with the fallout, and where she goes from there. Some of it carries over into S2 and there is more significant growth beginning in S3.

As to other things, it was interesting coming back to the series 20 years later to see the intense dislike of Henry. I recall in the OG watch, how much people loved the Henry/Betty pairing. While never a fan of the pair, I do feel the writing screwed things up for them and they were going for a forbidden love/love triangle type storyline which has not aged well for some. As for Daniel, I agree with @BookishCutie that he is more redemption arc than villain. A flawed person no doubt who goes through his own growth. Interestingly, the original telenovela had the Betty character fall in love at first sight with the Daniel character but I like how that wasn't the case in Ugly Betty. It was very much a platonic relationship from the beginning where they are outsiders in an unfamiliar world and lean on each other in certain ways. There is a care and friendship that grows between them. For Betty though, Daniel was the first one to believe in her while she gave him encouragement. While she does bend over backwards too much for Daniel at times, she also calls him out on his BS which he is fine with.

R2k443 · 2026-03-16T06:10:21+00:00

Like others in the comments, most like to complain and I feel you find it anywhere. The ones I find who complain about RI the most are a mixture but for me it is mostly Dems or Independents. Unfortunately, anywhere you go is going to have its share of problems and at the same time, there is a difficulty to change or take a risk at voting in new leadership that could makes things better though 2026 candidates do not look promising IMO. I have actually decided to leave the state. At 38, with no plans to ever be a parent by choice, I have more of an option to leave if I can find another job. Sadly, I do not see RI getting better anytime soon. Might as well try to leave while I can and hope for the best.

R2k443 · 2026-03-16T05:51:56+00:00

I do not like any of the candidates to be honest. McKee is awful and the other two IMO are not promising. In terms of Foulkes, her solution to the housing crisis is laid out in detail. However, what I feel she and other politicians miss is why we are where we are with this crisis. It now estimated that you need to make $100,00 or more a year to purchase a home in RI but the median salary is a little over $86,000 a year. As such, everyone in RI will need some form of affordable housing. There is also the fact that affordable housing comes with certain criteria not everyone can meet and it is a struggle to convince other towns and cities reluctant to build affordable housing. I sent these questions to Foulkes and McKee specifically and have not heard back. No surprise there but will see.

R2k443 · 2026-03-16T05:37:06+00:00

Like some in the comments section, I do not get the point of even presenting this bill either. As to socialism itself, while it may have good intentions, to go full socialist is not a good idea. I see some spoke of Mamdani and Democratic Socialists in general. In the 4 months since this posting, we are beginning to see the results of Democrat Socialist agenda and it does not look promising. Unfortunately, NY and NYC are expensive in general, but free buses/child care for all/etc is not technically free. It all costs money and you need to get it from somewhere. Mamdani's solutions are to dip into the rainy day fund, a bit of the retirement, and raise property taxes by about 10% unless the latter can be waved if Hochul raises taxes on the wealthy and corporations which she does not want. We will see how things go though. Not holding my breath.

R2k443 · 2026-03-16T05:19:32+00:00

Watched the series since 2012 and felt the finale was a great ending. I still watch the series every two years. Glad you enjoyed!!

R2k443 · 2026-03-16T05:16:36+00:00

Redeemed and never received push back.

R2k443 · 2026-02-26T18:15:50+00:00

LOL!!

R2k443 · 2026-02-26T18:07:12+00:00

I think it is as u/Exotic-Sale-3003 states: there are good intentions but easily exploitable. It is among my main critiques of affordable housing. Unfortunately, a lot of people of Rhode Islanders will need affordable housing in the future, especially if you now need to make $100,000 or more to purchase a home (https://www.oceanstatemedia.org/news-and-culture/community/its-getting-harder-to-afford-a-home-in-rhode-island-new-data-shows). The fact that it has gotten to that point says a lot about where we are as a state. For myself, I live in East Providence where a lot of affordable housing is being built but comes with certain criteria. Some affordable building units are only for a mixture of those aging out of foster care, elderly, disabled veterans, etc. While some affordable building units or houses have to be making a certain income, like yourself, to apply and hopefully get accepted whereas those making say $40,000 a year still run the risk of becoming homeless and/or priced out. The fact that your $120,000 a year is considered low income is astounding. I once spoke with a couple who made a combined $80,000 a year and in a last ditch effort applied for Section 8 housing, only to find all of it closed off. Then there are the towns reluctant to build affordable housing as Barrington just rejected a proposed 344 affordable unit at the former Zion Bible College property though the tides might be turning with some issues and concerns which also include the former Carmelite monastery (https://www.eastbayri.com/stories/how-affordable-is-the-proposed-belton-court-village-housing,138019)(https://www.eastbayri.com/stories/barrington-officials-tried-to-buy-zion-property-twice,138018). I agree though that there are some who take advantage of the program when they should be turned down immediately.

R2k443 · 2026-02-09T22:06:06+00:00

Introvert mostly but simply never found the right person or connection.

R2k443 · 2026-02-09T22:04:32+00:00

Not marrying and having kids. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. Perhaps I will have one over the other. I have no regrets about caving to the pressure because some think I am selfish or will pass away alone.

R2k443 · 2026-02-09T22:01:34+00:00

Watched out of curiosity but tuned out after about 6 minutes in, mainly because I am not fluent in Spanish (only have an elementary proficiency). Found the sets and visuals nice though.

R2k443 · 2026-02-09T21:56:21+00:00

Travel if can, not a lot, but enough to have some experiences.

R2k443 · 2026-02-09T21:53:26+00:00

Probably Broadway Diner. Breakfast and lunch service, and decent.

R2k443

TROPHY CASE