Patrick Jane, an independent consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), has a remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his razor sharp skills of observation. Within the Bureau, Jane is notorious for his blatant lack of protocol and his semi-celebrity past as a former psychic medium, whose paranormal abilities he now admits he feigned. Jane's role in cracking a series of tough high-profile cases is greatly valued by his fellow agents. However, no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon openly resists having Jane in her unit and alternates between reluctantly acknowledging Jane's usefulness and blasting him for his theatrics, narcissism and dangerous lack of boundaries. Lisbon's team includes agents Kimball Cho, Wayne Rigsby and rookie member Grace Van Pelt, who all think Jane's a loose cannon, but admire his charm and knack for clearing cases.

While Lisbon and her team investigate the murder of a young waitress in the Napa Valley, Jane goes behind Lisbon's back to orchestrate his own undercover operation using Van Pelt as bait.

When a high school girl's body washes up on the beach, Patrick Jane sets a mentalist trap in order to get her surfing friends to turn on each other and reveal what really happened.

When the team learns that a wealthy investment banker found murdered inside his locked safe room was living a dual life and skimming millions from clients, Patrick Jane sets up a mental conundrum to see which of the suspects will show their true colors.

When a girl is found covered in blood and holding the murder weapon that killed her best friend, she becomes an obvious suspect, though she can't remember anything. But Jane, believing she's innocent, engineers a risky maneuver in which she must relive the terrifying events in order to spark her memory.

While investigating the case of a murdered casino owner, Patrick Jane uses his mentalist skills to ultimately entrap the killer and win big at the card tables.