The Mentalist’s Simon Baker Is Making A TV Comeback This Year, But His Next Gig Is A Bit Of A Twist

As a die-hard fan of Simon Baker since his days as Derek Hideaway in “The Guardian,” I have to say I’m both excited and intrigued by his upcoming project, “Lioness.” It’s not every day we get to see our favorite actors step behind the camera and take on a directing role, especially one based on a best-selling novel.

Since the cancellation of “The Mentalist,” Simon Baker has been less visible, wrapping up his tenure as Patrick Jane. The popular CBS series, which spanned seven seasons and ended in 2015, did so in a truncated final season. Following its conclusion, Baker has taken on only a few roles in films and television productions, with the majority being minor ones. Despite this, he recently graced the Netflix miniseries “Boy Swallows Universe.” Now, Baker is set for a significant return to television. However, it seems that this positive development brings a slight twist: the specific details about his new project have yet to be disclosed.

Actor from The Guardian, Simon Baker, is transforming Emily Perkins’ novel, Lioness, in collaboration with Bruna Papadrea’s Made Up Stories and Australian producer Lee-Anne Higgins. As reported by Deadline, Baker will direct every episode of the series that tells the story of Therese Thorne. The character Thorne is a woman who unwittingly becomes the focus of a fraud investigation following her marriage to a wealthy older man and the creation of her career. At the same time, Thorne has encounters with Claire, a neighbor who encourages her to explore riskier paths as she navigates her legal complications.

It remains unclear whether the former “Home and Away” actor will appear in the new series, as official casting details have yet to be revealed. However, his latest directing project, “Lioness,” is just one of many roles he’s taken on. He’s previously directed the 2017 film “Breathe” and several episodes of shows like “The Mentalist” and “The Guardian.” Moreover, he will serve as a producer on the upcoming show, ensuring his involvement even if he doesn’t appear on screen. This might not be the grand return to TV many had anticipated for this popular actor, but it’s still an impressive opportunity for him. If he stays behind the scenes, he’ll have ample chances to display his creative talents in various ways. In a statement to Deadline, the former “Devil Wears Prada” cast member praised the book, describing it as:

An intriguing, humorous, yet brutally truthful exploration of the tension between ambition and genuine self-expression in today’s world. Emily Perkins masterfully captures the depth and charm of her characters, leaving me excited to witness their development on the big screen.

Not too many details have been released for Lioness, from best-selling Aotearoa New Zealand author Emily Perkins. What prospective viewers should be aware of is that it was published in July 2023, so the fact that it’s already being adapted is impressive. It currently has a 3.44 rating out of five on Goodreads, with majority of the reviews being very positive. For her work on the novel, Perkins also earned the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction during this year’s Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. So there’s definitely reason to be confident in the strength of the source material, at least.

I have to say, it would be wonderful to see Simon Baker not only acting again but doing so in a procedural again. After all, he does indeed have strong acting chops. But I definitely won’t turn my nose up to the notion of him directing such an interesting-sounding series, though. Let’s hope that he and his colleagues manage to deliver something that’s truly engaging.

As you anticipate further updates about the Lioness project and Simon Baker’s role in it, why not explore his filmography to pass the time? If you have a Hulu or Max subscription, you can even watch all episodes of The Mentalist, including some of its top-rated episodes.

2024-08-10 21:37

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