Similar crime procedurals, who ever would have thought? THR's James Hibberd says sparks flew at TCA after the inevitable attempt by the press to compare the two shows:

"Go at it boys," says Tim Roth.

"The difference between the two shows is that our show is based on actual science, while 'Mentalist' is, I think, more of a scam," says actor Brendan Hines. "Our show is based on the most cutting-edge research used by TCA and NSA. What you see on the show is based on real science and techniques that are simple and that people can bring to life." [...]

More superficially, Tim Roth kept his British accent — unlike transplanted Brits such Hugh Laurie.

And quite unlike Australian Simon Baker, whose native accent was tamped down lest a besotted Barbara Walters hurl herself at the TV screen. Still, familiarity has never hurt this genre before, so why should it now? There's room enough for both shows, plus Fox's own reality spin, Moment of Truth—in fact, we eagerly await the upcoming plotlines that find Baker and Roth obsessed with examining the validity of men's stuffed crotches.

• 'Lie to Me' panel: 'The Mentalist' is a 'scam' [THR]

This morning's guest was Simon Baker, star of the only real network success story this season, The Mentalist. Baker's already proved his lady-killing bona fides as the non-Adrian Grenier love interest in The Devil Wears Prada, and his new designation as "Sexiest Blond" in People magazine (combined with his natural Australian accent) caused the ladies on the View couch to spontaneously ovulate. The 79-year-old Walters led the charge, turning Baker's innocent ice cream cone anecdote into an uncomfortable, cunnilingus-inspiring sex fantasy. Is that image more hideous than Whoopi Goldberg's Ugg Boots? You be the judge!

• The View [ABC]