CBS network decided to broadcast a special episode of the new series entitled “The Mentalist” on Sunday. The episode will follow the presentation of the AFC Championship game and CBS expects up to 35 million viewers to watch their program on Sunday.

CBS has recently ordered an extra episode of the crime procedural television series, so this season will have up to 23 episodes. Nina Tassler, the CBS entertainment president, confirmed that the network will shoot a pilot which will premiere as an episode of the series. "We've seen an outline and we're going to cast and shoot it," Tassler told Reuters.

“The Mentalist” debuted on CBS on September 23, 2008. Simon Baker, a Golden Globe Award nominee, stars as the main character, Patrick Jane, who is a consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation. Jane also has an important track record of solving serious crimes by using his observation skills.

In addition, Jane is also the kind of character who uses his mental abilities to find out secret mysteries about crimes and to lead the witnesses to tell the truth only they know. The agent is thus appreciated by his colleagues as a psychic medium, whose paranormal abilities help the police into discovering the truth.

In October 2008 CBS ordered a full season of the series, because it caught the attention of a large audience. “Flame Red,” the episode which aired on December 2, 2008, was the highest-rated television show of the week.

At the 35th People’s Choice Awards from January 7, 2009, “The Mentalist” won the award for Favorite New TV Drama.