"They have to be serious about it, " says Robert Dorian, a mostly retired mentalist who runs the program.

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The highest-rated scripted show of the evening was The Mentalist on CBS which drew 9 million viewers.

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For years, Buck Howard (John Malkovich) has worked as a stage mentalist, crossing the country and reading the minds of its citizens.

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The HFPA has shown they can appreciate crime procedurals (with actors from "The Mentalist "and "Without a Trace" getting nominated in prior years).

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In fact, as viewership declined for each of its broadcast rivals in the face of growing options this past season, CBS--home to juggernauts The Mentalist, NCIS and the CSI franchise--posted an 11% increase in total viewers, and a 3% gain in the advertiser-beloved 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research.

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