Simon Baker hasn’t been seen much since The Mentalist was canceled, marking the end of his time in the role of Patrick Jane. The series, which ran for seven seasons on CBS, ended in 2015 with a shortened season. Baker has only taken a handful of roles in movies and shows since then, with most of them being small. While he did recently appear on the Netflix miniseries Boy Swallows Universe, Baker is now poised to make a big TV comeback. However, this welcome piece of news comes with a bit of a twist.
The Guardian actor is adapting Emily Perkins’ novel, Lioness, alongside Bruna Papadrea’s Made Up Stories and Australian producer Lee-Anne Higgins. According to Deadline, Simon Baker is set to direct all episodes of the series, which follows Therese Thorne. Per the trade, the character is described as a woman who finds herself at the center of a fraud investigation after marrying a wealthy older gentleman and forging a career for herself. All the while, Thorne finds herself having interactions with Claire, a neighbor who seemingly entices her to take a walk on the wild side as she deals with her legal entanglements.
It’s unknown if the Home and Away alum will also star in the series, as casting news has not yet been announced. Lioness is only his latest directing gig, as he previously directed the 2017 film Breathe, five episodes of The Mentalist and one episode of The Guardian. He’ll will also serve as producer on the upcoming show, meaning that even if he isn’t starring in it, he still very much has his fingerprints on it. This probably isn’t what some might’ve expected from a major TV comeback for the fan-favorite actor, but I’d say it’s a solid gig for him. Even if he doesn’t get in front of the camera, he’ll still be able to flex his creative muscles in a myriad of ways. In a statement shared with Deadline, the Devil Wears Prada cast member praised the book, calling it:
A beautiful, witty, and searingly honest look at the dichotomy of aspiration and authentic identity in our time. Emily Perkins truly understands the complexity of people and has written characters so rich and engaging that I’m thrilled to be a part of seeing them come to life on the 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.
While you wait for more information on Lioness and Simon Baker’s involvement with it, take a look through his filmography to keep occupied. For instance, those with a Hulu subscription or a Max subscription can check out all of The Mentalist, including its best episode.
Source Agencies
