Mind Games (TV series)

Cast and characters

Clark Edwards, played by Steve Zahn, is a former psychology professor who has bipolar disorder and knows human behavior inside out. His brother, Ross Edwards, portrayed by Christian Slater, is a convicted con man. Megan Shane, an actress, is played by Megalyn Echikunwoke. Wynn Everett takes on the role of Claire Edwards, Ross’s ex-wife. Gregory Marcel plays Miles Hood, once the top graduate student in Clark’s department. Cedric Sanders is Latrell Griffin, a business development specialist. Jaime Ray Newman portrays Samantha “Sam” Gordon, a former convict. Katherine Cunningham appears as Beth Scott, Clark’s girlfriend.

Production and development

Kyle Killen described the show as a weird workplace drama centered on turning 60 years of research into human behavior and manipulation into a weekly problem-solving company. He expressed excitement about using scientific observations of human nature to shape real-world outcomes. The show was originally titled Influence. Though a human behavior consulting firm called TGG Group exists in Chicago, the series is not based on that firm.

The initial episode order was filmed in Chicago during a record-setting period when six television shows and three major motion pictures were filming simultaneously. Killen was joined by Keith Redman as an executive producer. In May 2013, the series was announced as part of the 2013–14 schedule with Christian Slater and Steve Zahn as stars, along with supporting cast members Megalyn Echikunwoke, Cedric Sanders, Gregory Marcel, and Wynn Everett. Jaime Ray Newman was added to the cast in August.

After five episodes aired, the show was canceled on March 27, 2014, due to low ratings. The remaining episodes aired in Japan starting July 15, 2014, and also aired in the UK. For US residents, the remaining episodes can be purchased through Amazon streaming.

Reception

TV Equals' P. T. Jackson found the show appealing for its characters who think outside the box and help people, comparing it to Franklin & Bash. Zap2it's Laurel Brown noted that the characters' life histories help them understand the human mind. The show was also likened to Leverage. TV.com's Tim Surette called it the second most anticipated new show for midseason 2014, but after the pilot aired, he said it did not match Killen's past work in ambition and risk, though he considered it a daring experiment in the procedural genre.