The Mentalist - Red John's Rules

After spending a week in isolation Jane (Simon Baker) has narrowed the list of Red John's identity down to seven possible suspects. However, before he can share his findings the serial killer strikes again by killing a young woman connected to the mentalist's past. Following the clues left by Red John, Jane and Lisbon (Robin Tunney) head to Carson Springs' Child Protective Services and learn the name of the dead woman and her missing baby. The head of the agency (Laura San Giacomo) points them in the direction of the victim's abusive husband (Scott Anthony Leet) and a trip home for Jane and a reunion with a pair of old friends (M.C. Gainey, Tangie Ambrose).

Not believing the victim's husband to be their killer, Lisbon and Jane look further into their victim's past finding a second connection to Jane who last saw the victim when she was 3 years-old. Jane begins looking into the young woman's uncle (Michael Hogan), a dangerous and vindictive man with a grudge against both his niece and her husband. Cho (Tim Kang) and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) track down the hotel maid (Marisa Guterman) who has been on the run ever since she found the body. Her statement gives Jane the piece of the puzzle he was missing and a plan to trap the killer and recover the baby.


When Jane's latest stunt works he not only captures a killer and baby, but an accomplice of Red John as well who has a message for the mentalist from the man who murdered his wife and child. The season ends with a voice from beyond the grave as Lisbon and Jane watch a taped message from Lorelei (Emmanuelle Chriqui) and a near omniscient job of Red John naming all seven of Jane's suspects and making a promise to the mentalist to continue murdering until Jane finds a way to stop him.

Much like Jane, I don't believe in Red John's psychic powers, but the final sequence of events certainly make Lisbon (and the audience) second guess how Red John could know so much. Although it's almost overshadowed by the Red John's stunt, the reveal of the list of names is the bigger takeaway from the episode (and season). Some are expected: Bret Styles (Malcolm McDowell), Gale Bertram (Michael Gaston), Ray Haffner (Reed Diamond), and Bob Kirkland (Kevin Corrigan), while others are a bit less obvious Reede Smith (Drew Powell), Thomas McAllister (Xander Berkeley), and Brett Partridge (Jack Plotnick). With seven suspects (I know who's my favorite), and a promise by Red John to start killing again, it shouldn't be too hard for the CBI to whittle their list down to one. Of course, there's always the possibility that Jane overlooked something and Red John isn't even on this list.