The Mentalist - The Great Red Dragon

With Ray Haffner (Reed Diamond), Sheriff Thomas McAllister (Xander Berkeley), and Bret Styles (Malcolm McDowell) confirmed dead, and Patrick Jane (Simon Baker)  unconscious following the explosion in his home, Lisbon leads the CBI after a wounded Reede Smith (Drew Powell) who she believes to be Red John due to catching a glimpse of the three dots on his left shoulder unaware that her boss Gale Bertram (Michael Gaston), who also survived the explosion, shares the same tattoo.

When run down the doctor (Arthur Darbinyan) Smith is using to patch up his bullet wound they get jumped by a pair of policemen (Joe Nieves, Peter Douglas) with the same markings who show up to kill their suspect. Jane interrogates the uncooperative cop they are able to bring in confirming a secret organization of law enforcement officials that Bertram, Smith, and the dead Parkridge (Jack Plotnick) are all members of.


Smith, bleeding bad from his wound and not knowing who to trust, eventually turns himself in to the CBI. After a brief interview, Jane crosses him off the Red John list leaving a single name which Jane release to the press in an attempt to find the missing Gale Bertram who Jane publicly names as Red John. After Bertram escapes  the FBI shows up to shutdown the entire CBI as an agent (Rockmond Dunbar) informs Lisbon that they will be taking over the case and every member of the of their group (including those who uncovered the secret network and discovered Betram was Red John) are all on suspension immediately.

As the episode comes to a close all evidence seems to point to Bertram being Red John although (despite his public declaration) Jane never really admits that he believes Bertram is their serial killer. The bomb blast is never properly explained, and the elimination of McAlister seems bit too easy (possibly leaving another suspect around?). Of course there's always the possibility that Jane has overlooked some small detail while putting together his list and Red John is actually someone else entirely. If true, Bertram isn't a bad choice for their killer although it certainly raises questions why he would need Reed's help in getting a man into CBI to kill Rebecca Anderson (Shauna Bloom)? Although Jane apparently gives up as "The Great Red Dragon" comes to a close, and all of his friends are barred from the case, it's obvious The Mentalist hasn't yet given up the hunt now that he's closer to ever to facing the man responsible for the murder of his wife and daughter.