The Mentalist-Best & Most Underrated of the Police Procedurals

[stj]

Am I alone in thinking "Bob Kirkland" is probably Red John?

[ThunderAeroI]

I'm thinking Red John really is Patrick, one episode of Season 3 withstanding.

[Enterprise is Great]

stj wrote:

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Am I alone in thinking "Bob Kirkland" is probably Red John?

Nope...i was thinking that just last night. He's either Red john or he's on of his main hencmen.

ThunderAeroI wrote:

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I'm thinking Red John really is Patrick, one episode of Season 3 withstanding.

I doubt that CBS would even let them go there. CBS plays it too safe for that.

[Venardhi]

They don't have to reveal it until the finale. Especially if they make it a dissociative identity, they can still maintain the Jane we know and love as a good guy (who would probably have to sacrifice himself to kill 'Red John' and go out a hero).

I'm about a season behind at this point, so I could be way off, but that theory was nagging at me since the beginning. It also makes the most dramatic sense since they seem intent on not giving Red John a physical presence in the show.

[ThunderAeroI]

Well RJ could be Desmond from Lost too, who knows. If you go to the who is Ron John website, most theories are that Patrick really is Red John. Although I buy Malcom McDowell as Red John too.

[Felidae]

I dislike Jane, not at first but the last season or so.. and Lisbon I've always disliked. So while mom watched this series, I usually go ahead and pick up my e-reader cause I'm bored. Not always, sometimes an episode is ok.

[Aragorn]

If Red John is truly a lot like Jane, the first two suspects that come to mind are the eccentric billionaire played by Currie Graham or Malcolm McDowell's character.

[stj]

TV/Movie psychiatry could have severely mentally ill people not just coping but triumphing over the rest of humanity. So Jane's skills by that wretched standard could fit with dissociative identity disorder/multiple personality. But nothing could explain how his henchmen know when to play along. Patrick Jane is not Red John, sorry.

Red John's little blind girl friend seemed like a diversion from a long commute by a guy bored with his job. Hence, not a billionaire. Also, to recruit from both criminals and law enforcement screams law enforcement to me. The connection with Stiles is clear enough: Red John got his first training in cult manipulation in Visualize.

Kirkland showing up in person when Lorelei is on the loose is too suggestive for me.

[Venardhi]

stj wrote:

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TV/Movie psychiatry could have severely mentally ill people not just coping but triumphing over the rest of humanity. So Jane's skills by that wretched standard could fit with dissociative identity disorder/multiple personality. But nothing could explain how his henchmen know when to play along.

Bad writing can explain anything it needs to. That is what pushed me away from the show being must-watch and into "if I catch it" territory.

[stj]

Yes, writers who can deliver correct solutions as consistently as Ellery Queen or Agatha Christie are rare indeed. Hollywood has more or less solved that problem by decreeing that since the world doesn't make sense, movies and television don't have to either. Jane's feats are about as well rationalized as Sherlock Holmes' I think. Most of the time pretty well, particularly as the writers do know that most people remember only the successes, but with the occasional glaring lapse.

For my part, the key to Jane's appeal is that his mean streak is aimed largely at worthy targets, and otherwise more or less under control. I could believe the medical examiner turning to him, for instance.

[Agent Richard07]

Jane being Red John is actually a pretty popular theory.

[ThunderAeroI]

Of Course because it is one of the only theories that make any logical sense of the entire series. The real question then should be asked. Does Jane know he is Red John?

[stj]

Jane as Red John seems nuts to me. How does Red John/Jane persuade Bradley Whitford to pretend to Red John to be Red John? It's bad enough trying to pretend that Red John could persuade Whitford to pretend to be Red John to Jane. The ex-con who contacted Jane & Co. knew he was pretending to give a lead to Red John but was really faking it with Red John/Jane? Etc. Etc. Etc.

[Guy Gardener]

So, we're talking about a mental breech like in Fightclub?

In that case, Jayne would have a series of lieutenants posing as Red John preforming to his scripts to coax third parties into fucking with Patrick Jaynes life.

Nah.

Silly.

"Who is Number One?"

"You are Number Six!"

[Aragorn]

They're not really doing a good job of hiding Amanda Righetti's pregnancy. They stuck her behind a desk but it's still really obvious.