I enjoy The Mentalist as fairly intelligent, light-hearted character-driven hour of TV, one of few I make a point of catching. This episode, though still loyal to the characters, was much darker and more intense. I won't give anything away here, but I will say EXCELLENT turn by Alicia Witt. I knew she was in it and still almost didn't recognize her. She and everyone else were just excellent in this change of pace. I sometimes get irritated by Jane's characteristic child-like grin, but it was completely missing from this episode, and I found myself wishing that something would happen to bring it back. This episode made me appreciate Simon Baker as an actor. I honestly don't want to leave any spoilers here, but this was just an excellent and unforgettable episode, one that I would gladly watch again, just to see what I missed in the details. I'll end by saying excellent use of Alicia Witt's skills as a pianist.
7 Reviews
Red John strikes again
Tweekums27 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
When a woman's body is discovered it looks like the work of serial killer Red John. There is no sign of his signature face but as the CBI examine the scene they look up to see a plane drawing the picture in the sky. Jane is sure that Red John wants him on the case. It turns out that the dead girl was a twin and her sister is missing. The team investigate who paid for the sky-writer and this ultimately leads them to the blind woman he was involved with... she is convinced that he couldn't be Red John but his 'face' has been painted above her bed. Another lead points to a remote property; Jane is determined to go straight away but Lisbon insists on getting a warrant first. While she goes to get the warrant Jane heads there with the local sheriff; a potentially dangerous move.
After not being mentioned for some time it was good to see Red John back again playing Moriarty to Jane's Holmes. The nature of the Red John storyline means we can't expect a final resolution but there is still the satisfaction of seeing one of his acolytes exposed. The story moves along at a good pace with one clue leading to another. The cast is on fine form; Tim Kang and Owain Yeoman are a lot of fun as Cho and Rigsby but it is Simon Baker and Robin Tunney who stand out as Jane and Lisbon; while they may appear to be bickering we good some impressive character development as Jane saves Lisbon, eliminating a possible lead to Red John, shortly after saying he'd give his own life for such a lead. The guest cast are impressive too; most notably Alicia Witt who plays the blind pianist who was involved with a man who may have been Red John. Overall this was an impressive season finale which didn't end with a cliff-hanger.
After not being mentioned for some time it was good to see Red John back again playing Moriarty to Jane's Holmes. The nature of the Red John storyline means we can't expect a final resolution but there is still the satisfaction of seeing one of his acolytes exposed. The story moves along at a good pace with one clue leading to another. The cast is on fine form; Tim Kang and Owain Yeoman are a lot of fun as Cho and Rigsby but it is Simon Baker and Robin Tunney who stand out as Jane and Lisbon; while they may appear to be bickering we good some impressive character development as Jane saves Lisbon, eliminating a possible lead to Red John, shortly after saying he'd give his own life for such a lead. The guest cast are impressive too; most notably Alicia Witt who plays the blind pianist who was involved with a man who may have been Red John. Overall this was an impressive season finale which didn't end with a cliff-hanger.
The Return of Red John
claudio_carvalho6 December 2021
When a young woman is found in a park with slashed throat and foot nails painted with blood, the CBI immediately associates the style to Red John. An airplane draws a smiling face in the sky and then they are sure that Red John was the author. Sheriff Hardy helps the agents to identify the victim, Emma Plaskett, and her twin sister Maya that is missing. Following the track of the airplane, they find the blind Rosalind Harker, who had a love affair with Red John. They also learn that Red John brought a friend to her house in the Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, they also investigate Maya's boyfriend, the small-time drug dealer Mace Gutherie. Will Patrick, Lisbon and the CBI agents find the notorious Red John?
"Red John's Footsteps" is one of the best episodes of the First Season of "The Mentalist". The return of the smart and cruel serial-killer is a plus for the next promising season. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Red John's Footsteps"
"Red John's Footsteps" is one of the best episodes of the First Season of "The Mentalist". The return of the smart and cruel serial-killer is a plus for the next promising season. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Red John's Footsteps"
"We better put effort into this as it is a season ender," said an executive.
ttapola6 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Hmm... The first season comes to an end and after a way too long absence, Red John returns - people need something to remember while waiting for the second season, after all. Someone also must have been thinking, "Let's fill this episode with guest stars people will recognize - that too will help people remember this one." So we have reliable professionals such as Geoff Pierson and Kate Vernon (so memorable in the new "Battlestar Galactica") as the Red John's twin sister victims' parents. And they've brought in Alicia Witt (*most* memorable from her turn in "Cybill") and given their recurring guest actor, the always delightfully despicable Gregory Itzin, another appearance. (By "despicable" I mean the characters he plays - I'm sure the *real* Mr. Itzin is a nice man.)
But cynicism aside, how is the episode? Well, We *actually* get a really memorable opening teaser, after which it is nice to see Jane observe that there is something strange about this case - it seems Red John has changed his MO, and may also have an accomplice. Well, a pretty good hook. They got my attention. Onto Jane interrogating the parents in a well-written and acted scene that moves the plot onward by giving the CBI a lead to follow. And gets Jane a second interrogation scene. Which reveals secrets and uncovers a whole web of new lies and connections. Then another line of investigation gives Red John a possible identity... And this causes Jane to butt heads with Lisbon in a manner that *should* affect their future relations.
It is clear that care and attention went into crafting this episode. There are unnerving revelations and *plausible* surprise twists aplenty, which means the script is mostly good. There is a *big* revelation that may have the viewer in awe - unless they have seen "The Profiler", where the basic nature of the revelation is ripped off from... (In "Profiler", the revelation was *bigger*, here it is just a tease to make us want to see the second season.) Then there is the climactic twist that's ripped off from Lethal Weapon, for crying out loud! No points on originality here... Also note how handy the climax is in eliminating all leads to Red John - how convenient! How's the acting then? Alicia Witt stands out from the guest stars and gives us a performance which makes it regrettable that from "Cybill" she drifted into such wrong choices as Urban Legend, The Reef, Cecil B. DeMented, Two Weeks Notice, and in 2004, back to TV. The episode is pretty well directed, but there's no really outstanding achievements. All the production values are of high standard, which is why it's sad that the script should have been worked on more. When reviewing anything, there is the question that should always be asked: "Could this have been improved in any way?" Now, from the faults I've mentioned above, it's pretty obvious that this is not a flawless 10/10, it doesn't even break any new ground. It's just a professionally crafted 8/10.
But cynicism aside, how is the episode? Well, We *actually* get a really memorable opening teaser, after which it is nice to see Jane observe that there is something strange about this case - it seems Red John has changed his MO, and may also have an accomplice. Well, a pretty good hook. They got my attention. Onto Jane interrogating the parents in a well-written and acted scene that moves the plot onward by giving the CBI a lead to follow. And gets Jane a second interrogation scene. Which reveals secrets and uncovers a whole web of new lies and connections. Then another line of investigation gives Red John a possible identity... And this causes Jane to butt heads with Lisbon in a manner that *should* affect their future relations.
It is clear that care and attention went into crafting this episode. There are unnerving revelations and *plausible* surprise twists aplenty, which means the script is mostly good. There is a *big* revelation that may have the viewer in awe - unless they have seen "The Profiler", where the basic nature of the revelation is ripped off from... (In "Profiler", the revelation was *bigger*, here it is just a tease to make us want to see the second season.) Then there is the climactic twist that's ripped off from Lethal Weapon, for crying out loud! No points on originality here... Also note how handy the climax is in eliminating all leads to Red John - how convenient! How's the acting then? Alicia Witt stands out from the guest stars and gives us a performance which makes it regrettable that from "Cybill" she drifted into such wrong choices as Urban Legend, The Reef, Cecil B. DeMented, Two Weeks Notice, and in 2004, back to TV. The episode is pretty well directed, but there's no really outstanding achievements. All the production values are of high standard, which is why it's sad that the script should have been worked on more. When reviewing anything, there is the question that should always be asked: "Could this have been improved in any way?" Now, from the faults I've mentioned above, it's pretty obvious that this is not a flawless 10/10, it doesn't even break any new ground. It's just a professionally crafted 8/10.
Season 1: Safe, predictable and formulaic – easy to watch but a little dull, samey and bland as a result of its approach
bob the moo13 March 2010
Having watched as much rubbish for the sake of watching it as I have done over the years, I'm really in no position to judge how my girlfriend views the role of media in her life. See for me it is something I actively take in whereas for her it mostly acts as a sort of passive relaxant that is all around her without her having too focus too hard on it at the end of a long day. What this means in practice is that In Treatment, Mad Men, Six Feet Under and other shows she considers to require attention sit unwatched on the shelf while I scour the TV listings looking for undemanding and easy television to provide this relaxing glow. It is the reason why there will always be a market for this sort of thing in my house.
The Mentalist fits that bill, which is why I am now here, writing this despite having spent 5 solid minutes laughing and mocking the title when I first heard of it. The show is another of the endless production line of detective shows with a quirky central character or quirky hook, that trades off the hook week-by-week with solid mystery plots while keeping a bigger drama in the background for season finales or to help it out if ratings dip. Here the quirk is that Thomas Jane has fantastic observational skills and uses them to pose as a physic, suggesting his insights come from supernatural powers but now he is working as a consultant helping the police on high-profile cases. If it sounds familiar then you are probably a fan of Psych, a show that has the same idea but plays it more for laughs while The Mentalist in theory is more of a drama.
I say "in theory" because I am not convinced that the show wants to do anything other than fill an hour of television with material that viewers can enjoy as they are comforted by its familiarity, engaged by how accessible it is but never threatened or challenged by any part of it. As a result the whole Red John thing is never more than a shadow in the background and the best we get in regards real pain or darkness in the character of Jane is the occasional bit of staring off into the background or talking about revenge. Otherwise we have the status quo – an odd character who is quite brilliant at what he does but doesn't play by the rules of others but gets results despite rubbing people up the wrong way with his odd behaviour. The weekly mysteries play out well enough and aren't really ever dull or bad across the season, but The Mentalist (and the many other shows like it) are rarely to be criticised for being "bad" per se in the same way as mid-value copies of big brands (like the supermarket version of Coke or Pepsi for example) are not often "awful" because they are working with the same base formula even if the things that make them unique are lacking.
So it is with The Mentalist as it does everything you expect it to do in a way that is safe and accessible but never does anything to standout as special or to excite the viewer. The plots are there as per normal, the characters may differ in race and gender but ultimately the dynamics are what you expect and each episode provides a solid mystery that is solved in the same way each week, so that you know if you like one then you'll like the next one – whether you can spot the difference between one episode and the next is by the by. It's all professional enough though and I quite liked it as a safe background thing that I could follow with most of my brain on another task. The drama aspect of it never offers much and, when it feels it has to offer "depth" it only ever does so in a sort of "Hallmark" soft-music and distance-staring way that does nothing other than reinforce the "by the numbers nothing special" feel it has.
Baker is light in the lead and when he enjoys himself with his character the show is quite fun to watch. Asked to do more he cannot perform but he can do the basics. Talking of doing the basics the support cast could easily be built by machine. Tunney is "authoritative but shyly-appreciative of Jane's methods" in the usual way and this is what she does. Righetti is "the sexy one", Yeoman is the "tough but likable one" while Kang is the dry rather humourless one. They all do as requested but nobody is particularly memorable.
The Mentalist season 1 is a by-the-numbers affair. It is too professional and "on-formula" to be "bad" but this also means it is rather unmemorable and blends together with itself and lots of other shows selling the same product. It is accessible and undemanding, which many people look for – were it down to me I'd leave it at that but my girlfriend is planning to watch season 2 and I suppose is nothing else I will be curious to see if they just do more of the same or if they try to lift their game now that the show is more established.
The Mentalist fits that bill, which is why I am now here, writing this despite having spent 5 solid minutes laughing and mocking the title when I first heard of it. The show is another of the endless production line of detective shows with a quirky central character or quirky hook, that trades off the hook week-by-week with solid mystery plots while keeping a bigger drama in the background for season finales or to help it out if ratings dip. Here the quirk is that Thomas Jane has fantastic observational skills and uses them to pose as a physic, suggesting his insights come from supernatural powers but now he is working as a consultant helping the police on high-profile cases. If it sounds familiar then you are probably a fan of Psych, a show that has the same idea but plays it more for laughs while The Mentalist in theory is more of a drama.
I say "in theory" because I am not convinced that the show wants to do anything other than fill an hour of television with material that viewers can enjoy as they are comforted by its familiarity, engaged by how accessible it is but never threatened or challenged by any part of it. As a result the whole Red John thing is never more than a shadow in the background and the best we get in regards real pain or darkness in the character of Jane is the occasional bit of staring off into the background or talking about revenge. Otherwise we have the status quo – an odd character who is quite brilliant at what he does but doesn't play by the rules of others but gets results despite rubbing people up the wrong way with his odd behaviour. The weekly mysteries play out well enough and aren't really ever dull or bad across the season, but The Mentalist (and the many other shows like it) are rarely to be criticised for being "bad" per se in the same way as mid-value copies of big brands (like the supermarket version of Coke or Pepsi for example) are not often "awful" because they are working with the same base formula even if the things that make them unique are lacking.
So it is with The Mentalist as it does everything you expect it to do in a way that is safe and accessible but never does anything to standout as special or to excite the viewer. The plots are there as per normal, the characters may differ in race and gender but ultimately the dynamics are what you expect and each episode provides a solid mystery that is solved in the same way each week, so that you know if you like one then you'll like the next one – whether you can spot the difference between one episode and the next is by the by. It's all professional enough though and I quite liked it as a safe background thing that I could follow with most of my brain on another task. The drama aspect of it never offers much and, when it feels it has to offer "depth" it only ever does so in a sort of "Hallmark" soft-music and distance-staring way that does nothing other than reinforce the "by the numbers nothing special" feel it has.
Baker is light in the lead and when he enjoys himself with his character the show is quite fun to watch. Asked to do more he cannot perform but he can do the basics. Talking of doing the basics the support cast could easily be built by machine. Tunney is "authoritative but shyly-appreciative of Jane's methods" in the usual way and this is what she does. Righetti is "the sexy one", Yeoman is the "tough but likable one" while Kang is the dry rather humourless one. They all do as requested but nobody is particularly memorable.
The Mentalist season 1 is a by-the-numbers affair. It is too professional and "on-formula" to be "bad" but this also means it is rather unmemorable and blends together with itself and lots of other shows selling the same product. It is accessible and undemanding, which many people look for – were it down to me I'd leave it at that but my girlfriend is planning to watch season 2 and I suppose is nothing else I will be curious to see if they just do more of the same or if they try to lift their game now that the show is more established.
Obvious twist was obvious
ganga-2057127 September 2022
This is a typical season ending episode, ofc Red John appears and ofc there's kind of a showdown. Unfortunately you could see the twist coming from the start, the culprit had it written all over his face and they were dropping hints all over the place.
I also think some of the clues were too obvious for Red John.
Still a good episode but not great. Overall the season was very good with some average episodes in the mix. Feels very much like Castle, or I should maybe say Castle feels like the Mentalist to me.
One honorable mention though is Cho. He is one if the greatest side characters and I love his poker face.
I also think some of the clues were too obvious for Red John.
Still a good episode but not great. Overall the season was very good with some average episodes in the mix. Feels very much like Castle, or I should maybe say Castle feels like the Mentalist to me.
One honorable mention though is Cho. He is one if the greatest side characters and I love his poker face.
Fell short of expectations
CrimeDrama115 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I didn't become a fan of this show when it originally aired until well past season one so this was the first time watching this episode. I already knew season finales would revolve around Red John so I already established expectations. I didn't like much about the final showdown at the farm. Rescuing Maya was the lone highlight. So Jane and Lisbon had a plan to trap Red John at the farm after Sheriff Hardy agrees to bring Jane there? I don't like having to make that leap: Jane and Lisbon had agreed for her to wait until after Red John revealed himself and then she would? Why don't we get to see and hear Jane and Lisbon discussing their plan? It appeared to me that Jane had no clue that Sheriff Hardy is actually Dumar, Red John's friend. Jane appears clueless until AFTER Lisbon shows up and holds Dumar at gunpoint. Only then does he reveals his deductions? Not buying that. Once Jane has solved some aspect of a case he reveals it right away if the person involved is in front of him. Guaranteed. Once Jane found surveillance equipment in the twin sisters bedroom, he should expect surveillance everywhere at the farm. In other words: Red John is observing everything that is happening. Also, why isn't it all hands on deck if they think they have any chance of capturing or killing Red John? Only Jane and Lisbon? Advantage: Red John. A poor effort by the writers at the first season finale. It is possible to have believability and drama/conflict in the same episode. Every single crime drama should.
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