Rating: 
Wow. I said last week to expect little fun and a ton of intensity in these last two episodes – and I wasn’t wrong. Now I usually break down the case and then discuss the themes or ongoing plots seperately, but this weeks case was so in tune with Jane’s breakdown that I’m just going to go ahead and dive right in.
Red John leaves Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) a note that reads ‘Happy Anniversary’ – creepy. Red John manipulates a young girl into giving Jane a message – extra creepy. “Do you give up yet?” she says, Red John smiley drawn on her hand. This being a young girl not unlike his late daughter (which I’m sure was RJ’s intention) Jane takes it upon himself to hypnotise her, making her forget about the ordeal with Red John. CBI Boss Luther Wainwright (Michael Rady) tries to argue that she was a witness and needed to be questioned, whilst Jane claimed that talking about Red John would put her in danger. I’m completely with Jane on this one, people with any sort of dirt on this particular serial killer don’t tend to live much longer, and Red John wouldn’t think twice about killing even a little girl – something Jane knows all too well. Wainwright’s insistance on questioning the girl brought out one of many deliciously dark lines from Patrick Jane in this episode as he threatened “If you try to question her or even talk to her I will hurt you badly“. Given the cirsumstances, I don’t doubt that he would.
From this point something just felt ‘off’ about Jane, as the team themselves noted at one point. On more than one occasion he sat, staring into nothingness and dead behind the eyes. He then sits at a table downing bloody mary’s, two vacant seats (meant for his family – sad AND creepy) opposite him as he becomes more and more intoxicated. Jane then proceeds to have a bonfire with the Red John files back at his CBI attic on his nifty CBI balcony. Could this be Jane ‘giving up’ on Red John? This was one of many oddly, wickedly brilliant things Jane did in this episode – which we’ll come back to later. It seems that Jane is giving up, as he says to Lisbon (Robin Tunney) “It’s just a game and he keeps winning”. He states that as long as he’s chasing him, Red John will always win – so he needs to put it behind him.
Jane identitifies Ben Marx (Aaron Lohr) as the man who locked Antonio Castro (victim) in a box and left him to die. Props to Aaron Lohr who portrayed Marx, who played the part just as creepy as I’m sure he was meant to be. This guy had a fetish for “latex and whips” according to Jane, and he’s not often wrong so…ugh. But this is nothing compared to what Jane does next – in all his dark, evil, twisted, maniacal glory. Jane leads Marx to the graveyard and HITS HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH A SHOVEL KNOCKING HIM INTO THE EMPTY COFFIN/GRAVE. Sorry, moments like that just deserve caps. When Lisbon arrives (at what seems to the following morning?!?) she finds Jane sitting peacefully, on a bench with his nose in the air as though he were enjoying the fresh air – all whilst Marx is lying in a closed caskett, well on his way to running out of oxygen. It doesn’t stop there – Jane refuses to release Marx until he confesses to the murder of Castro which of course, he does. I love seeing Jane’s dark side, and it was more apparent than ever in this episode. He actually looks to be having fun as he taunts Marx through Rigsbys baby monitor, and earlier in the episode he held back a suspects inhaler until he told them what he knew. Lets not forget also that Jane could’ve easily done more damage than intended to Marx with that shovel – though Patrick Jane’s capacity for hurting or even killing men he considers ‘evil’ isn’t something we should be surprised by. “OK. Die.” – as Jane said this, I found myself laughing uncomfortably which was probably the biggest indication of just how far Jane had gone.
The big question on all fans lips is this: Is this a genuine breakdown or is Patrick Jane pulling the best and most elaborate long con of all time? In order to catch Red John off guard and get closer to him perhaps? Seeing Jane deliberately taunt Wainwright into firing him from the CBI certainly did nothing to rid me of these suspicions. Even with the gravity of the situation, Jane’s insults to Wainwright were pretty hilarious. Ha.
I’m going to settle in the middle on this debate – a bit of both. I believe that Jane was beginning to crack, but at some point in this episode he decided to play the part, get himself fired and….what? Why? All Red John related reasoning I’m sure, and I can’t wait to find out in next weeks Season 4 Finale ‘The Crimson Hat’.
Other points:
- Jane and Wainwrights pre bust-up discussion on criminal justice was interesting. Jane thinks he needed a taste of his own medicine and deserved it as he is “evil”. This is obviously the same logic Jane works on with Red John and, to a lesser degree, Timothy Carter. Jane certainly showed limited remorse for the man he shot dead after finding out he’d kidnapped a girl and held her captive. This has always been his attitude towards killers, and has only strengthened over time.
- Ray Wise was in this episode, doing a stellar job as always. As a MASSIVE ‘Twin Peaks’ fan, it was a pleasure to see him on my other favourite show.
- Who else loved Grace instantly agreeing with Jane on Marx getting what he deserved? She’s come a long way since O’laughlin-gate, and this small moment summed up her character development this season in many ways.
- I might be wrong, but I think that’s the first time we’ve been on Jane’s attic balcony…I like it.
- Cho managed to keep up his record of making me laugh at least once in every episode with his “He’s doing it” retort as Jane holds back an asthmatic mans inhaler.
- Castro…Marx…I’m sensing something here.
- What happened to Darcy (Catherine Dent) ? She was in the cast list for this episode, but never appeared. Her scenes must’ve been dispensable enough to be cut. She’s slated to appear in the finale too, so I hope she makes it through this time.
- Massive respect to Simon Baker. He is long overdue an Emmy for his portrayal of Patrick Jane and he proved once again just how talented he is. I can only imagine the strength of his performance next week…
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “If you don’t get the bad guy then what’s the point of all this?” – Patrick Jane.
Overall this was a truly brilliant episode, exploring the darker side to our favourite CBI Consultant and setting him on a dangerous path that he looks to be heading down into next weeks explosive finale.
What do you think? Is Jane playing a long con or has he just gone insanse? Or both? Do you think Dark Jane is just as magnetic and compelling as Charming, fun Jane? Was he justified in his methods to get a confession from Marx? And is Patrick Jane the best troll ever?
Here’s the promo for THE SEASON FINALE, which looks incredible.
Until then…
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11 Comments
One note I forgot to put in: I may have used the word ‘creepy’ one too many times in this review…
Dark Jane is also as magnetic as charming Jane, I think Jane knows what he is doing. And the end justify the methods he used with Marx. Maybe he could get to truth without doing what he did, but he is always ahead of things, because he likes to have control. And if Red John has one or more people inside the CBI… better he or them think he is going crazy.
I love your review! and Yes I like the dark side of Jane. I found him a DEXTER like character in this epi! Let’s say that charming Jane is cute and funny, but Jane wouldn’t be Jane if he wasn’t able to look for justice with any means and without remorse.
In my opinion Jane is sincerely tired of chasing RJ and his desire to move on is genuine. Question is whether RJ will leave Jane alone or not. I expect RJ to force Jane not to quit trying to take his vengeance, and that might be quite dangerous for the people he loves or will love!
Last, Kudos to Simon Baker an amazing director and an astonishing actor! and Kudos to the writer Tom S. for a very well written episode.
oh well I think that Jane is creepy! didn’t you think, maybe just for a few seconds, that he could have hypnotised the little girl so she couldn’t recognize RJ? Because RJ might be…. CREEPY?! oh yes! :-)
I too believe Jane genuinely wants to move on from Red John, but I don’t believe he’s trying to do that just yet. My guess is that Jane planned this breakdown – knowing RJ would be watching somehow – in the hope that during his downward spiral Red John invites him into the fold. Nothing has worked for him so far, so why not pretend to join him if it means finally getting close to the elusive killer and possibly bringing himself closure? It’s the longest, hardest, most out-there plan possible – but this is Jane we’re talking about. Anyway, this is just a theory, mostly based on the promo for the finale but they can be deceiving. Glad you enjoyed the review!
My reply function isn’t working, so…this is in reply to Marcia Santos: Yes. Whilst I genuinely believe Jane started to lose it in this episode, it seemed as though he actually wanted to get fired for some reason – as part of some plan he’s got up his sleeve? Possibly. But you’re right, he made such a spectacle of it – which does give one the impression he wanted everyone to SEE him lose it and get fired, so that however or whoever relays the info back to Red John genuinely believes what is happening. But then again this could all be Jane actually having a psychotic break, who knows? A week and we’ll have some answers. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hey man, very good review!!!! It was an awesome episode, maybe the better of the season… I read somewhere that “The Mentalist” has been renewed until season 8, do you know if it’s really true???? One more time, congrats for the review, hope you bring a new one in next week!
Hey, thanks so much for your kind words.
Unfortunately that is not true. The Mentalist has been renewed for season 5 and will only ever be guaranteed another season year by year depending on ratings. The cast have 7 year contracts, but that doesn’t mean the show will last long, though it could if the numbers stay up.
I hope that answers your question, thanks again!
When the young girl ask Jane on behalf of Red John “Do you give up yet?” The embedded message was…”Have you realized by now that you’ll
never lick me” Most people know the saying “if you can’t lick them join them.” Jane understands that and has to show Red John he wants in. Now he organized himself to get fired and while knowing full well that their one or several Red John agents inside the CBI that can vouch for his erratic behavior and dramatic dismissal, he effectively showed Red John that he accepted defeat and is now willing to become one of his disciples. Red John being Red John will force Jane in doing something “criminal ie – murder someone close to him” to prove his allegiance. The real question who will that be…I think I know who. How far is Jane ready to get his promise vengeance???!
Red John will definitely foresee the possibility of Jane’s bogus plan to pretend to join him. He wouldn’t fall for something so trivial. Also, I can’t see why he would even want him to recruit him. Besides his skills as a mentalist what else could he offer to Red John as a serial killer? Red John’s disciples have been useful tools such as spies within the CBI and FBI. Or as disposable assets. Besides, its doubtful any of them have even met Red John in person.
The idea of Jane wanting to join is just so farfetched. It may be believable that his hatred for killers turns him into a serial killer of serial killers (like Dexter). Where did his hatred for Red John disappear to? Where does this new-found loyalty come from? What is his goals as a serial killer?
Anyway, I think it will probably be Red John who first asks Jane to join him. Jane has no real way to contact him – except go on TV talk show and say “I want to be your disciple, Red John!”. This is probably all part of Red John’s plan for messing with Jane even more. It’ll be easy to push him to see how far he goes (whether for real or part of an act) and he can do all this without ever revealing himself.
Whilst I understand your overall POV here, I don’t think something like Jane wanting to join Red John could be considered ‘trivial’. As far as I’m concerned Red Johns plan since the Season 2 finale has been to get Jane on side, and so far it’s gone swimmingly – just look at how Jane’s actions have become more and more extreme + questionable over time. Also, I’m 99.9& sure Rebecca had seen Red John in person.