The Mentalist is back! Though it’s bittersweet, since it’s the last season. And a short one at that. But I’m going to enjoy the heck out of it until the very last episode.
This week’s episode starts off with a bang, and a victim who doesn’t know the rules, which is that if someone has already shot you and is coming toward you with a gun, the last thing you want to do is say, “I know you.” Twice. Here are your top five Mentalist moments!
Jane is now delivering Lisbon’s coffee to her home. And she’s even offering him a key. I wonder what he’s going to do with that giant motor home.
As they discuss what to do once they go back into the real world (Lisbon has been on leave), the real world calls in the form of Abbott, who asks his best agent to come in. Lisbon also tells Abbott she has no idea where Jane is. Oh, Lisbon. Abbott is not naïve. He’s an even bigger shipper than I am and will totally notice the googly eyes. Lisbon just wants to keep it a secret for a little while. Jane says he understands, but it’s always hard to tell with him.
By the end of the scene they are so giggly and smiley with each other, I’m smiling and feeling a bit giggly myself. Hey, I’m a romantic cynic, if there is such an animal. Jane being truly happy for the first time makes my heart swell three sizes.
The origami bird he puts in her pocket at the crime scene is an excellent callback to the pilot episode.
Of course Abbott knows there’s something going on between Jane and Lisbon, because he’s awesome. He only brings it up to let Jane know Pike is in the building. Rut roh.
Jane comes upon Pike leaving Lisbon a note. Heeey, Pike. You’re looking good now that you’re no longer in the way of my Jane/Lisbon ship. A whole lotta awkward ensues. Then Pike gets all fatherly on Jane and asks if he has a plan. Pike says he was offering Lisbon a home and a future, etc. Huh. Was not expecting that, but it fits with his character, who was always a little controlling. Jane says he hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“What are you offering her? I mean, other than Patrick Jane.” OUCH! I felt that from here.
As they’re having a little pissing match/staring contest, Lisbon arrives, just so things could get more awkward. They have a proper goodbye, and Pike leaves.
It’s refreshing that Jane is honest with Lisbon about what Pike asked, as well as his acknowledgement that he has no plan. They both agree to just do what feels right, then Jane points to a 1930 Cadillac he rented for the day, and they ride off into the sunset together…
Let’s welcome the rookie! I don’t know if it’s because it’s the last season, so the actress got another job, or she wasn’t supposed to come back, since she wasn’t exactly a fan favorite. Either way, they’re bringing on a brand-new member to the team who is a rookie straight out of Quantico. Fischer did leave Lisbon a note that reads:
You’re the best. Thanks for everything. Good luck with Jane!
Michelle Vega is the rookie’s name, and she gets off on a bad foot by lying to Jane. Jane guesses she’s former military, and she says only daddy was, but of course, Jane is always right. She attended West Point and didn’t graduate. The reason is because her dad got liver cancer and died. Jane is truly sympathetic and sweet as he consoles her.
Jeremy Geist is the victim. He died outside of a bowling alley. Sorry, Jeremy. I’m sure you imagined a much different ending for yourself. Anyway, Cho is there and after verifying Lisbon is a: not going to D.C. and b: not marrying Pike, he gets right to the case. He does give her a brief smile, so we all know he’s happy she’s still there. That Cho. Such a mushy guy.
Errr…if the victim was discovered at two a.m., what the heck is he still doing there during the morning hours when the sun is a-shining? He’s not getting any riper. And if this is so important, why isn’t Abbott there yet? Where are you, Abbott?
Jane’s “Gimme some sugar” to Cho when he arrives (HAPPY JANE!), along with the most awkward hug possible until Cho finally returns it, is quite awesome, as is the “You look good, too” he says to Lisbon, and her answering smile. Hey, guys? Around Cho you can practically kiss each other. The dude thought your feelings for each other were of the sibling variety. It’s clear he’s intentionally not paying attention.
Abbott finally arrives just to tell them the biker guy was undercover FBI, and the Austin police dept. doesn’t know. Is that why there’s nobody there taking pictures or trying to retrieve the body? I think the Austin PD might get suspicious with a bunch of FBI people standing over the body and talking in whispers, while not even the ME is allowed in. They didn’t need to be standing over the body to talk about who he was. That could have been handled back at the office where they have all of that nice audio/visual equipment.
I guess Ken is running the FBI/ATF task force that sent Jeremy out into his failed undercover operation. I already have a lot of faith in you, Ken. And I instantly suspect you, especially since Jane takes an immediate disliking to you. I follow Jane’s sense the same way I do dogs and children.
Anyway, Jeremy’s assignment was that a gang has been stealing military-issue firearms from army bases and selling them to drug dealers. What the heck kind of security do they have at these army bases?
Apparently these criminals found the parking lot of the Rocket Bowl to be a prime place to do business. So, it’s the gang’s job to investigate the crime without alerting anyone Geist was undercover.
That there is someone who blew Jeremy’s cover doesn’t seem to concern Ken. He’s willing to throw another undercover in there in a couple of weeks. And Jane straight up tells Ken he could be the killer. See?
After they finish the interviews, the gang tells Ken it’s a waste of time to interview the suspects, if they can’t come clean as to who Jeremy was. Ken accuses Lisbon of whining, and Jane tells him not to talk to Lisbon like that. Jane in love is quite protective and dashing, but Lisbon can take care of herself. Still, it’s cute.
Jane is at Jeremy’s place, and what a dump it is. He finds a mattress on the floor and right next to it a nightlight. He calls Vega to get her to retrieve Jeremy’s psychological profile.
At one point Abbott comes out to ask where Jane is, and Vega says he went somewhere to read the report she got him, while Lisbon could only come up with the excuse that she went for a walk. That woman is a horrible liar.
Yes, she did walk to find Jane, and when she asks him about the profile, he’s his usual secretive self. She reminds him he doesn’t have to wait to tell her stuff until she needs to know. He apologizes then shows her something in the report that’s significant.
There’s Ken, of course.
Mason, the owner of Rocket Bowl. The most helpful advice he gives is to tell Jane how to turn a 7/10 split into a spare. Ken, who’s unfamiliar with Jane’s techniques, and by his haircut seems like a “Just the facts, ma’am” kinda guy, can only shake his head.
Wick is a big guy who works security. He might be a bit of a problem. The first thing he says to Cho is this:
“Agent Kimball Cho, the FBI know that I’m a sovereign citizen of the state of Texas and do not recognize the legitimacy of the federal government or any police authority you may claim to possess?”
I munch on popcorn as I await Cho’s reply, but all he does is stare at Wick, until Wick totally caves in about ten seconds and says he’ll answer Cho’s questions voluntarily. It looks like quid pro quo, as he answers a question then asks Cho if he realizes the agency he’s sworn allegiance to is illegal and illegally constituted. “Yes,” is Cho’s reply. As Wick goes on a tirade about federal income tax, Cho looks at his watch. Most helpful information: Jeremy kept to himself.
Tish, the bartender. She says Jeremy drank club soda all night and wasn’t as friendly as he normally was.
Skye, also a bartender. She said a couple of nights previous, Jeremy had started out fine but later seemed spooked.
Andy the shoe guy. He seems evasive and nervous as Ken questions him, and Ken being the crack agent he is, spots it and calls Andy on it. In response, Andy gets more evasive and nervous.
Ken is right on top of it and thinks Andy is about to crack, until Jane assures him Andy is nervous, because he’s carrying pain killers without a prescription.
Right after the team is lectured once again by Ken about ruining the investigation, Jane makes an announcement about micro expressions, informs the entire staff that Jeremy was an FBI agent and about the gun selling, and figures out Tish is the salesperson. She takes off running and gets away.
Agent Ken is furious. They have no evidence, and Tish is in the wind. The most he can do once he catches Tish is hold her for a couple of days. Jane swears to make it up to Ken and says by the end of the investigation, it will be Ken’s birthday. Candles and all.
It’s surmised that Tish did not kill Geist, since she was surprised he was FBI. So, the team still has that little task as well.
Once the police locate Tish’s truck, Cho goes to investigate, and an eager Vega asks if she can come along to observe. Oh, no. She tries to make small-talk with monosyllabic Cho. She wonders how Jane came to work at the FBI. Cho’s “Long story” says it all.
Tish goes to her truck, the FBI surrounds her, but some clueless woman who’s so into her texting she doesn’t see the circle of FBI agents, guns drawn, winds up Tish’s human shield. Alas, Vega gets out of the car and does a righteous takedown.
Tish’s high-priced lawyer, who a flannel-clad Tish who works at a bowling alley bar clearly can’t afford by herself, tries to sell the “My client is innocent” and “You abused and harassed” her deal. Abbott tries to lure Tish to roll over on her bosses, but considering the only evidence they have is large cash deposits, she’s willing to roll the dice. The lawyer threatens to press charges for false arrest, etc., and Abbott says he’ll see her in court. Don’t get into a pissing match with Mr. Smooth, lady. You will lose.
So, Ken is still being douchey about the whole thing, and they have to release Tish in eighteen hours if they can’t come up with anything. Through that profile Jane was looking through, they found out that when Jeremy was sixteen, he was having a sleepover with his friend, who wound up being kidnapped. Jeremy heard but didn’t see the kidnapper. They wound up killing the kid even after the ransom was paid, and one of the kidnappers was found dead, killed by the other. Their guess is the thing that spooked adult Jeremy was that he found the other kidnapper.
Then Jane walks in with a hammer and says that with it he can “nail” Tish and get Jeremy’s killer. Oh, and someone is going to have to stay up really late.
That would be Cho, who enters the bowling alley after Andy locks up. We don’t see what he does.
The next day, Jane comes to meet a handcuffed Tish in the FBI lobby. They’re going to find her stash of guns. Jane is counting on her not saying a word to help them.
Field trip! They go with Tish, who’s still handcuffed, into the bowling alley. Cho asks everyone except the employees to leave, and Tish makes a big deal about how she’s there against her will without an attorney and it’s against her civil rights. Wick is practically dancing on a table over this and begins video recording the proceedings with his phone.
Let the games begin!
Mason gives them permission to search the place without a court order, and Tish is released from her handcuffs. Then Jane does that thing where he takes her hands and moves her around until he can tell by her expression if they’re getting close. They find a stash of guns underneath some seats. An emboldened Andy who Jane just called out for having cocaine in his pocket, kind of baits Tish, and she’s removed.
That just leaves the kidnapping suspect/Jeremy’s murderer. Jane says he believes the gun used in that crime is in the bowling alley as well.
Just then! Gunshots! Cho yells about how Trish has Vega’s gun. Once outside, we see Cho is shooting into the air, and Wiley uses that trusty hammer to break the glass and make everyone think Trish is shooting into the bowling alley. Jane encourages everyone to take cover. They all rush into the kitchen except Mason, who retrieves his gun from a secret compartment in the trophy cabinet.
Yep, it was him. One night Mason screamed and cursed at Tish, and something about the way he did it, reminded Jeremy of that night. Mason caught Jeremy breaking into his office, and that was his death sentence.
Back at the station, Tish’s lawyer is thrilled about the lawsuit she’s going to file. Cho had planted that stash of guns, and they admit it. But you see, Jane has a way of tracking down the real guns. He has a map of the area surrounding the bowling alley. As he reads Tish’s expressions and narrows it down, Abbott makes Tish an offer that will go away once Jane figures out exactly where the guns are, and she’ll get twenty-five to life.
She caves and offers them all the names as Ken sits there with an open mouth.
So ends the first episode of the last season of The Mentalist. What did you think?