Film Review: The 100th Episode of The Mentalist

Patrick encounters Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) at the elevator to the California Bureau of Investigation offices. Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) fobs Patrick off on Stephen Hannigan (Gary Basaraba), an old-school agent who worries about family members obstructing problematic investigations. Stephen -- who encourages relatives of unsolved crime victims to bypass vengeful agendas -- gives Patrick a bloody nose for persisting in:

• asking about leads and suspects; and
• interpreting frustration over elevator delays as indicative of the attitude and character issues of problem employees overlooked at promotion and reward times.

Teresa’s boss, Virgil Minelli (Gregory Itzin), has Patrick accompany Teresa to the shoot-and-run crime scene of Winston Dellinger (Christopher Carver). Patrick indicates that Winston reeks of drunken liaisons.

Teresa judges Patrick’s cold reading of her father as a widowed alcoholic as uncomfortably spot-on and of Judge Dellinger (David Clennon) as ashamed of Winston’s alcoholism as politically unwise. But she knows how to dominate her discomfort for the outcome of difficult cases when Kimball Cho (Tim Kang), Stephen, and Wayne have no idea which suspect prevaricates during interviews of:

• Kelly Burbage (Amanda Clayton);
• Emmet Cox (Ryan Ahern), Kelly’s ex-boyfriend;
• Judge Dellinger;
• Christian Dos Santos (Kirk Acevedo), widowered by Winston’s DUI;
• Detective Nathaniel Kim (Ian Anthony Dale); and
• Delores Recinos (Norma Maldonado), Christian’s mother-in-law.

Through ad-libbing with hand-made Tarot cards and asking for the perpetrator to come forward, Patrick lures Nathaniel into confessing to corruption and murder.

Patrick’s intervention therefore makes possible:

• Grace Van Pelt’s (Amanda Righetti) position of new hire as a recent graduating class rookie; and
• Stephen’s transfer.

Homeland Security Agent Bob Kirkland (Kevin Corrigan) notices Patrick’s new-hiring and persuades FBI Agent Alexa Schulz (Polly Walker) to notify Virgil of Patrick’s six-month institutionalization.

So The Mentalist’s 100^th episode offers viewers the guesses, observations, and winsomeness which warrant Patrick, in scuffed shoes and three-piece suits, being a paid consultant to close cases and pursue Red John, thanks to:

• Simon Baker and Matthew Carlisle, producers;
• Daniel Cerone, Eoghan Mahony executive producers;
• David Ekstrom, editor;
• Bruno Heller, creator/executive producer;
• Chris Long, director/executive producer;
• Gary McLeod, photography director;
• Blake Neely, musician; and
• Tom Szentgyorgyi, executive producer/writer.  

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

English screenwriter, producer and director Bruno Heller created The Mentalist series about a likable, quick-witted scoundrel tormented by loss and fueled by revenge.
February 14, 2013, ceremony for Simon Baker to receive Star #2490 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: Angela George, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BrunoHellerHWOFFeb2013.jpg

The Mentalist's core crime-solving quartet comprises Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney), Kimball Cho (Tim Kang), Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), and Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman).
The 100th episode flashes back to Patrick Jane's addition as consultant for the trio and ends with a photo of Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) as rookie new hire.
directly photographed scene by Randy Tepper, April 17, 2008, at 00:13:18-05:00: yellowblade67, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/33427671@N06/3125640643/

Amanda Righetti plays Grace Van Pelt, a sensitive crime-solver with a belief in the paranormal who takes a circuitous route to personal happiness.
Maxim Magazine's 10th Annual Hot 100 Celebration, Santa Monica, CA; May 13, 2009: Glenn Francis, www.PacificProDigital.com (Toglenn), CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amanda_Righetti_2009.jpg

Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, haunted by an elusive serial killer who calls himself Red John
Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) with Red John's eerie drawing (background); December 21, 2008: yellowblade67, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/33427671@N06/3125630889/

"The Mentalist 5x05 Promo "Red Dawn" (HD)" (0:18)
Uploaded October 22, 2012, by televisionpromos to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz_Jqj4kfQI