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08 Red John
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| Fran |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 0:16 AM | Message # 16 |
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cbs Insiders Blog: http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_mentalist/news/1001580/
Insider's Blog: Red John
Posted on Nov 25, 2013 06:00am
“Red John”
The final chapter of Red John has finally come to a close. I would have to admit that the biggest challenge in writing this episode was not what way to kill Red John, but simply the length of the episode. We have 42 minutes to wrap up a story that’s been running for six years. It’s very hard, if not impossible to contain all that the story demands in those 42 minutes. A lot of the big creative choices come down to what you leave out; what you don’t write. This is why I decided to make Patrick Jane’s final scene with Red John as intimate as possible. There is no murder more personal than killing someone with your bare hands.
One of my favorite things about this episode was the pigeon gag in the chapel. The pigeon gag is a plot device that could only work on The Mentalist - Playful, unexpected, a little preposterous, but eminently logical. This gag is very common in the Carney lifestyle and seemed perfectly fitting for Jane’s final gag on Red John. A lot of people didn’t believe it would play out, but I was determined to keep it, and I think it played out perfectly. We created the bird phobia for McAllister to open up his character and give Jane something fun to play with. We created little quirks to McAllister’s personality along the way. If you take a look back you might be able to catch some of the clues we laid in earlier in the season.
Director/EP Chris Long did an amazing job as always, and made sure to carefully calculate and perfect every little detail in the episode. I wouldn’t have wanted any other person to direct such an important episode of The Mentalist series. His creative directive mind knew exactly the right direction to take this piece in.
Check out the extras in the last frame of the show and you’ll see how much attention to detail goes into the work, and how carefully Chris Long plans his shots…The extras represent the life Jane could have had if fate and Red John had not intervened…
Written by Creator Bruno Heller |
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| Evy |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 0:19 AM | Message # 17 |
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AgentM
Quote I screamed out loud at the point when he seemed to consider doing something to himself with the gun, I knew he wouldn't
I thought exactly the same thing and I've had a doubt a fraction of second ! Fortunately I finally knew that he would not do !
Quote And well done to those who correctly guessed RJ's identity
Yes congratulations ! |
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| justlook3 |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 0:25 AM | Message # 18 |
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I'm glad I wasn't the only one who laughed at Bertram's reaction. Kinda makes you wonder if they all didn't crack up during one of the takes! I actually was glad for the break in tension. That bit and the whole "paper map" bit with Abbott. Who I like. He's just doing his job and let's face it I wouldn't trust the CBI team either (I always felt for Darcy in that same way. I could see why you might wonder about Jane) if I were him. I felt like he was actually impressed with Lisbon and the team at the end of the day.
Funny part is that my friend Donna and I actually figured it out the other day and we didn't realize. We'd been talking about how there were two blasts in 6.06. And I made the comment that I was suspicious as to why McAllister seemed to have died when he should have been with Smith, Bertram and Jane not with poor Stiles and Haffner. My theory about the two blasts was close to the truth but that whole McAllister thing did nag in my mind.
I honestly have to say that while I didn't love this episode, I didn't hate it either. I feel like maybe the show made too much of Red John when the focus should have been on Jane. And when the conclusion ended up being about Jane and not RJ it could make some people mad. I'm interested in seeing where the show goes from here. I'm realistic to know this is likely the last season, but there's still 14 episodes ahead of us. |
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| marta75 |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 1:44 AM | Message # 19 |
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I must admit that I was totally wrong to guess who was RJ and I was a bit disappointed by McAllister because he doesn't have the aura of brett Stiles and his sect. However, I understand that Bruno Heller has wanted to surprise the audience until the end. In this sense, the Vizualise leader was too obvious a choice.
But the episode was great because :
- all scenes with Lisbon, Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt.
- Abbot is very good and strong actor. It's a very smart choice for the following episodes
- all the scenes with Jane : begging Abbot on his knees, trying to stop a vehicle,
- the excellent play of Michael Gaston,
- the final scene when Jane kills RJ with his bare hands (no blood and knife  but still poignant)
- the last scene with the kids in the park. |
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| Mossibecca |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 12:27 PM | Message # 20 |
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I'm gonna miss CBI Ron (sorry for thinking you were anything to do with RJ) and CBI Karl.....great characters. 
Message edited by Mossibecca - Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 12:28 PM |
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| Ivana |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 12:56 PM | Message # 21 |
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I love this episode very much. Emotionaly very strong, poetic even. Patrick has finaly got his heart's desire. Simon's acting is superb, great directing, cinematography and storytelling, with lots of subtile details.
The Mentalist has always been about Patrick Jane, not the Red John and this episode gives Patrick the perfec closure, a chance to move on, to let go the past.
In the very first episode Patric said about RJ "He's an ugly, tormented little man, a lonely soul, sad, very sad." And being the mentalist, he was of course right. McCallister is just that when the curtain falls. I loved Stiles for it for his charisma, but I see now, it would be easy path. Evil at the end of the day is not funny and entertaining. It's ugly and sad. All the grandeur are just smoke and mirrors.
The way Patrick defeated his demon was so powerfull and strong. His body language has changed. No hesitation, no fear, eye to eye with bare hands. Pure essence. His face at that moment review his life for the past ten years. All the pain, sorrow, despair, anger, self guilt, but with ray of hope at the end. He is running through the park leaving behind sorrow for lost happiness.
After I wiped the tears I felt optimistic. Shit happens, deal with it, forgive and move on. That's life.
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 1:04 PM | Message # 22 |
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It's amazing…
The amount of reactions over the web is huge. Many many reviews… and tough controversies. Disapointed and satisfied viewers fight in the comments!
The only thing obtaining unanimous agreement is Baker's fantastic acting performance in the final face-to-face with his enemy. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 1:05 PM | Message # 23 |
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There's also an interesting review here, and hugely controversial, judging by the more than hundred of comments it has generated.
A long reading, brace yourself. And it may annoy some of you, or please others:
'The Mentalist': How the 'Red John' mystery captured the imagination, then lost it
By Jeff Jensen on Nov 24, 2013 at 1:16PM
http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/24/the-mentalist-red-john-mystery/ |
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| Fran |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 3:16 PM | Message # 24 |
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Quote Ivana (  ) In the very first episode Patric said about RJ "He's an ugly, tormented little man, a lonely soul, sad, very sad." And being the mentalist, he was of course right. McCallister is just that when the curtain falls.
Good point  |
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| Mossibecca |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 3:49 PM | Message # 25 |
Bee's Knees
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I guess this episode is a classic case of 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'......I have to say, that I'm not sure that it could have been done any better another way, but it IS done now, the dawn of a new age of colour!!  |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 4:58 PM | Message # 26 |
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Quote Fran ( ) Quote Ivana ()
In the very first episode Patric said about RJ "He's an ugly, tormented little man, a lonely soul, sad, very sad." And being the mentalist, he was of course right. McCallister is just that when the curtain falls.
Good point smile
That's what seem to upset a lot of people - and satisfied others: the way the scenario portrays Red John in his confrontation with Jane. The fact that he was so banal, human, weak, with fears (he is begging Jane  )
Not very flamboyant for a nearly mythologic evil creature.
Me I like this angle. I think it's a courageous choice, not a sloppy one, as a lot seem to believe. The important thing is the all thing is about Jane's revenge, not RJ bragging about his own power and talents.
Overall I really enjoyed the "Red John" episode. Expectations were so high. But I'm torn between things I found very touching, efficient, interesting in this episode, and some annoying details. |
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| Hayseed |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 5:33 PM | Message # 27 |
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While I still love this show, I was unhappy with Heller's treatment of the RJ resolution.
Quote Me I like this angle. I think it's a courageous choice, not a sloppy one, as a lot seem to believe. The important thing is the all thing is about Jane's revenge, not RJ bragging about his own power and talents.
I'm perfectly okay with this part, and even like it. What I think is sloppy is that he picked some random guy from the first season who we haven't seen for four seasons, and tacked on an episode with him (Wedding in Red) to "get to know" him, and then suddenly he's Red John? All the clues we've been given over the years have absolutely nothing to do with him. I wasn't shown how he managed to own people's souls, as he did with the non law enforcement folks. I feel cheated, as a lover of mysteries. The details may not have mattered to Jane in his quest, but they mattered to me as a TV viewer. I felt it was lazy on Heller's part.
That said, I thought the cast did a magnificent job (especially Baker) with their portrayals, and I'm anxious to see where they're going with this.
Message edited by Hayseed - Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 5:34 PM |
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| Peithon |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 5:41 PM | Message # 28 |
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People were expecting Moriarty and they got the Wizard of Oz - Pay no attention to the (ordinary) man behind the curtain. That's partly Heller's fault because many times he claimed RJ to be Moriarty and a genius, but this is not how he portrayed him in the end. Jane disarmed him with words as to what he really was, rather than what RJ thought himself to be. Heller could have done a better job, but overall I still think it was a strong episode. In defense of the bird thing, having owned a trained magician's dove, they are perfectly capable of no movement or sound for very long periods of time and they are very gentle and will sit in a pocket forever. Bruno was incorrect in his statement that any old bird from the park would behave like a magician's dove. Have to be careful what you say to the public. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 6:03 PM | Message # 29 |
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Quote Peithon ( ) In defense of the bird thing, having owned a trained magician's dove, they are perfectly capable of no movement or sound for very long periods of time and they are very gentle and will sit in a pocket forever.
Yes, that's true. People think it's impossible and far-fetched, but it's not. Magicians do it all the time. A bird with something on its head or stuck in the dark under a piece of fabric or in pocket will stay quite. |
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| DS_Pallas |
Date: Tuesday, 26-Nov-13, 6:28 PM | Message # 30 |
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Quote Hayseed ( ) All the clues we've been given over the years have absolutely nothing to do with him. I wasn't shown how he managed to own people's souls, as he did with the non law enforcement folks. I feel cheated, as a lover of mysteries. The details may not have mattered to Jane in his quest, but they mattered to me as a TV viewer. I felt it was lazy on Heller's part.
I understand what you mean perfectly.
Yes, with hindsight it's frustrating. Hope that somehow, in one of the 14 remaining episodes, some questions will be answered. But from what I read in Bruno & Simon interviews, the RJ theme is no more in the agenda for the next episodes. |
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