Network: CBS
Time: Thursdays, 10:00-11:00pm
Cast: Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Tim Kang, Owain Yeoman, Amanda Righetti
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Summary (from imdb.com): In order to find the killer of an undercover narcotics cop, Jane and the CBI team retrace her investigation.
Review: What I like about The Mentalist is that I'm very often fooled by who the killer is in any given episode. Perhaps it's because I can never truly follow Jane's logic in figuring things out, or maybe it's because it's not quite the last person you'd expect it to be (like with most crime show), but sometimes I'm actually fooled.
This episode was a prime example.
When Lisbon and Jane were called to investigate the murder of a supposed clubber, Jane quickly deduced that she was an undercover cop, much to the chagrin of the Sacramento PD detective in charge. The victim, Yolanda, was investigating a drug kingpin named Omar, trying to find his secret hideout. Suspect #1: Omar. Too obvious, but he had to be included in the list. Also in the same category is anyone who worked for him.
Lisbon and Jane went to the victim's home to speak to her husband and cousin. While there, Jane figured out that the cousin was in love with Yolanda's husband, which is why she wasn't terribly upset that her cousin was dead. The husband threw her out. Suspects #2 and #3: Lalo (husband) and Alivia (cousin).
Then they swung by the Sacramento police department, where they met two people who worked with Yolanda: Trey and Bianca. Both loved Yolanda, thereby immediately making them suspicious to me. Suspects #4 and #5: Trey and Bianca.
Meanwhile, Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt were working on there end to uncover more information about the drug ring Yolanda was investigating. This meant arresting and questioning the prostitute who'd called 911 and reported Yolanda's body, Summer. Cho interrogated her, while she hit on him. Eventually she told him about a rival drug cartel, the Perry Boys, who'd recently stolen Omar's stash. Through some more digging, they found out Yolanda had been in contact with the Perry Boys. Suspects #6: The Perry Boys.
By this point, Jane came up with another of his schemes. He stole some drugs from Sac PD's evidence locker and tried to sell them to Omar. Jane said he could give him information about how to get drugs from there at any time. Omar brought out Bianca, telling Jane that she had given them the same deal. Jane duped Bianca into admitting she was the one who'd killed Yolanda. I have to admit I didn't see this coming. I was expecting the other partner, who'd seemed a little too goody-goody to be real, or possibly the original detective.
After the case was solved, Cho went to see Summer again. After managing to insult her quite spectacularly (Cho's people skills really need work), he convinced her to be his confidential informant.
As with most cases on The Mentalist, I'm both impressed and a little disbelieving when they solve them. It's not just the twists and turns, but the leeway Lisbon gives Jane to do whatever he wants. I imagine in the real world he would be either in jail or killed from all the stunts he pulls, but he's almost magical in the show. He's never wrong and he never really seems to be in danger, not with Lisbon, Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt there to pull him out if things get too dangerous. I know there have occasionally been times when he's been on the wrong end of the gun or had his life in jeopardy, but they don't ever seem to have an impact on him. He's still the same character we met in the first episode.
This is fairly true of all the characters, actually. We don't ever get to see much of their personal lives, just very rare snippets here and there. They also don't seem to grow much. The only character who's changed since the beginning is Van Pelt, and I have to admit that I like the edge they've given her this season. The events at the end of season three got rid of a lot of her naivety, but I find myself liking her character more and more as each episode progresses. I wish they'd let some of the other characters grow and change the way she has.
The part of this episode I truly loved though was the interaction between Cho and Summer. I hope that by making her a confidential informant they've opened the door for her to return more often, because their chemistry and dynamic was wonderful. The subtle changes in Cho's mannerisms to account for Summer's much more boisterous personality were fantastic, and they highlighted a side of Tim Kang's acting that I'd never noticed before. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them together.
As a whole, I enjoyed this episode like I enjoy most episodes of The Mentalist, but the ones that really stand out are the ones in which we get to see more of the characters' personal struggles, like the episodes at the end of season three dealing with Red John, or the episodes in the beginning of this season dealing with Van Pelt's dead ex-boyfriend. I hope there are more of those moments coming up throughout the season.
Favorite line:
Summer: You're very invested in this man-in-an-iron-face routine, aren't you? I bet I could make you cry like a baby.
Cho: I'll bet.
Summer: There may be hope for you yet.
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