The Magnificant Seven

From the countless people Patrick Jane shook hands with we have come down to seven suspects.   Which could be Red John?  Really I have no clue.  They are all viable suspects.  I have listed here the pros of how the character could be the man who likes bloody smile face and  the cons (nope, couldn't be).  I am intrigued by who it will actually be and  love all the candidates in question because I honestly enjoy the actors' work.  

Gale Bertram

I have enjoyed Michael Gaston and his Bertram since he premiered on the season premiere in season 3.   As an audience member you are never quite sure if you should like Bertram or find him...different.  Gaston is a great actor who can inhabit any role.  From nice cop on Unforgettable to mesmerizing and terrifying  in the movie Runaway.  If you have never seen the movie I highly recommend it.   Gaston as RJ?  Whoa.  He would rock it.

Pro: He did shake hands with Jane.  He is intelligent and can be cunning.  He likes power and control.  Bertram has something secretive going on with Kirkland. 

Con: He wasn't winning at poker until Jane helped him with his tell. 


Bret Styles

Malcolm McDowell is Malcolm McDowell.  He is considered a highly respected and talented actor.   Can he be creepy?  For sure!  He would easily make a great Red John who viewers would somehow like.  He has accomplished that already with Styles. 

Pro: Styles could be a murderer (see how his former partner died).  We saw him almost convert Van Pelt to his thinking using the color red.  Visualize, his religious organization, has great influence, a lot of members and is connected to the gloved, painting one.  He knows things about RJ.  He helped Jane find Kristina.

Con: Age may play a factor. 


Brett Partridge

It would be kind of cool if an actor would appeared in the pilot was actually Red John.  Jack Potnick, who is excellent, could pull off the reveal.  The scientist versus the mentalist- ready to rumble.

Pro: Partridge is a ghoul, Jane never liked him, he knows how to cover his tracks given his job, he could break into the CBI computers, he fits the size requirement and detests Jane.

Con: Jane continues to school him on Red John cases.


Sheriff Tom McAllister

Xander Berkeley is one hell of an actor and he would give an interesting performance as RJ.  This choice seemed out of the blue but he was in a Bruno Heller written episode, the second of the series.  So he could be a real possibility. 

Pro: What was he trying to do with Van Pelt?  Help or....something else.  Neither Jane, Lisbon or Cho cared for him.  He fits the height and age requirement.  We didn't learn much about the character so the mystery could be the truth.

Con: Jane beat him at rock-paper-scissors.

Reede Smith

On first look Smith seemed to be an out from no where pick but maybe he is suppose to be.  Drew Powell played a killer on Hawaii 5-0 and boy can the man go from nice guy to menacing in an instant!  He could definitely give a Red John performance of a lifetime

Pro: We don't know much about the character, Reede does mean red, Smith is one fo the most common surnames as it may imply "I can be anyone" and the CBI team didn't care for him.

Con: Size per the second season finale.



Bob Kirkland

Everything about Bob screams- "I'm Red John!"  Which might be the reason he isn't.  Kevin Corrigan has been a master at playing all different roles his career.  He would totally own Red John if he is him.

Pro: The hair, hair color, the Bloody Mary, the voice, making his own Jane board, tracking Jane since the hospital, in bed with the FBI, "grew up in America", gives Jane and Lisbon the creeps.

Con: He seems like he is the man.



Ray Haffner

Reed Diamond always leads me to believe he is a nice guy and then twists the knife and becomes the killer effortlessly in all the guest star roles I have seen him in.  His RJ- nice guy...whoops no a serial killer living behind a mask.

Pro: Ray is a member of Visualize, he shook Jane's hands, Jane etc has had connect with him after being on his team, he tried to lure Lisbon away from Jane, he didn't answer Lisbon's question if he was ever on the farm, and he was a CBI member who loves surveillance.

Con: Was easily confused by Jane and Lisbon caught him in a lie.

So who is Red John?  How will they catch him?  Why did RJ start murdering?  Such exciting questions and situations up ahead for season 6 of The Mentalist.