Of Men and Pilers- Red Listed Review

This is the more in deep analysis also called "rambling for a longer time".  Of course there are spoilers here for the episode Red Listed of The Mentalist if you haven't yet seen it.  The picture below is property of CBS and Warner Brothers.

Plot: Jane discovers that the person who stole his fake Red John list is torturing and killing the suspects.  With the help of former CBI boss Madeline Hightower, Jane figures out that Robert aka Bob Kirkland is to blame and thus discovers that Kirkland is not RJ but a fellow RJ hunter.  Kirkland is killed when it is revealed with Reede Smith is a member of the conspiracy at hand.

The Return of Hightower:
It was quite wonderful to have both Hightower and thus Aunjanue Ellis back.  Surprising she didn't die because after Sophie I was wondering if she might.  Hightower is lucky enough to have had Jane kiss her cheek twice.  I'm not sure why seeing Jane is not overly demonstrative.  He could be "sweet on her" to quote her aunt, actually grateful, relaxed around her, or is just written in to ire up my shipper friends.  Don't think stuff like that doesn't happen on shows, it does.  It was also nice to have Lisbon and Hightower working together showing some girl power without Jane or the boys.

Hightower also proved to have some great insight into two things I'll get more in depth in later.  1.) That the CBI bosses were talking about Jane to the FBI (and really Kirkland).  2.) That Lorelei's murder probably sent many RJ followers and potential victims into hiding. 

Saint Teresa Indeed:
Well, we finally know why Lisbon never got Minelli's job after his retirement or after Hightower left (or even now).  It is not just because Jane has possibly torpedoed her career but because the CBI boss had to give info about Jane away.  Would Lisbon ever do that?  No.  It seems the CBI bosses were all into something a bit shady (might explain why JJ LaRoche left the position so abruptly).  Giving personal information about an employee to another agency breaks all sort of personal rights.   Lisbon by contrast would never do that to anyone.  She is the moral center which this episode proved once again.  While Jane, Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt wondered why they were protecting these awful six men Lisbon is quick to point out that they don't get to protect whom they chose.  She also tells Haibach that it is her moral duty to offer him protection.  Even after the creep refuses her help, she sends Cho and Rigsby to try to convince him.

Lisbon has always been the moral center of the show.  It doesn't mean she's perfect and that Jane hasn't led her astray a few times but she is truly a good, decent person.  She could have killed Volker justly (he was about to shoot an eight year old) but she didn't.  She could have done more than punch Dr. Carmen after what he did to her (Jane would have gone along with it) but she didn't go there.  Lisbon could have left Jane to deal with his own messes but she has always stood by him.  Teresa Lisbon is a special human being.  If Red John is pure evil, Jane is in the middle between evil and good and Lisbon is pure good.  With RJ and Lisbon fighting for Jane to swing their way. 

Lisbon's purpose in the show, I thought, was always to be the good trying to shine the light into his darkness.  Gosh, the woman can't even tell a white lie for Pete's sake!  But now I realize that Bruno Heller had an even deeper purpose to what the character represents.  In the middle of all the evil in the world, of all the corruption she doesn't know exists around her, Teresa is standing as tall as her short stature can as an idol of faith, respect, love and general goodness.  While Lisbon had an awful childhood similar to Kirkland, she rose above it.  She was a true survivor while Kirkland was not.  Kirkland had turned crazy after the years of abuse, trying to save his twin, and then knowing Michael must be dead.  Revenge made him worse.  Lisbon keeps Jane from going too crazy with his revenge.  Lisbon keeps us all sane actually.

The Song of Lorelei:
Lorelei and her death keep ringing throughout this season.  She was the reason Hightower faked her death and went into hiding.  Now I'm wondering if Lorelei's death also spurred other RJ members and possible victims to get out of Dodge.  If so it would explain why Red John told Jane about the list of seven- he wants to end this cat and mouse game.  Red John, the all power, is starting to lose power.   As his empire begins to fray at the seems Jane is finally focused enough to figure him out and end the war.

Tyger, Tyger- Blake's Fan Club Unites:
This was huge not only did we learn about the big conspiracy within the CBI, FBI etc but it was revealed that "Tyger, Tyger" was a special "handshake" between the members.  Now we can summarize where the future storyline is headed, know why Sheriff McAllister, Bertrum and Smith were meeting and see how this storyline was planned from the beginning.  I truly have to hand it to Bruno Heller- he knew exactly where he wanted to go with the show if the powers that be let him.  By golly they have and I am grateful that Heller is giving us our answers. 

It now all makes sense, too.  The Tyger, Tyger group is huge and is law enforcement- a semi mafia inside a supposed good governing body (really Lisbon doesn't belong with them).  Todd Johnson was a cop killer who told Jane in season three "This is far bigger than you imagine."  Red John himself said 'Tyger, Tyger" to Jane when he saved him in the second season finale.  (Either Red John was trying to clue Jane in or he is a member/leader and was loling in Jane's face). Rebecca is killed at the CBI building...by a guard.  Want to bet what club he belongs too?  Someone IMs Van Pelt as Dr. Joe from NH within the CBI only computer data base.  Some Tyger.  Last year we couldn't believe that the police weren't more careful when the social worker who was RJ's friend when she took her poison in the back of the police cruiser.  Want to bet one of the officers gave it to her?  Pretty easy to get into a jail cell and kill Sally Carter, too.  Red John knew Jane's list...someone in CBI figured it out and Jane's tooth pick method of entrapment.  No wonder Red John was always a step ahead of the police and Jane because he and his posse are the police and people Jane might trust!  Is Red John all powerful?  Nope, he just has a big clubhouse of friends to help out who have easy access.  We know now that Partridge was a member and it makes more sense why the 7 suspects were all at the crime scenes of RJ's murders: Kirkland was there to find RJ, and the rest maybe where there to help their bro with the clean up. 

I love when writing comes together and makes sense. 

Other reflections:
-People please don't say Lisbon was dumb in the first ep;) look at what Jane did in Red Listed!  When your are hunting that white whale you lose all common sense because your mind is too focused on what is at hand.

-I was glad the show used two past characters (Marx and Haibach) as victims.  Plus using the same house for Haiback made it seem more...real. 

-Kevin Corrigan and Drew Powell where amazing.  Their coffee date, Kirkland explaining about Michael and then that ending.  These were two great actors showing us their best and making us have an array of emotions.  Who didn't feel bad when Bob got shot and went down?  Yes, he was a twisted killer like the man he was hunting but Corrigan made him always charming.  Powell has done an amazing job and taking a one ep character and making him this full, deep human.  I want to like Smith, I wouldn't mind seeing him live, even though he is a cold blooded human being.  I commend both of them for their great work.

-Rebecca Cutter's script I already praised (and she wrote it while pregnant! Holy.) Eric Laneuville is a wonderful director that knows these characters so well by now (he started directing in season 2).

-Lisbon looks almost sad when Jane says their closing in on Red John.  She knows once they do she loses Jane either through death, jail or him just plain leaving.  No matter what happens Lisbon is going to hurt.  (Had a nice discussion either with Sonia on this).

Next week:
- A big clue (per Jordan Harper)
- Visualize
- A now breaded Ray Haffner making googy eyes at Lisbon (shiver)
- And something perhaps about a red tattoo