Season 5 premiered on September 30, 2012. It picked up after the cliffhanger of The Crimson Hat, with the episode, The Crimson Ticket. The main focus of this season is discovering the identity of Red John and figuring out what the connection Lorelei Martins has to him.
The Mentalist tells the story of Patrick Jane, an independent consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who has a remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his razor sharp skills of observation. He also makes frequent use of his mentalist abilities to lead witnesses or offenders into offering the actual facts of the case, as known only to them.
Within the Bureau, Patrick Jane is notorious for his blatant lack of protocol and his semi-celebrity past as a psychic medium, whose paranormal abilities he now admits he feigned. Patrick Jane's role in cracking a series of tough high-profile cases is greatly valued by his fellow agents.
However, no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon openly resists having Patrick Jane in her unit and alternates between reluctantly acknowledging Patrick Jane's usefulness and blasting him for his theatrics, narcissism and dangerous lack of boundaries. Lisbon's team includes agents Kimball Cho, Wayne Rigsby and rookie member Grace Van Pelt, who all think Patrick Jane is a loose cannon but admire his charm and knack for clearing cases.
The CBI arrest Red John accomplice, Lorelei Martins, following the season four finale, only to have her taken from them by the FBI. Jane enlists the help of cult leader Bret Stiles to break Martins out of prison, so that she can tell him Red John's true identity. However, while Lorelei refuses to reveal her master's true identity, she tells Jane that they have met before. The rest of the season follows Jane's quest to narrow down the list of everyone he has met and shaken hands with following the murder of his wife and daughter. By the end of the season, he is armed with a list of just seven names.
Characters[]
Character Appearances[]
Main Characters[]
- Simon Baker as Patrick Jane (22/22)
- Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon (22/22)
- Tim Kang as Kimball Cho (22/22)
- Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby (22/22)
- Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt (18/22)
Recurring Characters[]
- Kevin Corrigan as Agent Robert Kirkland (6/22)
- Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lorelei Martins (4/22) †
- Michael Gaston as CBI Director Gale Bertram (4/22)
- Henry Ian Cusick as Tommy Volker (3/22)
- John Rubinstein as Judge Manchester (3/22)
- Pruitt Taylor Vince as CBI Agent J.J. LaRoche (3/22)
- Rebecca Wisocky as Brenda Shettrick (3/22)
- Matt Baker as Charles Milk (3/22) †
- Amy Aquino as Judge Patricia Davis (2/22)
- Christopher Cousins as Jason Lennon (2/22) †
- Monique Gabriela Curnen as CBI Agent Tamsin Wade (2/22)
- David Norona as ADA Oscar Ardiles (2/22)
- Jack Plotnick as Brett Partridge (2/22)
- Ivan Sergei as FBI Agent Gabe Mancini (2/22)
- Polly Walker as FBI Agent Alexa Shultz (2/22)
Notable Guest Cast[]
- Drew Powell as FBI Agent Reede Smith (The Crimson Ticket)
- Paul Schulze as John Hutten (Not One Red Cent)
- Samaire Armstrong as Summer Edgecombe (Panama Red)
- Malcolm McDowell as Bret Stiles (Red Sails In The Sunset)
- Gregory Itzin as Virgil Minelli (Red Dawn)
- Reed Diamond as CBI Agent Ray Haffner (The Red Barn)
- William Forsythe as Steve Rigsby (Blood Feud) †
- Dove Cameron as Charlotte Anne Jane (Devil's Cherry)
- Jillian Bach as DDA Sarah Harrigan (Black Cherry)
- Robert Picardo as Jason Cooper (The Red Barn)
- Michael Hogan as Sean Barlow (Red John's Rules)
- Gary Basaraba as CBI Agent Stephen Hannigan (Red Dawn)
Episodes[]
Image | Title | Writer(s) | Director | Airdate | Viewers (millions) | Ep. Number |
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The Crimson Ticket | Writer(s): Bruno Heller | Director: Randall Zisk | September 30, 2012 | 11.06 | 5.01 | |
While Jane tries to decipher Lorelei's connection to Red John, the CBI team is forced to partner with the FBI to solve the murder of a hotel employee. Special Guest Cast: Drew Powell as Reede Smith
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Devil's Cherry | Writer(s): Daniel Cerone | Director: Randall Zisk | October 7, 2012 | 9.02 | 5.02 | |
While the CBI team investigates the murder of a diamond cutter, Jane meets a girl who claims to be his late daughter Charlotte. Special Guest Cast: Dove Cameron as Charlotte Jane
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Not One Red Cent | Writer(s): Ken Woodruff | Director: Chris Long | October 14, 2012 | 10.74 | 5.03 | |
A bank employee is murdered during a heist and Jane and the team must work to track down the killer, while Lisbon is pulled deeper into the CBI/FBI rivalry. | ||||||
Blood Feud | Writer(s): Jordan Harper | Director: Anton Cropper | October 21, 2012 | 8.10 | 5.04 | |
When Rigsby's father is found injured at a crime scene, the team must find out if it is the result of a long-standing small-town gang war. Special Guest Cast: William Forscythe as Steve Rigsby | ||||||
Red Dawn | Writer(s): Tom Szentgyorgyi | Director: Chris Long | October 28, 2012 | 10.17 | 5.05 | |
See how Jane met Lisbon and the rest of the CBI team for the first time. Special Guest Cast: Gregory Itzin as Virgil Minelli & Gary Basaraba as Stephen Hannigan
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Cherry Picked | Writer(s): David Appelbaum | Director: John F. Showalter | November 4, 2012 | 9.11 | 5.06 | |
The team investigates the kidnapping of a couple that may be the victim of mistaken identity, while Jane continues his investigation into Lorelei's whereabouts.
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If It Bleeds, It Leads | Writer(s): Eoghan Mahony | Director: John F. Showalter | November 11, 2012 | 10.15 | 5.07 | |
The team investigates the murder of a reporter who may have become too close to her story, while Jane insists on pursuing his own leads to find Lorelei.
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Red Sails In The Sunset | Writer(s): Daniel Cerone | Director: Simon Baker | November 18, 2012 | 8.07 | 5.08 | |
With the help of Bret Stiles, Jane orchestrates an elaborate plan to break Lorelei Martins out of prison in the hopes of her leading him to Red John. Special Guest Cast: Malcolm McDowell as Bret Stiles
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Black Cherry | Writer(s): Erika Green Swafford | Director: Elodie Keene | November 25, 2012 | 10.15 | 5.09 | |
The CBI team investigates the murder of a real estate agent with former gang ties, while Jane searches for leads on his new connection to Red John. Special Guest Cast: Jillian Bach as Sarah Harrigan
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Panama Red | Writer(s): Michael Weiss | Director: Guy Ferland | December 9, 2012 | 7.94 | 5.10 | |
The death of a young botanist leads the team into the lucrative world of medical marijuana. Special Guest Cast: Samaire Armstrong as Summer Edgecombe
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Days of Wine and Roses | Writer(s): Rebecca Perry Cutter | Director: Eric Laneuville | January 6, 2013 | 10.85 | 5.11 | |
The CBI team visits a high-end California rehab center in order to investigate the death of a young model who was a patient there, while Lisbon ramps up her investigation into Tommy Volker.
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Little Red Corvette | Writer(s): Ken Woodruff | Director: Randall Zisk | January 13, 2013 | 10.60 | 5.12 | |
The CBI investigates the death of a geologist, which Lisbon is convinced is the key to bringing down Tommy Volker.
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The Red Barn | Writer(s): Tom Szentgyorgyi | Director: Allison Anders | January 27, 2013 | 10.50 | 5.13 | |
The team investigates a 25-year-old case that seems to involve both Red John and the Visualize group, and Lisbon contemplates her future. Special Guest Cast: Reed Diamond as Ray Haffner & Robert Picardo as Jason Cooper
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Red In Tooth And Claw | Writer(s): Jordan Harper | Director: Randall Zisk | February 17, 2013 | 9.42 | 5.14 | |
The team delves into the surprisingly cutthroat world of academics in a case involving a graduate student at a natural history museum.
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Red Lacquer Nail Polish | Writer(s): Eoghan Mahony | Director: Geary McLeod | March 3, 2013 | 9.24 | 5.15 | |
The episode involves the murder of an elderly wealthy heiress called Emily Vogelson. She was found burned to death in her creepy mansion although no positive identification can be made.
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There Will Be Blood | Writer(s): Ken Woodruff & David Appelbaum | Director: Anton Cropper | March 10, 2013 | 9.52 | 5.16 | |
Lorelei Martins returns and kills the manager of a Woman's Shelter who she believes was somehow implicated in her sister's death, along with Red John. Jane has to confess his role in Lorelei's prison escape to Lisbon.
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Red, White and Blue | Writer(s): Tony Astrino | Director: Robert Duncan McNeill | March 17, 2013 | 9.98 | 5.17 | |
The CBI team investigates when the body of a female army medic who worked with soldiers with PTSD is found near a military base.
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Behind The Red Curtain | Writer(s): Erika Green Swafford & Eoghan Mahony | Director: Chris Long | March, 24 2013 | 8.00 | 5.18 | |
The CBI team investigates when the young lead of a local theater production dies on the eve of the opening. Meanwhile, Jane hopes to get more information about Red John from the comatose Jason Lennon.
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Red Letter Day | Writer(s): Michael Weiss | Director: Guy Ferland | April 14, 2013 | 7.84 | 5.19 | |
The CBI team heads out to a run-down Wild West tourist town when the owner is found dead. Meanwhile, Kirkland tries to find out how much Jane knows about Red John.
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Red Velvet Cupcakes | Writer(s): Rebecca Perry Cutter | Director: David M. Barrett | April 21, 2013 | 9.10 | 5.20 | |
Rigsby and Van Pelt go undercover as a couple with relationship problems to investigate the death of a woman who received advice from a radio love doctor.
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Red and Itchy | Writer(s): Daniel Cerone | Director: David Paymer | April 28, 2013 | 8.69 | 5.21 | |
J.J. LaRoche personally requests Jane’s help when the mysterious container he’s been hiding for nine years is stolen from his home.
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Red John's Rules | Writer(s): Bruno Heller | Director: Chris Long | May 5, 2013 | 9.17 | 5.22 | |
Jane’s quest to narrow down the list of Red John suspects comes to a thrilling conclusion. Special Guest Cast: Michael Hogan as Sean Barlow
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