The Mentalist (season 3)

File:The Mentalist - The Complete 3rd Season.jpg Season 3 U.S. DVD Cover
Country of origin	United States
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	September 23, 2010 (2010-09-23) – May 19, 2011 (2011-05-19)

The third season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2010 and concluded with its 2-hour season finale on May 19, 2011. The season consisted of 24 episodes.

Cast and characters

Main cast

• Simon Baker as Patrick Jane (24 episodes)
• Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon (24 episodes)
• Tim Kang as Kimball Cho (24 episodes)
• Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby (24 episodes)
• Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt (24 episodes)

Recurring cast

• Aunjanue Ellis as Madeleine Hightower (10 episodes)
• Pruitt Taylor Vince as J.J. LaRoche (8 episodes)
• Eric Winter as Craig O'Laughlin (7 episodes)
• Michael Gaston as Gale Bertram (6 episodes)
• Rebecca Wisocky as Brenda Shettrick (5 episodes)

Notable Guest Cast

• Malcolm McDowell as Bret Stiles ("The Blood On His Hands")
• Leslie Hope as Kristina Frye ("The Blood On His Hands")
• Jack Coleman as Max Winter ("Red Carpet Treatment")
• Currie Graham as Walter Mashburn ("Red Hot")
• Željko Ivanek as Linus Wagner ("Ball of Fire")
• John Billingsley as Ellis Mars ("Red Moon")
• Gregory Itzin as Virgil Minelli ("Jolly Red Elf")
• Morena Baccarin as Erica Flynn ("Every Rose Has Its Thorn")
• David Norona as Osvaldo Ardiles ("Rhapsody in Red")
• Bradley Whitford as Timothy Carter/Fake Red John ("Strawberries and Cream - Part 2")

Episodes

See also: List of The Mentalist episodes

No. in series	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Production code	U.S. viewers (millions)
47	1	"Red Sky at Night"	Chris Long	Bruno Heller	September 23, 2010 (2010-09-23)	3X6401	15.50
After his encounter with Red John and Kristina Frye's probable death, Patrick Jane rethinks his future with the CBI. At the same time, the team investigates a murder and a high-profile kidnapping, missing lobbyist Harvey Dublin. Patrick does not feel like working the case, so Lisbon has to convince Patrick to help.
48	2	"Cackle-Bladder Blood"	John Polson	Ashley Gable	September 30, 2010 (2010-09-30)	3X6402	14.65
When Patrick's brother-in-law, Daniel "Danny" Ruskin, returns to town and gets mixed up in a murder investigation (with Danny seeming to be the murderer of a businessman he was conning), Patrick must come to his aid despite personal reservations.
49	3	"The Blood on His Hands"	David M. Barrett	Tom Szentgyorgyi	October 7, 2010 (2010-10-07)	3X6403	14.39
Cult leader Bret Stiles offers Patrick information on Red John and the disappearance of Kristina Frye to defuse their rivalry and try to ease their relationship. The information is found to be accurate and Kristina is found alive, but catatonic.
50	4	"Red Carpet Treatment"	Charles Beeson	Daniel Cerone	October 14, 2010 (2010-10-14)	3X6404	15.13
Jane and the rest of the team investigate the murder of a convict, Henry Dahl, who was later released on DNA evidence. Patrick gets some lessons in inner peace and hunting his adversary (Red John) from the husband of the man's victim. It is ultimately revealed the victim's husband and the husband of an admirer of Dahl both killed him; having conspired to do so (to the point they stole and replaced the DNA evidence initially used to convict Dahl—who was really guilty of his crime, in order to get him out of jail so they could kill him), the former to avenge his wife, and the latter to protect his wife. They avoid prosecution when they point at each other as the killer, and the case is abandoned with some behind-the-scenes effort by Patrick, who receives something from the husband of Dahl's victim to focus his anger on Red John: a gun.
51	5	"The Red Ponies"	John F. Showalter	Eoghan Mahony	October 21, 2010 (2010-10-21)	3X6405	14.42
The CBI team is called upon to look in the murder of Bill Sutton, a well-known, talented jockey, and their investigation leads the CBI to a horse racing track and Patrick appears to be able to "horse whisper".
52	6	"Pink Chanel Suit"	Eric Laneuville	Ken Woodruff	October 28, 2010 (2010-10-28)	3X6406	14.76
The CBI team is at a loss when a missing person (a court judge's daughter) and murder (the daughter's boyfriend who was found stabbed dead at the home) case occurs on an extremely well-guarded wealthy family's compound. The team and Patrick must find the girl, dead or alive.
53	7	"Red Hot"	Chris Long	Ashley Gable	November 4, 2010 (2010-11-04)	3X6407	14.42
Jane and the CBI team narrowly escape a fiery end when a building explodes while they are investigating a death threat. Meanwhile, sparks fly between Lisbon and billionaire Walter Mashburn when they meet up again while on the case.
54	8	"Ball of Fire"	Stephen Gyllenhaal	Tom Szentgyorgyi	November 11, 2010 (2010-11-11)	3X6408	13.84
Patrick Jane is kidnapped and Lisbon and the CBI team must go back through years of Jane's casework to find suspects, only to realize that the list of suspects is extremely long—almost everyone he has ever dealt with might want to harm him.
55	9	"Red Moon"	Simon Baker	Bruno Heller	November 18, 2010 (2010-11-18)	3X6409	14.74
Ellis Mars, a local astrologer, helps Patrick solve a triple murder involving two policemen and an EMT's fiancée. The case expands to several previous policemen murders, and forces the killer to break his normal full moon-killing cycle to keep from being exposed. While the local police believe it was Mars who was the killer, Patrick realizes it was the seemingly-livid and distraught EMT himself, Todd Johnson, who he figures to be common serial killer, despite Johnson's claims that there is another reason, which only Patrick would understand. After his arrest, Patrick arrives at Johnson's cell at his request, only to find Johnson in flames. Johnson later dies from his injuries, but not before whispering the first verse of the William Blake poem Red John said to Patrick—revealing Red John was involved in Johnson's activities and death.
56	10	"Jolly Red Elf"	John F. Showalter	Daniel Cerone	December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09)	3X6410	13.41
After the death of a Santa, the CBI follows leads that take them to an AA group and the National Society of Authentic Santas. Meanwhile, when Todd Johnson, a person in custody, dies, an independent investigator, J. J. LaRoche, questions Patrick about the death of Johnson, he is a major suspect as he was the last person to see him alive. Patrick, avoiding LaRoche, reaches out to retired CBI Director Minelli, who agrees to provide information to Patrick when he reveals Johnson was a member of Red John's network, a fact Red John himself does not know, which finally gives Patrick the advantage.
57	11	"Bloodsport"	Roxann Dawson	Eoghan Mahony	January 6, 2011 (2011-01-06)	3X6411	14.88
While LaRoche continues his Todd Johnson murder investigation, this time having some uncomfortable questions for Rigsby, the CBI turns its attention to the murder of a journalist who is killed during a professional fight.
58	12	"Bloodhounds"	Charles Beeson	Erika Green Swafford	January 20, 2011 (2011-01-20)	3X6412	14.82
Patrick Jane and the CBI are joined by scientific criminal profiler Dr. Montague to investigate a double murder, which appears to be the work of a serial killer named Caveman.
59	13	"Red Alert"	Guy Ferland	Jordan Harper	February 3, 2011 (2011-02-03)	3X6413	15.18
A documentary film maker is found dead in her home and Patrick and the CBI are brought in to investigate. The case becomes complicated when the prime suspect, who is thought to have killed his wife years previously but got off due to an error in the police signing, takes hostages (which include Patrick) at City Hall. Meanwhile, Lisbon is left to deal with the situation while also dealing with interference from the local authorities and her superiors.
60	14	"Blood for Blood"	Martha Mitchell	David Appelbaum	February 10, 2011 (2011-02-10)	3X6414	14.86
Van Pelt's job is on the line when a witness under her watch is murdered.
61	15	"Red Gold"	Tom Verica	Cindi M. Grossenbacher	February 17, 2011 (2011-02-17)	3X6415	15.01
When Lisbon is injured during the investigation into a modern-day prospector's murder, Agent Hightower works with Patrick Jane in the field for the first time.
62	16	"Red Queen"	Chris Long	Daniel Cerone	February 24, 2011 (2011-02-24)	3X6416	14.79
An antiques dealer is found dead in a museum, and the evidence points to Agent Hightower, who has become a main suspect for LaRoche in Todd Johnson's death.
63	17	"Bloodstream"	Bobby Roth	Erika Green Swafford	March 10, 2011 (2011-03-10)	3X6417	14.28
The CBI investigates the murder of Micah Newton, a doctor who was found dead on the golf course driving range. Suspects include the hospital staff and the patients. LaRoche is placed in charge of the CBI and appoints Cho as the new team leader after Lisbon insults him.
64	18	"The Red Mile"	Darnell Martin	Tom Szentgyorgyi	March 31, 2011 (2011-03-31)	3X6418	14.27
When a man who thought he was abducted by aliens is murdered, his body is stolen from the coroner's van; Van Pelt looks for a wedding dress.
65	19	"Every Rose Has Its Thorn"	Charles Beeson	Ken Woodruff	April 7, 2011 (2011-04-07)	3X6419	15.17
When Lisbon questions Patrick's attitude towards Erica Flynn, a charismatic young widow, he explains it is because he thinks she killed her husband—the victim in the CBI's current case.
66	20	"Redacted"	David M. Barrett	Eoghan Mahony	April 28, 2011 (2011-04-28)	3X6420	13.53
Patrick Jane seems to be somehow off his game, due to a burglary at LaRoches' house. Meanwhile, Ted Fisher, a hardware store owner, is murdered and several shady characters are seen loitering in the area.
67	21	"Like a Redheaded Stepchild"	Eric Laneuville	Jordan Harper	May 5, 2011 (2011-05-05)	3X6421	14.00
When Walton Parsell, a prison guard, is stabbed to death outside of a jewelry store, Patrick Jane suspects one of the prison's inmates is the killer. Meanwhile, Rigsby questions his own father about the murder.
68	22	"Rhapsody in Red"	David M. Barrett	David Appelbaum	May 12, 2011 (2011-05-12)	3X6422	14.07
The Northern California Symphony Orchestra comes under questioning when one of its violinists Eleanor Artega is shot to death. Cho has his hands full when he has to deal with Anthony Rome, a bright and talented young pickpocket.
69/70	23/24	"Strawberries and Cream"	Chris Long	Ashley Gable & Bruno Heller	May 19, 2011 (2011-05-19)	3X6423/3X6424	14.11
The team investigates an explosion at a gas station, involving a thief with a bomb strapped to his chest. Jane assists the CBI team in identifying the deceased perpetrator who worked for a company called "Cash in Motion". Jane reveals that the bomber was in fact the victim. After a clue leads the team on a search for a location where the killer may be hiding, Lisbon is attacked while investigating an abandoned school by herself. Jane finds an unconscious Lisbon with a bomb strapped to her chest. In the end it is revealed that the case involved Red John, who was looking for Hightower. The team works together to uncover the mole within the CBI. Patrick at last meets his nemesis, face-to-face.

International reception

In the UK, the third season premiered on Friday 15 October at 9 pm on Channel Five to 2.18 million viewers, nearly 1 million less than the second season's premiere. Overall, the season averaged 2.08 million viewers (21% less than the previous season), making this the least watched season of the series so far. The most watched episode was Jolly Red Elf (2.62 million), and the least watched episode was Pink Chanel Suit (1.74 million). The season ended on Friday 10 June.

External links

• Official website
• The Mentalist at IMDb
• List of The Mentalist season 3 episodes at TV.com
• The Mentalist at epguides.com