To understand the driving force behind Patrick Jane, the title character in the hit drama The Mentalist, one need look no further than the brutal murderer who has plagued his nightmares since the series' first episode. On Monday, Oct. 22, TNT is going to take viewers on a journey through those nightmares with THE MENTALIST: The Hunt for Red John, an all-day marathon of episodes centering on the serial killer whose long line of victims includes Jane's own family.
"Our marathon of Red John episodes of The Mentalist provides fans with a great opportunity to see the story arc as it has played out over four seasons," said Phil Oppenheim, senior vice president of programming for TNT and TBS. "The Hunt for Red
John Marathon also gives viewers unfamiliar with The Mentalist the chance to get in on the show from the very beginning."
TNT's marathon will begin with the pilot episode of The Mentalist, which introduces viewers to Patrick Jane (series star
Simon Baker), a onetime fake psychic who gave up his television career to work with the California Bureau of Investigation in solving complex cases. As revealed in the episode, Jane's decision to leave behind a life of luxury in order to work for law enforcement is prompted by the murder of his wife and daughter at the hands of Red John.
As viewers learn, Red John has been responsible for nearly 30 murders since the late 1980s. As Jane describes him in the pilot episode, "Red John thinks of himself as a showman, an artist. He has a strong sense of theatre."
Referring to Red John's habit of painting a smiley face on the wall using his victim's blood, Jane says, "The first thing that anyone sees is the face on the wall. You see the face first, and you know. You know what's happened, and you feel dread. Then and only then do you see the body of the victim. Always in that order."
In addition to the pilot episode, TNT's The Mentalist: The Hunt for Red
John Marathon features the gripping season finales for each of the first four seasons, including the memorable two-part "Strawberries and Cream" season 3 finale, in which Jane finally meets Red John face-to-face.
TNT's The Mentalist: The Hunt for Red
John Marathon - Monday, Oct. 22, beginning at Noon (ET/PT)
Noon - "Pilot" (Season 1) - California Bureau of Investigation consultant
Thomas Jane along with Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon and her team, investigate a double murder in which a pro golfer's wife and her doctor were killed in Palm Springs.
1 p.m. - "Red John's Friends" (Season 1) - Patrick Jane becomes focused on a convicted murderer who promises to reveal information on Red John upon his release, and quits the CBI in order to prove the prisoner's innocence.
2 p.m. - "Red John's Footsteps" (Season 1) - Lisbon believes the serial killer Red John is trying to trick Patrick Jane when the CBI team looks into the murder of a young girl and the kidnapping of her sister.
3 p.m. - "His Red Right Hand" (Season 2) - Lisbon's team arrives at the office to find that Bosco's team has been shot and killed, while he is in critical condition. Through the investigation, it turns out that Red John was behind the attack and that it was orchestrated as Bosco came closer to finding him while investigating a recent crime. Someone impersonating a CBI agent then picks up and destroys all of the evidence relating to the case.
4 p.m. - "Red Sky in the Morning" (Season 2) - Patrick Jane and Kristina's first date is interrupted by a report of Red John striking again, which is discovered to be a copycat. But when Kristina reaches out to the real Red John, both she and Jane find themselves in grave danger
5 p.m. - "Red Moon" (Season 3) - Patrick Jane accepts the help of a local astrologer, Ellis Mars, to solve the puzzling case of a triple homicide that involves two policemen and the fiancé of an EMT worker.
6 p.m. - "Strawberries and Cream, Part 1" (Season 3) - The CBI team must investigate the case of a suicide bomber.
7 p.m. - "Strawberries and Cream, Part 2" (Season 3) - The trail of the suicide bomber leads to Red John, and Patrick Jane finally meets his deadly enemy in person in a shocking confrontation.
8 p.m. - "Scarlet Ribbons" (Season 4) - In prison for killing his nemesis, Patrick Jane must prove that the man he shot really was Red John. Meanwhile, Lisbon urges Van Pelt to seek counseling in the aftermath of the death of her fiance.
9 p.m. - "Red Rover, Red Rover" (Season 4) - On the eighth anniversary of his wife and daughter's death, Jane receives a message from Red John, causing Jane to lose focus on his current case and put the investigation and his career at the CBI in jeopardy.
10 p.m. - "The Crimson Hat" (Season 4) - After another failed attempt to defeat Red John, Patrick Jane hits rock bottom, finds a lover and shoots one of his own.
About The Mentalist
The Mentalist stars Golden Globe(R) nominee
Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, an independent consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Jane has a remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his razor sharp skills of observation. Within the Bureau, he 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.
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 (
Robin Tunney) alternates between reluctantly acknowledging Jane's usefulness and blasting him for his theatrics, narcissism and dangerous lack of boundaries. Lisbon's team includes agents Kimball Cho (
Tim Kang), Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti), who all think Jane's a loose cannon but admire his charm and knack for clearing cases.
The Mentalist was created by Bruno Heller and is produced by Prim
Rose Hill Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Heller and David Nutter serve as executive producers.
About TNT
TNT is television's destination for drama. Seen in 99 million households and ranking among cable's top networks, TNT is home to such original drama series as Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Dallas, Perception, Major Crimes, Franklin & Bash, Leverage, Southland and the upcoming Monday Mornings. The network also features dramatic unscripted originals like the upcoming Boston's Finest, 72 Hours and The Hero. In addition, TNT is the cable home to popular dramas like Castle, The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Smallville and Law & Order; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R); blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
TNT is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company. Turner Broadcasting creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
