Red Sky in the Morning
- Episode aired May 20, 2010
- TV-14
- 44m
The tension between Patrick and Kristina escalates when a Red John impostor strikes and Kristina offers her services to the CBI. However, the case causes the real Red John to come back and m... Read allThe tension between Patrick and Kristina escalates when a Red John impostor strikes and Kristina offers her services to the CBI. However, the case causes the real Red John to come back and meet Patrick for the first time face-to-face.The tension between Patrick and Kristina escalates when a Red John impostor strikes and Kristina offers her services to the CBI. However, the case causes the real Red John to come back and meet Patrick for the first time face-to-face.
- Ruth
- (as Carrie Finklea)
- Madeleine Hightower
- (as Aunjanue Ellis)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe episode title is from an old sailors' mnemonic: "Red sky at night, sailors delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning." A colorful sunset often portends good weather, while a red sunrise tends to precede a day of bad weather (because weather patterns commonly move from west to east, especially along ocean trade routes). This isn't always true, but it's true enough to be worth remembering. It also echoes the old shepherds' mnemonic: 'Red sky at night; shepherds' delight. Red sky in the morning; shepherds' warning.' from which the sailors' rhyme was taken. The next episode's title, Red Sky at Night (2010) takes its name from the same place.
- Quotes
Red John: Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
I use the word "fresh" for a reason because shows like this need to at least feel new and vibrant to counteract the constant risk that it will hit as overly familiar. The Mentalist is pretty good at this and it is perhaps the reason it has been successful. Of course it is not doing anything new; the plots are still by the numbers – mystery solved in under 45 minutes to make room for commercials, the usual elaborate ruse to expose the guilty party and the usual tensions/interplays between the characters as it occurs. The comic edge to it adds to the fresh and entertaining feel but this is a show that lives on the surface and this is demonstrated by season 2.
All shows will develop and it is telling how they choose to do it. OK they are comedy genre examples but both Curb Your Enthusiasm and Always Sunny in Philadelphia failed to really inspire me in their first seasons but yet in both cases the second seasons showed everything suddenly falling into places with the rough edges gone and massive jumps in writing. Seinfeld did the same albeit it was season 4 that just seemed to do no wrong. With The Mentalist though season 2 feels like business as normal in almost every regard. The only real discernible "improvements" have been in the cooler title sequence and that several of the cast have made a bit more effort put into their appearance in regards hair and make-up. Outside of this the plots remain the same – easy to enjoy if you are looking for easy light entertainment but rarely do they offer more. Thankfully one episode sees Jane's ruse not work in court because normally they are so elaborate that even the most dedicated viewer would admit that if we did a Law & Order and followed the case to court it would be thrown out within 5 minutes. The supporting characters are utilised more this time to fill out the time and share the load, but they are only used for the same sort of level of material as in season 1 – just given more time.
The Red John thing is meant to hook me but it continues to be used in a cynical way. Fall or season finale coming up? Expect everything to suddenly get a little bit more serious and for Red John or something related to him to show up and remind us of a "bigger plot" to keep watching for. In a way he reminds me of the smoke monster in the early days of Lost, which would rumble by everything things got a bit dull with the characters. Baker is a bit better with this material in season 2 though, while also keeping his light touch with the rest of it. Despite myself I like him in the lead even if he doesn't have a great deal of screen presence. Tunney seems to being moved to being more than the "authoritative but shyly-appreciative of Jane's methods" boss character as Ellis has come in to do that role now as Hightower; what this leaves Tunney with I'm not sure but she is still OK. Itzin jumps out which is a shame but I guess when 24 decides to bring your character back for the final season you don't hang around in a small role in The Mentalist. The supporting cast are expanded a little and they deal with it to varying degrees. Kang still doesn't do much beyond looking a bit bored by it all but Yeoman and Righetti seem to be pushing out a little more to being more than filler. The weekly case can normally be solved by spotting the one guest that you recognise from other shows – unknown bit-part actors rarely seem to commit crimes these days.
So, is season 2 of The Mentalist any good. The obvious answer is "no" because it continues to be a genre show that offers little but easy entertainment in an (overly) familiar mould that engages but never challenges or surprises. On the other hand though those that like the show will think it has improved because superficially it has – and for a show that relies on the delivery being slick and glossy I guess this is an improvement. Those that love this type of show will continue to love it as a result but it is hard to get particularly excited by a season where "more of the same" is the goal and "developing the show" is done by getting the cast more expensive haircuts and make-up.
- bob the moo
- Jul 7, 2010
Details
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime44 minutes
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- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD