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SpoilerTV - TV Spoilers

POLL : The Mentalist - Have they dragged out the Red John story too long?

Aug 23, 2012

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Thanks to Kristin for the poll idea.


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41 comments:

  1. Sharon SeymourAugust 23, 2012 at 4:57 PM

    I still enjoy the show a lot but the RJ part has definitely gone on too long imho

    ReplyDelete
  2. Connor DaveyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:59 PM

    Nooo not this poll. I know how it'll turn out...

    ReplyDelete
  3. DenisAugust 23, 2012 at 4:59 PM

    Ugh..... YES!!!


    My god, can't they think of anything else?? :/

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shaakira Abdul SamadAugust 23, 2012 at 5:01 PM

    I think where getting close to see who is Red John!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Connor DaveyAugust 23, 2012 at 5:04 PM

    NO.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bradley AdamsAugust 23, 2012 at 5:05 PM

    I don't even watch it, and I'm bored of it...

    ReplyDelete
  7. NicoleAugust 23, 2012 at 5:22 PM

    Red John is being there is essential to the series. Look at the episode titles. Anyone who is sick of it, I feel like they just need to get used to the fact that it's going to be around.

    ReplyDelete
  8. nellymendezcolonAugust 23, 2012 at 5:29 PM

    red john is a side line storyline the new strange cases are most amusing because there plots and development are different and unique and very funny sometimes when one of those storyline affects red john in one way or another thats the interest thing how he moves his chips to avoid that & make jane lose his nerves like he did in the last season episode he is a master mind of deception

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  9. Bruce_FAugust 23, 2012 at 6:03 PM

    The Mentalist is a procedural. There is nothing about the continuing Red John plot that is essential to the show. The only essential parts of any procedurals are the the characters and the procedure.

    ReplyDelete
  10. nerwen_aldarionAugust 23, 2012 at 6:05 PM

    Well when that procedural has Red in every title and began with a quote about the journey towards revenge then I do think it is essential. It is like the show The Fugitive, Jane can't find the one armed man or the show is over.

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  11. nerwen_aldarionAugust 23, 2012 at 6:05 PM

    Exactly how I feel.

    ReplyDelete
  12. nerwen_aldarionAugust 23, 2012 at 6:08 PM

    No, it hasn't gotten old yet. The RJ episodes are always amazing and always find a way to move the plotlines further. Without RJ the show just becomes another procedural like Castle or NCIS, with the addition of the revenge plot and Jane's quest for redemption we get a new twist that is fresh and unique. We have a broken character chasing a psychopath who is always taking him closer and closer to the abyss, part of the fun of the show is seeing if Jane is going to step back and let the other characters keep him from sinking down into that darkness or if he will let his need for revenge ultimately consume him.


    Without that we would have Jane being Jane every episode, while that might be fun eventually even watching Lisbon throw pens at him after he does something crazy would get boring.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Bruce_FAugust 23, 2012 at 6:16 PM

    No. First, episode titles (themed or otherwise) have next to no importance. There's nothing stopping the theme from continuing even if Red John was taken care of. Second, Red John is nothing more than a way to illuminate facets of Jane's personality that are rarely touched upon during normal procedural episodes. He's not the end-all-be-all of this show.

    The end of Red John isn't the end of The Mentalist. In fact, it would be a relief to a large segment of the audience. It's a procedural and there will always be another case or another serial killer or someone else for Jane to obsess over.

    ReplyDelete
  14. nerwen_aldarionAugust 23, 2012 at 6:20 PM

    But then that "new killer" will inevitably be compared to RJ, and without the personal motive how can we expect the same level of obsession? Besides, it wouldn't be the same. Jane is obsessed because he truly blames himself for his family's death, that wouldn't happen again so it would no where near be the same level of power or the need to get revenge. In the end the new obsession would be a watered down version, a poor man's RJ and people would inevitably be disappointed.


    I admit, I would like to see other tragedies happen to the team outside of RJ, it seems like every truly terrible thing that happens on the show is because of RJ. I'd like to see something different in that regard but I do not see why we have to get rid of RJ to do so.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Bruce_FAugust 23, 2012 at 6:27 PM

    These types of programs jump over these hurdles and move on all the time. With Red John the solution is simple. Even if they kill Red John, he's accumulated many, many disciples. For the rest of the series the could easily hunt down all the "Friends of John" who continue Red John's work after his death.

    Procedurals always move on. There's no reason this one can't do the same.

    ReplyDelete
  16. nerwen_aldarionAugust 23, 2012 at 6:31 PM

    Perhaps, if you want this to be like every other procedural.


    There may be a time where the RJ storyline needs to come to an end and the show will go on. However, I see no reason why that time has come now.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Bruce_FAugust 23, 2012 at 6:34 PM

    This isn't exactly breaking news but The Mentalist IS like most every other quirky detective procedural.

    ReplyDelete
  18. nerwen_aldarionAugust 23, 2012 at 6:38 PM

    Yes but with a major difference. A focus on the "white whale" on revenge, it has a long running arc that other procedurals such as NCIS or CSI, don't. It is truly about the dynamic game between Jane and RJ, taking that away and it would be EXACTLY like NCIS or CSI.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Bruce_FAugust 23, 2012 at 6:44 PM

    That's not a major difference. It's a variation on a common theme: the thing from the detective's past that haunts him and drives him forward. They've all got one. This is NOT unique.

    ReplyDelete
  20. nerwen_aldarionAugust 23, 2012 at 6:56 PM

    Those detectives don't live in the attic either...

    ReplyDelete
  21. Javiera VegaAugust 23, 2012 at 9:49 PM

    I don't think so. Besides, since from the very beginning we knew that this story line would last seasons without knowing RJ's true identity...

    ReplyDelete
  22. Connor DaveyAugust 23, 2012 at 10:07 PM

    'Red John' and 'not essential' should not appear together, not if one knows the character of Patrick Jane and what is or isn't 'essential' to said character.

    ReplyDelete
  23. María SolAugust 23, 2012 at 11:55 PM

    I'm so not tired of this storyline. Red John is a big part of the show. It's what started everything and keeps moving it. I just can't see how the show could remain as interesting as it is now without this story. I just think that we have to start moving forward to find out more about him.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Eric PharandAugust 24, 2012 at 12:59 AM

    Yes, it has.

    ReplyDelete
  25. irisheyes143August 24, 2012 at 1:01 AM

    I enjoy this show, but wish they had closed this line this past season.

    ReplyDelete
  26. phnxgrlAugust 24, 2012 at 2:04 AM

    I think if Red John the major player not the disciples is not revealed and dealt with by the end of this season then I would definitely say like last week fish it over stayed its welcome.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Lilith HellfireAugust 24, 2012 at 2:26 AM

    Wow, I was just commenting about this on another thread and I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thinks the RJ thing has gone on too long. I always wanted to know what was going those five years before the show starts off (they so need a flashback episode like Bones or even like what Suits just did). I've always liked this show but I've never LOVED this show because I knew they would drag this out. SPN killed the main antagonist after two season and here it is six seasons after that plodding along "just fine". Fortune favors the bold but I feel like Bruno is writing the show for himself and not others at times.

    ReplyDelete
  28. BorednowAugust 24, 2012 at 8:21 AM

    No. Firm and strong no.

    The twin-peaks-y mystery of Red John and the elusiveness of everything connected to it is what separates this from generic cop procedurals and keeps me watching.

    Sure they could give us MORE of Red John plotlines, but I certainly hope we won't find out who REd John is till the final season of the show.

    ReplyDelete
  29. BorednowAugust 24, 2012 at 8:23 AM

    And what then?

    Mentalist becomes a generic cop procedural with no overarching plotlines?

    Red John adds a kind of mystique to the show, Jane's revenge against him connects every single case that happens and allows us to see Jane go darker and darker.

    Without Red John plotline, Mentalist would be just another cop procedural with snappy lead.

    ReplyDelete
  30. BorednowAugust 24, 2012 at 8:24 AM

    You just answered yourself on why Red John plotline HAS to stay.

    Without it, Mentalist is JUST another procedural.

    With it, Mentalist is a deep exploration of the depths of character of Patrick Jane. Which is far more fascinating than plot-less episodic cop procedurals.

    ReplyDelete
  31. BorednowAugust 24, 2012 at 8:26 AM

    Supernatural is...not the best example, considering after Season Three the show has been like a headless chicken - running in all directions with no sense of progression or coherence. For all intents and purposes SN ended for me after the third season and none of S4 S5 S6 S7 antagonists were even remotely interesting or well-written.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Nicole MallonAugust 24, 2012 at 9:27 AM

    Nope it's good the way it is keep RJ storys comming please

    ReplyDelete
  33. arun279August 24, 2012 at 4:40 PM

    The situation is more complicated than has it dragged on too long. Any story can be as big as the writer wants it to be, as long as they don't let the story stagnate with different variations of the same story over and over again, season after season. Red John does something->Jane gets caught up in the game->Red John creates a problem->They overcome it and solve the case->But Red John was one step ahead all along and in the end, they know as much about him as they did before the episode started. The story does not have enough meat in it to sustain the series long format. It's just a result of bad writing choices if anything.

    ReplyDelete
  34. arun279August 24, 2012 at 4:46 PM

    Castle has a series long story too. It started as a murder case, but as the series has progressed it has turned into an elaborate conspiracy.

    ReplyDelete
  35. C.j. LoquiturAugust 24, 2012 at 9:04 PM

    I respectfully disagree with this. RJ is another psychopath. He isn't what makes the show unique: there are serial killer episodes in procedurals all the time, and if I want a steady diet of serial killer mysteries, I have "Criminal Minds", which does probably the best job of it out there. For me, what makes the series unique and draws me in to watch it, at least one of the biggest reasons-not the only one, what drew me in originally was Jane. He is the Menatalist and the show is named after him, not RJ. I watch because I like Jane and want to see what happens to him, not because I care about RJ. The only interest I have in RJ is how he relates to Jane. As time went on, by around the season one finale, I grew to love all the CBI "family" as well. So now I watch for them too.

    ReplyDelete
  36. CathyAugust 24, 2012 at 11:26 PM

    Yep, dragged for too long.

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  37. Bruce_FAugust 24, 2012 at 11:57 PM

    With or without Red John, The Mentalist is just another procedural.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Lilith HellfireAugust 25, 2012 at 1:54 AM

    Well, that's one person's opinion on SPN. I meant that the writers/creator of SPN weren't afraid to try something different and not leave us dangling until the last episode to resolve a myth arc. If you're writing a memoir sure, write it for yourself. If you're writing a TV show, you are going to have to compromise, and yes even pander at times, that's just the entertainment business in general. Heroes suffered from Tim Kring being Tim Kring, he didn't have the balls to thin out the herd and let characters (besides Isaac) die and be gone for good. TVD, well, the love triangle angle and Mary Sue "protagonist" that is Elena Swan, I mean Gilbert is pretty much just a plot device and why a large majority of the fandom don't care for her, Julie P neutered Damon and now viola we have this hot mess of a last season and presumably another transition season to get back to where we need to be. That of course is just my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  39. NickAugust 25, 2012 at 7:55 PM

    NO,i dont think so. I love this show & I have seen all the episodes countless times,but its only the Red John episodes that have brought me to the edge of my seat & made my jaw drop.That is what intrigued me the most & got me hooked & i dont think I will be this invested to a crime of the week procedural show.The writers are a clever bunch,i am sure they will make the payoff worth our while.So for now i'll just shut up & enjoy the ride.

    ReplyDelete
  40. SamAugust 28, 2012 at 12:05 PM

    I lost interest in The Mentalist with the start of season 4. That was such a ridiculous season opener, one that made me really mad. It was just stupid how they got Jane off the charges. Yes, I killed the man, but it was right to do so. And they let him go? So stupid and lame. I was so disappointed. And I loved the show up to that point. Never missed an episode. But that was just too much.

    But my interest in RJ went out the window long before that. Jane should move on, his revenge is getting really old. His family was killed a long time ago. It simply doesn't hold my interest any more. I simply don't care who RJ is or what is going to happen to Jane or RJ. Or the team for that matter.

    For all I care they could end the show right now.

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  41. numer0sixSeptember 24, 2012 at 7:52 PM

    No way! Red John cat and mouse game with Jane is the best thing in this show IMO

    ReplyDelete

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