The Mentalist - Episode 6.16 - Violets - Review

NOTE: Please be advised that English is not my first language.

This season The Mentalist is giving us a lot of subtexts. Since last night's episode was full of them, I decided to separate them. First of all, the case: a man was shot and robbed by an art squad of thieves. Jane was immediately intrigued by those masked men who irrupted into John Hannigan's musuem and stole the painting - including a secret paiting where his wife was portrayed. Jane's already planned an undercover mission just as Marcus Pike, the new agent, finishes to explain the case. That doesn't impress Cho much, knowing Jane as a showman "My plan is a little more eleborate, but it's much more entertaining." "Of course it is."
I enjoyed how much Jane knows his team, most because he gave Wiley a little credit, including him in the mission; he's like his protegé, as showed in the previous episode. Wiley is like Grace Van Pelt at the very beginning.

Jane's play and everyone's roles. "Life's a show and we all play a part." From this quote taken from Buffy TVS, Jane, in his way, organizes a little play\undercover. He gives Abbott the role of a tough robber who gets to know MacKaye in the bar and gains his trust; Cho is the key man who breaks into Abbott and MacKaye, causing them to show up in another place to have some drinks - Jane and Lisbon's undercover house. Fischer is the 'face' of the plan: I laughed so much when she took the leopard-skin dress off the bag... Does Jane think that's the real Kim Fischer? Or maybe did he want to give her the fun she may have missed? So like a wizard, Jane turns Fischer into a hot Cinderella ready to seduce the thief. Lisbon, of course, plays Jane's husband\girlfriend. Easy to think that, because Jane just wants to be with her, and we know his inconscious too. Even if it's for an undercover mission, why don't try and spend some time with the woman he loves? As for Lisbon, she enjoyed her role, even tho we know Lisbon isn't that type of girl who wears tight dresses and heels... She's not even the kind of girl who flirts with everyone, so I was impressed from the moment she saw Pike at the FBI, she couldn't keep her eyes off of him. Later, at the FBI secret museum of stolen arts, she was flirting with him! Pike is just like we all imagined: smart, well looking guy, he's not bad and he knows how to get something he wants. Lisbon's feelings for Jane are a little bit complicated. She cares for Jane when she sees he's sleeping in the couch and covers him with a blanket. She stares at him, maybe thinking how does it feel to be a real couple? On the other hand, Lisbon's interest for Pike is truly genuine.

Jane's past and present love life. Jane is particulary interested in the case because of that violet's painting by Manet. He explains to the thief that the artist couldn't express in words his forbidden love for the woman he had fallen, so he did in a different way. Anyone looked at that Manet's paiting? There's a bunch of violets, a fan and a letter - anyone remembers the letters-exchanging-in-a-romantic-way between Jane and Lisbon? The victim's wife is mourning her husband, but Jane knows well how does it feel. He explains to her he's not gone forever until he rests in your heart. His wife is always a persistent presence in his life, and so Lisbon does. While now Jane can talk at open mind about mourning, he can't openly talk about his feeling for the other woman in his life. He made Lisbon to be his wife in his undercover plan, but he can't keep his eyes off of her - and even the thieves realize there's much more going on between those two. He knows he wants Lisbon, but he can't make that step ahead. When he sees Pike and Lisbon going out for a date, that's the moment when the show (or the play) ends: he comes back to reality, he sits in the couch and takes his scarf off and realizes he's a lonely man - he'll always thinks about his wife, he's ready to move on, but maybe it's too late. In other words, when you love someone, you want her to be happy... not necessary with you. I also hope Jane won't give up so early to the woman he loves: we all want Jane to fight for Lisbon's heart once for all.

Marcus Pike. I understand Lisbon's crush for this agent: he has something Jane doesn't: he won't run away. Once Pike's found what he wants (Lisbon), he goes for her. But first, he acts like a gentlemen: he asks Wiley if there's something between Jane and Lisbon - that's funny because even the nerd guy thought Jane and Lisbon were a couple! - then he makes his move. With not mince words, Pike asks her out complimenting her; Lisbon is flattered, I mean... how long didn't she date someone? Pike is direct, he doesn't use subtexts or plans like Jane. Lisbon thinks: he's a man he knows what he wants; Jane acts like a child and runs away when things get complicated. Her mind may thinks Pike's the perfect match, but what does her heart want? I guess for the moment, she needs to think about herself and what does it mean to be far from Jane. When Lisbon will realize who she is without him, that's the moment when she'll realize what her heart wants and always wanted - Jane.

What do you think about Marcus Pike? How will Jane deal with Pike and Lisbon's relationship? Share your comments below.
Thanks to tumblr.com for the gifs.