Behind The Red Curtain[1] is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season of The Mentalist.
Summary[]
The CBI team investigates when the young lead of a local theater production dies on the eve of the opening. Meanwhile, Jane hopes to get more information about Red John from the comatose Jason Lennon.
Recap[]
The team (without Jane) are called to a downtown Sacramento hotel where the second lead (Sharon) in a new production called "Torch" has fallen from the 9th floor onto a car. Cho decides that due to her torn clothing it is murder. Lisbon calls Jane who is at the hospital outside Jason Lennon's room, and tells him to get over there. The place Sharon fell from was a suite being used by the whole cast as storage area/dressing room.
The team discovers that Sharon was adopted and talk to her foster mother, who suggests that Sharon's ex boyfriend Billy Racine is the person to talk to. She says that Sharon came home injured last week in what Sharon claimed was a botched mugging, but she is convinced that Billy was responsible.
The team interview Racine (who has a record) who tells them that Sharon thought that someone from the show was behind the mugging, but she didn't tell him who as she thought he would "do something" to the perpetrator.
Back at the rehearsals the PR lady says that all the investors except the major investor, a Mr Hannover, have confirmed their continued involvement. Jane tells one of the dancers that the director hates "Jazz Hands" and would sack anyone who used them. During the rehearsal Bridget uses "Jazz Hands" and it is revealed that Mandy told her to use them.
Jane arranges with one of the nurses to be called when Lennon is brought out of his coma.
Under interrogation Mandy admits to organising the mugging, but suggests that the start Deandra Sunderland may be responsible as the director (McTavish) wanted to replace Deandra with Sharon.
Lisbon then goes to interview Deandra and Jane realises that Deandra is Sharon's mother.
During their subsequent interview Deandra reveals that she has Multiple Sclerosis, and that Sharon knew. Right before the performance she had an attack and Sharon went up to the suite to fetch her medication.
Next morning Grace says that she has checked everybody and has movements for them all except Hanover who apparently disappears in the hotel as he enters but never leaves. Lisbon wants to know why this makes Jane happy.
Jane then goes to talk to LaRoche and says that he needs him.
While driving to the theater with LaRoche, Jane tells him that what he has to do is easy.
LaRoche pretends to be Burt Hanover but Dodge (the producer) says that he is not Hanover. Jane then proves that Hanover never existed and that Dodge was pretending to be him.
Under interrogation he admits that Sharon surprised him while changing out of the Hanover costume, he tried to persuade her to stay silent but she refused so he killed her.
Jane gets a call from the hospital telling him that they are bringing Lennon out of his coma. At the hospital Lennon is left alone with Kirkland. Kirkland then questions Lennon to find out if he recognises him, and Lennon says that he does not. Kirkland then injects air into Lennon's IV, then calls for help. Jane arrives once Lennon is dead.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Simon Baker as Patrick Jane
- Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon
- Tim Kang as Kimball Cho
- Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby
- Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt
Recurring Cast[]
- Pruitt Taylor Vince as J.J. LaRoche
- Kevin Corrigan as Robert Kirkland
- Christopher Cousins as Jason Lennon
- John Troy Donovan as Ron
- Shannon Mosley as Junior Homeland Security Agent
Guest Cast[]
- Erik Jensen as Bran McTavish
- Matt Servitto as Warren Dodge
- Alexis Carra as Mandy Drake
- Donna Murphy as Diandra Sunderland
- Julie Claire as Sylvia Clare
- Derek Ray as Billy Racine
- Rose Abdoo as Sheila Pugliese
- Maggie Egan as Polly Datch
- Gabrielle McClinton as Bridget Wendel
- Briana Cuoco as Maggie
- Nick Cobey as Howard Bledsoe
- Stephanie Garvin as Theatre Guest
- Mino Mackic as Limo Driver
- Kimberlee Kidd as Audition Dancer
- Larry Moran as T.V. News Reporter
Trivia[]
Kirkland injected Jason Lennon's IV with a syringe filled with air which created an air embolus that made Lennon's heart give out. Kirkland is widely suspected to be connected to Red John.
References Note[]
No information about it is available as of February 2013 other than the title, which may be a reference to the famous "man behind the curtain" from "The Wizard of Oz" - the actual trickster and manipulator behind the seemingly fearsome persona of the Wizard from L. Frank Baum's book and its musical adaptation.
References[]