Seeing Red is the seventh episode of season one of The Mentalist. It aired on November 18th 2008 in the US and May 7th 2009 in the UK.
Recap[]
Rosemary Tennant is found dead
A peaceful garden with a burbling fountain surrounded with various florae welcomes visitors to The Temple of Harmony. A sign introduces us to Kristina Frye, a psychic, who offers "psychic wellness" and "healing through clairvoyance." This tranquil scene is interrupted as one woman, Rosemary, bursts out of the door with a Kristina begging her to stay, warning her that she is in danger. Kristina assures Rosemary that she is only trying to help her but Rosemary refuses to stay and storms down the path. As Rosemary walks down the street, her phone rings. She looks at the number and with frustration returns her phone to her purse without answering it. Suddenly, with no warning, a car speeds up along the road and on to the sidewalk knocking down and killing Rosemary.
The CBI team assembles at the crime scene where they meet the lead detective, Marco Francis. Francis fills them in on the details of the crime. The victim is Rosemary Tennant, the wife of a prominent businessman with strong political connections. They have witnesses who saw what happened, paint evidence from the vehicle and a partial plate number. After the typical jurisdictional sparring, it is determined that CBI will lead the investigation. Rosemary had filed a missing persons report on her son, Travis. He is apparently a troubled teen.
Kristina Frye approaches the group. She tells them that Rosemary was having a session with her when her deceased husband warned her that she was in danger. Kristina explained that she was the conduit for the spirit of Rosemary's husband. Patrick had been quietly observing the scene, however, he reacts to the psychic's claim with thinly veiled contempt. Lisbon watches their exchange with mild amusement and diplomatically asks Kristina if she could come to their office for further questioning. Kristina asserts that Patrick is misreading the situation. He smiles broadly at Lisbon, obviously relishing the thought of exposing Kristina for the sham he believes she is.
The next day, Jane, Lisbon and Van Pelt begin their interrogation of Kristina. Kristina states she has known Rosemary for three years. She has been meeting with her five to six times a week, as Rosemary felt lost after the death of her husband. She explains that people were taking advantage of Rosemary and as a result the relationship with her children, Travis and Clara suffered. When questioned further about this, she refused to share any more information, citing client confidentiality. Patrick's skepticism is apparent when he comments on the $3000 per week fee that Kristina was receiving and he challenges her motives. Kristina turns the questioning back on Patrick and begins to read him with remarkable perception. Patrick dismisses her insight and declares that the tragedy in his life is easy to research. Kristina is unfazed by Patrick's antagonism and asks to leave.
Jeremy Hale greets the team
Later that day, Rigsby, Jane and Lisbon approach Rosemary Tennant's home. They meet Rosemary's house guest, Jeremy Hale. Hale is a photographer who has been living in the home for six months. He denies that they were lovers. Jane asks if it is all right if he looks around. Lisbon and Rigsby continue the questioning, talking about Rosemary's children and her will. Patrick calls down to the group to come upstairs. They find him in Hale's photography studio. They observe and comment on what a well-equipped studio it was. Jane suggests that Hale was the cause of the conflict between Travis and Rosemary; he argues that Travis left because Hale took over his room for a studio. Jane finds a small attic room that appeared to be Travis's new room. Jane continues to challenge Hale, suggesting that Travis left because of him. As Jane presses the issue, Hale becomes more and more defensive.
Back at the office, the team discusses the possible suspects and pool information that they have discovered. Family animosities and social parasites seem to present several possibilities. Rosemary's daughter, Clara, enters the office. Patrick says little during the interview but as always watches carefully. Clara expresses sorrow that her mother is gone and worries about her missing brother. She tells them that her mother changed after their father died. When she was away at school, Travis told her that people were taking advantage of her mother. Travis' behavior became erratic. She explains to them that Jeremy moved in when her brother started acting up. She describes him as scary and dangerous. Lisbon asks her where Travis is but she doesn't know. Jane asks her to put Travis' number into his phone. She tells him that Travis will not return his call but she complies. Patrick punches in the number and leaves a rather puzzling message on Travis' phone...
Patrick: (in a calm monotone voice) Hello Travis, you don't know me but my name is Patrick Jane. I'm a friend. I know you're in a little trouble right now and I want to offer you some peace of mind, but I don't know what peace of mind means to you. It's different for everyone. For instance, I like riding horses but would horses make you happy? I don't know. Why wouldn't horses make you happy? Around and round in your mind until you're sure and go to that place where you know you are happy and give me a call. You have my number.
Jane, Rigsby and Cho wait in an amusement park and the purpose and nature of Jane's call to Travis becomes evident. After a few minutes, Travis shows up and Cho is impressed by Jane's abilities. As Travis finds a seat on the merry-go-round, the three detectives quietly surround him. When Travis notices them, he starts to run away but Patrick calmly calls his name and asks him to stay... and he does.
Back at the office, Lisbon and Cho conduct Travis' interrogation. Travis states that he loves his mother and denies having anything to do with his mother's death. He explains that he ran away because he hated Jeremy. Travis is asked to provide details of where he was and with whom, to account for his time during his mother's murder. Patrick stands outside the interrogation room with Clara, observing both Clara and Travis.
Later the team discusses reasons for the changing of Rosemary's will and the motives that would evolve from such a change. They know that Jeremy stood to get a substantial amount from the will and Christina Frye was added to the will days before Rosemary's death. Grace defends Kristina and takes issue with Patrick's skepticism. At that moment Kristina calls and says she is 'picking up on something'. Grace goes to see her and Patrick insists on going with her.
Jane and Van Pelt enter The Temple of Harmony. Jane looks around the reception room and calls into question the commercialism of Kristina's 'temple'. Kristina greets them and they sit to begin their discussion. Jane questions what he calls her 'high-game' in contrast to the cliché accoutrements that surround them. Kristina defends herself by suggesting that she is simply giving the people what they expect just as he did when he was in the game. Their verbal sparring continues until Grace interrupts and brings the topic back to the case. Kristina reveals that she has had a vision about the car used in the murder of Rosemary. She explains that she sees it in a large body of water. Later, they find Rosemary's car in a reservoir outside of town.
Clara and Travis report that Jeremy has left the house with some of their mother's jewelry. Patrick looks around in Jeremy's studio and finds a picture of a young woman. The picture is damaged and Patrick postulates that the damage was made by a woman's heel…in all probability, Rosemary's heel. They show the picture to the children and she is identified as Connie Adams, Rosemary's bridge partner's daughter. When Hale is found in flagrante delicto with Connie, he is hauled down to head quarters for further questioning.
Jeremy continued to deny accusations that he murdered Rosemary even when faced with mounting evidence against him. He lies about knowing Kristina Frye and he finally requests a lawyer. They speak to Kristina Frye once more and learn that not only was she a beneficiary of Rosemary's will but also she admits to having a relationship with Jeremy.
Patrick goes to the Tennant home and asks Travis and Clara to request that Kristina hold a séance to call his mother's spirit at the reading of the will. Although he tells them that he suspects Kristina is the murderer, we wonder what kind of trap he is setting.
A large group assembles for the séance. It includes the CBI team, Travis, Clara, the family lawyer, Jeremy and others. Kristina calls for the group to believe. Patrick stands back and observes. Lights begin to flicker and a voice calls out asking Clara why she did it. Clara runs from the room. Patrick follows and Clara finally confesses. We see Cho and Rigsby out in a van providing the eerie sound effects.
Later in the office, Clara explains why she murdered her mother. She explains that she was so angry with her mother for disinheriting Travis and ignoring her attempts to talk to her. She followed her to one of her sessions with Kristina. While her mother was walking down the street, she tried once more to call her but her mother refused to answer her phone. She snapped and ran her down with the car. She tells them that she did it for Travis. She cries and tells them that parents are supposed to look after their children. This statement seems to strike a nerve with Patrick, although he says nothing. After the interrogation, Clara says goodbye to her brother and gives him some sisterly advice. Kristina enters the office and asks to speak to Patrick in private. They find an empty interview room. Kristina asks him to let her have her say and not to interrupt. She tells him that his dead wife has made contact with her and wants him to know that their child was killed in her sleep and didn't suffer or even be afraid for a second.
Patrick doesn't answer to Kristina. He begins to weep. Grace walks by the room and sees Patrick. She quietly closes the door.
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[]
Guest Cast[]
- Noel Fisher as Travis Tennant
- Ashley Johnson as Clara Tennant
- JR Bourne as Jeremy Hale
- Brad Rowe as Marco Francis
- Lisa Hampton as Connie Adams
- Nancy Stafford as Rosemary Tennant
- Austin Tichenor as High Class Lawyer
| Season 1 Episodes |
| Pilot · Red Hair and Silver Tape · Red Tide · Ladies in Red · Redwood · Red Handed · Seeing Red · The Thin Red Line · Flame Red · Red Brick and Ivy · Red John's Friends · Red Rum · Paint It Red · Crimson Casanova · Scarlett Fever · Bloodshot · Carnelian, Inc. · Russet Potatoes · A Dozen Red Roses · Red Sauce · Miss Red · Blood Brothers · Red John's Footsteps |