The Mentalist 3X10: Jolly Red Elf
Added 2025-08-27 21:37:48 +0000 UTCOMG. This episode was so, so fun! I was completely fooled the whole time, but I love how it turned out.
So, we find a dead Santa at Christmas time with what appears to be a suicide note in his pocket. Lisbon is ready to call the case done, but Jane knows there is more to it. Turns out the guy is actually a professional Santa Claus and involved in some Santa Association. He's also got 10 years of sobriety. However, he was find with enough booze in him to kill him.
But, before we can do much with the case, Hightower introduces some new guy who is looking into the case of Todd. They are pretty sure one of the police killed him. (I honestly thought he set himself on fire, but I realize now that it would be pretty much impossible). And it turns out, his primary suspect is Jane. Huh?
He keeps trying to talk to Jane, but he keeps missing him. When Lisbon tells him he's out on a case, he tells her that Jane is the number one suspect. And she laughs. While she agrees that he is capable of murder, this wasn't him. Todd asked for him and Lisbon practically had to force him to go down there.
Rigsby and Grace had to the Santa convention to see if they can figure out anything about the dead Santa and they find out, one of the guys was trying to oust him has president. He ends up getting into a fight with another Santa, and they both get taken in. Turns out, they saw dead Santa with a sex worker the night he died (or maybe the night before). So, we bring her in.
She's very forthcoming and tells us that she was hired to drum up business for a treatment center for alcoholics, but they only cater to rich clientele. She convinced him to give it a try.
So Lisbon and Grace head the treatment center and are introduced to the behavioral therapist who helped he. He works with aversion therapy. And gladly shows them the recording of dead Santa's session. However, they turn the tape off before he leaves the room. Grace goes out to talk to the nurse who claims that dead Santa had signs of alcohol poisoning when they dropped him off at home.
So, Jane Plan. Jane's undercover at the treatment center trying to get rid of his 'addiction to alcohol.' Every time he takes a shot, they hit him with an electric shot. And this dude takes so many shots. I don't know how he was still conscious. The nurse claims he needs an ambulance and sends the therapist out to call 9-1-1. (Why isn't there a phone in here?)
But, it turns out, nurse is actually the culprit. She had parents who were both alcoholics and figured this would be a good way to get back at them. Once Jane gets some info, he speaks into his pen to tell Lisbon to come in. But nothing happens. He explains to the nurse that the pen is really a microphone, but she doesn't believe, she just thinks he's drunk. He tries again and still nothing.
At this point, she's just about to inject him (with whatever is gonna kill him) when the gang bursts in with guns drawn. Lisbon apologizes, claiming they got lost in the building. Nurse is arrested and Lisbon tries to get Jane's drunk ass home. Unfortunately, on the way, they run into new guy who insists he talk to Patrick now. Lisbon tries to fend him off, but Jane agrees to talk to him. All he really wants to know is what secret Todd wanted to tell him, but Jane claims he has no idea. He seems satisfied with that.
Oh, and at the end, Patrick meets up with Virgil (they met up earlier where Jane insulted him as well) who gives him a list of suspects that new guy is running with. Jane thanks him and wanders down the beach to chase birds. Which I apparently found delightful.
