|SPOILER| 5 things you need to know about season 5 before tonight's premiere

An amateur detective with extraordinary powers of perception teams with a professional crime-fighter to solve murders and banter flirtatiously. Sounds like any number of shows on any given evening of television. Tonight on CBS, it’s The Mentalist, starring Simon Baker as the natural born Sherlock and Robin Tunney as his badge-carrying Watson. Your five things to know about season 5 (unless you don’t dig such tips and teases, so… SPOILER WARNING!):

New night, fresh start. After three years on Thursday at 10 p.m. (now occupied by Elementary, The Mentalist moves to Sunday at 10. Creator/showrunner Bruno Heller is treating the switch as a new beginning. An early episode — the 100th of the series — will be something of an origin story, chronicling Patrick Jane’s first adventure with the California Bureau of Investigation. In other words: A good time for newbies to jump aboard. It may also be a good time for lapsed fans to come back, as…

Red John Gets Revved Up. The defining, ongoing mystery at the heart of The Mentalist is Jane’s quest to nab — and kill — the ingenious and elusive serial killer that murdered his wife and child. After attentively building and attending to that tale during the first three seasons, The Mentalist eased up a bit during season 4 in an effort to be a little lighter, a little more accessible. Heller says season 5 will be different. “Things are going to move forward in a way they haven’t the past few seasons,” he says. “We are going to make one giant leap toward Red John by the end of [the year].” One early story: Jane will meet someone claiming to be his daughter. More revelations will follow, many of them provided by…

The Return Of Lorelei Martins. In the season 4 finale, after apparently giving up on the Red John quest (a ruse to bait the baddie into the open, or so Jane claimed), Patrick romanced an apparent kindred soul/femme fatale (Emmanuelle Chriqui) who turned out to be one of Red John’s many loyal disciples. These psycho fans tend to not last long when captured — they get killed or kill themselves — but Lorelei will be sticking around for awhile. “Jane is going to start working on her, and she is the key that will open the door to finding out who Red John is, where he is and how to get to him,” says Heller, adding that just because they’re now technically adversaries doesn’t mean Jane and Lorelei aren’t still attracted to each other. “We’ll keep playing that. She is hard to dislike,” laughs Heller. “And she has something Jane wants. Any romantic relationship pivots on the question of how much is love and how much is mutual advantage. In this case, both sides have agendas. But there is definitely a romantic edge to it.” By the way, Agent Lisbon? Not one bit happy about Jane’s conflict of interest… and maybe just a teensy bit jealous, too. Also displeased…?

The CBI’s New FBI “Colleagues.” Season 5 will see the CBI squad working — and clashing — with a trio of FBI agents also chasing Red John. Polly Walker from Rome plays the group’s boss; Ivan Sergei (Jack & Jill, Gravity) and Drew Powell (Southland, Straw Dogs) play a “lovely bizarro world version of Rigsby and Cho.” Speaking of which…

Breakup Blues. Cho (Tim Kang) split with informant-turned-girlfriend Summer (Samaire Armstrong) because of her drug issues, but he still pines for her — and will be seeing her again. “When she shows up later in the season needing his help, he can’t help but to fall for it,” says Heller. Meanwhile, Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) has parted with the mother of his child and will be dealing with the ramifications. (He’ll also have to deal once again with his ex-con pop, played by William Forsythe, in an episode dealing with SoCal meth wars.) Any chance that Rigsby and CBI colleague/former flame Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) might rekindle their romance? “That’s a long game, those two,” says Heller. “[But] by end of the season there might be some movement there.”

Bonus Teases! Episode 2: Jane will encounter a young woman (Dove Cameron) who claims to be his daughter… or is she?! Also: Malcolm McDowell is slated to return this season, playing his popular CBI nemesis Brett Stiles, the shady leader of a Scientology-esque religion/cult. Also on tap to return this season: CBI agent J.J. LaRoche (Pruitt Taylor Vince) and retired CBI boss Virgil Minelli (Gregory Itzin)…

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Source: Inside TV (EW.com)

|SPOILER| The Mentalist Takes a Giant Leap Toward Catching Red John

Is this the year The Mentalist's Patrick Jane finally catches Red John? Probably not, but creator Bruno Heller is promising some major movement in the case.

"We're going to get much, much, much closer," Heller tells TVGuide.com. "We're going to take an investigative leap forward, further than we have in the previous four seasons. Up to now, we've kind of been stalking him. This season, conceptually, we get a location for him. The running chase starts now."

Perhaps the key to that reveal is Lorelei (guest star Emmanuelle Chriqui), the cocktail waitress-turned-Red John disciple Jane (Simon Baker) had a fling with in last season's finale. Now that she's in custody, Jane will stop at nothing to learn what she knows about his nemesis.

"He's like a hunter getting closer to his prey," Heller says of Jane. "He's more intense. He is, in a very real sense, happier, more excited, more galvanized and kind of on his toes. It''s like he can taste it. This is the closet he's gotten to Red John — ever. Essentially, Jane will do anything to seduce her to his side of the struggle. That involves using as much charm and charisma as he can. [But] is he trying to catch Red John or is he trying to seduce this woman?"

That's the very question Agent Lisbon (Robin Tunney) will be asking herself. "It puts him into both professional and personal conflict with Lisbon, who is anxious and concerned about how far Jane is willing to push things," Heller says. "It's not exactly a love triangle because no one could admit to those sorts of feelings about each other, but it certainly makes for a very complicated office life.

"I think Jane genuinely has some attraction for Lorelei," Heller continues. "But how much of that attraction is real and how much is Jane being manipulative? Jane assures Lisbon that it's purely business, but it's very hard to believe that when you see Jane and Lorelei together."

But Lisbon isn't the only person trying to keep Jane away from Lorelei. The new season will see an increased FBI presence on the show as Agents Anna Schulz (guest star Polly Walker) and Gabe Mancini (Ivan Sergei) try to take over the Red John investigation. "Keeping hold of Lorelei is a challenge," Heller says. "She's a hot potato. Red John is trying to get hold of her and the FBI is trying to get hold of her. Jane has been told by Red John himself that he has someone in the FBI. So, even if he didn't want to keep Lorelei for himself, the FBI would be that last people Jane wants to hand her over to."

Indeed, Heller says one of the new FBI agents should most certainly not be trusted. "Jane doesn't know which of them to trust or whether to trust any of them," Heller says. "But at the same time, they have exactly the same feelings about Jane. Who is telling the truth? Who is Red John's friend inside the FBI? Who is an innocent victim? That is what plays out with the FBI over the season."

Also on tap this season: the return of cult leader Bret Stiles (Malcolm McDowell), the appearance of a young woman claiming to be Jane's daughter (Dove Cameron) and a deeply personal case for Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) involving his father (William Forsythe).

Look for Lisbon to get personally and emotionally entangled in a case around midseason as well. "Lisbon gets involved in a case that really cuts her to the quick because a witness that she had encouraged to step forward is killed by a really nasty villain," Heller teases. "He's not a hidden serial killer-type villain, but someone who is out there strutting around, apparently untouchable. Lisbon gets her own little nemesis and is a bit like Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive — a relentless man hunter."

Heller says the experience may help Lisbon better understand the vengeance that drives Jane to catch Red John. Does that mean the show will further explore the personal relationship between Jane and Lisbon? "I wouldn't say that they're exploring it, but I think the audience gets more of a chance to explore it," Heller says. "[This season] exposes the sort of raw edge of their feelings more than they have in the past, but that doesn't mean that there is a 'My God, I love you!' moment. That isn't really how life works. It's much more about things they don't realize about themselves that the audience realizes before they do. "

So, could Lorelei's presence in the CBI be just another trick on the part of Red John? Could Jane once again be playing into the psychopath's hand? "Yes and no," Heller says. "Red John is always playing games, but I can promise that the audience will learn things about Red John that are not tricks. [There will be] concrete information. If this was Moby Dick... there he blows!"

Have a happy Season Premiere day, Mentalistas!

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Source: TV Guide.

|INTERVIEW| Robin Tunney talks changes ahead for 'The Mentalist'

"The Mentalist" will be kicking off its fifth season with new episodes Sunday, Sept. 30 at 10:00 p.m., but that's not all that's new. It's a new night for the series, which will be up against stiff competition from NBC's Sunday night football and ABC's "666 Park Avenue." Star Robin Tunney isn't scared of no programming changes… oh, wait, maybe she is. I spoke to the actress at the TCA press tour and she discussed how she really feels about the new night, what she sees happening this season, and her feelings about Jane and Lisbon opening "the locked box."

So, a new night for "The Mentalist"?

The interesting thing is we're moving to Sunday night, which is scary. We're on after "The Good Wife," so we have to be even better because that show is so good. The actors are all so good on it.

Still, you guys are well-established. It can't be too scary, can it?

I think any sort of change, you're always like, oh, what's gonna happen? It's scary, but it's exciting at the same time. I think the next season is going to be a great one. We're getting more focused on Red John. It's ramping up, and I think we're gonna have more arc episodes that aren't stand-alones. There's always a crime.

It seems like this season is set up to go very dark.

Yes, it does, and Simon's character gets very dark. I think it's a testament to the network and the studio that they let that happen, because he's such an intrinsically lovable guy and such a commercial persona. I think it's going to keep going.

If Patrick Jane is getting dark, what does that mean for your Senior Special Agent Teresa Lisbon?

My character's been getting angrier at all the stuff that's going on, second-guessing him. It's always fun to have change, not that doing the same thing for five years isn't fun. But I don't think Bruno Heller is afraid to mix things up and I think so often people just do what's safe. And Simon Baker is so intrinsically charming and winning, you can have him smiling and being adorable, but at the same time having these revenge plots makes it surprising and different.

Before this, you were better known for roles in features like "The Craft" and "End of Days." What's it like for you to be in a long-running series from the jump?

I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I've never been on a show for five years. I had no idea how this worked. I feel really grateful and blessed, and Simon [Baker, who plays mentalist Patrick Jane] is a very good friend, somebody who I value the opinion of and I enjoy the company of, which is really fantastic. But I had no idea how this process worked, and I was sort of shy about making suggestions, and then you get more comfortable. I think as an actor, I thought better.

Is there anything you're hoping for for Lisbon this season?

I think finding out more about who she is and who she came from, I think that would be interesting, what her past was and how she became who she is.

Is there ever a chance Lisbon and Jane will hook up?

The locked box! The locked golden box! I don't know if it's at the end of the show, I don't know. Because people's interpretations of it are so much about who they are. Some people are like I don't see it at all, and some people are like, I'm dying for it to happen, I think it's romantic! Everybody's different in what they see, like they've got no chemistry or they've got so much chemistry! It's not romantic, it is! I don't know what Bruno is going to do, but they've got to wind up the show somehow. Maybe with a handshake. I know him so well at this point it would be really weird.

Are love scenes really easier with complete strangers?

They are. It's easier when you don't know the person so well.

So where do you stand on Jane and Lisbon opening the locked box?

I sort of want what Bruno [Heller, show creator] wants, and I sort of feel the integrity of the show; it's sort of nice to have a platonic relationship that's very close. And it doesn't have to be romantic to be intimate, almost. You can be very close with someone of the opposite sex and not have that be the driving force.

I've heard some fans are simply thrilled your show has one of the few strictly platonic male-female relationships in TV.

Yes! You need us!

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Source: HitFix. 

Special thanks to my dear @RobinTunneyBlog.

|SNEAK PEEK| 5.01 - The Crimson Ticket

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Source: TheRedBlog

|PRESS RELEASE| 5.03 - Not One Red Cent

A BANK EMPLOYEE IS MURDERED DURING A HEIST AND JANE AND THE TEAM MUST WORK TO TRACK DOWN THE KILLER, WHILE LISBON IS PULLED DEEPER INTO THE CBI/FBI RIVALRY, ON "THE MENTALIST," SUNDAY, OCT. 14 

Ivan Sergei Returns as FBI Agent Gabe Mancini 

"Not One Red Cent" — A bank employee is murdered during a heist and Jane and the team must work to track down the killer. Meanwhile, Lisbon is pulled deeper into the CBI/FBI rivalry, on THE MENTALIST, Sunday, Oct. 14 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Ivan Sergei returns as FBI Agent Gabe Mancini. 

SERIES REGULARS: 

Simon Baker (Patrick Jane) 

Robin Tunney (Teresa Lisbon) 

Tim Kang (Kimball Cho) 

Owain Yeoman (Wayne Rigsby) 

Amanda Righetti (Grace Van Pelt) 

GUEST STARS: 

Michael Gaston (Gale Bertram) 

Ivan Sergei (Agent Gabe Mancini) 

Paul Schulze (John Hutten) 

Mark Provencher (Ernie Wright) 

Michael Holden (Michael Cashman) 

Don Stark (Armin Gagnon) 

Joanna Canton (Casey Trenchard) 

Aaron Takahashi (Tai Nguyen) 

Sandra Thigpen (Laveria Cole) 

John Asher (Doug Feiner) 

Ricky Saenz (Jorge Arroyo) 

Josh Clark (Artie Beck) 

Lorinne Vozoff (Ernie's Grandma) 

Judi Evans (Senator Eileen Dawkins) 

Katie Walder (Nancy Sterling) 

Raf Mauro (Niko) 

WRITTEN BY: Ken Woodruff 

DIRECTED BY: Chris Long 

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Source: CBS Press Express.

|SPOILER| The Mentalist Recruits Henry Ian Cusick

Lost alum Henry Ian Cusick is set for a three-episode arc on CBS’ crime procedural The Mentalist. He will play Tommy Volker, a multi-millionaire adventurer playboy who comes under suspicion when a television reporter is murdered. Cusick was most recently a regular on the first season of ABC’s new drama Scandal but left the series as it headed into Season 2.

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Source: Deadline.

|INTERVIEW| Radio Interview with Bruno Heller

Series creator Bruno Heller talks about his career, the concept of the show, Red John, Jane and Lisbon's complex relationship and a lot more. Click here to visit the site and TV Time Machine website and listen to the whole interview, it's great stuff.

P.S.: If anyone can transcript the interview, at least the main parts, so I can post here, please, send me an e-mail to redblog.thementalist@gmail.com and I'll love you 'till the end of my life, dear random citizen. 

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Source: TV Time Machine.

|SPOILER| TVGuide: Agents of Change

Did The Mentalist’s Patrick Jane finally go too far? Last season, the naughty-boy crime solver, played by Simon Baker, staged the murders of his CBI cohorts Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) as part of an elaborate scheme to catch serial slayer Red John. And now that has him in trouble with the FBI. Make that double trouble.

Two new characters have joined the hit series. Senior FBI agent Alexa Schultz (Polly Walker) and her second-in-command Gabe Mancini (Ivan Sergei) and they are determined to mess with Jane in every way possible, "Agent Schultz is extremly smart and domineering and has an almost clinical eye for other people's faults and weaknesses in other words, she's the perfect match for Jane," says creator Bruno Heller. "He, in turn can't trust her, because he believes Red John has someone planted in the upper levels of the FBI."

Agent Mancini is "exactly the kind of guy Jane doesn't like-handsome, authoriratian, charming." notes Heller, "And it doesn’t help that Gabe has a thing for Lisbon and she, despite her best efforts to hide it, clearly has a thing for him. That will certainly have Jane on edge!" This fall's big arc has Jane battling the two Feds for the right to grill Red John's captured accomplice, Lorelei (Emmanuelle Chriqui).

But this week, Jane has a much more pressing issue when his daughter, murdered many years ago, suddenly appears before him! Is she an impostor? A figment of his imagination? "It’s an incredibly moving episode," promises Heller, "The fans are going to love it." - Michael Logan

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Source: TVGuide and (thanks a lot) @Donnamour1969 for the scan.
Special thanks to @JaneXLisbon for the transcript!

|SPOILER| Mega Buzz on Lisbon's Red John-like obsession

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What's this I hear about Lisbon getting her own Red John-like obsession on The Mentalist? — Destiny

ADAM: It's true. The show is crafting a three-episode arc during which creator Bruno Heller says Lisbon "becomes like Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive." But who is she after? The show is casting two likely suspects: There's an adventurous multimillionaire playboy who buys spacecraft and travels to exotic locales to distract people from learning the real source of his income, as well as a cerebral, mysterious government official. Whoever it is, Lisbon will more clearly understand Jane's obsession. "She gets a bit of a killer instinct," Heller says. "Once you've felt that urge and that need, you understand people in that same frame of mind much better."

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Source: TV Guide.

|PROMOTIONAL PHOTOS| 5.03 - Not One Red Cent

"Not One Red Cent" — A bank employee is murdered during a heist and Jane and the team must work to track down the killer, while Lisbon is pulled deeper into the CBI/FBI rivalry, on THE MENTALIST, Sunday, Oct. 14 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

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Source: SEAT42F.

|INTERVIEW| Robin, Amanda and Owain talk about the upcoming season

Look out for Lisbon, she's angry-angry... with a gun!


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Source and many thanks to: maryngreenshades.

|BTS| Random pics from the set

Nina Corrado shared more pictures with the fans today on twitter! Second one is from season 3, third one is Simon on his birthday two years ago and the fourth one had no caption... we'll assume it's the cast in a party! (No idea how recent... anyone care to guess?)

 

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Source: Nina Corrado

|BTS| Episode 100 - Simon and Robin

Nina Corrado had promised pictures from the set and here it is! Is there anything better than a picture with our favorite duo to celebrate the 100th episode? Well done, Nina! As Chandler Bing would say, could they BE any more awesome?! Check it out:

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Source: Nina Corrado.

|BTS| Episode 100 - Robin Tunney by Tim Kang

The guys started shooting the very special 100th episode this week, and Tim Kang tweeted some pictures from the location. Mostly jokes, like pics of a rock and a light diffuser balloon. But the last one is a photo of Robin, cute as always. What a great cast we have!

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Source: Tim Kang's twitter.

|SPOILER| TV Guide: Returning Favorites

Last season, crime-buster Patrick Jane staged an elaborate trap for serial killer Red John by quitting CBI and traipsing off to Vegas, where he pretended to be a mad, drunken bender that lasted months—and he still failed to catch the guy! Star Simon Baker fills us in on Plan B.

It’s starting to seem that Red John is way out of Jane’s league. Isn’t he getting discouraged?

Vegas didn’t go the way Jane hoped, but he did catch a big fish—Red John’s accomplice, Lorelei [Emmanuelle Chriqui]! This could lead him right to Red John, but there’s now a lot of red tape to deal with because Lorelei is incarcerated and the FBI and the CBI both want her. Jane has a lot more hurdles.

But is Lorelei playing with a full deck? Can anything she says be trusted?

At times she’s scary, but Jane is a kindred spirit with con people. He and Lorelei have a shorthand, a sort of chemical understanding between the mechanics of their brains.

It’s rather sad Jane ended his grief-induced celibacy by bedding Lorelei, of all people. Or does he have feelings for her?

Jane is a lonely desperate guy who has avoided romance—even sex—since his wife died, but there may be something real there with Lorelei. We’ll play with that as the story unfolds.

We all know Lisbon (Robin Tunney) has a thing for Jane. Won’t she freak out when she finds out he and Lorelei did the deed?

That creates an interesting dynamic between the three characters, and Robin plays it beautifully. Lisbon’s a little bit hurt but also fears Jane is losing his mind or getting played. I love being in the middle of that. [Laughs] I’m really enjoying this season!

The Mentalist’s 100th episode will finally reveal how Jane came to work for CBI.

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Source: TV Guide, ocdephemera and SpoilerTV. 

Very special thanks to @Aleee_O (http://thementalist.foros.ws/).

|VIDEO| CBS Returning Series - The Mentalist with Robin Tunney

Watch out! Our Little Miss Fierce is angry this year (and utterly cute):



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Source and special thanks to: Robin's Green Shades.

|PROMO| Season 5 - TNT Spain

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Source: canaltnt.

|VIDEO| Season 4 DVD - Sneak Peek

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Source: TV Guide.

|VIDEO| Robin Tunney at CBS 2012 Fall Premiere Party

Robin greets fans at CBS 2012 Fall Premiere Party in West Hollywood, September 18.


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Source: PopCandiesTv.

|BTS| Simon and Robin on the set in Glendale

Simon Baker and Robin Tunney on the set of The Mentalist in Glendale, September 18, last day of shooting episode 5.05, Cherry Picked.

         

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Source: Spokeo.

|SPOILER| 5.07 - If It Bleeds, It Leads

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Episode 5.07 will be called "If It Bleeds, It Leads", written by Eoghan Mahony.

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Source: SpoilerTV and Karl Sonnerberg.

|PROMOTIONAL PHOTOS| 5.02 - Devil’s Cherry

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Source: SEAT42F and TV Equals.

|PRESS RELEASE| 5.02 - Devil’s Cherry

WHILE THE TEAM INVESTIGATES THE MURDER OF A DIAMOND CUTTER, JANE MEETS A GIRL WHO CLAIMS TO BE HIS LATE DAUGHTER, ON “THE MENTALIST,” AT A SPECIAL TIME, SUNDAY, OCT. 7

“Devil’s Cherry” — While the team investigates the murder of a diamond cutter, Jane meets a girl who claims to be his late daughter, Charlotte, on THE MENTALIST, at a special time, Sunday, Oct. 7 (10:30-11:30 PM, ET/9:30-10:30 PM, CT/10:00-11:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network.

SERIES REGULARS:

Simon Baker (Patrick Jane) 

 Robin Tunney (Teresa Lisbon) 

Tim Kang (Kimball Cho) 

Owain Yeoman (Wayne Rigsby) 

Amanda Righetti (Grace Van Pelt)

GUEST STARS:

Cameron Meyer (Medical Examiner) 

Lee Garlington (Betty Fulford) 

Soledad St. Hilaire (Maid) 

Wayne Baldwin (Elderly Man) 

Dove Cameron (Charlotte) 

Dean Cameron (Doctor) 

Yani Gellman (Julian Gallego) 

Charlene Amoia (Melaina Mendelssohn) 

Ajay Mehta (Fahad Ranjani)

WRITTEN BY: Daniel Cerone

DIRECTED BY: Randy Zisk

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Source: CBS Press Express.

|VIDEO| Robin Tunney, Simon Baker and Bruno Heller at Madeo in West Hollywood

It amuses me how Bruno managed to appear in both videos. Oh Heller... You can also spot Simon's wife, Rebecca Rigg, and Robin's boyfriend, Nicky Marmet.





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Source: PopCandiesTv.
A very special thanks to my dear friend @RobinTunneyBlog.

|PROMO| 5.01 - The Crimson Ticket

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Source: TheRedBlog.

|SPOILER| Fall TV Spoiler Spectacular: Exclusive Scoop and Photo

PREVIOUSLY ON... | Jane pulled the ultimate long con to get close to Red John, going off the deep end in order to strike up a relationship with the murderer’s agent, Lorelei. In the end, the killer eluded Jane, but the team was able to capture his mysterious helper.

COMING UP NEXT | The CBI and the FBI (represented by new recurring players Polly Walker and Ivan Sergei) will battle for custody of Lorelei, and Jane's not about to let her go. In order to get information out of the devious gal, he is “willing to go way beyond the limits that Lisbon would like to set for him,” reveals executive producer Bruno Heller. “Lisbon and Jane come into serious conflict about that. Now that he has this close connection to Red John via Lorelei, he's not going to let it go.” That's good news for viewers frustrated by the elusive figure, Heller says. “Jane is going to get much, much, much closer to understanding who Red John is and what he's about and how to catch him.”

TVLINE BONUS SPOILER | The CBS drama is planning something pretty special for its upcoming 100th episode, which will reveal “what happened when Jane first arrived at the CBI all those years ago,” previews Heller. “It's like the origins of Spiderman [or] Batman. We see Jane soon after the death of his wife and child, and we see him meeting the team for the first time. It's a great, fun episode.”

RETURN DATE | Sunday, Sept. 30 at 10/9c (CBS)

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Source: TV|Line.

|SPOILER| Ask Ausiello and Mega Buzz about Van Pelt and Cho

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Question: Anything about The Mentalist! —Sonia

Ausiello: Amanda Righetti’s real-life pregnancy (which, as we previously reported, will not be written into Van Pelt’s storyline) will create a vacancy on the show’s canvas this spring — one that may or may not be filled. “It’s hard to say how long [she'll be gone] because these things are not predictable,” admits exec producer Bruno Heller, adding, “We’re talking about [whether to bring in someone new] now. But we’re not going to replace her just to have another face in the room. It depends. If we come up with a good story, then yes. If not, no.” Heller goes on to say it’s unlikely her departure will be turned into a major plot point. “We’ll explain [her absence],” he explains. “But this is not the kind of show where we do elaborate, stunty exits… I think we will find something a little more normal for her absence and not [have] her in jail or on charged with murder or kidnapped or anything like that.”

Why must The Mentalist bring back Cho's love interest Summer? I don't like her! — Ellen

ADAM: Don't worry, Ellen: Summer (guest star Samaire Armstrong) won't be back until around midseason. Before then, you'll get to see a whole new side of Cho when he becomes the leader of the CBI SWAT team! "Of all our guys, he's the one to go in first and kick in the door and to actually get physical with people," executive producer Bruno Heller tells us. But his promotion may come with a price. "When you have a hammer in your hand, every problem looks like a nail," Heller warns. "Being addicted to thrills is a very dangerous road to go down in the long run because you have to keep upping the ante."

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Source: Ask Ausiello (TV|Line) and Mega Buzz (TV Guide).

|SPOILER| 5.06 - Red Dawn (100th Episode)

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Episode 5.06, the 100th, will be called "Red Dawn" and, as previously informed, written by Tom Szentgyorgyi.

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Source: @Mentalistwriter.

|SPOILER| The Mentalist, Even Amid Trust Issues, Makes a 'Huge Leap' in the Red John Hunt

The Mentalist is getting much closer to unmasking Red John. 

At the end of last season, Jane went to extremes to get close to the elusive killer’s agent, Lorelei (played by Emmanuelle Chriqui), and it will pay off in big ways in the new season — and in a new time slot, Sundays at 10/9c, debuting Sept. 30. 

Now that the crime solver has a steady source of information – Chriqui will be featured “throughout the season,” says executive producer Bruno Heller – expect the hunt for the CBS drama’s Big Bad to move forward “in a very concrete way.” “I can’t say that we’re going to catch Red John in the middle of the season,” continues the EP, “but those who are following that story are going to get a huge leap forward in terms of what we know about him and where we’re going.” 

Meanwhile, the aforementioned serial killer won’t sit idly by. Since Lorelei’s capture by the CBI team wasn’t really in his plans, expect the mysterious figure to retaliate and dispense more secret agents. 

“When you first meet these guys, these might be good guys, they might be bad guys,” says Heller. “We have a few people returning, and we have some great new characters coming in who may or may not be Red John’s friends.” 

While Heller won’t point fingers for fear of ruining the surprise, he does note that “Red John himself told Jane that he had someone inside the FBI.” Enter new recurring players Polly Walker (Rome) as “the FBI equivalent of CBI Director Bertram” and Ivan Sergei (Charmed) as another G-man. The two law agencies are already in a battle for dibs on Lorelei, and the shadow of suspicion left behind by Red John’s words will only make “the conflict between those two organizations even more complex than it would be.” 

Adds Heller: “As we reveal, via Lorelei, more and more about Red John’s plans, it becomes clear that there are fewer and fewer people that Jane and Lisbon and the CBI team can really trust.” 

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Source: TV|Line.