‘The Mentalist’ season 6 spoilers: Show exec on Jane’s reaction to Lisbon’s love life
Do you enjoy Lisbon’s new beau Agent Pike on “The Mentalist“? He seems like an okay enough guy, but let’s be real here: He could probably enter the show giving millions of dollars to charities and fans still wouldn’t like him. He’s the latest obstacle for Jane and Lisbon, and he’s not going anywhere at least through the rest of season 6.
In the last new episode a little over a week ago, we saw Patrick sitting alone while Lisbon accepted a pancake-date (clearly, one of the best kinds of dates) from her new beau. Want a trip into what Jane may have been thinking about in that moment? While you can’t really climb into the brain of a fictional character, executive producer Tom Szentgyorgyi does his best to make his purported thought process clear to TVLine:
“I think Jane was feeling curiously like a third wheel – something he doesn’t feel very often – and wondering why he felt that way … Pike is with us through the end of the season, and he will become a increasingly important figure in Lisbon’s life, so Jane is wondering what he’s feeling, because he’s been the most important man in Lisbon’s life — and suddenly he might not be.”
If this was any other season for “The Mentalist,” we’d probably be more on board with this character being there. Something needs to make Jane realizes that he’s letting time pass him by, and Lisbon’s not going to wait around forever for him to sweep her off her feet. But, the show’s future is still uncertain. We’ve been asked a ton about this lately, and we feel like there are three things holding back a season 7 renewal:
1. Low ratings in the 18-49 demographic on CBS. You can blame them on preemptions and the show airing really late on some nights, but low ratings are low ratings. Fans tend to care about excuses more than networks.
2. Contracts for actors tend to start ballooning outward at around this time, and even without Owain Yeoman and Amanda Righetti on the cast anymore, there are still cast members to pay who have been a part of the show for a very long time.
3. This is not a CBS show, which means that syndication money for them is not going to be the same that it would be for a show like “The Good Wife.”
You can read here a list of networks who may be likely to pick “The Mentalist” up in the event that it’s canceled by TBS, but we’ll have more soon. Also, be sure to sign up for our CarterMatt Newsletter if you want to get further updates via email.
Photo: CBS
Christy Aposhian
April 11, 2014 @ 9:48 pm
If CBS cancels the show. I really hope they can put the show on a different network. Maybe they can put it on a better time and day were more people can watch the show.
Bonnie Maynes
April 11, 2014 @ 6:12 pm
I love the reboot of the show. The Mentalist is so loved by so many people I just can’t see CBS cancelling it.
Em
April 10, 2014 @ 12:21 pm
I love this show. It’s quirky and has characters who have many layers to their personality. They portray strengths and weaknesses well and have shown us you can survive trauma, but it does affect you in some way. Chasing a monster, in Jane’s case, changes you. Lisbon’s view also changed from going by the book, to getting her “man”, Volker in this case, by bluffing. And helping Jane in his revenge, when she was so adamant in the beginning that she wanted to have Red John arrested and to prevent Jane from killing him. However smart Jane is, he hasn’t done lasting relationships since his wife and daughter were killed. Two years after killing Red John, he returned to what he had been so good at, solving crime in a way that shows traits in human nature, that are on the murderous side with the intention of getting away with it. Jane’s con’s are great entertainment. However, Jane has shown integrity when it comes to children and the victims. He has a heart and seems to empathise with them.
Relationships have not been a priority for Jane or for Lisbon. But now Lisbon has someone who is interested in her and wants to get to know her better. That’s a new development. Pike changes the game for both of them. Like Heller and Baker say, they really need to think about what it is they want out of life. Baker says they are going to resolve this in an adult way, whatever that means. I believe, they will end up together but in a unique way. Let’s hope the writers did this “resolving this in an adult way” justice.
Lisbon has not been into serious relationships either. She and Jane have been “partners” for such a long time and know each other so well by now, they know the worst of each other, despite of their being wired so differently, they defend the other and are there for each other when it counts. To my way of thinking they are soul mates.
I, for one, am looking forward to the story evolving and am wishing for a 7th season. The stories are there and they could make viewing a pleasure as long as the actors are given great plots and dialogue.
Mark Strong
April 10, 2014 @ 12:48 am
To me the whole two year jump should have been “Jane realizing that he’s letting time pass him bye”. This whole Lisbon getting a boyfriend seems to me like they don’t want Jane and Lisbon to be together.
Holly
April 15, 2014 @ 11:58 pm
I agree with that.
C P
April 9, 2014 @ 5:17 pm
How can holding on to three original cast members be that expensive? Look at shows like Bones, Criminal Minds, NCSI, and more. They have had the same cast for years and years and they are still on. And most of them have more regulars that have been on for years than The Mentalist has. I really really hope there is a season 7 and more. I just can’t stand the thought of it being over!!!! The show deserves more seasons just as much as the other shows I mentioned. We do know the ratings would be better if they had left it on Thursday nights and it wasn’t on Sunday nights and starting late so many times. To me the fact that it still has good ratings is a testament to what a great show it is considering how the network has jerked it around.