‘The Mentalist’ season 6 spoilers: Pair of original cast members to reportedly leave

What is it with CBS dramas this year and cast members saying goodbye? First, the internet had to slowly digest the news that Cote de Pablo was leaving “NCIS” after a stunning eight years on the show. Who’s next? We’re going to “The Mentalist” this time, and based on reports that are online (which have not been confirmed as of yet by the network), original cast members Amanda Righetti and Owain Yeoman will also be checking out during the show’s sixth season.

According to TVLine (which first posted the story), the reason for the exit of the Van Pelt and Rigsby characters could very well be tied into the end of a long-running story that every fan has been waiting for some sort of resolution to: The end of Red John. This character will be unmasked soon, and then, it is only a matter of time before Patrick Jane and company work to bring him down.

We’re sure that there are some other conspiracy theories that could form out there, including that the show needs to trim the budget after some lower ratings last year (which we mostly blame the NFL for), but in reality, the non-cynical way to look at this story is that if true, it may just represent a decision to shake things up and try a new direction after doing the same thing for six years. Change can be a good thing for a show that has been on as long as “The Mentalist” has, and there’s only one prerequisite to it: That the change is handled in a way that does not feel forced.

What is your reaction to this news? If you do want to check out some more about the world of “The Mentalist,” just be sure to click here.

Photo: CBS