The Mentalist Round Table: Behind Bars
Christine Orlando
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Teresa Lisbon ended up behind bars on The Mentalist Season 7 Episode 2 - but her cellmate turned out to be crazier than anyone expected.
Beow, TV Fanatics Robin Harry and Christine Orlando are joined by The Mentalist fans Sabrina and Entwife Incognito to debate if Lisbon is worried, Vega's take on Jane and what was missing from "The Greybar Hotel."
Do you think Teresa still worries that Jane will leave or was that just for Marie's sake?
Robin: What was it Patrick told her - to be convincing in a lie, it has to be mostly truth, right? I think she does worry about Jane's commitment and temperament, but she was secure enough to take the leap with him, so she'll be okay.
Sabrina: Honestly, yes I think she's a little bit worried. Their relationship has just begun and though she knows his feelings for her (and so do we), she might not completely trust him. After all, he ran away for 2 years. Also, I would say that in any relationship, there's always this fear the other one might leave, so it'd be a normal reaction.
Entwife Incognito: Lisbon seemed to be telling the truth about all her other points, so yes, I think she still worries. At this point, I think we are seeing some of Lisbon’s own trust/abandonment/commitment issues, from her childhood traumas, come to the fore, more than Jane’s behavior at the moment. But his past behavior triggered them big time, too.
Christine: Jane has disappeared on her in the past so I think it's normal that she'd have that fear of him doing it again lingering in the back of her mind. I definitely think that was part of the truth she wrapped into the lie for Marie.
How do you think Agent Vega views Patrick Jane?
Robin: I don't think she understands why Jane commands so much respect, dogged loyalty (and in Wiley's case, a little fear) from the rest of the group. He's an untrained civilian, but he seems to be calling the shots. That doesn't make any sense to her.
Sabrina: I have no idea. At first, she was a bit impressed but she got more confident in that episode. I have my own theory that she may think he's a bit...unstable, unreliable because of the way he acted at the gas station and therefore, she clearly asked to work more with Cho, who "makes sense to her" unlike Jane. But again, it's a theory...
Entwife Incognito: At this point, I think she thinks he’s a pretty crazy and that he shouldn’t be a part of the agency or a team. I had to laugh when she expected him to listen to her and follow protocol when Lisbon’s life was at stake. And her, a rookie, daring to tell Jane, who’s had a decade of experience.
Christine: Being ex-military and raised by a father in the military, rules and protocols are practically imbedded in Vega's DNA. They make her comfortable. Jane follows none of the rules yet somehow still commands the utmost respect from the team. I'm sure it makes absolutely no sense to Vega but I'm willing to give her time. She's smart. Eventually she'll see the light.
Jane tried to save Lisbon unarmed and with no backup. What was he thinking?
Robin: I don't think it was so much a romantic self-sacrificial gesture as much I think he was desperately trying to stall for time as the cavalry followed his Gatorade breadcrumbs. His phone had no signal so he couldn't call anyone, so he did the next best thing to delay Lisbon getting shot.
Sabrina: He wasn't thinking, he was just scared for her, and maybe he was willing to die rather than losing her. Also, he tried to save some time. But I was a bit surprised to see Jane this way, as usually he has a plan, it really shows how scared he was for Lisbon. He couldn't even act confident in front of the bad guys.
Entwife Incognito: Only that he had to get to her and save her any way he could and as fast as he could get there. It was Jane, after all, who offered Lisbon up for the breakout scheme, leaving her alone and without backup in a situation that went terribly wrong. They were a second from execution.
Christine: I really felt for Jane. It was his plan that went wrong and he almost had to watch Lisbon get executed in front of him. I don't think Patrick can survive losing her so he pulled together a very hasty plan to buy time and try and save her. I think he would have rather taken a bullet himself than have to watch her die.
Was there anything in the episode that disappointed you?
Robin: I would have liked to see Jane and Lisbon react after that ordeal. While they've been in tons of scrapes like this together, I think I would have liked to see them handle it as a couple, if only for a few seconds with a hug or something.
Sabrina: The final scene : Erica. Too soon to see her... No, seriously, I don't see anything that disappointed me in the episode. It was great. But I admit that I don't understand why, unlike in the promo pic we saw, Jane didn't touch Lisbon's chin in the car while cuffing her. It could have been a very sweet moment.
Entwife Incognito: Definitely, no hug at the end. I’ve given up on a kiss. In fact, it looked to me that Jane was coming close for a hug and Lisbon stepped back from him! The only thing she left him was to offer a sports drink. Jane looked a little hurt to me, and who wouldn’t be? It just seems weird to me. Any pair of human beings would have hugged at that point.
Christine: I was hoping for at least a small moment of them meeting up at home when it was all over. Just a moment for a hug after all of that trauma would have made the episode perfect for me. I was disappointed we didn't get it.
What was your favorite scene from "The Greybar Hotel"
Robin: By a mile, it was Abbott's utter badassery at the jail while talking to Marie. He's usually quietly intimidating, but he was just downright scary and awesome when he yelled at her. Even I jumped! I want - no, I need - to see more of that side of Abbott.
Sabrina: Ah, tough question. I hesitate between Jane/Lisbon's cute conversation in the car, especially the line "I'll wait for you" and Wylie warning Vega about Jane's teacup. Poor guy was acting like the teacup was cursed and it was funny.
Entwife Incognito: The scene in the back seat, bantering as they prepared Lisbon to go into the prison. Jane’s bravado and joking when he was dead worried. The expressions on Lisbon’s face as she listened to his instructions. The way he caressed and held her wrist just briefly when he set the cuffs, and her sleepy blink at that moment as she enjoyed the touch. Sigh
Christine: Jane running into that gas station convenience store. He was absolutely terrified and I loved how he handled Vega. Being a rookie agent she was going to stick to protocol. He knew better than to argue with her and had no doubt that Lisbon didn't just slip in the blood. They'd worked far too many crimes scenes together for him to think that. Jane read the scene, dismissed Vega when he realized she'd be no help and took off to save Lisbon.
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NOTE: The Mentalist Season 7 Episode 3 airs this Sunday at 10/9c on CBS.
C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
