Seeing Red - Looking for a sign
Season 1 episode 7: A desperate wealthy widow is struck by a speeding car in a hit and run. Is it a random act or is there more involved?
One pleasant evening the team is called to the scene of an apparent hit and run involving a well known wealthy widow. Rosemary Tennant (played by Nancy Stafford), a well dressed and strikingly attractive woman who had struggled in the months since her husband died. This evening she had just left the well appointed Victorian villa housing The Temple of Harmony, the sign outside stating it was “devoted to Psychic Wellness under the guidance of Kristina Frye. Healing through clairvoyance.” Rosemary left the building angry and in tears, running as fast as she could out the front door. Kristina (played by Special Guest Star Leslie Hope) called out to her, but Rosemary insisted she wouldn’t listen to Kristina any more.
As usual, there will be no spoilers shared in this post so it can enjoyed by fans and new viewers alike. This is on purpose so I hope you approve. At the least it’s hoped to act as a reminder to rewatch the show, or to encourage others to check it out for the first time.
As Rosemary dashes along on her usual route home, a car approaches, mounts the sidewalk and runs her down. She is left sprawled in the garbage strewn gutter.
This episode was one that definitely got me in the feels. Sometimes it’s hard to review an episode without giving away the spoilers, and I hope I’ve been able to do that this time. All this to say I think this is one to (re)watch if it’s been a while for you.
Context
When Lisbon, Jane, Cho and Rigsby approach the scene they are met by Detective Marco Francis (played by Brad Rowe) who leads them to the sheet covered body still in its resting place in the street. Two witnesses state they saw a silver sedan deliberately chase the victim down. This has the local forensics team searching for paint evidence from nearby trash cans in order to identify the vehicle. Detective Francis’ attempt to flirt with Lisbon is ignored, though not by Jane.
Francis goes on to report that a missing persons report was recently filed for the victim’s son, Travis (played by Noel Fisher). It’s not the first time Travis has had a run in with the law, including a DUI on a learner’s permit in the recent past. At the moment Francis doesn’t know where Mrs. Tennant was going, on foot at the time of the incident. A woman steps forward identifying herself as Kristina Frye, Rosemary’s spiritual advisor and that Rosemary had just left her house. Jane’s reflexes seem to kick into high gear when Kristina states the she and Rosemary were in contact with Rosemary’s dead husband before the incident.
What happens next is a visceral reaction from Jane at this piece of information. His thinly veiled contempt is evident to everyone and he becomes instantly combative with the cool and calm Kristina Frye. Lisbon takes the very short lull in hostilities to invite the self proclaimed spiritual advisor to the CBI office in the morning to aid in the investigation.
Recap
The next day, Jane, Lisbon and Van Pelt begin their interrogation of Kristina. Kristina shares she has known Rosemary for three years. She has been meeting with her five to six times a week, as Rosemary has struggled since the death of her husband. The sparring between Jane and Kristina continues throughout the interrogation until Kristina refuses to share more based on Jane’s attitude.
Later that day, Rigsby, Jane and Lisbon go to Rosemary Tennant's home where they meet Rosemary's house guest, Jeremy Hale (played by JR Bourne), a photographer who has been living in the home for six months. The team question Hale as Jane’s usual habit of observing his surroundings continues throughout the house. He is clearly getting a feel for the family dynamics as he moves from floor to floor. As the team returns to the office they discuss the possible suspects and pool the information they have discovered. Rosemary's daughter, Clara (played by guest star Ashley Johnson*) enters the office. Jane says little during the interview but as always watches carefully. They gather information that leads them to Travis.
*Trivia: Ashley Johnson appeared with Simon Baker in an extraordinary episode of The Guardian in 2002. (Season 2 Episode 10 - Sacrifice.)
Later the team discusses reasons for the changing of Rosemary's will and the motives that would evolve from such a change. They know that Jeremy stood to get a substantial amount from the will and Kristina Frye was added to the will days before Rosemary's death. As helpful as this is, Jane and Van Pelt visit Kristina Frye’s home for more insight.
It goes as well as could be expected and continues during a further visit by Jane and Cho.
Jane’s animosity is almost palpable during this entire episode. He recoils at the mere idea that someone considers themselves to be a true psychic - something he will not allow himself to admit could possibly exist. He sees Frye as a skilled con artist and will work to prove it in this case. Jane sets a plan in motion to have a seance led by Frye in order to flesh out the killer, a plan that Grace finds distasteful based on her own spiritual beliefs. She challenges Jane’s motives in a truly painful scene, one of several in this episode:
The seance reveals the killer and the case comes to close. There are, however, several personal tragedies and revelations exposed along the way.
The opening scenes in this episode make you aware of deep seated resentments, beliefs and self loathing that must lay just under the surface for Patrick Jane. He seems to bear his teeth at the mere mention of someone being a psychic, as was his previous profession. He spends his time making sure Kristina knows he’s on to her and that he’ll not tolerate her con. He bristles at how much money she’s been making from Rosemary’s pain, and that she has been firmly placed in the woman’s will. All activities he would have been engaged in in his previous life. He is brought up short by Grace’s reaction to his séance suggestion when she touches on a truly sad spot for Jane in her contention that perhaps he is wrong about psychics and contacting the dead. In a private moment he gets to reflect on the possibility - not that it will change his beliefs on the topic. For him to believe the larger picture Grace has suggested would mean that there could be a reason for the savage deaths of his family. He will not allow that belief to be true for him. His interaction with the Tennant children again remind him of how cruel life can be and what can drive people to do what they do. Many people have strong feelings about the Kristina Frye character and the idea of psychics based on her presentation. Each of us will decide that for ourselves, but for Patrick it’s pretty simple: there is no such thing as psychics.
This episode has two of the saddest scenes in the Mentalist series. They are as painful to watch as they are meaningful to the Patrick Jane story.
They Said
In this episode there were these choice words:
“She is either a channel for the energy of the dearly departed souls or she’s involved in the murder. You have a choice. Call in Ghostbusters or arrest her.” - Patrick Jane
“She said she would protect us. She promised my dad that she would. Parents are supposed to protect their kids.” - Clara Tennant. “Yes they are.” Teresa Lisbon replies
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