The Mentalist – His Thoughts Were Red Thoughts

• Title: The Mentalist – His Thoughts Were Red Thoughts
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Malcolm McDowell returns as cult leader Bret Styles, a leading suspect in the CBI’s investigation into the murder of the head of an anti-cult activist organization, especially after they discover evidence that the victim was close to tying Styles to a murder in the 1970’s and that a police officer, and member of the cult (Jorge-Luis Pallo), cleaned up the crime scene to hide evidence before the CBI’s arrival.

Despite arguing his innocence Style doesn’t seem too concerned that someone seems to be out to frame him for the murder, even after a pair of his own clothes covered in blood is recovered near the crime scene. Jane (Simon Baker) correctly deduces Style’s is playing a game, not with the CBI but with his own organization Visualize.

To discover Style’s game Jane plays one of his one, first with the cult’s inner circle and later with Style’s attorney in hopes of drawing the real killer into the open. By finding the victim’s inside source of information (Louise Lombard) and the member of the inner circle (Robert Picardo) who was set to assume power on Style’s incarceration, Jane is able to unmask the killer, as well as discover the reason the victim was killed.

McDowell works well in this role and its fun to see the show bring him back for another episode. His plan to frame himself for the crime to draw out traitors in his own organization works almost too well, but of course he was counting on Jane seeing through the lies. There’s also a couple of nice scenes where Styles tries to turn Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) which illustrates why the man has so many loyal supporters and why he is so dangerous.