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In one of the best episodes this season, the state is going up against a major drug trafficker, but just days before the trial, the star witness and his girlfriend are gunned down in a local hotel room.

A young cop discovers the carnage, and soon the cop’s father - a detective - and the father’s partner are on the scene, pissing on their territory before the CBI team can begin to investigate.

At first, detectives think the witness was the target, but CBI consultant Patrick Jane quickly realizes that the girlfriend, Patrice Matigan - was the real target. As they focus on Matigan, the team discovers she was also having an affair with a detective who is investigating her murder. She also has a baby, As the facts unfold, it soon becomes clear that the detectives are hiding something. One of them was

having an affair with the witness’ girlfriend, who had a small child.

As the CBI team focuses on the woman, they discover more secrets hidden beneath the surface of the detectives’ lives, which makes Matigan’s death that much more tragic.

This episode was not your usual narco murder flair. It was twisty, as well as funny. Jane’s mouth finally got the best of him - and a bloody nose to boot. I loved his interaction with Matigan’s baby. He had this genuine joy that radiated from him while holding the baby, even as he continued work the murder scene. Watching Jane’s character light up when he discovers the baby in Matigan’s SUV was just amazing. It took the edge off of his wonderfully smart mouth - and, at the end, showed the character’s vulnerability. With just a look, Jane remembers his own daughter as he hands the baby over to its new guardians.

The cast interaction was at its peak and their symbiosis strengthened in this episode. I want to see a little more romantic interplay between Jane and Lisbon - technically his boss, but who are we kidding? Jane totally runs the show, even if the others don’t know it. Simon Baker was sexy, as usual. The night of this show, he was on David Letterman. You can watch the segment below. It is incredibly funny and Baker’s natural wit mimics that of his protagonist Patrick Jane.

More red in this episode, in the bloody crime scene and the title. Are the writers working up to something significant? Let’s hope so. I hate it when I speculate over nothing. Other fans have thoughts, too. You can read more about them at The Mentalist community.

The Mentalist is truly the best freshman show this season - and possibly the best of all the cop dramas out there today. It is fresh, fun, twisted and offers a new face to the police procedural.

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