The Mentalist (1.17): “Carnelian Inc.”

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Corporate greed and betrayal follow a body that falls from the sky in a case that stumps Patrick Jane - at least for a bit.

Officials of superpower Carnelian Inc. go to a ranch for their annual “trust” retreat. During a sky dive, one of the employees dies. His shoot was cut and no way could he have recovered during the drop.

A messenger, John Q. Public, communicates with the CBI, telling them that the corporate giant must change its ways or more will die.

The CBI immediately focuses on a corporate protester who got screwed by the company, which failed to pay him $50,000 for an invention he made at a factor that saved them millions.

The guy was former military, understood parachutes and is an easy suspect. But the man, whose wife is dying of cancer, claims he is innocent.

image“I would have cut off his head and peed in his neck before I’d cut his ‘chute,” the semi-redneck man tells CBI investigators. “That’s just cruel.”

Besides, “You can’t kill rich people and get away with it. Everybody knows that.”

Jane knows the man is innocent after they speak to his wife, who is dying of cancer.  They have three children and no way would this father leave his kids up to foster care by going to jail. When a bomb nearly goes off under the CEO’s bed, the CBI comes knocking at the man’s door again, but he’s gone into the hills, using survivalist skills to stay out of the law’s reach. Jane reaches out to his wife and gets information they need to help solve the case.

During another event, the CEO’s lover is killed with a weapon owned by one of the ranchers. Jane decides its time to bring the killer out. He takes the bomb into a room filled with those left with the corporation. He starts to play with a combustible component that could set it off - the very one a fireman told him about earlier. Immediately, the CEO stops him. Jane does it again and the CEO nearly wets his pants trying to keep him from messing with it.

The whodunit is revealed and the arrogant swine goes to jail. To avoid certain penalties, Jane negotiates a deal and the survivalist accused of the crimes gets $500,000 for his invention.

This was a total line episode. I cracked up at so many lines and tried to scribble them down in my notebook before I forgot them. The pee line nearly did me in.

I know how important teasers are for shows, but I think it would have been better to not show the public the body falling from the sky in the ads. It would have been so much more dramatic and surprising if we didn’t know about it.

To me, the killer seemed too easy based on attitude (and the fact that the actor almost always plays a crook). I kept looking at the not-so-obvious - people who worked at the ranch, quiet employees… The biggest cues were the messages from John Q. Public and the bomb that didn’t go off. Seriously, no corporate vigilante would call themselves JQP. They are much more creative than corporate drones. The bomb was the dead giveaway, and after Jane talked to the bomb squad guy, I knew just how he would catch the killer - by playing with the plugs that could make it explode immediately.

A few things I loved about this episode: Simon Baker’s accent slips out a few times, which always gives me goosebumps. I think the show would have an added flair with it. I LOVE Jane’s car. I keep thinking Aston Martin, but I’m trying to confirm. All I know is, I want one!

For those curious enough, “carnelian” is the rich, reddish-brown colored mineral used in jewelry - especially in ancient times. I’m assuming this was a creative stretch to include something red into the episode. In the early scenes, Lisbon wears a red shirt and Jane carries a red take out bag filled with picnic food.

While I really liked “Carnelian Inc.,” I felt like the killer was much too obvious, and that was a disappointment. So far, the only one that has stumped me a bit is Red John - who I still think works in law enforcement and is, perhaps, a close friend of Jane’s. (His attorney general friend, perhaps?)

However, the episode was fun and easy-to-watch despite that. The show’s chemistry and fundamental make up just WORK. The humor keeps it fresh and fun.

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About Angela Wilson

Location: Midwest

Occupation: Author | Social Media Consultant | Freelance Writer | Storyteller | Tea Lover

Bio: I love to read, write fiction and surf (the Web). My FAV genres include mysteries, romantic suspense and thrillers. I'm finally working on my own thriller (under a pen name) and writing a book on marketing/PR for authors. In my day job, I serve as a social media consultant. I plug businesses and nonprofits into online media. As much as I love social media, the fire in my belly is for fiction. I love telling stories that entertain people. I love creating characters who have tough odds to beat. I love finding romance in the midst of chaos. I love creating mysteries with some thrill - stories that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Find out more at my blogs, http://www.wickedwordsmith.com and http://www.marketmynovel.com

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