This show had great potential. The Red John plot was gripping and it was a fun mystery to try to solve on your own. The list of seven arrived and people were more excited than ever. Then, Fire and Brimstone. Fire and fucking brimstone. They killed off the character who would've made the best Red John. Then the big reveal came; and it was a character who appeared once. ONCE. in the first five seasons. So all that "Mystery to solve" was directionless to begin with.
After all of that, they continued the show. The Mentalist was a three-legged stool. They cut off and burned one of the legs, and then continued to sit on it.
It makes me sad, I loved this show, and it could've ended so perfectly.
Sorry if this seemed ranty.