The thing that makes me the most sad is this:

In the first 5 seasons Simon Baker's acting was exceptional. When Patrick Jane entered a room, you knew it. He had a sparkle in his eyes, he was sharp, funny and witty. Even if the murder cases weren't always very exciting, I enjoyed watching The Mentalist because I was entertained. I didn't even need Red John to enjoy the show, Baker's acting was enough for me.

Since season 6 episode 9, I see a completely different Simon Baker. I don't know if they are doing this on purpose or they can't even see that they are changing his character for the worst. I barely remember anything Patrick Jane says, he has a couple of lines per episode, very forgettable ones. He walks around like he is half asleep, like he doesn't give a toss about anything. He used to be charming and now he is not. His passion is gone (RJ) and now he is just an average guy.
He had more personality when he was chasing his family's killer. 

I don't think they are doing this on purpose, it's just poor writing. I'm sorry but the writers seem really talentless if they don't recognize this..
But how come everything was so good before? Why can't they write good episodes anymore? It makes me sad because I love Simon Baker but he can't show his talent in this show any more, not if they don't change something fast. The show is called The Mentalist after all, not The Miserable Guy Who Doesn't Care About Anything.

Thanks for reading.

The perfect way to end Season 6:

In the finale, have the FBI team get caught up in an intense series of serial murders. The killer taunts them with letters, messages, etc. throughout the case.
Towards the end, have the killer send them a letter in a cypher that tells them where his next victim is, and also gives them how much time they have until that victim will die.
Time is ticking, and the whole team is attempting to break the cypher to no avail. Suddenly, Patrick figures it out.
We see a quick series of flashbacks that explain how it was the first cypher his father ever taught him.
The team rushes to the location that Patrick figured out.

They break the door down on the front of the building/house.

As they break the door down, Bach's Prelude in C (the song that Rosalind Harker always played for Red John/that Red John always played to mess with Patrick) begins to play.

They search frantically through the house/building, and finally they reach the end of a hallway with a closed door.

The camera angle switches to inside the room at the end of the hall, and we see the door open and the team enter with their flashlights/guns. Patrick is behind them all. Finally, we see everyone holster their weapons and Patrick enters.

We see a look of fear and worry on his face - the look he gets at a real Red John crime scene.

We then cut to a shot of Rosalind Harker playing the end of Prelude in C on piano.
The camera pans out, and we begin to see a man grab a teacup from a table.

Cut to black as the last note of the song plays.

"Executive Producer -- Bruno Heller"

Then he has to spend a whole season making up for the pathetic shitshow of the Red John reveal from this season.

How did Red John get the 7 names on the list?

How come he had to kill Bret Partridge in that house at that exact time?

Who was the woman in the church?

What happened to Kristina Frye?

What about Erica Flynn? After she used Jane to scape from prison Jane promissed he would catch her and bring her back to jail.

And what about Hightower? Jane promissed her he would let her know when he killed Red John so she could stop hiding. Did he just forget about it?

What about the list of BA members? Abbot has to ask Jane for more names eventually.

Who is 'Mar'? Marcus Pike?

We need answers and we are running out of time.

So Sunday's episode wasn't horrible.  It was fun.  And, unlike the last several episodes, it felt like a complete thought.  

For me, much of the evidence that we weren't through with the RJ storyline was in how poorly it was handled and, then, how clumsy and awkward the post-RJ episodes have been.  It is these things that gives us room to theorize and makes it easier for us to make the leap that it is all subterfuge to make way for a grand twist or reveal.

If all of the other episodes were as good as this one (and it wasn't perfect), it would be much harder for me speculate that we are being led up the garden path because I could buy this as a genuine effort at revamping The Mentalist.  

So I find myself wondering - can I get on board with a decent 2.0 Mentalist (that gets renewed) and accept McRJ as the real deal?  

I'm not sure I'm built that way.  

It would be easier if, for instance, the new character wasn't named "mar"-cus.  It can't be a coincidence that one of the MAJOR CLUES THAT IS NOT ADDRESSED AT ALL IN THE RJ REVEAL is in a new character name.  I'm not suggesting that he is RJ but rather that Heller is purposefully poking the bear.  If they are SO ADAMANT that the show is through with RJ, why do this?  

For now, I will find solace in the fact that this was at least a good episode and perhaps a renewal isn't totally out of hand.  

Damn Heller -- he is fucking with us or what?  To go and name a new character MARCUS PIKE  -- really?  At this point?  

Because if he has no intention on fixing this McRJ crap, he should have named Lisbon's boyfriend something more generic, like Dan Brown, okay? 

NOT....He Is MAR[cus]!

Marcus: means Mars, war, red and hammer
Pike:  is a place, a fish and a weapon