The Slow Fall.
Aug. 15th, 2018 09:58 amI've been reading my old reaction posts during this Mentalist rewatch, and I'm surprised to find I mention 'shipping Rigsby/Van Pelt in the first season! I don't have any recollection of being invested in it; it actually frustrates me a little, because I find it the least interesting aspect of Van Pelt's character. Although I suppose her going 'look, Rigsby, I like you, but we can't be together because there are rules against fraternisation and I will one hundred percent choose my job over you every time' is pretty interesting. Maybe I lost all interest when they got together in canon; it wouldn't be the only time that's happened (see also Will/Emma in Glee, which I dropped the absolute second they kissed).
I love the shot in the opening of 'Miss Red' where Lisbon and Jane walk up the boat side by side, him on the dock, her on the deck, and silently reach the same conclusion together. On different levels physically, but absolutely on the same level in their thoughts.
I've now finished the first season in this rewatch! Things I love about 'Red John's Footsteps':
- 'Please understand something. I have a very deep personal interest in this case. I'll do whatever it takes. I will have you framed for murder; I will torture you; I will kill you myself if I have to. Whatever it takes.'
- Jane sitting in that chair, listening to Rosalind play Bach's 'Prelude', in the knowledge that it's exactly what his family's killer used to do. Connecting with Red John across time by putting himself in the same moment. There's such a strange intimacy between Jane and Red John. They respect each other; they admire each other; they want to get under each other's skin, into each other's heads. Always locked in this close, slow dance, knowing that it ends with whoever's leading breaking his partner's neck.
- Lisbon of Jane: 'If he does anything wrong, if he jaywalks, shoot him.'
- Jane's heavy breathing when he's investigating the farmhouse, knowing he's close to Red John.
- 'What if Hardy had killed you right here?' 'Then he would have led you straight to Red John.' 'You'd be dead.' 'But you would have Red John.'
- And then, when he loathes guns, when he's firmly established that he'd throw away his own life for the sake of the case, Jane killing their best lead to save Lisbon. If you'd asked him beforehand whether he would cut off a potential line to Red John to save Lisbon's life, he'd probably have said no, but it was a spur-of-the-moment decision and he values Lisbon more than he realises. I love him standing frozen for a few seconds and then throwing the shotgun away as if it's bitten him.
The Red John episodes can be a bit frustrating because you go 'yes, well, I know very well by the end of this we won't actually have caught Red John,' but I do love what a terrifying mess Jane tends to be in them. The moment he recognises Red John's style of killing, everything about him changes; he's focused and determined and prepared to do whatever it takes, no matter how immoral, no matter how horrifying. Everything that makes him human just falls away.
Strange that I've never written fanfiction exploring that dark side of Jane, come to think of it. I don't really have any ideas. Maybe Jane and Lisbon go on a charming, playful murder roadtrip together, torturing suspects in an effort to reach Red John, and at some point Lisbon looks back on what she's been drawn into and goes 'holy shit, what am I doing? How did I end up here?'
I love the shot in the opening of 'Miss Red' where Lisbon and Jane walk up the boat side by side, him on the dock, her on the deck, and silently reach the same conclusion together. On different levels physically, but absolutely on the same level in their thoughts.
I've now finished the first season in this rewatch! Things I love about 'Red John's Footsteps':
- 'Please understand something. I have a very deep personal interest in this case. I'll do whatever it takes. I will have you framed for murder; I will torture you; I will kill you myself if I have to. Whatever it takes.'
- Jane sitting in that chair, listening to Rosalind play Bach's 'Prelude', in the knowledge that it's exactly what his family's killer used to do. Connecting with Red John across time by putting himself in the same moment. There's such a strange intimacy between Jane and Red John. They respect each other; they admire each other; they want to get under each other's skin, into each other's heads. Always locked in this close, slow dance, knowing that it ends with whoever's leading breaking his partner's neck.
- Lisbon of Jane: 'If he does anything wrong, if he jaywalks, shoot him.'
- Jane's heavy breathing when he's investigating the farmhouse, knowing he's close to Red John.
- 'What if Hardy had killed you right here?' 'Then he would have led you straight to Red John.' 'You'd be dead.' 'But you would have Red John.'
- And then, when he loathes guns, when he's firmly established that he'd throw away his own life for the sake of the case, Jane killing their best lead to save Lisbon. If you'd asked him beforehand whether he would cut off a potential line to Red John to save Lisbon's life, he'd probably have said no, but it was a spur-of-the-moment decision and he values Lisbon more than he realises. I love him standing frozen for a few seconds and then throwing the shotgun away as if it's bitten him.
The Red John episodes can be a bit frustrating because you go 'yes, well, I know very well by the end of this we won't actually have caught Red John,' but I do love what a terrifying mess Jane tends to be in them. The moment he recognises Red John's style of killing, everything about him changes; he's focused and determined and prepared to do whatever it takes, no matter how immoral, no matter how horrifying. Everything that makes him human just falls away.
Strange that I've never written fanfiction exploring that dark side of Jane, come to think of it. I don't really have any ideas. Maybe Jane and Lisbon go on a charming, playful murder roadtrip together, torturing suspects in an effort to reach Red John, and at some point Lisbon looks back on what she's been drawn into and goes 'holy shit, what am I doing? How did I end up here?'
