The series follows Patrick Jane, an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) based in Sacramento, California. Although not an officer of the law, he uses skills from his former career as a successful, yet admittedly fraudulent, psychic medium to help a team of CBI agents solve murders. The real reason for Patrick Jane's involvement with law enforcement is to track down the serial killer known as Red John, who was responsible for the brutal murders of his wife and his daughter.
Before the murders, Jane had a lucrative career as a con man, successfully posing as a psychic medium and enjoying near-celebrity status. Five years before the events in the show's pilot episode, he appeared on television to claim that his paranormal abilities helped the police profile a serial killer named Red John. Red John, angered by the perceived slight, murdered Jane's wife and his young daughter in revenge.
Jane subsequently abandoned his career and teamed with the CBI, using his skills to help them solve various crimes. His main focus is on the cases involving Red John or Red John copycats. He admits to faking the supernatural aspects of his skills, often asserting that "there's no such thing as psychics", yet he has finely honed skills in cold reading, hypnosis, and picking pockets, as well as powerful observational skill and a deep insight into the human psyche and behavior.
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
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| 1 | "Nothing But Blue Skies" | Chris Long | Tom Szentgyorgyi | November 30, 2014 | 5X5801 | 10.89 | 139 | ||||||||||||||||
| While Jane and Lisbon enjoy their thriving relationship and manage to keep it a secret from their coworkers, the FBI investigates a murder of one of their own. The agent was undercover in a bowling alley believed to be the base of operations for a weapon smuggling ring. Aided in the investigation by agent Ken Spackman (Tim Griffin), Jane deduces the bowling alley's bartender, Tisch (Karina Logue), is working for the gang, but Tisch manages to escape. Rookie agent Michelle Vega (Josie Loren) joins the team and helps them capture Tisch, and soon after, Jane formulates a plan to incriminate the murderer. This results in the alley owner being caught, and Jane later pinpoints the location of Tisch's weapons stash, getting her arrested as well. In the FBI headquarters, Jane briefly encounters Agent Pike (Pedro Pascal), who questions what Jane has to offer for Lisbon, shortly before Jane surprises Lisbon by renting an antique car. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | "The Greybar Hotel" | Bill Eagles | Jordan Harper | December 7, 2014 | 5X5802 | 8.70 | 140 | ||||||||||||||||
| Two car thieves, Marie Flanigan (Brit Morgan) and Cole Foster (Val Lauren) rob a car from a charity gala, which results in the former's capture and the latter's escape to his remote hideaway. As part of a plan to locate Cole's hideout, Jane sends Lisbon undercover as an inmate in the prison where Marie is being held. Meanwhile, the FBI partners with the CIA to track down a larger network Cole is selling to. Jane initiates a breakout, via Abbott intimidating Marie and telling her she will be transferred to an asylum, frightening her and providing her incentive to escape. She and Lisbon successfully make it out and reunite with Cole, who murders a man at a gas station shortly afterwards. Later, a standoff ensues near Cole's helicopter when Lisbon attempts to reach for a gun, but the FBI arrives in time to apprehend the thieves. Cho later tells Jane that they've found links between Cole's superiors and someone Jane knows: Erica Flynn. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | "Orange Blossom Ice Cream" | Chris Long | Tom Szentgyorgyi | December 14, 2014 | 5X5803 | 8.37 | 141 | ||||||||||||||||
| Jane and Lisbon are sent into Beirut in the FBI's attempt to locate criminal Jan Nemic (Mark Ivanir), the lover of Jane's old adversary Erica Flynn (Morena Baccarin). Nemic has been paid 1.5 million Euros by Jihad groups in the Philippines to smuggle fake passport chips that get terrorists into the country. After meeting with Erica in her hotel, Jane is brought to Nemic and hired by him to memorize 81 numbers and give them to Nemic's Filipino couriers. Jane gives the numbers to the FBI, prompting them to send Cho's team and Vega to Atlanta to meet with Nemic's contact. However, the suspect is killed in a shootout. This forces Jane and Erica to rob the passport codes from Nemic's home, which they narrowly succeed in. This results in the FBI's discovery of the passport chips from an address, as well as Nemic's arrest. Erica, meanwhile, reveals to Jane that she has been planning to steal Nemic's money, and almost escapes before Lisbon cuts her off, and Erica is finally apprehended. Jane later takes Lisbon to a rooftop and the two enjoy ice cream while watching fireworks. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | "Black Market" | Michael Nankin | Tom Donaghy | December 21, 2014 | 5X5804 | 8.68 | 142 | ||||||||||||||||
| Because Jane is too sick to work, Lisbon has to catch a group of jewel thieves by performing a psychic show on her own. Meanwhile, Abbott discovers that his past actions could cost his wife a promotion in Washington. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | "The Silver Briefcase" | Simon Baker | Jordan Harper | December 28, 2014 | 5X5805 | 8.48 | 143 | ||||||||||||||||
| The FBI reopens the case regarding the murder of Colonel Aaron Raymond (Wylie M. Pickett)'s wife when Jane becomes suspicious. Raymond's alibi is that his wife was in a car with him to drop him off to work, but Jane suspects that it was another woman who Raymond was likely having an affair with. They suspect a woman named Denise Cortez (Jama Williamson), who Wylie and Vega learn changed into a disguise in the car while discarding her clothes at a homeless encampment. Raymond soon learns of the investigation, forcing Abbott to close the case and reconsider the team's strategy. Jane attempts to force a confession out of the killer after luring Raymond and Denise to a single room, and threatening to open a briefcase which he claims contains incriminating evidence. They both name each other as the killer and share their respective stories of the murder they witnessed, but Jane is unable to come to a conclusion. The briefcase simply contains a paper that reads "curiosity killed the cat", written by Jane to Vega in response to the same words Vega told Jane earlier. The real killer is left unknown. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | "Green Light" | Geary McLeod | Alex Berger | January 7, 2015 | 5X5806 | 9.05 | 144 | ||||||||||||||||
| A DEA raid goes wrong when no drugs are found. The FBI consults on the case, with the DEA team being led by Abbott's former boss in Rio Bravo, Bill Peterson (Dylan Baker). Jane discovers the existence of a mole within Peterson's team, tipping off the cartel on when to hide the drugs. Peterson attempts to blackmail Abbott into giving him credit for the case's completion, using Abbott's shady history in Rio Bravo as leverage. Abbott confides in Jane that he shot and killed a cartel leader in Rio Bravo in retaliation to the man's crimes, and Peterson is the only other person who knows his secret. Shortly afterwards, one of Peterson's team members is found dead. Jane, knowing the mole killed the agent, arranges a meeting with all of the DEA members within the task force, and uses his deduction skills to pick them off one by one until he is left with the four members of Peterson's team. Elsewhere, Vega, on instruction from Jane, arrests Peterson and brings him to the meeting, giving all four suspects time to leave. Lisbon, Cho and Abbott separately confront each member as the killer, testing their reaction. Cho's suspect pulls a gun on him, prompting Cho to arrest him as the murderer. Peterson, furious with Abbott for authorizing his humiliation, is talked down by Jane, who has found his own leverage against Peterson. After the case, Jane and Lisbon celebrate Jane's birthday, with Jane's present being his mended teacup, which broke in "The Great Red Dragon". Jane becomes emotional and admits to Lisbon that he is truly surprised and couldn't guess what she bought him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | "Little Yellow House" | Edward Ornelas | Marisa Wegrzyn | January 14, 2015 | 5X5807 | 9.36 | 145 | ||||||||||||||||
| The FBI investigates the murder of a high-profile lawyer, who is apparently linked to Lisbon's younger brother Jimmy (Robert Belushi). Surprised, Lisbon brings Jane along to her hometown of Chicago, where they reunite with Lisbon's brother Stan (Derek Phillips) and later find Jimmy near a pond. Jane learns that Jimmy is an avid gambler and he is under FBI suspicion since he was present in a game with the lawyer. Jane convinces Jimmy to cooperate with the FBI and play a monitored poker game with the other players present, suspecting that one of them is the killer. Wylie and Vega watch the surveillance and figure out each player's "tells" - Lisbon pretends to be a psychic and announces that the killer is holding an ace, knowing that every player is holding an ace. The lawyer's friend, Charlie McInnis, scratches his brow (his tell), and Cho confronts him as the killer while Jane tells the head player, a mob boss, that McInnis has been watching them through a camera and is using it to cheat. Cho gives McInnis the choice of surrendering or facing the wrath of the boss, with McInnis opting to the former. He says he killed the lawyer under suspicion that the man was having an affair with McInnis' wife, but this later proves untrue. Lisbon and Jane attend a party hosted by Stan for his baby, and Lisbon tells Jane she loves him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | "The Whites of His Eyes" | Rod Holcomb | Erin Lane Donovan | January 21, 2015 | 5X5808 | 9.60 | 146 | ||||||||||||||||
| A hitman murders a witness to a brutal murder perpetrated by one Kelvin Bittaker, while the other witness, Lily Stoppard (Alexa Vega) is put under FBI protection as she plans to testify against Bittaker. While Agent Spackman (from "Nothing But Blue Skies") returns to get the team's help on the case, the FBI learns that the entire Bittaker family consists of criminals. The mother, Belinda (Mary Kay Place) makes the decisions while the hitman is discovered to have been hired through a video game that one of Belinda's sons plays. They encounter the hitman at a house traced via the player that the son is communicating with, but the hitman escapes. Knowing that Lily is being targeted during her transfer from her hotel to the courtroom, Jane has the FBI strategize against any scenario where the hitman can get the drop on them within the hotel. The hitman enters the hotel and unleashes smoke on every floor, and the team swaps out Lily for Vega, who wears a wig. This successfully fools the hitman, allowing Cho to shoot him. Lisbon, meanwhile, realizes that the directions Jane gave her within the hotel diverted her from any of the action, and while Jane claims it was for her protection, she calls him out for preventing her from doing her job. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | "Copper Bullet" | Tom Snyder | Tom Donaghy | January 28, 2015 | 5X5809 | 9.17 | 147 | ||||||||||||||||
| Abbott's former boss in Rio Bravo, Bill Peterson (Dylan Baker) digs up the evidence to convict Abbott of the crime he committed in Rio Bravo by finding the bullet used to kill the mob enforcer. He plans to use it against him during Lena Abbott's (Christine Adams) evaluation for the post of Secretary of Commerce also convicting Abbott of the murder. Jane who has been monitoring Peterson through Wylie gets a whiff of the plan and the team consisting of Jane, Lisbon, Wylie and Cho begin to retaliate by trying to find evidence to convict Peterson of skimming the evidence money during the busts he had been making. Meanwhile Peterson meets with the Legislative Director to a congressman who is going to evaluate Lena for the post and gives her the evidence. Meanwhile, Vega, though first not a part of this mission later joins by her own will to help Abbott. Vega tries to delay Peterson from returning to his home while the others try to find the cash but find unlicensed weapons instead and Jane suggest they plant some of the evidence money from FBI, brought at the last minute by Wylie and they succeed. During the morning of the hearing, in an altercation between Abbott and Peterson, Abbott shows the evidence he has against Peterson(the photo of the weapons, cash and his cat) which also leads to convicting Peterson by taping him trying to make a deal with Abbott a share of the money in return for the evidence. Though defeated Peterson is happy that Lena will never get the Post as the evidence against Abbott has been passed on to the congressman. However it is revealed that Peterson never met with the real Legislative Director but met with Samantha Barsocky (Tangie Ambrose) a friend of Jane, who posed as one thereby acquiring the Evidence against Abbott. Peterson is arrested and the team celebrates the victory, And as Lena is selected for the post Abbott will be moving with her to D.C. soon, So he suggests that Cho would have to take over the team. While Cho seems to be happy over the news, Wylie and Vega, Abbott and Lena, Jane and Lisbon all hit the Dance Floor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | "Nothing Gold Can Stay" | Paul A. Kaufman | Alex Berger | February 4, 2015 | 5X5810 | 8.97 | 148 | ||||||||||||||||
| Three men rob an armored car and the FBI gets the case. Jane suspects that one of the employees at the bank is working with them, but he won't talk so Wiley tracks his recent locations from his cellphone. Before Vega leaves the office with Cho, to check out the locations that Wiley found, Wiley asks Vega if she wants to go with him to a gaming tournament and dinner in Houston and she says yes. Cho and Vega finds the suspects at a diner and they start shooting. Cho shoots one of them but he manages to leave. Vega gets shot and dies. A detective from Austin Homicides, Brian Ports, joins in on the case after Vega's death. One of the suspects is seen at a gas station but he flees. They follow the suspects and find them in a house with two hostages. Jane has a plan but Abbott and Cho decide to go in with SWAT instead; when Jane finds out Lisbon is going in with them, he enters the house himself. He gets the hostages released and then gets two of the men to turn on each other. They are about to start shooting each other but Cho and Abbott go inside and kill them both. After Vega's funeral, Jane tells Lisbon he can't keep working for the FBI, that it could have been her instead of Vega and that he couldn't take it if anything were to happen to her. Jane then says he's leaving for "someplace nice," and tells Lisbon she can join him if she wants to. Lisbon tearfully watches Jane walk away. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | "Byzantium" | Nina Lopez-Corrado | Jordan Harper & Marisa Wegrzyn | February 11, 2015 | 5X5811 | 9.10 | 149 | ||||||||||||||||
| After a double homicide a "psychic" offers to assist the FBI and he leads them to five other buried bodies. But soon the team suspects him to be involved in the murders himself, so they track down Jane to help find out the truth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | "Brown Shag Carpet" | Geary McLeod | Tom Szentgyorgyi | February 18, 2015 | 5X5812 | 10.10 | 150 | ||||||||||||||||
| Continuing their investigation into the serial killer introduced in the previous episode, the team has Jane appear as a guest on a number of television and radio broadcasts as a renowned psychic. Jane reluctantly agrees, but during one radio show, he is contacted by a mysterious man identifying himself as "Lazarus" who cryptically discusses information on the case. The FBI realizes that Lazarus is indeed their killer, but find nothing but a rigged land line at the triangulated coordinates. Jane and another FBI agent are rammed by a car outside the radio station, with Jane being abducted by Lazarus. The killer, whose name is Joe Keller Jr., attempts to use Jane to communicate with the spirit of his serial-killer father and reconcile with his violent instincts. While Keller periodically leaves the house Jane is being kept in, Jane uses his resources to uncuff himself and set up a trap for Keller. This results in Keller being lured into a storage room, where Jane triggers an explosion using a lightbulb and a piece of chewing gum. Lisbon arrives at the house right as it explodes, but is able to rescue Jane from the wreckage. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | "White Orchids" | Chris Long | Bruno Heller & Tom Szentgyorgyi & Jordan Harper | February 18, 2015 | 5X5813 | 10.10 | 151 | ||||||||||||||||
| Picking up 24 hours after "Brown Shag Carpet", Jane proposes to Lisbon, which she accepts. The team is overjoyed by the news and Abbott offers a home he owns as the wedding grounds. Elsewhere, Joe Keller, AKA Lazarus, is revealed to have survived the explosion, and goes on a violent rampage in search of Jane. Lisbon and Jane eventually give into allowing numerous guests at their wedding, but Lisbon becomes upset at how overly lavish the ceremony has become; Jane decides to hold the wedding at the private lakeside home he plans to refurbish. Keller locates the home and walks through the open door, where he is apprehended by a large team of FBI agents anticipating his arrival, including the pistol-packing bride. Jane and Lisbon are happily married, with the ceremony's guests including Lisbon's brothers, as well as Van Pelt and Rigsby. The rest of the attendees party that night while Jane and Lisbon look on, with the latter announcing her pregnancy. Jane is surprised but, delighted, embraces her. | |||||||||||||||||||||||