Yes, he got the smugglers. Yes, he got the hitman. Yes, he got the ADA. Yes, Hightower let him and Lisbon off. And that's the sad part about this ordeal. No matter what Jane does, no matter how disrespecting he is, no matter how many laws he breaks, Jane, the glorious hero, will be safe and loved.The antics in both episodes were similar in nature, but my reaction was different. I actually didn't mind Lightman too much. The major difference here--and one that sets apart The Mentalist and Lie to Me--is the tone. Tim Roth plays Lightman with an edge, grating and sadistically satisfying. Simon Baker, for all his charm, plays Jane as a clown. In the end, people know Lightman is a douche--a talented douche, but a douche nonetheless. On the other hand, people view Jane as a troubled guy who puts up an exceedingly silly mask, and his sins are forgiven.
Lightman clashing with his wife, Zoe, is always fun and it was no exception in "The Whole Truth." Still, their battles could have been toned down in the courtroom. The case was rattling along at regular pace with the usual suspects and takes a great turn near the end. There is no murderer or even an evildoer really other than the blackmailing friend. The "killer" was really the victim's friend who had participated in assisted suicide.
For another week, there was a flat story between Loker and Torres. Torres hints at a relationship with an older man, and after prying, Loker learns she experimented with an older woman. They've pretty much been reduced to total background characters, providing cheap laughs each episode without much, if any, contribution to whatever Lightman is doing. It'll be interesting to see what happens to them once Shawn Ryan steps down as showrunner for the next season.
Score: 8.8/10
