I'm not 100% certain that Red John is Bertram; that's simply what I deduce from the TV Guide's generous dissemination of Mentalist "news" added to my gut reactions while watching the show. Even though I'm not sure that Bertram is a cold-blooded serial killer, wouldn't he be a great fit? I'm not understanding why fans of the show would be let down if they discovered that Red John was Bertram all along, yet you see these same folks accusing Michael Kirkland (oh, come the hell on!). Are you going to accuse Partridge as well? I know i'm going to get some heat for saying that, but if you're sincerely bent on accusing Partridge, please convince me how someone as brilliant as Jane would be so careless as to not ascertain the dude's death!
Red John is someone who can completely mask his ingeniousness when conversing with Patrick. He is (maybe was) a man who can make Jane feel like Jane has the winning hand, but when the results are in, RJ is (was) 3 steps ahead. Speaking of "winning hands," Bertram's poker act with Jane is a sham. He's a master manipulator and deceiver; that's what makes him so potent as Red John. Bertram rarely looses his temper; he's cool, calm and collected, just as a leader needs to be. Also, this is why his public speaking (and disciple-converting) skills are exceptional. The others on the list of 7 (or what was 7) are quick-tempered and rash in their decision-making. They respond with anger and allow their emotions to control them. Oh by the way, this is all based on the simple assumption that the list of RJ suspects is true.
Personally, Bertram seems like the perfect fit. He has been under Jane's nose the entire time, and Jane hadn't the slightest clue (until now, of course).
I'm not here to bash your theories (I actually love reading all of them) because I believe everyone can input valuable information. I'm just here to say that I need this Red John thing to culminate without any loose ends. For example, I loved LOST. It was probably my all-time favorite show (next to the Mentalist), but when the writers failed to tie up loose ends and unanswered questions, I completely dropped that show on my list of favorites. This is also why Breaking Bad ended on a crescendo. Gilligan and his team brainstormed around 35 different potential endings to the series, and chose the one that most effectively tied up Walter's loose ends. All I hope is that Heller and the other writers/producers have given just as much, if not double the amount of thought to the RJ culmination as Gilligan did to BB.
Red John is the series' main antagonist for 6 straight seasons, and he (whomever he is) needs to go out WITH A BIG BANG! If he fizzles out, then that's when I'll truly be disappointed. It's not about who is RJ; it's about what happens when we find out.
Thanks for taking your time to read this. Comment, theorize, and enjoy.
