I am totally in the middle of believing or not regarding 6x08 being the end of Red John. Here's my dilemma for everyone's evaluation:
In today's TV shows, almost each procedural show has an under-plot flowing through the episodes while each individual episode deals with an individual event separately. This approach enables the show to be followed by many more people than usual because this way you combine 2 different segments of audience together. The ones who're happy with the weekly independent plots (who are willing to bear the ongoing plot for the sake of it) and the ones who're following the show for being intrigued by the sub-plot (and these guys also bear the event-of-the-week concept for the sake of the sub plot). So, it comes to such a point that one without the other can not draw the same attention from the cumulative audience. For example, in Person of Interest there's a victim (or perpetrator) of the week, and there's a mystery going under throughout the series (Root, Finch, characters' past and connections, etc.). Or in Fringe, there's a new anomaly every week but there's also a main plot flowing under regarding Dr. Bishop's past and parallel universe, bald dudes, etc. I'm sure there are many more like this out there.
Actually, many things in our lives have become this way. While we can very well use a regular cell phone, we prefer to buy smart-phones which happen to combine many features besides the phone function. Multi-functional phenomena is the new concept in many areas. That being said, ending the show's sub-plot (Red John) at such a point (at 1/3 of the season) with such an anti-climatic reveal makes us think that the plot is actually not over and we're just standing against another big twist and we have every right to think like that. Because if the purpose was to end that saga, a much better ending could play out. We all agree on that.
However, on the contrary, I have hard times to believe in the idea that the creators would spend so much money and resources on 8 episodes just to fool us again. Because from the beginning of season 6 until episode 8 the show was focused on Red John reveal. I don't remember how many episodes it took to lead us to Timothy Carter starting with Hightower being framed but I guess it was not more than 2 episodes which seems worth to misdirect the audience but spending 8 episodes for a similar con? I leave the decision to you guys.
So on my side, I will wait for 2 more episodes and see if the show will give us something to chase after which is more intriguing than the Red John story line. If it does that, then we can all forget about the Red John thing and choose to leave or stay depending on the new mystery. If they do not give us such a plot within the next 2 episodes, then I guess we will be having Red John back (I prefer this one).
