I've just finished watching the first two seasons of Nikita. For those of you who don't know, the main villain was a guy called "Percy" played by Xander Berkeley. Before The Mentalist I had no idea who Berkeley was, and his portrayal of McAllister didn't impress me at all. But now I can see what talent went to waste in The Mentalist. I defy anyone to see the first two seasons of Nikita and still claim that Berkeley was incapable of portraying Red John. He was the best choice for the role. His portrayal of Percy was so brilliant that it made me suspect it was what persuaded the producers of The Mentalist to cast him as Red John in the first place. There are bits and pieces of Nikita on YouTube, but they don't convey the full package, you need to see the show completely to understand what I'm saying. It's like their portrayal of Red John was a failed attempt to resurrect Percy. I don't know what went on behind the scenes, but I do know Berkeley could've made a perfect Red John had there been a better storyline.