Red John
| Red John | |
|---|---|
| The Mentalist character | |
Xander Berkeley as Red John | |
| First appearance | "Red Hair and Silver Tape" |
| Last appearance | "Red John" |
| Portrayed by | Xander Berkeley Simon Baker (Voice, in "Red Sky In The Morning", "The Crimson Hat", "Wedding in Red" and "The Desert Rose") |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Thomas McAllister |
| Alias | Roy Tagliaferro; Dr. Joe N.H.; Jay Roth |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Sheriff of Napa County, California |
| Nationality | American |
Red John is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the CBS crime drama The Mentalist for the first five seasons and in the first half of the sixth season.
As a serial killer, he is believed to have begun his killing spree in 1988, and has, with his operatives and acolytes, killed more than 70 people in California, Nevada, and Mexico. Five years prior to the action of the first episode, he murdered the wife and daughter of Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), making Jane his dedicated nemesis.
In the season-three finale, "Strawberries and Cream (Part 2)", Jane encounters a man (Timothy Carter, played by Bradley Whitford) in a shopping mall who convinces him he is Red John and whom he subsequently kills. However, after this cliffhanger episode, over the course of the first several episodes of season four, Jane determines that Carter, although a psychopathic killer himself, was not Red John, but one of the killer's many operatives.
In the season 6 episode "Red John", the eponymous serial killer's identity is revealed to be Thomas McAllister, the sheriff of Napa County, portrayed by Xander Berkeley. After unmasking himself to Patrick Jane, McAllister discloses that he is the founder and overall leader of the secret organization known as the Blake Association.
TV Guide included Red John in its 2013 list of "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time".