No.
overall No. in
season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod.
code U.S. viewers
(millions)
71 1 "Scarlet Ribbons" Charles Beeson Bruno Heller September 22, 2011 3X6801 13.56[1]
Patrick Jane is detained for killing Timothy Carter (Bradley Whitford) at Pinewood Shopping Mall (recap season 3 finale). Jane cannot prove Carter told him he was Red John, but believes Red John's gun, along with the record of a cell phone call from FBI Agent O'Laughlin, would prove otherwise, but Carter's phone shows no calls from O'Laughlin and no gun is found. D.A. Ardiles obeys CBI Director Bertram's instructions to keep Jane in prison, away from the media, getting bail set at $1 million. Bertram suspends Lisbon and her team. Jane thinks someone took Carter's gun and switched his phone and Cho, Van Pelt, Rigsby, and Lisbon agree to investigate. The mall's security footage shows three possible culprits - a waitress, a security guard, and a forensics tech. The security guard is found dead. Lisbon and Van Pelt visit Sally, Timothy Carter's wife of 3 years, who insists Tim was a good man; he even got an official commendation last month for organizing a search party when local girl, Debbie Lupin, went missing. Carter was the only child of missionaries, grew up in Africa, and moved to the US 5 years ago. Jane is suspicious and wins bail money in an inmates' poker game. Lisbon acquires Carter's personal effects to meet Sally again. Jane shows Sally an extra key in Carter's set and hints that Carter had secrets from Sally. While Lisbon leaves, Jane hides in the Carters' home. Sally fetches Tim's keys and goes to a secret room where Debbie Lupin is chained up. She hits a scared Debbie, accusing Tim and her of keeping secrets. Lisbon and Jane rescue the girl and arrest Sally. In court, Debbie testifies against the Carters and thanks Jane. Jane tells the jury he is not guilty of killing Timothy Carter, as he never existed. In a shock verdict, the jury finds him not guilty on all charges. Later Jane tells Lisbon that Carter was evil, but he was not Red John.
72 2 "Little Red Book" Eric Laneuville Tom Szentgyorgyi September 29, 2011 3X6802 12.92[2]
Bertram rehires Jane due to his high closure rate, but Lisbon stays suspended and the others are reassigned. Bertram assigns Jane to Ray Haffner's (Reed Diamond) team. Jane meets new colleagues Tork, Masterton, and Niskin over the body of murder victim Markus Kuzmenko, a gym instructor who was hit with a heavy object. Haffner recruits Cho to spy on Jane. Jane uses this to mess with Haffner's team and gets them replaced by Van Pelt and Rigsby. They decide to solve the case before Haffner to get Lisbon her job back. Kuzmenko's colleague, Milinuevo, says Kuzmenko had come into money. Jane plants a notebook for Haffner to find containing a rated list of Kuzmenko's sexual co