A new actress has joined the cast of "The Mentalist" for its upcoming landmark season.
Emily Swallow of has joined the hit CBS detective drama to play Kim Fischer, an enigmatic ex-homicide detective who hails from Texas. The character will have a big influence on the life of Patrick Jane (Simon Baker).
According to TVLine, Swallow, who has appeared on "Monday Mornings" and "Southland," has joined what creator Bruno Heller calls the show's "most dramatic and game changing season." Swallow will come aboard for three episodes, although the role has the potential to become a regular character.
Fischer is one of two new characters who have been added to the cast in advance of Owain Yeoman and Amanda Righetti's impending exits. The other character who has joined the show is Dennis Abbott, a hardline FBI Supervisory Agent who will be played by "Prison Break's" Rockmond Dunbar.
Although new characters have been added, some fans are still skeptical as to how the show will continue once the elusive Red John has been captured, which is promised to occur in season six.
Heller told TVLine that the story is far from over. Using a Moby Dick analogy, Heller said, "[Jane] has been out at sea hunting this creature for so long, I think people will want to know what happens to him after that. Does he live happily ever after? What happens when you've been searching for something as long as he has? And we are going to get into that. It would be cheating the audience not to tell them what happens after."
Before the audience sees what happens after the capture, the sixth season will focus on Jane narrowing down potential Red John suspects. John will face off with more than half of the suspects in the second episode, which is titled "Black-Winged Redbird." In the episode, Jane will face off with three of the suspects who were on the list at the end of season five: CBI director Gale Bertram (Michael Gaston), Sheriff Thomas McAllister (Xander Berkeley) and G-man Reede Smith (Drew Powell). The episode will also feature CBI agent Raymond Haffner (Reed Diamond).
If those three men are not the famous murderer, then only Bret Stiles, Bob Kirkland and Brett Partridge will remain as possible Red Johns.
It was also hinted in the promo for season six that Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) may get captured by Red John.
Watch "The Mentalist's" sixth season premiere on September 29 at 10 p.m. on CBS.