CBS Scoop: Henry Ian Cusick returns to The Mentalist
“Days of Wine and Roses” — The CBI team visits a high-end California rehab center in order to investigate the death of a young model who was a patient there, while Lisbon ramps up her investigation into Tommy Volker, on THE MENTALIST, Sunday, Jan. 6 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Henry Ian Cusick returns as multi-millionaire Tommy Volker. Mary Lynn Rajskub guest stars as a rehab patient.
Dipping into the reader mailbag, Charlie asked for “something about Henry Ian Cusick’s character on The Mentalist. His first appearance was fantastic, and he has been so evil!” Not surprisingly, series boss Bruno Heller shares your enthusiasm for Lisbon’s own Red John. “It’s fun to take Lisbon down a path that Jane knows so well,” Heller shares with us. “She’s usually the voice of reason, keeping Jane in check when his Red John obsession goes too far, but in this case Lisbon is the one with the obsession. She feels responsible for the death of a woman that Volker killed and she’s determined to bring him down.” As for giving Cusick the choice role, Heller says the Lost alum has been “a revelation as Volker. He plays a titan of industry, a powerful figure who fancies himself untouchable due to his wealth and connections. Cusick has found a nice balance with the character, playing both the charm and the darkness underneath.”
The Mentalist returns with 5×10, ‘Panama Red,’ on Sunday, December 9, 2012 at 10pm on CBS. In this episode, the death of a young botanist leads the team into the lucrative world of medical marijuana, while Cho’s work with the rapid response team brings him back into contact with Summer.