The Mentalist: Van Pelt related scoop on season 5 from TVLine's Michael Ausiello

Here's some scoop on The Mentalist from this week's (Posted on 9/4/12) Ask Ausiello column.

Question: Anything about The Mentalist! —Sonia
Ausiello: Amanda Righetti’s real-life pregnancy (which, as we previously reported, will not be written into Van Pelt’s storyline) will create a vacancy on the show’s canvas this spring — one that may or may not be filled. “It’s hard to say how long [she'll be gone] because these things are not predictable,” admits exec producer Bruno Heller, adding, “We’re talking about [whether to bring in someone new] now. But we’re not going to replace her just to have another face in the room. It depends. If we come up with a good story, then yes. If not, no.” Heller goes on to say it’s unlikely her departure will be turned into a major plot point. “We’ll explain [her absence],” he explains. “But this is not the kind of show where we do elaborate, stunty exits… I think we will find something a little more normal for her absence and not [have] her in jail or on charged with murder or kidnapped or anything like that.”

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