Simon Baker stars in “The Mentalist”

As with all good things, CBS's "The Mentalist" is coming to an end. After a successful six-season run, the network announced it would renew the show for one final season, which premiered back in November, spanning 13 episodes. Be sure to catch an all-new episode from the seventh and final season of the popular police procedural on Sunday, Dec. 21, on CBS.

Throughout the series, viewers have gained a detailed and in-depth look into the development of Simon Baker's ("The Guardian") portrayal of Patrick Jane, a fake psychic medium turned police consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation. Through flashbacks and personal anecdotes, the trials and tribulations of the show's protagonist have been highly discussed. The most frequent topic for discussion, however, was put to bed at the end of season 5, with the elimination of the sociopath killer, Red John, Jane's ultimate arch rival.

A year prior to the start of season 1, Jane lived a simple life with his wife and daughter. After they were murdered by Red John, Jane had a nervous breakdown fuelled by his guilt of not being able to protect them. The series picks up after he joins the CBI with the sole intent of exacting revenge on Red John by murdering him. This was kept a secret, as he essentially joined the force to gain access to the case files involving him. This is where he met Teresa Lisbon, leader of the CBI's "Serious Crimes Unit."

For every yin, there's a yang, and Teresa Lisbon's character, portrayed by Robin Tunney ("Prison Break"), is exactly that to Jane. Throughout the series, Lisbon has taken on several roles -- senior agent of the CBI, sheriff of a small town, special agent of the FBI, you name it. Most notably, she's been pegged as Jane's babysitter, as the bond between them has evolved from professional to personal. While most thought the two were just friends, the season 6 finale solidified that they were more than pals -- shown by a desperate Jane stopping an airplane about to take off, just to declare his ultimate love for Lisbon.

To some, the show has run its course and has done its due diligence, leaving little to expand upon. To others, season 7 gives off the "what now" effect. Through seasons 1 to 5, the prime antagonist was Red John, later revealed as Thomas McAllister (Xander Berkeley, "Nikita"), sheriff of Napa County. With the death of the show's ultimate villain, series creator Bruno Heller says that while one source of evil has been vanquished, the real adventure is soon to begin.

"Up until now, if you're comparing it to Moby Dick -- which is one of the analogies I used to describe the length of the chase -- next season, the whale has been sighted and they're in the small boats and chasing the whale," said Heller in an interview with "Entertainment Weekly."

Robin Tunney as seen in “The Mentalist”

Although it took six seasons to achieve, Jane declaring his love for Lisbon will allow the show's cast and crew to expand upon the couple's personal relationship in a new way. All may seem well, but as we all know, love interests take a toll when they're prevalent in a workplace scenario.

"Well, it makes things very difficult for [Jane and Lisbon] because they’re both very private, self-contained independent people and have kept a tight control on their emotions at the job," Heller said. "And now, they have this wonderful thing between them that they feel obliged to cover up. They don’t fool many people for long."

Regardless of viewers hopes and wishes, season 7 will be written as a series finale. Heller has generally written each season finale as a standalone series finale, but he exclaimed his excitement to be given the opportunity to ultimately end the show on a high note.

"The chance to actually end the story is something rarely given in this business, so we're taking full advantage of that," he said. "The great thing about being able to do a final season is it’s a gift, an encore, it’s being able to do all the things people love about the show, all the nuances, humor and suspense."

CBS has certainly benefited from the success of "The Mentalist" through its six-year tenure. However, despite the network cutting ties with the show, there is still hope for another network to pick up where CBS will have left off.

"It’s been a remarkably happy experience. There’s no reason why it couldn't continue," said Heller. "But when you’ve done seven years and have an end date, people concentrate on that. For the audience, it’s important to give a sense of closure."

With love, new beginnings and an ending that you won't want to miss, be sure to catch a new episode of the final season of "The Mentalist" airing Sunday, Dec. 21, on CBS and CTV, but be aware that the show moves to Wednesdays to finish the season starting Jan. 7.