In this scene, an interrogation takes place whereby a
character by the name of Thomas plays a completely different character who is
an ‘idiot’ called Tommy. This is his alter-ego that saves him and helps him in
situations where he could get into trouble and there isn’t anyone that suspects
him of committing a crime because of this.
The lighting in the scene when focusing on Tommy, causes a shadow to be
shown across his face which could imply that he is in fact hiding something as
we soon find out later in the scene. This is important because it is
foreshadowing something negative about this character and therefore brings
symbolic meaning simply through the lighting during the shot that is used.
Additionally, there is a difference in the costumes that are worn between the
protagonist and the suspect. Tommy is wearing a hoodie and casual clothing
however the audience learns that he has read Moby Dick which some English
Literature professors have not read which subverts the stereotype that comes
with wearing casual clothing and not dressing as an intellectual or a
professional.
During this scene we are able to see a meeting between the
story’s main protagonist and antagonist and this is a meeting which the
audience have been waiting for since the pilot episode. The fact that the
antagonist ‘Red John’ remains shadowed and we are only able to see a silhouette
outline of his body which we later realise is not actually him reinforces his
anonymity which has remained throughout all the previous seasons. Furthermore, the
protagonist is dressed in a suit however this suit is crumpled and makes him
look scruffy which could imply that he has changed his personality whereas in
reality, he is still the same individual he is before and vows to avenge the
murders of his wife and daughter.