Thursday July 9, 04:01 PM

"The Mentalist" recruits Terry Kinney

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Terry Kinney, an alumnus of the TV shows "thirtysomething" and "Oz," has landed the all-important new recurring role on CBS' hit crime drama "The Mentalist."

In at least seven episodes of the upcoming second season, Kinney will play Agent Sam Bosco, a seemingly flat-footed policeman with a sharp intelligence.

Bosco leads the California Bureau of Investigation's Serial Crimes Unit and is brought in to assist in cracking the case of the elusive Red John serial killer, whose victims include the wife and daughter of CBI consultant Patrick Jane (Simon Baker). Bosco's by-the-book approach is a constant irritation to Jane, while Bosco hates Jane's unorthodox methods and is determined to oust him from the CBI.

To complicate things further, Bosco was once Teresa Lisbon's (Robin Tunney) boss, and a dark secret from their shared past hangs over their relationship.

Kinney recently co-starred on ABC's well-received but short-lived comedy-drama "The Unusuals."

(Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)