[S04.E06: Pretenders]

I was thinking; assuming Finch did indeed talk to the Machine, isn't this the first time she has given him anything other than a number? She has given Root direct instructions before and, as I recall, Root once told Finch that the Machine communicates with him in the way that he has chosen, respecting his wishes. Last week Finch decided to actually talk to her. And the Machine responded. I imagine that, since Finch didn't just approach Jessica Hecht's character to suss her out (like one might do with a "victim or perpetrator?" number), since he clearly had set this whole thing up with the mugger etc, the Machine actually sent him on a specific mission. She told him exactly what to do. She may have even given him the code for whatever it was he planted in the woman's laptop. That's pretty huge.

 

This kind of puts Finch on a level similar to that of both Root but also Greer. In the end of this week's episode, he's seen ordering his agents to keep tabs on the woman/her tech company because Samaritan told him so, without knowing why. Granted, our Team seems to be given a little more leeway with their missions (or at least they did until Samaritan came online, what with Finch and Reese deciding not to kill that Congressman) but still. Greer, for that matter, seems content (if not a little impatient, or just plain curious) to follow Samaritan's orders.

 

Isn't that amazing? That all the human characters on this show, extremely intelligent in their own right, are literally at the mercy of the machines? More than ever before (because the Machine just used to have the solitary purpose Finch designed it to achieve, saving people, relevants plus the bonus irrelevant list), the Machines are in control. They're following every whim of the Machine and Samaritan and they don't even know why. That's chiling but also fascinating from a storytelling perspective. The A.I.s control the plot, if you will. That's a very interesting perspective, in my opinion.

[S07.E12: The Knockouts, Part 2]

I really liked Troy and I never cared for the Taylor kid (too generic a voice and just not my style of performer), so that bummed me out. Troy reminded me of Cody Belew from a few seasons back; a fun, energetic performer who stood out, maybe for the wrong reasons (too funny in a bad way, kitsch) but still, he was different. And I liked his voice too, like a less raspy Dave Matthews (that said, the charm lies in the rasp, so). I see Taylor's appeal but he's not for me (I'm 30, possibly too old to appreciate his cuteness and "depth". I see him as just a kid with a hat.).

 

I didn't quite get Pharrell's decision nor did I agree with Gwen's steal. Underwhelming night overall, in my opinion. I thought Blake might steal Troy, as he does tend to steal cannon fodder, but I get why he didn't (they'd be pretty mismatched, though I think it'd be hilarious to watch). I'm actually curious to see who Blake wants to steal. Might he steal back the country dude with the great hair? Going into the lives, and if he chooses wisely in his knockouts, Blake will have a bunch of surprisingly good country-ish girls and James David Carter (whom I do like). I don't see many people left who would be a good fit for his team. Hm.

[S04.E06: Pretenders]

WHAT.

 

I so did not call that. I was all ‘awwww Michael Emerson and Jessica Hecht are so cute together, and they love equations, and aw he’s gonna get some!’. I didn’t even stop to think ‘hey, Harold is there for business’. I didn’t even put it together when she was like ‘I’ll be in NYC to meet with investors’ (because that sounds normal out of context). Damn. Person of Interest is legitimately the only network show that can surprise me. And it’s not because it’s unpredictable (in retrospect it makes perfect sense, Harold was all ‘take the bags’ and ‘omg let’s go find the bags’, both somewhat suspicious reactions, and he didn't want to involve the consulate; although I did chalk the latter up to his desire to stay off the radar.); It’s because there’s so much happening in any given episode that you just forget you even  considered certain possibilities. The show keeps you guessing on so many things and then boom, they hit you with a twist. So, Samaritan is involved not only in elections but in all sorts of deals. Business deals. Tech companies. Just how wide is its scope? Greer doesn't even know. That's a scary thought.

 

Another thing I loved? That moment when Elias was questioning the “Armorer”. When he was all 'tell me who’s behind this' i was like ‘really?’. It seemed so obvious it was Dominic, and it was such a typical CBS procedural line. I was thinking that I expected better of Poi and of Elias. And then, of course, he's all 'lol j/k i totally know who's behind this'. D'oh. He probably wanted to see the extent to which Dominic could inspire loyalty in his minions. I shouldn’t have doubted him, or the show. Oh and SCARFACE. He is just the coolest. I love that actor. He does so much with so little. I immediately recognised him too, by his flawless hair.

 

We also got Dominic versus Elias. I liked Dominic's matter-of-fact approach. It really highlights Elias' age (as did all the 'old man' references, as well as Elias’ river monologue). And it also highlights the fact Dominic himself is young, new, different. He isn't about families, loyalty, tradition. He is almost scarier because he's also extremely intelligent but he has no real allegiance to anyone, and he expects no allegiance. He and his group are like mercenaries with a purpose. It's all so simple, clean, neat. I’m intrigued by it, and the fact it's quite different both from Elias's operation and HR. Elias won for now, but all this is clearly going to blow up sometime soon. 

 

The episode was a lot of fun overall. There were a lot of great Fusco/Reese moments, and Shaw got to eat, hang out with Bear and type hilariously. And mock Reese. Was she jealous that he’d be in pain? It kind of sounded like it. She and Root are made for each other.

 

The guest actor was so good. He really played well off of Reese, we even got some genuine Reese smiles last night, something we hadn’t really seen in a while. You could tell Reese was getting a kick out of Detective Forge. The action/cop movie fan in me loved all the one-liners, the deadpan jokes, the physical comedy. My favourite bit was ‘don’t say it, don't say itttttt’/’it’s just a scratch’. Aw. Oh and that bit with the guy's air punch versus Reese's solid, knock-out punch. And of course the voice joke. ‘Do what?’. Speaking of, are we supposed to believe that, in the end, even though Reese was Eastwood/Batman-whispering his thanks, the entire office actually heard him? But then, I guess they all would have been perched to get the gossip.

 

So. Reese is totally Batman and the show is not even trying to hide it anymore. Batfleck who? It was nice to see him get some appreciation. He looked like he enjoyed it, in that tortured way of his, of course. I agree; it was about time someone recognised the Man in the Suit.

[S04.E05: Prophets]

“I don’t need therapy”. Ahahahahahahahahahaha.

 

What an episode. Just.

 

The Machine flashbacks destroyed me. Finch was teaching her morality! Amazing. I had always wanted to see that (let me take this opportunity to once again recommend Michio Kaku's book 'The Future of the Mind', in which he talks about this exact thing; how do you teach moral values to an A.I.?). And what a great opportunity to bring back Nathan (NATHAN!) who was basically Harold's moral compass, not to mention moral to the point of self-sacrifice (he actually tried to save irrelevants himself). I loved how someone as moral as Ingram almost anthropomorphised the Machine, and did so in an interesting way. He said 'you killed it'. ‘It’, as in it's a machine (and his words about Harold teaching it morality also match that, he was seeing it as an object, not like Root does, not like a God or a being). And ‘killed’ as in, well, as in it can ‘die’ and that's wrong. Meaning, Nathan had empathy for an object. Unlike Harold who, I was glad to see, was as ruthless as the show had led us (or me, at least) to suspect. He kept killing the Machine for God knows how long. A flick of a switch can have a moral impact. Even if it's only a Machine on the other end.

 

And that flashback with the fire and Finch banging on the Machine with a hammer and oh my God. EVERYTHING I've ever wanted. To see that struggle. I hadn't even imagined it to be so dramatic. The Machine tried to kill Finch. Amazing. This episode just delivered on so many levels. So. 43 versions of the Machine, and all but one were devious and/or murderous. And the only way to achieve that was to leave it ‘bereft of voice or memory’. Nathan spoke of Good and Evil. I agree with Finch; if a human being is only looked at as a number, there’s no point in assigning any moral value to it. It’s like us killing bugs. It’s not good or evil. Morality is, dare I say, irrelevant.

 

I also loved how the flashbacks of the Machine (in all their terrifying glory) were also an explanation of how and why Samaritan became so powerful. Apart from the morality issues I mentioned above (not to mention great insight into the Machine/Harold relationship plus great character moments for Ingram), it was a smart way to literally explain Samaritan to us. To describe/try to quantify its power via a parallel with the Machine before Harold crippled it. What a fantastic way to deliver exposition. And, again, what a fantastic use of Ingram (and how great was it to see Brett Cullen again? Looking good, as always). Damn. Kudos.

 

That Root/Finch scene was incredible. 'God's on the run'. I just adore the fact Root, the flirty, smiley, semi-demented psycho only displays genuine vulnerability and emotion when she talks about the Machine. Her shock that Harold saw right through her was palpable. And then she let it out. Such a lovely scene.  And 'she loves us'? Wonderful. I’m almost inclined to agree with Root. Finch assumes that the Machine without the shackles he imposed on it is likely to become like Samaritan, killing people left and right. But maybe Root is right and the Machine has evolved even further, because of Harold’s teachings. Maybe she did learn how to care. Aw.

 

And now, Harold will finally speak to the Machine. Indeed, it’s about time.

 

Oh and Root wanted to tell Shaw that, what, she loves her? And Harold was all 'she already knows’? My feelings. And I agree with the comment above, Shaw really was so worried in the end. Awwww. It was so jarring to see Root get shot like that. Upsetting. And yeah, Cara Buono was really working the Terminator moves. I loved it.

 

So, Greer actually follows Samaritan’s orders. That was even more chilling than the rest of the episode. That it’s Samaritan itself making all those decisions, to kill, to rig elections, to control polititians, to control the US (for now). Damn.

 

I also want to say Jason Ritter was very good throughout; he mostly interacted with secondary characters and he really just had to convey a sense of despair on his own (which he did very well), but his one scene with Michael Emerson was outstanding. And the ending was so tragic, even though he survived. Indeed, he will be changed forever.

 

Lastly, Reese. In therapy. Just when I thought I had no feelings left to feel. So many great moments and Jim Caviezel was fantastic. Starting off as fake-charming Reese, flattering a cat? Comedy gold. Delving into some half-truths? Interesting. But in the end he opened up. ‘There are far too many bad people in this world, and not enough good’. Such a Reese thing to say. Along with 'I hate shooting people but it's what I'm good at'. He's such a tragic yet decent character. I’ve said it before, we compare him to Batman but to me he’s like a darker Captain America. 'If I don't save these people, nobody else will'. Ain’t that the truth? He doesn’t have to save people so he can be a savior; he has to save them so they will be saved. I just love him.

 

And I literally started crying as soon as John started talking about Carter (a rare thing for me when it comes to PoI). 'I couldn't save her'. He took it so hard and he’s obviously still hurting. Her death changed him. I can’t begin to describe how much I appreciate the fact we’re allowed to see his pain in such a subtle way. Like it’s always there in the background, even if he doesn’t constantly talk about it. And it’s such a tribute to Carter to see him express admiration for her still, almost a full season later. I also think the earlier, almost nonchalant reference he made to a "dealer" who died was his way of talking about something real (losing Carter, almost quitting the ‘force’, i.e. his job) by fudging the details, by speaking truthful lies. But in the end he had to be honest, and he spoke the truth. Damn. An episode about morality, on multiple levels, would not have been complete without a reference to Carter and her unfailing moral compass. The Machine may not know what’s good and what’s evil, but Carter, a human, always did.

 

Sigh. I love this show.

[S04.E04: Brotherhood]

Damn, they keep pulling the same trick and I keep falling for it.

Right? How many times are they going to pull off these great reveals? I actually suspected Lennox might be Dominic, I also suspected it was Link (even throughout the last sequence I wasn’t sure how it would go, which one of them it was) or even Elias himself. But Mini? I hate and love the writers for always surprising me like this. Damn. And the clues were all there, as always. Shaw kept saying how resilient and skilled he was, he was all 'they call me Mini' (but he never gave her an actual name). Damn. It helped that the actor was an unknown (though not to me; I do remember him from that SVU episode last season with the hazing in the football team at Hudson U - where else?). If they had flipped the casting around, having Jamie Hector (who, by the way, is amazing) play the part, it would have been obvious. Just. Awesome.

 

I loved this episode, I had a hard time guessing where it was all going. I was so involved in the build-up regarding Dominic, and this episode especially felt like it was building up to something big (which ended up being the actual reveal). Which, damn. The pacing of the show remains outstanding. This is only episode 4 and we already know who Dominic is. I have to say, I actually doubted the writers for a minute, I thought we might not find out for a while. On another show the reveal would have played out over the midseason finale. But not on Person of Interest. The entire episode had me on edge, as I said, feeling like we were biding time until something big went down, with the tension ratcheting up. And in the end, boom. ‘You just did’.

 

This was also a very old school episode and i loved it. It could have been a season 1 or 2 episode. A lot of Reese, something I had missed (what with Season 3 being lighter on his scenes) and, what is more, a lot of emotional Reese. Jim Caviezel had some fantastic moments; ‘you can't make something right by doing something wrong’? A lesson Reese himself has had to learn the hard way. I also liked that Reese was being real (if not harsh) with the boy. You could see the boy appreciated it. And we even got the Caviezel teary eyes I had so missed. Reese has always been especially sensitive when it comes to kids and I love seeing it. JC even made me tear up when his voice cracked at 'You go. Take care of your sister.’. Aw.

 

I liked the kids, I got emotionally attached to them. They were good little actors. And I also liked Lennox, the DEA agent. She was badass. I liked that she took care of business while her male partner was barely shown. It's the little things, seeing women in these roles. I also immediately suspected her as the mole, of course. She was a lot like Elias, she bonded with Reese and she was vaguely off-putting, what with the amount of trust she seemed to show Reese. Nice little showcase for the actress and it gave us some great Reese moments as well.

 

The ending was very ominous. What with Lennox getting killed and ditched like a piece of trash, and what with Dominic saying they’d help release the kids’ mother so the kids would owe him. And, of course, ‘we all die in the end’. And all that after that lovely, heartwarming Reese scene with the kid (‘a cop, like you. But I shoot less people.’). So dark. This is the Person of Interest that I love.

 

But, ultimately, this could not really have been a S1/2 episode. As stand-alone(ish) as it was. Because the threat of Samaritan still looms. And those two great scenes with Elias and Finch demonstrated that brilliantly. Elias is just so very smart, and it was amazing how he seemed to pick up on everything (he deduced Harold was in academia, he knew Reese was now a detective. Which, indeed, can put him in danger.). Of course he would confront Finch. And it’s amazing how Enrico Colantoni can be so menacing in such an understated way (much like Michael Emerson, and damn if those two together aren’t just fantastic). It had been a while since we saw that side of Elias and it was great to be reminded of it. That moment got me to sit up. And, of course, someone else was bound to notice things had changed. It makes perfect sense that this person would be Elias, the chess master (which, again, continuity!); that he would put all the pieces together. Or, well. Almost all.

 

I wonder if Samaritan will use the Brotherhood or Elias to track down the team (hell, I wonder if it's already doing that). Elias in particular knows way too much. What if Samaritan makes that connection? That could be a great reason to have him featured so frequently this season. I don't think this is a retread of HR at all; I think it looks that way now, but it'll all turn out to be either connected to Samaritan, or the big break Samaritan needs to flush out the team.

[S04.E03: Wingman]

First things first: OK, the suit is one thing, but Riley/Reese seriously needs to stop kneecapping people. If Samaritan won't ID him then some random perp will. That said, his smug look when the Captain congratulated him on his marksmanship was everything.

 

Secondly, THE DOLL CAM. The continuity on this show is beyond anything I’ve ever seen. So many callbacks. The writers are always rewarding the longtime viewers.

 

So. I LOVED this episode. I felt that every single character got a chance to shine.  No one got shortchanged even though Fusco was featured nicely. Root and Finch had a lot of great moments in their escapade, Fusco and the number were sweet and funny, Shaw and her BFF Bear kicked ass and Reese got to hang out with the new Captain. And all in a wonderfully paced episode.

 

Speaking of the new Captain, I love that addition. It gives the precinct a more homey vibe, like the cops there really are a team, like Reese really should be making an effort to act the part; not just for Lionel but for all the other honest cops there. In my opinion, you could see that Reese was thinking that too, after Fusco’s harsh words in the beginning. Also, the actress was great (I remember her from The Dark Knight too) and she had some really nice moments with JC. There was respect and a warmth, I thought. Also, even though she cautioned him re; the kneecapping, you could tell she got excited by his little schemes and bending-the-rules shenanigans. That little bit when he was all 'omg!' after she fake-chewed him out was especially hilarious. And the patches, and the purse. I loved the vibe the episode established between them. I don't know if it could become romantic; on another show I would be sure of it but PoI is different. Either way, great introduction to the character.

 

I also loved the opening conversation/almost fight between Fusco and Reese. It must sting to see Reese going all ninja with no regard for what it means to be a cop, especially for Fusco who struggled with that himself and managed (through Carter, it must be said) to regain his self-respect and his devotion to the shield. Very nice work by Kevin Chapman and Jim Caviezel in that scene. Fusco blew up, obviously having felt this way for a while, and you could see that Reese cut the bullshit in that one moment. JC's eyes lost that teasing glint and got that Jesus-y glaze. That said, damn but Fusco should maybe keep his voice down when talking about cover identities.

 

Again, all the actors shone last night. JC especially had so many great moments in this episode, Fusco-centric as it was. I loved that after he rescued Fusco he was all 'I couldn't let you die, I wanted to brag about how I'm a a great cop lol'. Aw. He cares. Michael Emerson also had fun; I always love it when he gets to be intimidating especially because he so rarely gets that chance on PoI. Was it me of did he exaggerate his limp during the missile purchase? Maybe to suggest he had gotten it in battle? If so, great detail. Root was her usual delightful and somewhat deranged, missile-happy self (plus we learned that her communication with the Machine is somewhat more limited now. I agree with the comment above, I don't think she knew anything in advance.). Shaw got to kick ass (as did Reese for that matter) and Sarah Shahi got to give us some great one-liners and reaction shots during Fusco's dating activities. I also loved her kicking off her heels and going back to her boots. Plus there was Bear, helping save the day at the end. Aw.

 

As for Fusco, well, was Reesing it up throughout the episode and I loved every minute of it. Badassery, identifying with the number, deadpanning jokes. Kevin Chapman must have had a blast. And I liked the number as well, the actor had a sweet earnesty to him.

 

What a fun but also heartwarming episode. Such a good start to the season.

[S04.E02: Nautilus]

Just how blind this make Samaritan however is yet to be revealed, but based on what we've seen thus far especially in this episode it seems like it's pretty much unable to detect the team on it's own at all. As several have said Team Machine really couldn't be more obvious who they are if they tried at this point.

I agree. Which is why I think that the team will have trouble not because Samaritan will recognise them but because their cavalier actions will get then on Samaritan's radar the ol' regular way; as deviants.

 

I feel that this episode may have been foreshadowing Reese's eventual capture. In the premiere as well, it was Reese who broke character, who went off saving people just like he used to pre-Samaritan, and Shaw had to come in and extract him before he totally blew his cover. This week, even after Finch's explicit warnings, he went off again trying to save people, because that's still his job. Shaw and Finch, though no more comfortable in their covers (though Shaw's got massively upgraded with Romeo and their shenanigans), are much more careful. But Reese? He can't help himself. He has to help people.

 

So, I think it would be really smart (and tragic, and funny, and realistic) if The Machine's plan with the servers worked perfectly (and apparently it does) but the Team was still compromised. To add to the above potential clues for foreshadowing, Root also told Shaw that as long as she was a B+ criminal, run of the mill, she wouldn't stand out. Meaning, there's leeway even for deviants and even if Shaw was flagged Samaritan wouldn't make the connection that Sameen X, the criminal, is Sameen Shaw from Team Machine. But what if Reese crosses that line? And gets flagged by Samaritan for, I don't know, extremely devialt behaviour? Having his cover compromised? Hm. For that matter, Shaw didn't seem too keen on only being a B+ criminal so maybe it'll be her.

 

This episode opened up a lot of doors.

[S04.E02: Nautilus]

WE ARE BEING WATCHED

 

I squee’d. I was expecting something new and fun in the credits but wow, right off the bat ‘WE are being watched’? How awesome.

 

I am just loving the focus on Reese and Finch and their friendship. When one is gone from the team, however temporarily (because come on), the other will stop at nothing in order to get their friend back. In just these two episodes we’ve had so many great moments between them. And I’m glad to hear Harold using the word ‘friends’ so frequently. They’re not all just colleagues. There’s emotion there, even if Harold is usually loath to admit it. Reese, on the other hand, is quite open about it. He was constantly teasing/prodding Finch, trying to get him to admit that it’s not just about survival. Finch wants to help people too. That's why he paused when Claire asked him "why would you want to help me". He realised he did want to help her. And in the end, when Reese's eyes lit up when he saw the Batcave? It was another step toward rebuilding their old lives. And a new beginning as well. “Together”. Reese, Finch and Shaw (who was the lucky one this time, i.e. the one who had Bear with her). Great stuff.

 

So, Reese uses their new, shiny and top secret method of communication to text Harold 'Late night snack?'? The love! Sure, it was for a number, but I still think he should have added a smiley. Oh, and Harold ordered for him? It’s the little things that show us how far those two have come. How well they now know each other. Friends indeed.

 

Also friends? Reese and Fusco. I lost it at Fusco's glee and actual cackling at Reese and his paperwork. And Reese’s stonefaced almost-sneer finished me. Amazing. That pairing is comedy gold.

 

It was also fun to see Shaw in action. Man, she must have really missed it. I was glad to see I was right about her cover identity being that of a criminal (allow me to quote myself from last week):

Or maybe if Sameen is a deviant but neither a Samaritan-threatening deviant nor a terrorist, just a run-of-the-mill criminal, maybe Samaritan will still mostly ignore her.

Indeed, criminals are ordinary too. If they’re a B+, heh. Speaking of Root, damn but she always has the most fun. I almost don’t want Shaw to find out. She thinks robbing is fun? Root has her beat with kidnapping and flights and god knows what else.

 

I really liked the number of the week. The “game” aspect made the episode really fly, and I liked how Reese and Finch both interacted with the girl. I also loved the fact she was basically Baby Root, as Root herself said. Frankly I didn’t make that connection, I only compared her to Finch in my mind (as she was one of those rare super-genius numbers, the only ones Finch can ever identify with. And how’s that for the Machine being clever with the numbers?). But, indeed, the girl was way more ruthless.

I don't know why Samaritan would think someone so oblivious could have any value.

I agree with the comments above; she was great at blindly following orders (Root herself said that), she was a genius (which I think also partly explains her lack of common sense) and she was fearless (in a life-threatening way, as in "I am not afraid because I'm never aware of threats in my surroundings", but still). As it was said above, Samaritan forms no 'emotional' connections. And it said "I will protect you now". So an oblivious person like Claire could just rely on Samaritan to survive (as she did on that roof). Samaritan can protect her from her own obliviousness because Claire is an asset and her skills are needed for activities only humans can perform. Indeed, just like Root was used early on by the Machine.

 

With all that in mind, I had a feeling they would 'lose' the girl. That she'd go dark. And, indeed; ASSET. That gave me chills. Samaritan is full-on active; recruiting assets, destroying competitors, killing people to stay hidden (as we saw in the premiere). Damn. The Machine seems so tame in comparison. Because that's what Harold taught it. And yet, the Machine has been underestimated, as Harold said. She gave them a new home. What they needed. Samaritan sees everything but maybe the Machine can make better sense of it. Put it context.

 

Speaking of Samaritan, I love that the writers are giving us little bits of info, what Samaritan can't and can't do/hear/pick up on. Like phone conversations, camera feeds, or little moments like Finch using tape to cover the webcam on that laptop and saying the power feed to their new lair can’t be traced. You can tell the writers put in a lot of effort into a) actually working this stuff out and b) incorporating that information in the episodes so there wouldn’t be tons of plot holes. I appreciate that.

 

And a few little tidbits:

 

Reese being a cop does provide him with a better opening line than "I'm a concerned frequent flyer". Now it's his job to help (it always was, but now it’s officially his job as well). And he has taken it to heart.

 

“John” and “Harold” and “Sameen” were used pretty frequently, same as last week. Is that intimacy, or is it because the old last names (Reese, Finch and Shaw) are no longer active/viable? Hm. It almost felt weird typing “Reese” up there, not going to lie.

 

I remain tickled by the way the show continues to be subversive in a nonchalant way. Finch was all 'various dangerous entities could be behind this; the CIA, rogue hackers'. All on the same level. Aw.

 

And my, but there were a lot of foreboding lines spoken by Finch:
- 'You're reaching out for meaning but the wrong thing is reaching back'. How haunting.
- ‘The world as we know it will vanish, and no one will even notice it until it's far too late’. Damn. DAMN. How scary and how realistic. And how topical. The conversation between Root and Finch was pretty illuminating. He has taught the Machine that humans must make their own choices. They must make the decisions (something Reese would agree with. And perhaps another far-fetched parallel between the Machine and God. If you’re looking.). It appears that Samaritan has not been taught, nor has it learned, that lesson. And that makes all the difference.

[S04.E01: Panopticon]

Does anyone know name of the song and artist playing at the end?

It was 'I'd Love To Change The World' by Jetta, apparently a cover (the original was by a band called Ten Years After. I was super-familiar with the original - from a commercial, I believe - and I almost didn't recognise it.).

 

This show has transcended Lost. I thought this was a pretty clear opener reestablishing everything but at the end I couldn't help but wonder if the end of the series is imminent. There is no way anyone new could pick up this show anymore, the standalone story was not compelling and the complexity and concentration

needed to watch this show seems like it is severely limiting potential audience.

 

I worry. I like this show a lot and I love the layers....but it's so not...mainstream.

I do think it's harder for new viewers to just start watching, but I think it's a little easier than it would have been for a viewer when Lost was airing. People binge-watch much more now, and I think the show has been getting more noticeable online attention now that it's gotten so serialised. I think genre fans (already more prone to binge-watching, judging from myself) might try it out, now that it's clearly no longer "just" a procedural. Plus, I think a random episode (especially a season premiere, that's always a bit more expository and "PoI lite") would be a good place for someone to start, and they could go back and watch the previous episodes if they feel so inclined.

 

This season's premiere was carefully put together, I think, just for that purpose. It wasn't at all the next step after the finale, it wasn't a "to be continued" cliffhanger being resolved. Some time had clearly passed since the finale and they were all established in their new fake lives. You could conceivably watch it say, out of curiosity, and still get a handle on the characters and their overall predicament; they're on the run, an evil computer and an evil old dude are looking for them, a good computer is helping them, Reese is a badass with occasionally poor judgment, Shaw is triggerhappy and socially awkward, Fusco is craggy and hilarious, Root is mysterious and Finch is a reluctant vigilante.

 

The relationships were also shown clearly; we saw the deep trust and friendship between Reese and Finch, we saw that Reese and Shaw share an eagerness to kneecap/defenestrate and can't just be normal people (and I think we also saw there's nothing romantic between them, something a new viewer might assume), we saw Root and Finch being strange geniuses together and we saw Reese and Fusco joking and being gruffly affectionate with each other. The elements were all there. The plot, well, that can't be condensed. And Elias (not to mention the Carter reference a new/casual viewer wouldn't even pick up on) would have been a mystery, but oh well.

 

That said, and I say this as a genre fan, this is season 4. I'd like to think we'll get at least one more season after that. At that point, 5 seasons in, well. I wouldn't be surprised if the show ended. It could potentially go on forever but it doesn't feel like it, that might diminish its impact. I'd take 5 great seasons over, like, season 8 on autopilot.

 

But another thing is that PoI isn't mainstream in terms of content, but it is in terms of viewership (which even skews older). CBS viewers do watch it. So it just might last. I think it's benefitted from not being a huge hit, actually. The solid, if unspectacular, ratings it's consistently gotten have made it a good performer for CBS and they haven't messed with the show almost at all. It's like they've left Nolan and Plageman alone because, well, if it ain't broke (ratings-wise). So we might not need to worry, it might go the CBS route and get more seasons.

 

This premiere did well enough, I think. I am surprised Forever did so well, actually, but I think it might eventually settle a bit lower and Chicago Fire will not have the Voice lead-in for much longer. Tuesdays at 10 has long been problematic, and PoI is working just fine for CBS, I think. At least for now. I think all 3 networks are likely happy with the aforementioned shows that performed fairly well.

[S04.E01: Panopticon]

First: should I remember the guy in the car from before? (Shaw seemed to know him).

 

What was in the car, I couldn't see clearly, but it seemed like a drill with a brick/concrete grinder attachment - so I presume they were some robbers?

 

If "Romeo" was an unknown person, how did he know her real name (I hope the Machine had changed it in her papers) and how did they know from a dating site that she could be a capable escape driver? "Trained field agent with perks useful in crime" - hardly a good personal statement when there is an omnipotent overseer outside looking for all kind of deviants.

I think we (and Shaw) were just supposed to recognise him as Romeo, the guy from the app, was it 'Angler'? And they were criminals for sure.

 

As for him calling her Sameen, I think the entire team has kept their first names. In part because apparently that's a thing that's actually done when people go uncover or in witness protection, so they don't turn around after hearing the wrong name etc, and in part because the show would have trouble establishing totally new names like, I don't know, George Riley. And it's also fun on another level, because only their first names are real. Their former last names, "Reese" and "Shaw" and "Finch" are all fake anyway. But it's the names we've come to know them by.

 

And I think there's something up with Shaw's profile, she may have a fake (Machine-planted) background, a reputation. Maybe the robbers/criminals recruit from the app, maybe there was a keyword or something. And I have to think the Machine has an overarching plan. Maybe she wants Shaw to even get arrested at some point. Or maybe if Sameen is a deviant but neither a Samaritan-threatening deviant nor a terrorist, just a run-of-the-mill criminal, maybe Samaritan will still mostly ignore her.

[S04.E01: Panopticon]

Yesssssssssss. They’re back.

 

Overall, it was pretty much a typical PoI premiere, though better than all the previous ones, in my opinion. More coherent, more fun, but also more emotional. We got a reintroduction of everyone, we saw them assuming new roles, it was light on the drama and heavy on the action, we saw new players introduced (Cara Buono’s character, plus Link and the unseen Dominic who I imagine will be the new HR, i.e. the new criminal overlords) and we saw old friends returning (Elias! And Scarface driving that truck, with his hair shinier than ever! What a smart idea; since the team can’t be ‘deviants’ for fear of detection, they can just hire actual deviants who won’t stand out. Great way to reincorporate Elias).

 

The opening was very cool (though I’d have liked to see Fred Weller a bit more, it was fun that he just came on for this role since the scene made more of an impression with a familiar face) and it set up Cara Buono’s character fairly well. I think she of the multiple aliases might be working directly for Samaritan, not Greer or Decima, since she is handling threats to the system. Does Greer know about her? Or does he assume someone like her is out there? And she’s already onto something, isn’t she? She appears to be Samaritan’s face (or Root, if you will) for now. Hm.

 

Speaking of Decima, it’s been dismantled? What a great, unexpected (by me at least) development. An indication that Greer truly is only bothered with Samaritan, he is no longer interested in any other side deals etc, but also a great source of potential conflict between him and Garrison. Indeed, if the government gets plausible deniability and Decima, the company supposedly handling the data directly, no longer exists, who will take the fall if everything comes out in the open? That was a great little way to show why the government might be more open to possibly returning to the Northern Lights regime or something like it, even if Samaritan is even more “aggressive”/effective.  Also, it was great to see Greer directly communicating with Samaritan. So much potential there.

 

I totally called that the typos in the dissertation would spell something out, but I hoped it would be a cool message, the Machine directly talking to Finch like Samaritan did (something like ‘Daddy come back!’, you know?). But what we got was even better. She got him a new location. A new home. Aw. How thoughtful. Truly. The Machine yet again demonstrates that she understands what people need, like it did with Arthur, when she showed him his dead wife.

 

Also, Michael Emerson’s pronunciation of “Whistler”. I love him.

 

And Reese? Wearing darker shirts? And also, making bad decisions and going all out, trying to fix things? Aw. It could be seen as a plot hole/clunky writing that he didn't think about the son, but I thought it was really Reese being Reese, not always seeing the bigger picture. Indeed, Finch is the one usually spotting these things, the one cautioning the team. Reese needs him. They all do. Plus, we got Terminator Reese again, because someone’s kid was in danger. “Not yet I haven’t”. Sigh.

 

I noticed that we got great interaction between various duos only, and I think that was necessary; there was no group interaction (or even 3 people at once) because it would be too risky. That made the show feel a bit different, it showed us how their daily lives have changed. Reese/Fusco (Crockett!) and Root/Shaw were flawless, Reese/Shaw was hilarious (she was jealous but also happy for him, because he still got to kneecap people), and Root/Finch was fantastic. Amy Acker killed that scene.

[Root] has the same computer skills that Finch had actually she probably has even more. So instead of doling out life lessons like a psycho Jiminy cricket, she probably should have been helping the team.  Save the lecturing for after the POI was secured.

I think Root is the least likely to doubt the Machine, the least likely to ever do something of her own volition, the least likely to disregard the Machine's suggestions. If the Machine tells her she needs to go to a job interview (which, by the way, what? A corporate gig perhaps? Hm.) or a black tie event, she goes. Unlike Reese and, to a lesser extent, Shaw, who are all "ugh why". Shaw still trusts Root/The Machine more, which is why she went to that "date" at the end (and I think Root probably didn't know the details, she just knew that the Machine had a reason). Reese still trusts people more, he trusts Finch more, and while he gets info from the Machine so he can help, he doesn't follow her orders. So, in my view, Root would not help unless the Machine told her to help. And she asked Harold to help because that's what the Machine wanted.

 

Another thing I just loved was the Reese/Finch screentime (speaking of duos sharing the screen, we got so many moments of the central pair). They were just amazing. The love! Reese has healed, hasn’t he? And Finch is broken now. I loved that reversal. With Reese trying to bring Finch back into the fold (the opposite of what happened last season). With Reese repeating the line from the pilot about needing a purpose, going all smiley and ‘Haaarold’ trying to get him to help, giving him the PoI’s file with those pleading eyes, sweetly saying they’ve done so much good. And all of Jim Caviezel’s subtle satisfied half-smiles, like when Finch finally showed up (‘a friend’, aw) or when he took the phone in the end. But Finch showed emotion too. When the PoI said “you put a lot of trust in your friend”, Finch visibly paused. Like he only realised it in that very moment, when it was said out loud. Or, like he was reminded of it. “I do. In all the time I’ve known him, he’s never let me down”. Again, the love!

 

Last but certainly not least, Reese (or, rather, Detective Riley) is Fusco’s new partner. John is the new Carter. Because no one else, no one new would ever compare. I’m still reeling from that because, yet again, the writers managed to surprise me/emotionally punch me in the gut even though I technically predicted what would happen. While I had totally guessed Reese and Fusco would partner up, I didn’t truly grasp what that meant. That moment when John approached Carter's old desk (CARTER’S. OLD. DESK.) and stopped in his tracks? And the music? I felt my heart tighten. JC really nailed it without saying a word, as always. And then Fusco's look. Just. What a poignant, strong moment. Such emotional resonance in a 10-second scene. This is why I love this show. They never forget anything. And, indeed, all of this matters.

[Person of Interest In The Media: The Machine Reads It All Before We Do]

And we have another new (and also recurring) cast member for season 4!

 

Jamie Hector, aka Marlo Stanfield, aka the 35255721744691285069425th cast member of The Wire to be seen on Person of Interest.

 

http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/person_of_interest_season_4_jamie_hector_villain-2014-07

 

I cannot wait. He's fantastic.

[Person of Interest In The Media: The Machine Reads It All Before We Do]

Well, we got the first bit of news about Season 4 so I thought I'd make my first post here.

 

The title of the first episode of Season 4 will be 'Panopticon'.

 

Which further confirns that Person of Interest is literally made for me. I remember writing a paper that heavily featured the Panopticon back when I was in law school, for a Criminology class (the paper was about crime and punishment in fictional dystopias). Man, no wonder I love this show. So, Samaritan sees all. Like we're all living in a huge prison (a use for the Panopticon Jeremy Bentham suggested and something Michel Foucault wrote about extensively; it's all coming back to me about a decade later) and it can see us all but we can't see it and we never know if/when we're being watched. Chilling stuff.

 

Also of note, this only applies to Samaritan because one of the main purposes of the Panopticon is to normalise, to eradicate deviant behaviour. Indeed, like we've already seen, Samaritan doesn't simply detect threats like our Machine, it looks for "deviants". And, while the notion of a "threat" is objective (especially regarding mass casualty events, i.e. the relevant numbers), deviance is in the eye of the beholder. Chilling again.

 

I love this show.