John Reese: The Man in the Suit

[mad_typist]

After the brief stretch of episodes where Reese was out of commission, it became abundantly clear to me that the show's ensemble is strong enough to render Reese's character fairly irrelevant. You've got Fusco to do the comedy bits, you've got Shaw to provide the muscle/spec ops skills and you've got Root who can pop in as needed to change it all up. Thoughts? Is Reese still a necessaary component for this show?

[ApathyMonger]

No, he hasn't done much this season. I wouldn't mind if they killed him off and have Sarah Shahi as the main enforcer, but I doubt they'll kill off another character so soon after Taraji P. Henson. Still, I like Caviezel better than I did when the show started.

Edited March 3, 2014 by ApathyMonger

[Abstract]

Caviezel fan here who considers Reese an absolute necessity. I just wouldn't bother without him.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Caviezel fan here who considers Reese an absolute necessity. I just wouldn't bother without him.

Add me to the list! Once Reese/Caviezel is gone, then so am I. I'm one who thinks that Shaw AND Root are superfluous and were so NOT needed and messed up the format for a show that was working fine without them. Not to mention that I can't stand either of the actresses. So I may be a wee bit biased.

[TigerLynx]

Add me to the list! Once Reese/Caviezel is gone, then so am I. I'm one who thinks that Shaw AND Root are superfluous and were so NOT needed and messed up the format for a show that was working fine without them. Not to mention that I can't stand either of the actresses. So I may be a wee bit biased.

 

This.  I watch for Reese/Finch and I have not liked this season.  Season One is still my favorite.

[Abstract]

Enthusiasm for the show has definitely waned among my real-life acquaintances since JC's role was diminished. I think the showrunners have underestimated his importance. Or maybe it's a thing where females 30+ aren't an important demographic for ratings, so it's fine to take away our pretty.

[Saint TV]

I wonder whether it's the convergence of JC being tired plus the need to introduce Shaw and develop Root. If so, enough is enough. We need Reese back front and center. Preferably with Bear.

[TigerLynx]

I liked the ensemble they had going in the first season.  To me, Reese and Finch were just getting used to working together.  Then in Season Two, Fusco and Carter were slowly becoming members of the team.  Having new pointless characters added, and time taken away from Reese annoys me.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I said this over on TWoP and I'll say it here==If Caviezel is tired and constantly getting hurt doing his own stunts, then let his f'ng stuntman do ALL of the stunts!

And it's not like he's filming his movies during the show's season--he does that during the hiatus==the summer, I believe.

Reese is so needed, and though I knew it was too good to be true, I was really hoping that after "4C", we would get more episodes like that. More fool me. I've watched that episode 10 times, downloaded it from Amazon. (don't judge me).

That episode was Season 1 Reese and Ioved it, snarky, bitter, asskicking Reese and the ending so reminiscent of the pilot, Reese and Finch walking together. I want THAT show back.

And I also want a horsie.

[angelwithashotgun]

won't bother watching the show if JC leaves. Already disappointed in S3

[Sexy Sadie]

Reese is one third of the show, together with Finch and the machine.

[CoderLady]

Reese is always good for deadpan snark and the occasional bit of outrageous badassery. Even though he does less of the physical stuff, when he does it's pure gold.

I do miss him carrying the action, but in return we have a couple of really cool women doing more of it. I'm happy.

[TigerLynx]

I don't like Shaw or Root so less Reese with those two characters added = not enjoying the show as much.  Reese/Finch are always great.  Root and Shaw are boring.

[Abstract]

I want to see Reese doing more brainy things. He was a CIA agent, he's not stupid. I also want to see him flirt with women and kiss them senseless. It can be woven into the number of the week plot somehow. And there can never be enough Reese snark.

The writers have seriously been neglecting the shallow end of the pool. And I'll probably be singing that song till the show ends.

[Mars477]

I find Reese less interesting than Root and Shaw (due to his character archetype, "brooding antihero", and some of his backstory), and I despise bromances with a passion by reflex (due to oversaturation).  That's not to say that I want him off the show, though.  He makes a good senior partner, and I actually would like to see him in the field more with Shaw (they have a very fun dynamic).

[riley702]

Heh. Shaw makes him look warm and fuzzy, which I find amusing. I actually like both Shaw and Root, which is a 180 degree turn from my initial feelings about both characters. I actually like the dynamic between all the characters right now, except I want to see more of Bear.

[merylinkid]

JC leaves, I am out of here.   The preview makes me nervous.   

This show is about how working with the Machine not only saves the POI but those who do its handiwork.   Root is NOT redeemed because she still doesn't give a damn about people as PEOPLE.  They are just things to her, to be used as needed then ignored.  Shaw is too damn one note.  Violence is always the answer.   Reese cares about people because he is haunted he couldn't save his girlfriend, he wants to punish the bad guys, in creative ways that does not necessarily involve killing in cold blood (Mexican jail anyone?), he can fight, but he can also think his way out of a problem.  He also brings out the humanity in Finch who has spent too much time in his awesome library with the computer.   

He is a very faceted character who brings so much to the show.  Without him, it wouldn't be the same.  

[Mars477]

That dead girlfriend is actually one of my least favorite things about Reese.  He's just too archetypal a character that way.  He's the classic brooding antihero (there's a reason why this show gets compared to Batman so much).  I like him a lot better when he embraces that darkness within him, not when he's moping about losses incurred along the way.  I actually wonder if it might have been better off for his character if Jessica had not died and instead was happily married to a nonabusive husband, and Reese had to come to terms with that and move on.

I don't think Shaw is one note at all.  There's an ambiguity about her that doesn't let you just pigeonhole her into the "angry action chick" bin, starting with that she lacks many of the characteristics that would mark her as having ASPD (that is, she's not a sociopath).  But that's as far as I'm going to go here (the combined threads are a lot more useful sometimes).

That's not to say that I want Caviezel to leave the show.  At this point I like everyone.

[mad_typist]

I actually like Caviezel. I like all the characters. I was just thinking in my original post that with Shaw and Root around, he isn't quite as essential to moving the plot forward. That sounds like what JC wanted, based on the other posters here. So I think it's a nice compromise. We still get to enjoy JC, but I also feel like the show could survive if it had to (say, if he wanted to go back to just doing movies).

[Sexy Sadie]

Reese is the main reason i watch the show.

[Abstract]

Just saw the trailer for JC's new movie, and if this is the reason for less Reese lately, then I'm inclined to think it's worth it (speaking strictly as a JC fan).

[GHScorpiosRule]

I am posting this here, because it's not really episode related as it is Reese/Caviezel related, and I want/need assurance I'm not going Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!

 

I'm blaming this ENTIRELY on Jim Caviezel and his smiles.

 

Yep; every time Reese gives us a smile, I end up having erotic dreams with the man, where I am the Person of Interest/needing to be saved, Reese is the one doing the saving, and things...happen...and I'm starting to question my sanity. So, I'm like, not totally crazy, right? This is TOTALLY understandable, right? riiiiight?????.

[Abstract]

I also want to see him flirt with women and kiss them senseless. .

Quoting myself because finally the writers are listening to me, haha.

[Scout Finch]

I initially watched the show for Michael Emerson after ending up adoring his work on Lost during its last few seasons (and I am also J.J. Abrams' bitch). I'd never seen Caviezel's work before but immediately developed an appreciation first based on his breathtaking looks. Still, at least once a episode I am surprised that no one ever asks him why he's talking in a whisper or asks him to please speak the hell up because they can't hear him. This goes hand in hand with wondering why, when a team member is audibly relaying information back to Finch or whomever, no one ever seems to notice and wonder if the person is carrying on a conversation with an imaginary person. Yes, out of all the other things that can strain credibility, it's those two minor things that I ponder.

Edited April 19, 2015 by Scout Finch

[Mari]

This goes hand in hand with wondering why, when a team member is audibly relaying information back to Finch or whomever, no one ever seems to notice and wonder if the person is carrying on a conversation with an imaginary person.

:)

That doesn't bother me, much.  I figure we've pretty much trained each other to ignore the person next to us talking to the person we can't see.  They always seem to be on the phone, even if they've just got an earpiece in.  Add in a reluctance to stare and seem rude, and you've got a recipe for people not remarking on the guy talking to the imaginary person.

[Scout Finch]

I often miss the days before cell phones when you could almost immediately know you were dealing with a crazy person. Even though it's OT, it reminds me of something funny that Lily Tomlin said about how she wanted to take all the people who were talking to themselves and pair them up so that they would look like they were having a conversation!

[stealinghome]

Still, at least once a episode I am surprised that no one ever asks him why he's talking in a whisper

Oh man, Reese's gravel whisper annoys the crap out of me. I've been really glad that JC seems to have dropped it a lot over the last few episodes, and has been talking normally way more. Like, he's got a nice voice, let us hear that voice instead of a bad Christian-Bale-as-Batman-ripoff-growl!

 

That doesn't bother me, much.  I figure we've pretty much trained each other to ignore the person next to us talking to the person we can't see.  They always seem to be on the phone, even if they've just got an earpiece in.

I totally buy this for scenes where Our Heroes are, like, walking down the street--I think most people would assume an earpiece. But it's still glaring for me when they do it around people--like, to take one recent example, when Zoe was with the software company board in 4x19, before Khan showed up. There's no way the other people in that boardroom didn't notice Zoe having a conversation with her imaginary friend!

Edited April 19, 2015 by stealinghome

[Scout Finch]

Zoe in the boardroom was exactly the one that stuck out to me the most!

 

ETA: Just made myself laugh thinking of Reese trying to interview witnesses who are residents of a nursing home. "WHAT? Speak up, dearie!"

Edited April 19, 2015 by Scout Finch

[Uncle Benzene]

Long Man's way of speaking always reminds me of Fat Tony from the Simpsons (minus the stereotypical Italian-American accent.) Especially so when he's using that extra-deliberate, almost mocking tone he tends to use when talking to "Lionel."

[FormerMod-a1]

I love Reese's whisper talk.  Even when it doesn't make sense, it just gets a little smile out of me.  It's one of the ways the show kind of pokes at itself, I think.  "Look, he's still Batman w/o the cape" kind of thing.  I don't know why, but it's not *so* out there to detract from the story for me.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I love Reese's whisper talk.  Even when it doesn't make sense, it just gets a little smile out of me.  It's one of the ways the show kind of pokes at itself, I think.  "Look, he's still Batman w/o the cape" kind of thing.  I don't know why, but it's not *so* out there to detract from the story for me.

 

Me either. But then, for me, going back to the TWoP days, I've said from day One, that he was my Batman without the cape and cowl. I'm totally Bats' bitch, if my avatar didn't make it clear, which Batman I love and adore.

 

And Reese/Caviezel, just conveys so much with his eyes. I love da Man in da Suit.

Edited April 20, 2015 by GHScorpiosRule

[Coxfires]

Yep, John Reese was definitely Batman, and I never minded his voice, but it became a little too whispery this season. Rewatching the earlier seasons also reminded me what an absolute badass he was, and it is a shame that the show tame it too much. I'm a bit sad when I read that Reese, who used to be called "a biggest badass than Jack Bauer", looks almost incompetent (ex: like in Skip) or boring. When is the last time that Reese pulled a whacky thing like the grenade under Fusco's seat of S1E1? That is something I'd love to see again in the next season,

If Nolan and Plagueman are so dead set on killing his character, at least let him be a BAMF and go with a bang!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Yep, John Reese was definitely Batman, and I never minded his voice, but it became a little too whispery this season. Rewatching the earlier seasons also reminded me what an absolute badass he was, and it is a shame that the show tame it too much. I'm a bit sad when I read that Reese, who used to be called "a biggest badass than Jack Bauer", looks almost incompetent (ex: like in Skip) or boring. When is the last time that Reese pulled a whacky thing like the grenade under Fusco's seat of S1E1? That is something I'd love to see again in the next season, 

 

Or in "4C" just last season, when he tazed the POI on the plane everytime POI lied. I totally loved Reese in that episode, and it's very unpopular that I find it the BEST episode of the season, because, for me, it harkened back to Season 1 Reese, and then the ending! The ENDING! When Reese and Finch walk off together toward Finch's tailor, with their backs to us...just like the Pilot.

 

I'm very comfortable in my aloneness in loving that episode. I downloaded it and watched it 10 fucking times back to back. And I'm not ashamed to admit that.

[FormerMod-a1]

I love that episode, too, GHSR, although maybe not quite as much as you do.  ;-P

[DeLurker]

You're not alone in loving 4C.

[Mars477]

You're not alone in loving 4C.

4C is a pretty bad episode.  The only good parts of 4C are the Shaw parts.  She didn't have nearly enough time to chat with Hersch (RIP *sniff*).

[Coxfires]

4C is a pretty bad episode.  The only good parts of 4C are the Shaw parts.  She didn't have nearly enough time to chat with Hersch (RIP *sniff*).

 

To each his own, I guess. I loved that 4C was deliberately over the top and took on the "danger in a plane" trope, there were lots of references to previous episodes, tied the relevant/not relevant sides of the show while providing goos Finch/Reese scenes. 

[Abstract]

Count me in as one who loved 4C.

[Camera One]

I thought 4C was fun too.

[Gigi43]

I liked 4C too, though I remember specifically being let down they didn't have Reese say he has connections for Vatican tour or something given JC was once famously... "JC". That episode, much like the Jury Duty episode this season gave us a lot of Reese/Finch and I always think Reese is best with Finch. I like the new direction but when you're craving the two stars to interact, that is a problem.

Iris doesn't bother me if she's in the background but I really really don't want to see Relationship!Reese, unless it's a weekend getaway gone awry with Zoe, if there's a next season.

[kahauna]

I was thinking, when John told Iris, "Take care of yourself," maybe it meant that JN and GP were done with her character and she wouldn't appear in any more episodes (I'm hanging tough with hope for season five) and she'd be a rapidly fading memory.

Edited May 9, 2015 by kahauna

[kwnyc]

EEK...just thought of something. I hope Zoey wasn't one of the "disruptors" that Samaritan "corrected."

 

(As a fixer, she appears whenever things go South, and sometimes works with guilty parties...)

[Gigi43]

I doubt she's importan enough. Dominic aspired to run crime in NYC, Elias was a top crime boss, Control was a direct threat to Samaritan. Guilty or not I can't see getting rich people out of trouble rating important enough, even though she works with the team at times. At least I hope. Samaritan may as well knock off the population of defense attorney's and such if that's the qualifications of "correcting" unless of course it's just seeing her as a Reese/Finch connection.

[mtlchick]

I figured to revive the thread since...well, he's dead.  After reading the comments here, I was lost and then I realized I didn't watch a lot of season 3 once they change the time slot and I kept on forgetting it was on so I don't know how little he ended up being on despite being labeled the lead.  (I know I did check out after Carter died.)  So I guess someone needs to clue me in if the reduced role was because JC was being injured that often or out of storyline needs.

It was interesting that it was telegraphed in many ways that he was going to die this season: in the Machine's simulation, in Shaw's simulation, saying adios to Iris (seriously, that was a thing?)  And yet I was kind of hoping he would have some sort of happy ending and living in the finale.  But in the end, he was already on borrowed time from the moment Finch saved him.  His final role was to simply return the favour.

RIP, (you ridiculously good looking) Man In The Suit.  But hey, Mel Gibson is considering Passion of the Christ 2 and you're free so...

[Syme]

On 04/19/2015 at 6:20 PM, Scout Finch said:

I often miss the days before cell phones when you could almost immediately know you were dealing with a crazy person. Even though it's OT, it reminds me of something funny that Lily Tomlin said about how she wanted to take all the people who were talking to themselves and pair them up so that they would look like they were having a conversation!

I know someone who is retired from being [midst other things] a military counterintelligence officer. They spent a lot of time following their own 'persons of interest..'

When cellphones and Bluetooth headsets arrived, he was so envious. "If only they'd been around when I was working the streets; no one would have thought I was wacko..."

[tessaray]

4 hours ago, mtlchick said:

It was interesting that it was telegraphed in many ways that he was going to die this season: in the Machine's simulation, in Shaw's simulation, saying adios to Iris (seriously, that was a thing?)  And yet I was kind of hoping he would have some sort of happy ending and living in the finale.  But in the end, he was already on borrowed time from the moment Finch saved him.  His final role was to simply return the favour.

Ugh... yes, it was a thing. One of the few serious missteps the EPs made with this show (IMO) was John and Iris. The only silver lining to the reduced episode order for S5 was that they had to jettison that.  (Thank you, CBS.) 

I had never heard of JC before PoI but he grew on me.  

[Gigi43]

16 hours ago, mtlchick said:

 

16 hours ago, mtlchick said:

RIP, (you ridiculously good looking) Man In The Suit.  But hey, Mel Gibson is considering Passion of the Christ 2 and you're free so...

 

I think Jim is looking great as he ages but I heard about the Passion 2 and I have no idea how it would work with Jim since he certainly doesn't look 33 anymore  and from what I remember about Sunday School, Jesus never appeared aged after death/resurrection. Also doing the first Passion kind of got him blacklisted from Hollywood for awhile I've heard, i cant imagine what would happen working with Mel again on anything let alone Passion 2. Mark Brunettes religious endeavors would have been a good fit. 

 

Back to Reese. I feel weird being happy he's dead, but I loved the ending. Reese and Finch dynamic was the first thing I ever liked about the show from the beginning. It doesn't matter he was shot first, Reese took a damn missile for Finch , and saved everyone from Samaritan as a bonus. ImaginaryCarter in Terra Incognita said a psycho with a lucky shot wasn't an ending for Reese, and it's not. Death by assassin army and a missile, however, is badass ending fitting for John Reese. 

[DeepRunner]

I watched the show because I liked the Finch and Reese dynamic. John Reese was a blend of Alt Phillip Broyles and Sydney Bristow from two other JJ Abrams projects. Jim Caviezel did a great job as the the man in the suit for the first couple of seasons. 

As the years progressed, and as Root and Shaw gained more presence on the show, Reese became less of one. By the end of Season 3, Root became more the lead, and Reese's character receded a bit into the background. Not a complaint, just an observation. As most of us did, I pretty much knew/strongly believed at the beginning of Season 5 that John Reese would die, and it was fitting that he died protecting Finch.

[ReviveJohnReese]

They need to revive John Reese for 3 more seasons I think - and someone needs to revive the show.. This character was way too good to lose.  Everything about this series hinges on Reese and Finch. Shaw is far too contrived and unnatural for the role.. she's a good side character but without Jim Caviezel this show will just depress the hell out of me

[Syme]

On 08/25/2016 at 11:50 PM, DeepRunner said:

I watched the show because I liked the Finch and Reese dynamic. John Reese was a blend of Alt Phillip Broyles and Sydney Bristow from two other JJ Abrams projects. Jim Caviezel did a great job as the the man in the suit for the first couple of seasons. 

As the years progressed, and as Root and Shaw gained more presence on the show, Reese became less of one. By the end of Season 3, Root became more the lead, and Reese's character receded a bit into the background. Not a complaint, just an observation. As most of us did, I pretty much knew/strongly believed at the beginning of Season 5 that John Reese would die, and it was fitting that he died protecting Finch.

Was not one of the reasons to add Root & Shaw was because of the physical toll of the stunts on J.C's health?

Shades of James Garner/Jim Rockford....

Edited September 15, 2016 by Syme