Join us for a Person of Interest LiveClack for the Season Finale from 9:00-10:00pm EST on Thursday, May 17th. Then we can discuss Reese, Carter, Finch, Fusco, the Machine, and our hopes for the second season!
This week Person of Interest shifts off the interesting interactions between their characters to focus on the overt machine conspiracy and Finch’s backstory.
Considering Finch told Reese that he created the backdoor and he decided he could no longer watch the irrelevants get hurt, it’s interesting that Nathan created the backdoor and wanted to save the irrelevants. Maybe Nathan didn’t betray the machine. Did the machine betray him or his federal partners? Why did Finch tell Reese that he created the backdoor and wanted to save the irrelevants?
I didn’t think I would enjoy an episode without Finch and Reese palling around or Reese and Carter covertly flirting. But, this week stayed incredibly action-packed and tightly focused. My only concern about Person of Interest surrounds the action movie premise. Each episode is well-written and tightly acted. But, I didn’t get into the show until “Get Carter” and “Number Crunch.” Before that, the show had human interaction but only in glimpses. My fear, as someone said earlier, is that Nolan will become too enamoured with the action movie on TV premise and forget the human element. For instance, this week, although we watched Finch and Reese work a case together, I didn’t get the ‘buddy’ feeling that I received watching them follow the identity theft villain.
In fact, this show’s premise focuses on what happens when you DON’T have friends in your current life where all that’s left is paranoid emptiness. It’s interesting seeing Finch in a past life. While he was 50% a cold, secretive loner, he was also 50% a warm, loving being. Yet, without his friends and his fiancee, we see a modern-day Finch with all the warmth ripped out. While Reese is cold 98.8% of the time, he’s slowly regaining his warmth due to Carter. Speaking of Reese and Carter, day-umn, they ripped out ALL of the warmth between the two. OK. I get it, producers. You do NOT want us to read into Reese and Carter’s relationship. Got it. But without the personal interaction, what will draw us back each week?
This show is the anti-Burn Notice. While Burn Notice started out with four friends at different spectrums, gradually they pulled together and started to inspire each other to reach for the moral light. Everytime I feel Person of Interest wants to walk that path, it veers away. Remember when Carter felt she could only trust Fusco in “Flesh and Blood”? I miss that trust. Watching them stare across their desks at each other catalyzed by a Reese-shape wedged makes me uneasy. Dudes, you’re partners. You should trust each other, not the mysterious man in the coat talking about the “greater good.” It’s interesting that Reese disliked the CIA’s focus on distrust, turning partners against each other, and the “greater good,” but he recreates it in two NYPD officers.
All the same, I love that Fusco busted Reese on stalking Finch. And, for the first time, Reese confided in Fusco about finding Finch’s house. I’m surprised that Reese trusted Fusco enough to speculate. Clearly, the two continued to collaborate about Finch’s locations. I love that Reese finally started pushing Finch’s buttons. But, why does everyone spy on each other instead of talking to each other? Seriously, Reese won’t question a willing, “ecstatic” Finch, but he’ll stalk an unwilling, sober one? Why is no one ever angry when they discover they’re spied on? When Carter realized Finch bugged her phone, she yelled but she accepted it. Likewise with Finch when Reese discovered his ex-fiancee.
Clacked by An Nicholson 
on May 11, 2012 @ 08:45 EST5EDT
That just about sum the whole episode up or maybe the whole series. The writers like to have room for unpredictability, but to me thats predictable. I did not get that emotional connection I’ve had for the show in the last two episodes. I think we need to bring in more Carter and Fusco. So the POI was talking to Fusco, mark my word…Fusco is a major player; he’s smart. Fusco is playing all sides. My thrill for the show is starting to calm…I need Carter presence more in the show. I never really followed her work, but she and Fusco…but more of her, brings light to the show. She can actually use the muscles in her face! Reese is just one tradegy from being Finch…I mean their personalities are so similar that I get bored when its just them two. They are both solitude machines, well Finch more than Reese. Carter please save the show…for me.
Yeah, I said the same thing about the last two episodes. I didn’t get into episode 20 and 22 as much. But I feel like as a writer sometimes you have to have a set up episode that lays the ground work for the excitement to come so I was ok. Because even though epi 20 didn’t do it for me. Episode 21 had a lot of richness to it.
But I also agree that they need Carter and Fusco involved. When its techy and just Finch and Reese there’s something vital missing from the show. Yes, we want to know Finch’s background but does that mean we have to leave Carter and Fusco on the sidelines? I dont think so.
I’m expecting big things next week. One of the producers called it a “whale” so I hope he’s right.
But yes the excitement earlier was kinda let down in a few of the recent episodes.
Yes, I agree with you. I want to really love the show and I know the writers are just introducing the characters, but like you said Carter and Fusco is too important to be restricted to 2-3 lines in the whole episode. I will trust the writers for now and believe they have a plan. Its like a relationship with us and the writers. You have to give us something to keep us interested. The writers tend to explain everything in later episodes anyway, so if Reese subtle hints are directed towards Carter…it will definitely be revealed. I mean Taraji has a movie career, so she is not hurting for work…so thats probably why she seems scarce. I do not know, but the show needs her. With Finch awesome wierdness and Reese unsubtle unattachment…the show needs some humans. I like the characters together…humans and the non-humans. lol
Ah…but who really created the backdoor?
That Finch would have lied to his best friend Nathan is plausible, since he is paranoid (“with good reason”) about keeping the Machine off-limits to anyone but himself.
Nathan rebooted the system while Harold was gone, but could he not have just a easily stolen data, or code?
(I keep remembering the “package” in the bathtub that Snow indicated had stolen software to sell to the Chinese. Nathan…?)
I was thinking Nathan was a bad guy when the machine identified him as a threat. Now based on yesterday’s epi I’ve changed my mind. I didnt get bad guy off Nathan yesterday. I got that he was concerned about the fact that the minor or “irrelvant” crimes weren’t going to be addressed. And he wanted a way for them to deal with that after the machine was handed over.
Now i’m thinking that the machine identified him as a threat because in wanting to creat a back door and use the machine in a way that wasn’t planned in the design…maybe the machine saw that as a threat and therefore identified Ingram as a threat. Remember Finch insinuated that the machine would protect itself.
So maybe Nathan did create that back door and recognized that identified Ingram as a threat and the NSA maybe thought Harold did it. Tortured him to get info but Nathan stepped up to protect Finch/Wren since he was the one that breached the machine. Ultimately the NSA killed him for it.
Since we know Harold is hidding in plain sight…the NSA must think he’s dead.
I am not sure the NSA knew about Harold. Remember when Alicia said 7 people knows about the machine and Nathan said 8 and then corrected himself…It seemed that Alicia thought Nathan created the machine not Harold and in the previous episode Alicia claimed not to know Harold. I believe the latest POI was used as bait to get Harold out of hiding. It was like he was figuring out information about the machine during the “not-so-interrogation” by Fusco too easily. I mean he hit the nail on the head as if he was waiting for the perfect time to reveal what he knew because he knew he was being watched or hoped he was being watched to draw Harold out of the shadows. We will see!
this episode was brilliant but I also agree we need more carter on the show.
Nicholson you forgot a quote on your post from Reese to Carter:”Well, you got to love a man who doesn’t know when to quit”.
Lua_75…what episode did you get the quote from?
*POST AUTHOR*
Thanks, Lua! I can’t catch them all, but whenever you find one you like (that isn’t quoted), always feel free to share!
Okay…I got the quote when Reese was talking about the POI. Okay lua_75, so do you think Reese was making some kind of gesture at Carter or was he really just admiring the audacity of the POI. I do not know and I have temporarily given up on trying to understand the direction the writers are going with Reese and Carter’s relationship…I think I want to focus my energy on Alicia Corwin. Is she a victim or a perpetrator? Is Fusco playing all parties involved?
Pseudo@I agree with taber that line was intended to Carter only but this time she seems clueless about his flirting or not. Was a small scene but with meaning.
About Alicia my concerned is that if she’s spying on finch she knows by now that Reese is working with him or soon she will find out. I think she didn’t gave the order to kill Reese in ordos but I don’t buy that she isn’t on a mission. At the end of the episode the guy of the government said to kill the reporter and Henry? He was talking with whom? Alicia?!
About Fusco he’s a good guy just was lost for a second and now I don’t know what he’s going to say to Carter? It’s going to be or hilarious or he’s going to say the true.
I don’t buy that Fusco is a good guy…we will see. He kept calling Reese to make sure he was going to be at the HR thingy that is going to get Reese nearly caught…whatever. The FBI, CIA, NSA, and HR will all be after him at once within the same vicinity…how is that possible without a snitch? I think the FBI are just using Carter to get Reese out of hiding. Seriously, on the cases they have worked together…no one talked and explained why the man in the suit was helping Carter. The man she suppose to be trying to capture. If you notice, they have not been working close together…is it because its not safe? I watched the scene again about you got to love a guy who does not know how to quit..It was definitely coded; the weird part is that it was coded for our benefit. I mean normally the viewers watch the show and have a bigger picture and the characters are kept in the dark, but I feel in the dark with that comment he made to Carter. Has Reese being trying to pursue Carter and the writers are keeping it from us? I mean he smiled when he hung the phone up. I know that smile. Carter was all concerned about Reese fighting a guy at the POI apartment…wanted to make sure Reese was okay…he is Reese, the same badass who saved her son. We will see.
Good catch lua_75. I picked upon Reese’s statement as well when he said “you got to love a man who doesn’t know when to quit.” That statement from Reese was clearly intended for Carter but she is clueless even though it had a double meaning at the same time. Reese chose his words quite carefully. Reese keeps flirting and making suggestive statements to Carter. He is so relaxed when he talks to her and he smiles more. The writers are giving us hints that Reese intends on pursuing Carter albeit in a suttle fashion.
Anyway, I loved this episode. Not sure whose side Alicia is on. Did she blow the whitsle on Reese and Finch that brought out what looked like the entire police department. How will Carter handle this mess? Because from the look I saw on Reese’s face at the end he looks like he is about to take down some cops.
Did anyone pick up on the fact that Reese killed that hired killer from the CIA. The guy was down but Reese still chose to kill him. That again shows the survival mentality that Reese displayed. Yet he only shot the other guy that was shooting at him in the leg. Why didn’t he kill him? Why shoot him in the leg? Yet he clearly killed the other hired gun. Very interesting.
Saw another side of Reese showing compassion for Finch’s relationship. Can’t wait for next weeks episode.
*POST AUTHOR*
Hey Taber, I did like Reese’s casual commentary on Finch’s vantage point for stalking his ex-fiancee. What surprised me was Finch’s maturity. While he knows his creation separates him from his fiancee, rather than brooding, he’s thankful for the four years they had together. Hmm, someone else could learn from that *cough, Reese, cough.*
Regarding the second guy that Reese killed it looked more like a ‘kill or be kill scenario.’ The guy had a knife/gun that went off. It wasn’t that Reese incapacitated the guy and THEN shot him after.
Yes Reese is creating a wedge but remember he thinks keeping them in the dark is protecting Fusco. He said the fewer people know about him double agentin it the better. Since HR is systemic Reese doesn’t want Fusco in danger additional people know about him. Also, I think he thinks he’s protecting Carter. You see what happened when she had information that Elias wanted…he grabbed her kid. So I think Reese feels it better/safer for both if he doesnt tell them he’s working with the other.
From a character thing…I notice that Reese keeps Carter and Fusco separate. Carter is good and Fusco is bad. Carter can come closer to the inner circle but Fusco must be kept at a distance. All this I think will result in Reese pushing Fusco actually in the hands of HR.
I love Finch and Reese, but I was shocked how detached I was from the show due to a lack of Carter and Fusco, especially Carter.
I’m glad we got more of Finch’s and the machine’s back story but the show definitely works best when all four of the characters are front and center.
I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Nathan. It makes sense that Nathan created the back door since on a previous episode (I think it was “Ghost”) he was telling Alicia’s boss at NSA that he was concerned with the 4th Amendment issues presented by the machine.
It’s weird really how differently the same show can be perceived…
For me the emotional core of the show lies in the relationship between Reese and Finch – two people with deep trust issues and paranoia who are slowly starting to feel that the other isn’t going to betray them. That’s really big because they have both lived in a world where nobody can be trusted and everyone is in danger. Neither of them are particularly “good” people even if they act based on certain principles – with power comes the inevitable moral ambiguity. I love Carter very much because she’s tough, intelligent, and a great detective. To have her fall for Reese simply because he’s tall, dark and brooding and she’s female would destroy her character. The fact that she’s willing to put up with Reese and Finch’s antics and not talk to the FBI or other inquiring parties is not because she’s so enamored with Reese’s charms – it’s because she has learned to trust that they are not going to use their mysterious source of information to harm innocent people. I like that Carter kind of has the power in that relationship – for one thing she actually officially exists in the world. In a way she is the person that “connects you [Reese] to the world”. Fusco is real as well, but he is swimming in murky waters so deep that he has lost himself in a way. I think Reese’s instincts might be right when he’s not willing to let Fusco and Carter know about each other’s involvement yet.
This inherent suspiciousness is precisely why these people aren’t surprised when they are spied on – that’s what they expect. As Reese said earlier in the season, “You’re getting paranoid, Carter. That’s a step in the right direction.” Finch probably knew that at some point Reese would find his fiancee. He probably could have prevented it somehow but he didn’t want to. Reese and Finch, they are not talkers. I can’t imagine Finch pouring out his heart to Reese and I really loved how Reese did not want to exploit Finch’s moment of weakness when he was high. Finch’s fiancee lives in a different kind of world from these people – in a world where there are no government conspiracies, where dead people are actually dead, and where the police can and should be trusted.
This show is about learning to trust the right people. It is a battle that many people encounter in their everyday lives. Who do you trust? Can you trust the government? Your family? Your friends? Coworkers? Even yourself?
Wow, interesting analysis. So many great points. I agree with almost everything. The one thing where I would disagree is that the show is about more than just the Reese-Finch relationship. It may have started out that way but now Carter and Fusco represent that sticky complex and human stuff…like the white stuff in between two oreo cookies.
They explore the emotions and humanity of the show. They help bring it out in Reese and Finch.
And as a result we are brought into the story. That’s one of the reasons their presence if more than bystanding gives the episode lift.
Maybe this is a testament to the fact and JC and ME and doing such a good job creating and delivering their characters or maybe its that TH and KC are so good they’ve made an indespensible place for themselves in the show or a little of both. Don’t know but whatever the case there must be more involvement from them for the epi to really work. Otherwise its just unconvering details but that’s not why people are watching. Yes, the puzzle factor is intriguing but the emotional engagement is what makes the show interesting and special and something you gotta see every week.
Example: Think about the ending scene in Number Crunch. What made that scene so incredible. It was the surprise of Carter’s betrayal, Reese’s emotionally saying goodbye to Finch, then Finch’s emotional reaction to Reese saying goodbye and gunning the gas and Carter’s change of heart and aid to Reese. Would that scene have been the same if it was just Reese and Finch. I don’t think so.
Or Reese stalking Finch. Who has helped that who thing come off funny at times, sad at times…Fusco. His comments to Reese have made that story arch interesting and engaging. Reese just stalking Finch to find out info wouldnt have been nearly as interesting if he was doing it on his own.
The thing I said earlier about the seaason finale is that I felt like it was about Reese’s relationships with the people who have been in his orbit- Finch, Carter, Fusco and Zoe.
Just my 2 cents.
Agreed Harper, as always you come up with interesting facts.
I agree with you about the importance of the humanity of Carter and Fusco in contrast with the dedicated-to-the-greater-good-even-if-it-means-sacrificing-human-relations attitude of Reese and Finch. When I said these two represent the emotional core of the show for me I literally meant that their almost-friendship is the relationship that I find the most intriguing and in a way the most familiar – I am, after all, a reclusive scientist with almost no friends (and among those few friends are at least some whose real names I don’t know) ;)
This is the first time I’ve read these discussions about POI on this site and you all have such great comments.
Great points incognito, another wonderful episode, and I agree with most of thoughtful comments here. There is no one to tell, No one is safe, that is what exactly everybody on this show kinda believes in, or maybe that is just my take, I do not see much of trust, I was shocked knowing that Harold was keeping his relationship with his Fiancee from Nathan, who seems to be the only real friend to Harold, and Nathan keeping his secrets, why would he reboot the computer? I am not sure about Alicia, but I really like whatever it was going on between her and Nathan, she warned Henry to run, that means she does not wanted him dead, maybe she is working on her own, who is she running from, maybe Cara is tailing her too, I like the way Reese and Fusco are, and seeing Carrie Preston as Finch’s fiancee was lovely. In this episode we did not see much of Carter and Fusco because this time it was matter of The Machine, the very thing that should be kept from everyone, I saw the promo of the Firewall, Wow, obviously would be an explosive finale, Reese seemed to be trapped, No one was able to help him, HR and FBI were all over him, maybe we will see Cara again, maybe Alicia will do something, and if Finch survived that accident maybe Nathan is alive too. POI is really AWESOME, every episode is well written, well acted and worth watching, kudos to creators and great cast.
Our perception is shaped by our experiences…so the way we see the show may explain the way we see ourselves. Anyway, I do not like the lack of trust. I mean I understand why Reese and Carter wants to know more about the machine…I understand why Reese wants to know more about Finch…its about the work they do together. The way Finch lies to Reese; I can not see Reese lying to Carter in that way. The mutual understanding is there is no trust. I think the only person who is capable of trust is Carter. I believe Reese is a honest person and if Carter ask him a direct question; she will get a direct answer even if I can not tell you is the answer.We seen when Reese looked Finch in the eyes and asked him was Jess a number, he did not give a straight answer. What!? Finch is so layered in secrecy, that he does not know how to tell the truth. I can not see one building a relationship out of mistrust; so if trust is found in any of the relationships, its that they trust each other to be who they are…except for Carter, she trust people to be beyond good.
Thanks Mary. I love the show and love this forum/site because everyone is so smart and bring up interesting angles and possibilities. This show grabs you and doesn’t let go. I caught myself trying to fit the puzzle pieces together driving to work, etc. I’ve enjoyed talking with you all about the many twists and turns these writers take us through…and there are more than a few.
Yes, it will be hard when its over. Oh btw…I saw on tv.com that on 5/24 they are re-airing Legacy epi.
I don’t think I got to see that one…I believe I just watched the clips online so will be anxious to see the full epi.
Yes Harper, I love this addictive excellent show too, and this forum is fantastic, E:12 Legacy was a very beautiful episode.
Great comments. Carter’s presence is too limited in POI. We need to see more of her. Her facial expressions are believable especially now that she supects Fusco probably had something to do with the death of that HR cop.
I do not trust Nathan 100%, I would like to since he’s Finch’s friend. The fact that he went behind Finch’s back and compromised the machine–maybe for good or for bad. POI is all about stopping a crime before it happens. I agree that in the finale Reese looks completely trapped. And where will Carter fit into all this if he gets captured? But the concept of POI would be lost if the macahine was destroyed.
Was Alicia spying on Finch? How did she know that he would be meeting with the last POI? And what will she do with the information she found out? Backup to her conversation with Nathan. Nathan told her 8 people knew about the machine, but she reminded him that there are only 7. Could the 8th person be Reese or someone else? Which prompted her to follow Finch.
Well I am with you about Carter’s facial expressions Taber, Taraji displays feelings so well and believable, what Nathan did was very suspicious, that is why Harold is so Paranoid, and about the other person that Alicia did not know, I believe Nathan counted Harold, and no one knew about his involvement with the machine, Remember there was a conversation between Nathan’s son and Alicia when he replied to Alicia that you just sound like my uncle Harold, my father’s best friend, and she was kinda shocked hearing about Harold,
*POST AUTHOR*
Hey Taber,
The 8th person is Finch. Nathan was the project’s front while Finch pretended to be an IT tech. No one knew who Finch was or what he did on the project, until this week …
Hey An,
Thanks for the correction. i just watched the promo for the season finale and recognized a very familiar face. They brought back the woman that Reese was her driver. Another fan of the show on another believes that she will become Reese’s love interest. That would be very disappointing but highly possible. Can’t wait.
Taber, I hope not. Her name is Zoe and I hope there is no love connection. I do not see him into her. She is a strong, irritating, and very forward. She asked him out twice already and I haven’t seen a date yet. I think Reese likes needy women. I know Carter isn’t needy but her vulnerability is attractive to most men and she just has a natural femininity about her. Zoe has alot of guy-like qualities; her forwardness, her agreesiveness, etc…this confused men, because if she is going to play the part of the man…does that mean he has to play the part of the woman? My opinion…please do not attack!
The funny thing is, I see him into Carter…but I do not see Carter into him. Some say its a natural chemistry, then Jim must find Taraji attractive if the writers are not writing it into the script…because it does exist. At first, I thought I was maybe hoping with the rest that there is something real between, but no…its real. He keeps Zoe at arm length and he’s a natural with Carter. Nothing but awkward flirting may transpire and I guess thats enough for now…
Plus, when Finch thought that Reese was going to do something bad to the wife beater, then why did he not call Zoe or Fusco. No. He called Carter…some say because Carter is his moral compass, but shouldnt the woman he decides to be with have this quality. So if Carter is going to be called on for the heavylifting, then how would his future girlfriend feel about that? Did you see in the flashbacks on how cold Reese was towards Cara, there was no sparks–right? He identified with her a lot and they were actually partners…I’m just saying, help me to understand the logic of putting him with Zoe…to you Zeese shippers.
Pseudo, I think Zoe likes John, to be honest who does not like him, he is a likable man, but in the end he loves needy women.