Person of Interest.

Meh. Some good, some bad, some so-so.

I power-watched the last five episodes and I'm a little tired of Greer* and his evil, soulless henchmen killing with impunity as they follow Samaritan's sinister dictates. It's almost cartoonish how eeeeeevil the Big Bads are this season.

The sexual tension between Shaw and Root is amusing, but why don't they just go ahead and stop circling around each other and swap some spit and get it over with already?

Not enough for Harold to do besides sit around in that cruddy subway car. Doesn't he have classes to teach and papers to grade?

Elias...always a welcome sight and his war with Dominic has been a welcome diversion from the Samaritan shenanigans, but I can't figure out why for the life of me Reese is so civil to a guy who once tried to kill him and a baby!

John needs a girlfriend. And a new suit. And stop getting shot so much. He heals faster than Wolverine.

Liked most of what I've seen, but not loving it. The "who will survive" teaser for the January return will get me to tune in, but I'm almost hoping one of the team gets to take a dirt nap (bye, Root!)

*Fun fact: John Greer is played by John Nolan, uncle of Jonathan and Christopher Nolan.

nighttimer said:

Liked most of what I've seen, but not loving it...John needs a girlfriend.

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I agree.

Yes, John with a girlfriend. Too bad we can't get Zoe Morgan to come around. She and John had great chemistry.

Sadly, she's with 100 teenagers in a post-apocalyptic Earth fighting Grounders.

If-Then-Else

Wow... just, wow. This might be my favorite episode of POI. ("Devil's Share" being the other main contender.)

SPOILERS

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Seriously, spoilers people

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What really made this episode work for me was the POV. Never before has the Machine's character come across so well. The way she knows the team well enough for placeholder dialogue (which was hilarious) to saving the painting for Finch. (And credit to Michael Emerson for making talking to yourself so moving.) Even basically writing Root fan fiction. It's pretty sad when you think about it. The Machine has probably watched Reese and Root die thousands of times. If only every TV series still swung for the fences like this in their fourth season.

Am I the only one who was totally speechless after Finch got shot that early? He's the one character I'm fairly certain survives until the end of the series ,when I fully expect most of the cast to die, since I don't see retirement for them *sob*. So, I thought the show had pulled a fast one on me. But it was the Machine pulling the fast one. I'm guessing it could seem gimmicky to some people, but I felt it was executed perfectly and I have a soft-spot for this type of story. "White Tulip" from Fringe is another favorite of mine.

As for the ending, should have seen it coming, but it still got me.

Now I'm thinking the Machine and Finch need to kiss and make up. She saved the painting for you, Finch! Be nice to her!

I'm also wondering how the plotting will go for this season. Will we see Samaritan v. Machine wrap up mid-season (or wrap up for now) and spend the rest on the aftermath on Elias v Dominic in a reversal of last season?

I have to watch the show again as I was only able to see the last 30 minutes, but I feel its safe to say falling in love is a dangerous thing to do on Person of Interest.

By the way, if you want more info about this particular episode and a particular character's fate, you might want to mosey over to Entertainment Weekly, but only AFTER you've seen "If-Then-Else"

This sounds horrible, but *spoiler* that character getting shot at the end was gorgeously put together.

I was pretty dumbfounded. And yes, when the first scenario went off and you-know-who died, I was like, "Oh hellz no!"

Then the second scenario and you-know-who took the bad guy to hell with him/her. I was equally like, "Oh HELLZ NO!"

I loved loved loved this episode. So beautifully put together. It's one of those episodes that you hope gets nominated for best writing, because it was pure magic.

And I could feel the machine's panic. She needed to find the right solution, and when Harold told her about all pieces being equal, I just about cried. I hurt for the machine.

I'm hoping there's hope for the next episode, but not holding out.

And damn you, Samaritan. I can't wait until that eff'er gets blown to shreds.

I binge watched season 1 and 2 this Xmas season because I realized that I had come late to the party and started watching from season 3. I'm all caught up now and I loved the last episode, however it was the only one I ever felt the need to stay tuned for the preview of the next episode. I would be supremely peeved if that was the end of my fav character.

A few things that stick with me.

1. I'm so glad that it was Fusco's advice that "won out." It tells us a lot about how the machine regards him.

2. The machine has a pretty interesting sense of humor.

3. And when a certain character showed up and the odds started climbing, I think I might have peed a little.

playground said:

I really hope they hold off on Elias and Dominic until next season. They could dedicate a season to a mob war and those two are hands down my two favorite villains.

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I would like that as well. I think the group needs to catch their breath a bit.

I will always root for Elias sticking around for a very long time. I love Papa Mars.

Lone voice in the wind...guh. I felt like I was watching a mash up of a Nolan movie and a Tarantino movie. I was so impatient with the whole thing. And the end, if it's the end of that character...I am going to be seriously pushed to the brink.

Spoiler about the character's life up in the air: (Do not read unless you want to know for sure)....

From an Io9 write-up...

"It was the perfect ending for our beloved Shaw, and it was a bittersweet show for the series' producers. They told Entertainment Weekly that when actress Sarah Shahi (Shaw) came to them a few months ago and said she was pregnant, they were thrown for a loop. She'd been so integral to the show that they couldn't imagine it without her. But after going over every possible way to keep her, they realized that it just wouldn't work. They didn't want to hide her behind basketballs and flower pots for a season, and they realized that they couldn't write a pregnancy into the show. Producer Greg Plageman said:

'And what we started to realize is that someone involved in what Shaw is involved in is almost irresponsible to portray as a mother on the show. We'd have to completely change the character. And I think Sarah felt that way too. She said "Well, let's do it with some guts then." And we felt that that was the most appropriate way to go about it.'"

There's the answer. (If you quote this, please remember that the white text will show up in your gray quote box.)

Just when I thought I was out of Person of Interest they pull me back in.

Damn you, Jonathan Nolan!

Denise The' is the writer of this episode. Here she is with one of show's stars.

Bear!

nighttimer said:

Just when I thought I was out of Person of Interest they pull me back in...

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I know, right?

I skipped most of this season, but caught the "Groundhog Day" episode, and DANG - Lurved it!

Brilliant writing, acting and direction.

*Will resist the temptation to read the spoilers*

That was one amazing episode, right up there with Buffy's Seeing Red for the combination of crazy hilariousness and mean gut punch. (Also, the nature of the gut punch. Both were favorite characters.)

But... couldn't they just throw something at that button?

I was just at lunch with a friend who doesn't watch, and I think I described the entire episode to her. Then we both tried to remember what was on NCIS, and couldn't. And I *like* NCIS. But that Person of Interest episode--brilliant! I can't even say what was my favorite part: the place-holder dialog, Harold teaching the Machine chess, realizing what the Machine was trying to do, or Sameen's actions at the end.

Wow.

Max, I was wondering why they didn't shoot it. Root's a dead-on shot, isn't she?

CrastersBabies said:

Max, I was wondering why they didn't shoot it. Root's a dead-on shot, isn't she?

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Could be wrong here, but I think they also needed cover fire to hold off Samaritan. (I seem to recall her saying something along those lines.) I guess that's the official reason, anyway.

Always in Control?

Cameron Manheim (sp) rocks!

Just sayin.

Speaking of POI Characters...

Did anyone else see Taraji P. Henson in the movie, No Good Deed?

While it was predictable and ho-hum overall, I couldn't help but think: You get him, Detective Carter!

Lavern08 said:

Did anyone else see Taraji P. Henson in the movie, No Good Deed?

While it was predictable and ho-hum overall, I couldn't help but think: You get him, Detective Carter!

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Didn't see that one, but I keep seeing her in those omnipresent promos for Empire on Fox. I hope Terrence Howard gives her half her company back, I really do.

As for the actual POI episode, I love that the show is confident enough to let its main characters stay off-stage for half the episode. Control is great, and she's been employed sparingly so that her appearances really mean something.

Best "Ben Linus" moment of the night: "You say that like we weren't expecting them." Finch is still the most terrifying of the protagonists and I maintain that if he went bad, he would be the ultimate villain on this show.

My one complaint at this point is that I don't like the kid Samaritan's using as an interface. Never been a fan of that trope.