Person of Interest Season 2 (1 Viewer)

[Stan]

The "machine" becoming more aware is an interesting concept, probably something the writers may already be looking into.
After all, how many episodes of "here's the number, save this person" can we go through. It will get pretty repetitive after a while.
Although the show is very well done, sometimes I wonder if the show were truly thought out if they accidentally became successful. Writers may have had ideas for a year or two, not expecting the show to last, but then are suddenly faced with a really good show and now have to somehow work it out to a plausible ending four or five years down the road.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Is there really any question about how long a case of the week show can last? The machine providing a number is just the jumping off point. How long have Law & Order and CSI been running? I think the core of the show is the case of the week with or band of merry men (and woman) fighting crime. The machine is a nice running thread that we shouldn't visit too often. It does, however, make a nice engrossing storyline a few episodes per season. I want more root, but I'm willing to wait for it. I want more Elias, but I'm willing to wait for it.

 

[schan1269]

Besides with all this "new found" machine issues...
I can see some POI infused with some Nikita-ism. To me, that wouldn't be a bad thing.

 

[NeilO]

Just saw the first two episodes this weekend. Root was a great villain and I am glad she will return. Her final scene watching the evil feds getting Weeks' body poses some future possibilities. We know they are trying to "clean up" the situation. I don't think Root wants them to get to Harold and Reese for her own reasons. I wonder if she will interfere with that dynamic at some point in the season.
A great start to the season.

 

[Quentin]

The notion that the Machine is (or is becoming) aware raises a number of possibilities and questions. Harold indicated that the Machine could not be interfaced with remotely (sort of like denying login access except through the console) and it makes me wonder where the show is going with this concept of a sentient or near-sentient computer.
William Gibson covered some of these concepts in his breakout SF novel Neuromancer back in 1984.
"... but the minute, I mean the nanosecond, that one starts figuring out ways to make itself smarter, Turing will wipe it. Nobody trusts those fuckers, you know that. Every AI ever built has an electromagnetic shotgun wired to its forehead."
(Turing is the slang for the branch of law enforcement that governs AIs in the world created by Gibson.)
Did Finch wire in a kill switch if the Machine ever becomes a threat?
Also from Neuromancer -
One of the Turing cops to Case, the novel's protagonist -
"You have no care for your species. For thousands of years men have dreamed of pacts with demons. Only now are such things possible. And what would you be paid with? What would your price be, for aiding this thing to free itself and grow?
Is that Root's goal, to remove the shackles from the Machine to permit it to evolve and grow without the influence or control of humanity?
Anyway, just a couple of concepts that resonated with me in the context of their coverage of these topics in Gibson's SF novel Neuromancer.
- Walter.

Finch is capable of nearly anything when it comes to the machine. A kill switch? I would think so. He certainly will have more surprises for us as time goes on.
I'm not sure what Root's ultimate motivation is...but, since she seems to think that the human species is predictably selfish garbage, I believe she may want to free the machine as an act of giving something 'pure' a chance. Something that could be better than human.
But, Finch told Weeks the machine could not be interfaced remotely to keep the machine safe. It was a clear lie because Finch himself interfaces remotely with the machine on a daily basis.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There is a good article about POI in next week's TV Guide. Gave some hints as to which former characters will be back and it appears a couple of them will reappear in episode four.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

There is a good article about POI in next week's TV Guide.  Gave some hints as to which former characters will be back and it appears a couple of them will reappear in episode four.

Thanks for sharing. I think I found it online. Good read.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt /t/323888/person-of-interest-season-2/30#post_3986967
Thanks for sharing. I think I found it online. Good read.

That's it! By the way, POI was #6 in last week's TV ratings.





Crawdaddy

 

[Matt Hough]

Another entertaining episode. I particularly enjoyed all the scenes with the dog, and I love when Reece is able to deflate obnoxious people by being able to speak and understand several foreign languages as well as being able to handle himself in most any situation.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I enjoyed it too. It was fun watching him earn her respect and then admiration. Really like the new credits sequence, like the old one but streamlined and a lot visually sleeker.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Random thoughts...
Another entertaining episode. I like the new credits and the inclusion of Carter and Fusco (as part of the team.) Nice moments for Fusco aiding Sofia and letting the perp know that he could run faster than him now. Enjoyed seeing Harold warm up to Bear. The final scene with Stanton and Snow was interesting and keeps the back story going. What information is in the RFID device in Corwin's shoulder and who is interested?
- Walter.

 

[schan1269]

Stanton/Root alliance...
Could be???
Old college roommates?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

It's amazing to me that, with the procedural framework, CBS lets this show be this sophisticated. That 14 and half million people watch the show every week gives me a little bit more faith in my fellow Americans. Loved all of the subtext in tonight's episode. Especially loved the reveal of Finch's payment to Elias.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Finch and Elias. Yes!! Great scene with these two in tonight's episode. I liked every aspect of that moment. Colantoni's performance tonight in his limited screen time was probably the highlight of the episode. Loved the casualness of Elias dismissing the guards; establishing his control even in a prison environment. The dismissal of possessions and emphasis on mental pursuits was completely in character for Elias.
I (like Adam) loved the reveal of Harold's payment which means even more Finch and Elias goodness and establishes the framework for more interaction between these characters. Good job by the screenwriters setting up more shared moments between these two. (And even though it wasn't part of Harold's payment; Elias had to know that Crane (as he knows him) and Reese's interest in Massey would not be good for the old school mobster which would probably strengthen Elias' organization.)
I would agree with Adam that the subtext in tonight's episode was well realized with the parallels between John and Riley being used to generate some empathy for an unsympathetic character. Reese obviously admired Riley's devotion to Annie and his desire to protect her certainly resonated with Reese, since he was unable to provide Jessica with the protection she so needed. Harold used the Bad Code line (which probably reminds us the viewers that Root is still out there somewhere) but unlike Root he maintains that humans can modify their "bad code" which distinguishes him from her.
Fusco didn't get a lot of screen time tonight, but I guess you can't have everything.
- Walter.

 

[Matt Hough]

Another sterling effort from a show that contually surprises and delights. (Just now catching up with last week's episode.)

 

[Walter Kittel]

Just when I think they won't open up the scope of the show anymore, they add Julian Sands as another potential nemesis and bring Miles Leon back to assist the team and hint at him resurfacing in the future. (Leon really needs to quit hanging out with the bad crowd. )
Maybe just a little too much going on in tonight's episode which really didn't give us much time to focus on Snow, Kara, and Carter. Regardless, still really enjoying the second season.
- Walter.

 

[Quentin]

Julian Sands as the MI:6 version of The Joker/Riddler/SimonGruber/insertdementedbaddiewhoplaysgames! I figure he's worth at least 3 more episodes of badness before Finch and Reece bring him into the fold.
I do love the "The Shadow" aspect of the show and MilesLeon is such a great character to have in their extended help list.
And, I just love the choices they make on the actors they bring in. From Paige Turco to Julian Sands to Ken Leung to Enrico Colantoni and more. All great!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I don't know that we'll ever see the character brought into the fold. Since this show is basically Batman without the costumes, I think they're continuing to build the rogues gallery. Elias fills sort of the Lex Luthor role, Root is more like the Joker, and now this character is a sort of Riddler. Not that the show's trying to create 1:1 parallels, but they're building villains that challenge our protagonists in different ways.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt /t/323888/person-of-interest-season-2/30#post_4002548
I don't know that we'll ever see the character brought into the fold. Since this show is basically Batman without the costumes, I think they're continuing to build the rogues gallery. Elias fills sort of the Lex Luthor role, Root is more like the Joker, and now this character is a sort of Riddler. Not that the show's trying to create 1:1 parallels, but they're building villains that challenge our protagonists in different ways.

I don't get any of those analogies.

 

[Josh Dial]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford /t/323888/person-of-interest-season-2/30#post_4002652
I don't get any of those analogies.

The only way this show could get more like a re-imaging of the Batman lore is if they renamed the characters