Person of Interest Season 2 (3 Viewers)

[Adam Lenhardt]

In season 1 it was established that Finch uses the SSN, and nothing else, for the non-relevant cases to minimize the footprint of the message traffic to avoid alerting 'the Man'. Why would a relevant case be limited to the SSN, instead of a full dossier as was shown with Shaw in the pursuit of Mercer? From a storytelling perspective it might make it easier for the viewer to associate the relevant and non-relevant usages, but in practical terms more information would/should be made available during sanctioned uses of research a.k.a. The Machine. A minor point, but I thought that this was an oversight by the writers.

In the first season, it was also established that the Machine refers the "relevant" cases to the appropriate authorities by subtly rewriting intelligence reports to lace them with information highlighting the Person of Interest. This was done so that even the people acting on the Machine's intelligence would never entertain the thought that there was a Machine. Obviously, the Program that Shaw worked for has been cutting out that elaborate middle man and grabbing information directly from the source. We know that Root's boss at the Office for Special Counsel is one of the few people alive aware of the Machine's existence, and we know that he oversaw the Program as well. It's possible that whatever direct access he has is as limited as Finch's own access. One gets the impression that the Program isn't exactly on the books. On the other hand, it's possible that the Program gets a great deal more information than that, and only chooses to give its operatives a SSN. It also raises the plot question: how does the machine handle foreign nationals that aren't American citizens and thus don't possess a social security number?

 

[Josh Dial]

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt
On the other hand, it's possible that the Program gets a great deal more information than that, and only chooses to give its operatives a SSN. It also raises the plot question: how does the machine handle foreign nationals that aren't American citizens and thus don't possess a social security number?

That opens up the possibility of a very scary "next phase" of the program: the machine actually has information on ALL citizens, regardless of which state they are a citizen of. Plot threads abound!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

That opens up the possibility of a very scary "next phase" of the program: the machine actually has information on ALL citizens, regardless of which state they are a citizen of.

How can it not, and still function effectively? We live in a globalized world, and limiting its reach to Americans would create gaps in its information web so large as to render it useless. And considering the Machine already operates in blatant violation of every American's Fourth Amendment rights, it's not like the law's holding it back.

 

[Citizen87645]

It's been fun following Shahi's roles since her small part in "Alias." Her part as Shaw reminds me a bit of her time on "Life."

 

[Yee-Ming]

Originally Posted by Josh Dial
That opens up the possibility of a very scary "next phase" of the program: the machine actually has information on ALL citizens, regardless of which state they are a citizen of. Plot threads abound!

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt
How can it not, and still function effectively? We live in a globalized world, and limiting its reach to Americans would create gaps in its information web so large as to render it useless. And considering the Machine already operates in blatant violation of every American's Fourth Amendment rights, it's not like the law's holding it back.

It clearly must, given that Shaw and Cole were operating in Berlin, against people who were not Americans. Or at least I would assume they weren't, given that the two guys Shaw was following initially were speaking German, and wondering how "the Americans" were onto them.

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
Same here, the best episode of the series. Also, Acker is perfect for her role of Root. Not a badass, but a brilliant mind with stated crossed up wiring.
I can see them bringing back Shaw, but I can see them getting her to be more thoughtful of other people. Perhaps, somebody she becomes emotionally attached to while hiding out and that person gets hurt/killed and it affects her to care more about others. Like John, she is a killing machine, but without emotion. Also, I thought the actress that played Shaw was very good.

I'd think the process is already starting: she said as much to the "special counsel" (can't remember his name) that they hired her precisely because she doesn't care, then they go and kill the one person she actually did care (a bit) about. It would be interesting to see "another Reese" join the team, precisely if she's 'rough around the edges' compared to him and doesn't have his scruples about not unnecessarily killing antagonists. I got the impression she was both puzzled (as to who did it) and bemused when she left her initial ambush and found the rest of the 'hit team' out in the street incapacitated yet not dead.
Brilliant stuff. POI is easily my favourite show on TV today.

 

[schan1269]

I just thought of something that was brought up in the prior post...and why another agent is brought in... It could be that the "muscle" of the show is supposed to die every once in a while. Caviezel is a bit "big for TV"... So maybe his penchant for not-killing bites him one day when somebody fakes being hurt worse than they are. Won't be the first TV show to do in a major character and bring in another. Sometimes it is in the sake of "keeping it real".

 

[Yee-Ming]

Originally Posted by schan1269
I'm going to go out on a limb and say...
Best episode of the entire series.
Personally think Acker is perfect as root. As noted earlier, wits is her killing machine.
Shahi totally works as a sleeper kill agent. Nikita(various actresses here) shows that, repeatedly.
And that "end song". Absolutely fabulous. Whoever got the rights to that song deserves a pay raise.

Forget to mention/ask: I've definitely heard the song before, but for the life of me can't remember what it is and by whom. Help?
And agree with the points above, best ep so far, and I can see how Shahi works as an undercover operative: many wouldn't consider a petite woman a threat. I liked her in Life, although I didn't follow Fairly Legal (didn't really like the premise).

 

[schan1269]

Just in case it doesn't work, for you... The Kills: Future Starts Slow

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by schan1269
I just thought of something that was brought up in the prior post...and why another agent is brought in...
It could be that the "muscle" of the show is supposed to die every once in a while. Caviezel is a bit "big for TV"...
So maybe his penchant for not-killing bites him one day when somebody fakes being hurt worse than they are. Won't be the first TV show to do in a major character and bring in another. Sometimes it is in the sake of "keeping it real".

I think it's more to do with them needing a female operative like Reese as they expand their protection schemes and the possible need for more than one weapon expert.

 

[Josh Dial]

Batwoman.

 

[Yee-Ming]

Originally Posted by schan1269

Just in case it doesn't work, for you...
The Kills: Future Starts Slow

Thanks! Couldn't place it, but after I searched on the title, this was also the theme for Political Animals; don't remember lyrics when it was used there, but the riff is very distinctive, which is what I remembered.

 

[schan1269]

Apparently the song was used in The Vampire Diaries as well. Or Secret Circle...or one of those WB shows... WB is "our 5th network" here in the states...

 

[Matt Hough]

A more standard issue episode of the series. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't fooled for a moment. I easily guessed the murderer's identity.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

A more standard issue episode of the series. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't fooled for a moment. I easily guessed the murderer's identity.

Me too. It was a simple case of, "who's the least likely person who meets the requirements to be a suspect?" It also seemed like a cheat that the machine didn't just spit out the serial killer's social security number. You can erase your digital footprint and fool people, but you can't fool the Machine. The continuity of surveillance would have allowed the Machine to track the killer even if the digital paper trail never did. It's successfully done so even when the person of interest has been "dead", such as the teenage girl in the second episode of the first season. The only reason not to have the Machine spit out his number is because the And Then There Were None-style mystery at the center of the episode requires the ambiguity. On the other hand, I like the development that Stanton's virus is impairing the ability of the Machine to do its job.

 

[Citizen87645]

This was an odder episode for the murder mystery elements. It made me wonder if it wasn't meant for Halloween.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Cameron Yee
This was an odder episode for the murder mystery elements. It made me wonder if it wasn't meant for Halloween.

I doubt it because they mentioned Agent Shaw as to whether Harold has heard anything from her. Also, they talked about the computer virus that Kara uploaded into the government computer system.
Crawdaddy

 

[Matt Hough]

And Carter wasn't interested in that FBI guy back in October.

 

[Citizen87645]

All true. I guess I should rephrase and say it seemed better suited as a Halloween episode, though probably would have been too on the nose considering they didn't take that route for Valentine's Day with the episode where the couple put hits out on each other.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I just watched the Shaw episode and I like how they have more or less formed this team, with even Eddie as the Ambulence driver. I wonder if this show will eventually evolve into a more sci fi Skynet angle with both machines threatening to end the world. I can see it going in that direction kinda like Dollhouse did in Season 2

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

And Carter wasn't interested in that FBI guy back in October.

I'm confused. By "that FBI guy" do you mean Cal, the (maybe) corrupt NYPD vice detective?