Person of Interest Season 3 (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

For one of the first times since the character was added to the show, Root not only didn't bother me but I enjoyed her participation in the missions. I loved ALL the backstories we got.

I agree. Person of Interest is one of the best shows on television at the moment.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Tuesday's episode was written by series creator Jonathan Nolan and co-executive producer Amanda Segel, the same pairing that wrote Root's introductory episode "Relevance" last season. Another brilliant hour from beginning to end.And the second week in a row that Kevin Chapman has absolutely wowed me with his performance. In many ways, his speech to Simmons when he could have killed him but didn't was the most fitting tribute to Carter in the episode.

Well, I watched last night's episode again. It was just as good the second time. Interesting, that Shaw was a Doctor before she became a covert operative.

That was the biggest surprise for me, and one I really enjoyed. It fascinated me that her first instinct was to save lives before she was pulled to the other extreme. The show has made it pretty clear that while she has tendencies associated with psychopaths, she doesn't meet the clinical standard. On the PCL-R scale from 1-40, she's probably somewhere around a 20.

For one of the first times since the character was added to the show, Root not only didn't bother me but I enjoyed her participation in the missions. I loved ALL the backstories we got.

The one thing that's disappointed me about the last couple episodes with Root is that she's back to dismissing Reese as Finch's poodle. It was my feeling that she had developed a grudging respect for Reese when he rescued Finch from her clutches, and even felt some gratitude toward him for solving the mystery of her childhood friend's death. It irks me when characters regress without explanation.The dialog-free opening act set to Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" was just an epic piece of television.

 

[Stan]

I'm just making guesses but the commercial makes it VERY CLEAR that

Spoiler

Fusco's number is up. However, I don't think they'd reveal that in a commercial so while he's probably going to have a bad week, I think he'll live.

I'm not entirely convinced that any character is going to die but it seems like this is the end of HR so the writers will probably want there to be some big consequences/death of a main character. It definitely won't be Reese or Finch. Even though HR is her big fight, it's unlikely to be Carter since she's the female lead of the show. It probably isn't Root since her story seems to be destined to intertwine with The Machine in the future. That only leaves Shaw who I hope they don't kill off since she's so dark that she becomes comedic relief.

The commercials and "next week on whatever" are worthless. Never pay attention them, totally misleading, which kind of defeats their purpose. With all the previews, Fusco be beaten up, it was very obvious it wouldn't be him.
I knew something major was coming up, but I thought it would be Shaw. Her character was not needed and would have been an easy exit for the writers. Instead it obviously turned out to be Carter. A great show, but it's almost like watching "Bones" without Temperance Brennan, it's a huge hole the writers have to fill.

Must say that I was shocked when Josh was killed, not expected at all, really caught me off guard.

 

[Quentin]

I just watched all 3 episodes together again. So good. I can't believe this show doesn't get more attention. It should be on cable, I guess. Best show on network TV.

The story, the performances, the backstories, the "coming danger", Carter's death scene with the phone ringing as the camera pulled back, the "Hurt" montage, FUSCO!!...so many great things here.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

The A plot kept my interest with a significant expansion of the show's mythology and a major revelation about one of the show's Big Bads, but my favorite scenes were Reese and Fusco in that bar. We've never seen Reese and Fusco really interact off the clock before, and I found it really fascinating. I do think that Finch's father had TV dementia, where he was perfectly lucid when the show needed him to be and only foggy at the margins.

 

[schan1269]

That episode was great. Wonder how anybody makes it out of this one.

 

[Matt Hough]

Two cliffhangers a year for most of these shows is two too many.

That said, it certainly was an interesting episode especially for the backstory. I had the wife figured out about halfway through the episode.

 

[Robert Crawford]

That episode was great. Wonder how anybody makes it out of this one.

The Machine will contact Root, who in turn will contact Reese and Fusco.

 

[schan1269]

The Machine will contact Root, who in turn will contact Reese and Fusco.

She's still locked up. Unless she has a stowaway key under her tongue...(I will, seriously, stop watching the show if she spits a key out).

 

[Bob Gu]

Noticed the Machine point of view had red boxes for Ma'am and the three agents holding Finch, Shaw, and the POI. Finch, Shaw and Hersh had yellow boxes. So the Machine does not consider Hersh a threat at this point?The Machine also flashed up a death probability of 43% for the Admin(Finch), 46% for the POI, and 84% for Shaw.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I had the wife figured out about halfway through the episode.

If there's any downside to the show, it's that it does plot twists so well and so often than you're constantly looking out for them.

 

[NeilO]

I guess last night's episode wasn't just a clip show. From the description I thought it was. I'll have to catch it later in the week.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yes, I had read somewhere it was a clip show, too, but thankfully, I recorded it anyway.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Finally got caught back up on the series having watched the last four episodes over the past few days. Pretty solid material with the last episode in particular (Lethe) holding my attention.

The Carter / HR material was handled very well but I do have one criticism that I haven't seen addressed in this thread. While Reese may have developed affection for Carter over the course of their relationship (it did feel like it came out of left field for me, but I'm fine with the idea) I really did have a problem with the show re-writing its history. Reese telling Carter that she was the reason he stepped back from the brink is simply not what transpired two years ago. Carter had an antagonistic relationship with Reese (to the point of pursuing him) for at least the first half of season one and Finch was the one who gave Reese a reason to go on, not Carter. It felt like the show was simply trying to up the emotional stakes considering what was going to happen to Carter. I was pretty disappointed that a show that respects the intelligence of its viewers would take this route and disregard what was depicted for some fairy tale version of history. Reese developed respect for Carter but there was no emotional bond, certainly not during the first half of season one.

That criticism out of the way, I did like the call back to the subway and some of their first dialog together on the show. As mentioned earlier in this thread, some of the best work from Kevin Chapman in the series to date in the three part arc. In particular his arrest of Simmons as a tribute to the influence that Carter had upon him.

WIth regards to Lethe, I enjoyed Harold's fascination (as a child) with birds and its foreshadowing of his future name sake. I knew there would be some sort of twist in the situation with Claypool but I did not anticipate Control and Hersh appearing in the episode. Glad to see the show regaining its footing (IMHO) after a few weaker episodes.

- Walter.

 

[schan1269]

Carter/Reese was not out of left.You chase somebody for so long, then discover you were chasing for the wrong reason...To find a person is to know them the way. And it was hinted at before Reese went and played house.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Like I said, I'm not opposed to the idea of a Reese / Carter relationship, but it felt like it was never really developed until they decided to up the emotional stakes for Carter. A contrived plot point vs. something that arose naturally. In terms of romance, the show spent considerably more time (in that area) with Reese / Zoe than it ever did Reese / Carter. Just my $0.02.

And sometimes a chase is just a chase.

- Walter.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Maybe, I'm slow, but I didn't get the same romantic vibe you guys are indicating between Reese and Carter. I know everyone focused on the kiss, but it wasn't exactly a long passionate kiss that would be associated with two lovers or potential lovers.I just think the kiss kind of shock some of you.

 

[schan1269]

In one of the episodes prior to Zoe/Reese's playing house...

Carter asked Reese to get a drink. The tone used for "drink" meant anything but. He declined as "maybe next time"(you can tell he pondered it, cause he tilted his head before speaking...as if deciphering her code).

It was extremely subtle. But there.

You have to understand, in his line of work...casualty means more than death. Don't you think Reese and his prior partner were shagging in the shadows?

 

[Walter Kittel]

Don't you think Reese and his prior partner were shagging in the shadows?

I don't know - Kara seemed pretty scary. As I recall once she did call Reese lover but whether it was intended to reflect the physical aspect of their relationship or used in an ironic way I cannot say. The show did hint at her attraction to Reese at times, such as in the bar (in Paris?)

- Walter.

 

[schan1269]

Like Finch alluded to on Reese's "date with the POI"...

"Attractive women into you, means other attractive women are into you"(not exactly what was said...)

Why else do you think I learned at a young age to use a camera and later on, ahem, learn how to give a massage...