Person of Interest is, quite frankly, the best show on television right now, and tonight’s premiere, ‘Panopticon’, proved exactly why that is. The change of circumstances we witnessed in the third season finale, ‘Deus Ex Machina’ caused a slight change of format to this episode, and it worked a treat.
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‘Panopticon’ made a simple move that really made it fantastic. The episode combined the serialised story of evading Samaritan and the simple ‘case-of-the-week’ that made the first season so fantastic. This combination worked perfectly, and with smart writing and good performances, this episode became fantastic.
It wouldn’t be Person of Interest without the humour, so let’s start there. Is there anything funnier than seeing Shaw working in a mall attempting to sell perfume? Quite possibly not. Shaw has been such an asset to the show in regards to both the skill set she brings to the team and the hilarity that ensues in any of her scenes.
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Speaking of new jobs, Reese hated his. Though you may think that he’d quite enjoy being a cop, given that he’s posed as one enough in the past as well as the job using his skill sets, it’s easy to understand his frustration. Whereas before, he could attempt to intervene before the crime happened, now he’s left “bagging bodies after the fact”. Given Reese’s history – namely Jessica’s death – you can understand why he doesn’t like the job.
Finch, however, had the job that suited him. Given that Finch created the Machine, it makes sense that he would be given a job he enjoys. Looking at it from another point of view, however, Finch’s placement in his ideal job surely makes it less likely for him to leave it to return to the team, especially given that Finch is still unhappy with the Machine.
As expected, Finch was happy to stay a ‘normal citizen’; Reese and Shaw wanted to get back to their old work. However, I felt Shaw was probably the most correct out of the three, given that she wanted to help but to do so cautiously. Reese, on the other hand, was prepared to (and did) go full ‘normal-Reese’, with a total disregard for his own safety.
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Reese’s final approach was superb to watch. It’s always nice to see Elias and Scarface (though they couldn’t quite top their previous scene in the show, given that it was killing Simmons), and the little nod from Scarface to Reese after he rammed the car was brilliant. I enjoyed seeing Reese back in action, and his taking of the house with a rifle was great to watch.
Finch, who as I mentioned wasn’t open to returning to the Machine, ended the episode with some sort of a discovery. Despite being under constant threat, I love that the Machine still communicates with our heroes, and does so in imaginative ways – as shown by the hidden code in the dissertation that ‘Finch’ wrote.
My first thought was that the Machine may have directed him to its relocated servers, though after thinking about it again, it doesn’t make that much sense in the Machine’s effort to stay hidden from Samaritan. However, in its (no, I still won’t call the Machine ‘she’, no matter how many times Root says it) effort to get Finch to trust it again, it does make some sense. More realistically, however, I think that he’s discovered a new place to work out of – the library 2.0, as it were. I can’t wait to find out what it is.
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The other thing worth mentioning from this episode was the introduction of Cara Buono’s character. Effectively Root’s antithesis, it’s abundantly clear that she is working purely at the behest of Samaritan. She’s a cold, brutal killer with absolutely no hesitation to do what’s needed. Buono plays the character so well, and I can’t wait for her to face off with one of the team – hopefully Root.
I have desperately missed this show. This was a superb episode; an excellent way to start the season. Its combination of the procedural and serialised elements, as well as the extra titbits (such as the humour) that make the show even more loveable, transformed it into an incredible hour. This really is television at its finest. People who attempt to claim this isn’t the best thing on television clearly don’t watch the show, and I pity those people.
Odds and ends (I’d quite like a cool name for this section. If anyone can think of any – and it must relate to the show – leave it in the comments):
- I haven’t actually mentioned the number of the week in the main portion of my review. I liked Navid Negahban as Ali, and I quite enjoyed seeing a normal number for once. Also, Dominick is bound to become a recurring character/story, right?
- Garrison could be not long for the Person of Interest world. Greer is still as creepy as he was last season.
- “Yeah, well now he’s unaffiliated.” I have missed Fusco.
- I loved the scene between Root and Finch.
- “Just tell me John’s a barista.” Also, Shaw being persuaded to go on a ‘date’ was funny.
- “Six, if you count the dog.” Count Bear, Root. Always count Bear (on another note, great to have Bear back again).
- “It wasn’t my weapon.” Even better, however, was “You know, you really shouldn’t hold those things sideways. You can’t aim, and you’ll eject a shell casing into your… oh, forget it.” What a great scene that was.
- Person of Interest picks some stunning music for its montages. Jetta’s “I’d Love To Change The World” was an incredible backing to that final scene (note: I may have listened to the song several times on YouTube after watching the episode).
- I recognise Romeo from somewhere. If anyone can indicate to me the actor’s name, I’d be grateful.
- The remembrance of Carter in that one look between Reese and Fusco was fantastic.
One additional feature we've got for you here is a roundtable discussion about the episode. Some of the team answered questions on the episode that I pitched to them, and you can see the responses below.
1. Now that Team Machine are trying to stay hidden from Samaritan, the premiere focused on both survival and helping the numbers. How do you feel about how this worked, and would you be open to more of these ‘careful’ episodes?
DarkUFO: It was a nice change with some funny moments. However I think the show works best either with the overall arc/mythology episodes or with the standard standalone case of the week style.
Having said that, I really enjoyed the premiere and it was great seeing everyone again and seeing the whole team work together.
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Jimmy Ryan: The creative team are always testing their characters, and this is another one of those tests. Detective Fusco is the only one unaccustomed to living under the radar, and he really has no idea of the scale and significance of what’s taking place around him. While Reese, Finch, Shaw and Root have spent a significant portion of their lives doing just that, they probably feel the smallest they’ve ever felt. I’m thinking this careful approach will overshadow many of the season’s episodes - the team’s fate is in the hands of The Machine.
Robert Fruin: I wouldn’t mind seeing more of these episodes, they still continue to help people, but they are just being a lot more secretive about it than they previously were. I imagine they will still be doing week-to-week cases, regardless of them being more careful. I also liked the jobs that they were given, especially Reese working as a detective, which is quite ironic given that in previous seasons the police were trying to catch him.
Brandon Rowe: I think it worked very well in the premiere. Realistically, they have to return to more of a free world where they can operate as a team. That being said, the massive amount of surveillance is a huge part of the show so I would definitely be open to more careful episodes. At this point, Team Machine is at a huge disadvantage, but as they gain the upper hand, I think we will see a great cat and mouse game evolve.
2. Finch is still upset that the Machine wanted them to kill the Congressman (back in 3.20). How long do you think it’ll be before Finch starts to trust the Machine properly again?
DarkUFO: Not long, hopefully. I hope no more than 2 episodes so that that part of the storyline is not too dragged out.
Jimmy Ryan: If you are looking to pin the blame on one person for all that’s happened in the series, that person would be Finch. I think he’s realized for the first time how truly terrifying it is to feel like you are being watched, just like the numerous persons of interest he’s helped save, along with former power players such as Alicia Corwin who have died as a result of his creation.
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Despite this, Finch has staunchly maintained a truly remarkable moral compass. I think it’s up to The Machine to earn Finch’s trust back, not the other way around. That will be fascinating to watch unfold.Robert Fruin: I give it a couple of episodes, we don’t want to see them drag it out for too long.
Brandon Rowe: Again, realistically they have to return to some sense of normalcy, but Finch is going to have to rebuild his relationship with the Machine in order to trust it again. I think he's going to have to come to the conclusion that the Machine operates in a way that is beneficial to mankind. What could make Finch come to this conclusion, however, could be fairly tricky. If I had to guess, I would say that Grace will probably make another appearance that will force Finch to realize the Machine can learn to adapt from this aggressive behavior. Full trust is definitely going to take a while, but I think we can definitely expect to see Finch reluctantly following the Machine for a bit.
3. Cara Buono’s character appears to be a lot like Root, just working for Samaritan. How long do you think it’ll be before she comes face-to-face with one of our team?
DarkUFO: I would say at least 3-4 episodes in order to build things up a little more. Her first scene was great in the premiere.
Jimmy Ryan: That woman had me fascinated. In one of Samaritan’s graphics, it read that her alias was Martine S. Rousseau. We know tantalizingly little about her, but she did make the journey from Budapest to New York. I’m predicting she will lay low and make her move when the time is right. We will see what happens.
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Robert Fruin: Firstly, she looked very badass and I would love to see a Root and her showdown. I think she will keep a low profile and gather information about the team, then she will slowly start to make her move when they least expect anything. I don’t think she will make her move for a while, maybe in 6 episodes or so.
Brandon Rowe: Knowing Person of Interest, team Machine will probably have quite a few run ins with her character that they will not even realize. They are bound to run into each other as both Machines attempt to terminate any threats to their system. It will be interesting to see whether Finch's Machine or Samaritan brings them face to face and even more interesting, how each Machine decides to do that.
4. What do you think Finch found in that subway station?
DarkUFO: Personally I think he found a fully setup new lair for him and the team to base their operations.
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Jimmy Ryan: This was a beautifully symbolic scene. As I alluded to in my answer to question 2, I think it’s up to The Machine to win back Finch’s trust, and one way to do that is to find Finch a new home. I hope there’s an elevator nearby as I imagine there’s a lot of stairs involved!Robert Fruin: I honestly don’t know what he found. My initial thoughts were since the library is gone, it’ll be a new place for them to do their work. The new library.
Brandon Rowe: I think the Machine was giving Finch a new headquarters for working the numbers. It's obvious that the Machine wants Finch's team to succeed (and CBS needs that procedural element) so it really makes sense that the Machine would provide Finch with a replacement for the library.
5. Any other thoughts on the episode you’d like to share?
DarkUFO: Favourite Scenes: Fusco meets his new partner; Root visits Shaw at work; Finch deciphers the code.
Jimmy Ryan: The premiere reassured me that the creative team are committed to keeping the series grounded. The procedural side of the series is what attracted the viewers initially, and though the most incredible, rich, fascinating storyline has been built up around it, the series is still paying homage to its title. I loved the beautiful ending to the episode with the perfect choice of backing track in the form of “I’d Love To Change The World” by Jetta, and I loved how Root, Shaw and Reese are committed to their work, and their employer, Finch. It was also a nice touch to see that Detective Carter remains close to Reese’s heart.
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It was an interesting move to open the episode with Martine Rousseau in Hungary instead of catching up with one of the main characters immediately. I also really liked the graphics and splash screen changeup. I wonder whether the title sequence will return, and whether it will also undergo a change. And I cannot end my answer without mentioning the dry humor throughout. This series has never failed to make me laugh.Robert Fruin: I liked how Reese got Carter’s old desk, that was a nice touch. I also liked how they still want to save lives, even though theirs is highly at risk if they get caught. I liked how Shaw can never settle down into a normal life like Finch can easily, she always has to have a gun in her hand to feel normal. Also, I was glad to see Bear again, such a valuable member of the team.
Brandon Rowe: It was really a fantastic premiere that managed to interweave the procedural element with the serialized story. The procedural element actually helped move the entire plot quite a bit so that was a massive achievement. The new setup with Reese inside the police station (at Carter's desk no less) was well coordinated so that Fusco is more easily involved in the action. Additionally, I enjoyed the action scenes and the homage to the pilot episode. "It will eject a shell casing right into your face." - Reese
So, what did you think of the episode? Do you have responses to our roundtable questions? Make sure to leave a comment with your thoughts!
