There’s a brand new episode of Person of Interest this coming Tuesday April 14th, and it features a returning guest star. You
The episode features three different storylines, or, more accurately, time periods. The first is a set of flashbacks to earlier in the show - more specifically, just a short time after the opening two episodes of season two, and Finch makes a hilarious mention of Bear to show us that. These feature Reese and Carter. The second is the present day where Reese is working on a number and the third is flashbacks to seven years ago where Carter is investigating a case.
The number Reese is dealing with is connected with Carter’s cold case and so things come quite full circle in that by stopping or saving this number, Reese might be able to close that case. Person of Interest throws in some tricks and Reese’s task, as ever, isn’t as simple as he makes it out to be.
The flashbacks to Carter’s case does little else than nudge the present day story along, though it brings us the (albeit brief) return of Detective Terney (Al Sapienza) and he’s as hateable as ever. It is the flashbacks to Reese and Carter that stand out. At times, it’s funny and at others it gets quite emotional. It’s a fantastic set of scenes that showcase the relationship that the pair had, and when you see how Reese behaves remembering his fallen friend, the hole left by her gets oh-so much bigger. Reese and Carter take up most of the screentime, with only a few brief scenes involving Finch, Fusco or Root. However, I didn’t find that I missed them and that’s a true credit to the strength of the writing for all that’s going on involving Reese and Carter, as well as the acting from Jim Caviezel, who is truly excellent with all that he’s given this week.
You’d expect that the antepenultimate episode of the season would be centred mostly on Samaritan, but there is barely a mention of the malevolent AI. There are a few brief scenes featuring the Elias/Brotherhood story arc, but that is as far as it goes. However, there’s so much great content going on elsewhere in the episode that it isn’t missed.
A few short teasers
- There is no main title sequence this week, and the cold open is great.
- Root’s entry to the episode is magnificent.
- “Hydrating on a stakeout is a double-edged sword anyway.”
- Once the episode is over, go back and rewatch the opening scene.
Make sure to tune in to CBS on Tuesday April 14th at 10pm, because this really isn’t an episode to be missed. Also remember to check back to the site after the episode for my review and our roundtable discussion! If you have any questions about the episode, feel free to ask in the comments or via Twitter, and if they’re not too spoilery, I’ll try to answer them.
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Thanks Bradley. Really looking forward to watching this.
ReplyDeleteNo worries, hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely looking forward to this episode, and it's great to hear such accolades for the episode.
ReplyDeleteBut I think this one might've been better served than the stand-alone, okay episodes we were subjected to after Reese/Root stopped their search for Shaw. I love Person of Interest, it's one of my favorite shows, but the number of the week episodes definitely cooled down my passion for it in this back half of the season. I would have loved an episode like this in place of any of the forgettable episodes we've had in recent memory, leaving the final 4-5 episodes for Samaritan and Elias/Dominic.
It sounds like it really delivers. Thanks for the warm-up.
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too. Samaritan isn't going away any time soon so not THAT much focus on it doesn't bother me too much. But the Brotherhood thing shouldn't be extending that far in my opinion (though Elias shouldn't go any time soon) so some more focus on it would have been good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advance review, Bradley. I am not reading the review but I did read this at the bottom of the article "because this really isn’t an episode to be missed". Suffice to say, I am pumped.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a stand alone episode, which makes me think it shouldn't have aired this close to the final episodes of the season - especially when last episode finally developed a bit further the main arc of the season, which is Samaritan and Root's search/revenge for Shaw. Regardless, the pimping for this episode and Taraji's guest appearance should bring in some interesting numbers. Thanks, Bradley.
ReplyDelete"Root’s entry to the episode is magnificent."
ReplyDeleteTrue to form, then. :) I'm a little sad that Fusco doesn't get much here, but I'm excited and intrigued anyway. Thanks for the write-up!
Won't be missing this for anything..in fact I haven't missed watching a single episode live since the start of Season 3 despite being a college student in NewYork!
ReplyDeleteThough I don't agree with the placement of the episode so late in the season, it certainly sounds to be a very well done, and that's perfectly alright (worst case scenario would've been something like Reasonable Doubt!). And we haven't seen a Reese flashback in so long (last time was The Devil's Share), so folks who were clamoring for that would be very happy.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to it. Erik Mountain's work on the show has never let me down, and if anyone can sell this type of episode, it's him (because he already has, with Many Happy Returns);
Ha, yes, a Reasonable Doubt really wouldn't have worked.
ReplyDeleteEspecially, given the fact that it's writer (Melissa Scrivner Love) is co-writing this episode!
ReplyDeleteI am dismayed by the timing of this episode. No matter how great it is, this close to the finale they should be ramping up on the ongoing storylines.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait.
ReplyDeleteWhat's your rating of this episode, Bradley?
ReplyDeleteFrom the review I've got the impression that this is an episode which they planned earlier than because of Empire's huge success (scheduling conflicts maybe?) they couldn't make in time and without better option they placed it here. I trust in you that it's going to be good (their multiple flashback episodes are always good, The Devil's Share, RAM), but I'm afraid that it will again break the arc.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship of Reese and Carter in this episode , more like friendship or...?
ReplyDeleteWhy are so many people complaining about the episode with the arc? Who cares. I prefer the arcs as well(although Samaritan is getting old) but if it's a great story(sounds like this is) that's is what matters. The 3rd to last episodes of both S1 and S2 were not huge in arcs either.
ReplyDeleteMe not complaining (yet) but afraid. Afraid because this season as a whole is weaker to me than the individual episodes, although it usually happens the other way, mainly when it is about PoI.
ReplyDeleteIn the previous seasons one of the best things of this show was that even in the not pinnacle episodes they constantly built the arcs, and in the last third of the season even the previously seemingly random informations were falling into their places in the bigger puzzle.
It was like a perfectly working engine, which picks up the rev as you slowly but steadily push down the pedal and even when you release a bit, it goes smoothly. In this season I feel like it's jerking, coughing and if you ease, there is a risk of choking, like when the injection system can't provide the right mixture to run on.
The problem is not that ONE episode doesn't build the arc, the problem is that there are hardly any arc since MIA. The Samaritan isn't getting old - it was simply very unevenly an uninterestingly handled. That could have been an excellent storyline, mainly after Control had realised that there is something sinister behind them, but all what we got is an ubervillain who somehow always misses. That's just a bad cliché and I doubt that in two episodes they will manage to make things right.
I agree. An episode like this could have worked as the 16th "special" episode of the season. The timing just seems odd, especially because last week we were lead to think that Reese and Finch were getting a call from the Machine about Samaritan finding its location.
ReplyDeleteI think they should have left this episode for next season. I get that they wanted to bring all these guest stars back but it's been sucking the momentum of the season out.
ReplyDeleteAfter the closure of Shaw's story, it seems that they backlogged all these episodes with guest stars and recurring characters to varying degrees of success. The episodes themselves are fine (except for that atrocious Karma episode) but this season has went from "OMG what's going to happen next?" to "When's the Samaritan (or Brotherhood) arc coming back?" I am already dreading this episode. I hope there is more to the episode than just nuggets of storyline here and there.
10. Definitely a 10.
ReplyDeleteNope, 21 had its title changed.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea but I'd guess friendship, since they never really picked up the romance until the unscripted kiss :) They might pick up the romantic note in the part set in current time though
ReplyDeleteThanks Bradley, sounds more than awesome.
ReplyDeleteBut there's the fact that the scope of the arcs in Seasons 1 & 2 were minimal in comparison to 3 & 4. Loose time now, and they'd be forced to squeeze in a shitload of material for Eps 21 & 22. Potentially making the whole thing seem rushed. Unlike last year, where everything flowed so smoothly.
ReplyDeleteAND THAT, is why we're worried.
Every single finale has been no more than 2 episodes. So no it really won't feel rushed. Last season the congressman episode and finch trade built into the finale. But the last two episdoes were the ones truly connected. Just like S2. They have plenty to get to in the final 2 episodes to ramp up for S5 and leave 4 with a good conclusion.
ReplyDeleteGreer is definitely getting old...figurative and literally. If they want to keep with Samaritan that's fine. But Greer and Martine should be wiped out. The team can only have so many close calls and foil so many Greer plans.
ReplyDeleteThat's my point. The build to the last 2 this year is so damn small in comparison to last year.
ReplyDeleteI thought that phone call was in regard to Khan.
ReplyDeleteI don't see this as a problem (honestly feel like the only one who doesn't). To me, this season is just structurally different from the others. Unlike 2 and 3, there isn't a clear premise that's being built up to, which is nice in that the final two episodes are more of a mystery. And I think there's a lack of build-up because the big premise has been in place all season: the war against Samaritan. So the intensity works more as an ebb and flow -- it builds around the battles, rather than to one big event.
ReplyDeleteWow, after that set up I really can't wait!!!! Tuesday can't arrive quickly enough!
ReplyDeleteReese's personal journey is a storyline that began with the pilot and has been forefront this season. There's more to the show than just Amy Acker.
ReplyDeleteI'm liking what I'm hearing. I am glad Carter is coming back if only for a short time. She was one of my favorite POI characters with her mixture of toughness, compassion, and a heroic desire to fight for what is right no matter what.
ReplyDelete