CBS is showing two ‘Person of Interest’ episodes each week as it speeds through this final season. We look at this past week’s entries in the AI and numbers saga…
Episode 5.4: 6,741…
Shaw is being heavily-sedated and tortured for what information she can supply about the whereabouts of her comrades and the Machine. But she has a strong will and though it’s clear she’s fighting with every inch of he being, her captors have all the time in the world. But then again, so has Shaw – all she needs is one mistake, one moment to seize an opportunity to turn the tables. When that moment comes, she manages to flee, but aware that Samaritan has planted a chip in her head, is she a danger to her old comrades. It’s not so much a matter of whether they can trust her – but whether can even she trust herself?
In many ways this episode turns out to be something of a simple chain-yank and it’s not that difficult to spot it coming as the story progresses. Some ambiguous and more ‘surreal’ moments within the episode up the ante and are meant to keep you off balance but quickly indicate that all is not quite as it seems. So when the reveal of it all being a simulation to try and brainwash Shaw is admitted it makes both perfect sense and something of a generic disappointment. There’s a larger suspension of disbelief needed to accept the level of detail in Shaw’s virtual-reality dilemma, that Samaritan could concoct such a detailed manner. Yes, it delivers some fan-friendly moments: the return of Shaw, her steamy reunion with Root, her inner turmoil to overcome ‘programming’ meshed with her impressive fighting choreography… but when it all comes to naught it’s a trick rather than a treat. And in a foreshortened season, while it’s great to see an episode largely devoted to Shaw it also seems a bit of an indulgence to let a whole episode go by with no real consequence to that larger narrative being played out.
That being said: SHAW! Sarah Shahi has been much missed since she departed the show to have kids and her return is welcome in every respect. If this is a fan-service moment to pause and gird the loins for the forthcoming AI battle, we’ll go with it, though we can only hope for some truer momentum in the weeks to come…
8/10
Episode 5.5: Shotseeker…
Is new number Ethan Garvin a victim or perpetrator? He’s a computer-whizz who has helped refine New York’s listening posts, helping the police locate and identify gunshots within the city – but the system appears to have some bugs. Several days before, one of Garvin’s colleagues disappeared from her apartment, though the computer system insists the noises heard from there were not the gun-shots first suspected. Reese uses his police cover to investigate further and finds that the problems in the system aren’t accidental. Meanwhile, Finch and Root continue in their efforts to help the Machine in a war-game to help plan a defeat for Samaritan…
Shotseeker is back in the ‘real’ world and actually shows the series playing to its traditional strengths of mixing the over-arc AI themes with a more personal ‘number of the week’. It’s interesting that, once again, the show takes some of its cues from genuine technology – in this case the ‘listening’ devices that try to help the police pinpoint gunfire and recognisable noises through NYC. This is not entirely within the realms of fiction and though POI takes some liberties with how good the technology can work when running properly, it’s definitely a case of taking a genuine idea and expanding it out – for better and worse.
There’s no Shaw in this episode- though she remains in the opening credits. On that note, the default credit narration, once the singular domain of Finch now seems to be the duelling points of view supplied by him and also Samartian’s acolyte John Nolan’s Greer – pointing out the pros and cons of the surveillance society.
There’s an interesting development with Root meeting Jeff Blackwell, the ex-con recruited by Samaritan in SNAFU and there seems potential that his story could have a redemptive arc similar to Reese’s early days if they choose to play that out. But, of course, one of the highlights is the return of Enrico Colantoni as Elias, whom we’d been told perished in the gunfight at the end of last season. The actor, so warm and friendly in shows like Veronica Mars has shown just how good he is in diverse roles since and his sometimes chilling Elias (see the final scene of The Devil’s Share episode as a prime example) was always too good to merely die off-camera. Hopefully he will play a larger part in this final arc than just being a name ticked off a list of ‘returning faces’… his slow recovery from his wounds and being a ‘guest’ in Harold’s apartment suggests we’ll see him again.
9/10
