PERSON OF INTEREST: Endgame

I recently found out that Person of Interest is the 5th highest rated show of the fall, and episodes like this one make it clear why. This episode is the first of a heavily touted 3 episode arc.

POI 3.08 Endgame

This week Finch, Reese, and Shaw have their work cut out for them when the Machine gives them 38 numbers – all cops.

A Russian truck gets stolen on HR’s watch by a masked man in a gas mask. HR tries to up the ante and charge the Russians more for safe passage of their trucks, but the idea is less than popular and a major war between the two seems imminent.

In a flashback to a few days earlier, Quinn meets with Carter to talk about Laskey and Tierney’s death. He suggests to her that maybe HR was involved. She tells him that fighting HR is a hopeless battle and she’s ready to move on and accept Cal’s death. Simmons assigns a new officer to follow her.

She finds Reese in her apartment when she gets home. He offers to take out the officer and help protect her, but she asks him to back off because she can’t afford to be associated with him right now with his dubious legal status. She assures him that he’ll know what she’s up to because of her bugged phone; he leaves and then she destroys the phone.

2005 – Carter has just finished the police academy and is starting her beat when she runs into her ex, Paul. We find out that they are estranged because he has severe post-traumatic stress and hasn’t sought treatment and he endangered their son.

Fusco and Carter meet and she encourages him to lay low for a while.

Elias confronts the Russians – he’s looking to team up to make HR suffer. He gives them a file and then leaves, calling Carter to confirm that the package was delivered. Shaw meets up with Carter to deliver a rocket launcher and other supplies. She offers her help, but Carter declines. We find out in a flashback that it was Carter that stole the Russian’s truck.

Reese and Finch review the footage of the hold-up and realize that the person who stole the truck was Carter. The Russians confront Quinn with the information that they got from Elias and insist that they return the stolen drugs or they will kill all the members of HR that they know.

Reese goes to Carter’s apartment looking for her, but she’s not there. He and Finch simultaneously realize that Quinn is the head of HR. Carter calls Reese – she put up a camera in her apartment and knows he’s there. She refuses his offer of help and tells him to trust her.

HR scrambles trying to find the lost drugs. They rightly assume that “the man in the suit” has the surveillance footage. Meanwhile, Carter takes a few shots at Quinn through his office window with a sniper rifle, being sure to miss him, but make it look like the Russians.

Finch gets more numbers – a number of the Russian mob. HR starts to round up the Russians. Carter goes to the leader of the Russians and suggests that he come with her if he wants to live. She arrests him and books him under a fake name for DUI. She accuses him of killing Beecher based on a hit ordered by Quinn. He doesn’t deny it.

She shows him that she has evidence linking him to HR and that Quinn is the leader and suggests that she could save him and protect his brother at Rikers if he helps her. He finally agrees to sign a statement, but warns her to choose her judge wisely when she goes for the arrest warrant for Quinn or they will all die.

2005 – Carter comes home to find her son sitting on the couch with her ex. They fight and he leaves.

Carter meets Fusco – he’s not happy that she didn’t trust him to help her. She tells him that she was trying to protect him, not cut him out. She gives him the key to a safe deposit box with all of her evidence against HR. She tells him that she’s going to try to arrest Quinn and wants him to have the info if something happens to her.

Fusco refuses to let her take Quinn alone and she agrees, but then leaves when he goes into his place to grab a few things.

The Russians and HR meet up, with Shaw and Reese watching the scene. The FBI shows up and interrupts the party – they got a tip that some corrupt cops were going to kill some Russians over some stolen drugs. They open one of the HR trunks and find bags of drugs.

2008 – Carter’s ex, Paul, is waiting for her outside the station. He shows her his VA card – he finally sought help and is straightening out his life. He gives her his card in case he can ever help her. 

Back in 2013, she calls Paul, who is watching their son. She talks to her son, basically saying goodbye, just in case.

Carter calls a judge for a warrant and he immediately reports to Quinn. When she gets to his house, Quinn and Simmons are waiting for her. She gets them to admit killing Cal and Simmons is about to kill her when she tells them that she is not working alone – others are listening via Quinn’s phone. Reese busts through a window just then and Carter and Reese manage to capture Quinn.

They drag him outside and a cop car arrives. Reese shoots the engine and disables the car, but the entire thing is caught on camera and now HR has a clear picture of the “man in the suit”. Simmons puts a hit out on Carter and Reese.

My Thoughts:

Wow, Carter is starting to remind me of Rachel Matheson from Revolution – she’s so hellbent on bringing down HR that she doesn’t seem to be thinking about anything else. I suspect the consequences could turn out to be similarly devastating, if not with worldwide reach.

It was great to have Carter front and center for an episode after being largely marginalized for much of the season. It was also nice to get to see some more interaction between she and Reese as their relationship is one of my favorite parts of the show.

Now that HR has a picture of Reese, it seems like he’s in the most danger he’s been in since Agent Donnelly’s quest. I can’t wait until the next two weeks to see how it all plays out!

Memorable Quotes:

Maybe the Machine blew a belt or something? – Finch
It’s not a lawnmower, Reese. – Finch

You should consider getting Bear fitted for a vest. Not like yours, canine ballistic. For when things get chaotic – Reese

Nice badge. Maybe next time you can warn me. – Fusco
If I had, then it wouldn’t have been a surprise. – Reese

Tell me that you didn’t use the front door. – Carter
I never do – Reese

Question: Once we save the bad Russians from the bad cops, what are we going to do with them? – Shaw

Watch Person of Interest on Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS!