PERSON OF INTEREST ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: SNAFU and Truth Be Told

At San Diego Comic Con last year, Person of Interest showrunners Jonah Nolan and Greg Plageman promised us that they would be cramming a lot of story into 13 episodes and I certainly can’t say that we’ve been disappointed so far! SNAFU brought us a deep moral and philosophical “discussion” between Finch and the Machine 2.0 on the nature of good and evil, cloaked in an unexpectedly funny episode. Truth Be Told, meanwhile, gave us another glimpse into Reese’s past, allowed us another chance to examine *his* complicated morality, and gave Team Machine a potential ally for the future war in his ex-CIA boss.

Episode 5.2 SNAFU
1. The Machine becoming the enemy instead of the ally

Cay: Hurting Root, sending an assassin after Reese – pretty much all of Finch’s nightmares about an unchecked Machine came to pass in just a short period of time. While Finch was able to “talk some sense into” it by showing it the previous numbers they saved and giving it some context, again we are reminded of how dangerous this game is, and what they have to lose. At this point, Finch and Root have no hopes of controlling the Machine 2.0, they have to be content with working with it.

Rueben: I have to admit that it wasn’t exactly a surprise that the Machine saw all of them as threats given all it went through to get to its new incarnation. I just have to wonder how long this new version will remain friendly.

Karen: Yeah, not a shock, although I wasn’t expecting it after last year’s finale. That might sound like a contradiction, but it’s something I’ve been thinking might happen for a while now. I think they’ll all be on the same side now, especially when the machine encounters Samaritan, but it made for a pretty tense half episode.

2. Seeing Team Machine from the Machine’s new POV

Cay: Allowing us to see our “heroes” from the Machine’s POV was a great reminder of how far the characters have come, and the moral ambiguity of what Team Machine does. If you just look at a list of what they’ve all done over their lives, pretty much everyone but Finch comes out looking bad overall and he did kill the Machine, like 42 times or something.

Rueben: First of all, I found that facial recognition problems with the Machine extremely comical; and really showed how well each of the cast members can imitate each other. It was a great scene! But the more serious side of it all, how could this version of the Machine not see them as threats given all that they have done in the past? The Machine is not going to see any of it rationally.

Karen: I LOVED the facial recognition issues. It reminded me a bit of “If-Then-Else” from last season, but seeing the actors pretend to be each other was taking it a step further – hilarity-wise. Especially when anyone had to be Fusco.

3. Will they ever tell Fusco?

Cay: It seems hard to believe that Fusco hasn’t figured it out by now as Carter certainly had by this point in her involvement, but obviously he’s tired of being in the dark. Maybe he’s safer no knowing, but I’m not sure that he might not blunder his way into trouble the longer that they keep him out. It doesn’t seem in the character of POI to make it a joke like the “don’t tell Wu” plot that we saw on Grimm last year where the show went to crazy lengths to keep Wu out of the loop.

Rueben: Despite the fact that it might (still) be better that Fusco is in the dark, after all he has done to help, it’s time to just come clean and let him in on the big secret. Sure there could be the risk of him slipping up, but he is way overdue for the truth.

Karen: They came pretty close in these eps. They alluded to “getting numbers”, and it seemed to me that Fusco almost wanted the plausible deniability. He escaped the danger the rest of them faced at the beginning of this season, and he may like being out of that loop. I’m still hoping he becomes part of their inner circle though. He really deserves it.

4. Root and Finch as partners

Cay: Emerson and Acker have so much chemistry – I love Finch’s dry sense of humor and cautiousness paired with Root’s charming flirtatiousness and devil-may-care approach. While they are unlikely partners in a lot of ways, they have pretty much the same goal in mind and complement each other well.

Rueben: I find them more captivating each time they are together. They are so very different in mannerisms and beliefs (and, well, just everything), but perhaps that is the very reason they work so well together.

Karen: Adorbs. Decorating the station, updating the car with equipment, and getting excited over the wireless door opener… priceless. They’re so alike, yet so different. Two sides of the same coin. Great chemistry.

5. Favorite lines/scenes

Cay: Pretty much every scene with Root. Gotta admit, with each week I develop a bigger girl crush on everyone’s favorite endearing psychopath. I loved that her cover identity once the Machine got restored was as a Girl Scout. In some ways it is so appropriate because I could totally see her selling cookies…before shooting someone… and she’s definitely resourceful and would earn lots of badges. On the other hand, there is the whole killing people thing, which doesn’t exactly fit into the Girl Scout pledge that I remember.

Rueben: It all goes back to that opening scene with the Machine confusing each of the team members for the other. It was great watching each of them play each other – especially each of them doing that whisper talk of Reese’s. I really liked Finch being Root, flipping hair out of his face. Priceless!

Karen: I was heartbroken when Root saw the machine fail to find Shaw. Then the convo between Finch and Reese when Finch had to buy Root’s “creature comforts”… at least they weren’t more intimate products, amirite?

6. Overall Thoughts: 

Cay: The POI for this episode was basically the Machine itself and it was fascinating seeing Finch and Root try to guide it through the various glitches. The “bugs” provided a great opportunity for some various humorous scenes while also working through some heavy subject matter about morality. I just loved this episode!

Rueben: I think this was probably one of the best episodes of the entire series. It was really interesting to see the transition (if you can call it that) of the Machine and how Finch and Root worked to piece the Machine’s memories (if you will) back together.

Karen: Agreed Rueben. The episode was hitting all cylinders. Team Machine worked together, even though they were scattered to the four winds. POI in classic form.

Episode 5.3 Truth Be Told
1. The opening with both Finch and Greer voice-overs

Cay: We haven’t seen Greer yet this season, but his presence has definitely been felt. I suspect that at some point this season, Samaritan will recognize him as a threat and take him out and I can’t wait for it to happen. The combined voice-overs as well as the combined Samaritan and The Machine POV are very effective at reminding the viewer what is at stake and heightening the drama. POI does an amazing job with these graphics which add so much to the show and are so unique compared with other shows.

Rueben: I found that opening very interesting with the juxtaposition between Finch and Greer and the Machine vs Samaritan. I agree that by showing both sides we see just how bad things could get (as if they aren’t bad already) and what lays ahead.

Karen: Loved this. I’d like to see the opening change with each episode to show where we are in the fight between the two factions. I’m still creeped out by Hurt-Greer-Palpatine.

2. Reese meeting Iris’ parents only to have him break up with her at the end of the episode

Cay: I haven’t always loved Iris, but I do think that Reese deserves some happiness, especially with how bad everything else is going right now. The scene at the pirate-themed restaurant was amusing because it seems like just the thing that Reese would do, even when he was about to meet his girlfriend’s parents. We haven’t seen how their relationship was progressing, so this scene surprised me and made it that much harder to watch them say goodbye not much later.

Rueben: I’ve not been a big fan of Iris either, but it was nice seeing Reese have someone in his life who wasn’t involved with his “day job” or his “night job.” But, I was surprised that they ended their relationship so casually.

Karen: Not pretty. I’ve wanted him to have his HEA and to see him dismiss her was painful. I guess it was inevitable after seeing this episode, but I can’t help but wish it had ended up differently.

3. We got back to the more traditional POI format this episode with a real number that gave us an unexpected window into Reese’s past

Rueben: It was great to see more of Reese’s past, but also troubling to see his past. Obviously, Reese is no saint, but he was brutal back then. Granted he is still brutal today, but brutal in a different way – if that makes any sense.

Cay: Agreed, although in many ways, he did have a strong moral compass, other than the whole killing part, as he was doing what he thought he needed to do to protect our country. The POI’s brother did sell weapons to our enemies, so although he was portrayed as a good guy, he clearly was not. But it is no wonder Reese was so haunted when we first met him in that subway car and that he continues to be.

Karen: I could live without seeing Kara ever again. However, it gave us Agent Beal (Keith David), and anytime I get to see Keith is a good day. He’s an amazing actor with a GREAT voice. Also, getting insight into Reese’s past… how about more of that. Although I’d trade it for more of Finch.

4. Favorite Lines/Scenes:

Rueben: I liked that end scene of Fusco being excited that he was in the paper and being touted as a hero. The look on his face was priceless.

Cay: I liked the scene in the subway lair where Root had hooked up the computer to let Samaritan’s malware run itself out to see what it was actually doing, and Finch confronted her about it. I also liked her knocking out her coworker at her cover job and pretending that a box just fell on him.

Karen: When Finch has to teach The Machine to have a moral compass by showing it itself, amazeballs. And I’ll reiterate – Keith David.

5. Overall Thoughts:

Cay: This episode was interesting for the added background we gained on Reese as well as the reminder that despite killing 63 people, he has a good heart and cares about people. It wasn’t as interesting or intense or as funny as SNAFU, but it served a purpose.

Rueben: I agree this episode wasn’t as funny or entertaining as Monday’s episode, but it did give more insight into Reese’s past. I just have to wonder how much more of his old CIA boss that we’ll see.

Karen: Hopefully we’ll be over the glitches for the most part and get to the meat of the season. It’s gonna go fast and I want to see the action. Let’s kill Greer already! Is that wrong? Did I really type that?

Memorable Quotes:

Sadly all of my identities can’t be bears or brides – Root

Harry, you made it! – Root
Yes, your surprise is disheartening – Finch

Watch all new episodes of Person of Interest on Mondays and Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS!