We're three episodes into Person of Interest, and if there's one thing I've learned from the show so far, it's to stay away from New York City! Holy smokes a lot of bad stuff goes down there, and the useless cops are apparently only good for cleaning up the crime scenes and filling out paperwork. They're glorified janitors! So it's a good thing, then, that the Big Apple has John Reese (Jim Caviezel) and Harold—if that's his real name—Finch (Michael Emerson), the Felix and Oscar of the vigilante justice world.
The series' most interesting component so far is the duo's relationship, which is slowly evolving into a bizarre friendship between two completely socially broken people. Reese is a whispering riot who never sleeps and Finch is a stiff straight man who's part boss and part awestruck fan; when they're together, they share an odd chemistry that's surprisingly entertaining in a delightfully awkward way. That's a lot of adjectives for just two people and their budding friendship, but Reese and Finch have one of those rare partnerships that simply defies description.
I'm sure the weirdness is intentional, but it's that sliver of doubt that makes me wonder exactly what is going on here. By all means, Person of Interest should be a gritty almost-procedural, but there are times when we'll see old-man Finch doing push-ups after Reese mentions in passing that he should be exercising, and it's hilarious. The show is billed as a cerebral look at "the all-seeing eye" of our contemporary world, but it's actually more of a fun romp that recalls action flicks of yore, when heroes wrote their own rules.
And the focal point is Reese. Opinions are surely split over the character, a crumbling mess of a man with a guilty conscience, a questionable moral compass, and a talent for crippling bad guys. But for the record, I think he's one of the best new characters on television. He's a reluctant hero in the same vein as the men your parents idolized, rough dudes eager to thwart danger by throwing themselves into the middle of it. Reese is basically Dirty Harry, but slightly more intelligible. Slightly. (I find myself constantly turning up the volume of my TV when I'm watching Person of Interest, as no one on the show seems to want us to listen in on their conversations.)
I tend to think of shows like this as existing in the real world, but there's a hyper-reality to Person of Interest that you have to accept in order to get the most out of it. It's ridiculous and pulpy, something you'd expect to see from a comic book, not a CBS procedural. And really, that's the only way a show like this can work. The reason a character like John Reese can be so awesome is that he's so far out there.
I love that when a banker told Reese to use his head, Reese headbutted him, shattering his nose. I love that Reese just entered Finch's place by breaking in rather than knocking. I love that his idea of what's right and what's wrong isn't compromised by, you know, what's ACTUALLY right and wrong. He's the kind of guy that, deep down, all men want to be. And you know what? He doesn't care what you think, so keep your ides to yourself or prepare to take a bullet in the thigh.
It's easy to dismiss Reese as a mumbling, dead-eyed meathead, I won't deny that. Caviezel's performance is either being phoned in, or it's incredibly calculated. But that's the point; Reese is a character who lives in the shadows and is supposed to be disconnected. We're intrigued by that mystery. But we're also getting to know Reese as we spend more time with him. And behind that rough exterior is a man who aches. In the flashback at the end of Thursday's episode, when his ex Jessica asked him to say, "Wait for me," he couldn't. Not until she was already out of earshot—and then Reese did it with tears in his eyes. It was a vulnerable moment for him and a hint of what lies beneath for us. And you know what? It crushed me. It was like seeing my dad cry.
Reese is a tough guy with a heart that's been frozen over. And as we see him start to thaw thanks to the new sense of hope he guts from becoming New York's personal vigilante nutjob, we'll get to understand why he's so detached. Be patient. Until then, enjoy the one-liners and ass-beatings of a vigilante mystery man.
Surveillance Notes:
– We have yet to see the same amount and quality of action that delighted us in the pilot, which is pretty disappointing. But when Person of Interest does break out the guns, it's pretty great. Reese's automatic pistol (or whatever it is; despite the hours I've logged playing Call of Duty, I'm still gun illiterate) was pretty sweet, wasn't it?
– This week's case tied in a lot better with the flashbacks, and helped explain a lot of the decisions Reese made. He saw a lot of his own situation in Joey's, and helped Joey avoid the same mistake Reese made with Jessica. Awwwww!
– Not sure about Taraji P. Henson as a hardnosed detective on Reese's trail. She just doesn't sell the role to me. She doesn't feel like a real threat.
– Whose backstory are you more interested in so far? Reese's or Finch's? And do you think the show will continue to alternate between flashbacks for each character, as it has so far?
Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom
I would have to say that I think Caviezel's performance is purely calculated. A better example of 'phoned-in performance' by a great movie actor is Joseph Fiennes from Flash Forward... especially after it was obvious the show wasn't getting picked up for a second season. I did enjoy the show... but his normal skill was not shown.
Caviezel's portrayal of Reese is the exact opposite of being 'phoned-in'. Subtlety is key for Reese, and he is playing him beautifully.
I love the Jack Reacher novels, and saw the same character in Person of Interest, and when I found out Tom Cruise, of all people, would be playing him in an adaptation of "One Shot", I was horrified. Just horrified!
I find Reece's character bears a lot of similarities to Jack Reacher, the hero of Lee Child's novels, he also, flys under the radar, and is not scared to bend the rules to do the right thing in the end.
A+ KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Great show.Really stands out.
I really enjoy this show. I love the action and the small doses of drama. My husband and I watch this show together and it is one of our new favorites. I am also NOT feeling Taraji Henson as a cop on this show. I actually admire her and I've seen several of her movies but she's not believable in this role. That's the only area that the show is lacking, so far. Just my opinion.
I think this is the best new Fall show.
I'm with you from start to finish. Loving this show, loving the interaction between Reese and Finch and I think the lady cop is gonna give them some SERIOUS run for their money. Fun times. Keep this one going!
The show is awesome. It's really entertaining. And I mean that scene in ep 01, when Reese waits for the van, puts on a cagoule, and just shoot at the incoming van some kind of grenade that goes through the windshield, and he did like it was just usual boring stuff, I knew I was sold, and I'd follow that show.
Person of Interest was the new show I was most looking forward to, and it hasn't really let me down yet. It could be better, sure, but it also hasn't been boring or stupid enough to turn me away from it. I would appreciate more wham bam action, but I guess too much of a good thing can be bad... right? It's nowhere near their level, but I guess it's kind of like Breaking Bad -- not having action scenes all the time makes the ones they do have seem that much more awesome.
I love this show. Honestly probably the best new show of the Fall series. Everything else is pretty much failed is on it's way to failing. Michael Emerson does creepy well.simply put, everything he does is a perfect combination of weird and creepy but likeable. It's like they revamped Ben from Lost , it's like they built this character around Michael. I love it. And Jim C.? Seriously, who knew the man who played Jesus could be this badass?!I know there is a debate about his character but it's perfectly written and executed. He's not a good guy, he's not a bad guy, he's somewhere inbetween which is honestly the perfect way to capture a vigilante....they can avoid the whole moral dilemma thing. This guy doesn't visually show us he has a moral dilemma, he just acts with not much reaction. I love it! And that Alpha-male, loner thing is hot. When he headbutted that guy I'm ashamed to admit that I giggled like a schoolgirl and I love the fact that he not only doesn't have much to say but he's soft-spoken at that.
I think the flashbacks were pretty good. I'm definitely more interested in Reese's background. I do love the budding relationship between the leads. Can you call it a friendship? It's as undefinable as everything else on this show, painted in shades of gray. I cracked up when Reese's comments lead to Finch doing push ups. If they keep it up with little nuances like that it'll be perfect.
I like Tariji as an actress but I must admit it's a gross misuse of her skills. I think Det.Carter is suppose to be a threat. I'm not convinced that she is or ever will be. They of course will most likely build on this, but I just don't buy it. I know why they need her, but they aren't doing a great job of writing it and her.It reminds me of a play, her scenes take place while the leads are changing clothes for more important scenes. They need to develop her character to. Is she awestruck?Is she compromised between appreciating that he's doing "good" but not doing it in a good way?moreless
Whose backstory are you more interested in so far? Neither! They need to stop spoonfeeding tidbits and get the backstories finished. Build on the relationships between Reese & Finch based on now. Also, there is a need for more than a single detective hunting Reese & Finch. A federal connection should have been involved as soon as the stolen radio turned up! I'm hoping the next number to come up is T.P. Henson's!! Not a great fit but if they are going to keep her, at least make her a definitive friend or foe! I like the show, I like the action but this early in the writing to see fraying already doesn't speak well for longevity.
My opinions are definitely not split about Reese - he is awesome. I love the dark and twisty hero with his own brutal sense of justice and strict code of morality. Here is a hero living in a shades of gray world, and his sidekick is a quirky reclusive genius living multiple double lives who has created the most sophisticated AI tech the world's governments can conceive of. I am so looking forward to seeing this show develop (CBS do not pull a Jericho). This show will certainly have its own twisty darkness to reveal and I hope CBS gives it a proper chance.
The concept and tech are very thought provoking. The entire basis for Reese and Finch's works is the unintended externality of the machine's processes, predicted violence that does not satisfy primary mission objectives (imminent terrorist threat - mass casualties), which moved Finch to become engaged in predictive/preventative policing. If it works and the secret is revealed, this could have massive implications for the criminal justice system, the courts and society at large, perhaps something in the realm of The Minority Report. It will be interesting to see if Abrams addresses this, perhaps with Det. Carver as device.moreless
I love the show!!
But why didn't the numbers of the two, or three, guys who ACCTUALLY died come up? I like the show but it seems forced sometimes. But as said below, it's going to get better with a main villain.
The is awesome, but has me a little worried. It has all the action and vigilante style hero like Human Target, bad lacks the same interpersonal whit of its team. I thought Human Target a keeper, but it was cancelled after only two short seasons. At least Person of Interest has a fall start date which will give it a chance, however against the Thursday night line-up the show better shoot up in the ratings the way Reese does the bad guys, or alas another great show will bite the dust before it realizes its full potential.
The series surely improved from the pilot but this episode is the episode where the show got good for me it had some story and it gave us a look into a main villain i think
I concur. Only 'procedural' I watch for exactly these reasons.
Really dig the show, the fact that Reese is such a Hottie kept the "Pretender" flashes down to a subtle glow. Wounded, damaged and hiding from a painful past while helping others without recompense, anyone? Love the Danger vibe, you practically never got that from Jarod and the sidekick/boss relationship has real "potential to become more solid. The cop treats Reese like he hasn't truly gotten her attention, interest,yes but not focus. More like she is investigating him in her spare time.This show and Prime Suspect have given me hope for network tv.
@AustinMak
Burn Notice is perhaps a nice show but it's much of the same, every episode, every season. Stopped watching it after season 4. Person of Interest grabbed my attention, don't how long but for now I'm watching.
Thank you, Tim Surrette--you nailed the show exactly, especially the scene with, "wait for me...please." Heartbreakingly haunted....
Great episode. But Tim I see you didn't speculate on who Lattimer gave that evidence too? Am thinking that will come back around further in the season. Am interested in both Reese's and Finch's backstory. With Finch, I want to know why he's is walking properly in the recent flashback and is limping now. With Reese, everything really.
Best new show of this fall season in my opinion. Sure it's procedural, but not like Castle or House with a step-by-step formula.
I'm a sucker for anything Quantum Leapish where someone spends his time just trying to help people, especially when he does it without them really knowing it.
Alternatively, one could watch "Burn Notice", which is much better.
They said that "Harold" was a cover identity at the beginning of the third episode. It's not even clear that "Finch" is his real name, either.
I definitely have pleasure watching that show. I laughed out loud thanks to that headbutt btw !
If I get the abram's routine, I think we'll get few more episodes of the kind of "light" procedural before having more and more clues about the whole picture of the season. Meanwhile, the relationship between those two leading characters is working and the cases are interesting. Reese's background may be not as relevant as Finch's but knowing it serves that relationship and his behaviour as you said it Tim. Carter has made a huge step in the story this ep, so maybe she's not a threat right now but she's definitely going down that way.
And finally, if that automatic gun was cool, the CGIed fire effect getting out of it... not so cool.
I agree, want to see Finch's back story more. This show is ALL about the computer/numbers. Otherwise it's a boring procedural. That being the case, Finch's back story is much more relevant than Reese's. Though it's nice to see Reese become who he is, and develops his character, it does not develop the story. Finch's could.
I agree that I do not see Detective Carter as a "threat". I also agree that it's probably because she likes him more than she cares to admit. To go back to the Batman comparisons, think Gordon in "Batman Begins". She understands that Reese is breaking laws, but she sees less lethal results around him (or maybe hopes she sees because she wants to have faith in a guy who claims to be doing good since this last one ended with a number of bodies regardless of Reese's intervention).moreless
I agree with Taccado - the most interesting part of the episode was that it wasn't quite neatly wrapped up. I assume we'll find out who ordered the hit at some point, but they haven't shown us if this will just be a multi-episode story or a full blown story arc. I'm also more interested in Finch's story.
As for the detective - I don't see her as a threat, either, but I think it's intentional. She keeps saying she'll catch, but it doesn't come across as genuine. I would guess the character doesn't want to catch him because she's still sizing him up and seems to be seeing more good than bad come of his actions. Her comment that he might end up in a body bag seemed to convey that she cared rather than as a threat. Who knows, maybe I'm reading too much into it. I'm expecting that she ends up in the middle of one of Reese's cases and they have to rely on each other, yatta yatta yatta they have some sort of unspoken agreement to give each other a heads up.moreless
Every episode doesn't have to be action-packed to be interesting. Just the quality of the show and figuring out whether each number leads to a target or a villian is great to me. Taraji is definitely working for me, too. She's not a real threat yet because to her, Reese is simply a voice over the phone. She has virtually nothing to go on right now, but I'm sure that will change later on. I'm interested in both backstories because both characters are interesting to me. I am definitely loving this show right now.
I've read somewhere that there is supposed to be more of a mythical element to this show too. Is this the episode were we saw the beginning of it? Will the guy who hired the hits and got away be some kind of an arch nemesis in future episodes? Maybe a bad guy who has knowledge about the machine and wants to access it?
I'm more interested in Finch's backstory. Reason: It seems more likely that Finch's past will be the reason for turmoil in the future. Maybe he has crossed people who want to access the machine or something like that. He seems to be a hyper-intelligent, broken guy with a dark past. Reese on the other hand seems to be a random guy who Finch picked up because of his skill set and muscle. To me it's less likely that his past will be a big reason for future events, but hopefully I'm wrong. Is there anything better than when nothing is what is seems? At least I would expect Nolan and Abrams to start throwing curve balls towards us pretty soon.moreless