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Person of Interest Season 1 Episode 22

No Good Deed

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AIRED: May 10, 2012

8.7

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Episode Summary

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Finch finds a lot of in common with their newest Number, who has run afoul of the government. Meanwhile, Reese learns about Finch's past.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

Fists of Fury

8.5

By AlexPatton, Jan 16, 2013

This ranks high among episodes where Reese goes head to head with someone with equal training. Nice combat! SPOILERS, the stuff with. Nathan was good, seems he is more hero than patsy. Finch doing surveillance on his lost love seems both dangerous and bittersweet.
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1x22 "No Good Deed"

9.5

By lucianoabc, May 15, 2012

The episode was kind of boring, 'till the end. The way the writers develop the plotline AND develop a case is pretty outstanding. It's like a complex version of CSI. Plus we found out about Finche's girlfriend! How heartwarming was that!
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Now thats a Twist

10

By JonaThan1, May 13, 2012

Twist n a half, woooow!!!!! well cn we jus let fusco n carter know they on the same team coz the funny looks they give each other are just that, Funny!!! B-)
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Building a complex and great story

10

By JooPaulo3, May 11, 2012

Ones again, excellent episode of POI. NSA is the new player in the game. Great and intrigue history about Finch past (man, he have a fianc and Carrie Preston is the real wife of Michael Emerson, amazing surprise). Alicia Corwin is crazy and now more close to find Finch. The action scenes are fantastic and the soundtrack is absolutely perfect in this time. I glad watch this show is like see a movie every week and keep better and better. A few days for the finale, can't wait for another great episode like this one.

P.S. Jacob Pitts make a good guest star.moreless
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Doing the math and supposedly being bad at math are equally dangerous

10

By TomWayne, May 11, 2012

Neither be the man who knew too much (like our POI) nor the man who claimed to know too little (Nathan Ingram)--both can be very hazardous to your health and everyone around you.

If "Matsya Nyaya" didn't give you a better understanding of the lengths people can go to in order to cover their own tracks, "No Good Deed" will have you saying Finch's motto (from "Wolf and Cub"): "Only the paranoid survive."

(Too bad Finch doesn't heed his own advice at one point, but, hey, you knew that the confrontation previewed for the finale was coming at some point anyway.)

After getting Reese's backstory covered (at least for now) in the prior two episodes, we're treated to more of Finch's backstory than we even knew existed. No, the events involved in Nathan's death and Harold's disabling are not revealed yet, but we do get to see the events that obviously precipitated them, and we also get shown by extension what happens when a POI (with some of Finch's tech research skills and some of Reese's intelligence analysis know-how, but, unfortunately for him, lacking in Finch's paranoia and Reese's fighting skills) becomes person number seven--er, eight (well, nine counting Reese)--who knows about the machine and is still alive. (Ok, "Matsya Nyaya" implied that Stanton may make ten.)

(Luckily for Fusco, he's blissfully limited in his own understanding of covert ops, despite all the time he's spent with Reese and Finch.)

The mystery about Alicia Corwin deepens this time. too. Nathan appeals to her humanity at one point, either unaware of (or maybe in spite of) the fact that her awkwardness is connected to the fact that she knows his days are very shortly numbered.

And speaking of Nathan, his scenes are so well-played by Brett Cullen that you'll be wishing that he is only dead on paper (or bronze), like Reese and Finch. Whether he was aware of it with Alicia or not, it is clear that Nathan knows the terrible personal risk he is taking in this episode's final flashback, and does so anyway, his face determined, his eyes filled with the conviction of one who knows that he is absolutely doing the right thing, as he nobly puts himself at risk in the interest of others. i'd elect the man president in a heartbeat (Nathan Ingram the character, that is--no offense, Mr. Cullen). :)

As for more of Finch's own backstory? The info Reese learns? I don't want to spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that it's so good and also such a surprise that not even Nathan, his closest friend, knew.

"Many Happy Returns" remains my favorite episode to date, but this one is easily in my top five. The difference? This script wasn't written by Jonathan Nolan personally, and therefore lacked the precision, range, and nuances of his pen, but was still a solidly done piece that the cast again performed masterfully, and that fits well into the continued buildup into next week's season finale (which I'm now wishing was three hours long!).

.

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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

James Caviezel	John Reese
Taraji Henson	Detective Carter
Kevin Chapman	Detective Lionel Fusco
Michael Emerson	Harold Finch

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Jacob Pitts	Henry Peck	Guest Star
Marc Menchaca	Fox	Guest Star
Andrew Weems	Ed Johnson	Guest Star
Brett Cullen	Nathan Ingram	Recurring Role
Elizabeth Marvel	Alicia M. Corwin	Recurring Role
Carrie Preston	Grace Hendricks	Recurring Role

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Episode Photos

Michael Emerson and James Caviezel in Pe...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Michael Emerson in Person of Interest fr...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Jacob Pitts in Person of Interest from "...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
Michael Emerson and James Caviezel in Pe...

©2012 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- The handwriting on the sticky note containing the lot number of "Kramer Paper" is slightly altered when seen attached to the shipping invoice.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Finch: Are you following me?
  Reese: Financial analyst. It's riveting.
  Finch: Well, they can't all be babies and Mafia Dons.
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- Finch: If something ever happens, I have... a contingency.
  Reese: Well, sooner or later, you're going to have to let the cat out of the bag, Finch.
  Finch: Curiosity kills cats, Mr. Reese.
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- Reese: All right, Finch. Peck just got home. Time to see what our spy does at night. And so far... not much.
  Finch: Not everyone is a social butterfly, Mr. Reese. For some of us, human interaction is... difficult.
  Reese: Not calling it "human interaction" might help.
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- Finch: Go and live your life. Find some secrets of your own. And if you really need a mystery, I recommend the human heart.
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- Finch: I was lucky. I had four years of... happiness. Some people only get four days.
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NOTES (3)
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- Music: I'm Afraid of Americans (David Bowie)
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- Carrie Preston is Michael Emerson's real-life wife.
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- International Airdates:
  Canada: May 10, 2012 on CityTV
  Australia: May 21, 2012 on Nine
  Turkey: May 24, 2012 on CNBC-e
  Germany: January 3, 2013 on RTL
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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