Summary: A Russian mob goes after a witness who saw the death of a man who they murdered. The cops investigate and so do Reese and Finch. The POI is the witness. The witness is a teacher named Charlie who Reese saves from the Russians. Reese gets disconnected from Finch so both of them have to work on their own. Charlie is shot and Reese has to save him, but they are trapped in a building filled with Russians. Finch looks more into the case and discovers that Elias is involved. Charlie revealed that he was told to get a message to Elias by the victim. Reese eventually escapes and captures one of the Russians, Laszlo. They take a ferry and head to meet Fusco who will safely extract them. However, Charlie reveals he is Elias and sends a message by shooting Laszlo. Elias murders Ivan, the leader of the Russians.
The Good: This was a stronger episode overall and it's probably the best episode of the show thus far. I thought the story in this episode was much more tense and exciting than previous ones. The reason for this comes from the story. The focus surrounding this witness allows for Reese and Finch, the cops, Elias's forces and the Russians to all be gunning for the same thing which makes for an episode that feels important with a central plot point and tons of potential for excitement. I thought the scenes in the apartment complex were fairly solid drama and I liked watching it. The best moment of the episode was easily the twist. I am pleased to say that the Elias twist caught me completely off guard and surprised me. It was a combination of the show's previously predictable nature and a plot that's busier than most "Person of Interest" episodes that prevented me from expecting this episode to do anything more than a basic happy ending for Charlie. So when the reveal started clicking in and Charlie turned on Reese, I was surprised and impressed as the show had finally pulled off something worth watching. The twist is incredibly smart in other ways too. The biggest thing it has going for it is that it allows Reese and Elias to have a more personal rivalry which makes us more invested in seeing Reese take this guy out. Had Elias just been another guy, I wouldn't have cared nearly this much about Reese foiling his plans. Furthermore, getting us to know Elias as a smart and friendly guy helps make him a more layered villain which is much more interesting than the bland and generic bad guys in previous episodes. The Bad: This still suffered from the same flaws: Inconsistent storytelling, Reese's bland acting, weak dialogue and so many more things which need ironing out. However, I thought the flaws didn't stand out quite as much in this episode for some reason. Perhaps it was slightly more competent writing in this episode. That's not to say there were no flaws in the story. I think I'll always have holes to poke in this story. It's highly illogical that Reese would get to Charlie before the Russians reached his apartment. The Russians were flooding into the building and Reese was across the street, so I don't see any way for him to make it inside. Furthermore, Elias seems to be a woefully unprotected man considering how powerful and important he is. What would he have done about the Russians if Reese hadn't come along? I thought the idea of a Russian mob was stupid. Another cliché with the generic Russian bad guys. The Unknown: What are Elias' plans exactly? How does he plan to conquer the world? Who are the five families? How are the Russians involved with this? Best Moment: The Elias reveal was the show's best moment so far. It was genuinely surprising and gave the show a crucial plot line to build off of. Character of the Episode: Elias. Conclusion: This was a good episode and it's a big one for the future of the show. This episode sets up a major plot line with a ton of promise that suggests that this show may actually get a lot better. Now it's up to the rest of this season to deliver. Score: 63
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
February 2024
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