Summary: Flashbacks reveal that Finch programmed the Machine as an individual intelligence. Reese tries to get the Machine to locate Finch but it instead continues to provide him with the numbers. Reese's next POI case leads him to Leon a man who is in danger after he stole money from a gang. Reese saves Leon's life while still attempting to locate Root and Finch. Root reveals to Finch that she intends to set the Machine free and threatens him to cooperate by hurting and killing innocents. Fusco is charged with watching Leon but loses him and gets captured. Reese saves them and is able to get himself a military dog. Leon loses his money but his life is saved. Reese discerns that Root is heading to Texas and enlists Carter to go there with him.
The Good: This was a strong start to the season. This episode had constant momentum and felt pleasingly different from everything in season 1. This episode did a terrific job with Root. Amy Acker has been awesome so far and she feels appropriately mysterious and threatening in her conversations with Finch. I'm really interested in learning her backstory, and the little hints of her past (her mysterious motive to free the Machine, her missing poster) were tantalizingly good. I thought her conversations with Finch were really nicely written and her threats to innocent civilians accomplished to goal of making her a ruthless villain as well as a crafty one. I also really liked how she figured out that the Machine exists. It made a lot of sense and was set up nicely in season 1. The central story with Reese was great. His motives to find Finch made the usual POI story more interesting since saving the POI felt like more of an afterthought with the primary focus being on Finch. This was used spectacularly as the episode's POI was made more unlikable, allowing for a more complex range of emotions to be used than usual. Plus, Ken Leung was a perfect casting choice for Leon, this despicable yet entertaining character. What made the overall story so much more fun was the use of humour. The show has embraced its cheesiness and is all the better for it. I absolutely loved the action scenes because of this cheesiness. Titus screamed throwaway "boss" character but not in a bad way. It felt more like a parody and I got some laughs out of his scenes. The best part was certainly the "Looney Tunes" action bit when Reese tamed his dog and attacked the men holding Leon and Fusco captive. The cut to outside the building with the cheesy sound effects, the man flying through the window and Reese walking out unscathed was hilarious and wonderfully self-aware. We got some more details about the Machine as well which I really approved of. The flashbacks were fantastic and explored the idea of the Machine being an AI rather than a system. I loved the final flashback especially as the Machine showed some free will of its own to attempt to save Finch's life. It was a fascinating moment and seems to suggest that Finch specifically programmed the Machine to not go out of its way to help him, instead opting to help the general public. There were a few other fun scenes. Reese's threats to a confused Leon were generally fun and I appreciated their interactions. Fusco attempting to save Leon from the gang was a noble moment for him that continued his character development. The Bad: Wow, did that cop really fall for Leon faking a heart attack? Also how the hell did he let Leon get away? Are cops seriously so stupid? It's a wonder that Elias is still locked up if this is all it took for Leon to escape. I liked the idea of Root sending texts to her contact (see: The Unknown) on other people's phones. However, the scene was portrayed really awkwardly and I didn't understand what had happened until afterwards. The issue was the fact that the phone seemed to already have a conversation with Root's contact beforehand which confused me. The dog was extremely convenient. I know this episode committed to cheesiness, but it still doesn't excuse the ridiculous convenience of this dog just happening to be one of the breed that Reese had worked with before. I wasn't happy with how the gangs were so easily able to find Leon. New York is a big city, it shouldn't be this easy to find people. Also, the gunfights are still a big issue. I find it ridiculous that so many gunfights can happen and no civilians or anyone else seem to react to them, or even notice they are happening. I wasn't happy with the sudden change in the bond between Reese, Fusco and Carter. They were steadily gaining trust in season 1, but now they are apparently suddenly best friends that bicker all the time. This felt too sudden and I feel like the last bits of the relationship development were skipped over. While the embracement of the cheesiness is a good thing, it doesn't overcome the lack of emotional connection in every episode. At heart, this show remains an action show which doesn't consistently provide genuine emotional engagement. While I still enjoy it, it doesn't end up hitting the large highs that other shows like "Lost" were able to reach with the added bonus of emotional engagement in every episode. The Unknown: Did the Machine actually help Reese by the end of the episode or is it some false lead? What does Root mean that she wants to go to the future? Why has she waited her whole life for this? Why does she want to set the Machine free? What are her motives? What does she expect it to do? Who was the person Root is in contact with? Is he in Texas? What is Root's past? Why did she apparently run away? Who is Weeks and the man he is talking to? I'm not particularly interested in a government conspiracy storyline, but maybe this is something more. Is the dog a permanent addition to the crew? I would be fine with it as long as things don't get too cheesy. Best Moment: I loved the Looney Tunes moment. It showcased the change that the show has gone through in a very good way. Character of the Episode: Reese. Conclusion: This was a very strong premier episode. While this won't land as an all time best episode, I liked it and it serves as a good step forward for the show. Score: 67
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
March 2024
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