Summary: Majority of the episode is a flashback to 2010. Finch has a different partner, Dillinger, who doesn't get along with Finch at all. Dillinger is more abrasive and reckless than Reese. The next POI is Casey who is involved in something with the government. Dillinger observes that other people are following Casey: Reese and Stanton. After a shootout and involvement with a third party led by a man named Lambert, Dillinger escapes with Casey and takes him to Finch. Casey tells Finch that he was hired by the government to access the Machine and has accessed a segment of code which he is keeping on his laptop. Dillinger listens in with a bug. Dillinger drugs Finch and escapes with the laptop to sell it. Casey tries to leave the country but gets caught by Reese. Reese lets him go and pretends to kill him, as Finch watches. Dillinger is killed by Shaw but the laptop is sold and taken to Ordos. In the present, Root finds Casey hidden away and seeks his help.
The Good: Whenever "Person of Interest" changes up its formula, it always delivers the goods. Once again, I knew that I was watching something special the moment that the opening credits were tweaked. Because of this, I was immediately invested in what I was watching and I had a blast watching the episode go on. I like the idea of the show spending almost the entire duration of the episode in the past. It made the episode feel even more unique. The content of the episode was very strong. I've always wondered if Finch had others before Reese, and now we get to see him working with one of his earlier guys, Dillinger. The dynamic between Finch and Dillinger was nicely developed throughout the episode. Dillinger's recklessness and irritable behaviour is wildly different from Reese's calm and friendly demeanor, and it provides a fresh new dynamic for Finch to see him work with a guy who so obviously detests him. The relationship between Finch and Dillinger pays off nicely by the episode's end. Unlike Reese, Dillinger doesn't trust Finch at all and turns on him during the climax. Unlike Reese, Dillinger doesn't care about the lives of the POIs and is doing this job for selfish reasons. He isn't a good fit and Finch pays the price for trusting him and Casey nearly dies as a result. Yet Finch still has a heart and he attempts to save Dillinger's life, consistent with the peaceful Finch who we have gotten to know. He tries to save Dillinger, who stubbornly refuses in an attempt to get money. Dillinger's mistake leads to his own death which was well deserved by this point. But instead of celebrating his death, the show treats it in suitably somber fashion as Finch shows his humanity once again by burying his former partner (see: Best Moment). The funnest parts of this episode came from the many cameos from characters we are familiar with. First up is Stanton and Reese who provide some contest for Dillinger on the hunt for Casey. I liked seeing the parallels between Stanton and Reese as always, and their interactions were a load of fun. I particularly liked Reese letting Casey go alive after realizing he isn't a traitor. It was consistent with what we have seen with Reese and it made sense as a moment where Finch realized that Reese may be the right guy for the job opposed to Dillinger. I also really liked the connection with Decima Technologies even if it doesn't go anywhere. It's great to see how many attempts Decima has made to get something regarding the Machine, ensuring that we know that these guys have a significant backstory that dates back to a long while earlier. Also, we got a name for the head of Decima, Mr. Greer. I really liked Special Counsel, Control and Shaw's brief cameos. Their involvement nicely tied into the Ordos mission, providing more backstory to the laptop. Also, we got more background on Ingram's death, showing that the government did value him as a potential asset, but when he went rogue they could no longer trust him. Plus, we got some nice lines that hinted at Control ordering Special Counsel's death in the future. The ending is really exciting. The show is making it a regular cliffhanger to have Root show up, and I'm not complaining. It works as a promise of big things to come in the next episode. The Bad: It is a bit annoying that it took so long to get a name for Greer. The show pulled the same thing with Hersh and Special Counsel (though I accidentally stumbled upon their names online - whoops). It's a needless way to make my job a little harder by not giving a name. While I had few technical problems with the episode, I can't consider it one of the show's very best episodes because it didn't really have the same emotion as episodes like "Relevance" or "Prisoner's Dilemma". It was a total blast to watch, but outside of Finch burying Dillinger and watching Reese spare Casey, there was a notable lack of emotion. The episode raised one big plot hole. How did Finch upload a virus to the laptop if it was already taken from him by Dillinger who then sold it. The laptop was immediately taken to Ordos, so how did Finch upload the virus? The Unknown: How did Finch know about Reese before he saw him? Is there still more to their story? Who is Greenfield and why does the Machine want them? Why is Casey required for the job? Does he have a role to play? Will Finch's group get involved with this storyline somehow? Best Moment: Finch showing some heart and burying Dillinger after he died was a nice moment. Character of the Episode: Finch. Conclusion: This was another awesome episode. "Person of Interest" is almost always excellent whenever it engages in its long-term story and this was no exception. I look forward to the final episodes of the season. Score: 75
2 Comments
Ben
4/24/2019 01:16:24 am
I was really impressed by all the cameos and interconnecting stories this episode. Probably my favourite episode of the season (even if not the most emotional, like you pointed out), but the last eight episodes of this season are all excellent,
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Aaronic
4/24/2019 12:23:13 pm
I absolutely don't blame you for picking this as your favourite. It really is a gift for everyone who is invested in this show. I'm super excited for the remaining episodes.
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
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