Person of Interest: Ghosts

In this episode we were treated to a lot of mythology, which is a bold move to be made so early in the series. We’ve barely known these characters, and we’re already delving into Finch’s past. And it was good.

It seems that most of my speculations on the pilot have been disproved. Through flashbacks, we learned that Finch was not injured on 9/11. In fact, he hinted in the pilot that he’d lost someone he cared about as a consequence of the attacks, but it is not so. When we see him working on the Machine, he not only seems emotionally detached but also states that he’s earning a lot of money with it. We’re inclined to think that the turning point was not the attack on the WTC, as he said.

We’re led to believe that the important person Finch lost was the man who took credit and made public appearances as the technological genius. He’s revealed to be dead, and, as someone pointed out before in the comments, now it’s a safer bet that he will die because of the “ignored crimes” list.

A trip to the past was essential to our case of the week as well. It was much more compelling than the pilot in that aspect, because we had a sympathetic character to root for in the girl, and a lot less back and forth when it comes to who was behind the assassination. It also allowed us to see another side to Finch.

And that’s at the core of why this series has potential. It appears that the Person of Interest producers are attempting a balancing act between overall arc and cases of the week, probably trying to achieve the success the USA channel has been having with their series. I’m okay with that, as long as the cases offer more than just a distraction from the ongoing storylines. The cases are exciting when they reveal (to us or themselves) or change something about our characters. A good example of this is Fringe, where they’ve accomplished that balance and present engaging stories seamlessly incorporated to the main characters’ trajectories.

That’s what we had this week: Finch was invested in saving the girl, even putting himself in harm’s way, and showed some resourcefulness in the field despite his handicap. The fact that her family’s assassination may have been ignored by the Machine also triggered his memories and reflections about the past. That’s good television.

Bits and pieces

— I didn’t even mention Homicide Detective Carter when I reviewed the pilot because I didn’t realize she’d be a recurring character. Reese said he trusts her. Bit of a leap of faith, coming from him, isn’t it?

— Speaking of trust, the cat and mouse dynamic between Reese and Finch was one of the highlights of the episode. Both are control freaks, but Finch has the upper hand so far. It must drive Reese nuts.

— Reese’s hairstyle is very similar to Jack’s in later seasons of Lost. When seen in profile, they’re almost indistinguishable.

— The opening was really cool, what with Reese’s very candid approach to the man’s affair and the hit his wife had put on him. And more legs shot.

— Finch looked hurt that he had to let go of his facade job and the cute, friendly co-worker. That's sad.

— We also got some explanation to how the Machine can track people: cell phone location data and facial recognition. It also goes through emails, wire-tapped phones, bank transactions and much more. And it’s not like we’re not always being monitored.

— Legs shot: 6

Quotes

Bill: Do you work here? Because if you do, you're fired.
Reese: I'm more like an independent contractor.

Goodwin*ahem* Ingram: This is for services to humanity. I didn't tell them that we laid off half the staff in order to build this Orwellian nightmare.

Lionel: Hey, he don't talk to people who just walk into the joint.
Reese: Lionel, worried about me? I'm touched.

Two and a half empty tombs.

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