Person of Interest Review 5×01: “B.S.O.D.”

Person of Interest fights back with a monster season 5 premiere episode

It’s about time. Person of Interest returned to CBS for it’s fifth and final season with the action packed premiere episode that fans have been waiting a year for. Perhaps the most underrated show in recent memory, POI has never ceased to amaze with it’s creativity, interesting character development, and unique attention to detail. The premiere hit the ground running and kicked off right where season 4 left off with Finch (Michael Emerson), Root (Amy Acker), and Reese (Jim Caviezel) on the run from an ever-growing Samaritan operation. Desperate to get the machine out of her briefcase prison, the always worse for wear team fought operatives both alone, and together. No longer safe with their cover identities, and a hide out in jeopardy, team machine had to formulate a plan to save the only thing that keeps them going, the machine. Meanwhile Fusco (Kevin Chapman), still left in the dark about the true motivation behind team machine and obviously agitated by it, found himself in some hot water dealing with an investigation from the IAB.

In a high energy gripping first episode, bullets flew and people bled; an obvious ode to why people fell in love with Person of Interest in the first place. We see our team as they continue to be struggle to release the machine from the prison that she’s been resigned to since Samaritan tracked her down last season. The team had one hell of a fight on their hands in order to get her back up and running without destroying the little piece of her they have left. Root, wielding guns in only a way that Root can, single-handedly takes on an entire train full of Samaritan operatives, and wins. Harold nearly kills himself while trying to save the Machine, and Reese risks his own life to save the life of Root. The premiere was so worth the wait and we’ve seen something we’ve waited a year to see…team machine is finally back.

“You can just call me Root, bitch.”

Amy Acker. There’s not a lot of words that can be used to explain just how phenomenal Acker is at playing the character of Samantha Groves, aka Root. It’s incredible just how much we’ve missed this character. The first few moments of the Person of Interest season 5 premiere where Root supplies us with narration that casts a shadow over the entire season are some of the most intense, enjoyable, and thought provoking moments of the entire series. Being set as a, “if you’re hearing this” type of deal, we don’t know whether they’ll live or die at the end of the last 13 episodes of the series. While every character on the show has grown and changed, the growth that our lovable reformed serial killer for hire has had since her introduction in season 1, far surpasses that of anyone else. She went from being a hacker with no regard for human life to one of the most integral parts of team machine. An ally with a direct connection to the machine that makes the team so much stronger than they could be without her. Her fearless, bad ass nature and approach to life makes her such an asset and an imperative part of the team. In previous seasons, we’ve seen Finch come to appreciate and respect Root as a person. The season 5 premiere displayed something we’ve only briefly been able to catch glimpses though, the insight that Reese respects and considers Root to be a friend and comrade as well. When Reese questions whether he should stay back or go find Root and risk being caught by Samaritan, he chooses the latter.

“I have to go find a friend.”

It’s the first time Reese truly acknowledges that he cares about Root as a team member and his friend. She’s earned her spot on the team and watching her with Finch and Reese will be so rewarding after such a long hiatus. Oh, and who can forget… her reunion with Shaw (Sarah Shahi) is coming!

The machine

Who else was kicked in the feels when Harold apologized to the machine for crippling it early on in it’s asi life? It’s a machine. It doesn’t have feelings, it doesn’t understand emotion. So, why do we care so much about it? The writers of Person of Interest have done something very few could or even would attempt to accomplish. They made us invested in how an asi machine feels and interacts with the people it looks out for. The father-daughter bond that Harold has with the machine is one of the most heartwarming and interesting relationships on the show. In this episode, Harold does something he’s never done before, much to Roots delight, he calls the machine:

“her.”

He’s finally allowing himself to feel connected to the life that he’s created. Everything Root has told him since they met about the machine needing to be free to run under her own power, Harold is finally taking to heart. He’s heartbroken that he’s left her so defenseless against the evils of the world. Why is Root so confident that the machine will use it’s power for good? Because it’s part of Harold. The adoration between Harold and Root is seen so clearly when they speak to each other about the machine. She’s a metaphor for so many of the people and themes in Person of Interest. Harold, his father, Root, life, love, change, growth, reflection, good, evil, loss, understanding, acceptance. The machine isn’t even human and it’s had more character development than most characters on any show and it’s truly beautiful to watch.

Music makes the show go round

One of the most underrated aspects of any show is it’s musical score. Person of Interest has been known to be a standout show when it comes to the use of music in its episodes. The music has almost become like a completely new character in each episode. The premiere of season 5 was no different. The music that plays while team machine is fighting for its life really sets a tone for the episode and even the season to come as it really heightens the excitement. The creators, directors, and music minds behind this episode really thought about how to best elevate the episode, as they’ve done so many times before.

Person of Interest premiere delivers in droves and makes it impossible to turn away

Perfection. The Person of Interest fans, cast, and crew really suffered an injustice as we were forced to wait nearly an entire year for the season 5 premiere. Creators and writers Greg Plagemen and Jonathan Nolan absolutely delivered one of the best episodes to date. With Chris Fisher at the helm in the directors chair, it was painstakingly obvious that a lot of care and thought went into the overall feel of this episode that kicks off the fifth and final season. While the wait was excruciating and it looked like there was no light at the tunnel, we were finally treated to an episode that made the wait feel worth it. The effort by the team to save the dying machine was harrowing and the action in this episode alone was well worth the months of wondering and complaining. The episode was a sit on the edge of your seat episode and the moment Root looks up on the train and realizes it’s her against the world is the moment we as the audience jumped off the cliff and said, “alright, let’s do this.” The relationship between Harold and the machine is something that will continue to evolve and grow as is evident in this episodes set up for the rest of the season. Root will make her presence felt in all aspects of the new machines life, and Reese will do what Reese does and protect those around him.

Questions/ Comments:

• When will Amy Acker get a hair campaign?
• Is team machine already dead?
• How will Harold and Root rebuild the machine? What limits will they impose?
• Why on earth would CBS cancel this show?
• Netflix, would you like to pick it up for season 6?
• Can’t wait for Shaw to return
• Reese, you’re great, but could you stop mumble whispering?