#hersh

isit.kosher

Person of Interest Season 3 Finale Spoilers

Alright, I just (just) finished season 3 so I'm having a lot of feelings right now. I decided to post this because my last (and only) POI blog I put up here (about the narrative on John Reese and his fate) got a lot of attention from a fandom I thought was dead and never all that big. But here I am, writing another, instead of musing aloud. . . to myself. . . like I would usually.

First of all, as a whole, I think season 3 is brilliant. It is the turning point of this show from the episodic crime-style with a subtle plot to something completely different. We go from dealing with people, corrupt governments, secret groups, and the pulling together the most fucked up found-family group (including the loss of one member). This season is so emotional for me, with so many hard hitting episodes. From Joss's death, John's spiral, Lionel's character arc finally getting the attention it deserves (I should do a post about him later, I love him), to the unity between Shaw/John/Harold and Root, working with the Machine and trusting her, multiple plot lines weaved throughout episodes (seriously, every other episode involves either Decima or Vigilance), and the reveal that we are no longer dealing with people and governing forces--we're dealing with gods now.

Now, focusing more on the finale itself, I think it's the best one up to this point in the show--but that's nothing against the season 1 and season 2 finales because those are great too, but those were action-packed, uncertain, we've-got-a-mission-and-we're-gonna-complete-it type episodes (both involving Root as antagonist, Harold as damsel in distress, and the Machine as motivation). But this finale? There is nothing uncertain about this finale. While the others were set-ups for the next season in a way that lets us know that things are escalating, there's an immediate danger that needs to be dealt with, S3 finale is different. There' s an imminent threat, yes, but it isn't temporary and it isn't just to one person. It's to Harold, but also to John and Shaw and Root. The Machine herself and everything they have done up to this point and were ever trying to do. I would say more, but I think Root's monologue at the end sums it up perfectly: "Things are going to change."

In this finale we get the climax as the two prominent antagonist parties clashing with each other but also Team Machine in a spectacular way. Vigilance's so called "court" to determine guilt and innocence and their crusade against the machine is a work of art. It's unhinged and yet totally believable. I can see this happening today, in fact. As I was watching this, I was slowly remembering what would happen (as it's been probably five years since the last time I've seen this episode) and I noticed things I didn't before. Greer's calmness was actual confidence (he was in control the entire time), Shaw's concern for Root, Fusco hints that the court room isn't livestreaming in the first like five minutes of the episode, and I remembered what Root said a few episodes prior about how in the first x-amount of hours of Samaritan being live a lot of people would die (which we watch there at the end). And Hersh's death was something I didn't see coming the first time around, but I loved it. He was a bastard and an antagonist, but he was man who was loyal to his cause and that's how he died. I actually really like him, loved seeing him work with John, and the strange relationship he had with Shaw.

(Also, as an aside, I love how every time that Root opens her mouth Shaw just looks so done. Her face just goes: Can I shoot her?)

The way that Decima/Greer perfectly manipulated Vigilance and Colier was masterful and really adds to the fear of Samaritan and what's to come in season 4. I'm still not over it!! All season Vigilance has been a problem, constantly fighting back against the Machine and adjacently Samaritan, and they were just a pawn for Decima to get what they wanted. As Greer said, he needed a devil to raise his god (or something like that). Because that's what the show is about now: gods. There's countless mythology references all throughout this season, mostly coming from Greer or Root, and I'm all here for them. Comparing Harold to the Titans of Greek mythology (eating their children from fear they would grow too powerful), liken the AIs to gods, and of course Pandora's box there at the end.

I also want to talk about the end scene because I think that is also super powerful and really got me emotional. The music choice? Phenomenal. "Exit Music (for a film)" by Radiohead was the perfect choice (this show has some of the greatest picks for their scenes) and the way the scene is shot, overlayed with Root's monologue (I always rewatch the scene; one to admire, once to listen to her). The way John, Harold, and Shaw pull out their new identities, the shots of Decima taking out the rest of Vigilance, finally watching Samaritan at full power in contrast to the ways we've watched the Machine, and most of all, the way Team Machine separates. Shaw sees Root from across the street, her new identity in hand, the music swells, and she turns away. Shot switches to John and Harold. They share a look. John goes one way, Harold goes the other, with Bear's leash in hand. This scene is so final, so powerful. People are dying and Team Machine will never be what it once was. The library has been ransacked--we'll never see it again. (Aside: I don't remember if that's true or not, but I think there's an episode later on that the library burns or something.)

I just, I love this show so damn much and this season always gets to me. The stuff with Samaritan and the Machine always makes everything seem so drastic and emotional (I am eagerly awaiting the episode where Harold has to compress the Machine and we get that epic battle scene with John and Shaw in a firefight outside while Harold desperately tries to save his Machine and she calls him father!!!!! So excited!).

Chapter 6: A fullfilling night

Chapter 5

Chapter 7

Haha who could possibly fall asleep on a bar's counter ??? Haha, No One !... No one......

I have so many memories of walking friends home and be walked/carried home... Good times...

Of course, stay safe, take care of your friends !