TV Review: Person of Interest (Season 4)

Watch| NBC when it's live (I don't know where you can catch up right now)
Starring| Jim Caviezel (John Reese), Kevin Chapman (Lionel Fusco), Michael Emerson (Harold Finch), Amy Acker (Root), Sarah Shahi (Sameen Shaw)
Rating| B-

There are certainly SPOILERS for seasons 1 through 3, and possibly major SPOILERS for season 4.  If you aren't caught up on the show, you may not want to read ahead.

This show finished its run awhile ago, and I've been sitting on this review for no small amount of time because I was still formulating my thoughts.  The beginning of the season got me very excited!  Everything was different.  Not only was Carter gone, but the Machine, and her cohorts, were in hiding.  I loved that the main cast were given practical jobs, particularly Reese.  While the others all had their new secret identities explored somewhat, his was the most intriguing, and, overall, most important.

The high lasted for a few episodes before it petered off into same-old, same-old.  I wasn't bored- the show manages to always keep me on the edge of my seat- but I also can't recall any episodes immediately.  There were a couple here and there, particularly the ones that dive into Elias' back story.  That was a rich well that could have been used more than it was.  In the smack dab middle of the season when they had their big trilogy of episodes that changed everything, particularly If-Then-Else, I got excited again.  This was one of my favorite episodes this season, and was incredibly innovative.

It dragged again after that, but not for nearly as long as the first time.  From episode 18, Skip, onward I was thoroughly hooked.  This episode rejuvenated the show, introducing a new character and exploring another recent one.  Both new girls were bad-ass and incredibly fun to see on screen.  I want more of both Harper (who I'm fairly certain we'll see again, in a great capacity) and Frankie.

The show catapulted into an incredible final three episodes.  If I remember nothing else, I will remember the bittersweet heartbreak of Terra Incognita (episode 20), the nail biting Asylum (episode 21), and the heart pounding, breath stealing YHWH (episode 22).  These are the true shining stars of the whole series- TV doesn't really get any better than this.  They made the rough patches incredibly worth it.  Even for someone who's become numb to many surprises, this one had me several times.  And it also left my eyes watering.

I know the show may not last much longer, but I'm so glad to have been able to see these episodes.  If you've considered giving it up, or don't watch it anymore, I ask that you maybe give it a chance.  It always manages to deliver.  And as a quick side note, can we take a moment to just admire the poster this season?  It's one of my absolute things on the planet.