“We don’t get normal lives.”
Early on in “Truth Be Told”, Harold tells Reese that it’s good that he’s attempting to have a normal life, and Reese responds by adding a disclaimer about the supercomputer “bent on world domination”. This exchange, coupled with Reese taking care of some baddies before a lunch with Iris and her parents, help set up the main thrust of the episode, putting the pieces into place for those episode-ending conversations. Simply put, none of these characters are living normal lives because normal lives don’t come with the territory. As Root says, their jobs are all about taking risks, and it’s the only option because the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
The episode in general is a nice exploration of why Reese and Kara were picked by Beal–Keith David!–to join the CIA. As Kara explains in a flashback, Beal chose Reese because he didn’t have anyone or anything to go back to, because he couldn’t miss what he never had. The quote at the top of this review hits hard, but it’s definitely a valid point by Kara. At the same time, we have a contrast to that point of view in Dr. Campbell, someone who tells John to take control of his future and change. She believes he can have a normal life as long as he doesn’t let the past and his job control him, and she implores him to look at things from that perspective. However, Reese says goodbye for now, and he turns his eyes toward the job at hand.
One final point: Paul Duncan fits in nicely with a theme running throughout the final season, i.e. that all you can do is your best. Yesterday’s episode delved into these characters and all their complexities, coming to the final conclusion that at least they’re doing the best they can. This is exactly the mindset that Paul espouses in that flashback, talking about how he’s still doing his job and trying to make a difference in a losing battle. Whether or not Reese, Finch, and Root are ‘losing’ is debatable, but if there’s one thing that’s for sure, it’s that they’re giving it their all.
GRADE: B+
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-I can’t believe I didn’t mention Bear in my first two reviews. I am truly slacking.
-How appropriate that the Emily Dickinson poem is about change and metamorphosis. There’s a nice little exchange at the end of the episode between Beal and Reese about this: “Glad to see some things haven’t changed.” “A lot has.”
-Another exchange I liked from that conversation: “The world needs a lot more of us.” “That’s not a good thing.” “It’s neither good nor bad, just the way it is. We didn’t make the world like this.” “Didn’t we?”
Moral ambiguity, security, creation, responsibility, etc. etc. Lots of classic POI themes.
Photo credit: Person of Interest, CBS
Polar Bears Watch TV 
Wow! Two episodes in a row! I feel spoiled but it makes me sad because this is a short season and the final one.
Tonight’s was a bit bitter sweet with me. It was interesting to see Reece once again confront his past CIA life and it was sad but expected (well at least for me ) that he broke up with the doctor. I was happy though that Reese decide to be on the bowling team, he will probably be very good at it and like it despite himself.
Keith David is a wonderful actor and I was happy to see him as Reece’s former boss.
It turns out that Reese was right about the guy’s brother in the end and that he is a good judge of character, but it was nice that he told the guy that his brother was a hero. I was sad that it seems that he cannot be happy and have a normal life but how can one with what he knows and what he has seen?
This episode made me think of the one where Root had to save and come face to face with someone she wronged terribly, and the lesson that the Machine was trying to impart on her. (You remember it PB the one where the guy was a former Wall Street money guy but gave it all up after his dear friends were brutally murdered by Root and he was horribly wounded?)
Root was full of self-confidence and a tad arrogant, Reese was full of regret and sadness, but they both learned something in the end.
The Emily Dickinson poem sent in binary to Harold was odd and to be honest I do not get why Harold could not solve it since he must understand Binary.
The poem being about change and metamorphosis and in the end growth is so far a kind of theme or leitmotif so far in this final season. The Machine is hinting about change and growth, nothing is the same not even the numbers that they try to help and save.
I love that this show asks questions of the viewers! I am so going to miss that kind of smart on tv when it is gone.
Read you next week PB! 🙂
Oh one character that I have been wondering about it Harper. Last we saw her Finch took her ring and said that she would be back. I wonder if she will and how?
Ah, that’s a good point! I’m wondering now too.