“Maybe the best we can do is trust each other.”
Talk about a setup for the end. The “Voice” elements of the episode are fairly average, but everything else is extremely well done, building nicely off of the character relationships and the history of the show. It’s an episode of reunions, an episode all about finally revealing certain truths, and it packs a big emotional wallop at the end as a result. The final shot of the Machine Team is reminiscent of the pilot’s closing shot, one that only included Reese and Finch in the park; as we come to the end of five fantastic years, though, we’re reminded one more time of how this team developed. We’re reminded of these people coming together as one to take down Samaritan, to do the best they can to make the world a better place. It’s a beautiful ending.
The team is wholly complete with Shaw and Fusco coming into the fold, two developments that are key to why this episode works so well. The Reese-Fusco relationship has come a long way since the pilot, and we’ve seen tension build up between Fusco and the rest of the team over the last few episodes. Fusco’s recent anger is 100% legitimate, and it’s nice to see him finally be told the truth he should’ve known a long time ago. On the Shaw end of things, it’s also nice to see her and Root once again engage in a real moment, this time sans the shackles of a simulation. This is a moment Shaw’s seen play out thousands of times, but this is the first time it’s not being manipulated; the fact that both of them turn their guns on themselves is just a testament to the strength of the connection they share. They may not know if they’re calling the shots anymore, but the trigger is at least something they can control. “You can’t live with me, and I can’t live without you.”
Another important relationship the episode explores is the one between Finch and Elias. There’s a lot of talk about a “man behind the curtain” in relation to The Voice, but there are definitely hints here that point to Finch possibly hiding behind a curtain of his own. After the car Terry Easton is driving explodes, there’s a really interesting reaction from Finch that we can analyze all day; did he really not know that something like this was going to happen? Is there a darker side to Finch that’s being delved into by the show?
It comes down to what’s going to win out: compassion and loyalty, or callous efficiency? As Easton argues, “compassion and loyalty make people weak, easy to exploit”. Elias responds by telling him that that’s why he’s going to lose. I tend to side with Elias on this matter, as those qualities are exactly what’s been keeping the Machine Team alive. There’s no telling what’s going to happen in the future, but with war on the horizon, at least our characters are facing it together.
GRADE: B+
Photo credit: CBS, Person of Interest
Polar Bears Watch TV 
Hi PB!
This episode was another good one.
It is nice that Shaw found her way back and was killing Samaritan operatives on her own because sadly she could not trust her mind to not hurt her friends and of course Root. That holding of the guns to their own heads was the MOST and so far the ONLY real thing that has happened between Shaw and Root, and I am glad that we found out that it ended with Shaw not killing herself. I know that there are those who are excited that Root has Shaw again but in truth the reunion that I want to see is Shaw and Bear!
I was and AM so happy that Lionel is back with the team and that he has been told the whole truth he deserves to know and he has earned the right to know. Joss figured out that there was some kind of machine before her sad death, and I honestly wonder how things would have panned out if they had not written her character out of the show. I would have loved to have seen her with them especially at the end with that tableau of them all standing together looking at that body of water (is it the Hudson River?) that body of water always seems to come up
ELIAS!! I am so happy that he is being pro active and I knew he was going to kill that guy “The Voice”, but in truth I did for a moment think it was going to be Harold to do the deed. For when he told The Voice “you will not be allowed to continue’ that was very cold and showed the depth of what Harold could do. But in truth I kind of knew that Harold had that in him, remember when Greer kidnapped Grace, and Harold told Sameen and John that if they hurt her at all he wanted them to kill them all? That is the cold, dark, quiet Harold that Elias was referring to, we have seen him before. I also think that is what the Sotto Voce means, Harold’s quiet voice his inner dark voice.
I have to say that I LOVE when Elias told Harold when he blew up The Voice, that what else did he expect him to do? he knew that would happen because he agreed to bring him along.
I must say though where was Samaritan in all of this? Shaw has escaped and no one seems to be chasing her let alone Samaritan and she is killing its operatives, the police station being in lockdown and empty would have piqued Samaritan, and that Voice guy would have too, Samaritan has been strangely quiet during this episode.
I do love this show and will miss it dearly when it is all over, it is one of the best things on tv for me along with VEEP, Mike Tyson Mysteries( which is a totally ridiculous and profane and very funny animated show), Elementary, The Flash and Supergirl ( which is exciting DC comic book lore) Outlander ( which is delightful a romantic guilty treat) Orphan Black, Penny Dreadful and the soon to start its second season Dark Matter. I may be losing POI but I still have those shows!
Nice review PB!
Read you next episode! 🙂
I’ve been thinking of watching Supergirl and Outlander! I’ve heard both are great (and a lot of good things about Melissa Benoist in the former). Been enjoying Penny Dreadful, Veep, and Orphan Black as well.