Person of Interest Season 4 Report Card: Grade It!

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After Samaritan came online at the end of Person of Interest Season 3, the POI team was forced to scatter and hide from the dangerous artificial intelligence.

But even with new identities, that didn’t stop them from trying to save people or banding back together to attempt to take down Samaritan once and for all in Person of Interest Season 4. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite go according to plan for Reese, Finch and company.

Plus, mix in a turf war between Elias and newcomer Dominic, the return of Detective Carter, and even some more Control involvement and you’ve got a solid fourth season of the CBS series.

So let’s break it all down in the latest TV Fanatic Report Card!

Avoiding the Numbers - Person of Interest

Best episode: I’ll go with Person of Interest Season 4 Episode 22. I’d been prepared for the POI team to take down Samaritan, but I didn’t think the finale would have Samaritan and Greer come out on top. It was such a great twist as Samaritan eliminated certain people for what it believed was the betterment of the world. We got a wrap up of the turf war between Elias and Dominic, Control learning about Samaritan’s true plan, and an emotional scene between The Machine and Finch before the POI team had to escape again. This was a great conclusion that has me excited for next season.

Worst episode: Person of Interest Season 4 Episode 4 takes this one. It was simply an OK episode involving the POI team saving some kids. We did get the reveal of Dominic, but there wasn’t anything in this episode that really blew me away. 

Best character: There are so many good choices, but I’ll give major kudos to the series for turning a machine into a character worth caring about. Yes, The Machine is getting this title this time as we got to see more backstory behind its growth, its guidance from Finch, its attempts to keep helping save others, and the fact that it was willing to give itself up to save Finch and Root. And that scene in the finale as The Machine spoke to Finch was as emotional and heartbreaking as it would have been in seeing two human characters have the same moment. I’m definitely Team Machine.

Worst character: Person of Interest does so well with its characters, that it’s tough to say that one was “worst.” Instead, I’ll pick one I was far more indifferent on: Harper. She was fine for what she did, and she was good at playing others and playing both sides, but she never left me feeling like I needed more episodes with her. Sure, it was fun to see that familiar face pop in again (and she helped save Fusco!), but there were plenty of other characters I enjoyed watching more.

Biggest shock: Shaw’s sacrifice on Person of Interest Season 4 Episode 11. To see her arrive and help save the POI team was an exciting moment, especially after all of The Machine’s simulations. But it was a major shock to see her leave her friends and run back out towards the gunfire in an emotional and dramatic sacrifice. She’d clearly come so far as a character, and she was willing to head into danger for her friends’ survival. I didn’t see it coming, and the way it ended left me wondering if that was the last we would see of her.

Hopes for Season 5: I really hope the POI team takes down Samaritan in this season. They just have to, right? I’d love to see Shaw return (though I don’t think it will happen), and it would be fun to bring back a few other familiar faces (Leon, anyone?) If anything, I just hope that the fifth season can keep up the level of quality and excitement that we’ve seen so far from this show. The series definitely seems headed in the right direction.

Overall Grade: A-

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.

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Person of Interest Quotes

Knowledge is not my problem. Doing something with that knowledge is where you come in. You can call me Mr. Finch.

Finch

When you find that one person who connects you to the world, you become someone different, someone better. When that person is taken from you, what do you become then?

Reese