Person of Interest Season 4 Episode 12 Review: Control-Alt-Delete
Sean McKenna
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The final chapter in the Person of Interest Season 4 special trilogy came to a close, but it wasn't quite the conclusion I was expecting.
Person of Interest Season 4 Episode 12 was all about Control and her dealing with Samaritan.
Switching to Control’s vantage point and having the POI team as background characters that intersected with her path was an interesting change. We’ve seen it before with the likes of Finch’s first version of Reese, Rick Dillinger, in Person of Interest Season 3 Episode 16 and even with Shaw in Person of Interest Season 2 Episode 16.
Much like in getting to know Dillinger and Shaw as real characters (plus, look at Shaw’s growth and transformation into a core character that’s been a great addition to the series), the hour brought real insight into Control.
She’s not just a POI team adversary who used a scalpel on Root during an interrogation. She’s not a black and white villain. The hour allowed us a glimpse into her personal life with her daughter and to see her as a dedicated employee of the government. She’s all for her country and willing to do what it takes to protect it.
Control viewing the monitors and planning out the next move was nothing like Greer doing the same thing. They are definitely on two different playing fields as POI opponents, even if both are very dangerous.
But the hour really zeroed in on perhaps a future potential shift in her allegiances as she began to question Samaritan’s methods. Might she wind up helping the POI team down the road? (And what about that agent who Reese had a very cool hand to hand fight with? Maybe he will join them, too?)
Though I liked that Control still wants to believe in the system she’s following, believe that she can’t be played and that the country she’s fighting for hasn’t been compromised by an outside force like Samaritan.
For her to kill the fourth target (love the call back to the Nautilus test from Person of Interest Season 4 Episode 2) and try to ignore his pleas that he wasn’t a terrorist – that perhaps she was lied to – was a bit of a surprise. It was good to see she wasn’t so easily swayed.
But that and Finch’s fantastic conversation with her (such a gripping scene) pushed her even further into really looking into what they were saying. To see her swipe her finger and get the white on it may have really helped solidify her moving away from just following Samaritan’s “help.”
I think Control and the POI team will meet again, but its clear that Reese, Finch, Root and Fusco are dead set on finding Shaw … if she’s even alive.
I was glad we got at least a small moment to see them all show just how much the loss of Shaw meant to them, plus Finch’s plan to get information after Control’s capture.
However, the reveal that Shaw might still be alive didn't feel like anything new, and it makes me wonder how the series will write around Shaw’s absence (seeing as Sarah Shahi, who plays Shaw, was written out for the time being because she’s pregnant). Shaw's exit was such a powerful and emotional one that – if she does come back – I hope it feels like a natural part of the story.
Really, though, by the end of the hour – even with all the action, drama, etc. – this episode felt very much like a transition towards a new direction. Do I wish we had more time with the POI team? Sure, but the focus on Control was important, especially in her starting to waver on Samaritan, and I’m sure we’ll get more of the aftershock of Shaw being gone in the episodes to come.
And to think, we’re pretty much only halfway through the season. There’s still plenty more Person of Interest goodness to come!
Did you like seeing more Control? Is Shaw alive? What's next for Samaritan? Sound off below, and see the special trilogy again when you watch Person of Interest online.
Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.
