Person of Interest: Root Cause
November 24, 2024 7:10 AM - Season 1, Episode 13 - Subscribe
A seemingly happy family man, Scott Powell, is the latest POI. But not everything is as idyllic as it appears.
Reese is momentarily jealous of the latest POI Scott Powell's life until he realizes that Powell has been lying to his family for 8 months. He was let go, maxxed out all his credit cards, and is out of things to pawn. Powell gets a call from a temp agency to cover an event involving Michael Delancey, a congressman.
While Finch and Reese initially think Powell is going to assassinate the congressman, they quickly realize he's just a patsy. They realize at least two people are involved in the plot one being a hacker who planted evidence on Powel''s laptop. Finch tells Reese that he's spotted a vulnerability in the opposing hacker's firewall. However, he quickly realizes that it's a trap and that the hacker is now in Finch's system. He's forced to shut down all computers, electronics, and cell phones, and tells Reese to do the same before he cuts off and leaves the library.
Reese takes Scott to a motel room while Finch reaches out to previous Person of Interest Zoe Morgan explaining he is the man who was working with Reese to help her. Zoe realizes the reason for the Delancey hit was likely his campaign manager Pete Matheson. But without evidence, Zoe suggests that she and Finch go get some.
While Zoe approaches Matheson to offer to help find Powell, Finch is nearby recording. Afterwards Matheson contacts the hacker about why Powell isn't dead. The hacker tells him not to worry about it and then threatens to expose Matheson if he doesn't back off.
Meanwhile investigators have informed Powell's wife about her husband being out of work and their finances.
After evading multiple murder attempts, Powell turns himself in. Finch emails a copy of Matheson's phone call to the hacker exonerating Powell to the police. Powell is released and reunited with his family. Finch tells Reese he has given Powell a job at one of his companies. But Finch admits that he wasn't able to trace the hacker and that their security is still compromised.
As Finch ends his call to Reese, he receives an IRC chat message on his laptop from the hacker. She introduces herself as "Root" and admits that Finch was a worthy opponent. She says that they'll meet again.
Reese is momentarily jealous of the latest POI Scott Powell's life until he realizes that Powell has been lying to his family for 8 months. He was let go, maxxed out all his credit cards, and is out of things to pawn. Powell gets a call from a temp agency to cover an event involving Michael Delancey, a congressman.
While Finch and Reese initially think Powell is going to assassinate the congressman, they quickly realize he's just a patsy. They realize at least two people are involved in the plot one being a hacker who planted evidence on Powel''s laptop. Finch tells Reese that he's spotted a vulnerability in the opposing hacker's firewall. However, he quickly realizes that it's a trap and that the hacker is now in Finch's system. He's forced to shut down all computers, electronics, and cell phones, and tells Reese to do the same before he cuts off and leaves the library.
Reese takes Scott to a motel room while Finch reaches out to previous Person of Interest Zoe Morgan explaining he is the man who was working with Reese to help her. Zoe realizes the reason for the Delancey hit was likely his campaign manager Pete Matheson. But without evidence, Zoe suggests that she and Finch go get some.
While Zoe approaches Matheson to offer to help find Powell, Finch is nearby recording. Afterwards Matheson contacts the hacker about why Powell isn't dead. The hacker tells him not to worry about it and then threatens to expose Matheson if he doesn't back off.
Meanwhile investigators have informed Powell's wife about her husband being out of work and their finances.
After evading multiple murder attempts, Powell turns himself in. Finch emails a copy of Matheson's phone call to the hacker exonerating Powell to the police. Powell is released and reunited with his family. Finch tells Reese he has given Powell a job at one of his companies. But Finch admits that he wasn't able to trace the hacker and that their security is still compromised.
As Finch ends his call to Reese, he receives an IRC chat message on his laptop from the hacker. She introduces herself as "Root" and admits that Finch was a worthy opponent. She says that they'll meet again.
Note to self: If you ever lose your job, it's best to tell your wife immediately. It may be tempting to tell a white lie and secretly go out looking for jobs, but you never know when a powerful hacker might implicate you as a patsy in a political assassination as part of a dark conspiracy, and when that happens you're going to end up looking really bad.
First appearance (ish) of Root. Harold seems, appropriately, more worried by the hack than he was when John got shot... Root is now one of two people who might know about the existence of The Machine, along with Alicia Corwin who got some information from Will Ingraham in a previous episode.
posted by mmoncur at 8:15 PM on November 24 [2 favorites]
First appearance (ish) of Root. Harold seems, appropriately, more worried by the hack than he was when John got shot... Root is now one of two people who might know about the existence of The Machine, along with Alicia Corwin who got some information from Will Ingraham in a previous episode.
posted by mmoncur at 8:15 PM on November 24 [2 favorites]
Finch reaches out to previous Person of Interest Zoe Morgan
AH I KNEW IT
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:30 PM on November 30 [2 favorites]
AH I KNEW IT
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:30 PM on November 30 [2 favorites]
Are rifles that shoot confetti really an event-planning tool, or did I visually misread that scene?
I'm less enamored by the LOOK A MYSTERIOUS HACKER storyline, and obvious setup of a recurring adversary, because somehow hacking always feels a lot less engrossing on-screen than writers/directors think it is. But hey, maybe she's going to be the Moriarty to Finch's Holmes?
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:36 PM on November 30 [1 favorite]
I'm less enamored by the LOOK A MYSTERIOUS HACKER storyline, and obvious setup of a recurring adversary, because somehow hacking always feels a lot less engrossing on-screen than writers/directors think it is. But hey, maybe she's going to be the Moriarty to Finch's Holmes?
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:36 PM on November 30 [1 favorite]
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posted by porpoise at 4:37 PM on November 24 [3 favorites]