Person of Interest: Many Happy Returns
November 30, 2024 9:30 AM - Season 1, Episode 21 - Subscribe
It's Reese's birthday, and Finch gifts him with a day off - especially when he realizes that the Machine's latest number is sure to revive painful memories.
This is another flashback heavy episode. Flashbacks will be in bold print for clarity.
Episode opens with montage of Reese and Jessica's romance ending with their last phone conversation.
Reese is on a bus to New Rochelle, and a young man noticing him asks if he is ok. Reese responds that he thinks he just quit his job. He moves his arm to check on what appears to be a bleeding wound (presumably from being shot by Kara Stanton).
Finch greets John at the library and wishes him a happy birthday. He also informs John that since there is no number, he has the day off and gives him a present. Reese leaves and Finch pulls up that day's POI Karen Garner.
Reese is playing xiangqi in a park with a friend, Mr. Han. Han asks if John has received any gifts. When Reese opens the package he was given by Finch, he finds a key, but no other information.
Carter is approached by FBI Agent Nicholas Donnelly about his investigation of Reese. He informs her that they have information about DNA that ties Reese to a case involving smugglers and a cold case from 2011 in New Rochelle, New York. He invites Carter to assist on the investigation, but she initially refuses. Later Finch encourages her to change her mind.
Reese enters a hospital in New Rochelle and proceeds to the nurses' station, where he asks about Jessica. He is informed about Jessica's death in a car crash two months previously. Devastated, he turns to leave and bumps into a patient in a wheelchair on the way out. He apologizes without looking at the patient.
Finch enlists the aid of Fusco. They discuss Karen and whether she is a criminal or on the run. Fusco loses Karen when she ducks into a store. Finch then proceeds to the bar where she works, looking for her, only to be told that she is off. A U.S. Marshal, Brad Jennings, follows Finch out of the bar to question him, where the two are confronted by a visibly annoyed Reese, who takes Finch away in a car using his police alias, Stills.
At the library, Finch reveals that he is working a case of an abused woman. He informs Reese that when he was working on The Machine, he would note that the same number could repeatedly come up, and he finally realized that he was looking at the numbers of people who were being abused. Reese, after a tense exchange with Finch, set off to Karen's apartment. He confirms that Karen, who's name is actually Sarah Jennings, is running from her abusive husband, and the team confirms that he is in fact the Marshal that confronted Finch earlier.
Jessica calls Reese's phone and leaves a message that she needs to talk. Her husband, Peter, confronts her about the call.
Carter has traveled to New Rochelle where she discovers that Peter was in debt to loan sharks and Donnelly thinks that they hired Reese to kill him, although no body was ever found. Carter talks to the medical examiner and concludes, after looking at the evidence, that Peter was abusing Jessica and probably killed her using the accident to cover up the murder.
Jessica and Peter are seen arguing and Peter pushes Jessica, who falls and hits her head on the kitchen countertop. Peter, realizing that Jessica is dead, initially starts to call 911 but stops. He arranges a car accident to make it appear that Jessica died in the roll-over crash.
After interviewing Jessica's mother, Sharon, Carter is looking through some of Jessica's things and discovers a picture of a smiling Reese and Jessica.
Sarah is arrested attempting to leave New York and returned to her abusive husband. Finch shows Reese that the car of the deputy Marshall can be tracked, and an angered Reese orders Finch out of the car and takes off after them. Reese finds the motel where they have stopped and attacks and subdues Jennings and tells Sarah to leave, that she is free. Reese is later stopped by Carter, who has been alerted by Finch. She tells him that he can't execute Jennings, but he tells her that he has to do what needs to be done and leaves.
Peter comes home to find Reese has broken in. He confronts Reese, who after watching the video and listening to the saved message from Jessica, realizes that Peter abused Jessica. Reese explains that he left Jessica behind and asks who he is supposed to be now that Jessica is gone. Peter picks up a fireplace poker ,and Reese attacks him.
Reese and Finch meet up under the Queensboro bridge where Finch says he neglected to give him part of his gift, a business card for Harold Wren with an address to an apartment that Reese opens with his gift key. He finds that it has an overlooking view of where he played xiangqi with Mr. Han.
Carter, who has requested Reese's military file, reviews it and destroys it. She keeps the picture of Reese and Jessica. She is later contacted by Gustavo Peña, a warden at Torreón penitentiary in Mexico, who informs her that 'her fugitive' has been delivered by a 'Marshal Jennings' and will be spending a long time in prison. She confirms that the prison has “one or two” other Americans as well.
After being informed of Jessica's death, Reese leaves the hospital. He bumps into a patient in a wheelchair on the way out, for which time he apologizes without looking at the patient. The patient is revealed to be Finch, who then looks at a file on his lap that contains pictures of Reese, Jessica, and Peter. Just as Reese walks away, Finch silently says, "I'm so sorry."
Points of Interest
What happened to Jessica has been slowly revealed through the season culminating in this episode revealing her murder.
Finch and Reese's true first meeting is revealed.
To celebrate Person of Interest airing on Netflix starting September 1, 2015, IGN.com asked Jonathan Nolan and Greg Plageman to pick a few of their favorite episodes. "Many Happy Returns" was one of the episodes they picked. Plageman stated that he enjoyed how emotional and moving the episode was, and with its flashbacks, gave a lot of insight into one of Reese and Finch's first interactions, as well as flesh out some of Reese's motivation for his actions. He also loved the use of the Danger Mouse song at the end of the episode.
This is another flashback heavy episode. Flashbacks will be in bold print for clarity.
Episode opens with montage of Reese and Jessica's romance ending with their last phone conversation.
Reese is on a bus to New Rochelle, and a young man noticing him asks if he is ok. Reese responds that he thinks he just quit his job. He moves his arm to check on what appears to be a bleeding wound (presumably from being shot by Kara Stanton).
Finch greets John at the library and wishes him a happy birthday. He also informs John that since there is no number, he has the day off and gives him a present. Reese leaves and Finch pulls up that day's POI Karen Garner.
Reese is playing xiangqi in a park with a friend, Mr. Han. Han asks if John has received any gifts. When Reese opens the package he was given by Finch, he finds a key, but no other information.
Carter is approached by FBI Agent Nicholas Donnelly about his investigation of Reese. He informs her that they have information about DNA that ties Reese to a case involving smugglers and a cold case from 2011 in New Rochelle, New York. He invites Carter to assist on the investigation, but she initially refuses. Later Finch encourages her to change her mind.
Reese enters a hospital in New Rochelle and proceeds to the nurses' station, where he asks about Jessica. He is informed about Jessica's death in a car crash two months previously. Devastated, he turns to leave and bumps into a patient in a wheelchair on the way out. He apologizes without looking at the patient.
Finch enlists the aid of Fusco. They discuss Karen and whether she is a criminal or on the run. Fusco loses Karen when she ducks into a store. Finch then proceeds to the bar where she works, looking for her, only to be told that she is off. A U.S. Marshal, Brad Jennings, follows Finch out of the bar to question him, where the two are confronted by a visibly annoyed Reese, who takes Finch away in a car using his police alias, Stills.
At the library, Finch reveals that he is working a case of an abused woman. He informs Reese that when he was working on The Machine, he would note that the same number could repeatedly come up, and he finally realized that he was looking at the numbers of people who were being abused. Reese, after a tense exchange with Finch, set off to Karen's apartment. He confirms that Karen, who's name is actually Sarah Jennings, is running from her abusive husband, and the team confirms that he is in fact the Marshal that confronted Finch earlier.
Jessica calls Reese's phone and leaves a message that she needs to talk. Her husband, Peter, confronts her about the call.
Carter has traveled to New Rochelle where she discovers that Peter was in debt to loan sharks and Donnelly thinks that they hired Reese to kill him, although no body was ever found. Carter talks to the medical examiner and concludes, after looking at the evidence, that Peter was abusing Jessica and probably killed her using the accident to cover up the murder.
Jessica and Peter are seen arguing and Peter pushes Jessica, who falls and hits her head on the kitchen countertop. Peter, realizing that Jessica is dead, initially starts to call 911 but stops. He arranges a car accident to make it appear that Jessica died in the roll-over crash.
After interviewing Jessica's mother, Sharon, Carter is looking through some of Jessica's things and discovers a picture of a smiling Reese and Jessica.
Sarah is arrested attempting to leave New York and returned to her abusive husband. Finch shows Reese that the car of the deputy Marshall can be tracked, and an angered Reese orders Finch out of the car and takes off after them. Reese finds the motel where they have stopped and attacks and subdues Jennings and tells Sarah to leave, that she is free. Reese is later stopped by Carter, who has been alerted by Finch. She tells him that he can't execute Jennings, but he tells her that he has to do what needs to be done and leaves.
Peter comes home to find Reese has broken in. He confronts Reese, who after watching the video and listening to the saved message from Jessica, realizes that Peter abused Jessica. Reese explains that he left Jessica behind and asks who he is supposed to be now that Jessica is gone. Peter picks up a fireplace poker ,and Reese attacks him.
Reese and Finch meet up under the Queensboro bridge where Finch says he neglected to give him part of his gift, a business card for Harold Wren with an address to an apartment that Reese opens with his gift key. He finds that it has an overlooking view of where he played xiangqi with Mr. Han.
Carter, who has requested Reese's military file, reviews it and destroys it. She keeps the picture of Reese and Jessica. She is later contacted by Gustavo Peña, a warden at Torreón penitentiary in Mexico, who informs her that 'her fugitive' has been delivered by a 'Marshal Jennings' and will be spending a long time in prison. She confirms that the prison has “one or two” other Americans as well.
After being informed of Jessica's death, Reese leaves the hospital. He bumps into a patient in a wheelchair on the way out, for which time he apologizes without looking at the patient. The patient is revealed to be Finch, who then looks at a file on his lap that contains pictures of Reese, Jessica, and Peter. Just as Reese walks away, Finch silently says, "I'm so sorry."
Points of Interest
What happened to Jessica has been slowly revealed through the season culminating in this episode revealing her murder.
Finch and Reese's true first meeting is revealed.
To celebrate Person of Interest airing on Netflix starting September 1, 2015, IGN.com asked Jonathan Nolan and Greg Plageman to pick a few of their favorite episodes. "Many Happy Returns" was one of the episodes they picked. Plageman stated that he enjoyed how emotional and moving the episode was, and with its flashbacks, gave a lot of insight into one of Reese and Finch's first interactions, as well as flesh out some of Reese's motivation for his actions. He also loved the use of the Danger Mouse song at the end of the episode.
As I noted in another context, Person of Interest was a very innovative and influential series. Alan Ritchson's Reacher, for instance, I count among the influenced. Minority Report is another to my mind.
posted by y2karl at 11:02 AM on November 30
posted by y2karl at 11:02 AM on November 30
POI is more ensemble to me whereas Minority Report and Reacher are more about lone men battling injustice/corruption. A main theme of the show is about how caring for others is important-that apathy is actively destructive not just to others, but to one's self. And that's certainly not a theme I got from Minority Report (which is based on a novel written in 1956).
posted by miss-lapin at 11:29 AM on November 30
posted by miss-lapin at 11:29 AM on November 30
Your points are all well taken. I did not make myself clear. I see a common strain in their looks. Person of Interest set the standard in how to present a dystopian near future in its time. To my mind whoever shot Minority Report had not forgotten POI and took it to next step.
posted by y2karl at 4:11 PM on November 30
posted by y2karl at 4:11 PM on November 30
Minority Report the 2002 Spielberg movie with Tom Cruise (which the clip is from), or Minority Report the 2014 television series (which seems mostly forgotten)?
posted by Pryde at 6:36 PM on November 30
posted by Pryde at 6:36 PM on November 30
She confirms that the prison has “one or two” other Americans as well.
Indirectly answering the question of what happened at the end of "Cura te Ipsum". Apparently Reese has been dumping irredeemable perps into a Mexican prison. I guess that's personal growth because it definitely isn't what happened to Peter.
posted by mmoncur at 11:07 PM on November 30 [2 favorites]
Indirectly answering the question of what happened at the end of "Cura te Ipsum". Apparently Reese has been dumping irredeemable perps into a Mexican prison. I guess that's personal growth because it definitely isn't what happened to Peter.
posted by mmoncur at 11:07 PM on November 30 [2 favorites]
I got into Person of Interest because I loved Lost. Michael Emerson made such impression on me in the latter that I started watching POI from the start. But I was disappointed years later when I found out Jim Caveziel turned out to be a QAnon fanboy Trump supporter. Person of Interest was also where I became aware of Taraji P Henson, whose experience there was not a pleasant one. That show was certainly star crossed for its stars.
posted by y2karl at 2:04 PM on December 1 [1 favorite]
posted by y2karl at 2:04 PM on December 1 [1 favorite]
So I think it would be the case that Minority Report influenced Person of Interest (and indeed a lot of movies and even real life designs), and not the other way around?
posted by Pryde at 2:38 PM on December 1 [1 favorite]
posted by Pryde at 2:38 PM on December 1 [1 favorite]
Oof, this one is grim and sad; poor Jessica. Also grim: Finch explaining the meaning of the recurring numbers.
I'm a little vague on the Carter thing: why does she shred the file? My initial assumption was because she has learned -- and/or connected the dots to learn -- the same thing we the audience did about why Reese was in New Rochelle. But on reflection: has she instead -- or also -- acted to take Reese further out of the system by destroying the record?
The "Finch in the wheelchair in the flashback" reveal felt very heavily Lost-inflected.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 4:31 PM on December 3 [2 favorites]
I'm a little vague on the Carter thing: why does she shred the file? My initial assumption was because she has learned -- and/or connected the dots to learn -- the same thing we the audience did about why Reese was in New Rochelle. But on reflection: has she instead -- or also -- acted to take Reese further out of the system by destroying the record?
The "Finch in the wheelchair in the flashback" reveal felt very heavily Lost-inflected.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 4:31 PM on December 3 [2 favorites]
My thought is Carter is covering her tracks so no one sees the file and connects John with her Man in the Suit search.
posted by miss-lapin at 4:48 PM on December 3
posted by miss-lapin at 4:48 PM on December 3
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This is one of the recurrent themes of POI, what loss does to us and the range of responses to it.
posted by miss-lapin at 9:35 AM on November 30 [1 favorite]