Person of Interest: Booked Solid
December 18, 2024 10:28 PM - Season 2, Episode 15 - Subscribe

Reese and Finch race to save a hotel maid's life but find themselves surrounded by more suspects than they may be able to eliminate when they realize any guest or staff member could be her potential killer. Meanwhile, Detective Carter weighs a major offer from the FBI.

The Machine monitors a conversation in Serbia between a man and a woman. The woman, Sanja, confirms that the girl saw everything. The man, Charles Harris, says he can keep the girl safe.

In New York, Reese and Finch go to a hotel where Finch talks about hotels at length. They go in via the employee entrance and change into hotel uniforms. Their new number is Mira Dobrica, a maid who spends most of her time at the hotel. Finch has gotten Reese a job as a bellhop while he works as a concierge, and warns Reese that there are 700 guests in the hotel and they have no idea who the killer will be.

The manager, Derek Fowler, comes over and thanks Finch for coming in on short notice. He introduces Bud Garrison, his doorman, and explains that they're hosting an event for the Association of Aviation Technology the next day. Derek then orders Reese to work. He gets in an elevator and finds Zoe taking the car up. They chat briefly and Zoe admits that she's working a job. Once she leaves, Reese plants a camera on Mira's cart and then hears her in a guest's room, insisting she didn't steal his money. The guest is Tug Brantley, a CEO for an energy drink company. Tug tries to blackmail her into having sex with him but she walks out. Reese comes in and stops him from pursuing her, warning that he'll go to the police if he persists with the sexual harassment.

Tug backs down and Reese checks with Mira. She says that she could handle it but thanks him for his intervention, and they introduce themselves to each other. Mira warns him that Derek has staffed only one bellhop, who is lazy, in addition to Reese. As Mira goes back to work, Reese clones her phone and tells Finch that he likes her. Finch has heard back from Immigration and learned that Mira is a survivor of the Kosovo War and sought refugee status. She was 16 at the time, and her family didn't make it out.

Special Counsel calls Hersh, who has finally gotten out of Rikers and assures his boss that he now knows who he is looking for. Special Counsel warns that their source has become compromised since Reese broke into the DoD facility, and Hersh figures that since Reese usually leaves a mess behind him, he can find the right mess, follow it to Reese, and then dispose of him.

At the station, Cal Beecher comes in to see Carter and admits that he did something wrong. He explains that his mother set him up with a girl but he told her that he's seeing someone else and it could be serious. Cal asks if Carter has told her son anything, and Carter admits that she's told Taylor a few things and asks if Cal will meet him. He agrees to meet Taylor but Carter sees Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) Moss come in and tells Cal she'll talk with him later. When Carter talks to Moss, he explains that he saw a recommendation in Special Agent Donnelly's file about his offer to make her an FBI agent. Carter says that she's still interested and Moss says that he'll begin the procedure. He warns her that she will need to take a polygraph test and promises to set it up that night. Once he leaves, Fusco, who overheard the conversation, asks his partner if she's going to go through with it and she somewhat apprehensively says that she is.

Reese checks in with Finch and admits that he still hasn't identified the threat to Mira. He spots a woman with a different guy than she was with earlier and suspects that Derek's side business is prostitution. Finch saw the same thing and already has Carter checking on solicitation activity. Derek comes over, sees Reese lurking around, and tells him to get back to work. Once Reese leaves, Carter calls Finch and tells him that vice picked up a girl on an anonymous tip a few days ago, but the girl didn't say anything and Bud posted her bail. She then asks Finch about the FBI offer and he figures that she's concerned about the polygraph due to her relationship with Finch and Reese. Finch explains that polygraphs detect physiological responses and suggests that she try lying on one of the baseline questions, and to stay clear of him and Reese for the time being. Finch then calls Reese and tells him that Carter has confirmed that Derek is running an escort service.

Mira is on her rounds when a guest comes out of Room 3215 and says that they need to talk. Finch researches the guest, Charles Harris, and checks his room service bill, discovering that he drinks a lot more than he eats. Reese is busy with a guest, Betty, who invites him suggestively to stop by anytime. Reese quickly leaves and goes up to Harris' room. He listens at the door and hears Harris telling Mira that she needs to listen to reason. Reese barges in and Harris quickly picks up some photos. Mira wonders why Reese is there and he claims he came in to check the mini-bar. Harris calls Mira "Miss Brozi" and asks her to reconsider. Outside, Mira complains that Reese keeps walking in on her and assumes that he's working with Derek. When Reese says that he knows about Derek's escort service and figures that she tipped off the police, Mira says that he should stay out of it and she doesn't need help from someone like him.

Reese checks back with Finch, who has confirmed that Harris is a freelance journalist who is persona non grata in a half-dozen countries because he's objected to their rulers. They figure that Mira may be one of his contacts, and Reese points out that a man in a turtleneck has been sitting in the lobby watching the desk since they arrived. Finch surmises the man is waiting for someone, but Reese disagrees. They make a call and Zoe comes in and sits down with the man. She starts talking with him and then spills her drink on him. The man gets up and talks to someone on an earpiece as he leaves. Finch checks the surveillance cameras and discovers that other men are moving in to cover the absent spotter. Reese identifies it as military recon tactics and they wonder who would send in a hit squad to kill a maid.

Reese checks the spotter's room, which is registered to Peter Krieg. Reese figures it's a forged ID as he searches the man's luggage, while Finch hacks Harris' computer via the hotel Wi-Fi. Reese finds files on Harris and articles he wrote about Rudko Petrovic, a colonel in Serbia who allegedly committed war crimes in Kosovo and is running for prime minister. Finch checks Harris' notes and discovers that Mira witnessed Petrovic ordering the execution of her family. Finch realizes that Petrovic sent the hit squad, and that they will move on Mira as soon as they confirm she's Harris' source; Reese worries that Mira may have already been identified.

Finch tells Reese that Harris checked out of his room remotely. Reese bursts into Harris' room and confirms that he's not there. Mira notices that a chair has been moved and when Reese pushes it away from the wall, they find bloodstains. He figures that the hit squad moved fast and cleaned things up as best they could. Mira tells Reese that she thought Harris was a drunk. She escaped Kosovo with the help of a neighbor, Sanja, and Harris found Sanja and recorded her saying that Mira could identify the colonel. Sanja turned up dead two weeks ago and Harris told Mira that she had to go public to ensure her safety. She refused and now Harris is dead. Reese promises to get her out but has to know how the hit squad determined she was the witness. Mira says that she didn't tell anyone and Reese uses his cell phone to dial hers. There's static on the line, indicating a strong electromagnetic field nearby. Reese finds a bug hidden in the air vent and realizes that they're next door.

Reese breaks into the next room and takes out the female member of the hit squad. Mira runs for it and gets into the elevator. The doors close just as Reese gets there, and Finch taps into the elevator's camera just as the passenger with her blocks it out. He draws a gun on her and tells her to use her key card to take the car to the basement. Finch stalls the car and Reese grabs a fire axe. Fusco and Finch call to warn Reese that two spotters are leaving their positions. One of them takes a large trunk out and Finch, realizing that it contains Harris' body, tells Fusco to keep them in the hotel.

The killer in the elevator demands the recording Harris made of Sanja. Meanwhile, Reese pries open the elevator doors, slides down the cable and opens the hatch, exchanging fire with the hit man briefly. The killer takes Mira as a shield but she headbutts him and Reese shoots the man in the shoulder, and then drops down and knocks him out. Meanwhile, Fusco walks to the back exit, bumping into a man who says he's looking for the bathroom. The detective gives him directions and moves on.

Fusco catches the hit squad outside as they load the trunk into their van. Fusco takes the two men out and confirms that Harris' corpse is in the trunk. Reese calls to tell Fusco to meet him and he says that he'll be there as soon as he calls it in.

Hersh gets word of the shootings and calls Special Counsel to tell him that he's moving in on Reese. Special Counsel tells him to get off the phone and go after Reese.

Reese tells Mira that Fusco will take her to the precinct where she'll be safe. She admits that she hasn't felt safe in years and she fled the country to try and find a safe place. Reese assures her that she's braver than she thinks, but Mira insists that she will put Petrovic away for good. Fusco arrives and Mira thanks Reese before leaving with the detective. Reese tells Finch to leave and he shuts down his computer.

The FBI agent asks Carter if she's ever lied to people that she's worked with or worked with a wanted criminal, and she says no to both questions. Moss comes in and whispers to the agent. Once he leaves, Carter asks what it was about but the agent ignores her question and asks about her relationship with Cal. Carter admits that they see each other socially and the agent asks if she's aware of the ongoing investigations into Cal's activities, to which she answers no.

Moss tells Carter that he's rescinding his offer of FBI employment to her. He refuses to explain why at first, saying it's confidential, but finally tells her to choose her company more wisely. As he leaves, Carter glances over at Cal.

Reese gets the disk from Mira's locker, However, Hersh finds Reese, takes his gun and phone at gunpoint, and takes him somewhere private.

Hersh takes Reese to the kitchen and orders the staff out. He then demands to know who Reese works for and shoves him to the floor. They fight until Hersh grabs Reese and tries to shove his face into a lit stove top. Reese breaks his grip, and Reese cuts Hersh just deep enough that he has 20 minutes until he bleeds to death. As he leaves, Reese asks if his employers would show him that kind of mercy.Meanwhile, Fusco brings Mira in and then goes to his desk. He tells Carter what happened and sits down. Meanwhile, the man from the hotel that bumped into Fusco comes in and claims that he was mugged. Once the desk sergeant leaves him alone, the killer glances over at Fusco and Mira.

Carter says that it might be too soon after all. Cal realizes that something is wrong and invites her to talk about it, but she says that she just needs time. Once she goes to the restroom to freshen up, the killer goes to Mira's room and garrotes her. Fusco notices and alerts Carter, who shoots the man

Cal approaches Carter and suggests that he go to the Botanical Garden with Taylor. Fusco leaves to give them some time alone and Carter says that it might be too soon after all. Cal realizes that something is wrong and invites her to talk about it, but she says that she just needs time. Once she goes to the restroom to freshen up, the killer goes to Mira's room and garrotes her. Fusco notices and alerts Carter, who shoots the man.

Later, Finch and Reese watch the news in the hotel bar showing Petrovic being taken away. Zoe comes in ,and she admits that she had some work to do involving the aeronautic conference. She congratulates them on taking down Petrovic and the escort ring. Derek has confessed and Zoe has been dealing with a number of clients who want to make sure that their names don't come up as clients. Reese explains that Finch bought the hotel to make sure that it's run properly. The new floor manager, Mira, comes in and tells them that the drinks are on the house. Once she leaves with Finch, Reese suggests that she work at the hotel. Zoe says that she's more of a freelancer and Reese says that he might even stick around for one more night. She takes the hint and figures that Reese can get the room and he shows her that he already has the key for the penthouse suite.

In Washington, Special Counsel receives a call from Hersh at the hospital. Special Counsel says that he needs Hersh in Washington D.C. ASAP. The killer says that he's on his way, unhooks himself from the IV, and walks out. Special Counsel calls in his secretary, Ms. May, to draft a letter for him. Miss May comes in with his suit and it's Root, who has been working for him for the last two months.

Points of Interest

Finch in his role of concierge recommends The Grand as a good place for dinner, stating they have the best ribeye in town. This is the same restaurant featured in “Triggerman” s2 e4.

In this episode, Hersh is referred to by name for the first time.

In the battle in the hotel kitchen, Hersh asks Reese who he works for. Reese responds "That would be telling." This is a recurring line in the 1960's television show The Prisoner. Jim Caviezel appeared in the 2009 miniseries The Prisoner based on the original snow.

The first blue screen at 00:03:45 contains text from "Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US", the President's Daily Brief prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency and given to U.S. President George W. Bush on August 6, 2001.[2]
The second blue screen at 00:22:25 contains text from Revelations 21:1, starting with "And I heard a great voice out of the temple..."[3]
The third blue screen at 00:40:13 mentions types of chemical warfare agents
posted by miss-lapin (4 comments total)
 
This episode felt like it had a lot crammed into it -- as the length of the summary suggests! -- and I'll admit that I rather lost the thread of the Serbia number-of-the-week plotline halfway through and ended up watching it more as Harold and John's hotel-related hi-jinks. Ah well. Fun enough that way:
  • Harold's concierge job gives him a lot of downtime for surveillance
  • John's slow-dawning realization about "delivering room service"
  • Fusco kicks ass, is rather indignant about it not being recognized
  • Kitchen fights are always fun
  • John and Zoe FWB relationship 100% confirmed
and then the surprise Root reveal at the end which oooooooooh: now we have two looming threats to the Machine established as we move towards the end of this season.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 12:34 PM on December 19, 2024 [2 favorites]


Oh, and the Carter-takes-a-polygraph tension oddly evaporates? Like, it's set up at the top of the episode as an "OH NO! how can Carter possibly get through this?" obstacle; then Harold is like "yeah no polygraphs are bullshit" -- not in so many words, but basically "yeah you can fool that no problem"? -- and then ultimately it's not the polygraph at all that's the insurmountable hurdle to her FBI transfer, it's the suggestion that Cal is too dirty to be associated with.

So, the polygraph was a narrative misdirect all along. On the one hand, yeah, well done, but on the other: I felt a little cheated that the show was asking me to invest in a "can Carter beat the test" question which was ultimately a macguffin.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 12:46 PM on December 19, 2024


Glad you noted the Prisoner reference! This show alludes to that one on more than one occasion (most memorably at the end of the season 3 finale, as I recall).
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 4:36 PM on December 19, 2024 [1 favorite]


Reese's initial insistence that he help Mira gave off really creepy vibes.
posted by porpoise at 2:59 AM on December 20, 2024


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