Person of Interest: Asylum

April 29, 2015 7:51 PM - Season 4, Episode 21

Fusco and Reese are caught in a rivalry between two crime bosses, Elias and Dominic; a clue regarding Shaw's location may result in Root and Finch being caught in a trap.
posted by oh yeah! (7 comments total)

Well, next week is the season finale and by this time last year the network had renewed for the fourth season. The ratings this season have been quite a bit lower than the previous seasons, but otherwise still relatively strong. A nine is pretty good these days. Even so, I wouldn't be surprised if it was renewed for an abbreviated fifth and final season. I hope not, although it's true the 20+ episode seasons haven't been doing the show any favors.

But I liked this episode a lot. We didn't get a resolution in New York -- I'm not sure how that will play out. I'm very happy, though, with the Machine being proven -- again -- to be benevolent. Maybe Howard will finally believe it. I don't at all want the show to accept root's benevolent god view of the Machine, but I very much like the idea of a powerful AI that is benevolent and in a partnership with humans to combat a malevolent AI. That storyline interests me a lot. That's what they've been doing, but it's been a little ambiguous, with FInch articulating the show's and presumably the audience's ambivalence about the Machine. I prefer the Machine to be clearly a force for good.

Colantoni is always welcome. I never want him to be killed. But he might be best in small doses.

I don't know what they're doing with Shaw. It's not entirely implausible that she could be turned, given that the show has always been clear on the fact that she's mostly an amoral sociopath who happened to find herself comfortable with some friendships.

Happy to see whatshername finally killed. And by root in a satisfying fashion. That character was cartoonish in a bad way and the actor didn't help. Long overdue.

If they kill Fusco, I'm going to be pissed. He's not exactly my favorite character and I prefer him in small doses, mostly, but he's an absolutely critical element to this show.

I never know what to think about the government woman. I don't always like the portrayal, but I do like the conception of the characterization. And I sometimes like the portrayal a lot. I guess I feel like the writers and the actor are aiming at the right target, it's interesting and impressive, but they don't quite hit where they intend. She's a little off, somehow.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 8:44 PM on April 29, 2015

I don't know what they're doing with Shaw. It's not entirely implausible that she could be turned, given that the show has always been clear on the fact that she's mostly an amoral sociopath who happened to find herself comfortable with some friendships.

I don't think she's going to be turned so much as reprogrammed. We've had two episodes in which Samaritan was developing an interest in implantable technologies, and I fear Shaw is going to be turned into a prototype Borg.

I'm glad to see Control has finally wised up to Samaritan. I wonder if she'll try to go after Decima.
posted by homunculus at 9:36 PM on April 29, 2015

I found it cute when Root and Finch was pretending that Finch is a delusional schizophrenic.

Was ready to drop the show at the beginning of this season, but I've been mostly impressed. But, yeah, 23 eps is pretty long. Perhaps a shortened farewell season is the most dignified way to go.
posted by porpoise at 9:13 AM on April 30, 2015

I really liked this one. Everything is coming to a head. Rousseau is dead, Control is on the hunt, Finch playing the paranoid schizophrenic with the truth.

I'm surprised that Elias appeared ready to go down with the ship. And I'd prefer Shaw to just be dead.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 5:05 PM on May 1, 2015

And I'd prefer Shaw to just be dead

< shrieks and lights a candle > Okay, I googled it and this actress gave birth--twins--in March so it's possible, the show hasn't been renewed yet, that she will be back in kick-ass form for when filming starts again.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:14 AM on May 2, 2015

I'm wondering if everything is going according to The Machine's misleading, deceptive plan, or if Control will save the day.
posted by Pronoiac at 11:46 PM on May 2, 2015

Yay that Martine is finally dead, and yes, that was a pretty great death. Although I do wonder where Root got her fighting skills. She's not ex-military like Reese and Shaw; she's a hacker.

I've always liked Elias, who makes a great villain. He always reminds me of Professor Moriarty from the Sherlock Holmes stories. Control is another good villain. The interesting thing about her is that she's supposed to be on the good side, i.e., the Machine, but she's actually an evil person.
posted by orange swan at 8:34 PM on October 5, 2015