Contributor: Edmund B.
Written by David Slack
Directed by Chris Fisher
After my reservations about the previous Finch-centric episode, “Person of Interest” smacked me upside the head for my doubts with one of its finest outings ever. The setup, Carter tasked with interrogating Reese, led me to expect perhaps a variation on one of the other stellar episodes this season, “Homeland”‘s “Q&A”. Instead, what we got melded almost all of the show’s major themes and players into a seamless, gripping whole.
Calling the episode “Prisoner’s Dilemma” promises a race to see which of the four Men in Suits cracks first. While they all have things to hide, any of the other three can inmediately identify Reese as the odd man out if they break ranks. Watching Carter return to her roots in military intelligence feels much more natural than her escapades in “2PiR.” It’s a delicate juggling act as she tries to steer Donnelly away without drawing his suspicion. Even Finch is pushed to the limit maintaining Reese’s on-line cover, while trying to discredit one of the others. We also discover how far he’ll go to protect John, maintaining fake offices as a front for John’s ‘job’.
When Donnelly hands Carter an ear bud, it serves up the delicious scenario of watching Carter literally juggle two voices in her head. Her own war stories, and John mining his past just enough to keep his story plausible, both buys time for Finch’s hacking and fills in a few more pieces of their background. It doesn’t reach the emotional intensity of Carrie and Brody in “Q&A”, but it still provides telling character beats in the midst of the turmoil.
Simply being in prison presents a whole other set of problems. The nest of vipers Reese lands in includes Bear’s original owners, the Washington hitman intent on taking out all four Men in Suits, and, of course, Elias. With the tables turned, Elias becomes John’s protector, thanks to his continued gratitude (and Harold’s chess prowess). Plus, having John and Harold owe him a favor is far more valuable than anything the FBI could offer him.
Amidst all the focus on Reese, they even sneak a number into the mix. When I saw supermodel Karolina Kurkova’s name in the credits, I wondered where she’d fit into Reese’s rescue. It turns out she’s the Person of Interest that Fusco has to handle solo, an assignment he resists precisely as long as it takes to download her photo. All we get just a hilarious series of brief glimpses, punctuated by fruitless calls for aid to Finch. The final one reachs Finch as he dons riot gear, thinking a direct assault on Rikers is their only option.
Instead, Reese is on his way out, and all seems well, until Agent Donnelly crashes Reese and Carter’s waterfront meeting. The episode was so packed, I fully expected the arrest of Reese and Carter to lead into the credits, only to see a final act that kicked the show to a whole new level.
Stanton appears throughout in flashbacks that reinforce her instability and Reese’s methods of coping with it. It lulled me into thinking that was her only role in the episode. Having her come roaring into the present, with the same dump truck takedown Reese has used, is both thrilling and chilling. Reese is faced with a classic case of going from the frying pan into the fire. The threat of Donnelly has been eliminated, but now Reese is in the hands of his equivalent of Root. And, with Stanton’s training, prying him loose is a whole different proposition from the one they just navigated.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Directing: 2/2
Style: 4/4
Total Score: 10/10
