Person of Interest Review: Episode 3.23 – “Deus Ex Machina”

What a finale!  What a season!  What a ride we’re going to be on come September and Season 4!  Whew.  This was my favorite season finale – and I truly enjoyed Arrow’s as well as Grimm’s but that’s for a different article.

I love that Root’s entire season arc was so well thought out and that this episode brought all the pieces together so completely.  She has gone from diabolical and shadowy enemy to true comrade in arms.  I’m so glad she — and Amy Acker, will be around for Season 4.  The voiceover at the end pulled it all together and set the stage for the next chapter.  I’m eager for it to start.


Harold has been through so much, and yet no doubt will rise again.  I wonder if he’ll go by Phoenix at some point next season, for he truly will rise from the ashes.  Shaw, like Root, went through quite a transition this season from willing killer to reluctant ally to full-fledged partner in saving people.  It was right that she looked at Hersh and said:  Well, I guess we’re not going to question them.  It showed the transition she made from Hersh’s perfectly trained killer to protector.  I’m glad that she and Hersh had a little moment a couple of episodes ago and then again here.  Oh, Hersh, you would have been a good ally to have, but someone had to valiantly trying to stop the terrorism.  You were good, very good, Hersh.  You will be missed.

I love that Hersh and Reese discussed, right in front of Fusco, the trial, Vigilance, and the Machine and poor Fusco knew nothing about it.  Without missing a beat, Reese simply switched gears and said that they needed to find Finch – something Fusco does understand.  It also was a great way to hint at the fact that the trial wasn’t being streamed anywhere, something poor Collier learned at the end.

Decima has shown itself to be an extremely dangerous enemy, and Greer a true mastermind.  Not only did Greer try to destroy the Machine beginning in Dead Reckoning – which also revealed that he had been planning that move for two years, minimally, prior; but here it is revealed that Greer also manipulated Vigilance to do Decima’s dirty work so that Samaritan could come online, and Finch, Reese, Shaw, and Root would be on the run.  He showed just how far he is willing to go as he killed not only Collier, and saw to it that his Vigilance colleagues would similarly be killed, but he also killed off his own people and all those in the courthouse.  Greer is truly deadly.

“Deux Ex Machina” was possible because of so many moments in time, but notably I’ll mention two:  Root’s decision earlier this season when she chose to help John save one of the three computer geniuses and Harold’s decision – as well as John’s – not to kill McCourt.  Because of those two decisions, those two moments in time, the chip was taken to power Samaritan, and the decision to green light the project was fast-tracked through Congress.  Similar to Season 1’s choice to save Elias – which at the time seemed so bad, but oh, how I hope Elias returns in Season 4 – the ripples spread outward and continue on.

I know Fusco didn’t have much to do here; he brought a message, as well as Bear, and was good for a laugh as we are all reminded that Fusco is the one person in this group that knows nothing of the larger mythology.  While a part of me wishes he did know the larger mythology, a part of me is very happy that he does not.  It will bring a wealth of interesting moments next season as Fusco tries to figure out why Reese, Finch, and Shaw, and likely Root as well, have altered their procedures.  Jonah Nolan and Greg Plageman gave an interview post-Season 3 and indicated that it’s going to be very interesting next season as we not only are dropped into the lives of individuals in need of assistance, but also as we watch our beloved Team Machine continue their mission while at the same time becoming new people in order to evade the prying eyes of Samaritan.  So, for those fans out there who wanted to see Reese cook a meal and live a life, it sounds like some of that is on the horizon.

Season 1 ended with a sense of desperation:  Finch taken by Root and John demanding answers from the Machine.  Season 2 ended with a sense of intrigue as Root was contacted by the Machine, while we simultaneously saw the Machine reach out to Control and to Finch.  The hiatus was spent by many wondering just what the Machine had in store next.  Season 3 ends on a much darker note, our beloved Team Machine is dismantled, the library compromised and destroyed – and Carter’s photo shown among the destruction – wonder what questions that will lead to for Fusco, and our friends, Reese, Finch, Shaw, and Root, are all cast out into the real world to hide in plain sight.  Root said many interesting things as she wrapped up everything at the end, but one is very intriguing as she mentioned that Samaritan has a blind spot for the seven people who could possibly stop it (Samaritan).  Oh, the possibilities. 

Next season will – as the creators said in an interview – be, in essence, smaller with Reese and Finch and Co. appearing as normal ‘Joes’ in the world, which also grounds the show, all while the larger war rages on with Samaritan hunting for them, and Greer pulling all the strings. 

Notes of Interest:

Not sure whose farewell I enjoyed more, Shaw’s with Hersh or Reese and Hersh:  “Next time I see you, I’ll probably have to kill you.”  (Hersh)  “Well, you’re welcome to try.”  (Reese)

Once again Person of Interest tops itself.  Some of my most favorite moments this season have gone during musical montages, one with no voiceover and one with:  The Devil’s Share and Deus Ex Machina.

It’s a long hiatus, but we get to enjoy the repeats – starting next week with the Endgame/The Crossing/ The Devil’s Share arc and then launching us into Lethe and Alethia and onward.  I’ll also be spending my evenings with Season 1 and 2 leading into the arrival of Season 4.  Thank you, CBS, for being so brave in allowing Nolan and Plageman to bring their vision to life.  Thank you, Jonah Nolan and Greg Plageman, for staying true to your vision.  And thank you to the entire cast and the amazing – and often unsung – crew of Person of Interest.  Get some rest and rev up for more episodes in Season 4.

Thanks for reading, Elle2