Person of Interest – Synecdoche

By: Alex Steele

After the heart-wrenching results of last week’s episode, the death of Root (Amy Acker) and Finch (Michael Emerson) somewhat missing, this week was sure to keep the drama on high level. Titled Synecdoche, the episode opened on a cemetery. For those who wondered if Root would get a funeral, I believe we got something better – something much more suited to our favorite perky, psychopath. It’s overcast and raining when we see two suited figures watching over a newly packed grave. The two visitors, Fusco (Kevin Chapman) and Reese (Jim Caviezel), are beautifully stoic as they remember their fallen comrade (noticeably missing Shaw). Stating she deserves to be buried like a soldier, Reese knows how hard Root fought. And what made this scene even more poignant is Fusco admission of admiration for Root, her conviction. Who would have thought a eulogy from these two would leave the “Person of Interest” fandom in tears? With one last farewell – “Rest in Peace Cocoa Puffs” – Reese and Fusco have a newfound motivation to finish what Root started.

Elsewhere, we see Finch stalled on the side of a road somewhere in Kentucky. And then we hear it – Root’s voice (or now the Machine’s voice). Our feelings rise to the surface again. It is surely a universal belief that Amy Acker gave us a one-of-a-kind character with Root, but now as the voice of a previously hidden ASI, she is other worldly; a creative choice so accurately made. As Harold and the Machine (it is still hard to not write Root) discuss what his plan is moving forward, his attitude towards his beloved ASI becomes apparent. We aren’t the only ones adapting to Root’s voice as The Machine, as we hear Harold abruptly state that he does not want to hear any of this in her voice. His grief over the loss of his friend is understated yet intoxicating. The Machine states that maybe he’s on his way to Texas, which is where Samantha Groves was born after all. The Machine just doesn’t seem to quit and when Harold continues to say that she cannot begin to imagine the loss of Miss Groves, this hits a nerve with the more than technological ASI. The next line is something of deep soul and commitment –

“I loved her. You taught me how.” – The Machine

Interrupting this elegant exchange, Harold is held up by a police officer questioning him about his car and his plans. But with The Machine on his side, Harold is safe before he’s even in danger. Continuing on, the Machine reminds Harold that she sees everything and everyone and what is love if not being seen? Words to review this exchange are just not enough as Amy Acker and Michael Emerson deliver a dynamic so powerful.

Samantha Groves was special. She chose to do good, ever since she found you. You can’t conceive of my grief because you can’t experience it like I do.” – The Machine

Talk about humanizing! Talk about soul-touching! Amy Acker as The Machine, talking about her love for Amy Acker as Root, is layered, complex and depth-defying to say the least. And for the first time in five seasons, our hearts ache for the pain of The Machine. When she continues of to state how “virtually indistinguishable” her and Root are, we understand just how profound their connection is, was and will continue to be. But just as we think our grief couldn’t get any harder, in the next scene we cut to Shaw (Sarah Shahi). She’s standing on a merry-go-round, vision downcast and blank. It doesn’t take the audience any time to realize how significant this is. She’s retreated to the one place she feels safe. Root was her safe place and with that now gone, reality seems so much starker to our insular Shaw. She reaches behind her ear, searching for a scar, the chip. Breaking out of her trance, Reese has arrived to check in on her and when asked how she is, Shaw retorts, “I’m not feeling anything.” But with the brilliant talent that is Sarah Shahi, it’s written in her eyes. Reese pushes her to make a decision and she has made one – suddenly revealing her face to the nearest camera. The anger is obvious, this simulation sucks and she’s done with it all. But Reese needs her, they need her. And when the phone rings with their new number, it’s all hands on deck especially when the President is in fact the number that comes up.

Arriving in DC, the first point of business is actually a very fancy cocktail party of which Reese and Shaw attend. Let’s just take a moment to appreciate Shaw in her little black dress and the fact that when Fusco questions Reese about Shaw he states that even though we don’t see her grieving it doesn’t mean that she isn’t. The understanding Reese has and is showing Shaw during this period is absolutely heart-warming. At the party, Shaw gets in with her invitation yet Reese must come up with a plan to crash the party. Luckily, Logan Pierce (Jimmi Simpson), a familiar face from back in the day, arrives just in time for Reese to play “security guard.” As Reese and Shaw get to work, they discover that the bomb isn’t in fact inside the party, but has been planted outside. Being ingenious the only way they know how, they dispose of the bomb in a fridge, ultimately foiling the terrorist attack. Yet, the terrorists don’t stop there, as they broadcast a message across all television stations and computer screens of a planned attack on the President. The situation is officially real now.

Harold is next seen sitting at a coffee shop, alone yes, but it seems as though being alone is a thing of the past now that the Machine has a voice. The Machine doesn’t know why he is doing this to himself, why he never got the surgery and he admits that the pain tethers him to the world. But shockingly, he continues to state that he thinks of the Machine as a crime, but the Machine doesn’t believe as such. She encourages Finch that if he wants to be the man to improve the world, he must allow her to reach her full potential. All she can do is watch, unable to do anything, but he built her to help. Michael Emerson is next-level in this scene. The pain he has lived with for so long now becoming more and more apparent.

Back in DC, Shaw and Reese have captured a shady looking waiter from the party and are about to do their best good cop/bad cop. Reese is first and, of course, he is the good cop yet when that fails and the hostage – Charlie – doesn’t reveal anything Shaw steps in. It’s bad cop time and we all know that Charlie should be scared. Even with her inability to feel emotions the way others do, Sarah Shahi has really perfected Shaw’s emotional illustration this season and this scene is an example of that. She’s focused on the task and as volatile as ever, but what makes it even more haunting in the hidden grief. The undercurrent of sadness she feels over the loss of Root. The brokenness is apparent and none more so than when she admits her anger to Charlie that he has people he can love and he chose to sign their death warrants. Our hearts break in unison as we watch Shaw crack. What “Person of Interest” and Shahi have done successfully is illustrate that emotional trauma and grief are communicated in different ways. And that is okay.

With her interrogation techniques working, Charlie (Will Brill) admits to not working for the government but in fact it sounds like a shadow organization. They set it up so Charlie escapes and as Shaw and Fusco track him down what is uncovered is a shadow organization of sorts. Truth be told, it looks quite similar to Team Machine headquarters. This discovery is short-lived when the occupants of the house corner Shaw. Listening to their leader’s speech about stopping surveillance is obviously boring Shaw and as she reads every last person in the room. What comes next is a beautiful display of bad-ass skill. She takes them all down with the help of a blackout and Fusco, too. Team Machine is certainly well oiled. Now having power of this, Team Machine does their best to work out when, and how the assassination attempt will occur. Reese feels as though he is being watched, while Shaw knocks out a sniper to get a better view of it all. Fusco stands by, filling the role of Finch, and swiftly discovers that a drone will be responsible for the attempt on the Presidents life.

As the episode reaches its climax, Shaw must literally shoot at the President (Joel Haberli) to stop an imminent attack. The plan is a way to ensure the President isn’t put in the line of fire of an incoming drone. And surprisingly it works; however, Reese and Shaw are then trapped inside a building with the Secret Service and Army on their heels. When they are cornered inside, outnumbered too, the mayhem twins take moment to let captors think they’ve won. In fact, they are just biding their time to kick their butts. And do they ever! Successfully subduing a number of armed gunmen, Shaw feels better and even starts to believe that this isn’t a simulation. Making their way to the exit, once again they are stopped in their tracks. This time though, Joey (James Carpinello) is the one that comes to their rescue. Much to their shock, Joey has Army uniforms which allows for their safe exit. Once in the clear, Shaw works out that Samaritan is the one who deemed the President “not relevant” and that it is time, once and for all, to take the fight to them. That is what Root would have wanted. And with the mention of Root’s name, the audience is again a puddle of emotions. Not to mention Reese knows exactly what this behavior of Shaw’s represents – she’s mourning and it is her grief. Meanwhile, Fusco is saved also by a familiar face – remember Harper (Annie Ilonzeh) from last season? She returns as a Homeland Security agent to save Fusco’s butt.

Reuniting with Finch, he is seen at a computer mainframe and through his discussion with the Machine we discover he is implanting a virus – Ice 9 – that will defeat Samaritan. Unfortunately, there will be collateral damage and even with a warning and near death experience Finch continues on his mission. Michael Emerson inhabiting this darkness has been such a thrill, the evolution and unravelling of his once in control persona is phenomenal. But within this darkness is also vulnerability. Regarding the Machine’s voice, he admits “hers is a voice I miss.” The delivery, the honesty, the sadness – all of it just demonstrates how deep the loss of Root has hit.

Returning to the scene in DC, Reese and Fusco are joined by Joey, Logan and Harper who inform them that they work for the Machine also. They do what Team Machine does. And while Fusco and Reese were tasked with protecting the President, they were tasked with protecting them. And with that “Person of Interest” delivers another twist. How many other assets does The Machine have? Could this war actually be won?