- Title: Person of Interest – Critical
- tv.com: link
The latest number delivered by The Machine introduces some unusual problems for Reese (Jim Caviezel) and Finch (Michael Emerson). First, Reese has to save the life of a previous number second time when Leon (Ken Leung) gets mixed up with the Russian mob. Second, they have to find a way to protect a surgeon (Sharon Leal) who is being blackmailed by a mysterious businessman (Julian Sands) holding her wife (Erica Leerhsen) hostage to make sure the doctor’s latest patient doesn’t survive his surgery.
Finch stays at the hospital doing all he can to find the connection to the blackmailer, even calling in the help of Leon to help to investigate why someone would want the CEO dead, as Reese heads to the park to keep the doctor’s wife safe. Although he’s able to take out the first sniper, the blackmailer has left nothing to chance and Reese calls in the help of Fusco (Kevin Chapman) to watch over the woman as he sits down for a drink with the mysterious businessman who Reese quickly identifies as a former member of MI6 who knows Reese’s history.
Carter’s (Taraji P. Henson) begins her own investigation of a murder victim found with her business card on him which leads her to an armed robbery involving Mark Snow (Michael Kelly). The entire situation leaves the detective with more questions than answers when she sees the bomb strapped to his chest and hears his ranting about what “she” (Annie Parisse) will do.
Although the reach of our villain is a little far-fetched and his motives are rather uninspired (a windfall based on shorting the CEO’s stock due to his untimely death), Sands is well-cast and an intriguing foil for Reese. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see turn up again. The short timeline of events, and Reese not knowing how many operatives he will have to take on to protect the potential victim provide a great deal of tension. I also like the idea of reintroducing Reese’s old partner (Parisse) through Carter’s story which leads the detective to ask Reese for answers neither she, nor our hero, are sure Carter really wants to know the answers to.
