POI 2x03, "Masquerade" watchalong

[kindkit]

halotolerant and I are watching S2 of Person of Interest together-ish and talking about it. We're taking turns making discussion posts for each episode. Anyone who wants to join in is welcome, but PLEASE no spoilers (not even hints) past the episode we're discussing.

This week's number is Sofia, the daughter of a Brazilian diplomat. Reese gets a job as her bodyguard, and at first it's assumed that the threat has to do with her father's political ambitions. But when Sofia's friend Gabi turns up dead, we learn that in fact Sofia and Gabi witnessed a meeting connected to the murder of a drug dealer. Sofia's American boyfriend turns out to be involved; he leads the killer to Sofia to protect himself, but she's rescued by Fusco, Reese, and Carter.

Meanwhile, Carter is investigating the death of Alicia Corwin and discovers that CIA agent Snow, who appears to have gone rogue, is doing the same thing. Snow turns out to be unwillingly working for Reese's ex-CIA partner Kara, who is controlling Snow by means of a bomb strapped to his chest.

Reese is continuing to try to find Root, but is trying to hide his investigation from Finch, who is traumatized by the kidnapping. But Reese is not as sneaky as he thinks he is and Finch finds out.

Comments

[kindkit]

1) This week's main plot is a bit of a snoozer, with no surprises and some irritating nightclub scenes and strobe effects. But I was expecting something one-shot and unchallenging after the plot-heavy and arc-heavy season openers.

2) I'm losing track of the CIA plot. Who's the bad guy who had whatever it was (microchip?) removed from Corwin's arm? He was connected with Denton Weeks, right? I guess he's in charge of the coverup within the CIA? I don't have a very good memory for faces and POI has a lot of characters who appear for five minutes and then turn up again a month and a half later. But it seems to break down to: there are baddies within the CIA (and other national security services?) who want control of the machine; Alicia Corwin and anyone she was working with want the machine shut down; Kara just wants revenge for the CIA trying to blow her and Reese to bits in China. It's clear, although I don't think it's ever been specifically stated, that what happened in China was an attempt to decrypt the machine's operating system. Presumably it failed, and at that point everyone who'd had contact with it was wiped out.

3) Finch's hand is still bandaged, so presumably this episodes takes place not long after the kidnapping. I like the way his trauma was slowly revealed, from his first nervous "I don't need to talk about it" and Reese's understated concern, to the way we gradually see that he is afraid to go outside, and then the panic attack when he has to try. I like, too, that he'd been trying to nerve himself up and was preparing to to take the dog for a walk--but then he discovers the Root file (hidden by Reese?) and apparently isn't able to do it after that. Where's he been sleeping, though? If he can't go outside, presumably he can't leave the library. Actually it wouldn't surprise me if he spends a lot of nights in the library anyway.

I give kudos to the show for even realizing that Finch would be traumatized by everything he went through--in so many TV shows characters go through hell and forget about it instantly afterwards--and for the careful way it was handled.

4) Reese is so protective. I love it. "If anyone ever messes with you, he'll eat 'em" he says of Bear. He's extremely gentle with Finch but also careful not to shame him--like his matter-of-fact response when Finch says that "complications" will prevent him looking after Sofia. And of course the last scene is lovely; I'm happily imagining the two of them sitting in a nice bar somewhere and chatting over beer or wine.

Also, not on a protective but an admiring note, there was Reese's little testimonial to Sofia about how "someone" saved him--which of course Finch, still calming down from his panic attack, hears and hopefully is comforted by.

5) Just in general, I love how the show keeps demonstrating the fact that Finch is not an action hero--he's physically vulnerable, he hates violence, he's not fearless--without ever mocking or belittling him for it.

ETA: Importantly, we also see his courage. Despite his trauma, he takes the Root file and puts it all up on the board, showing Reese that it isn't an unmentionable topic. Interestingly it's right after this that Reese pushes Finch to come outside. There's an unspoken communication: Finch says he's going to be all right, and Reese says okay, come on and let me help you be all right.

6) I said in the discussion of 2x01 and 2x02 that I didn't love the dog thing. I still don't, but I'm adjusting. I really liked Finch's gradual warming to Bear. Also in that earlier discussion Halo mentioned the way Reese and Bear are paralleled, and I think that's even more evident here, where Reese gives Bear to a very reluctant Finch in part as someone who can protect Finch when Reese can't. The final shot of Finch walking down the street with Bear on one side and Reese on the other underscores it.

Plus, if there's anyone who could use some unconditional doggy love, it's Finch.

7) Fusco got to save the day, sort of! Fusco is my least favorite of the main cast (it's not that I don't like him, but, well, someone has to be the least favorite), but I liked his bonding with Sofia ("so, do you like falafel?") and his getting to be heroic, even if Reese had to then rescue both of them.

[vilakins]

Plus, if there's anyone who could use some unconditional doggy love, it's Finch.

Absolutely! I love Bear, and how Reese and Finch have to give him commands in Dutch.