HEY THERE, SECRET LIBRARY-LAIR, HOW I'VE MISSED YOU
Ahhhh, there was so much to love in the season 2 premiere of Person of Interest! SO MUCH.
· Reese figured out Finch's system!!!!!! This show gives excellent library porn visually, but oh, when it delivers it MENTALLY AS WELL... *breathes into paper bag*
· (also: Reese's hands on the books, on the cracked clear board, writing with Finch's markers - that was meant to be erotic, right? they knew what they were filming there, didn't they?!)
· John is the contingency. OH MY HEART.
· Even though the Machine as a concept makes the marrow freeze in my bones, I was still oddly moved by the scenes of Finch "teaching" it how to... well, PLAY is the first word that comes to mind during those flashbacks. The Machine is his baby; there's something very touching about the way he speaks to it, the way he loves it, shapes his life around it - even when his life doesn't matter to him. Oh, Finch.
· The Irrelevant-of-the-Week was delightful - great performance, fun character, just the right amount of fucking annoying to underline Reese's frustration. Also nice: not another white dude! (Speaking of white dudes, the Aryan gang was a neat parallel to the Root's plot line of homicidal/delusional superiority in all its hideous glory.)
· Reese repeatedly speaking to the cameras in the middle of the street, trying to find a way to appeal to negotiate with a supercomputer... that was ridiculous and insane and utterly heartbreaking.
· Handcuffs and a ball gag happened. Then Reese made a ball gag JOKE - okay, I still can't quite believe that happened.
· ...and then John adopted a puppy. And named it (him?) Bear. Between these last two points, this episode has offered us QUITE the range of classic slash tropes. ♥
· AMY ACKER IS PERFECTION. She should be allowed to play brilliant villains more often. Her lines were not very good (although alas, I was charmed by "bad code"), the Root's argument tired and unoriginal; but there was an eery-calm passion in her eyes in that key scene, and her delivery was chilling. I believed every word she said.
· I also believed Emerson, when Finch said he locked up the Machine to hide it from himself, afraid of what he'd be tempted to do with it. Egomania + self-awareness + deliberate control over said egomania in order to be a better person, less "perfect" but more perfectly human... well. This is why, for me, the show is all about Finch. It's also why I'll always be under the spell of Der Himmel über Berlin and its fallen angels, of stories about antiheroes, of extraordinary capacity tailored into a less extreme but better, kinder life. It's a rather non-conformist view, opposite of the American dream of the mandatory drive to live and succeed to the full extent (and beyond!) one's abilities, one's visions; and it makes for a fascinating exploration of human nature.
· And also, REESE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE. HE NEEDS HIS FRIEND. BECAUSE FINCH IS HIS ONLY FRIEND, AND FINCH SAVED HIS LIFE, AND REESE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN GO ON WITHOUT HIM - IN FACT, HE IS WILLING TO BET HIS LIFE ON THE LAST CHANCE OF GETTING HELP TO FIND HIM. In short: akshdf;skdhf;kshjdf;khds;fksd
· ...and the Machine caves, because he is the Batman!Jesus after all. And now he has a puppy! (You guys, I can't wait for Finch to meet the puppy. I'm also amused by Reese giving orders to the dog, while in flashbacks the Machine keeps trying to give orders to Finch. STAY, FINCH, STAY!!! <3)
· Carter didn't have too much to do in this ep, but I always enjoy her sanity and tough-as-nails gorgeousness. Also, when she shot the leader of the Aryan bad guys and totally saved Reese's ass - ah, that was an intensely satisfying moment.
· I'm glad Carter and Fusco are working together with one less secret between them; it's making a great difference in their relationship already. Their banter over who calls Reese "John" vs. "bane of [one's] existence" was all mellow-funny and partner-y. Good stuff.
· The Root is going to set the Machine free by... going after all the people who know of its existence, I guess? We found out last season there were eight of them; Nathan and Alicia are gone, so that leaves five more (plus Finch). If the writers play this one right, it could turn into a nice Agatha Christie-ish season arc. Not that I'm overly invested in such things when REESE AND FINCH HAVE YET TO BE REUNITED, OMG. Go, John, get your man back! I AM ROOTING (heh) FOR YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!!!
....sooooooo, that was an exciting hour of television. How was your night?
· Reese figured out Finch's system!!!!!! This show gives excellent library porn visually, but oh, when it delivers it MENTALLY AS WELL... *breathes into paper bag*
· (also: Reese's hands on the books, on the cracked clear board, writing with Finch's markers - that was meant to be erotic, right? they knew what they were filming there, didn't they?!)
· John is the contingency. OH MY HEART.
· Even though the Machine as a concept makes the marrow freeze in my bones, I was still oddly moved by the scenes of Finch "teaching" it how to... well, PLAY is the first word that comes to mind during those flashbacks. The Machine is his baby; there's something very touching about the way he speaks to it, the way he loves it, shapes his life around it - even when his life doesn't matter to him. Oh, Finch.
· The Irrelevant-of-the-Week was delightful - great performance, fun character, just the right amount of fucking annoying to underline Reese's frustration. Also nice: not another white dude! (Speaking of white dudes, the Aryan gang was a neat parallel to the Root's plot line of homicidal/delusional superiority in all its hideous glory.)
· Reese repeatedly speaking to the cameras in the middle of the street, trying to find a way to appeal to negotiate with a supercomputer... that was ridiculous and insane and utterly heartbreaking.
· Handcuffs and a ball gag happened. Then Reese made a ball gag JOKE - okay, I still can't quite believe that happened.
· ...and then John adopted a puppy. And named it (him?) Bear. Between these last two points, this episode has offered us QUITE the range of classic slash tropes. ♥
· AMY ACKER IS PERFECTION. She should be allowed to play brilliant villains more often. Her lines were not very good (although alas, I was charmed by "bad code"), the Root's argument tired and unoriginal; but there was an eery-calm passion in her eyes in that key scene, and her delivery was chilling. I believed every word she said.
· I also believed Emerson, when Finch said he locked up the Machine to hide it from himself, afraid of what he'd be tempted to do with it. Egomania + self-awareness + deliberate control over said egomania in order to be a better person, less "perfect" but more perfectly human... well. This is why, for me, the show is all about Finch. It's also why I'll always be under the spell of Der Himmel über Berlin and its fallen angels, of stories about antiheroes, of extraordinary capacity tailored into a less extreme but better, kinder life. It's a rather non-conformist view, opposite of the American dream of the mandatory drive to live and succeed to the full extent (and beyond!) one's abilities, one's visions; and it makes for a fascinating exploration of human nature.
· And also, REESE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE. HE NEEDS HIS FRIEND. BECAUSE FINCH IS HIS ONLY FRIEND, AND FINCH SAVED HIS LIFE, AND REESE WOULD RATHER DIE THAN GO ON WITHOUT HIM - IN FACT, HE IS WILLING TO BET HIS LIFE ON THE LAST CHANCE OF GETTING HELP TO FIND HIM. In short: akshdf;skdhf;kshjdf;khds;fksd
· ...and the Machine caves, because he is the Batman!Jesus after all. And now he has a puppy! (You guys, I can't wait for Finch to meet the puppy. I'm also amused by Reese giving orders to the dog, while in flashbacks the Machine keeps trying to give orders to Finch. STAY, FINCH, STAY!!! <3)
· Carter didn't have too much to do in this ep, but I always enjoy her sanity and tough-as-nails gorgeousness. Also, when she shot the leader of the Aryan bad guys and totally saved Reese's ass - ah, that was an intensely satisfying moment.
· I'm glad Carter and Fusco are working together with one less secret between them; it's making a great difference in their relationship already. Their banter over who calls Reese "John" vs. "bane of [one's] existence" was all mellow-funny and partner-y. Good stuff.
· The Root is going to set the Machine free by... going after all the people who know of its existence, I guess? We found out last season there were eight of them; Nathan and Alicia are gone, so that leaves five more (plus Finch). If the writers play this one right, it could turn into a nice Agatha Christie-ish season arc. Not that I'm overly invested in such things when REESE AND FINCH HAVE YET TO BE REUNITED, OMG. Go, John, get your man back! I AM ROOTING (heh) FOR YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!!!
....sooooooo, that was an exciting hour of television. How was your night?