TV: Community and Person of Interest
Community 3.14 "Pillows and Blankets" was a brilliant episode. The Ken Burns documentary parody was pitch-perfect, and everyone's characterization within that satire worked well with what we've already seen. I'm still laughing at Shirley staying to comfort Troy, so that Britta can't get him hooked on weed. Heee!
Person of Interest 1.19 "Flesh and Blood" was both better than I exected from the previews, and yet oddly lacking for me. The writers had Carl Elias doing a lot of monologuing at his father and villanous speechifying at Carter; combine that with the first flashback being a bit too on-the-nose and I ended up feeling like he was a comic-book villain. Theoretically this should work for me, considering what show I'm watching, but unfortunately in practice... not so much.
That didn't stop me from liking the episode as a whole. Basically EVERYONE ELSE and their GUNS and their ANGST and their AWESOMENESS.
Nice scene with Carter and Taylor at the beginning, and then Carter gets to talk to a woman! A woman who isn't a victim of a crime! I AM SO EXCITED! Lola Glaudini's LaBlanca (sp?) tells Carter that Elias has been moving money around--lots of it.
Reese shows up at the Library Lair of Loneliness, Finch snarking at his late arrival. "Had my yoga class," says Reese. Hee! The Dons of the five families are the newest numbers. "We could let the trash take out the trash."
Finch says something about the CIA having taught John a certain moral flexibility but that they should aspire to live up to a higher standard.
Reese says it won't be easy to spy on the men; Finch dons (heh, dons) a workman's blue jumper and turns speakers into microphones at the mafia clubhouse. The two of them lurk and listen.
Time for some outside support! Finch tells Reese that an apology might mend relations with Carter, but it's hard to apologize to someone who doesn't take your calls. *laughs* Carter and LaBlanca talk about the money problems--they can't get the information about where Elias's money is going in a timely fashion.
Moretti asks his unacknowledged son, "Why don't you just kill me already?" Moretti's croaky voice works really well here.
HR dude wants intel from Fusco about the guy in the suit who keeps knee-capping people. Fusco asks why: "I got an inquisitive mind." HR dude tells Fusco that Elias wants the information, and he suggests Fusco lay low after that.
Reese is going for the direct approach: talk to one of the dons and offer help. Er, I'm not sure how this is going to actually work? Aaaaaand it doesn't; the don ignores the warning, and shortly thereafter, his SUV gets blown up. A pedestrian is hurt, all the passengers in the vehicle are presumably killed, and Scarface drives off, looking smug. (Poor Scarface doesn't get an actual name anywhere that I could find.)
Baby Carl flashback; this was my least favorite scene.
Elias gets a call from Reese. Again, I'm not sure what Reese thinks he's going to accomplish with this. Hm. Anyway, after this conversation, Finch and Reese discuss their other problem: Carter.
Finch says, "I've always taken a somewhat liberal view of how to use a telephone." In other words, he's been listening on through the microphone, so he knows that she's offering the remaining dons police protection. Uh-oh.
We see Carter in a dark street filled with police cars; she grabs a young officer to help. They meet one of the dons between buildings. By the time they finish discussing issues of trust, the street is completely empty of squad cars and a shooter steps out from between parked cars across the street. The don gets hit and killed, the officer goes down as well. Reese shows up and takes out the shooter before Carter can go after him.
Time for the ritual exchange of significant glances. "You really should return your calls, Detective," says Reese.
Second young Carl flashback: Carl delivers stuff (did he say bootleg CDs?) to Moretti at a restaurant and the old man sort of acknowledges him without directly stating the father-son relationship. Carl wants a chance to prove himself; Moretti tells him how diamonds are made. Basically it's a speech that means tough luck, kid. But then he says, "You and me, we have our own little secret."
Carter and Reese meet at a restaurant. She tells him the police officer hit is doing okay, then she passes along her news. "I guess you should know, the FBI has a new task force set up in your honor. They think you're working with Elias."
"I'm often misunderstood," Reese replies. *giggle*
Finch shows up. Carter actually avoids making eye contact with him for a moment--like she can't quite believe that she's talking to these two men again. That doesn't last long, but it's obvious that this whole situation grates on her. Using their help is pretty much inevitable, though, considering that she can't trust most of her own people.
(Hey, remember when Reese once told her that she was getting paranoid and that it was a step in the right direction? I think she might have stepped a bit too far--not in talking to Finch and Reese, but later on when she's holed up with Fusco and the dons and refuses to call for back-up. Though I get why... er, more about that later, I guess.)
Carter's reluctant attitude doesn't stop Reese from giving her a present: chocolates a big ol' gun! And some other not exactly legal weaponry.
Fusco shows up as Carter loads the big ol' gun. IT IS HUGE. She tells Fusco that he's the only one she can trust, and they go to confront the dons.
Carter's gun is bigger than Reese's. *snickers*
Finch uses the financial information from Carter to track down where Elias's money is going: to men who are using surveillance on the families of the cops in HR. Elias always has multiple strategies in play.
Carter and Fusco show up at the mafia clubhouse; she's quite adamant that the three remaining dons will go with her into protective custody. At gunpoint, if need be. And, uh, need did be. Or something.
Fusco: Hey, shouldn't we call for backup?
Carter: You are my backup.
They go out to an SUV, get in, and Elias's men show up as they pull away, so Carter shoots that big ol' gun out the passenger window.
Carter's phone rang as they were coming out of the building; she didn't answer it, so Finch calls one of the dons! "It's for you." HEEEEEEEEEE! Finch tells her the address of a safe house. It has a suit of armor in one corner.
Fusco: Who owns this place again?
Carter: A friend.
Fusco: You got some weird friends, Carter.
Elias monologues about his mother to Moretti, and then Scarface shows up with the bad news that Carter has taken all three of the remaining dons. "We'll need our friends on the police force to join us on this one."
(Presumably the don who was in cahoots with Elias is the one who got their location information to Elias.)
Reese continues to tail the men who are following the HR families; Finch calls with the news that Carter has the dons in safety.
Reese: How'd she convince them to go with her?
Finch: She didn't; she kidnapped them. It seems you've had something of an influence on her, Mister Reese.
Reese: Thanks, Finch.
Finch: I'm not certain I meant that as a compliment.
Reese makes the connection about Carter's son. Uh oh. Reese goes barrelling in that direction, but Scarface is already at the high school, escorting Taylor to a car, giving him a line about Carter having been in an accident. Finch calls, but it's too late--Scarface makes a threat to Taylor and shoots the school guard. Reese arrives in time to engage in weapon fire, but not in time to save Taylor.
Reese looks VERY UNHAPPY as Elias's men drive off with Taylor in the SUV.
Carter and Fusco are waiting inside the safe house; they see Elias's men pull up outside and then Reese calls. Before he can say who it is that Reese won't let anything happen to, Taylor calls. He doesn't get to talk to his mother; instead Elias gets on the phone and makes it clear that he's willing to trade her sons for the dons. Elias ups the ante by telling her exactly what evil the dons do--selling drugs to children, gunrunning, trading in young girls. Nonetheless Carter turns down the offer.
Poor Carter. *sniffles*
Back on the line with Reese. He tells Carter, "I'm going to get your son back. No matter what the cost."
Reese needs Finch to find out where Taylor is; Finch is a step ahead of Reese, mentioning his own plan to make a deal with the devil. Not Elias: HR. (Not actually a deal, but Finch definitely took a risk.)
Fusco wants to call for back-up; Carter points out that some of the men out there are cops--cops who apparently work for Elias. (HR cops, to be more precise. Fusco wouldn't have a reason to know everyone else in that organization by sight.)
Carter wants to wait. Fusco does a sweep; Don whatsit uses the moment to start planting doubt about Fusco's integrity. It is all true, by the way.
Elias shows up at the safe house, ready for a chat through the building buzzer.
Officer Simmons! That's what his name is. Okay, so HR dude with the buzz cut: Simmons. Now I know. Anyway, I liked this whole scene between Finch and Simmons. Finch has exactly the right information to persuade Simmons: the threat Elias poses to HR's own families.
Elias has some men with equipment outside the safe house door. He tells Carter, "No one is coming to save you, you are all alone."
Elias rubs his thumb along a scar on his palm, and then we get the flashback that explains the scar. Two men take young Carl somewhere isolated; their conversation makes it obvious that their purpose is eliminating Carl. Carl has a nicely creepy speech here about strength. "I get my strength from being alone. And that's why I'm going to destroy all of you." Eeeep! And then he manages to avoid being garrotted, gets one of the thugs to accidentally shoot the other, and then pulls a gun and shoots him.
The dead thugs are on the ground and Elias is there, alone and strong.
Back to present day. Finch and Reese pull up to the hideout where Elias has both Taylor Carter and Moretti stashed.
Finch: What's your plan, John?
Reese: No plan. I'll just take the direct approach.
THAT LINE MADE ME REALLY NERVOUS, THANKS SHOW. Gah.
Finch hesitantly offers help with a gun. Reese tries to be reassuring in a quick fashion, and heads in.
Carter doesn't accept Elias's last offer. "I'm not as alone as you think," she tells him, and picks up her big ol' gun again.
At Elias's safe house, Reese kneecaps a man through the door! Heee! And storm into the building with his big (but not as big as Carter's) gun.
Reese and Scarface actually engage in hand-to-hand combat for a moment. Scarface really has it in for Reese to think he has a chance of taking him down. Scarface eventually runs away, though. Live to fight another day until you get a name, Scarface!
Reese gets to Taylor, who is at least physically unhurt. Don Moretti asks, "You here to rescue me or shoot me?"
"Tonight? Rescue." Heh, his delivery on that line.
Fusco's at the window to observe: "Hey, Carter, those HR cops just took off." (Does Carter know that the organization is called HR? Did she ever use that name when referring to them? Hm.)
Elias is almost through that metal door. Carter wants the dons in the back for their protection; Don Zambrono has a problem with that. See, he made a deal of his own with Elias... because he's an adaptable kind of guy. Standoff with Fusco and Carter pointing weapons at Zambrano; the don makes a pointed speech to Fusco about choosing sides.
Cut to outside the door with Elias and his blow-torch wielding men. We hear gunshots--has to be Fusco who pulled the trigger, otherwise it would have been louder and messier.
Elias and his men get entry; new standoff with Carter and Fusco facing down Elias and his men. Carter has her big ol' gun, but she also has more police arriving; Fusco called for back-up at some point. He would at least know some of the people not to call.
Back to that earlier point about paranoia and not calling for back-up. I think Carter always understood about shades of gray; she made a conscious decision not to go that route, to stay within the bounds of the law. Or at least near those boundaries. But what choice does she have when everyone around her is corrupt? That's why I'm worried about Zambrano's poisonous--yet true!--information taking root. Even though she'll know that it was probably Zambrano himself who told Elias where they were, Carter may still let those doubts about Fusco grow. And again--it was true information. So if she looks for evidence, she may well find it.
This is going to be messy, isn't it... especially once Elias is back on the streets.
"You gotta trust somebody, Carter," says Fusco. "This guy doesn't own every cop." Gah, the irony and potential tragedy in that statement.
Elias stands down. He has a moment of defeat, but that's quickly swallowed up in his generally slithery demeanor. Schemer.
Carter gets a phone call from Taylor.
Taylor: That guy you sent is kind of a badass.
Carter: Yeah, he knows it, too.
Taylor: Who's the guy with the glasses?
Carter: If you find out, let me know.
Carter disconnects; Fusco smiles at her, she smiles back and Ominous Music plays. EEEEEEP!
Reunion! Carter and Taylor meet up outside same diner where we saw them eating in 1.09. Hugs, yay! *sniffles again* Reese saunters up.
Carter (teary-eyed): Good to know you keep your promises.
Reese: Told you I'd never let anything happen to your son.
Carter: Thank you.
eta: brief hand-touching--look at the bottom gif
Make of that what you will.
The strains of "Ne Me Quitte Pas" play as Elias gets photographed and fingerprinted. Moretti and his acknowledged son get into a car together and a phone rings. It's inside an envelope with a picture of Marlene Elias.
Elias is on the line. "I just wanted to say goodbye. And that I wish I could have been there." Moretti looks at Junior, and BOOM. And Scarface smirks at another successful car explosion.
Elias disconnects and hands the telephone to the police officer who is locking him up. END OF EPISODE.
This episode continues to build suspense over Carter and Fusco's relationship. The more the show lets that build, the more nervous I am. Also, Elias, whether in or out of prison, is clearly a force to be reckoned with. We started the episode with five dons; now there's one, right?
Maybe I'll add in some pictures later, depending on stuff.
Posted at Dreamwidth: http://rose-griffes.dreamwidth.org/239370.html. Comment where you wish.
Person of Interest 1.19 "Flesh and Blood" was both better than I exected from the previews, and yet oddly lacking for me. The writers had Carl Elias doing a lot of monologuing at his father and villanous speechifying at Carter; combine that with the first flashback being a bit too on-the-nose and I ended up feeling like he was a comic-book villain. Theoretically this should work for me, considering what show I'm watching, but unfortunately in practice... not so much.
That didn't stop me from liking the episode as a whole. Basically EVERYONE ELSE and their GUNS and their ANGST and their AWESOMENESS.
Nice scene with Carter and Taylor at the beginning, and then Carter gets to talk to a woman! A woman who isn't a victim of a crime! I AM SO EXCITED! Lola Glaudini's LaBlanca (sp?) tells Carter that Elias has been moving money around--lots of it.
Reese shows up at the Library Lair of Loneliness, Finch snarking at his late arrival. "Had my yoga class," says Reese. Hee! The Dons of the five families are the newest numbers. "We could let the trash take out the trash."
Finch says something about the CIA having taught John a certain moral flexibility but that they should aspire to live up to a higher standard.
Reese says it won't be easy to spy on the men; Finch dons (heh, dons) a workman's blue jumper and turns speakers into microphones at the mafia clubhouse. The two of them lurk and listen.
Time for some outside support! Finch tells Reese that an apology might mend relations with Carter, but it's hard to apologize to someone who doesn't take your calls. *laughs* Carter and LaBlanca talk about the money problems--they can't get the information about where Elias's money is going in a timely fashion.
Moretti asks his unacknowledged son, "Why don't you just kill me already?" Moretti's croaky voice works really well here.
HR dude wants intel from Fusco about the guy in the suit who keeps knee-capping people. Fusco asks why: "I got an inquisitive mind." HR dude tells Fusco that Elias wants the information, and he suggests Fusco lay low after that.
Reese is going for the direct approach: talk to one of the dons and offer help. Er, I'm not sure how this is going to actually work? Aaaaaand it doesn't; the don ignores the warning, and shortly thereafter, his SUV gets blown up. A pedestrian is hurt, all the passengers in the vehicle are presumably killed, and Scarface drives off, looking smug. (Poor Scarface doesn't get an actual name anywhere that I could find.)
Baby Carl flashback; this was my least favorite scene.
Elias gets a call from Reese. Again, I'm not sure what Reese thinks he's going to accomplish with this. Hm. Anyway, after this conversation, Finch and Reese discuss their other problem: Carter.
Finch says, "I've always taken a somewhat liberal view of how to use a telephone." In other words, he's been listening on through the microphone, so he knows that she's offering the remaining dons police protection. Uh-oh.
We see Carter in a dark street filled with police cars; she grabs a young officer to help. They meet one of the dons between buildings. By the time they finish discussing issues of trust, the street is completely empty of squad cars and a shooter steps out from between parked cars across the street. The don gets hit and killed, the officer goes down as well. Reese shows up and takes out the shooter before Carter can go after him.
Time for the ritual exchange of significant glances. "You really should return your calls, Detective," says Reese.
Second young Carl flashback: Carl delivers stuff (did he say bootleg CDs?) to Moretti at a restaurant and the old man sort of acknowledges him without directly stating the father-son relationship. Carl wants a chance to prove himself; Moretti tells him how diamonds are made. Basically it's a speech that means tough luck, kid. But then he says, "You and me, we have our own little secret."
Carter and Reese meet at a restaurant. She tells him the police officer hit is doing okay, then she passes along her news. "I guess you should know, the FBI has a new task force set up in your honor. They think you're working with Elias."
"I'm often misunderstood," Reese replies. *giggle*
Finch shows up. Carter actually avoids making eye contact with him for a moment--like she can't quite believe that she's talking to these two men again. That doesn't last long, but it's obvious that this whole situation grates on her. Using their help is pretty much inevitable, though, considering that she can't trust most of her own people.
(Hey, remember when Reese once told her that she was getting paranoid and that it was a step in the right direction? I think she might have stepped a bit too far--not in talking to Finch and Reese, but later on when she's holed up with Fusco and the dons and refuses to call for back-up. Though I get why... er, more about that later, I guess.)
Carter's reluctant attitude doesn't stop Reese from giving her a present: chocolates a big ol' gun! And some other not exactly legal weaponry.
Fusco shows up as Carter loads the big ol' gun. IT IS HUGE. She tells Fusco that he's the only one she can trust, and they go to confront the dons.
Carter's gun is bigger than Reese's. *snickers*
Finch uses the financial information from Carter to track down where Elias's money is going: to men who are using surveillance on the families of the cops in HR. Elias always has multiple strategies in play.
Carter and Fusco show up at the mafia clubhouse; she's quite adamant that the three remaining dons will go with her into protective custody. At gunpoint, if need be. And, uh, need did be. Or something.
Fusco: Hey, shouldn't we call for backup?
Carter: You are my backup.
They go out to an SUV, get in, and Elias's men show up as they pull away, so Carter shoots that big ol' gun out the passenger window.
Carter's phone rang as they were coming out of the building; she didn't answer it, so Finch calls one of the dons! "It's for you." HEEEEEEEEEE! Finch tells her the address of a safe house. It has a suit of armor in one corner.
Fusco: Who owns this place again?
Carter: A friend.
Fusco: You got some weird friends, Carter.
Elias monologues about his mother to Moretti, and then Scarface shows up with the bad news that Carter has taken all three of the remaining dons. "We'll need our friends on the police force to join us on this one."
(Presumably the don who was in cahoots with Elias is the one who got their location information to Elias.)
Reese continues to tail the men who are following the HR families; Finch calls with the news that Carter has the dons in safety.
Reese: How'd she convince them to go with her?
Finch: She didn't; she kidnapped them. It seems you've had something of an influence on her, Mister Reese.
Reese: Thanks, Finch.
Finch: I'm not certain I meant that as a compliment.
Reese makes the connection about Carter's son. Uh oh. Reese goes barrelling in that direction, but Scarface is already at the high school, escorting Taylor to a car, giving him a line about Carter having been in an accident. Finch calls, but it's too late--Scarface makes a threat to Taylor and shoots the school guard. Reese arrives in time to engage in weapon fire, but not in time to save Taylor.
Reese looks VERY UNHAPPY as Elias's men drive off with Taylor in the SUV.
Carter and Fusco are waiting inside the safe house; they see Elias's men pull up outside and then Reese calls. Before he can say who it is that Reese won't let anything happen to, Taylor calls. He doesn't get to talk to his mother; instead Elias gets on the phone and makes it clear that he's willing to trade her sons for the dons. Elias ups the ante by telling her exactly what evil the dons do--selling drugs to children, gunrunning, trading in young girls. Nonetheless Carter turns down the offer.
Poor Carter. *sniffles*
Back on the line with Reese. He tells Carter, "I'm going to get your son back. No matter what the cost."
Reese needs Finch to find out where Taylor is; Finch is a step ahead of Reese, mentioning his own plan to make a deal with the devil. Not Elias: HR. (Not actually a deal, but Finch definitely took a risk.)
Fusco wants to call for back-up; Carter points out that some of the men out there are cops--cops who apparently work for Elias. (HR cops, to be more precise. Fusco wouldn't have a reason to know everyone else in that organization by sight.)
Carter wants to wait. Fusco does a sweep; Don whatsit uses the moment to start planting doubt about Fusco's integrity. It is all true, by the way.
Elias shows up at the safe house, ready for a chat through the building buzzer.
Officer Simmons! That's what his name is. Okay, so HR dude with the buzz cut: Simmons. Now I know. Anyway, I liked this whole scene between Finch and Simmons. Finch has exactly the right information to persuade Simmons: the threat Elias poses to HR's own families.
Elias has some men with equipment outside the safe house door. He tells Carter, "No one is coming to save you, you are all alone."
Elias rubs his thumb along a scar on his palm, and then we get the flashback that explains the scar. Two men take young Carl somewhere isolated; their conversation makes it obvious that their purpose is eliminating Carl. Carl has a nicely creepy speech here about strength. "I get my strength from being alone. And that's why I'm going to destroy all of you." Eeeep! And then he manages to avoid being garrotted, gets one of the thugs to accidentally shoot the other, and then pulls a gun and shoots him.
The dead thugs are on the ground and Elias is there, alone and strong.
Back to present day. Finch and Reese pull up to the hideout where Elias has both Taylor Carter and Moretti stashed.
Finch: What's your plan, John?
Reese: No plan. I'll just take the direct approach.
THAT LINE MADE ME REALLY NERVOUS, THANKS SHOW. Gah.
Finch hesitantly offers help with a gun. Reese tries to be reassuring in a quick fashion, and heads in.
Carter doesn't accept Elias's last offer. "I'm not as alone as you think," she tells him, and picks up her big ol' gun again.
At Elias's safe house, Reese kneecaps a man through the door! Heee! And storm into the building with his big (but not as big as Carter's) gun.
Reese and Scarface actually engage in hand-to-hand combat for a moment. Scarface really has it in for Reese to think he has a chance of taking him down. Scarface eventually runs away, though. Live to fight another day until you get a name, Scarface!
Reese gets to Taylor, who is at least physically unhurt. Don Moretti asks, "You here to rescue me or shoot me?"
"Tonight? Rescue." Heh, his delivery on that line.
Fusco's at the window to observe: "Hey, Carter, those HR cops just took off." (Does Carter know that the organization is called HR? Did she ever use that name when referring to them? Hm.)
Elias is almost through that metal door. Carter wants the dons in the back for their protection; Don Zambrono has a problem with that. See, he made a deal of his own with Elias... because he's an adaptable kind of guy. Standoff with Fusco and Carter pointing weapons at Zambrano; the don makes a pointed speech to Fusco about choosing sides.
Cut to outside the door with Elias and his blow-torch wielding men. We hear gunshots--has to be Fusco who pulled the trigger, otherwise it would have been louder and messier.
Elias and his men get entry; new standoff with Carter and Fusco facing down Elias and his men. Carter has her big ol' gun, but she also has more police arriving; Fusco called for back-up at some point. He would at least know some of the people not to call.
Back to that earlier point about paranoia and not calling for back-up. I think Carter always understood about shades of gray; she made a conscious decision not to go that route, to stay within the bounds of the law. Or at least near those boundaries. But what choice does she have when everyone around her is corrupt? That's why I'm worried about Zambrano's poisonous--yet true!--information taking root. Even though she'll know that it was probably Zambrano himself who told Elias where they were, Carter may still let those doubts about Fusco grow. And again--it was true information. So if she looks for evidence, she may well find it.
This is going to be messy, isn't it... especially once Elias is back on the streets.
"You gotta trust somebody, Carter," says Fusco. "This guy doesn't own every cop." Gah, the irony and potential tragedy in that statement.
Elias stands down. He has a moment of defeat, but that's quickly swallowed up in his generally slithery demeanor. Schemer.
Carter gets a phone call from Taylor.
Taylor: That guy you sent is kind of a badass.
Carter: Yeah, he knows it, too.
Taylor: Who's the guy with the glasses?
Carter: If you find out, let me know.
Carter disconnects; Fusco smiles at her, she smiles back and Ominous Music plays. EEEEEEP!
Reunion! Carter and Taylor meet up outside same diner where we saw them eating in 1.09. Hugs, yay! *sniffles again* Reese saunters up.
Carter (teary-eyed): Good to know you keep your promises.
Reese: Told you I'd never let anything happen to your son.
Carter: Thank you.
eta: brief hand-touching--look at the bottom gif
Make of that what you will.
The strains of "Ne Me Quitte Pas" play as Elias gets photographed and fingerprinted. Moretti and his acknowledged son get into a car together and a phone rings. It's inside an envelope with a picture of Marlene Elias.
Elias is on the line. "I just wanted to say goodbye. And that I wish I could have been there." Moretti looks at Junior, and BOOM. And Scarface smirks at another successful car explosion.
Elias disconnects and hands the telephone to the police officer who is locking him up. END OF EPISODE.
This episode continues to build suspense over Carter and Fusco's relationship. The more the show lets that build, the more nervous I am. Also, Elias, whether in or out of prison, is clearly a force to be reckoned with. We started the episode with five dons; now there's one, right?
Maybe I'll add in some pictures later, depending on stuff.
Posted at Dreamwidth: http://rose-griffes.dreamwidth.org/239370.html. Comment where you wish.