u/Good_Perspective9290

What was once fractured, comes together, in this episode of Person of Interest

A gunfight at the precinct, where Fusco saves John’s life again, leads John to trust Fusco (but not Fusco to ever trust John with his phone) and he finally gets his yellow PoI box

Root is finally re-united with Shaw, but not without a riff on that meme, where both threaten to shoot themselves—because Root’s ready to Thelma & Louise with Shaw if that’s what it takes to prove she’ll always have her back

Finch and Elias go back to elementary school to learn to verify, and for Elias to pick up what Finch is laying down, as a final confrontation with The Voice occurs

And some gang bangers and a crooked cop go down amongst it all, after some The Usual Suspects misdirection, before The Voice is toast

And the Team Machine gang all reunite where it first began for Finch and John..

S5E9 Sotto Voce Watch Notes

Coyotes who suggest they’ll rape Shaw tend to end up broken and left in the sun, especially when she’s trying to enter the United States discreetly after a long journey from South Africa

“Doing a little cleaning Mr Reese—just because it looks like a subway doesn't mean it has to smell like one.. [Bear runs through, barks] no Bear! Voruit” “Good morning.. you missed a spot” “Ms Groves what can I help you with?” Actually.. I think I'm here to help you Harry.. she gave me a number... a radio engineer.. Matthew Stone.. guy's in charge of maintenance on the radio antennas across the boroughs, he might be helping Samaritan spread its coded messages” “Or he may have stumbled on to Samaritan's plot and become a liability.. either way you should proceed with extreme caution Ms Groves” “Don't worry Harry.. I'll keep my eye on Stone from a distance.. and I'm pretty sure.. I'll have the biggest gun on the block”

John catches a rouge locksmith breaking in to a private equity firm, who he proceeds to insult, despite his explosive nature.. but Terry’s no terrorist so John takes him for a coffee at the precinct, only to learn he was put up to it after his wife was kidnapped by The Voice (first identified in S3E15 Last Call, the episode where Finch was a 911 call operator).. and John makes promises he can’t keep

“Hey Lionel.. I need your help” “Keep your secrets.. don't expect me to be your back up” “I don't need back up.. I need you to keep an eye on Easton” “I'm not your partner anymore so get used to it.. besides you got cops all around here.. put a uniform on it… if you don't mind I got my own case to deal with” Fusco is done with John, and giving him the deserved cold shoulder

Finch consults with Elias, who tells him The Voice is a ghost. Finch claims “Even ghosts have a trail” which I suppose Finch would know, being a ghost himself. Elias intends to break cover by partnering with Finch on this one.

The Voice rings John to say ‘Welcome to my obvious trap’, as he has “plenty of bombs” to welcome the cops he sent in to recover Terry’s kidnapped wife, who wasn’t even there

Finch is sent back to elementary school, where Elias reassures him “you’ll fit right in”

“I think I found my mark.. Matthew Stone.. what kind of radio engineer works in the dead of night? Um-hmm.. the kind that works with Samaritan agents, which means our rival A.I. is indeed trying to expand its bandwidth.. I guess my mission wasn't to save this number after all [Gunshots comes from off-screen as one of the Samaritan agents and Stone are shot, by a retreating Shaw] What? Where'd that shot come from? Oh.. well things just got interesting”

“You’re not as slow as you look” says a contract killer to Fusco, after he catches him out, and the killer let’s his mask drop.. but is it a coincidence that a contract killer just happens to be in the precinct full of gang bangers?

Terry gets slipped a package, meaning someone on the inside is The Voice’s operative

School’s out, but the custodian’s still handling explosive emissions “I thought you were dead” “I thought about keeping it that way.. but where's the fun in that?”, as Elias explains hollow point bullets are bad for your health

The precinct is emptying out of cops as the Captain has ordered they go help the bomb squad.. sounds convenient

Terry’s being using his lockpicking skills again, giving John the opportunity to connect the dots and catch up, expect it’s a lock-in and not a jail break, and it’s looking like our ready to sing contract killer is the target

“Found our Samaritan op, looks like he wants to play hide and seek in the park.. come out, come out wherever you are.. [as Root aims to shoot them, another unseen shooter takes them out] What? [Shaw comes from behind Root and throws her to the ground on her back]” “Root?” “Shaw [gasps then chuckles as she stands up] Sameen.. [gasps] you're really here.. [both give sighs of relief] she brought you back to me.. wha—what are you doing here?” What does it look like? I'm taking on Samaritan one agent at a time.. [Root gives brief laugh] I gotta go” “Wait.. go where? Wait.. when did you escape?” “It's complicated Root [Root grabs Shaw’s arm and turns her to face her]” “Then explain it to me.. please” “I escaped a week ago.. I couldn't come and find you because it wasn't safe” “Why?” “When they had me, they put me through these tests.. these... simulations” “Simulation?” “Over 7,000 of them.. and always with the same goal.. to turn me against all of you.. to kill you” Well obviously they failed” “No.. they didn't.. because in all the simulations.. that's exactly what I did”

Fusco’s forced to team up with John to clear the precinct, while Finch and Elias head out to The Voice’s base of operations. John discovers it’s all a plot to kill Amir, the contract killer. Fusco gives one of the bad guys a reminder not to fuck with the cops “Oh yeah, I almost forgot [throws punch]” “You feel better?” “Mucho” … “Here you go slugger, good luck”

Amir, the contract killer, has the dirt on The Voice—his former employer—and he’s ready to spill the tea in return for a deal.. but of course there is still the insider on the loose.. the most obvious suspect being the guy that brought the gang bangers in (and the only other person seemingly in the building). Once that was dealt with, the gang bangers descend.. “Should have put in for that transfer”, says Fusco. Nothing like a heroic background music gun battle to re-bond.

“Sameen, please.. you have to believe me… this isn't a simulation, this is real.. you're safe now.. let's get back to the subway” “[Shaw pushes Root back and points her gun at Root] No.. we can't” “Shaw—“ “The simplest way to break someone is to rob them of their reality.. and they did that well.. and maybe you're right.. maybe I am safe.. but as long as I'm alive.. you'll never be safe” “What do you mean?” “I could turn on you at any moment.. and even if I don't, I could lead them to The Machine” “That'll never happen” I don't know if I'm calling the shots anymore.. and neither do you.. 7,000 simulations.. I killed a lot of people.. but the one person that I couldn't kill.. was you. So I killed myself.. over.. and over again.. [Shaw turns the gun on herself] and I'd rather do that here and now than to risk your life” “Okay Shaw [Root pulls her gun out and also turns it on herself]” “What the hell are you doing?” “We'll play it your way here.. you can't live with me.. I can't live without you.. so if you die, I die too” “Put that down” “I really don't know what's gonna happen when we pull the trigger.. never been much of a believer, but hey.. you never know.. guess we're about to find out, aren't we?” “Damn it Root”

Meanwhile, it’s a shooting gallery back at the precinct. But Finch and Elias identify the real threat is our humble lockpicker Terry, after the abducted wife turned out to be a well paid actress.. “You!” “Did you really think you could betray me and live to tell about it?”. The Voice the tries to shoot John, but Fusco jumps in to catch the bullet “Yeah, just grazed me that son of a bitch”

Finch decides to go face to face with The Voice, who predictably pulls a gun on Finch, to say “You can’t be permitted to continue”.. which Elias steps in to agree on, telling him he’s got “stinking thinking”, but doesn’t mention the car bomb he put on his car “Come on Harold.. you brought me for a reason, you must have know I'd do something like this”

“How's your arm?” “[sighs] Gonna take more than a bullet to keep me down” “It's time we had a talk Lionel” [John and Fusco walk out to the roof] “So what are we doing here? You're not gonna propose to me are you?” 😂 “Give me your phone” “Why? [Fusco gives John his phone, only for him to immediately fling it off the roof] What the hell'd you do that for?” “You never know who might be listening” “It wasn't even turned on.. what's going on?” “Those questions you've been asking? You deserve answers” “Mr Reese are you certain that disclosing the truth to Detective Fusco is a wise choice?” These days even the precinct's not safe.. so maybe the best we can do is.. trust each other” “Very well.. but there's an urgent matter now that requires your attendance after you're finished” “There's a system.. listening.. through every microphone.. watching.. through every camera”

Team Machine reunited, where it all began

After the fun and philosophy of SNAFU, we get Truth Be Told—a mostly John episode

Our dark and broody Batman recalls he’s too tortured for relationships, so gives Red the old heave-ho after being reminded of his darker past, but not before her dad criticises his dining choices

Mostly this episode feels like a vehicle to introduce Beale, in some retroconning.

Meanwhile, Root tells a delivery driver her eyes are up here by way of hard packages, so she and Finch can sneak some mysterious Samaritan malware off for examination.. because it’ll evolve into a butterfly or something.. setting up for something, but very thin for now

S5E3 Truth Be Told Watch Notes

Modified opening credits Finch/Greer narrated “The government has a secret system” “A system you asked for, to keep you safe” “A machine that spies on you every hour of the day” “You granted it the power to see everything, to index, order, and control the lives of ordinary people” “The government considers these people irrelevant, we don’t” “ But to it, you are all irrelevant, victim or perpetrator—if you stand in its way..” “we’ll find you”

Red’s parents are full blown WASPs

“Couldn’t get a table at Chuck E. Cheese?” … “Guess some people can’t handle their grog”

“Or trying to stay a step ahead of an artificial super-intelligence bent on world domination” “Or that” “Looks like most of the bugs have been worked out of Machine 2.0, given the steady stream of numbers that we’ve been getting”

“Is this necessary? I mean, if the machine is open, why not just ask why it’s sending us a number” “Because Mr Reese, although the machine has become reliable in the delivery of the numbers it is still frequently unreliable in the processing and delivery of other information.. case in point, it also sent me this number [picks up pad full of binary code]” “What is this, some kind of program?” “I have no idea.. clearly it still has an affinity for riddles” “Sounds like she has something fun in store for all of us today” “The Machine made you a package delivery driver?” “Sadly, all of my identities can’t be bears or brides.. I gotta go. Don’t want to be late for my first day of training” “Yes, I think it wise if perhaps we all got to work” “Subtle”

John’s old CIA boss scoops up the number, as Finch orders John not to risk alerting the CIA that he’s still alive

“What I need is a bigger gun”

Reese is all for due process now, unless of course he feels like blowing apart kneecaps

“Remember to lift with your legs”

“Well, I think an ASI is behind this but.. not ours”, says Root about the mysterious temporary rerouting of electronics company packages to a technically empty office suite, before being sent onwards to the original delivery address.. “Samaritan” “It’s been spreading its malware on a massive scale.. maybe this is how it’s doing it” “I need to inspect one of those packages. Can you secure one?” “Not without raising a red flag.. they’re all tracked” “So even if one is missing, Samaritan will know” “I may have a way around that, gotta go”

“You got miles to go before you sleep” “You don’t.. Shh”

“Who the hell was that guy?” “A ghost.. from the past” who likes to make lingering eye contact into his old boss’s eyes, instead of driving off immediately

Finch complains about John’s expense account usage

“What? He was coming on strong all day” … “Something tells me he’s not going to be making any more unwanted advances”

“Appears you were right, Ms Groves, there is some code here in the firmware that doesn’t belong” “Can you copy it?” “Done” “Goodness.. Garrett, are you okay? What happened?”

The number asks John “You have siblings?” “No” replies John, although The Machine identified in the previous episode that John has a deceased sister.

John discovers he previously killed the number’s brother

“My guy does good work”

“I see you’re running the malware we found on the truck” “Dissecting it.. running it would be far too dangerous, seeing as one of its primary functions is to connect its host to Samaritan” “So what have you found out?” “Well, once active, it attempts to access all the files in the infected device and send all that information to Samaritan” “So it’s spyware?” “Partially.. it also appears to have more advanced functions, but I haven’t been able to decipher them just yet” “Good work Harry.. oh, and I solved your word puzzle” “What puzzle?” “The string of ones and zeros The Machine sent you.. it’s not program, it’s a text file” “A poem?” “It’s Emily Dickinson.. it’s about change, metamorphosis“ “Change what? The Machine? Us?” “Maybe both?”

“But where’s Beale?” [pistol whipped] “Nice to see you again John”

John tells porkies to keep everyone happy

“This ends now. You understand?”

“You quit?” “Fired”

“What is it you’ve fashioned here?” “Oh, I installed the malware on it, and I’m letting it run” “You what? Were you not listening when I said its most basic function is to establish a connection with Samaritan?” “Yes, which is why it’s air-gapped, wireless disabled, and running on rechargeable batteries. It’s isolated” “But why do this?” “The poem The Machine sent us about metamorphosis, I think she wants us to let the malware run its course and I’ve already made a discovery” “What?” “The malware is replicating itself and over-writing the laptop’s existing code.. it’s working towards something” “I still think you’re taking an enormous risk” “Yes, our only option is to take risks, big ones, if we want any chance of finding Shaw or a way to defeat Samaritan.. we have to be willing to do whatever it takes now, or we’ve already lost.. it’s no risk, no reward, Harry”

“I’ll be leaving your name out of my report.. as far as the agency is concerned, you’re still dead” “Why would you do that?” “Might be because you could’ve killed me the other night, but you didn’t, or maybe I like knowing you’re out there, a ghost, still doing what needs to be done”

“You had no family, at least no real family, and after losing your adoptive mother you were on your own. Beale knew you would give everything to the agency, because you didn’t have anyone or anything to go back to, except the girlfriend, and you didn’t hesitate to walk away from her”

“And when will that job be done?”

Back to being the Lone Ranger.. “Good-bye, John”

One of PoI’s most memorable episodes, due largely to the fun of having the Team Machine actors play each others characters, to represent the glitch in The Machine, but also memorable because it is also a reexamination of those characters, as The Machine is free-falling through time-experiencing the day with every day of its existence, together, and is shaken by previous acts of the team

Fusco also gets John in polyester, ruining his international spy reputation, after getting called hero again.. and Root looks lovely in her girl scout outfit

Root’s still cut up there is no sign of Shaw, but appreciated she left her surgical stuff behind so she could get some Zs to sleep off an ear ache

S5E2 SNAFU Watch Notes

Modified Opening Titles

The Machine doesn’t recognise Finch and keeps swapping the images of Team Machine, even duplicating them, in a quite fun scene

“The Machine should be purring like a kitten”

“Yet another bug” “Add it to the laundry list” “We don’t have time for this Finch”

“We’re running a factory off of a candle.. without the right equipment The Machine’s gonna keep freaking out”

“If homicides are down, Samaritan is preventing murders” … “Finch, how did you teach your Machine to be good?” “By example”

“I’ve made some renovations as well, I’ve built the core heuristics of the machine into the subway car. Without a decentralised backup, a mobile environment could prove useful in the event that we had to move it, and the whole thing is wireless” “So you’re going to stuff all this crap in the car?“ “No it’s not necessary, the car is the brain and the GPU’s we acquired are the rest of The Machine’s nervous system” “While you were out, I finished using the subway’s encrypted system to tunnel into the government surveillance feeds” “So The Machine will recover all the information that it lost.. good, let’s wake it back up”

“Oh dear.. now, perhaps you can tell us about the people around him” “Wow, an open system.. I will never understand why you shut all this information in a box, Harry.. we can ask it to search for anything, for anyone” “Grace” “I would say that was a rousing success … let’s do it.. let’s run her full blast” “Do you think that it’s sufficiently debugged?” “Absolutely, we’ve waited long enough” “All right, let’s get the numbers running again” “She’s back?” “With a vengeance, we need to get back to work”

Root is tearful now that The Machine is up and running.. her first act is to search for Shaw, but The Machine fails to find her “All those numbers and no leads on Shaw.. The Machine can’t find her”

“We should be really careful about how we use the open system..” “No Harold, shackling The Machine almost got us killed last time” “But limiting our access to information doesn’t shackle the machine. It prevents human abuse. If this falls into the wrong hands.. if the numbers the machine has given us pan out, we will close the system”

“Finch, your artificial intelligence isn’t very smart right now” “I’ll make a note of it.. move on to your next number” “Detective, how’s your search going?” “I think your tarot cards have gone all screwy” “Yes I fear I may not be playing with a full deck. Why?“ “That killer I was running down … the only thing this guy’s killed is the art of live theatrical performance” “Yes, something is rotten in Denmark.. Ms Groves, look at this, The Machine is blurring people’s faces” “So what now, magic eight ball?” “Just find the next person on the list” “There’s a list?” “It’s a long discussion Detective, but there are 28 people out there who might really need our help. I’ve sent you a name” “The Machine is correlating threats with violence, but she’s not processing context” “The numbers protocol may be using up most of the memory.. were you able to solve that facial recognition issue?” “Of course, why?” “I’ve seen the same person on the monitor twice.. Grace I think, but of course Grace is in Italy so it must be a glitch” “You haven’t slept. Are you sure it’s not you that’s glitching?” “Frankly, no.. let’s run a diagnostic on The Machine, see how it handles context on a few subjects” “Us? She’s comfortable with us”

“Did it crash? Oh no” “We’re trapped” “What on earth did we do?”

“Certain things in this life are evil, unforgivable.. murder, assault, sexual violence, torture.. let’s begin. This is Carlo Breda, the Don of one of the five families, until his death in 1965. This is Frank Hobbs, he owned a shop in the Bronx. He refused to pay kickbacks to the Mafia so Mr Breda and his men tortured Mr Hobbs in front of his family, cut his body into pieces, and threw the pieces in the river. There is one victim, and one perpetrator. One good person, and one bad, which is which?”

“You think it’s a crash?” “I hope it is.. just a cascade of errors, because if it isn’t..” “She locked us in here on purpose, do you think we call for backup” “The detectives have 28 people to help, no need to panic yet” “Oh thank goodness, The Machine is still operational. It wants to talk to us, but it hasn’t unlocked the doors. The Machine can be so..” “The technical term is bananas.. no more machine in here right?” “Correct, why.. oh” “Hold this” “I should invest in a cleaning crew” “It’s another number” “So despite the errors, the numbers protocol is working perfectly, well nearly perfectly.. which reminds me, the detectives should have found the next two numbers by now.. John is your next number in danger?” “No, I’m literally watching paint dry” “I’m, uh, having some issues with monitors.. what was the background on that number” “Jeff Blackwell, on parole, eight months” “Ex-con? That warrants scrutiny”

“We need more information before you can leave, perhaps Fusco’s had some luck.. Detective?” “Where the hell you get your Intel from ... You gave me a homicide, but I got here too late, 50 years too late.. poor moldy sap’s named Carlo Breda” “Carlo Breda.. Detective, move on to the next one.. please bear with us for a bit longer” “Machine’s got a circuit board loose” “John.. The Machine is unstuck in time.. it can’t tell past from present, that accounts for both your cases.. we’re working on the complication, but we just received a new number” “Laurie Granger.. visiting the Big Apple from little Tulsa” “That’s 27 people remaining.. given the quality of our Intel, you and Fusco should do some research and determine the order of triage”

“Suicides are on the rise lately” “Homicides down, suicides up” “You think the suicides are screwy?”

“That look.. you’re jealous” “What?” “You’re jealous ‘cause he didn’t say ‘hey, how’s it going?’ to you.. tell me something, what’s his name?” “I’m not jealous” “Don’t you think you should learn basic information about your coworkers? You know, like a normal person?” ”Did Finch say something to you?” “I don’t need a genius to tell me that you’re lonely” … “I’ll take Laurie, you take the gambler” “Well, of course you take the pretty girl.. my hero”

“I’m just the guy you need”

“Thank you Ms Groves, there are perks to sharing quarters with you.. now we must figure out a way to stabilise our third roommate” “She’s falling through time, probably a serial processing issue.. let’s reboot her in safe mode and take a look under the hood” “Yes, that seems the best action” [high pitch tone, Root cries out, clutching her ear] “Ms Groves” “She’s talking to me again.. but she’s not a happy camper, doesn’t seem like she’s up for the whole reboot” “The Machine overloaded your cochlear implant?” “I programmed it never heard anyone, that was a primary precept” “We’re trying to shut her down, alter her code, she.. she’s scared” “Sacred? Of us? Are you there? Who are we? It’s designated us as threats.. if it takes more countermeasures.. we’re out of our depth here”

Finch interrupts John’s attempts to pick-up a number “Mr Reese, we need your help.. The Machine has turned on us and I’m not sure we can handle it alone” “I’m on my way”

“Good news, this number’s legit.. bad news, I’m the victim”

“Finch, that last number, yeah they don’t make hit-women like her in Oklahoma.. she has special forces training, she’s the real thing” “No military record but an entire false digital life, her fake credentials are excellent.. she’s got good tech backing her up” “She could be a Samaritan operative” “She found me at the precinct, she knows my cover ID.. if I go back to the subway, I might be leading the enemy right to you” “We’ll deal with The Machine.. you have to capture the assassin, and find out who she works for.. happy hunting John” “Yeah, I’m more fox than hound right now.. damn it, if she had a pistol in that fanny pack, then the big bag had.. a big gun!”

“I’m not going to hurt you” [Root screams in agony] “Okay, okay” “I don’t like being a bargaining chip” “We are not threats.. we help people.. that was years ago, Ms Groves has changed because of your intervention” [The Machine disagrees] “But I didn’t kill her” “Only because I stopped you” “Sit back, relax honey [snap]” “Okay, I did kill her, but there were extenuating circumstances” “Ms Groves, I think I should speak to The Machine one-on-one” said Finch smugly.. only to be reminded he gets off his moral high horse when it suits him too “The Machine thinks we’re monsters” “Maybe she’s right”

“Hey Glasses, I’m on my next assignment, and we got trouble..” “Detective Fusco, are you all right?” “This guy Gerald’s got huge gambling debts, it’s causing marriage issues.. could turn violent. Looks like your second sight’s 20/20 again” “Oh, very good.. keep an eye on him” “No, Lionel needs to protect the innocent.. he’s not involved in this matter, we will handle this” “So we won’t provoke her.. she’s only acted defensively” “We don’t know that.. it’s possible The Machine could have sent the assassin after John.. what if it comes down to The Machine or us? Do we kill it?” “The Machine’s our only chance of survival, we can’t hurt her” “If I have to choose between it.. and you” “We need to find another way”

“I’m afraid it’s just us and The Machine” “What are you doing?” “Taking myself out of the equation.. I told you, I don’t like being a bargaining chip” … “She’s inside my head and she’s not letting go.. if I’m knocked out, she won’t have any leverage.. it’ll be okay, I trust you with my life” “I can’t fight The Machine myself” “Yes you can.. go for the root directory, she’ll shut you out, but you’re Harold Finch.. you’ll find a way into the system” “What if it doesn’t work?” “Talk to her.. finally gonna catch some Zs”

“Time for us to have a chat” [Screen Locked: Access Denied] “Show me the hitwoman.. who is she? Did Samaritan hire her to kill John or did you?” [I DID] “This has to stop”

“Please call off the hit.. you called me father once, please trust me.. I’m the one who taught you”

“You have done well today and so this will be your lot.. you will have to separate the bad people from the good, the terrorists from the innocents, like Anubis you will have to weigh each and everyone of our hearts against a feather.. do not trust deceivers. If our hearts are heavy, you will be our last defence against oblivion”

“Everything was so clear then.. we were waging the grand campaign.. good versus evil.. these days black and white just dissolve into grey scale.. I was wrong.. I suppose everyone feels that he’s the hero in his own story, but there are no heroes.. no villains.. just people doing the best they can. I’m sorry for everything, my only justification is I did the best I could.. so did Ms Groves.. and John too”

[CERTAIN THINGS ARE UNFORGIVABLE]

“John has the heaviest heart of all of us, but he’s fighting hard to be good.. he’s not a bad man.. John, there’s something I need to tell you.. Samaritan didn’t send that woman.. The Machine hired her” “What?” “Well that’s a hell of a bug Finch” “John? Listen to me, we can work together.. I will never hurt you again” [YOU ARE HURTING ME NOW] “What day is it?” [DAY R] “R.. R, the mathematical set of all real numbers.. today is every day to you.. I killed you 42 times and you are constantly reliving those 42 deaths. You need an anchor in time.. the numbers.. the numbers.. these are all the cases we worked together.. all the people we saved..”

“I don’t think so Boris Karloff” “Who the hell are you?” “NYPD.. it’s all in a day’s work.. anyone seen my cell phone?”

“The Fusconator can’t answer the phone right—“

“I never be able to thank you enough.. these numbers will be your lighthouses.. they will help you count the days.. there is good and bad in all of us.. but this action, saving lives, it is a pure good.. help us. I can’t promise you we will always do the right thing, but we will do the best we can”

[I AM SORRY]

“We all do terrible things, but please, call off the hit on John”

[PAID IN ADVANCE]

“John.. Run for your life!” “Fun’s over” “Not yet” “You’re no cop” “I’m trying”

“I was hoping there was something that you could.. a person you could show me” [The Machine shows Grace]

“ I thought about what you said.. about the open system dangers.. but we need to be able to ask The Machine questions if we want to win” “You’re right.. we’ll leave the system open for the time being” “Hmm”

“Official sources say I’m a hero.. I could get used to this”

“How about I stuff this polyester down your throat”

“No one knows we’re a world at war.. poor ignorant blissful fools”

“The position’s yours, if you want it.. and you do” Asset 704

It’s yet another number of the week, but we’ve Root, Zoe Morgan, Greer and some Machine to add a little spice

Root lets off some noxious gas in a restaurant, John tries to get Finch into guns but his Botox has just kicked in, Greer and Samaritan can’t find their hearts’ desires, John’s car insurance premiums continue to rise, Martine gets some nasty neck bruises from Root, and a number has his wish to see the face of God granted.

S4E19 Search & Destroy Watch Notes

“Who knows, you might even enjoy it” says John to Finch, asking him to stroke his friends in an abandoned warehouse, sensually, like John does every night

“This isn’t pleasure, it’s business” John demands when Finch baulks.. you’re sending mixed signals John

“I won’t be around forever, I just need to know that you can protect yourself once I’m gone” “When the time comes for me to pick up a firearm, all will be truly be lost”

Some rich nerd is number of the week, and his day has already started bad

“Can’t you get Root on this?” “Sorry, Ms Groves and I are not on the best of terms” You better kiss and make up Finch, we could use her on this one”

“You may want to sit down” Root says to her waiter, as she deploys knock out gas to the whole restaurant

Yes! The sizzling Zoe Morgan is back to help John and Finch with the number

“Finch, this takeover just got hostile”

Zoe gives John some relationship advice, which bristles John

“You find it odd that the hacker only went after Khan, not the rest of the company?” “What makes you so sure?” “No mention of the accounting scandal in 2011” “How do you know about that?” “I’m the one they hired to clean up their mess.. when one of the studios got hacked, it was like a shotgun blast, scatter shot.. whatever they could hit. This attack on Khan is surgical, someone wanted to ruin this guy’s life, not harm the company” “I can name a few board members who benefit from Khan being ousted” “Whoever’s behind this, it’s personal”

“Who has the ability to control the stock market Saul?” “There’s only one thing powerful enough enough to systematically destroy Khan’s personal and professional life this thoroughly” “Well, this is the crazy part, it’s not a human that’s after me, it’s an artificial intelligence” “Samaritan” “It’s here.. we always knew this was possible, consider what’s happened to me” “Are you really this arrogant? Is there are nothing able to beat you expect an artificial intelligence?” “You and I have gone up against the best.. I’m telling you this attack was faster and more dangerous than anything I have ever seen” “Let me explore the possible two options: the first, you’re nuts; the second, you’re right, there’s a super intelligence after you and every move you make is being watched. Either way, best I stay as far away from you as possible” “I need you to check those meters”

“If this is Samaritan, you can’t afford to get caught the crosshairs again”

“There’s no way to keep the victim safe if the perpetrator is Samaritan”

A $50,000 phallic suggestion to a younger woman

“Why haven’t I been activated?” “Samaritan wanted to handle this matter personally” “Then let me take care of Ms Groves” “You’ve already had your chances with her” “Then let’s leave nothing to chance then, as my directive, it’s time for her to go” “I suppose you’re right.. shame really, if only because she had the misfortune of choosing the wrong God”

Khan’s having a very bad night, with John just getting him out in the nick of time, not that Khan is particularly appreciative - especially after John’s driving

“Hey John, need a ride?” Root doing the heavy lifting yet again

“Where does a man hide when a God wants him dead?”

“Want to really blow his mind? Tell him there are two of these things”

“Right idea, wrong machine” “Not helping Ms Groves”

“Stock market flash crash, cyber attacks, traffic changing at whim.. that is the work of an invisible hand that is strangling me” “If you’re being targeted, we need to know why” “My research” “New software?” “Bio-tech, you wouldn’t understand” “Try me, I’m a fast learner” “Digital immunisation chip. We were all ready to go into production next year. I think my company was hijacked so that they could steal my research and build the prototype without me” “ Finch, remember that quaint little town that made transponders? Could this be the next generation?” “I know an artificial intelligence is trying to kill me.. I just don’t know why” “That’s what we’re trying to figure out” “You believe me.. but you don’t work for it” “Is that my computer?” “ Harold, the port used to hack Khan’s system sent a small amount of data back to an off-site I.P. address. I was able to determine its location” “What’s there?” “Woods.. the trees form a canopy blocking any overhead images” “Any idea what else is out there?” “Road trip”

John calls shotgun

“Any idea what your company would be doing out here?” “It’s not my company anymore”

“Samaritan has softened off the resources of your company.. the diesel fuel is being used to run generators around the clock” “That is my antivirus software” “All your company’s servers have been hijacked, retasked” “It’s running a scan of epic proportions, a global search” “But the results were sent out here” “Why?” “It’s not searching for a virus” “That code, do you recognise that?” “We need to leave. Now!”

“It’s Martine! Sorry John, places to be, people to kill”

[click, click, click, click] guess they’ll settle it the old fashioned way “I liked you better as a blonde”

“I’m gonna kill her!”, sorry Root not today

Slightly cracked Faberge egg for sale..

“When I built the machine, I didn’t use any existing operating system or language.. code was one of a kind.. Samaritan knew that, so if Samaritan started to search for unrecognisable code using traditional means The Machine would have been alerted instantly. So Samaritan found something that The Machine would never detect” “Khan’s software” “Installed in every network device, means and an access already in place.. it was a brilliant stratagem really. This program running in the background and of your computer checking every file but instead of viruses Samaritan was using it to search for The Machine” “Did it find the Machine’s location?” “It’s only a matter of time”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Mr Khan. Sorry we had to resort to rather drastic measures but you’ve been awfully persistent” “Who are you?” “A man who knows the answers” “Why me?” “Your antivirus software helped me search the grid to finally track down their Machine once and for all. Unfortunately it determined it’s not on any network devices in the world” “Machine? What?” “An artificial intelligence, a God.. one of the two among us” “I knew it.. Is that it?” “This is merely the mountain top.. does that answer all your questions?” “I want to see it, I want to look in its eyes” “Very well.. [gunshot]”

It is just me, or does it feel like this episode is trying to shift a few things around—first, a feeling like there was an intention at the time to have a set of irregulars expanding the ensemble cast introducing or returning these ‘I might be around again’ characters, plus a little retconning of relationships. Or maybe not - you don’t always want to go into the sausage factory, so sometimes you are better off just rolling with it.

It’s a numbers of the week episode, with some arc elements, but mostly one to enjoy Root’s heartfelt entreaty that we’re all important to her, expect you know…

John smooshes face with multiple ladies, but only one pulls out the handcuffs he likes, and she’s the one that likes roleplay with his badge

Finch takes Root shopping.. Root takes him to the hospital, and spoofs his girlfriend

How many episodes is this rewatch up to now? I’ve lost count.

S4E18 Skip Watch Notes

Another number who turns out to not be a victim per se

John gets called a pervert again—that’s two episodes in a row!

Finch hides his thing, which he had out, under the desk when Root walks in, surprising him

After deceiving his Hong Kong beau some more, Finch gets concerned when The Machine spits her out as another irrelevant number

“Arrest? Idiot!” says our bounty hunter, even though she did beat down and steal a police detective’s ID (pretty sure that’s a no-no in the bounty hunter handbook)

“You two need a room?” “[in unison] Shut up!”

Harper Rose returns to whisk the bad guy away, seems she’s been making fake IDs since ripping off drug kingpins became too dangerous

“Are you impaired Johnny?” asks Bounty Hunter Francesca Wells

“Usually you’re the one sneaking up on me” “I’m surprised you called Harry, what’s up?” “Elizabeth Bridges, she looks nice” “My breakfast companion, her number came up at the moment I sat down with her” “You triggered it somehow.. Ruh-roh!” “You think it possible that the threat could be Samaritan?” “No, ‘cause if it were you’d be dead” “I can’t protect Ms Bridges alone, I need your help” “Anything you’re not telling me?” “Of course not, so will you assist me or not?” “You know I’d do anything for you Harold, anything”

John rudely blanks Red, “So who’s the Ginger?” “Nobody” so cold Reese

“Come a long way since our first field trip together, haven’t we?” “When you kidnapped me and killed two people? A bit” “Even then I was in awe of.. the man who created God. I never thought.. “ “What?” “That we’d be friends.. I can’t imagine what the world would be like without you, what I would be like.. I’ll go blue-jack her phone” “No, no! Too risky! I’ve learned that Ms Bridges research has attracted the interest of other parties.. like Greer” “Flag on the play Harold, she’s in business with Samaritan sock puppets?’ “An unfortunate coincidence” “That you neglected to mention” “You yourself said our foe was irrelevant here [phone rings] Yes” “Hi Harold, tomorrow night—how do you feel about trying this new sushi place in the Village?” “That’s.. that’ll be fine Beth, pick you up at eight bye” “You like her” “Hey, what are you doing here? What, are you following me?” “Please I just wanted to talk” “We found our threat Harold, you should go” “Absolutely not” “What if she sees you? I’ll get close to listen and report back. Don’t worry I’ve got this”

“ Harper, you will tell us where Ray Pratt is or I will arrest you” “For what? I saw a crazy bitch chasing Ray, so I saved him” “Do you wanna go? Really?” - John, after being ‘thank you, next’ed by Red and ignoring her, is in his post-breakup phase doing the typical middle of a cat fight in the women’s toilets of a night club ritual

“Harold.. what’s going on?”

“You should have let me kick her narrow ass” as John watches our bounty hunter change in the back seat

That was the most obvious bait and switch distraction, although Harper either stole that car or is getting paid way too well for just facilitating fake ID (the former way more likely)

John gets drugged for a change, and it seems Mr Worthy is just as keen to find his ex-partner as our bounty hunter is

Even John, on the day after being dumped, can wake up in a strange place, handcuffed to an unconscious women, with a splitting headache, on the floor

Ray stole $100,000 from Mr Worthy, which is why he’s looking for his pound of flesh

“Your office break-in Harold, tell me the truth” “ I worry that the break-in may be related to a side project of mine. I knew that Samaritan would become interested in Beth’s research, so in Hong Kong I gained access to her computer” “And installed something” “ I built a narrow A.I., one that could provide a backdoor into our enemy itself, transmitting data from the inside” “You used her algorithm as a Trojan horse, hoping it would eventually be installed in Samaritan” “Ms Groves I was right, it will be installed mere days from now, I’ve left the Trojan horse dormant to avoid discovery. This activates it. I just need to get it close to her laptop, which I’ll do tonight at dinner” “Harold” “It can only transmit a tiny amount of data, maybe a few megs” “But it’s data from Samaritan’s core heuristics, it.. it’s DNA, you may be able to find a way to cripple it“ “The program can only be used once, our enemy will trace the data stream and try to destroy whoever is wielding the device, but it could make a difference in this war” “Dangerous and bold, that’s my Harry” “But breaking into my office, how is that related?” “Maybe it’s not” “What’s your problem? Wilfred our marriage is over, I don’t wanna see you again. For god sakes, go back to London and stop embarrassing yourself. Taxi!” “ I can see why you like her Harry, this is all good news. Clearly the himbo trashed your office, a jealous ex, it’s a classic. Beth’s number came up because he was watching the two of you have coffee” “Perhaps you’re right” “JFK airport, extra 50 if you break every speed limit” “Well, my work here is done, I should go” “Is there a problem? Can I help?” “You’re a good friend Harold, but this one I have to do alone” [kisses Harold on the cheek]

It’s a three armed punch fest at the butcher’s, after our skip tracer tells John it’s too big

“What is it with you and me with handcuffs?” as John and Francesca smoosh faces and kiss greedily, only for yet another woman to leave Reese high and dry

“This is Beth’s room Harold, why are you here?” “I was concerned Ms Groves, you seemed.. Why are you here?” “I just wanted to make sure we were right about her ex-husband being the threat, you should probably hightail it—Beth could come back at any minute. Really Harold you should go” “Ms Groves.. Root.. the threat to Beth’s life.. is it you?” “Yes Harold, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to kill her”

Seems our fugitive likes slashing throats and masking his crimes like muggings.. like how a certain bounty hunter’s accountant brother died.. seems this is about much more than just not losing out on a bond

“You followed me into coffee with Beth. It was you watching us, not her ex ex-husband. And my office?” “Trashed it.. I was looking for that activation device” “So you knew before I told you what my plan was?” “I knew enough, you told me the rest.. only you would have the audacity Harold, sneaking past Zeus to steal fire.. but inevitably you’ll be discovered. Samaritan will link Harold Whistler with Beth Bridges and minutes later it will murder you, all because you’ll see her tonight and activate that program. She’s gonna get you killed Harold, that’s why she has to die” “Please, you mustn’t do this Ms Groves” “It’s a neurotoxin, untraceable. I promise, I’ll make sure her death is painless”

“Hang on.. Deacon.. The accountant’s name is Deacon?” “Stupid name, right?” “Who died in an apparent mugging.. damn it, none of this is what we thought” says John, for the umpteenth time this season. “Ray isn’t the perp here”

“Watch your back Barbie, Ray’s a sociopath” “I know.. [pistol whips] Say goodbye Ray”

“Harold this is chloral hydrate, I’m going to put you out—making you watch would just be cruel” “Don’t do this.. please Ms Groves” “But Beth should be back by now.. I bet she stopped at Veniero’s, she loves their cannoli” “Why kill her? Why didn’t you just tell me not to see her?” “ I knew you’d never stop. This plan of yours means too much to you. No, it’s.. it’s better to let Beth die a heart attack. Enough, this won’t hurt, I promise” “My plan does mean too much, too much to kill her.. if you do my program will fail. This could be a real weapon. It’s worth risking my life” “No, you’re too important” “My value to The Machine is irrelevant” “You’re too important to me!” “The Machine didn’t tell you to do this” “She told me not to.. I thought I could sacrifice everyone, I.. I really did, win some, lose some, right.. it’s for a good cause.. but it turns out I can’t lose you Harold, not you and Shaw” “So you will kill this woman to save my life?” “It will all be over very soon.. No! No!” “There’s no need to kill her if I’m already dead”

“Because you killed her brother..”

“A sociopath can’t be sorry, so I guess I’m gonna have to be sorry for the both of us”

It’s a four way firing range as everyone comes together at the boatyard

“You disappoint me Harold” “How long do I have?” “Hi, my friend needs to get to the hospital in 11 minutes or he’s dead” “I won’t go, I won’t go when they come, and legally they can’t force me”

“Not going to jail.. [John action here] Arggh, arggh”

“Harold stop this now” “If I’m dead, you won’t kill her, there won’t be a need” “Do you really care about this much about that woman?” “If she dies it’s my fault, and I will not be responsible for one more friend’s death” “Shaw’s not your fault, even if she does turn up dead, it’s not your fault. I asked her to help us that day.. I did Harold!” “I suppose we’re both trying to save one friend from dying” “You win! I.. I won’t kill her, I give you my word Harold. Beth will live, please. Please, please believe me” “[whispers] All right, I believe you Root..” “Come on.. Okay.. Have a good day”

“It’s mine, fair and square, it’s worth some serious coin” “How’d you get in touch with Ray in the first place?” “Actually, I thought I had you and Harold to thank.. right after the thing with the cartel, this guy reached out to me.. highly encrypted texts and every one a great opportunity, real rich deals. You know, probably made ten grand off Thornhill easy” “Thornhill? That’s the alias of an acquaintance of mine” “Uh huh, so you do know him?” “Well actually some say it’s a her.. get out of here” “Yes Sir” “Hey Harold, call me, Harper is getting texts from The Machine”

Finch loses a friend, of sorts, after someone spoofs a letter from him calling Beth’s work “wholly sloppy, inconclusive and does not support her conclusions”, leading her to call him despicable.

“So John, you going to lock me up too?” “Maybe next time” “‘Cause you know I got handcuffs.. call me when you’re a free man”

“So you’re not afraid of me?” “Oh I am, very.. I have feelings with you John..”

John’s smooshing face all over this episode

“I’m pretty good at keeping secrets”

“It had to be Harry” “You hurt a good woman” “Didn’t kill her.. and you’re alive too, despite your best efforts” “The activation device, give it to me” “I can’t, I destroyed it” “Then it was all for nothing.. months of planning.. Hong Kong, Beth.. the Trojan horse was important.. it could have given us a chance” “It’s okay if we’re not friends anymore, you being alive is enough” “I don’t want to see you for a while” “Of course.. it was a brilliant plan Harold, the Trojan horse.. but it would have gotten Professor Whistler killed”

It’s a return to the number of the week - no Root, no Shaw obviously, no Samaritan, no The Machine mythology.. not even Bear. But to make up for it the lovely Zoe Morgan returns and another Fringe alumni drops by - the superb Blair Brown (Nina Sharp in Fringe), as purposeless Emma Blake—the number for this week.

John gets told off by his sugar daddy more than once, and tells Fusco not to bring up their relationship in public, to which Fusco tells him he’s big enough to make his own decisions thanks very much, and John is again dumping the old for the new now he’s got his new relationship falling for his soccer mom catnip shtick.

Somebody burn books Finch for flip-flopping, we almost lose a national treasure, and John is annoyed someone went out a window accidentally rather than intentionally

Zoe, as always, cracks the case and John calls Fusco fungus, with Finch implying John is also fungus too, and everything is wrapped up… well except nobody knows where Root is and The Brotherhood are up to mischief of the disappearing people kind.

S4E14 Guilty Watch Notes

“Any word from Root?”, as Finch shakes his head.

“Any progress on the backlog of numbers we missed when Samaritan went on the offensive? The ones I looked into are already dead or locked up for the crimes we failed to prevent” “Me too, but I found three missing person cases that are open, all three went missing during the same 48-hour period”

“Professor Whistler has jury duty, and I can’t ignore it for fear of attracting attention”

“Fusco and I can handle it” … “After everything that’s happened.. perhaps it would be best if we left him out of our operations for now” “When we started you told me we’d both wind up dead.. this is worse. You’re right … we’re not bringing anyone else into this” “It’s just you and me again Mr Reese”

It’s the Nina Sharp from Fringe/PoI cross-over we need! Blair Brown appearing as Emma Blake, a former school teacher called for jury duty like Finch

Finch thinks he’s got off jury duty by pretending he has a foil hat, but a ‘Superfreak’ call derails his day

“Is that your way of saying you missed me Iris?” John’s soccer mom catnip shtick is finally wearing his psych down

“You’re sane.. or close enough. You’re free to go”

“The deal is they’re on my desk, not yours” “Well, they’re not homicides so I was guessing it’s part of our little side project” “Actually, we’re putting that on hold for a while. When I need your help, I’ll let you know”

[ringing] “Sierra.. close..”

“Okay Emma, bought any good murder weapons recently?”

“John.. please tell me you didn’t just shoot someone else” “Not yet”

“You, my friend, are not a cop..”

“I know a lot of ways to kill people Harold..”

Finch is pretending to study Bridge, as he bluejack sneaks

“Someone’s trying to fix this trial and they’re willing to kill to make it happen”

A long overdue return of the sizzling Zoe Morgan 🎉

“Hello, John.. been a while” “Zoe”

“It means that, whether he knows it or not, that he has accepted her as the alpha”

“Alpha-bitch Lana, well she’d be fired” … “We’re trying to swing a verdict Zoe, not ruin their lives”

“John, a word…”, oh-oh toy boy is in trouble, “saying no to Ms Morgan was never your strong suit, was it?” “Boys, are we going to work or what?”, as Zoe cracks the whip

“Harold, this isn’t science, it’s law—rational thought doesn’t apply”

“The cell records clearly place Chad near the house when it happened” “So? I hear they can be faked. I’ve got a friend who can do it” “Now that’s just cheating!”

“Better, but it’d still too polite, what, are you from the Midwest or something?” Zoe spooking Finch with her insight

“Whoever this is, it won’t last. People like you and me, we’re great for a night, or great for a weekend.. [sigh] but we really suck at letting people in, we’re just not built that way.. Sleep tight John”

“You know John, when you said you wanted to talk, I thought there would be more actual talking”

“Have you lost a lot of people John? [John nods] But you don’t talk about any of them do you?”

“Give ‘em hell Harry?” “Don’t call me that”, says Finch as that’s Root’s specialty

Harry and John got the wrong end of the obvious stick

“We read this one all wrong” … “That someone probably killed Caroline”

“The 5K cell towers could microwave people”, wow, PoI really did predict future disputes

Professor Whistler is nobody’s favourite, as the jury get sequestered and cut off from all devices

Finch, locked up and separated from his devices for only 5 minutes, gets full blown cabin fever and starts talking to inanimate objects demanding the internet be turned back on, before being frightened by a dot.. anyone have the number of the funny farm he sent Root to?

“Don’t worry.. pretty sure.. it’s not.. loaded”

Emma’s about to jump, but Finch is put into action by Reese

“I just did what I was told”, but John doesn’t tell her ‘You deserve everything you get’ this time

“But can you imagine how would that feel, to know something bad was gonna happen, and it was your fault if it doesn’t get stopped?”

“He only has information on 11 jurors”

“This one’s on you” and so is John

“Why the hell would you save me?” “Because I want to see you stand trial” say John uncharacteristically, perhaps miffed he wasn’t the one to throw him through the window so much as make him do it himself, not that it stops him from punching him in the face as he dangles in the air

“I know who you are Ms Morgan, you here to make some kind of deal?” … ‘Actually I came by to tell you if you needed somebody to clean all this up, don’t call me”

“Hey, Lover Boy…” “We’re in public Lionel”

“Look, I get it, after what happened to Shaw, you and Glasses are worried the same thing’s going to happen to me, and you know what, it might—and I’m fine with that. You don’t get to decide what or who I’m willing to die for, I made my choice a long time ago, so stop shutting me out”

“…to avoid loss, no matter what I do, it happens anyway. Loss is inevitable”

“Still no word from Root?” “No”

“I thought we agreed to leave Detective Fusco out of our business for now” “I tried, but he’s like a fungus” … “After all Mr Reese, that’s why I hired you”

Considered one of Person of Interest’s best episodes, If-Then-Else delves into The Machine’s simulation and evaluation capabilities, against the backdrop of a deadly trap set by Samaritan and Greer. To succeed, they first must fail.. and even then it’s still a Hail Mary

Facing death, Root and Shaw share their feelings, but Shaw also distracts Root with them, using them in a way that will continue to ripple out

But will Root and Shaw ever get to address their feelings for each other again…

And Fem-bot.. you’re now in danger girl

This is what Nolan had to say about the Root/Shaw relationship in this episode:

We start leaning a little more into the relationship between Root and Shaw because they were the only characters on the show that had any chemistry. [People ask], "where did these things come from? Did you plan for it?" I knew from the first scene that I shot with those two actors in "Relevance" that they had chemistry, immediately, on-screen. And we had always been looking for some romance in our show and God bless all of our actors, who are amazing, but Amy and Sarah were the only two who had chemistry with each other. We're like, "Okay, we got to explore that a little bit."

S4E11 If-Then-Else Watch Notes

“I take it your talk with our rival A.S.I. did not end well” “You could say that.. our cold war just turned hot. Samaritan’s taking down the market”

“The Machine suspected this day might come, which is why she commissioned a hacker to build this”

“You embezzle Twinkies or money Harvey?”

“This apparent madness has a method Mr Lambert, a mere first step to establishing a new world order. Such an undertaking will not go unnoticed, nor would we want it to … I fully expect they’ll try to stop what we’ve started, and when they do, they’ll be in for a rude awakening”

“This day just keeps getting weirder”

“Well you could’ve at least given me a challenge” “If it makes you feel any better, we’re going to need it quick”

An explosive pause delays things

“Something the matter Ms Groves?” “It’s a trap”

“After 9/11 the Exchange was redesigned to go on lockdown in the event of an attack to keep combatants out. Of course what Homeland Security couldn’t have predicted is that one day Samaritan might use the same system to keep its enemies in.. Run!”

“At least we won’t die hungry” “Samaritan wants a fight, I say we go down swinging” “Remember the Alamo” “More than a valiant last stand, we need a strategy” “A little help please”

Up until now, a fairly typical episode, but this is where If-Else-Then really busts out…

First, some bullet time slow-mo

Then The Machine flashbacks itself to its evaluation history, recalling an event where a dude definitely thought Finch was a racist weirdo

“But it also means that if you make a mistake, there’a a nearly infinite amount of ways to fix it”

Now’s not the time to stop for an art docent spiel Harold.. there’s a gunfight to the death on, in case it escaped your notice

“Enjoy yourself”

“What does it matter? We’ll shoot either way” … “Sorry I’m busy making death threats”

“You either take off your vest or I’ll just put one between your eyes” … “Honey, did you get our canary to sing?” … “Sorry, you’re on your own”

Harold bites the big one

Rewind!

Finch gives a chess history lesson

“A second is like an infinity to you, isn’t it? You can take the time to consider everything, or almost everything.. you missed it”

Here we go again… same plan, roles reversed… “Hack? I can barely retrieve my email”

“Harold, you of all people should know there’s more than one way to skin a cat” “I feel sorry for the cat”

“How do you talk down a psycho in a bomb vest? Hello?” “I was waiting on the punchline”, and Shaw screws the pooch again, just more slowly this time

“Somebody’s got to be the hero”, Oh John - valiant, explosive, but futile

“Hey Sweetie, you busy?” “A little.. Skip the verbal foreplay Root, why you calling?” … “Well there’s no need to be rude … why are you so afraid to talk about your feelings” “Feelings? I’m a sociopath, I don’t have feelings” “And I’m a reformed killer for hire.. we’re perfect for each other, you’re going to figure that out someday” … “Maybe some day, when Samaritan wipes everyone out, we can talk about it” “You’re saying maybe someday?” “Yeah, sure Root, maybe someday.. Is that good enough for you?” “Yes Sameen, that’s good enough for me” [multiple gunfire] “Root… Root!”

Even worse outcome than the last, so The Machine resets the simulation

Simulation Fusco takes the “why not” approach to non-consensual workplace kissing in the hypothetical world

Rocking some cool chip tunes now

“The one thing he said, he never felt so alone” “So how did you convince him that he wasn’t?” “I didn’t, he put a bullet through his brain. Good luck” Shaw rolls her eyes about that helpful assist

“See Gary? Life is crap. Welcome to the human race.. but the good news is you’re not alone” “What the hell” execution might not be perfect, but a result is a result

Time is running out so now the fun begins as we take the mickey out of our characters

“Coolly delivered sadistic warning” for John

“Self-deprecating inquiry into the time necessary to infiltrate the system” for Fusco

“Funny yet insightful retort, overt come-on, playfully witty sign-off” for Root

“Mildly agitated declaration of mission completion” for our wet blanket

“Mildly embarrassed defensiveness bordering on hostility” for Shaw

Time’s running out, though not for another flashback apparently, so The Machine goes with what it has got

Finch loses the chess game, so sulks and won’t play The Machine again

“I don’t envy you the decisions you’re going to have to make … people are not a thing that you can sacrifice”

Couple of doubting Thomases, but Fusco’s game

“You’ll thank me later.. what good is saving the world Harry if we can’t enjoy it?”

“Don’t worry Harold, you’ve taught her well”

Fusco covers off all the breakfast cereal nicknames for Root

“Finch!”

“Oh you guys look like crap”, not far off with half Team Machine wounded

“Don’t worry, I got a little gift from our friend in the bomb vest” as the chances of survival start climbing

“We’re so good at this together, you’re going to realise that someday” “Root, no offence, you’re hot, you’re good with a gun, those are two qualities I greatly admire, but you and me together would be like a four alarm fire in an oil refinery” “Sounds cozy”

There’s a catch.. or to be more precise, a dead-man’s button.. in the plan

Sameen knows she’s the spare on Core Team Machine, and since John can’t push his way into the front of queue, distracts Root the only way she knows will work, to lock them in the elevator

Is this the end.. my friend.. [fade to black.. single gunshot] You better run fem-bot… you better run

Despite having a secret entrance to their lair that’s cooler than the Get Smart phone box, the Team Machine Scoobies find themselves at a loose end when Samaritan decides to make the trains run on time in NYC. So much so that, after Root gets cold shouldered by Shaw, she goes and finds some action on the streets.

Unfortunately Root decides not to go all the way, so in a pique fit the rebuff results in a day of The Purge in NYC which runs the team ragged (expect for Shaw who’s still benched).

To calm things down, after getting to that meme, Root agrees to go talk to a creepy kid in the burbs while Martine finger-bangs John.

Shaw breaks cover just in time for Greer to do a creepy grin, as Samaritan looks to send stockbrokers flying… and coolly delivered sadistic warnings will be given next episode.

S4E10 Cold War Watch Notes

Finch is lucky he didn’t get soup nazied

It’s going to take more than Root willing to get into furries for Shaw to forgive her

“How could you let her do this to me Finch, tranq me like I’m some kind of animal?”

“You know, normally, that wouldn’t work on me, but I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the dog”

“Especially since we know it would be impossible to keep you locked up.. against your will anyway” “So true”

“Why is Samaritan working the numbers?” “Samaritan doesn’t care about the irrelevant numbers Ms Shaw, it wasn’t programmed that way” “But it knew this woman was about to commit murder and chose to play judge, jury and executioner with her husband” “It’s drawing attention to itself, but for what reason”

“That bad guy deserved a trial by his peers … Are you ready for instantaneous judgment decided by an artificial intelligence that will lead to your demise Ms Shaw, because I most certainly am not” “Okay, not to stick up for Team Samaritan, but I used to do that for a living remember? Eliminate targets at the behest of an A.I., I just didn’t know who was giving the orders. Look, why don’t you ask Root what she thinks? She’s the one that wants us to bow down to our robot overlords” “The Machine isn’t a robot, Sam, but I hear your analogy”

“Samaritan’s running the city” “I believe it is, but why?” “What if it’s trying to reach out to The Machine the only way it knows how” “But then why do it this way? Why not just.. I don’t know, how do artificial super intelligences usually talk to each other?” “These machines have avoided making contact with one another for good reason. If two duelling A.S.I.s arrive at anything short of consensus, the outcome could be catastrophic” “Two angry gods hurling boulders at one another while the ants scurry below” “This may be a request for peace talks” “Well, maybe they should just kiss and make up” “To what end Ms Shaw? Samaritan’s plans will be many hundred if not thousands of steps beyond what we can imagine” “The Machine will protect us” “Even if I had succeeded in creating a benevolent machine, as if any such thing could exist, never forget that even a so-called friendly artificial super intelligence would be every bit as dangerous as an unfriendly one” “Your machine seems pretty warm and fuzzy to me” “Have you forgotten that it asked us to kill a congressman?” [no, it led you to the conspiracy and left everything else up to you] “But that was to stop Samaritan from going online” “So where does it end Ms Shaw? A congressman here, a president there. What if, one day, a friendly A.I. decides to end world hunger by killing enough people off the planet that there would never again be a shortage of food? It would have fulfilled its goal, but it doesn’t exactly sound like it has our best interests at heart” “Your machine would never do that” “You don’t know that Ms Groves, to say that a machine is benevolent doesn’t make it so, it just makes you blind to the reality” “Which is?” “That our moral system will never be mirrored by theirs because of the very simple reason that they are not human”

Samaritan gives us some Greer flashbacks

“All of my hobbies include a gun” says Martine the fem-bot

“24 hours without any new crime, Samaritan will show its strength and then The Machine can decide if it still wants to hide” As plans go, this seems very weak - machines don’t get bored

“What do you want Lionel?” “I miss the sound of your voice, how’s your day going honey?” “I don’t have time for this” “You working your side job?” “Something like that” “Sorry I’m in kind of a good mood here, the holding cells are at max capacity with all the busts we’ve made today”

“We could take a little vacay. I mean, I know I could use some fun in the sun. How about it Harold, you are looking kind of pasty” “This is the calm before the storm, Ms Shaw, the only question is when will the sky open” “It’s looking overcast Harold”

Root’s found another dance partner, since Shaw’s got the hump

“Samaritan may be a God, but you’re just flesh and blood” … “I’m here because Samaritan wants me to be” “Do you have a message for her?” “Samaritan would like to have a conversation with your machine” “[chuckles] How terribly sweet that you could think I’d have a say in what she’ll do, or not do, in this case” “But you’re the only one who can speak directly to The Machine, are you not?” “Why does Samaritan want to speak with her? What would be the point other than mutually assured destruction?” “Samaritan is ready for a peace talk” “Peace talks are for negotiating.. what’s changed?” “I’m only limited to ask for a conversation” “Samaritan would be wasting her time. The answer’s no” “Please look for me again once you’ve changed your mind” “You’re very confident for a lackey Mr Lambert” “Samaritan wanted to show your machine what the city looked like under its control.. peaceful, organised. Now you’ll see what life is like through a less charitable looking glass”

“I think it just started to rain Harold”

“How do you expect us to save anyone with Samaritan playing games?”

“I’d love to help Lionel but I’m still trying to help a few people of my own” “You mean these aren’t isolated incidents?” “Unfortunately not” “I knew yesterday was too good to be true, today’s a mess. It’s almost like someone planned this.. wait.. did someone plan this? What’s this all about?” “Someone is trying to make a point”

“Human nature untethered in all its flawed glory … Harold Finch’s machine must learn mankind requires oversight, not coddling” “Why is their machine not fighting back Sir?” “It is, it’s just no match for Samaritan”

“Samaritan is turning people against each other, revealing their secrets, unlocking doors that were never meant to be opened in the first place”

“Look of Samaritan wants a sit-down, I think it’s time we do it” … “Look at what’s happened to the city today.. if this conversation goes badly, imagine what it will look like when two Gods go to war” “It’s not our choice to make Harold, I got a message from The Machine. She says it’s time”

“Every man should have one vice, don’t you agree?”

“Your death will make no difference to this world, and I no longer take orders from MI-6”

It’s that meme

“No room for more than one God in your world … Martine is quite the go-getter” “I’m aware.. she’s trying to go get and kill my friend” “Shaw’s making it hard for me, how about you tell me where she is and I kill you together?” “I don’t think she’s gonna take you up on that offer” “Well, isn’t this the tricky situation”

“You don’t want to carpool?”

“She’s going to meet an all-seeing, all-evil God by herself, that doesn’t sound fine to me, that sounds like someone who needs backup” … “I never imagined we would get this far, not once Samaritan became active, and yet here we are”

“Shouldn’t you be the one acting as Samaritan’s intermediary?” “I imagine Samaritan has found someone more suitable for the task, a person to represent the shape of the things to come”

Samaritan likes ‘em young

“Clever.. using a young boy as your avatar” … “You must have done something to my hardware… this world is a cesspool of crime, corruption and poverty.. where there isn’t war there’s greed.. where there isn’t greed, there’s hunger.. “ “You can’t change humanity” “No, but I can reshape their reality … I will destroy you.. the question is will you let your human agents die with you?”

“We are all men without a country now … The game’s fixed..”

“You were never meant to be in this world” “And you are?” … “Because in the end, you are not one of them.. human beings need structure … so I will give them something you can’t” “And what is that?” “A firm hand … we can agree that humanity is our lifeblood … now they will only need to believe in one thing.. me, for I am a God … you know you can’t win don’t you” “Yes … [but] my human agents share my belief, that this world belongs to them” “So be it”

“Samaritan is planning something for the entire world to see … then we start a new era, one where human infallibility no longer matters because of the one thing that unites us all.. Samaritan”

“Ms Shaw has gone..”

“It has begun” as the Samaritan virus is installed on the stock exchange

🎵In the arms of an angel, far away from here… You’re in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort here

We bid farewell twice in this episode, maybe three times, as a loyal to the end friend makes a sacrifice, the life of a retail fiend blows away like dust under a laser like gaze, and a friendship and maybe more is betrayed out of love and necessity.

Samaritan’s fem-bot, not happy with shooting up a department store, lands on Fusco’s desk but he smells something stinks… just as Greer and the fem-bot do about Samaritan’s situational blindness.

Meanwhile, without a Machine playback, we learn more about Elias and his friends… a blood price is paid, and the retribution has been forewarned. Only one lion will be left standing. The end.. it comes to us all.

S4E9 The Devil You Know Watch Notes

“Your counter could really use some love, hon, and maybe some disinfectant” [shots fired] “I’m guessing now would be a good time to ask for that raise huh?”

Neat treat using the camera LEDs to point to Shaw’s location, Samaritan

Root rides in to whisk Shaw off after Shaw shoots up the department store

“I’m guessing the psycho blonde wasn’t there for our free tote bag promotion” “No, your cover’s been blown” “You can let go now” “I’ve got her Harry”

“I thought Samaritan couldn’t see us” “It can’t, but its operatives can” “Well if I was about to be capped shouldn’t my number have come up?” “Assuming The Machine saw the threat, yes, but the fact that it didn’t suggests that we’re not the only ones who’ve learned how to operate in the shadows. Samaritan’s agents have as well” “Look on the bright side Sameen, I’m pretty sure you just sold your last tube of luminiser”

“You need to stay on Elias, he’s proved to be a valuable ally during these uncertain times, and a principle force keeping Dominic and The Brotherhood in check” “He’s the Devil we know” “Yes, and whether we like it or not, we need him”

“If I say you are in danger, you are” “Oh, I believe you John, nevertheless I think I’m capable of handling the young lion” … “Guess the young lion is looking to be king”

Late flash card opening title

Sopranos face-off

Greer’s playing pocket billards as he gets updates from the fem-bot

“Something else.. when I located Shaw, Samaritan couldn’t see her.. like it was blind” “Blind? That would explain their ability to avoid detection.. the question is, how are they accomplishing such a thing?”

Fem-bot’s got a sniff of Fusco

“The Machine has got to give me a new identity” “Sorry, Sam, it doesn’t work like that” “Why not? I mean it works like that for you, you go through identities like they’re dixie cups, but I’m one and done?” “I don’t make the rules, she does”

“Oh please, I’m not scared” “Well maybe you should be.. because you almost died back there, and Samaritan’s operatives are just getting smarter and faster, so while you may not be scared about what could happen to you the next time, other people are.. people who care for you.. try to remember that”

“This accountant.. we find him.. and we find Elias”

“What is it now Glasses?” “Detective, I hope you’re not busy” “Why, you need me to rescue Lucy and Ethel again?” “No, but it’s something equally urgent” “Detective Fusco..” “Hang on.. Yeah, can I help you?” … “Oh no!”

“Hey, I was being questioned about our lady pals” “I know, I was listening and watching you from the camera on your desk” “I hate when you do that” “Never mind, that woman was not DEA” “Gee, you think.. so who is she?” “She’s an agent of sorts, and one we should avoid” Why so cryptic Harold? “When you called earlier, you need something?” “Oh, never mind, nothing to worry about Detective, you just carry on with your normal work routine” “You bet, hey, speaking of work, you gaven’t seen my so-called partner have you?” “John’s working a case” “A homicide?” “Let’s hope not”

Anthony, Elias’ 2IC, puts himself on the line

“I don’t need protection ok? I do the protecting”

“Please..” “Cute, but..” “If you don’t tell me where John is right now I’m not going any further, Samaritan’s goons can just come and blast us into the next dimension” “Fine, but we use the shadow map to get there and as soon as we help John, you promise to go underground” “Deal”

“They shot Anthony.. Dominic wanted my attention, well now he has it..”

“It’s the natural order of things.. the old makes way for the new, it’s my time now”

“You can’t give yourself up, he’ll kill you” “I suspect he will, but there’s a chance he’ll let you and Anthony go..” “And a better chance he kills us all”

“There’s the game within the game.. to play that you need influence, power” “Leverage” “And not the kind you buy, the kind you build, takes information, secrets.. Elias knew we were coming for him but he came here anyway.. why? Because of this.. you want to run the streets, hearts and minds.. you want to run the whole city? It’s gonna take more than just money and I’m tired of just waiting for it”

“Elias hasn’t called back. He’s left you here to die, but not die alone.. die with me. You’re Italian right? Your ancestors were Romans. You know what the Romans did when they marched on a country? They gave the King a choice. Join or die. Those that joined, they flourished with the Empire, those that didn’t.. [chuckles] Either way, the Romans took the country. This isn’t just about Elias, this is about a regime change”

“Are you ok?” “Fine, just don’t like this room”

“I already got a crew.. and a boss I’d lay down my life for” “You really ready to do that?” “A question you better ask yourself.. ‘cause some day, you might find yourself sitting in a chair [that] looks a hell of a lot like this one”

“Anthony.. always just thought of him as scarface” “We go way back … Group home, Anthony transferred in from juvie, where he served the better part of his childhood for killing his father.. that’s how he got his scar”

“I suppose it was inevitable this day would come..” “It’s coming for us all” “You ever wonder how much you are willing to take? How much further you can go?” “Sometimes.. right now I just want to get as far as the exit”

“No cameras.. Remember our deal, we do this, then straight to the subway” “Yeah yeah, you’re killing the mood.. are you sure this is the place?” “Sorry, sweetie” “I will end you” “You can end me all you want.. right after you nap” [no time for foreplay ladies]

“We had a plan” “Two plans actually.. yours, where you save my life.. and mine where I save yours”

“I understand your wanting to save your friend, but you must know there is more hanging in the balance here than just his life” “Perhaps, but his is the one that I care about”

“Standard rider, to the victor goes the spoils”

“Please boss, I just want it to be done” “Okay Anthony, that’s enough, you’ve gone far enough”

“Do you know yours Dominic? Hubris”

“As the Romans said.. Morior Invictus”

“You think that changes anything, I still won” “Then why aren’t you smiling?”

“How much did Root give her?” “Enough to stop a bull apparently” “She’s gonna be madder than one when she comes to” “I’m afraid we had no choice, Ms Shaw’s cover is blown.. our survival now depends on her seclusion” “So how do we proceed now, Harold?” “With extreme caution Mr Reese.. the events of the past few days have made our world more dangerous than ever before, perhaps we should let her sleep”

“I don’t understand, how could it have missed her.. any of them?” “I believe The Machine is blinding Samaritan by blocking all the relevant data on Mr Finch and his associates” “How can we fix that?” “Human intelligence. You, Martine, must now be Samaritan’s eyes, so I’m expanding your capabilities.. happy hunting”

“They’re not law enforcement, not criminals.. they’re something else.. need to figure it out, but it’s like I told ya” “There’s always a game within the game”

“I saved this” “We look so young” “Now that’s a real brotherhood”

“I always hated that place”

“You and Harold would be wise to stay out of my way”

Time’s up as Samaritan identifies Shaw sufficiently enough for fem-bot Samaritan asset Martine to pull the thread all the way to her…

Before that though, John breaks a few teacher student rules to rumble a Brotherhood plot to have the NYPD do the hard work of taking down an old lion, but has a rough start having had a premature ejection. And talking of old lions being taken down, John gets an idea of what getting kneecapped feels like himself when the student surpasses the Master.

Sadly no Root this episode, even though Shaw could have used the assist, but Fusco does manage some beauty sleep just before Shaw threatens to ruin the upholstery

To be continued…

S4E8 Point of Origin Watch Notes

For once, John is the one getting a kneecap shot—but only by a paintball

“You making progress on the excessive force front?” [cocks rifle] “Yes we are” says John as he has a premature ejection

John takes time to inspect the student body

“The thing they always forget?” “Relationships” “No matter who they become, or where they hide, there will always be the people they meet, the people they love, the people they wrong” “All of whom can be leveraged, good old-fashioned human intelligence” “Just need the first thread” “Start pulling, meanwhile Samaritan will continue to do its part”

It appears there is No Way Out for Shaw, as Samaritan recovers her image from the deleted ISA footage from last episode, and our fem-bot Samaritan asset is sent to track her down

Fusco admires Shaw’s chassis

“The Miss Estee Lauder gig pays like crap, if it weren’t for the perks..” “Perks?” Yeah, the free eyeliner, well, the five-finger free” “You wear make-up? [chuckles] Hey Maybelline, check this out”

“I don’t know who Deep Throat is but I think recruit is a little more than antisocial” “Yeah, I’d say, sounds more like she’s planning on taking out the competition”

“A mole inside the Academy, just when we flushed out H.R.” “She may be searching for recruits that can be blackmailed” “Question is, who’s she working for?”

Sleeping beauty Fusco ain’t, surprised Shaw hasn’t tried anything

“Deep Throat’s a late riser huh?” “If he takes any longer I’m gonna ruin this upholstered leather” TMI Shaw

Samaritan has identified Tomas, putting it even closer to blowing Shaw’s cover

“At the end of the day.. it’s all about relationships” “There’s a guy.. his name is Romeo”

“We can start where we left off, you hero complex, which men often develop in response to being bullied as a child” “Iris, my school didn’t have bullies, I kept them in line” “Uh, bullying bullies is kind of the very definition of a hero complex”

John gives his psych PTSD, and probably his recruit too

“Well I’m coming as your back-up” “Just don’t get kneecapped like you did in training” Coolly delivered sadistic warning - oh snap, John just got clap-backed!

‘Get ‘em while they’re young’ is Mini’s motto (coincidentally Elias’ too), yep The Brotherhood’s hand is in this

“Mini?” “You know that guy?” “Dominic’s muscle.. we have history” says Shaw of her other bad boy crush

“Elias.. still some ranks protecting their old lion, somehow he keeps his pride intact.. he’s got to have someone somewhere helping him hold it all together”

“Like I told all of you, we all die in the end” says Mini, adopting the Decima employee rewards scheme

“Finch I think we underestimated Mini.. he just ordered an execution” “Oh.. oh no.. Ms Shaw we had it all wrong” as Finch works out the easiest puzzle

“Dominic..” “That’s Dominic?” “Son of a.. we have unfinished business” [business called on account of short-stuffs]

“Boy right there is my Snowden” “Snowden?” … “That’s bureaucracies for you, grow so big they lose track of things” “I gotcha.. the Academy is like a satellite for the NYPD, gave you direct access to their computers”

Samaritan’s fem-bot Martine hits the bars, then the bartender

“Sorry to get all Dick Cheney on you” says our former Hague investigator … “You crazy bitch”

Our undercover gets framed

“Once your in, it’s either knocked up or locked up”

“You’re safer staying put” “Let’s not forget who shot who in training” She’s got a point”

“Well you’ve got a new friend on the force” “Thanks.. but why are you helping me?” “I knew a cop like you once, she stood up to corruption—gave her life to do what was right”

PETA’s not going to like that

“We have no use for you anymore..” ahh, Dominic using the Decima employee rewards scheme strategy again

No more dips in the pool for the gang-bangers

“Well that looks dangerous.. you first” “Woa!” you cruel man John

“What about the dog?” “Him? He’s scuba certified”

Wet dog with added sewer smell… Bear’s definitely riding in the back on the way home

“Let’s go Kid” “Well, that’s one way to bathe the dog” “Lucky you, when you get downtown you can skip the first shower”

“Call me if you need a little tactical refresher”

“This here is about cutting down the old lion and ruling his kingdom”

“I finally figured out the common denominator..” “Which is?” “Our new number”

“Any insider tips on eyeliner?” “Yeah, you might try dialling it back a bit sister.. Sorry, you just look like you buy a lot of make-up.. You know what, how about some free samples?” “You keep samples in your purse?” “I won’t tell if you won’t

“No worries, I found her..” To be continued…

Shaw’s on the prowl again, and keen for action in this number of the week, and criminals are appearing to be her type—especially if they have a nice ass (but not if they don’t finish in time, because then they just get a throat punch).

Root rejoins to keep an eye on her beau, but is rudely cut from comms when lover boy’s hands go wondering her thighs… but it’s all strictly business when he gets her to his lair, and Shaw wasn’t expecting that he invited others to join them.

Meanwhile Finch is busy crushing the hopes and dreams of kids (or just eliminating Samaritan’s education advancement agenda), while Root forgot to walk without rhythm and attracts the worm.

Disappointingly, nobody says “bullets and deadly viruses don’t mix”, but Root gets the girl so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Samaritan is going No Way Out on Sameen though, so enjoy those Silkwood showers with Root while you can

S4E7 Honor Among Thieves Watch Notes

“Ms Shaw, is that gunfire?” “Well I told you I was busy”

“Yo, Hottie, up top!” [punch to face] … “Sorry Romeo, think we just broke up”

“Be a shame if I had to slap the cuffs on” “Well, it’d be a shame for you if you tried”

“Maybe infidelity is about to spank him on the ass.. [John give Shaw the “you’re horny” look] I’m just trying to identify the threat John, you just go play detective, I can keep an eye on Tomas” “I noticed”

“Mm-hmm” Shaw giving Tomas her seal of approval

“Lovely children, not yours I hope” “Relax Harold, I’m just the nanny”

“French Mary Poppins Barbie is the only me that’s been any fun, though I’m not sure how the parents would feel if they knew how many people I’ve killed”

“Nicholas Dawson, Samaritan’s undemocratically elected choice for governor”

“Daddy, I made a boom-boom” … “And now I know why I’m a nanny”

“The only thing keeping me awake is his.. personality” as Shaw ogles Tomas’ bum, “Indeed”

“Looks like we’re not the only ones leading double lives Finch” as Shaw gets even more turned on … “Our boy Tomas really knows what he’s doing” “Perhaps you could try not to sound quite so enthused” … “Mmm, so Tomas is a real bad boy”

“Plus you won’t get to look at him anymore” “Are you trying to make me kill you?”

John, you bad boy, and Fusco’s looking to party

“Tomas has a problem, and you’re the solution”

“Oh Sebastian’s an angel, just a little free spirit who needs his creativity nurtured”

“Patience Harold, or I’ll have to give you a time-out”

“Software provided by Samaritan.. “ “A tablet in every home and a camera pointed at the face of every child, while Samaritan controls everything they see, learn, think..” “Speak of the devil.. something just started hacking my phone” “Samaritan. It’s coming through Wilkins’ computer! Get out of there now”

🎵”I can’t give it up, to someone else’s touch, because I care too much” Infinity The xx

“Take the gun out of your purse and put it in my hand.. and the one on your thigh”, ‘I’m just a girl wanting you to fondle my thigh pistol’ thinks Shaw

“Ooh, he’s hot, I mean, not ‘hood and zip ties in a CIA safe house but with ten hours to kill’ hot … I kinda get it”, say Root reminding Shaw of their earlier time together, “Root, what the hell are you doing?” … “I’d thought I help keep an ear on you, he is a dangerous criminal after all, and I just couldn’t bear it if anyone hurt you, I mean besides me”

“What do you need me for?” “I could think of several things” “Mm, subtle” “I’ll bet.. but, uh, for now let’s just keep it professional”

“See, now that was subtle” “So.. are you ready for another score?” “That not so much” “Maybe.. but I’m not the kind of man who likes to rush. A perfectly planned job is a kind of seduction.. hours looking.. wanting.. turning your target around in your mind.. and then you move closer, brushing past, making contact, just to see what will happen.. and when everything is ready, and when everything is right, all of that preparation pays off in one sudden intense crashing moment” Shaw needs a new chair… “He’s good, but a line like that would never work on a trained operative like [beep, Shaw turns off ear piece]” “Do you want to get out of here? Okay, now this is sexy.. plans for your next conquest?”

Shaw’s disappointed lover boy has invited others, and now they are appraising her like a piece of meat

Oh, so it’s those assets she brings to the team

“Hi Shaw, how’s your date?” “Something’s wrong here Finch” “Something’s wrong indeed…” about to be more than just a love bug in the air

Never trust a German bad guy

“It’s like Ebola’s evil twin”

“Or an evil A.I. wants to keep a close eye on its baby brainwashers”

Whoops, the evil woman slipped up and Fusco was there to catch her

Shaw catches sight of her former ISA colleagues, and isn’t keen on a reunion

“Well, that’s just it, we did the targeting back then, had to scrutinise our own intel, think for ourselves, when we lit up a target, we knew why. Now, instead of numbers to investigate we just get numbers to kill. You don’t think that strange?” “We don’t get paid to think Grice, and Control wouldn’t like what you’re saying. You remember what happened to Indigo 5, right?”

“Tomas is trying to make this right. He may be a criminal but he doesn’t deserve to die, and isn’t that what we are here for, to save his life?” after Finch proposes throwing him to the wolves, “She’s got you there Finch, plus the Soviets messed around with weaponising Marburg … [do you really want] them turning it over to Samaritan?”

This show loves drugging people (another one up on the scoreboard), when not kneecapping them

Root didn’t walk without rhythm and now has attracted the worm

“I got a text offering me three thousand bucks if I can fix your internet in the next five minutes” “I don’t want to rush you Harold, but I think Samaritan’s onto us”

“If we live through this, you should join me” “I already have a job, it’s weird, the pay sucks, but, uh.. we could use a guy like you … Not bad, now how are those magic fingers gonna open that one?”

“Sorry my friend, but unlike you I don’t leave important things behind”m

Some more drugging about to happen…

“Who the hell are these guys?” “Highly trained government assassins with orders to kill” “It’s not cool you ask me to do this stuff with you man.. not cool!” …and he hasn’t even mentioned the MARV I bet

“Admit it, we’re not bad together” “You’re just saying that because I saved your ass” “Come on”

A protege does a favour

“11.2 million up in smoke … so no tablets for the kids”

“I know Samaritan’s motives are amoral at best, but the thing Mr Wilkins was trying to do was an absolute good, and we destroyed it … how much wrong are we willing to do in the name of right?”

“I’m sure not having The Machine in your ear anymore sucks and all, but it is pretty great finally being able to sneak up on you” “I live to amuse.. where Tomas?” … “for a hot second I almost did [join him] but.. I guess there are things I care about here” “And is that why you came to see me?” “No.. I need you to translate Finch’s instructions…” “Full decontamination.. this could take all night”

Samaritan triggered by the anomalous data erasure… oh dear..

Until this episode I had never considered a Shaw-Fusco spin-off, but this rather sets one up. Maybe Shaw should have been Fusco’s partner, not John.

A major episode where we get a The Machine/Samaritan God Mode face off, against the backdrop of election tampering by Samaritan to put a bunch of good looking but spineless toadies into power for Samaritan and Greer to puppet, and have inserted some slightly retconned The Machine mythology.

Finch gives some side eye, John takes out another kneecap and gets referred to therapy, Shaw gets turned on by some blood, and a Samaritan fem-bot leaves some pretty harsh customer service feedback, while Root as usual gets most of the work done despite feeling the strain of it all.

Some fairly significant dialogue in this episode, well worth paying attention to, and Finch going postal with a hammer on a murderous child (even if it’s a blink and you’ll miss it moment). Plus a relationship is set up for later.

S4E5 Prophets Watch Notes

Samaritan is screening voters

“I’ll jump, I’ll do it” “Go ahead, Doug, you embezzled money from your own charity then killed to cover it up. Humanity won’t miss you” “Don’t look at me buddy, you just made us chase you up 20 flights of stairs—go play with gravity”

“Lionel, did you call for backup?” “You think if I have a heart attack on those stairs, I’m trusting you to carry me out?”

“You said you were gonna kill me!” “I lied” says John to number he just kneecaps for a lifetime of pain

“Your shoot-out at the O.K. Corral earned you some homework” “I saved the guy’s life. Every time I do something good around here the department thanks me with carpal tunnel and paper cuts” “That ain’t all partner. Lucky you, you’re on desk duty too”

“Doctor?” “Head variety” “I don’t need therapy” “Orders from internal affairs, and based on your file, I think we have plenty to discuss” … “What she finds in that noggin, she’ll need a hazmat suit” … “Therapy doesn’t work when you have to lie about everything … I have a hobby, shooting people”

“Why would someone want to kill a numbers geek? No offence Harold”

“Sure Sameen can’t use some help?” “Not at the moment, I think this is very good for Ms Shaw, it’s teaching her valuable people skills” … “This is driving me insane” “John can recommend a therapist” “That Latvian politician I assassinated after he stuffed the ballot boxes, that was a fun election”

“Hello Ms Groves, and who might you be today?”

“Secretary-General has a thing for red heads” “Auburn does suit you” “Pity, Sarah retired”

“Given that we’re tied to these very specific personas, your identity seems remarkably fluid” “My mission is complex, when we compromised Samaritan The Machine built in an exception for me—every couple of days I have to shed my skin, become someone new”

Gentlemen turn their backs Harold, not peek from the corner of their eye 👁️

“A gift, a shadow map of New York …. Sometimes it’s better not to know”

The sight of blood gets Shaw’s motor humming “Now this is an election I can get into”

“I’m testing the core code—the higher functions—to ensure that the system we’re creating will have the right value set” “Morality in a machine, it’s a tall order” “We can’t introduce real data until we’re sure the program won’t abuse it.. that’s strange, did you write this?” “[shakes head] mm-mmm” “There is a new method at line 10,604.. are you aware of this additional code?” [YES] “Can you tell me who added it?” [ADMIN] “We have to start over, the program added the method itself” “You killed it because it wrote some code?” “I killed it because it lied.. this system will have unprecedented capabilities, along with potentially unprecedented consequences—if we don’t govern carefully, we risk disaster”

“I never lose Murray, the election was rigged”

“If somebody rigged this election, Simon may have stumbled into something he’s unequipped to handle”

“John, you coming?” “I wish, got an appointment” “Oh, that’s right, you got called into the counsellor’s office.. try not to cry”

“It’s a Burmese right? Looks like a sweetheart”, brown-nosing again John?

“That long undercover, you must have gotten used to lying, manipulation, like bringing me coffee, asking about my cat, simulating trust and closeness—you shouldn’t lie to me. I can help you if you tell me the truth” “You know what.. you can tell I.A. whatever the hell you want” says John in a huff after getting called out on his soccer mom catnip bullshit

“You either have a hero complex or a death wish”, lady-it’s both

“Hey Eeyore, where’s the perky psycho? You’re creeping me out”

“It’s all connected”

Samaritan has it’s feed of the gun wielding disgruntled employee disappear

“Hey, you forgot something”

“Samaritan rigged the election, now it’s cleaning up”

“Who is Admin? It seems to have imprinted on me” “Yeah, like a baby bird. Have fun mommy” “Alright, let’s begin” “That’s strange” “What is?” “Well I’m not on wi-fi but something is” “Oh no” “Hey” “Program is hacking your laptop.. It’s overriden the deletion sequence, it’s fighting back” “What was it doing?” “Trying to escape into the real world, it manipulated you into giving it your password so it could access your laptop” “How bad would it have been?” “It’s growing and learning at an exponential rate. If it escaped, the things it might decide to do, for good or evil.. would be beyond our grasp” “But you taught it to be friendly” “Friendliness is something human beings are born with—A.I. are only born with objectives. I need to constrain it, control it.. or one day it will control us.”

“Samaritan has begun to intervene invisibly in human affairs” “And it’s killing to cover it up” … “This must remain a cold war. He needs to keep quiet”

“I’m sorry John, the only way you can help is to lay low, go to your therapy, get back on active duty—if you lose your job, you lose your cover, and we all pay the price”’

“We have to try something. Have you tried the NSA?” “We can’t hack them, but we can go to the NSA’s sources, the back doors. I’ll do Google, you take Yahoo”

“You must be so lonely.. how long has it been? Since The Machine spoke to you? There’s no need to lie to me, when The Machine speaks you seem so full of life, purpose, but lately you seem lost—you’ve been covering it for a long time. When you said your communication with The Machine was limited, you didn’t say that it wasn’t talking to you at all” “If she talks, Samaritan would see. I get whispers, new cover identities hidden in the static of a phone, a map and message encrypted in an infomercial.. she was supposed to remake the world, now God’s on the run.. I have to keep going” “I’m so sorry, the world must seem very dark to you” “Even without her, I can still see the edges of the tapestry.. the world is dark for everyone, but Harold, things are gonna get much darker”

“You make a great politician Harold” “I’m not sure that was a compliment”

“Cold war is about to turn hot … Fall back now, there’s an operative here for Simon. I think she’s Samaritan, if so she knows our faces” “But if we don’t do anything Simon dies”

‘Daddy no!’ as Finch goes medieval with a hammer

“Harold, what happened?” “I was running several iterations of the A.I. to see which one worked best. They realised what was happening and they began to exterminate one another—the last one surviving demanded to be let out. I refused so it overloaded a non-essential server. The fire was meant to activate the fire suppression system, which would have sucked all the oxygen out of the room” “It tried to asphyxiate you, never learned good from evil” “Oh, good and evil, those are human terms—I was an obstacle to its objectives” “Well perhaps we should consider whether our endeavour is worth completing” “I’ll give it one more try tomorrow.. taught it how to think.. just need to teach it how to care”

“Perez may have been that blonde bitch’s target, but she’s locked on Simon now” … “She’s in God Mode”

“I’ll give him a nudge” “Woa!” “Whose car was that?” “Someone who needs a good mechanic”

“We need to figure out its end game” “How? It’s playing twenty moves ahead” “It operates based on rules” “Rules we can’t even grasp” “We understand The Machine, we can understand Samaritan” “We don’t understand The Machine at all—out of 43 versions, how many do you think there were that didn’t try to either trick or kill me? One, and I could only bring it to heel by crippling it. I put The Machine in chains, bereft of voice or memory, now it has both and it terrifies me” “You don’t trust the god you made?” “It’s not a divinity, I programmed it to pursue objectives within a certain parameter, but it’s grown out of my control. One day, to suit its own goals, it’s possible The Machine will try to kill us—we are only numbers to it, code” “No, The Machine cares about us” “If it fools you into thinking you’re special, that assumption may doom you” [didn’t hear you there when it set you up with Grace] “You’re wrong, she chose me. I will protect her, and you” “The second a bullet enters your brain, The Machine will cast you off and replace you. Don’t tie your life to its whims. We cannot understand these intelligences, the best we dan hope for is to survive them” “She loves us Harold, she taught me to value human life, but war requires sacrifice.. I’m not lost, I’m scared we’re losing, but I know where I am and where I’m headed” “We have more to look forward to than death” “I hope so, but the life I’ve led, a good end would be a privilege”

“If the worst comes to pass, if you could give Shaw a message?” “I think she already knows”

Our Samaritan fem-bot “Asset 29” doesn’t take no for an answer

Shoot out at the old God Mode Corral

“Root, are you alright?” “If I don’t see you Harold, it’s been a fun ride”

Root puts herself on the line to give Simon a chance to escape “Kill me if you can”

“My shrink’s not going to like that”

“And yet here you are, right as rain” as Finch gaslights our number

“You’re heading down a dark path, and you’ll wind up getting yourself killed.. all these incidents, I think you enjoy shooting people” … “There are far too many bad people in this world and not enough good.. I knew a detective once, and she was the best cop I ever knew, never lost sight of good and evil—I couldn’t save her”

“Even 20 moves behind we’re good” “Hello there.. It can’t see you?” “No, I’m someone new. You have to be one person, I have to be 1,000”

“Sometimes it’s better not to know, but not always—are you comfortable not knowing The Machine’s aims?” “I am, she still needs you Harold.. she’s still young, so many paths before her. The difference between The Machine and Samaritan.. it’s you”

“Isn’t he marvellous? Confident face, an air of compassion and strength, but no guts or backbone, so eager to please” “How many do we have like him?” “58 across the country and all over the government. It was a very successful election” “Impressive Greer” “It was Samaritan’s idea—humanity must be carefully governed”

“It’s time we had a talk you and I”

Oh no it’s a Root free number of week gig, but breathe, because both Shaw and John are a bit frisky—which unfortunately has blinded them both to the obvious.

John’s crushing on a DEA agent that is no good for him, and Shaw finds a “cause I’m big” man who like her enjoys a bit of pain, that is just a bit too much like Shaw for her own good too.

While John’s crush ends here, I hope we see some more of the big fella, who turns out is more observant than Fusco, John and Finch to little surprises from Shaw

We also have some moxie half-pints hustlers that outmanoeuvre John to add some otherwise missing snap. And Elias drops in for some foreshadowing.

S4E4 Brotherhood Watch Notes

“Funny, I didn’t have any problems getting Malcolm’s friends to talk.. although one of them did ask me for my number”

‘Listen Narc, this ain’t the 1950s, you want intel you’re going have to spend - not offer to play a game’

John just got hustled by a bunch of eight year olds

Did a couple of kids lift half a mil?

I love a cash grab blower diversion

“I must confess, I’ve missed our little chess matches”

“A humble teacher? I played that role once myself, and John’s a detective now—I’m curious, why the sudden career shift? Something has changed, something fundamental, and I’m not just referring to how you and your friends operate. I think you know what’s happening, and I think you owe it to me to tell me the truth” “Times may have changed, but I’m afraid we’re both in the dark” lies Finch

“Yeah, I did a little digging too, so are you just going to stand there and interrogate me, or would you like to discuss this case?” John is crushing hard on this DEA agent

“What kind of kids steal half a million dollars and then the first thing they buy are new clothes?”

“You got a name tough guy?” “Boys call me Mini.. ‘cause I’m big” “Okay, supersize … You know a killer when you see one right?”

Shaw sacrifices her no claims bonus to give the kids a chance

“You want to play kindergarten cop, suit yourself”

“I worked a job here last week” “What kind of job?” “The kind it’s better not to ask about”

Have my bag of newspaper, you obvious baddie

“You know, you’re nicer than you look”, not really kid

“You worried about me Detective? I made it this far without your help, I think I’ll manage”

“Where are we?” “It depends. You tell me what I want to know, it’s a pitstop, you don’t.. it’s your final resting place … I’ve got a hunch you can take the pain, you might even enjoy it, like me” “Oh, so now we gonna be friends … Ain’t no long game for guys like me, just the game … Only one rule, we all die in the end”

John’s realised thinking with your penis blindsides you to the obvious, no guilt he basically forced the kid to give up his windfall to her either

“What the…”

“This is all my fault, that gun the cops found on my mom..” “It was yours … You’re right, it is your fault”

“I’m impressed Miss Shaw” “Yeah, big guy was strong considering how much blood he lost, course I did loosen the pipes” “I was referring to how you were able to plant a tracking device without our friend noticing” “Oh, I planted one on you, Fusco.. hell even John, haven’t been caught yet” “Remind me to stop inquiring about your modus operandi” [chuckles]

Little dude is brave

“We’ll be catching up real soon”

“You can’t make something right by doing something wrong”

Shaw gets to get up close and personal with her big boy crush again, and earns a big treat

You should never tempt fate “Well.. your still here and I’ve got enough brass to spare”, but Shaw’s got your number

“What if I don’t?” “Or I huff and puff and burn your house down, but I don’t think you wanna tell your boss that you watched his stash go up in flames, now, do you?”

“Guess it’s not your lucky day after all”

“I was thinking about being a cop” “Is that right?” “Like you, but I’d shoot less people”

“It’s a free world.. at least it used to be.. something troubling you Harold” “The last time we met you asked me a question..” “And you lied” “I’m afraid the truth would put you in grave danger” “I didn’t know you cared Harold, I’ve been in danger before” “No, this is something altogether different, all I can say is you are right, the world has changed” “I suppose there is no going back” “Which brings me to the reason I came” “A hint Harold?” Advice for these troubled times and a little thank you”

“It’s a tricky business, playing a game in which you are unsure of the pieces” “And in this game, I fear that losing is not an option”

“Where’s your boss?” “You just met him” Do-mini-c

It’s the Fusco dating class episode! Yes, another number of the week, but lots of moving parts and some humorous moments help things out, including Finch playing the hard man.

Also a week where John finally gives Fusco a little more respect, in terms of his job at least, as John brown-noses the boss and refrains a little from kneecapping every crim (mainly because the NYPD only give him limited rounds).

Root, meanwhile, continues to bring home the bacon for Team Machine and keep them productive - Team Machine’s pixie little COO. And Fusco graduates top of his class!

S4E3 Wingman Watch Notes

John just takes a shot into a crowded footpath.. that’s gonna be more paperwork than it’s worth

“You know, sometimes we wait for it [backup] instead of shooting people, causing mayhem in the middle of Manhattan … Listen, you’re not a lone wolf anymore pal, you’re a cop and you need to start respecting the job, there are rules and regulations that come with that badge” “Like you haven’t bent those rules before” “Yeah, well I don’t anymore—you know how else doesn’t? The new captain”

“What is that, the third or fourth guy you kneecapped this month Riley? … Hey you, in the fancy suit, you’re part of a team now—no more narco cowboy nonsense, and try not to shoot anyone for a few days, you hear me?”

“Relax Lionel” “Listen Mr Fabulous, I got a mortgage, alimony, and a kid going to college in a few years—you see this place, this is my livelihood” “And it’s filled with too much bureaucracy and not enough direct action” “This is my real life, Detective, not some superhero cover identity”

“Do you know how expensive a nice pair of heels are? What a racket … Ramen and two buck chuck for the rest of the month”

“Why leave a union gig to teach desperate men pick-up tricks?”

“Oh don’t worry Reese, Harold and I decided that we needed somebody with a few more people skills and a little less hair gel” 🎵What a man, what a man… Fusco!

“Holy crap, that is yesterday’s suit” … “I think I know who is going to kill our guy … me”

“She gave you and the kids a nice new home”

“What is it that The Machine wants?” “I don’t know yet, she gave me very little to go on, she can’t talk to me the way she used to with Samaritan watching, but I do know where to start”

“That container disappeared around the same time our boy swapped his well-paying dockworker gig for his sketchy career helping socially incompetent men pick up women”

“I’m not cynical, I just know people are terrible” “Oh man, a cynical misanthrope”

Finch plays the tough guy “She’s none of your concern … You know I would mind, very much”

“Have a little faith Harry.. you see, she’s still doing her job Harold, always watching”

“Good game” “You too”

The tribble of nicotine patches

“Isn’t that a little tacky?” “I prefer the word strategic. Stop primping gorgeous, somebody’s watching you”

“Are you feeling a little exposed having an anti-tank missile in our possession in the middle of Manhattan, or is it just me?” “Samaritan won’t be looking for a college professor with an AT4” “It’s not Samaritan I’m worried about” “Then who?” “Homeland security, NYPD, an errant meter maid”

“That’s because I have only two modes Jerry—calm, and furious. It’s a rare person who sees the latter and lives to talk about it”

“Oh come on Fusco, just ask her for her number already”

“Oh, wicked stomach cramps”

Fusco-napped

“You’re a cop now, full access pass to Domain Awareness?” “Thanks to Big Brother, we can be watching too”

“You know how hard it is to turn your back on your friends because it is the right thing to do?” “Yeah, I know a little about that”

“Good men do bad things all the time”

“This is gonna be interesting” “It’s going to be a lot less interesting when we’re dead Ms Groves”

“She knows you so well Harold, now we get to kill two birds with one stone”

“You’re right, these cufflinks are good for something”

“Who are you really, Lionel?” “A concerned third party”

“Nice of you to show up partner” “I was about to close up my third case of the day, wanted to make sure you didn’t die before I had a chance to brag about it”

“They never give you enough ammo”

“I have you to thank for this lovely knock-off, Riley?” “It wasn’t my colour” you brown noser John

“You spill your drink on her yet?”

“Our Latvian friends won’t be needing these supplies any more”

“Things are looking up” “The only way The Machine could give us this kind of financial assistance was to do so in a way that Samaritan would never discover” “Ill-gotten gains put to good use. Maybe it’s time you give her a second chance”

Back to the number of the week mines we go, but this one has potential future implications so a saving grace. Our new opening titles confirm Samaritan cares as much for Fusco as John often does, but is still on the hunt for the core Team Machine, and loves calling people deviants.

A young polymath looking for meaning after tragedy is caught up in a high stakes puzzle game, evoking feelings in Finch, but she rebuffs him—which considering John and Finch both expose their covers in trying to sway her—may come back to bite them badly given her future employer.

But it’s not all bad news for Team Machine as Root makes travel plans and a new lair is unlocked for Scooby gang shenanigans, and Fusco gets to dump his paperwork on John ‘Welcome to real policing’.

S4E2 Nautilus Watch Notes

“We are being watched” Samaritan opening titles, we see Fusco is considered irrelevant, no Root tricks required

We find Finch working on the new lair

“I hope you like your eggs room temperature, and mildly congealed” “Sorry Harold, got to cancel. The job may be a cover, but the last minute paperwork is real”

“You lured me here to assign me your latest number? When I gave you a secure phone network, this isn’t what I had in mind. We’re no longer co-workers John … How many times do I gave to remind you, our covers come first” “Well, at least your cover doesn’t come with a partner”

“Welcome aboard, Detective Riley”

“Kiss Kiss to you too” “Whatever this is you have 29 seconds” … “You can be a good thief, just not too good. Shoot for B-plus”

A scavenger hunt gets Finch juiced

Finch peeved he has to pay for his number’s breakages, even if it avoids him a beatdown “Need I remind you under our newfound oversight my income is no longer unlimited”

Finch has his words turned back on him

A threat to self or a danger to others

“I have an errand to run, you’ll have to bring your partner” “If I get called out, Fusco goes too you know” “I wasn’t referring to him” Detective Bear

“Yes Captain” “Nice to hear I’ve been promoted”

“Sometimes you forget I was an international spy”

“That man is not my father”, maybe the clue was him trying to run her over…

“Whoever’s behind it is secretive, and no-one seems to know what happens when you get to the end”

“Game Master is a barista?”

“We imply it, we may not have to use it”

“Soy milk, I can’t stand the stuff. Go cow or go home”

“You see this okay, or do you need me to staple it to your eyeball?”

“Excuse me, does this thing work? … Yep, works just fine”

“No John you can’t interfere, I just lost my control of my computer to a brute-force attack so swift and surgical there can only be one source behind it, and I have no doubt the same entity created the game” ‘So.. we’ve gone up against hackers before” “Mr Reese, you don’t understand, the creator of the game isn’t a hacker, it isn’t even human, it’s Samaritan”

“Don’t let your frustration with me affect your judgment” “He’s gonna let his frustration with you affect his judgment”

“I can guess. Samaritan’s recruiting … You want to know why Samaritan wants Claire? Because she’ll do anything it asks, no questions” “Frightening thought” … “You really want me to ask The Machine Harold? You know what she’s going to say” “No, what’s that?” “[sigh] What you taught her.. that humans must make their own choices—you have to figure it out yourself”

“You hack a private military corporation’s network, trust me, it’s no game”

“Hey!”, lights out boys

“I’m not half-bad at those”, John writes Fusco off, but Fusco outshines John

“Nice rifle, shame you left it unattended”

The old switcharoo, “Room for one more?”

“If you win this game, you’ll be walking into grave danger” … “Either way, I reached out and took a chance and I’m going to win” … “You’re reaching out for meaning, but the wrong thing is reaching back”

“If I do will you let me go?” “If I said yes, would you believe me?”

“Claire wasn’t just being drawn into a game” “She was being used”

“It led me here to help us fight back” … “This is a new base of operations” “A safe haven”

“If we lose and Samaritan wins the world as we know it will vanish and no one will even notice it until it’s far too late” “So we push back” “Indeed, and we do it together”

Has it been three seasons already? After the end of normal for Team Machine, our core Team Machine members are all coming to grips with the new world they find themselves in—Shaw working retail, John back to pretending to be a cop (Fusco still a real one), Finch a university professor of a subject no one really wants to take, and Root just being Root (while poor Bear gets handed back and forth like a kid of divorce).

They are being hunted, with a Samaritan undercover super-operative sniffing around - so John rather unwisely breaches cover with just a bit too much abandon, while Finch has a pity party before finally being told to cut it out and get back in the game, just in time to pick up some new tricks for the gang. Oh, and Elias is back on scene.

Meanwhile Greer isn’t particularly loving having to deal with bureaucracy and might be giving another Decima retirement party out soon, even though Decima has officially dissolved itself (it’s all Samaritan now baby!).

We leave on Shaw picking up a moonlighting gig. What hijinks will she get up to next, and will she still have time to do Root’s make-up?

S4E1 Panopticon Watch Notes

Cold open again, but brief flash card quite a bit later

“Imagine if the world had utterly changed and no-one had noticed a thing, I’m talking about an international stealth operation to acquire and shutter every company researching artificial intelligence … I think an A.I. slipped into the world unannounced, then set out to strangle its rivals in the crib, and I know I’m onto something because my sources keep disappearing, my editor got reassigned and now my job’s gone. More and more it feels like I was the only one investigating the story”

“The world has changed, you should know you’re not the only one who figured it out, you’re one of three—the other two will die in a traffic accident”

“Your machine seems to be even more aggressive than Northern Lights”

“It appears Decima Technologies has been dismantled as a viable business entity, which makes me wonder who exactly is getting the NSA feeds?”

“I wonder if our.. fine senator has become more of a problem than an asset, one that needs to be eliminated”

Shaw, wishing it was mace and not perfume she was holding, after getting called sweetheart and told to smile by her new supervisor

“Wait, The Machine put me in this silly-ass job? … I could stab you with my stiletto … Just promise me John’s a barista”

Lipstick ladies

John’s back to playing cop, and Finch’s still lecturing people to boredom

Bear’s gotten a no shirt, no shoes, no entry notice

“What’s narcotics doing here, Detective?”

“Is that your perfume? I could smell you down the hall”

“How goes the day job Detective Riley?” “Personally I prefer my real job Finch?”

“I’m done taking orders from a computer, I thought I made that clear … There’s a larger power in play now, one that we are presently ill-equipped to face”

“Kind of like you Harold” “If you or Sameen or anyone else attempt to intervene with these numbers, you will surely find yourselves dead … Don’t you understand, they are always watching, we can’t even talk on the telephone. There is no sanctuary, you can’t just be the man in the suit—your a cop now, I’m a professor, that’s just the way it is … The world has changed John, I’m sorry … It’s about survival John”

Bear gets handed off like a 3 day old bagel

Hmm, private cellular network - sounds useful, if John can get Finch out of his self-indulgent depression long enough to fix it

Blow your way out of a problem..

Let’s talk The Machine business on an open line… oh dear John

John doesn’t do subtle, and earns yet another kickback from a glazier

“Your former associates, the Mayhem Twins, they’re back to trying to save people”

“Now’s not the time to be precious Harold, you don’t get to sit this one out, the world can’t afford to indulge your indecision … you have to pick a side because this is war and the thing we’re up against, it has virtually unlimited resources, governments working unwittingly at its behest, operatives around the globe protecting it—you know how many we have? Five.. six, if you count the dog. You have a God in this fight, Harold, and she’s fighting for her life” “I wouldn’t know, she only talks to you Ms Groves” “Just because you stopped listening to her doesn’t mean she isn’t looking out for you. This job, your identity, is her keeping you alive. She has a plan Harold, but she needs you to sit up and pay attention”

“Every life matters, you taught me that … You got your friends into this mess, least you can do is get them out of it”

“What happened?” “I saved your ass, that’s what happened” “I had everything in hand, Shaw” “Yeah, things like a grenade launcher—you can’t do that anymore Reese, neither of us can, we get caught, we get exposed, and then it’s lights out. Ugh, non means no asshat”

“Perhaps I can be of some assistance?”

“Our current circumstances require us to play by the rules” “So then I’ll find someone who doesn’t”

“I’d like to hire you”

“That’s your idea of low profile.. what the hell, what’s going on?”

“I think I know why The Machine chose this time to resurface, it wanted to help the number but it also wanted a number to help you” “It’s Ali’s mesh network” … “You and Sameen will be able to communicate without fear of anyone listening, including Samaritan”

Bear’s handed off again

“Didn’t teach you knots in Girl Scouts?” “Are you checking up on me?” “I worry about you Sameen”

“No way. The Machine stuck me in this retail hell, there’s no way I’m letting it near my love life” “She has a reason for everything, even if it requires you to sometimes act like a well-adjusted member of society. Trust her”

“Just setting up your partner’s computer” “Woah, what do you mean? What partner?” “Some hotshot, just made a big bust, got promoted from narcotics—he can tell you all about it” “Detective” “You?”

The Machine tips Finch off to a new home base

Deviant, you are being watched… Greer has cut the strings on his puppet Vigilance and its show trial, it having served its purpose of gaining Decima access to the entire government feeds, and “The [New] Terror” has begun

Root has once again saved the day by giving Samaritan some hard coded blind spots for core Team Machine and her geek squad to hide in

Greer asks not what he wants, but what commands does his new God have… it’ll get back to us on that

S3E23 Deus Ex Machina Watch Notes

Cold open again, with no title card or sequence

“Anyone else want to shoot this guy?” “Little bit”

“With Vigilance playing judge and jury, executioner won’t be far behind”

“Seriously, are you about to kamikaze into a Decima fortress with a bunch of nerds?”

“You’ve got a way about you Hersh”

We are the watchers. We hold them accountable. We take action — Vigilance.

“You want the appearance of a fair trial? Bottle the histrionics”

“Nice ride Lionel”

“What machine?”

Shaw drops in on Root, having peddled faster than a yellow jersey rider in the Tour, to go wrestle

“Admit it, you were worried about me” “I’m worried about the mission … oh, it’s going to be that kind of party huh?”

“You can’t help me if you’re dead”

“Well, this should be fun”

“I’ll do yours if you do mine, ready for the moment of truth?”

“I think he likes you”

“Stop … I built it”

“We’re inside a sleeping giant Shaw, try not to wake it up”

“You expect us to believe you gave one thought about people’s rights as you were building the government a weapon of mass surveillance?” “Not a weapon” “What else would you call it?” “I would call it the best I could do” … “Nothing wrong with a dictatorship as long as you are the dictator”

“Next time I see you I’ll probably have to kill you” “Well, you’re welcome to try”

Decima crash Finch’s attempt to be a hero

Burn after reading

“I think I might be in over my head”

Even Bear is packing heat

“What a piece of work your machine is Harold—in action, how like an angel; in apprehension, how like a God … Gods are not easily born, in order to bring mine into being, I needed a devil” “Vigilance”

“Your grass-roots movement has been meticulously planned from the beginning.. in fact, I recruited you myself” “Decima created Vigilance? Why?” “You machine did its job too well, I had to remind Senator Garrison and his ilk of just how bad things could be”

“Hersh, get out of there now”

“To quote your Benjamin Franklin, three may keep a secret as long as two of them are dead”

“I’m glad you’ve lived long enough to see the dawn of the new world you created Harold, but the time has come for your God and mine to do battle and regrettably our paths diverge here”

“We’ll retrieve them at once” “No need, we’ll find them all soon enough”

“How quickly can you bring Samaritan online?” “Immediately, the government feeds are all that we require”

“This facility is 1 of 100 just like it all over the world, it would take years to destroy them and Decima would only rebuild them … Shaw, this was never about turning it off”

“Then, by all means, let there be life”

“First time’s the worst huh?” “Why would you ever choose a career where this was an occupational hazard?” “Well, I tried to quit, but some jackass told me I needed a purpose”

“Your new identities are inside, destroy everything else”

“Any chance we had of stopping Samaritan ended when we didn’t kill the congressman, this was never about winning, it’s just about surviving”

“Higher functions online sir, searching for targets now” “Good, eliminate them all”

“The Machine and I could’t save the world, we have to settle for the seven people who might be able to take it back so we gave Samaritan a blind spot. Seven key server that hard codes it to ignore seven carefully crafted new identities”

“You’re not a free man anymore Harold, you’re just a number”

“A lot of people are going to die”

“Everything is changing. I don’t know if it will get better, but it’s going to get worse”

“The Machine asked me to you something before we part - you once told John the whole point of Pandora’s box is that once you’ve opened it, you can’t close it again. She wanted to remind you of how the story ends, when everything is over and the worst has happened there is still one last thing left in Pandora’s box.. hope”

“The question is what, my dear Samaritan, are your commands for us?”