TV Review: Person of Interest - "Panopticon"

Person of Interest - "Panopticon" (4x01) CBS, Tuesdays, 10 p.m. 

The third season of "Person of Interest" was one of the best overall seasons of network television I've seen in quite awhile, culminating in a jaw-dropping finale that left our heroes on the run, fighting to survive in a world much altered.

The finale promised to forever change the dynamic of the show, leaving John (Jim Caviezel), Harold (Michael Emerson), Shaw (Sarah Shahi) and Root (Amy Acker) in new identities to protect themselves from the omnipresent Samaritan.

We don't a lot of time to see our heroes in their new mundane roles in the premiere, however, because the Machine, after apparently some time in silence, gives them a new number: the owner of a electronics repair shop who is having some serious problems with a gang.

You have to give the writers credit for playing with a formula that has brought in tons of viewers, but that's one of things that keeps me coming back for more. This is one of those rare shows that grows and evolves over the course of each season. The same can be said for the characters.


I also have to note that the show continues to made spectacular use of music, this time with "I'd Love to Change the World" by Jetta over the episode's closing sequences.

BEYOND HERE THERE BE SPOILERS

Although I was expecting more time with our character new identities, watching Shaw sell perfume and Harold teach class probably wouldn't be terribly entertaining. John as a cop, on the other hand, would be interesting, and with him now partnered with Fusco (Kevin Chapman), I think we will see quite a bit more of Det. John.

Shaw joining whatever outfit she joined at the end of the episode should prove to exciting, especially since the rendezvous was set up by the Machine.

Speaking of the Machine (which I see I'm using as a proper noun), it seems she (to use Root's vernacular) has been biding her time until the opportunity of the new communication network arose. While Samaritan can't actively find them thanks to Root's trick at the end of last season, it is utilizing human assets (just like the Machine) to assist in the search. I'm curious to see how long they keep this war of the computerized gods going, but it seems like they've settled most of their other major story lines, so this could run for quite awhile.

With now two AIs running independently of their handlers, the show is getting very much a "Neuromancer" feel, which is really cool considering this started off as basically another crime procedural with a cool premise. As I said before, this show has grown so much over the years.

And so have our characters. After John's crisis of faith following the death of Det. Carter last season, it was compelling to see him be the one most affected by the lack of numbers to save. And now he gets to play the role Harold did for him as he tries to help Harold regain his faith, if not in the Machine, in the worth they are doing.

As usual, we know very little about what Root has been up to since the finale, but she at least seems to still have a strong link to the Machine and its plans. Whatever happens next in this show, I know I will be there watching.

I also love the reintroduction of Elias (Enrico Colantoni), who seems will play a rather different role this season.

On a side note, since most of the characters and events in "Person of Interest" can be compared to the mythology of Batman, how cool is it that they now have their own Batcave?