All In (S2x18)
Airdate: 14 March 2013
Written by: Lucas O’Connor Directed by: Tricia Brook
Running Time: 44 minutes
"All In" is another middle-of-the-road routine procedural that characterised Season 2, a season that oscillated between brilliant character pieces and standard, formulaic storytelling. During this episode, the show's impressive technical polish—specifically in its cinematography, editing, and action choreography—serves as a band-aid over an underwhelming and unoriginal story that leans heavily on well-trodden genre tropes. While the episode is competently crafted and technically impressive, it lacks the narrative ingenuity that defined the show's breakthrough moments, feeling more like a byproduct of the 22-episode network television model where consistency is prized over innovation.
The episode opens with a fairly interesting cold open that immediately establishes the tone of gritty urban interaction. We are introduced to Leon Tao, who finds himself handcuffed in bed by Candi (Madison Carton), a woman he was dating. The viewer might expect some unorthodox sexual encounter. Instead, the scene twists into a confrontation by two Nigerian scammers who had been cheated by Leon and paid Candi $500 to set him up. As the Nigerian pulls out a knife, the threat of violence hangs heavy in the air, but in the final moment, Reese arrives on the scene. He swiftly takes out the Nigerians and delivers a grim warning to Leon that they might not save him another time.
The central plot kicks into gear when the Machine churns out a new number: Lou Mitchell (Ron McLarty), an elderly watch repairman. He spends extensive amounts of time and money in Atlantic City gambling, seemingly throwing his life away. Reese and Finch head to the casino to watch over him. The casino is owned by the shady businessman Darien Makris (Michael Rispoli), At first, Reese and Finch assume Lou’s life is in danger because he owes money to loan sharks due to his gambling habit. However, the truth turns out to be much darker and more complex than mere debt. The investigation reveals that Lou is just one of many elderly people who come as regular customers to the Venus casino and lose large amounts of money, though his situation is unique in its history.
Further research into Lou’s past reveals a tragic backstory that justifies his desperation. Forty years earlier, Lou used to be connected to organised crime as a card sharp who cheated mobsters at the casino. They caught him, broke all of his fingers, and left him for dead, a punishment that ended his card sharping career. However, he was rescued by a waitress named Marilyn, whom he would marry and who would help him turn his life straight. When Marilyn became ill with cancer, Lou turned back to card sharping in order to finance her treatment. Eventually, Makris caught Lou and forced him to instead take part in a drug money laundering scheme that included deliberate losses in the casino to hide the money trail. Marilyn, in the meantime, died, but Lou remained coerced into doing Makris’ bidding, trapped by the very criminal element he once manipulated.
To dismantle Makris, Finch gets a job at the casino, while Leon arrives there to impersonate a wealthy playboy to gather evidence. They slowly realise that Lou has been skimming Makris' drug money, which gives them leverage. However, Makris has all four—Finch, Reese, Lou, and Leon—caught in a high-stakes trap. He indulges in playing Russian roulette on them. In a clever twist, Lou has, thanks to his card sharping skills, previously managed to take away bullets from Makris' gun. This allows Reese to set them all free, turn the tables on Makris, and expose his money laundering operations. Makris ends up in prison, and as a gesture of goodwill, Finch gives Lou the expensive watch previously gifted to him by Logan Pierce.
In parallel, the episode features a significant side storyline taking place in New York City that deals with the broader political intrigue of the season. HR is forming an alliance with Peter Yegorov and Russian mobsters, creating a rift in the city's criminal underworld. Detective Szymanski, whose testimony is crucial in the case against Yegorov, is being framed for corruption. This framing is orchestrated with the help of Cal Beecher, who received incriminating information from his own informants. Carter steps in to help exonerate Szymanski, showcasing her dedication to justice amidst the corruption. The episode ends with a brutal and unexpected climax where Szymanski and prosecutor Melinda Wright (Jennifer Van Dyck) meet Alonzo Quinn to discuss the case. Quinn uses this meeting as an opportunity to shoot them both. Detective Terney arrives shortly after, takes the gun, and shoots Quinn in the shoulder to make it look like a random attack.
Lucas O'Connor's script generally sticks to the formula and, in its main procedural storyline, adheres to many cliches involved with the gambling industry and its connection to organised crime. The setting change to Atlantic City provides a fresh backdrop, but the narrative structure remains derivative. The ending, when almost the entire team is captured and to be executed, is one of the more dramatic moments of the series, but it is ultimately ruined by the main villain—played by Michael Rispoli—going over the top with Russian roulette. While Michael Rispoli, best known for his role of Jackie Aprile in The Sopranos, brings intensity, his portrayal of Makris feels theatrical and forced, and the trope is undermined by the resolution, which ultimately relies on one of the victims' card sharping tricks rather than pure action or wit.
Despite these flaws, the episode is saved by an interesting and ultimately likeable character of Lou, who serves as the emotional anchor of the narrative. Ron McLarty, an actor best known for his work on audio books, delivers a performance that is both nuanced and powerhouse. McLarty is especially good in a quiet, poignant scene when his character talks to Finch about the great loves of their lives they have lost, grounding the high-stakes action in genuine human emotion. Ken Leung as Leon also provides sufficient levels of comic relief to make the episode entertaining, balancing out the darker tones.
The side storyline, that deals with the general arc, offers more complexity with political intrigue and ends in a brutally unexpected way that underscores the danger facing the supporting characters. It serves as a reminder that the standalone procedural is not the only game in town; the show possesses a capacity for complex, serialized storytelling. Ultimately, All In is a solid, albeit not too memorable episode. It is competent television that benefits from strong performances and technical proficiency, but it lacks the distinct identity that elevates the best episodes of Person of Interest.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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