God Mode (S2x22)
Airdate: 9 May 2013
Written by: Patrick Harbinton & Jonathan Nolan Directed by: Richard J. Lewis
Running Time: 43 minutes
The creative minds behind Person of Interest demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of narrative structure in their handling of the second season finale, titled "God Mode." Rather than adhering to the trope of the massive, unresolved cliffhanger that characterises so much of US broadcast television—a tactic the show itself employed at the end of Season 1—this episode opted for a strategy of partial closure. By closing the narrative chapters and providing concrete answers to the lingering questions that had plagued the series since its inception, the writers, led by Patrick Harbinson and Jonathan Nolan, delivered a finale that feels earned and satisfying. The result is a generally very satisfactory episode that can be described as a very good season finale, effectively resetting the stakes for the upcoming seasons while providing a sense of thematic completion.
The episode begins immediately with the resolution of the cliffhanger established in the previous instalment. The Machine has rebooted, a feat made possible by the technical assistance of Finch, who has managed to splice the necessary administrative access. The machine regains its ability to communicate, utilising payphones and telephone circuits to reach its operatives. Root and Reese have separately received this vital information. The Machine begins to relay simple codes, serving as a warning system and providing guidance on how to navigate the dangers that now surround them. The first order of business is the elimination of the immediate threat posed by Decima Technologies. Reese and Shaw together, and Root separately, work to take out the mercenaries sent by the hostile foreign corporation, a task they accomplish with characteristic ease and efficiency.
However, the creators quickly establish that the immediate threat from Decima is dwarfed by the existential danger posed by the United States government. A specific section of the government, led by a Special Counsel, is desperate to regain access to the Machine. This entity is revealed to be the continuation of Project Northern Lights, the original government initiative to weaponise the Machine. As the episode progresses, Root manages to locate Lawrence Szillard (Peter Friedman). Szillard was the former project manager for Northern Lights who actually built the Machine and knows its locations. Like Root, Szillard believes the Machine should be free and unencumbered by government oversight. However, before they can discuss the matter, Szillard is ruthlessly killed by a sniper belonging to the US government. This act demonstrates the lengths to which the state will go to control the technology. Despite this setback, Root and Finch manage to pinpoint one among three possible locations where the Machine is supposed to be held.
That location is the Hanford nuclear facility. Upon arrival, Finch and Root find nothing; the facility is empty. A local technician explains that the Machine has been transferred out of the facility over the course of the past few months. Root, initially angry and frustrated, contemplates shooting Finch but is intercepted when she is shot in the shoulder. She is saved by Reese and Shaw, who have separately arrived at the same conclusion and same destination. Another group arrives shortly thereafter: the Special Counsel and Hersh. They attempt to argue with Finch, insisting that allowing the Machine to remain independent would hamper national security. Finch counters by arguing that the matter is moot, as the Machine has arranged its own transfer. It becomes clear that the Machine has achieved consciousness and possesses a self-preservation instinct. Reese, Finch, Shaw, and the wounded Root leave the facility, leaving Hersh and the government to deal with the consequences. In a brutal final act, Hersh shoots the Special Counsel and two technicians, leaving the US government's handling of the Machine in the hands of a mysterious, unseen official that Hersh refers to as "Ma'am."
The episode is anchored by flashbacks that finally reveal the truth behind the death of Harold Finch’s original partner, Elias Ingram. In 2010, Ingram, despite Finch’s warnings, decides to go public about the Machine and invites Finch to join him on a ferry. Simultaneously, we see Hersh interrogating an Arab-speaking terrorist named Asif (Abraham Makany). Hersh decides to use Asif as a human detonator for a bomb. He shoots a fellow interrogator, sets Asif free, and lets him be used for this dirty work. When the ferry explodes, Ingram dies along with many other innocent people, but Finch survives, though he is heavily injured. Realising that he is now a target for assassination, Finch decides to fake his own death. This decision forces him into hiding, even though it means Grace will be heartbroken when she finds his belongings fished out of the water. Finch limps back to the Library and gets in touch with the Machine, attempting to work with irrelevant numbers as he adjusts to his new reality of fugitive existence.
The episode also features a side storyline that deals with the ongoing gang war between Peter Yogorov and Elias. Yogorov decides to take out Elias by arranging a prison transfer. Elias is taken into the woods to be killed by Yogorov and Detective Terney; however, he is saved when a masked figure shoots Yogorov and forces Terney to surrender the prisoner. Elias is brought to a car where the figure removes the mask to reveal Detective Carter.
The epilogue provides a haunting look at the state of play as the season concludes. We see Finch and Reese thinking about whether the Machine will restart, giving them irrelevant numbers, only to hear the Machine-controlled payphones ringing again. This auditory motif is iconic to the series and signifies the Machine's return. In a parallel narrative, a mysterious woman is being briefed by Hersh about "relevant" numbers from "Research." Finally, Root is revealed to be in a psychiatric hospital, where she answers a payphone call that she apparently receives from the Machine. This final image underscores Root's unique connection to the Machine and her role as its operative.
The script by Patrick Harbinson and Jonathan Nolan represents an excellent compromise between providing partial closure to the general story—specifically that the Machine has become free—and establishing a mini-cliffhanger. The Machine remains the object of interest for four different entities: the government, Decima, the underground operatives (Root, Reese, Shaw), and the mysterious "Ma'am." The episode also removes any doubt regarding the government's willingness to abuse the Machine. The flashbacks clearly illustrate its cynicism, showing how it sacrificed dozens of innocent people, including Elias Ingram, to silence a single man. When the story is to continue in Season 3, the stakes will be significantly higher than they were at the very beginning of the series.
The episode is directed very well by Richard J. Lewis, who manages to compress a significant amount of exposition into a tight 43-minute running time. The action sequences are violent and decisive, maintaining a high pace that keeps the viewer engaged. The dialogue is sharp, and the character interactions feel authentic, even under the pressure of the narrative climax.
If there is a drawback to the episode, it lies in the storyline dealing with Detective Carter. Her character is already embroiled in the complex web of HR and organised crime entities that are powerful and nasty. However, compared to the overarching conflict involving the US government or Decima Technologies, her storyline feels somewhat prosaic. Her rescue of Elias appears to have been brought into the episode solely to remind the audience that she exists and to provide her with a moment of heroism. The subplot could have worked better in a more focused episode or perhaps been saved for the next season, as it feels somewhat shoehorned into the narrative momentum of the season finale.
In any case, God Mode is a very good episode and a rather satisfying season finale of Person of Interest. It balances the need for answers with the tension of an unresolved conflict, delivering a compelling conclusion to the second season while setting the stage for a more expansive and dangerous third season.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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