Machine of Interest

Welcome back, everybody, to the Deep Dive.

Today, we’re looking at something a little bit different.

One of you listeners sent in this really interesting blog post called Got Carter by David Marsden.

It’s about the show Person of Interest.

And on the surface, this sounds like just a regular show review.

But what makes this really fascinating is that Marsden watched it over a decade after it first came out.

So we’re going to do a deep dive into this blog post to see how a show about AI and surveillance hits differently in today’s world.

Yeah, it’s really amazing to think about how the passage of time can change how we see art.

I mean, especially when the things it talks about are even more relevant today than they were back then.

Oh, absolutely.

So before we really get into Marsden’s thoughts here, let’s kind of set the stage for people who might not have seen Person of Interest.

It premiered way back in 2011, when the world was still dealing with the whole post-9-11 thing and all these new surveillance technologies popping up.

Right, and the show really captures that anxiety about security and privacy, which has become an even bigger issue these days.

For sure.

And the whole thing centers around this super-advanced AI called the machine.

It was built to analyze surveillance data and stop terrorist attacks.

But the guy who made it, Harold Finch, he realizes it can do way more than that.

Like, it can predict and prevent all kinds of violent crimes, not just terrorism.

And that’s where it gets really interesting.

Finch has this huge moral dilemma.

Does he have the right to use this technology to mess with regular people’s lives, even if it means playing God and maybe violating their privacy?

That’s a question that’s even more important now, with AI being everywhere.

It’s not just Finch, though.

He teams up with John Rhys, this ex-CIA guy trying to make up for his past.

You can think of them as the ultimate crime-fighting duo.

You’ve got Finch, the genius but kind of reclusive brains of the operation.

And then there’s Rhys, the skilled and super-resourceful guy out in the field.

It’s that classic partnership dynamic.

But the show makes it even better by showing their inner struggles and all the moral gray areas they deal with.

Exactly.

And right away, Marsden starts making these really cool comparisons.

He thought the show was like Minority Report meets Police Squad.

What do you think of those comparisons?

The Minority Report link totally makes sense.

They both deal with this pre-crime idea, predicting and stopping crimes before they happen.

But the Police Squad thing is a little more interesting.

It makes you think there’s some satire and dark humor in there.

Maybe they’re poking fun at those cop show cliches while also exploring the darker side of it all.

Later on, he even throws in reservoir dogs, probably because of the show’s stylized action scenes and those characters who aren’t always clearly good or bad.

I mean, it’s this mix of genres that you wouldn’t think would work, but somehow it does.

Yeah, it shows how ambitious the show is.

They weren’t afraid to try different tones and styles and keep the audience guessing.

Oh, and we can’t forget about Detective Joss Carter.

She’s this homicide detective investigating all these cases where someone mysteriously intervenes like it’s almost impossible, but she doesn’t know about the machine yet.

Her whole journey trying to figure it out and her complicated relationship with Reese and Finch are a big part of what makes the show so emotionally engaging.

Oh, and remember, HR, the corrupt part of the police department.

Carter goes after them and becomes a serious threat as she starts uncovering all their secrets.

Totally.

Now, Marston says he came to the show late, but he got hooked fast.

He describes Reese as almost superhuman, somehow always showing up at just the right moment to stop a crime.

It’s like he’s got some sixth sense or something.

And I think that’s part of why the show is so appealing, right?

The idea that there’s someone out there watching over us, keeping us safe.

It really taps into that basic human need to feel safe and secure.

The idea that someone’s got our backs, even in a world that can feel kind of chaotic and dangerous.

Totally.

But there’s also this air of mystery around the machine itself.

Finch keeps it under tight control, and he’s very picky about the cases he chooses to get involved in.

As the show goes on, though, we realize there are other people and groups out there who want to control the machine for their own reasons.

And that brings us to that core idea of surveillance and who’s actually watching the watchers.

This question has real implications in our world as technology gets more powerful, and it could be used for good or bad.

Yeah, and speaking of the rest of the cast, we’ve got Lionel Fusco.

He’s this crooked cop who gets dragged into Reese and Finch’s world.

And eventually, even though he’s hesitant at first, he becomes a valuable part of the team.

Then there’s Elias, this mob boss operating in the shadows.

It’s funny how he’s sometimes an enemy and sometimes an ally.

That blurring of lines is really interesting.

It challenges the traditional ideas of good versus evil.

It makes us think about how complicated morality can be and the choices we make when a few people have all the power.

It definitely keeps things unpredictable and keeps the audience guessing.

And things get even crazier in season two, just like Marsden points out.

The storylines get more complex, the characters' backstories all intertwine, and we meet Samin Shah.

She’s this super skilled and mysterious operative who joins the team.

It’s pretty common for shows to evolve and get deeper in their second season.

The writers and actors hit their stride and really explore the potential of the characters and the world they’ve built.

And when Shah joins, the show takes on a more action-packed feel, which adds another layer to the team dynamic.

But before we get into all that, what are your first impressions of Person of Interest based on what we’ve talked about so far?

Does it sound like something you’d be interested in watching?

It definitely does.

It sounds like a show that was ahead of its time, you know, tackling these themes that are super relevant now.

I mean, the mix of action, moral questions, and all those complex characters.

It’s really intriguing, and I can totally see why people would connect with it so strongly.

Well, get ready, because things are about to get intense.

Marzin actually says, you can’t outrun your past, but love is a real thing.

Now, I don’t want to spoil too much, but Reese and Carter’s relationship, it starts to become more than just partners.

I think a lot of people watching can relate to that slow burn kind of thing.

You know, that gradual buildup of trust and affection between two characters who’ve been through so much together.

Exactly.

But right when their connection gets deeper, tragedy hits.

Carter’s been working so hard to take down HR, that corrupt group inside the police.

She finally confronts Simmons, their leader.

Oh, no.

Yeah.

He gets away at first, but then he tracks Carter down and shoots her.

Right there in front of Reese.

Wow, that’s rough.

It makes you think about how much those character deaths can affect people watching.

I can see why Marzin would be totally devastated, maybe even want to stop watching altogether.

He says it felt like he lost his connection to the show.

Almost like a part of him died with Carter.

I mean, that just shows how good the writers were at creating characters that people really care about.

It also shows the downside of getting so invested.

When a character you love gets killed off, it can be jarring.

Some people might feel betrayed or just too emotionally drained to keep going.

And it’s not just the viewers who are affected.

Carter’s death really changes the other characters too.

Reese is full of grief and rage and goes on a revenge mission, while Fusco is dealing with losing a friend and a colleague.

That ripple effect is what makes the show so captivating.

One event shakes up everyone’s world.

They have to face their own weaknesses and deal with the consequences of their choices.

And that’s when the show kind of shifts gears.

It gets even more action heavy.

The stakes keep rising and there’s this sense of urgency that drives the story forward.

Marzin mentions a scene where Fusco, even with three broken fingers, fights Simmons in this brutal fist fight.

Sounds like the writers might’ve been pushing things a little in terms of what’s believable, maybe to make up for that emotional emptiness after Carter’s death.

I mean, it’s pretty common in action shows.

They always got to up the ante with bigger and more spectacular scenes.

And that’s where Marzin starts to have some issues.

He felt like the show started relying too much on those typical action cliches.

Like it lost some of its depth and complexity.

I get what he’s saying.

It’s tough for any long running show to stay fresh and original.

They got to keep people entertained and deliver on those expectations for excitement and suspense.

But sometimes that comes at the cost of developing the characters and exploring deeper themes.

Yeah, and in the end, that’s why Marzin stopped watching.

He lost that emotional anchor and those predictable action sequences just didn’t do it for him anymore.

That’s an interesting point.

It suggests that keeping people engaged isn’t just about plot twists and crazy moments.

It’s also about that emotional connection.

People want to feel like the story has something meaningful to say about the world.

Absolutely.

Even though Marzin didn’t finish the show, he recognizes its strengths, especially in those first few seasons.

He calls it a show about guns, shooting people, torture, executions, kidnapping, murder, blackmail, gambling, Russian roulette, cyber-stalking, identity theft, mob rule, and police corruption.

That’s a pretty dark list, but it does reflect a lot of the anxieties we have in the modern world.

You know, the dark side of technology, the loss of privacy, all that.

It all circles back to the machine, this all-knowing AI that can predict and stop crimes.

It’s a powerful concept, but it brings up some unsettling questions.

Like, if we had access to that kind of technology, what would we do with it?

Could we resist the temptation to control and manipulate everything?

It’s a question that goes beyond just a TV show.

We need to be asking ourselves this as AI gets more and more powerful and has the potential to change society in big ways.

So before we get into that whole debate, I want to hear your take.

What stood out to you most in Marzin’s review?

And how do you think watching the show so much later affected his viewpoint?

You know, it’s funny.

Marzin’s experience is kind of like how our own relationship with technology has changed.

Back when Person of Interest first aired, the idea of an all-seeing AI felt like pure sci-fi.

But now, with facial recognition and all that data stuff, it feels a lot closer to reality.

It’s like the show predicted how we feel about surveillance and data privacy these days.

And Marzin being so upset about Carter’s death, how drained he felt by all the violence, I think it reflects something bigger going on in our culture too.

I think we’re constantly bombarded with so much content.

It’s often super violent and intense.

I can see how some viewers, especially those who came to the show later, might feel overwhelmed or even like they’re becoming numb to it all.

It makes you wonder how you make good TV these days.

How do you keep people hooked without relying on shock value or giving up on telling a meaningful story?

It’s a real balancing act.

You gotta give people the thrills and excitement they’re looking for, but also go deeper with the characters and the themes to make it something that sticks with them.

Yeah, and it seems like Person of Interest pulls it off, at least in those early seasons.

It manages to entertain and make you think about big questions like surveillance, AI ethics, and the choices we make when it comes to power.

Even with the criticisms, Marzin’s review kind of proves that point.

He may not have finished watching, but the show clearly made an impact on him.

It sparked a conversation that goes beyond the scream.

It shows that the best stories stay with us even after we’re done watching or reading them.

They get us thinking, make us feel things, and challenge how we see the world.

And that brings us back to that big question.

What if we were Finch?

If we had the machine, what would we do with it?

Would we use it to save people, even if it meant crossing some lines?

Could we resist trying to control everything?

There’s no easy answer, but it’s something we have to think about as we move forward in this crazy world where technology is changing everything.

Absolutely.

So Marzin’s deep dive into person of interest isn’t just a review.

It’s about how our relationship with technology has changed, how we feel about surveillance, and how much we get emotionally invested in the stories we consume.

It reminds us that even though there’s so much entertainment out there, a well-made story with characters we care about and themes that hit home, that’s what really stays with us.

And that’s a wrap for our deep dive today.

We hope this conversation got you thinking.

What would you do with the machine?

Share your thoughts online, keep the conversation going, and we’ll see you next time for another deep dive into the world of ideas and information.