Person of Interest: What the Show Is About and Why It’s Worth Watching
A great series — I recommend it!
Mr. Finch is a mysterious billionaire who built a computer program (an AI) that predicts future victims of crimes.
The show at a glance
| Title | Person of Interest |
| Network | CBS (USA) |
| Years | 2011–2016 |
| Seasons and episodes | 5 seasons, 103 episodes |
| Creator | Jonathan Nolan, produced by J. J. Abrams |
| Genre | crime, action, science fiction |
What it’s about
After 9/11, the government commissioned a system that watches every camera, phone and the internet to predict terrorist attacks. The creator of this “Machine”, Harold Finch (Michael Emerson), knows its secret: it also sees ordinary crimes, but to the government they’re “irrelevant”. Every day the Machine produces the social security number of someone who will soon be involved in a crime. Whether that person is the victim or the perpetrator is unknown in advance.
Finch hires Reese (Jim Caviezel), a former CIA agent everyone believes is dead, to help these people and stop the crimes. The team relies on Finch’s resources and tech, as well as Reese’s skills and combat experience.
Why it’s worth watching
- The writing. Fast-paced and engaging: it starts as a “case of the week” show and gradually grows into a big story about artificial intelligence and mass surveillance.
- The cast. The reserved Finch and the taciturn Reese complement each other perfectly, and over time they’re joined by vivid new characters.
- The theme. The show started in 2011, and its questions about surveillance and AI feel more relevant every year.
- The atmosphere. Great visuals and touching moments — in short, everything a good series needs.
If you liked it
If you’ve watched “Blindspot” (2015–2020) and enjoyed it, “Person of Interest” is considerably more interesting. And if you like crime shows with an unusual hero, try “Forever” — about an immortal medical examiner.
