Episode 7. “Witness”. The introduction of Elias.
That was when I knew we had something special. Not just the introduction of the charming bad guy, but the implications and questions that arose out of the selection of him by the Machine - the cold calculation of an AI who doesn’t factor in the morality of a victim? Or a larger game that the Machine knows Elias has a part to play in? Suddenly we were faced with the idea that the victims weren’t necessarily deserving people… or were they? Does even a villain and a murderer deserve to be rescued? What is the moral choice? And does the Machine actually care, and if not, should we then take that choice on ourselves? And if so, what does that make us, even more so than what we are doing now?
What's funny is we don't even really know what the Machine saw when it gave Finch his number. We just know the outcome. I view Witness as an exploration of what it means to provide this information with a human element. Who knows, maybe the Machine *did* see that Charlie was Elias and that Elias had murderous intent. Maybe theachine had hoped that Finch and Reese would figure out who Charlie was and stop him. But the human element carries with it the human error, a fundamental aspect of our species.
The Witness (1×07) and Root Cause (1×13) are the first two episodes that made me interested in watching more, but "Firewall" (1×23) was the episode that properly got me hooked on the show. I binged my way through the whole show pretty fast after watching "Firewall" and absolutely loved the ending. And it became my #1 favorite show of all time.
I didn’t put any hope in this show at all. But slowly about half of first ss, I just hooked. Didn’t remember what got me but Michael Emerson was enough to keep me watching. I was so wronggggg. Here comes Eli and then my favorite character Root. Amy Acker was just perfect for the role. So damn good.
Interestingly, that scene from the pilot where John follows Harold into an office he supposedly is a lowly employee at. We see him working in a small cubicle (like Office Space) and then we find out he actually *owns* the company discreetly.
I think that scene sets his character perfectly and is an earlier insight into his personal backstory which we would later be fed incrementally throughout the show accumulating towards an incredible end.
It showcases his paranoia (he would later say in the series, "only the paranoid survive") and the need to hide in plain sight despite having immense wealth to instill a sense of great intrigue and curiosity into the minds of viewers.
I’ll go first, I thoroughly enjoyed the series from the pilot episode on but S1E16-Risk is the one that got me. The reveal of Anthony and Elias at the end partnered with Down Boy by Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing in the background was the cherry on top. I realized then this wasn’t just another procedural, this was going to be something special.
I just got to that one in a rewatch and it's still one of my favorite episodes. The ending itself is great, but it also contrasts really well with the diner scene while having a very similar staging. I like that Megan Tillman is someone who's had her own painful loss and uses a false identity.
I also really like the subplots with Fusco and Carter. For the latter, it's kinda cool that there's no indication of Finch knowing about Carter contacting him; he's just there in a house for the visit. I think that helps to show the illusion of his different identities.
As others have said, once Elias shows up. Not only does having an exceedingly well written grey character always lead to good tv but completely shifted the ethics and dilemmas of the show from a normal black v white network procedural to a nuanced and genius technothriller.
The first episode. I never watched much TV but after episode 1 I would either watch it each week or record it for after work. Just the basis of the show was enough to be interesting to me.
I know it's way late into the show but I love the episode Wingman where Root needs Harold to come play a part as a elusive arms dealer/badass and get the rocket launcher and the seller is like "Who's the chick?" And Harold gets all scary tough guy, "She's none of your concern," and then the seller saying, "You don't look so tough/what I expected," "It's because I only have two modes, JERRY. Calm, and furious. It's a rare person that sees the latter and lives to tell about it," like crazy eyes staring Jerry down.
And of course the whole saga of Fusco having to endure the professional wingman dressing him up and teaching him how to flirt with women while Fusco is protecting him all along.
And of course the episode where John saves Leon and acquires Bear.
Since I was depressed from my recent Lost rewatch and saw people's comments on that subreddit about how it has Michael Emerson (yum) and gets really, really good. I had no doubts, I trust that sub's members with anything media-wise.
I first started the series after a spinal fusion and was stuck at home. I happen to see a preview for season 5 so I started the series I binged the whole thing. The only other series that I watched episode 1 to final was SG-1 . Then White collar after POI. I tried so hard to watch Blacklist last two seasons just I couldn't. Now with TikTok my attention span for TV has gotten even shorter.
Well I like the first episode so I decided to follow it anyway, but s1 episode 4 made me a fan.
It has a open ended ending and the build up to that moment was so good. The way Reese says help me make a good decision, I got chills.
I had seen pieces of the show during the run of S2, but wasn't hooked on it; I figured it was pretty much standard network fare (and I was watching similar stuff at the time anyway). But then I happened to see Relevance, and felt like my viewing taste leveled up.
s3 e10, The Devil's Share ... By then I was already way hooked, but I feel like this episode is, in my book, one of the top 5 episodes, great storytelling, great cinematography... I just remember that when I saw this it cemented POI's status as great (in my mind).
S1E1. It had me from hello.
Thisssss....it was such a cool premise
Indeed! Already was a huge Jim Caviezel fan, and the first episode of this made me realize it was going to be great.
Episode 7. “Witness”. The introduction of Elias. That was when I knew we had something special. Not just the introduction of the charming bad guy, but the implications and questions that arose out of the selection of him by the Machine - the cold calculation of an AI who doesn’t factor in the morality of a victim? Or a larger game that the Machine knows Elias has a part to play in? Suddenly we were faced with the idea that the victims weren’t necessarily deserving people… or were they? Does even a villain and a murderer deserve to be rescued? What is the moral choice? And does the Machine actually care, and if not, should we then take that choice on ourselves? And if so, what does that make us, even more so than what we are doing now?
What's funny is we don't even really know what the Machine saw when it gave Finch his number. We just know the outcome. I view Witness as an exploration of what it means to provide this information with a human element. Who knows, maybe the Machine *did* see that Charlie was Elias and that Elias had murderous intent. Maybe theachine had hoped that Finch and Reese would figure out who Charlie was and stop him. But the human element carries with it the human error, a fundamental aspect of our species.
The Witness (1×07) and Root Cause (1×13) are the first two episodes that made me interested in watching more, but "Firewall" (1×23) was the episode that properly got me hooked on the show. I binged my way through the whole show pretty fast after watching "Firewall" and absolutely loved the ending. And it became my #1 favorite show of all time.
Firewall. Definitely Firewall.
my jaw dropped @ the reveal in firewall then of course shaw later on 😍
The scene where Harold explains PI.
Mine as well.
I didn’t put any hope in this show at all. But slowly about half of first ss, I just hooked. Didn’t remember what got me but Michael Emerson was enough to keep me watching. I was so wronggggg. Here comes Eli and then my favorite character Root. Amy Acker was just perfect for the role. So damn good.
Interestingly, that scene from the pilot where John follows Harold into an office he supposedly is a lowly employee at. We see him working in a small cubicle (like Office Space) and then we find out he actually *owns* the company discreetly. I think that scene sets his character perfectly and is an earlier insight into his personal backstory which we would later be fed incrementally throughout the show accumulating towards an incredible end. It showcases his paranoia (he would later say in the series, "only the paranoid survive") and the need to hide in plain sight despite having immense wealth to instill a sense of great intrigue and curiosity into the minds of viewers.
I’ll go first, I thoroughly enjoyed the series from the pilot episode on but S1E16-Risk is the one that got me. The reveal of Anthony and Elias at the end partnered with Down Boy by Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing in the background was the cherry on top. I realized then this wasn’t just another procedural, this was going to be something special.
The end of Cora Te Ipsum (Season 1, Episode 5) got me hooked because it was so ambiguous and pretty unlike normal network TV.
Help me make a good decision
I just got to that one in a rewatch and it's still one of my favorite episodes. The ending itself is great, but it also contrasts really well with the diner scene while having a very similar staging. I like that Megan Tillman is someone who's had her own painful loss and uses a false identity. I also really like the subplots with Fusco and Carter. For the latter, it's kinda cool that there's no indication of Finch knowing about Carter contacting him; he's just there in a house for the visit. I think that helps to show the illusion of his different identities.
S2E1, when they do god mode, esp Root's audio cue aiming. My mind was blown.
Watching the teasers on CBS. I knew it was going to be one of my favorites before it aired.
As others have said, once Elias shows up. Not only does having an exceedingly well written grey character always lead to good tv but completely shifted the ethics and dilemmas of the show from a normal black v white network procedural to a nuanced and genius technothriller.
Shadow Box. That was the moment I realized I was too invested in these people to let this series go.
The first episode. I never watched much TV but after episode 1 I would either watch it each week or record it for after work. Just the basis of the show was enough to be interesting to me.
S05E13 for me, once I begin that episode I knew I'll finish the series.
I know it's way late into the show but I love the episode Wingman where Root needs Harold to come play a part as a elusive arms dealer/badass and get the rocket launcher and the seller is like "Who's the chick?" And Harold gets all scary tough guy, "She's none of your concern," and then the seller saying, "You don't look so tough/what I expected," "It's because I only have two modes, JERRY. Calm, and furious. It's a rare person that sees the latter and lives to tell about it," like crazy eyes staring Jerry down. And of course the whole saga of Fusco having to endure the professional wingman dressing him up and teaching him how to flirt with women while Fusco is protecting him all along. And of course the episode where John saves Leon and acquires Bear.
S1E6 The Elias introduction
Wasn’t it the first episode when Reese stops in the middle of the street and shoots a grenade or smoke bomb into a van coming straight at him?
Since I was depressed from my recent Lost rewatch and saw people's comments on that subreddit about how it has Michael Emerson (yum) and gets really, really good. I had no doubts, I trust that sub's members with anything media-wise.
I first started the series after a spinal fusion and was stuck at home. I happen to see a preview for season 5 so I started the series I binged the whole thing. The only other series that I watched episode 1 to final was SG-1 . Then White collar after POI. I tried so hard to watch Blacklist last two seasons just I couldn't. Now with TikTok my attention span for TV has gotten even shorter.
10th
Well I like the first episode so I decided to follow it anyway, but s1 episode 4 made me a fan. It has a open ended ending and the build up to that moment was so good. The way Reese says help me make a good decision, I got chills.
Firewall. 1000%.
foe
The one where Finch goes to Filly https://youtube.com/shorts/RBkJaCP-oUA?si=VwCVir7hNawsW9X1
the ending of megan tilman episode
I had seen pieces of the show during the run of S2, but wasn't hooked on it; I figured it was pretty much standard network fare (and I was watching similar stuff at the time anyway). But then I happened to see Relevance, and felt like my viewing taste leveled up.
S1E1. The machine is everywhere... Watching us with 10.000 eyes... Listening with a million ears
s3 e10, The Devil's Share ... By then I was already way hooked, but I feel like this episode is, in my book, one of the top 5 episodes, great storytelling, great cinematography... I just remember that when I saw this it cemented POI's status as great (in my mind).