Person of Interest: Season 5

[ctg]

The fifth season of Person of Interest will only be 13 episodes, and the cast and writers told Comic-Con that it would be “tight” and might serve as the show’s final season. Finch and Root will be working together to reboot — and remake — the Machine, while Samaritan becomes a political mastermind.

We talked to the cast and writers in interviews, and learned that the main arc of next season will involve how the show’s two master class hackers will bring the Machine back to life from its dormant state, compressed down onto a suitcase-sized storage device. What’s certain is that the Machine will be very different when it reboots. Show creator Jonathan Nolan said that what remains of the Machine is “like a strand of DNA that you have to find a way to rebuild out of — it’s the essence of the thing, not the thing itself.” The Machine is going to “evolve.”

http://io9.com/next-season-on-person-of-interest-the-machine-will-ev-1717289817

 

[Dave]

Still my favourite show, so would like it to continue, but the story has taken it to a different place. It has evolved from a 'police procedural' with a 'minority report' type premise, into a deep 'government conspiracy' with CIA, and rival AIs in battle. I think it can't really go any further down that particular road unless it was towards a 'Skynet' terminator or Matrix type apocalypse scenario. I do wonder how it is going to end because I won't be satisfied with a 'reset button', both AIs destroy each other, ending. This is a Genie that cannot go back into the bottle again. And 13 episodes to do the kind of ending I would like to see doesn't seem possible.

 

[REBerg]

http://io9.com/next-season-on-person-of-interest-the-machine-will-ev-1717289817

"The fifth season of Person of Interest will only be 13 episodes, and the cast and writers told Comic-Con that it would be “tight” and might serve as the show’s final season."

What? This is the first time I have read anything hinting that this will be anything other than the last season of POI. Does one dare hope?

Good to know, at least, that "Bear will definitely survive." Love that pooch.

 

[J-Sun]

Yeah, I noticed that, too. I think that's just the usual "never burn any bridges you don't have to" TV-speak. There's no way PoI will only get a half-season 5 and then get a season 6 unless something virtually impossible happens, like the ratings going through the roof suddenly or CBS fearing their entire next season's schedule will tank.

I'm not asking for spoilers but just saying I just have two major concerns: how are they going to get out of the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ending without making me throw popcorn at the TV and will we get Shaw back for the final 13? Unlike most people here, I hated the finale and I sure hope they do it better with a second chance. Unlike Dave, I think the half-season could be perfect - that's a 9 hr and 6 min movie/miniseries that can try to be turned up to 11 the whole time rather than needing filler eps so I think a lot could get done and it could be intense. And I don't know that our guys can win but I sure as hell want to see them fight better and inflict more damage on the other side. Either way, I'm really looking forward to it. Crappy fauxnale or not, this is still right up there with stuff that keeps me from going Elvis on my TV.

 

[REBerg]

There's no way PoI will only get a half-season 5 and then get a season 6 unless something virtually impossible happens, like the ratings going through the roof suddenly or CBS fearing their entire next season's schedule will tank.

Neither being totally outside the realm of possibility.

OK, if not a season six, how about an extension to a full season five? Followed by full seasons seven through twelve? I don't ask for much.

 

[J-Sun]

OK, if not a season six, how about an extension to a full season five? Followed by full seasons seven through twelve? I don't ask for much.

Maybe but, unfortunately, PoI isn't on the fall schedule. It'll likely come on in January or so and there just won't be any room to extend it. If enough stuff crashes and burns so that they bring it on as early schedule spackle in October/early November and it did great, maybe it would get extended. Still figure it'd get cancelled (honorably "retired" in this case) at the end, though, and making the writers juggle that kind of season would probably screw up the quality. I'd rather them just belt out a tightly constructed mini-series, um, by the "numbers."

 

[ctg]

Well, the best show on CBS just got even better: When Sarah Shahi left the show in the middle of season four it was for an unspecified period of maternity leave. But she’ll be back as a regular for season five — which may very well be the show’s last.

Shahi told TV Line, “I go back in September — full-time,” adding that she’s probably going to do eight or nine of the truncated season. She also admitted that she had no idea how the show will deal with her return, but we can safely assume that they’ve had one in their back pocket for awhile. After all, they filmed the reveal that Shaw was still alive before she “died.”

It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out, since the show was only renewed as a midseason replacement, and CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler said today that the number of episodes hasn’t been decided yet. Nor do we know for sure that it’s the final season, although Tassler also said, “We’re not anywhere near having to determine what the last story line will be, but we’ll talk about it when we get there.” Which is promising only in that it at least sounds like there will be enough notice that the writers and producers will have time to plan out a series finale.

And at least they’ll be able to do it with everyone on deck.

http://io9.com/rejoice-person-of-interest-is-bringing-back-shaw-for-m-1723289283

 

[robotcanuck]

early indication is that they are taking the "leave it all on the field" approach for the final13

 

[REBerg]

http://io9.com/rejoice-person-of-interest-is-bringing-back-shaw-for-m-1723289283

Excellent!

 

[REBerg]

Another reason to look forward to the arrival of Spring!

 

[Droflet]

Yippeeee. I haven't been keeping up so I didn't think they'd get a fifth. Looking forward to the big guy's return.

 

[Dave]

I completely forgot this was back on, so I'm just beginning to catch up. While I personally find it is great that they have already aired 8 episodes, I can't help feeling that this is a deliberate ploy to kill it off. The viewing figures must be higher when the audience is waiting for a weekly fix rather than several episodes in succession. Then they can quote lower viewing figures as the reason for cancellation. Maybe I'm too cynical. Anyway, I feel like it has run it's course in any case. I don't think there is anywhere else to go except to a Matrix-esque or Skynet-like future in which humans are subservient to Samaritan. Even if the Machine can beat Samaritan, then we still have the technological cat out of the bag.

 

[Roy1]

I thought the recent series shown in the uk got rather slipshod with all the gunbattles and our heroes escaping through a hail of bullets almost unscathed far too often.

 

[REBerg]

I completely forgot this was back on, so I'm just beginning to catch up. While I personally find it is great that they have already aired 8 episodes, I can't help feeling that this is a deliberate ploy to kill it off. The viewing figures must be higher when the audience is waiting for a weekly fix rather than several episodes in succession. Then they can quote lower viewing figures as the reason for cancellation. Maybe I'm too cynical. Anyway, I feel like it has run it's course in any case. I don't think there is anywhere else to go except to a Matrix-esque or Skynet-like future in which humans are subservient to Samaritan. Even if the Machine can beat Samaritan, then we still have the technological cat out of the bag.

They've been knocking off two episodes per week (three, last week) since the return. My best guess is that they're clearing room on the schedule for a summer series (the abysmal Zoo?).
I think the end of the series was a foregone conclusion from the start of the season. I read that attempts were made to have the series picked up by Netflix and another on-demand service (Amazon?), but were turned down.
I'll have to content myself by buying the complete series on blu-ray, should it become available.

 

[sinister42]

how are they going to get out of the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ending without making me throw popcorn at the TV

The same way they got out of the "being chased through the woods by a SWAT team" ending. They cheated and cut to them already having escaped. They escaped because...well, they did. This show cheats. But I still love it.