DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Are you a 'person of interest?'

"You are being watched. The government has a secret system... a machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know, because I buillt it. I designed the machine to detect acts of terror, but it sees everything... violent crimes involving ordinary people. People like you. Crimes the government considrered irrelevant. They wouldn't act, so I decided I would. But I needed a partner... someone with the skills to intervene. Hunted by the authorities, we work in secret. You will never find us- but, victim or perpetrator, if your number is up....

....we'll find you."


Is anyone else watching this series by JJ Abrams/Jonathan Nolan? I've been a huge fan since Day One, and for good reason. The characters are edgy, yet sympathetic- you KNOW they're the good guys, and you pull for them to prevail.

The main stories are episodic, but each one adds to a backstory arc about the invention of "the machine" which is as suspenseful and interesting as the present episode. Add to the fact that the main protagonists only know the identity of the "person of interest"... they never know whether the p.o.i. is someone to be protected or stopped until they begin their work. Even then, twists often reveal surprising turns late in the episode.

The show has an edgy, gritty NYC look to it, the cast is strong, and even the graphics overlays are worth hitting the pause button to read. (Yes, they nail down even the smallest details...) And... the show feels realistic enough, that you might find yourself driving somewhere the next day, wondering if you're really being watched by the machine.

If you haven't seen this show, I invite you to give it a try. Go online and watch from Episde One, as you also get to watch the evolution of the 'friendship' between Mssrs. Finch and Reese.... important to the ongoing storylines. I'm not sure if it's yet available for rental. In either case, one weekend is all you'd need to catch up, the show is that new. IMHO, you'll be as hooked as I am.

For network TV, it's one of the most imaginative and innovate program concepts to hit in a long time. If you have watched it, I invite you to post your thoughts/impressions in this thread. A good show deserves some good discussion.

Happy viewing,
Clem

Haven't seen it. I don't watch much TV(and don't have a DVR), and thought this was another CSI type show. After your description above I might give it a try.

I'm with ya clem.. Really like this show.

I dig the story angle that shows Finch in the past- jogging, running, etc .... then we see him with a fused spine, walking with a limp in the present.

I can't wait to see how they tie the two incongruities together. My guess is that his first boss betrays him in some way... and has something to do with his injuries... and is also quite possibly the reason why Finch went ungerground and found Reese.

At the conclusion of the most recent episode, it ended with a flashback to 2005. Finch and his former boss were leaving the office, and were talking about the machine's abilites. Finch warns him: "Careful... it can hear you."



Immediately, at the bottom of the TV screen (as the office lights go dark), there appears a digital printout [from the machine]:

"Identity: [insert name of former boss here... I can't remember it at present]
Status: POTENTIAL THREAT ."

Daaaaang.
Layers of intrigue, yo....

I don't watch a whole lot of TV, but I may watch this down the road when I can watch a few seasons back to back to back.

Don't waste time, Y-Town... get on it in the first year, son!

It's been my experience that good-to-great shows don't always have a long shelf-life. This show just won a "People's Choice" award... but ratings always determine a show's fate.

I'm trying, in my own little way, to start a groundswell of support... in case "NUMB3RS" determines another show's immediate life expenctancy.

Trust me- don't wait until it's too late to save another show that might become another victim of the 500+ stations that are available to us. Get on it NOW... and make your voice heard, while your voice is still relevant.

A friend of mine has lost a job recently to "ratings purge".... Damon Gupton played a regular role on NBC's "Prime Suspect."... and was heartbroken when the network dropped his show. I asked him if there was a chance that TNT, USA, SLEUTH or one of any number of Independants would pick up the show, and he said, "not bloody likely." Bummer... because his was another show that I jumped on from the start, and actually liked.

Dam won't be out of work for long- he's too good at what he does- but it's a shame to see him go through the process all over again, when he had a show that could have been a real vehicle for him.

I'd HATE to see these other actors blown up for similar reasons. Both shows were well-written, both need(ed) time to develop... and both boast(ed) string casts who could carry a show for many years.

Damon's show is now a "crashland" after just one season... but there is still a chance that fan support could save another worthy candidate.

It really IS a good show... so don't waste time. Get in, nd get onboard NOW. These folks can spin out a good storyline... and it will be a trip to see what they can do, with another year or two to stretch their collective imaginations.

Dawg, I'm "Old School," as are many of our posters here at DT.... I'd love nothing better than to see "The Old networks" hit a couple out of the ballpark... and I see this submission as another potential NCIS- type hit for them- as they look to find theier 'next big hit.'

Peep the show, yo.... It's worth your time, I guarantee.

I rarely watch live TV anymore.

I am also not on any Neilson type stuff ..... and don't have cable or satellite ....... but if I ever get a call, I promise that I will tell them that I watch it ..... just to help save the show for you.

Oh yes,, I do watch that show every week. I even DVR it and watch it over again during the weekend.

good show....

I haven't missed an episode... love the show.

You gotta love Reese, he's a cross between James Bond and Arnold Schwarzenegger..

I also really like that they get the number then have to figure out if he's a good guy or a bad guy... then they do their work, uncovering various aspects of the persons life and it generally is mixed with some things pointing to them being the perpetrator and some things pointing to them being the victim..

Funny aside... I watch it with my gullible 15 year old son who knows that I used to work with the government and did a lot of work in FBI buildings... he has asked me if it's true and I always answer in an obscure way without really telling him yes or no.. the other day I was in the Town Hall building of Cary, NC (which is a suburb of Raleigh)... they had one glass room with about 20 TVs on the wall and you could see all of the major intersections in Cary... I took a picture of it with my phone and showed it to him and said.. "Now if Cary, NC has this, imagine what the FBI has..." He's still freaked out.

I don't watch a lot of TV, but my wife and I are hooked on this show. Great characters, well-written stories and plot twists galore.

J/C...

Off-topic and I apologize but seems like a good place to ask the question...

How do DVR recordings work for Nielsen Ratings? Is their a certain amount of time that you have to watch the show for it to be counted in the ratings? Say I record something on Sunday and watch it on Friday or Saturday, does it count for anything?

I only ask because I rarely if ever watch anything live anymore.

Ha,, I have no idea how that works.. I guess a neilson family picks a station and that's what's tallied.. anything DVRed probably doesn't register,, Just a guess.. I don't know for sure at all.

I though that Neilson Families had to fill out forms about their viewing habits, and what they watch (and who) is recorded in a log.

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Peep the show, yo.... It's worth your time, I guarantee.

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Well I did just that...just now for the first and last time...Not my style...found it boring.. But hey...I tried...

My wife and I both like the show!

I just couldn't connect with the characters Daman....Reese, he played in a movie with J-Lo some years back...his character was dull in that movie...tha'ts how I saw him again..

And that Finch guy...He walks around like a Zombie with a hemorrhoid..

Maybe I just caught a bad episode...But I won't be going back to find out..

I saw you guys talking about the show in this thread so i've watched two episodes. So far so good

My wife and I love this show.

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you need to pay attention or you get lost quickly.

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Speaking of "Lost".... Was Finch in that show ? Guess I can look that up...

But from reading all the above posts...seems I'm the only one that doesn't like it...Now I'm going to have and watch it again....Grrrrr !

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And that Finch guy...He walks around like a Zombie with a hemorrhoid..

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Finch had spinal fusion surgery. That's why he walks with a limp and can't turn his head.

The show eatures "flashbacks" to when the machine was first built. In those flashbacks, Finch walks as normally as anyone else. As we keep pushing forward in the flashbacks, I'm sure we'll see how he came to be as he is now.

In essence, we have two storylines being worked simultaneously.... and at some point both will merge.

I think it's marvelous writing. But, each to his own.

just asking because I have not even heard of this show but does it play like Lost did with all the flashbacks? I loved Lost the first 2 seasons then they moved it around so much I didnt see much after that.
I like Fringe as well as Terra Nova about the only shows I watch on TV. Not very many good sci-fi shows out there anymore that I know of.

I'm not sure if i'd call it like Lost, but there are flashbacks.. not overbearing but there.

I really like the show... great story lines and lots of intrigue.... I saw Jim Caviezel in person at my church a couple years back and really enjoyed listening to him talk... I was a bit surprised in that the way he is on the TV show (the raspy quiet talking) is exactly how he is in real life.

Great show

This is must watch TV for me. Superb writing and I really enjoy the subtle banter between Reese and Finch each episode.

what day time and channel is this show on?

it airs @ 9:00 PM on Thursdays on any CBS affiliate.


Do yourself a favor before tuning in to the latest episode: go online and watch the show from its pilot episode. You get to see how Finch and Reese become partners, you get introduced to Detective Carter (who dogs their every move), and you get to see how Detective Fusco becomes "recruited" to act as their mole within NYPD. Important stuff for background... it helps to flesh out many bits of the storyline as each episode spins out.

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Dawgs, I'm a hard-sell when it comes to TV. I don't enjoy watching programs that are trite, hackneyed or formulaic.... I find them boring wastes of time. BUT- I can't say enough good things about this show. IMHO it represents some of the best that can be found on the box... and is a great example of what can be produced when networks:

don't underestimate the intellegence of their audience
allow an imaginative concept to actually make it onto America's screens
allow writers to spin a good tight yarn without having to be straight-jacketed into some tried (...or should I say, "Tired?")-and-true "formula."

It keeps me guessing. It keeps me looking for all the little cues, clues and twists. And it's one of the (very) few shows that make me wish a week was only 4 days long.

Yes... IMHO, it really is that good.

I watched the first 2 episodes and quit. It wasn't bad at all. I just didn't like the premise of HOW they are finding the people of interest w/ the machine or computer or whatever they call it.

If I didn't have so many shows on my plate on top of work, school and raising twin toddlers, I'd have kept on watching. Maybe I'll catch up on DVD some day. They definitely have top-notch actors in Jesus and Ben Linus . . .

So... we're coming up to the finale of Season One. I Truly think that CBS has a winner in the Works.

To those diehard fans who have stayed with the show I have these questions:

1. What's to become of Carter and Fusco... both working with Reese and Finch, but not aware of their mutual connection?

2. Will The Feds get Reese, as they begin to bring the pressure on Det. Carter? Will Carter fold? (My guess is that she won't... she was gung-ho military (a 'Semper Fi- Type) interrogation officer before she was an NYPD dectective. But then... she was screwed by her fellow military in that 'in country' episode, wasn't she?)

3. Will NYPD find out details behind the sloppy way Fusco saved Reese in last weeks episode? I mean... forensics could easily see that the physical evidence won't support the story he's about to tell, if questioned.

4. What do you think will become of the team's war with organized crime boss Carl Elias ?

5. Where do they go in Season Two? More backstory about the Machine's creation would be cool... as well as new contacts with Nathan Ingram's curious son. The Kara Stanton (Reese's former CIA partner) twist was absolutely a shot from left field in last week's episode. Could she also be the female "superhacker" who shut down Finch's first operation... and already knows (and refers to) him as 'Harold?'

6. And what of the interpersonal relationships between the principal characters? Lionel was leveraged into the arrangement, but has shown uncommon loyalty to the cause. Carter has been the sympathetic character, but bailed on The Boys when the heat got turned up. She only came back when Reese saved her kid. Reese doing intel on Finch? (No real trust there, eh?) Finch (The GameMaster) being hacked from outside sources?

There's a MILLION ways this production team can take this show. My only hope is that they remain immune to us folks from the outside, and take the show where their artistic impulses direct. The basic concept is as sound as any I've seen... and I think that they should trust their first impressions. If they run with this, they could have themselves a long-running hit.

Dawg-GONE... I loves me this show.

Feedback from True Fans is deeply desired here.



Clemdawg is.... a 'Person Of Interest.'



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Message: To all Dawgs who didn't get in on this from the start: Consult your local listings, find your local CBS affiliate, and mark this show to be watched when it enters its Summer re-run phase. If you're a fan of quick-moving episodes that usually resolve themselves in 60 minutes, but also support a long story arc, it is not to be missed. This is some of the coolest, hippest, (darkest), most innovative stuff that can be found on network TV. There is simply nothing else like it. It will keep you guessing... and it will keep you hooked. Set in NYC, there is a very real 'Post 9/11' sensibility that pervades the show's concept (with loose connections to our foriegn war on terror), yet it evolves in the minute, and takes the viewer on a "what's gonna happen next?" story line that could lead to anywhere.

This is one network show that can compete head-to-head with the HBO's and other independants. You won't even miss the cussing or gratuitous sex scenes. It's just good writing, good acting, good premise, and good story-telling. Clemdawg gives it: "two paws up," in a double high-five.


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So... 'Dawgs Of Interest'... what barkest thee?

I think the fun of it is that I don't know the answers to those questions. I don't think Carter folds, I do believe that the FBI finally gets a bead on Reese (cliffhanger alert)

Through the course of the season, Fusco became a likeable character.. Turned out to be a stand up guy.

I'm pretty excited to see how this unfolds..

I think they brought Carter and Fusco in a little too fast.. I would have liked to see them keep some separation with those two, even if they did use them occassionally...

Carter won't fold but I'm not sure how they handle the feds. Hopefully this doesn't turn into a Jack Bauer where he does something that miraculously puts himself in the feds good graces and then they leave him alone...

I missed last weeks episode (because of the draft and forgot to record it)...

I think the war with Elias is going to be an ongoing story for a while in this series.

I love the show but I think with Elias, the feds bearing down on Reese, opening up to Carter and Fusco, I think they opened up too many story lines too fast and now they have to figure out how to resolve them... or keep them all in the air in some sort of juggling act that keeps the show from becoming totally "out there"...

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I love the show but I think with Elias, the feds bearing down on Reese, opening up to Carter and Fusco, I think they opened up too many story lines too fast and now they have to figure out how to resolve them... or keep them all in the air in some sort of juggling act that keeps the show from becoming totally "out there"...

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In total agreement with your misgivings/concerns. Given the way they've spun this first season, it would be very easy to "jump the shark" at an early date.... which would be a shame, considering how well each story has been fleshed out.

One thing's for sure... they've given fans a multitude of reasons to tune into next season. My guess: Season Two will be the make or break for the show. If they can juggle the storylines and keep them all moving forward, they'll enjoy a nice run. If they bit off more than they could digest, it will be another 'cult favorite' which couldn't find its audience.

Off-topic: I was also a huge fan of 'The Unit'... until they 'jumped the shark' with the "fake town" storyline (an obvious bid to up the wives' profile... did they really feel that threatened by Lifetime's 'Army Wives' show? IMHO, they blew it by leaving the profile that got them on my radar...)

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Dawg... I'd LOVELOVELOVE to be on the writing staff of this show. I'd come to work early EVERY DAY... just to be part of the crew that pieces together this Rubick's Cube of a plot... what a challenge/thrill. Maybe in some other life... I'm actually still cool with what I do, you know?

Just wanted to slap an addendum on this thread:

As a perpetual student of Classical music, I was trained early on to be an "observer of details." The difference between those who 'do for fun,' and 'those who do for money' lies in such details. When I was about 13 years old, I was introduced to the concept of fractal relationships... even though I wansn't aware of such a thing at the time. It's the idea that the Big Picture (what we all see) is actually made up of countless levels of detail (usually mathematically-related) that make up that pic.

When I started to "pull out the microscope," that's when I began to refine my approach to making noise on my hollow box. It changed the way I approached my music-making... and it also changed the way I saw the world. For better or wose, it also changed the way I consumed my entertainment when I watched TV shows and movies.

Here's a tip, when watching POI: The producers put a lot of time, effort, and thought into the little details when dropping their latest episode on us. Take a moment to grab the remote, and "pause" the pic during those 'datastream' moments the show is so famous for... you'll be amazed at the amount of background info you can grab!

For the "obssessive-compulsive" members of its fanbase, it's truly a goldmine of rich detail.The production crew has really done their homework... and it shows the moment you freeze the pic on one of those fast-moving transitional joints, and slowly 'step' through the info on the screen.

Much of what's happening is dumped into your brain on a sumbliminal level, but I think it's really cool to stop the action, and slow it down, to catch every detail.

Of all the shows I capture on DVR, THIS ONE is the one I watch at least twice before dumping. The first time, I watch it as if it were a movie, viewed in a theater (non-stop?fast-forwarding through the commercials). The second viewing takes at least twice as long... and ALWAYS reveals insights missed in the first viewing.

Dawg-GONE.... I'm having fun with this show....

p.s. Expect a public query after the season concludes. Who knows what Clemmie might ask?

Love this show. I have them recorded.