Person of Interest

:

Season 1
  • Network: CBS
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 22, 2011
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 26
  3. Negative: 1 out of 26
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Critic Reviews

  1. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Aaron Riccio
    Sep 16, 2011
    25
    There isn't a single interesting person in CBS's dud-on-arrival Person of Interest; at best, there's only a single interesting idea.

Awards & Rankings

69
#69 Best TV Season of 2011
11
#11 Most Discussed TV Season of 2011
18
#18 Most Shared TV Season of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 471 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 416 out of 471
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 471
  3. Negative: 29 out of 471
  1. KennyG
    Feb 3, 2012
    10
    Great, Great, Great Show! A mix of science fiction, drama, action, espionage, etc., etc. I'm sorry for those of you who don't get it. ThereGreat, Great, Great Show! A mix of science fiction, drama, action, espionage, etc., etc. I'm sorry for those of you who don't get it. There are no show like this one. Basically you have "at least" one imperfect person helping others.… Full Review »
  2. JennetP
    Nov 18, 2011
    8
    I like this series better, after 8 episodes, than I did at the beginning. I'm no longer much bothered by its premise: a terror-sniffingI like this series better, after 8 episodes, than I did at the beginning. I'm no longer much bothered by its premise: a terror-sniffing machine so sensitive that it predicts ordinary homicides but not sensitive enough to distinguish murderers from victims. I no longer wonder how even the world's least competent security agency could be induced to throw out data that would save police, courts, and emergency services billions of dollars, not to mention saving innumerable lives. Instead, I now focus on what the machine represents: vigilance without discernment, an omniscience that becomes an end in itself, rather than a means of preserving life and liberty. In that regard, "Person of Interest" seems one of the few 21st-century series to grapple with the effects of 9/11. For that and other reasons, the series now strikes me as fresher and more interesting than others devoted to the pursuit of justice. Where CSI and its spawn celebrate forensic technology as the fastest and purest route to truth, POI takes a more complex view, one focused on the powers, the limits, and the dangers of a technology that can only gesture in the general direction of truth but cannot make crucial distinctions, such as the one between murderer and victim. The contrast is everywhere, from acting style to soundtrack to cinematography. Compared to the luminous pastels and driving rock soundtracks of the CSI's, POI appears ominous and grim: blue-grey establishing shots with faux-CCTV effects, digital framing of random heads, the subtle foreboding of an orchestral score. POI's two principal characters are not heroes but anti-heroes; they are flawed, injured, even knowingly doomed. Both Reese and Finch hide almost everything about themselves, and their tendency to conceal their feelings has alienated some viewers, who feel deprived of an emotional connection to the protagonists. Again, however, I find their formality and circumspection interesting, their oblique dialog a refreshing break from the improbable self-revelation of the average TV crime-fighter. I now hope that other viewers who were, like me, on the fence are starting to appreciate the show.… Full Review »
  3. SaraJ
    Oct 29, 2011
    10
    Has quickly become my favorite tv show - great acting, suspense, and surprises. It keeps your interest through the whole show. Nice changeHas quickly become my favorite tv show - great acting, suspense, and surprises. It keeps your interest through the whole show. Nice change from all the standard mystery shows.… Full Review »
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