‘Person Of Interest’ Launches A Final Season To Leave Fans Feeling ‘Really Rewarded’


Person of Interest just launched its fifth and final season, a shortened installment of 13 episodes, before the series goes into an early retirement and although Person of Interest has maintained a steady fan base, the series has still failed to attract higher ratings. Recognizing that Season 5 would be their opportunity to provide a sense of closure for their loyal fans, Person of Interest producers and writers came together to create something remarkable.

Person Of Interest Executive Producer Greg Plageman Says Being Canceled Was A Freeing Experience

Plageman says that the reduced episode order received from ABC freed them in a sense, as far as creating the story for Season 5 of Person of Interest and infused the writers with a sense of excitement for penning the last Person of Interest story arc.

Briefly, Person of Interest is about Harold Finch, a reclusive programming genius who creates an artificial intelligence program capable of identifying criminal activity in advance, much like the system in Minority Report. Finch enlists ex-assassin John Reese (Jim Caviezel) to help him to stop crimes from happening. As the series evolved, additional cast members were brought on board to give Person of Interest more of a team aspect. Person of Interest added reformed crooked cop Lionel Fusco (Kevin Chapman), the dangerous and brooding assassin Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi), and a high-level hacker named Root (Amy Acker).

“I was actually really surprised by our fanbase,” Person of Interest showrunner Plageman admitted. “I had no idea there was that much passion and fervor. I think part of it is the show always felt fresh and in many cases five minutes ahead on things. As people watched the show, what originally felt like science fiction became science fact.”

Season 5 of Person of Interest hits the ground running in a literal sense with Finch, Root, and Reese fleeing from an enemy who has already captured Shaw, so fans should expect an action packed and emotionally tense final installment. Series creator says he’s never written a happy ending and that everyone on the Person of Interest writing team agrees that happy endings aren’t something that interests these storytellers. He reminds long time fans of Person of Interest that even Finch said much the same thing in the series’ pilot episode.

“Way back in the pilot, Finch promised that ‘this will end messily for all of them’ and I think we fulfilled the mandate.”

Even with that hint of a stressful conclusion in mind, Nolan says that the final 13 episodes of Person of Interest were written for the fans.

“It’s been a long time our fans have been waiting for this season and I can’t wait for them to watch it,” the Person of Interest E.P. said. “I think they’re going to feel really rewarded.”

Person Of Interest To Go Out In A Blaze Of Glory

According to series star Michael Emerson, the last installment of Person of Interest will pit his character (Finch) against his creation as he comes to realize that Samaritan is becoming more human and so powerful that the only way to defeat it may come in an act of desperation. Person of Interest has evolved over the years from a Minority Report style crime drama to something that reflects the changes in society since the series debuted. In recent years, the world has lost more of its naiveté in the wake of the National Security Agency documents leaked by Edward Snowden and more recently, the court battle between Apple and the F.B.I. in which the government seeks to compel tech companies to disable or remove security features on the mobile devices of its customers.

“I think more about it and on a darker note than I ever would’ve before the show. Part of what worries me is there’s little to be done about it. I’m not going to separate myself from these devices,” Person of Interest star Emerson says, referring to technology such as smartphones. “I don’t know what to do, except to be aware of it.”

For Emerson, he admits he’s feeling a little relieved by the idea that Person of Interest is reaching a conclusion. Between Person of Interest and Lost, Emerson has been steadily working on network television for 10 years, and he says he’s been feeling a little rung out by the demands of such consistent scheduling. In thinking of what he might like to do next, the Person of Interest star says he’s had his eye on returning to the theater.

“I wouldn’t mind getting back on the live-theater stage, though in what play or character, I don’t know. But it would be fun to do some lighter material.”

The next episode of Person of Interest will air on Monday, May 9 on ABC.

[Image by ABC]

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