Person of Interest's Devil's Share is the Perfect Midpoint

[@AvenKallan]

I don't think the machine disproves determinism, but has the humility to recognize that even she doesn't know enough to perfectly predict everything. Samaritan tries to create perfect predictability by eliminating any variable it finds disruptive. The machine seeks order through understanding, Samaritan seeks order through negation.

[@jackscrievner5222]

Person of interest will forever be one of my favourite shows, it always identifies themes that you wouldn’t normally expect

[@IanDaniel-DataAnalytics]

Yep, good show

[@johnnypetronel]

The fact that they managed to weave an actress wanting to leave the show with one of the best tonal shifts and just general couple of episodes I've ever seen will forever be amazing to me. It's so good to hear someone else talk about POI. Loved both halves of it to bits!

[@ianm1462]

Strong analysis as usual. How humans deal with grief might just be the entire thesis of PoI. John’s choice to leave the team after Carter’s death was powerful and well-earned just as his return was excellently written. And that scene with Elias and Simmons? “You and I. We’re something… older.” This. Fucking. Show.

[@Person8686]

Its really hard to find people that appreciate this show, it's such a shame. It was truly ahead of it's time and one of a kind

[@tavishr3194]

Goddamn finally. Finally a long form breakdown of one of the richest parts of the show. Thank you for making this and putting it out there for us to see.

[@5x5Takes]

glad someone’s out here enjoying it

[@mansare83]

@@5x5Takes I'm coming across this late, but have hungered for a VERY long time for someone, anyone to be up to long form, deep analysis of this criminally under rated show. Additionally, I've never seen anyone else online the understands the fulcrum you presented and how both parts of that balance are the whole. Thank you so much for this. It makes me feel a little less alone right now.

[@timelady5865]

this show deals with so many themes with such a great harmony how many times you watch it you can make new connections and understandings. please continue poi series its great

[@jdperry]

Joss would have never been able to reconcile her code of honor with the way they had to live in a grey, post-Samaritan world. She couldn't have left her identity behind and her son and live as one of the machine's roving virtual nomads. Everyone else's code of honor is in many ways defined by the machine and her choices. Not Carter. She could never have just let go of everything and trusted her life and choices to the machine, even temporarily. In that way, she is the thematic antithesis of Root, who wanted nothing more than to do exactly that.

[@5x5Takes]

would have loved to see it

[@arden5159]

Person of Interest has been one of my most beloved shows since its airing and I'm so delighted that you're out here covering its themes like this! Your series on it has really enriched the POI resurgence I've had going on lately and I love how thoughtfully you're able to break down the characters and really highlight the things that I didn't even realize made me love them as much as I do. I've been thinking about this video on and off for days since I saw it first and I want to thank you for the work you did on it! Thank you so much - you definitely deserve all the subscribers you've got and about twenty times more!

[@ScottWDoyle]

This analysis is absolutely fascinating. It is so layered I really have to pause and come back to it later. Just know you have a new fan. I could listen to your voice for days.

[@roza2633]

SUCH a great video and i'm so glad it's longer this time. if you ever have enough to say about poi to make an hour long one i will be delighted. but yeah everything you said is so true. also i never knew about the meaning behind decima actually even tho poi's been my fave show for a good 7 years now and i have a little too much of knowledge about it soooo thank you, some more fun facts for my collection

[@vaughnbode1420]

At the end of your video here, Root picks up a YELLOW phone. Thanks for all you have done here. An excellent analysys of an outstanding show.

[@5x5Takes]

oh that’s a sick fucking point. good catch!!!

[@vaughnbode1420]

@@5x5Takes It would be more amazing if the phone Root did NOT pick up was black.

[@SpiderLingual]

As much as I love this show in and of itself, for all its goofy moments and touching moments, your thoughtful analyses, whether i agree with them 100% or not, really gives me a new appreciation for their intentionality and thoughtfulness, and I love how it not only sparks me to think further, but perfectly encapsulates to ppl who may not be excited about the show how good this damn thing is.

[@stevewest1677]

This show just kept geting better, the potential story arcs could fill so many more seasons. I could not believe it finished so soon. Your analysis in this video is amazing, and has highlighted some things i didnt think of before and i know will be on my mind for the next couple of weeks. Thanks for your video!

[@RecklessFables]

I wanted to thank you for your work on S1. It convinced me to watch the series and I've binged into S4 so far.

[@erinstebbins]

I loved this video! I just finished a rewatch that was inspired by your other POI videos, it was even better than I remembered it!

[@imrehundertwasser7094]

I hadn't caught the meaning behind Decima. Thank you for explaining that.

[@n543576]

Thanks to the last couple of videos you made on the first ep's of the series I actually gave the show a shot and im enjoying the watch! Im on season 2 at the moment and im digging on the twist and turns going on, I hope you do eventually do more ep/ season analysis of different shows in the future. I watched a couple of Buffy ep's and it gives me sooooo many Supernatural vibes its right up my alley. Keep up the excellent work!

[@magisterdamask3947]

Awesome analysis! Love PoI since its premiere, still amazing how endless we can talk about all its thematics ! Thank you so much, it's brilliant !

[@hartleyw6323]

I'm doing a rewatch. I'll bookmark this and come back when I'm finished with this episode. Looking forward to it.

[@myoldmate]

My lasting memory of this episode is the visuals. How grim Reese and Shaw were in the hunt, fantastic acting. Johnny Cashs rendition of Hurt was an inspired choice of mood music.

[@bernabeueagle1726]

Your channel is one of the best! This show deserves this kind of attention.

[@thuthuka3562]

I appreciate her for making videos about a show I love.

[@Yugyuk]

Person of Interest was and will remain the last show I ever watch on TV and I will continue to recommend it to anyone I can.

[@MB-lc1wj]

Thank you for this great video! PoI is my favorite show and I love to see people still talking about it. It deserves more recognition! (If only for the fact that most Westworld themes can be traced back to PoI)

[@jeffreyappezzato3432]

The last great series on television. Shortly after the finale I called my cable provider and canceled my service. There are no entertaining offerings that have even come close.

[@lisawang3566]

I like your review so much! Good job!

[@teedepefanio4974]

Yeah, this episode is the one i always go back to... pure vendetta... I absolutely loved watching all our fav characters getting in to the episode.. "Something.. older.." Thx, subscribed.. ❤️

[@oMarcos251]

Spectacular analysis. I’ve never thought about the Devil’s share episode from the machines perspective. I’m rewatching POI and I’m still on season 1 so I’ll definitely be looking for things like that going forward.

[@naneat]

I love this & you for your incredibly intelligent sharing of this brilliant show!!!

[@yvdefoe1]

Thanks so much for this. I actually stopped watching after Carter died. I could not fathom the show without that character. So, I gave up. Because of your video, I will revisit. And, yes, it was one of the greatest written shows.

[@EtGemitusMortis]

I love this whole analysis of The Devil's Share. Very on point! Person of Interest is always a show I go back to for the overarching story and characters, as they're so powerful and in-depth, something that seems to often feel missing in many TV shows nowadays. But I do have to disagree with you on why Elias killed Simmons. I partially agree that he did it because he could, but you must remember that Joss saved his life from being killed by HR and Peter Yogorov. He was paying back the Life Debt he owed her in the only way he knew how, much like he spends the rest of the series trying to pay back John and Harold for saving him before in Witness (and other times later), despite that their goals align a lot of times in the future and have before when he turns out to be their Necessary Evil. As you sorta mention: the Devil they Know.

[@TheLastScoot]

Love your Person of Interest videos, looking forward to more :3

[@saotiago]

amazing video! love all of your poi videos so far. guess i really should rewatch the show.

[@iskander2d2]

Great video! I'm glad POI gets the deserved attention And I'm glad it's such a high quality sincere content as yours

[@Keysmashasdljkfsdajkf]

God I love and miss this show

[@sardoniclysane]

My fucking god. You. You understand this show so much more than anyone I’ve ever met. Even my wife who to be fair adored this show. But, but she didn’t always understand it. How are you how you are? No one I’ve ever met and talked to understood the iceberg this show is. It’s literally an example of brilliantly exceptional writing and storytelling…it just happens to be a sci fi futuristic drama. It’s a study in the human condition that just happens to be sci fi. Now to be clear I’m a sci fi geek to begin with but the initial marketing of this show was not that. My amazing wife and I literally never missed a single episode when it aired. Ever. That’s not hyperbole. We adored this show at the outset. The sci fi elements kinda didn’t resonate in seasons 4 or 5 with the wife but the character acting always pulled her in and she does love a good sci fi story or comic drama. It’s not her wheelhouse but if the writing is good she can love it. Her favorite comic movie is Logan. That matters is you understand how important writing is. Also…losing carter…was Devastating.utterly. My wife and I literally felt gutted when she died. The feeling was palpable. We watched it live and honestly it’s not an episode I long to ever watch again due to the pain we both felt.

[@mansare83]

YES, That's what I'm saying! Finally! Let's all find each other and take over the POI subreddit.

[@certs743]

Very interesting and thought provoking analysis. This show has so many layers. Even in the small details. probably the only show I have watched where I also usually found myself googling everything from philosophy to quantum mechanics.

[@bros402]

Such a good video - but imagine what the show would've been like without Fusco for the last 2 1/2 seasons! We would've been robbed of so much!

[@johnreese1337]

The lighting on John's face still creeps me out today

[@ilanareigoss1637]

I love your commentaries!

[@abeginningwoodworker8169]

Loved the breakdown of one my favorite shows and I am with you in that this is one of the most unappreciated shows by fans of good TV. My favorite part though is that you echoed my thoughts about the loss of the character of Carter to the show because Person of Interest I think is one of the only shows where the loss is felt in the future because a needed perspective is just gone from the show. No character or combination of characters ever fills that role she had and no character is introduced to fill that void. It's a huge credit to the writers because I can't think of another show that lost a main character that suffers in that same way. Hopefully this can get more people into the show but I have found its a hard show to get people into. Because it has aspects that are sort of forced onto it from being a network TV show (though the show uses those limitations often as positives allowing a story to be more rich because it gets to unfold more slowly, we get deeper character development because we have more episodes, we can sort of pause the story at times to let ourselves chew on things) has too many people who like deeper shows away from it, especially earlier on. At the same time its suffers from some people who want a bit more casual experience because none of the characters are people you feel like you need to tune in to watch just to see. The acting is great and I love the characters but you don't have a character like Hugh Laurie's House, Steve Carrel's Michael Scott, or even to pull from another high quality CBS show at the time Julianne Marguilies Alicia Florrick. The characters are like The Wire were most are exceptionally acted but they get your admiration and adoration more slowly.

[@NathanBird]

Great analysis of the deeper themes of this beloved show

[@watup110875]

I miss this show

[@velocitor3792]

Wonderful analysis! Watching and rewatching POI, I feel the show creators are making some comment about the integration of one's Jungian 'shadow." All the team members have a robust shadow side, which they must master, to become fully realized and functional people... and their coming together in mutual support is both a method towards this goal, as well as the reward on accomplishing this.

[@carlosmainar9473]

An excellent video essay. I am now smarter because of this. Thank you :)

[@NoerLuin]

Great video!

[@nikpalagaming8610]

Person of Interest was ahead of its time. If the show was made now by Netflix, it would have been lot more popular. One of the best shows ever.

[@deepcow]

POI was a fantastic show, Jim Caviezel was amazing.

[@godessesque]

I've been meaning to start a channel thats initial focus is examining POI episode by episode. You doing this is inspiring me to finally do it!

[@jordantang]

Another view point on The Machine and Samaritan on the mid point of the show is how the ASI were taught and brought out by their creator. Harold knew the dangers of an ASI. You mentioned in your video about The Machine being curious and seeking understanding that was a trait that she pick up from Harold. Not that only she has experience death itself since Harold keeps killing her if she tries to trick or kill him. Until the 44th version that she understands that tricking or trying to kill Harold would not work. That curiosity continues as she grows but Harold limited her ability to grow since he only need system that was able to prevent the next 9/11. On the contrast, Samaritan was brought up with very little guidance nor training. Instead of seeing how humans behave with time. Samaritan ran benchmarks on human and see how they react which skewed the data to be more control on human limiting the idea of free will.

[@sageinit]

6:53 Would you say that at that point she (The Machine) already possess the ability to feel fear( of alienation)?

[@thehelloidiot]

I’ve always loved all your videos! But POI is one of my fave shows of all time. I recently saw the new Mission Impossible movie with “The Entity” and while it wasn’t great it really reminded me that POI is out there and I needed to do a rewatch. So since I only own the DVD for Season 3 of POI I started there and I just hope one day you get to some of these episodes because they are so good! I’ve been subscribed to your Patreon for a bit as well and wish you the best!

[@5x5Takes]

seasons 3 and 4 are so excellent. thank you!!!

[@thehelloidiot]

Yes! And I loved your episode guide approach but these videos are also amazing! ❤❤❤

[@5x5Takes]

@@thehelloidiot i’ll find a way :)

[@NatalieLBG]

Wait there's a theory Root's death is faked and she's alive at the end? Is there a name for the theory or something you can point me at?

[@charleswallner5206]

Brilliant review

[@ahmetsezginn]

Very good video. Thanks for this

[@markvandoren3387]

The essence of the conflict between AI and man is what Root said: Free Will. The only thing that makes Mankind different than any other creature in the universe.

[@jeers69]

waiting for the rest of season 1 .... series... ??? just stumbled across your POI videos... looking forward to more

[@JoshBty]

I love this show and I love your philosophical breakdowns of POI episodes! What music did you use for this video? It fits so perfectly into the video

[@mathewsidor1506]

I am a huge POI fan, I think you missed one thing. John's skull face showed his intentions. Fusco had half bloody red, half almost clean face with a distinct line down his chin. In that fight he found it is not inevitable, but his choice to kill Simmons, or follow Jess' lead and take Simmons to justice. Funny how I try to type Jess' and it corrects me to Jesus. Thx for a great breakdown!!

[@CriticalPotato]

Joss Carter also shares Jesus Christ's initials, I wonder if this was intentional or simply coincidental.

[@sageinit]

PUT YOUR PATREON IN THE DESCRIPTION (I found it via your channel page tho, so, no worries!)

[@5x5Takes]

OKAY

[@skittybug6937]

Are you still interested in continuing this series? Be it S1 analyses or full context, I really do feel that there isn't a huge amount of content from this show online. It really goes unsung and it would be a shame for this great series to fizzle out like it seems to have.

[@graytonw5238]

I ended up binge-watching these reviews/analyses, they're great! I hope you eventually continue with the original objective of analyzing each episode, that would be a fantastic series.

[@5x5Takes]

i'd love to, but to be honest, it's kind of daunting. im thinking of just doing the first season and then picking my faves

[@graytonw5238]

@@5x5Takes How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. :-D Seriously though, I get it, that would be a significant undertaking for over 100 episodes, especially considering the thought and attention to detail you obviously put into these. But hey, if you even get a chance to do your favorites, that would be great too. If not, we have these few to appreciate. Good stuff, thanks!

[@drozcan]

Does the survivors guilt pass when everything happened is in fact your fault?

[@sebastianjost]

It probably just turns into a different kind of guilt.

[@marynegreiros1204]

Person of interest forever❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@SaltyBob355]

There were too many plot strings left like the little boy who spoke for Samaritan or what happened to Control or all those Decima agents still running around. I would think Howard and Fusco would still not be safe to live normal lives. So maybe Shaw hooks up with a new Machine group to clean up things, unburdened by constantly being hunted by Samaritan?

[@kennethcrist443]

Another aspect of Joss Carter surviving into the rest of the 3rd, 4th and 5th seasons is what would have become of her relationship with John? Would they have stayed colleges who have deep, but unexplored feelings for each other? Would they have given in to passion eventually but decide that while the fight with Samaritan was happening, they couldn't bet together? Or would they have plunged head first into a relationship that proved stronger than the threat of a war between two SAIs? Having Zoe appear after John and Joss begin a relationship would have provide some very good lines from Zoe. I wish we could have seen her in season 5. Probably if they had a full season, she may have returned for at least 1 episode, And what about Leon? Is he still scamming, or is computer support for another of the Machine's teams in another city?

[@derrickrobbins8100]

I'm still hoping they will reboot or restart the series.

[@HabashyGaming]

If you think about it a bit differently POI is kinda a religious movie. Good god vs bad god. Death vs Living and Power vs Powerless. John Reece also known as Jim cav has mad lots of religious movies before poi which makes me believe he did poi to show god vs non god. John and the team are seen as angels and angels can kill according to the bible. Heck even god has killed.

[@Feasco]

jim would also believe he's a real angel

[@cindygasiewski4382]

Are you going to explain more of the episodes?

[@5x5Takes]

i’d love to

[@marocat4749]

I dont think that its justice, or depends, because i think lionel embodies what carter stood for, come uppance but in an iealistic, not retributive way, and we know fusco is capable off being that, but doesnt.The actor really nails him capable, funny, but also human.

[@JennySmith-x4n]

I really like Person of Interest. I wish they would bring it back with the original cast. Great show.

[@Feasco]

as long as that doesn't include Jim Casaviel, nobody involved with the show would ever want to work with him again

[@themerpheus]

whoa, a youtube channel talking about POI, surprising! I am unable to get over this show, this was the first show I watched on my very dark high school days and made me the AI nerd that I am today. Particularly these days of chatGPT and AI make me come back to it. Honestly, character arcs in the show usually felt cheesy and superficial for me, but I always loved the larger narrative and how characters behaved. Dialogues were superb. Root's 5th season dialogue with shaw about noise, is actually a real philosophical ontology perspective today.

[@5x5Takes]

i have to disagree, i found poi anything but superficial. root and harold are especially fascinating, and john, while static, (and probably the weakest actor) still works for th role. but i’d love to write more!

[@themerpheus]

@@5x5Takes Frankly, show is very close to my heart and I would feel vaguely biased when I praise for characters, they were like my BFF back in the day. But when I compare character arcs over the course of the show, I guess only Fusco stands out, since he is the most grounded character, unlike the rest of the semi-super hero crew. If we were to compare character arcs to something like Breaking bad, better call saul or True detective(s1), I would say characters end up having flat arcs for the most of the time. Or maybe I fail to appreciate the intricacies of them. Nevertheless, poi

[@5x5Takes]

@@themerpheus idk i think root and harold are extremely complex and have some wonderful development. ditto to shaw. but we may just see that differently

[@Dan-DJCc]

You might enjoy what Sapolsky has to say around issues of human behavior and then relate it to this story.

[@pete_pop_0]

So like, what I told u Jim Caviezel is my uncle

[@Feasco]

those must have some interesting family gatherings

[@xqxxy686]

I've watched PoI twice. Yet never again. Especially now that AI is actually here. I don't need my paranoid schizophrenia coming back. Idk if that's the best way to describe the shows effects on my mind. It's like. What do we call conspiracy theorist when they a proven right?

[@Feasco]

interesting to watch this knowing how much of a nightmare jim casaviel was to work with, unable to discern fiction from reality, that they were to make a decent show

[@teribradshaw-milling3164]

Unsubstantiated gossip from "nameless cowards" should not be used to smear anyone's name. He deserves to face his accusers, but that being said, there are direct quotes from Jim himself that paint him as rather eccentric and hyper-religious. But not a racist nazi !

[@ahmedsyed3436]

The show is good, but after the third season, Reese's constant whispering becomes unbearable.

[@sardoniclysane]

Also…also Greer was so close. So close to understanding the real point. He just missed the morality of humans and what we can achieve with just a little guidance. Free will is paramount. Samaritan couldn’t conceive that because it’s all about gains and losses and humans are just…well code. Numbers to be imputed. Samaritan never bothers to try and learn about humanity. It only cares about math. Math is indeed pure. But the world doesn’t operate only on mathematical values. It never will. The machines superiority comes from its understanding of chaos. Of free will. Of not following pure math. Humans are chaotic as fuck. The machine understands that. Samaritan never did. It relied on mathematical probabilities. It was ultimately doomed to fail because it never tried to factor in any chaos.

[@LPno.9]

Samaritan factored in chaos, but it wanted to be rid of it. I don't think that Greer was ever close to understanding or liking what humans were capable of. He was a Cold War soldier supposedly on the side of freedom but seemed not to respect the vagaries of free will. He wanted nothing more than to win the war. It's interesting that he didn't discuss with his superior why he would chose to work for the USSR before killing him. It didn't matter what the reasons were. All that mattered is that he hadn't done what he was told. He disturbed the order of things. A man like that isn't wanting the best for humanity but going to far. He thinks that humanity is the problem, and that's what he coded Samaritan to solve.