MovieChat Forums > Person of Interest (2011) Discussion > If-Then-Else

If-Then-Else

posted 8 years ago by Riarcus
11 replies | jump to latest

Wow, that was incredible. I can't imagine coming up with anything better to demonstrate the machine's god-like abilities than how they did it in this episode. Calling it an outright 10/10 may seem a bit much but it's hard to find a single flaw. In approximately forty minutes they have a microcosm of the entire show. From Harold teaching his machine both strategy and morality through their game of chess and all the little character moments. John being a hero, Fusco proving he's smart and compassionate, in spite of how he hides it behind his humor, and of course Root and Shaw.

Root seems somewhat controversial. For me it's the best character Amy Acker has ever played. Maybe I'm biased because I love mythology, spirituality, etc. so her being a prophetess of "the divine" makes her awesome to me.

Another great thing is that they avoid the female characters from feeling like lame clichés. Shaw could easily have fallen into that mold considering how much of her character is based on killing and supposedly not having emotions. Thankfully the writing and acting keeps her very human instead of having her become a one dimensional cardboard power fantasy. Her sacrifice at the end is believable because we've always known there was more to her.

[–] awoolfork 8 years ago

Controversial ? Maybe so, but you'll find alot of people share your opinion on Root.

[–] Riarcus 8 years ago

I get the impression some see her as eccentric or just don't like her faith in "God". She reminds me a little bit of Locke in early L O S T. Anyways, this is Amy's definitive role for me. The one that she was born to play as the saying goes.

[–] nazcarfanatic24 8 years ago

It gets better! If then else was incredible but the only episode of this series that I'd give a perfect 10 is the series finale, return 0

[–] Riarcus 8 years ago

Happy to hear it. Some TV shows have bizarre or unsatisfying finales that leave a bad aftertaste for the series. Dexter being one of the worst offenders, if not the worst. I have a lot of faith in POI though because the writers are fantastic at developing the story arch.

[–] nazcarfanatic24 8 years ago

The finale was so inspirational(a change from all the nihilism on tv) and actually changed my life and gave me a more positive outlook on life.

[–] jennysayquaw 8 years ago

If-Then-Else was my favorite of the series, and I give an unqualified "10." Until POI came on the air, Lost was my favorite series of all times, but now I think it was overshadowed by POI. Great series!

"Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy ride."

[–] angrycandy1 8 years ago

but it's hard to find a single flaw

I can think of a few flaws. Like most of season 4 it reduces Reese to kicking ass and cheesy lines with little character development. Also why is Harold teaching his super secret invention in a park in broad daylight? What's wrong with his office? I usually don't mind the unrealistic elements in this show but here we have somebody ask Harold why he is sitting alone in the park.

With that said, the good stuff massively overweights the bad. No question. It is the most experimental episode of POI. I didn't expected the show to get this strange. Usually you have something that's consistent and well put together but doesn't break any new ground. Crime dramas and crime procedural are good for that. The first two season were like that. S3 dipped it's toe in some weirdness. Or you get stuff like Lost, Millennium, X-Files that experiment a lot but often end up a mess. It's great to see those two combined.

I also love the emotional punch in this. Harold really feels like a father in the flashbacks. Root and Shaw finally talk like adults, Shaw's sociopathy is acknowledged, Root's unconditional love of a cold individual that may not even love her back makes her more vulnerable and sympathetic. Within one episode I went from team-"Shaw doesn't do relationships" to team Shoot.

[–] bi-azh 8 years ago

Very good observations, totally agree.

[–] cobi-80620 8 years ago

He was in the park was so they could get those slow-mo shots of the environment like the fountain and the birds to simulate the perception of time that the machine has. How would you have done those indoors?

[–] angrycandy1 8 years ago

I have no problem with the slow-mo shots. Choosing cool images over realism and common sense is part of the show's charm but then why have the guy specifically point of that Harold is has been sitting alone in the park of hours. I takes me out the illusion. I didn't like The Day The World Went Away as much as many other people, because I couldn't buy the opening. It's like the Sex and the City characters suddenly noticing that they all wear designer clothes in everyday situations. They did that in movie 2 (with Charlotte in the kitchen) and it was terrible.

[–] cobi-80620 8 years ago

Because we'd all expect someone to point out why a person is sitting all alone talking to simply nothing but air. So they inserted a person who did just that.