When last we saw the intrepid heroes from Person of Interest they were in a load of trouble. Finch (Michael Emerson) had been kidnapped by a highly intelligent tech opponent who has great plans for him…and the all-powerful machine. Now Reese (Jim Caviezel) is investigating on his own and must discover a way to use the machine to find and save his partner.
POI is back for a second season and the questions posed to Emerson and Caviezel in the SDCC press room didn’t really lead to any major answers. The actors are very good at stringing us along, but that’s the idea – we have to watch. Person of Interest – Thursdays at 9:00 PM on CBS.
POPCULTUREZOO: We found out that Finch’s identity was only started when he was at MIT. Do we learn why he had a false ID when at college?
EMERSON: I’m sure you will, one of these days. But I don’t want to tease you too much. I think a lot of what we’ll explore in this coming season will be fleshing out back stories of people. One of these days, obviously we have to learn how Finch got injured and there is a huge story to tell about the gradual construction of the machine. How did it get to be the omniscient apparatus that it is? There is some fun in the telling of that.
PCZ: Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror and ask “what am I up to”?
CAVIEZEL: I do that for him sometimes.
EMERSON: I always know what I’m up to.
PCZ: The relationship between the three main characters is so engrossing and there is so much chemistry even from the beginning. Can you talk about that?
EMERSON: I wish as an actor I could lay claim to things like chemistry. It kind of happens or doesn’t. I swear to you it’s a good bunch of actors and really its good writing.
PCZ: There was an aura of mistrust that seemed to permeate the first several episodes, but you’re still working together and you realize that you can make a difference. So by the end when Finch disappears and Reese finds the body – where is he at?
EMERSON: (Smiling.) I’m glad we’ve made you care at about what happens from there.
PCZ: How is Reese going to find Finch without help? Obviously he’s capable but he’s staring down at the machine asking for help. Any thoughts?
EMERSON: I think Finch was well aware of the character of John Reese and what he was capable of in case there was a contingency and we’re actually shooting that right now (mid-July). Basically, it’s interesting if someone found out that the machine spills out these numbers the machine obviously has some sort of… that he built into it, that would create something that would just come out nine numbers. But he left a clue there so that Reese would have to be able to figure it out and the audience would have to figure it out with him. That’s what I love about it.
We’re out of our rhythm and out of our comfort zone, because Finch is now being held hostage by a crazy woman, and that’s something were going to have to live through for a while.
CAVIEZEL: Little was left to chance.
PCZ: Will Reese be taking the blame for Cara Stanton’s actions?
CAVIEZEL: Could be. We don’t know it yet. You’ll have to ask (Jonathan) Nolan (creator/producer).
PCZ: Can you talk about what the reaction of fans is, especially in a convention like this?
EMERSON: I like that I’m on a show that attracts a more mature audience. I am constantly surprised of the age range of the people who want to talk to me about Person of interest. People older than me, even are watching the show and really liking it. And for once I’m on a show that my parents genuinely want to watch. (Laughter.) My parents live in Iowa, in a small town and when they turn on the TV in the morning it’s CBS and it stays on CBS until they go to bed at night. You know that kind of family, so I’m happy about that.