Television Review: Flesh and Blood (Person of Interest, S1x19, 2012)
Flesh and Blood (S1x19)
Airdate: 5 April 2012
Written by: Amanda Segel
Directed by: Stephen Semel
Running Time: 44 minutes
It is not that unusual for one television series to pay homage to another, but few examples are as direct and telling as what Person of Interest does in its nineteenth episode, Flesh and Blood. This instalment stands as a bold declaration of influence, borrowing heavily from the playbook of HBO's seminal crime drama, The Sopranos. By intertwining the show's surveillance thriller elements with the intricate, familial dynamics of organised crime, the writers have crafted an episode that feels both like a love letter and a tribute to the genre's golden age.
The plot begins when the Machine churns out not one, but five numbers; yet, the job for Reese and Finch is slightly easier, since all those five names belong to the heads of five families of New York mafia. With five divided dons unlikely to conspire in a way that would represent more danger than they already possess, it is more likely that they are actually targets, and the only person with enough motive and means to take them out is Carl Elias. However, the narrative is driven forward by Officer Carter, who learns of Elias' intentions and warns the mobsters. Don Caparelli (Tony Darrow), disregards the warning and immediately gets blown up in his car. Carter would care little about ruthless hardened criminals getting their just desserts, but the explosion have injured innocent passers-by, and she is determined not to let this happen again. Don Basile (Arthur Nascarella=, agrees to police protection, but just as Carter is about to bring him to custody, her backup—actually working for HR.—disappear, allowing Basile to be shot to death by Elias' enforcer, "Scarface," and another NYPD detective to be wounded. Knowing she is compromised, Carter decides to bring the three remaining dons—Vittorio Zambrano (Vincent Curatola), Luciano Grifoni (Ed Satrakian), and Gianni Morretti's son and Elias' half-brother, Tony Moretti Jr.(Paul Schulze)—to a special safe house, where she is accompanied by Fusco and armed with heavy weapons obtained by Reese.
Elias has anticipated this possibility and abducts Taylor Carter in order to force her mother to give up the three dons. Carter refuses, and Finch intervenes by contacting Officer Simmons. Finch tells Simmons that he has seen Elias surveilling him and other members of H.R. with their families. Simmons is so outraged that he decides to sever links between H.R. and Elias, giving away the location where Elias' men hold Taylor. Reese goes there and liberates both Taylor and Moretti, whom Elias had been keeping alive for the whole time.
Flashbacks reveal the events that forged Elias in his childhood and youth. In 1981, when he was a boy (played by River Alexander Aguirre), his loving foster mother encouraged him not to seek his biological father and instead forge his life path for himself. In 1991, as a young man (played by John Magaro), he nevertheless tracks down and approaches Gianni Moretti, seeking a job within his organisation. Moretti appears to accept it, but this is just a ruse for his bastard son to be taken "for a ride" by two of his assassins. Young Moretti nevertheless survives it, kills two thugs, and swears revenge that he would serve two decades later.
Back in the present day, Elias comes directly near the safe house to demand the dons' surrender. In a twist, it is revealed that Zambrano was allied with Elias all along, and he turns his gun on Carter, assuming that Fusco, who had been known to be corrupt, would side with the criminals. Fusco, however, sides with her partner and shoots Zambrano. The police arrives, and Elias is arrested. He nevertheless gets his revenge from prison by arranging "Scarface" to blow up Moretti together with Tommy Jr.
The episode, written by Amanda Segel, is notable for numerous references to The Sopranos, which isn't surprising, considering that the episode shares the theme of mafia with that series. There are many notable The Sopranos alumni members in the cast, most recognisable among them being Vincent Curatola, who had played the iconic Johnny Sacks, and Paul Schulze, who had played Father Intiola. There are also many references to The Godfather, including the famous restaurant scene in which Michael shoots Sollozo. The episode is also notable for Reese using the KRISS Vector, a newly designed but iconic submachine gun, during his raid on Elias' holding place.
Flesh and Blood neatly advances the plot near the end of the season, closes one storyline, while completing the origin story about the archvillain and providing interesting twists. Nevertheless, the episode is far from perfect because some of the plot twists and changes of allegiance are too tidy and too convenient to be realistic. The rapid-fire betrayals and the sudden alignment of interests often feel scripted for dramatic effect rather than organic character development.
Despite its flaws, Flesh and Blood remains a solid and very entertaining episode, despite regular characters being slightly overshadowed by the villain and the flamboyant mobsters. It successfully captures the essence of the shows it imitates, delivering a thrilling, albeit occasionally contrived, piece of television.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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