Television Review: Pilot (Person of Interest, S1X01, 2011)
Pilot (S1x01)
Airdate: 22 September 2011
Written by: Jonathan Nolan
Directed by: David Semel
Running Time: 42 minutes
Christopher Nolan, widely regarded as the most successful and influential director in Hollywood today, owes a colossal portion of his empire to his brother and primary collaborator, Jonathan Nolan. While Christopher has carved out his legacy through grand, sprawling epics like Batman trilogy and Interstellar, it is Jonathan who has arguably made the most significant and successful leap onto the small screen. His magnum opus on television, Person of Interest, is a science fiction crime drama that is as intellectually rigorous as it is entertaining. The basic premise and themes of the series, by a cruel twist of history, have become even more relevant today than during the original airing on CBS fifteen years ago. In an era defined by algorithmic prediction and ubiquitous surveillance, the show’s central thesis—that private entities and governments are watching us all—feels less like fiction and more like a documentary. Yet, if one were to sit down and watch only the Pilot episode, one might frequently ask themselves what was so special about Person of Interest to set it apart from the other high concept shows that get made and routinely cancelled. Was it just another procedural with a shiny sci-fi coat of paint, or did it possess a depth that only revealed itself over time?
The Pilot episode, written by Jonathan Nolan, wastes absolutely no time in establishing the tone, immediately plunging the viewer into the world of former CIA agent and US Special Forces soldier John Reese (Jim Caviezel). Since the death of his girlfriend Jessica (Susan Misner), Reese has transformed from an elite, deadly covert operative into a homeless, broken alcoholic. The episode wastes no time in showcasing his lethal proficiency; a chance encounter with a youth gang in a subway train escalates rapidly into a brutal, choreographed confrontation, leading to his arrest. While being processed by the NYPD, Detective Joss Carter (Taraji P. Henson), cannot help but notice the lethal efficiency displayed on the security camera footage. Carter is sharp, observant, and suspicious; she is also already investigating a series of homicides where Reese’s fingerprints have been found at the crime scenes.
Before Carter can delve any deeper into Reese's past or intentions, Reese is released from custody thanks to a high-powered defence attorney. It is revealed that his benefactor is none other than Harold Finch (Michael Emerson), the enigmatic, reclusive tech billionaire. Finch explains the genesis of his work: following the atrocities of 9/11, he was determined not to allow such a catastrophe to happen again. To achieve this, he developed "The Machine," an advanced artificial intelligence capable of processing vast amounts of video and audio surveillance to predict terrorist activity with terrifying accuracy. However, Finch harbours a dark secret. He built a backdoor into the system to protect it, but he discovered, much to his displeasure, that the government agencies using this technology filter the data purely through the lens of national security. Ordinary crimes, such as murder or assault against civilians, are deleted as irrelevant noise. Finch is consumed by a desire to intervene in these overlooked tragedies, and seeing in Reese a man with nothing left to lose but a chance at purpose, he recruits him. Reese is initially reluctant, but he agrees to the mission, effectively selling his skills to rediscover his purpose.
Reese’s first assignment involves Diane Hanson (Natalie Zea), a young Assistant District Attorney. The Machine flags her as being involved in a serious future crime, though it is unclear if she will be the victim or the perpetrator. She is currently dealing with a toxic professional environment, rejecting the advances of her sexually frustrated colleague James Wheeler (Bryan d’Arcy James), while simultaneously prosecuting a case involving a drug-related killing that threatens to expose powerful people. The plot thickens considerably, revealing a cabal of corrupt NYPD detectives who briefly detain Reese. However, Reese uses his military training to turn the tables on them, outmaneuvering them in their own territory. He eliminates their leader, James Stills (James Hanlon), and plants evidence that frames Stills’s corrupt partner, Lionel Fusco (Kevin Chapman). This is a pivotal moment in the episode, as it sets up the long-running dynamic of the series: Reese corrupting the system from within by blackmailing a morally compromised cop to become his informant within the NYPD, bridging the gap between the street and the suits.
As a pilot episode, Person of Interest works effectively by using the regular episode format to provide barebones exposition, an origin story, and to establish the central premise without feeling bogged down by exposition dumps. It does so successfully by also having a procedural storyline that would also involve recurring character of Fusco, ensuring that the audience has something to latch onto immediately. It balances the philosophical questions of AI and surveillance with immediate, kinetic action, proving that it could be both a character study and a genre show.
However, it is unlikely that the more discerning viewers would be too impressed by this specific episode. The direction by David Semel is workmanlike and lacks the creative spark needed to elevate the material. It offers nothing special in terms of visuals or atmosphere, feeling like a generic procedural from the 2000s. Apart from the annoying MTV-like clips of video feeds processed through the AI programme—which attempt to visualise the data but often just look like cheap green screen effects—the production seems routine and budget-conscious. The lighting is frequently flat, and the set design fails to create a unique sense of place, making the world feel like a copy of other shows rather than a distinct reality.
The cast provides a solid foundation, even if they don't necessarily transcend the material. Jim Caviezel is solid in the role of the morally complex hero, imbuing Reese with a weary, gruff intensity that is convincing. Michael Emerson is equally believable as the enigmatic tech tycoon, though one must admit that his performance pales in comparison with his brilliant, scene-stealing work as Benjamin Linus on Lost. The series even nods to Lost by utilizing the number 424 in the plot, a meta-reference that serves as a reminder of the show's roots but doesn't elevate the writing. It is the character actor Kevin Chapman, playing Lionel Fusco, who is the MVP of this episode. His transition from a heavy-handed corrupt detective to a nervous, cornered informant is the most memorable performance in the instalment.
The casting choices for the supporting cast often threaten to undercut the show's intended realism. Natalie Zea, in the role of the district attorney, looks uncannily like a model rather than a working lawyer. Her appearance is so polished and generic that it takes away something of the series’ grit. We are supposed to believe she is grinding through a tough murder trial while dealing with a stalker, but she looks like she just stepped out of a Vogue photo shoot. This artificiality is a recurring issue in the episode, reminding the viewer that they are watching a television construct rather than a gritty, documentary-style drama.
The same problem of artificiality haunts the action sequences. We are treated to scenes where Reese takes out an entire gang of thugs by shooting them in the legs rather than dispatching them in the more lethal, but riskier fashion. This is an obvious nod to broadcast network standards, which dictate that you cannot show graphic violence or on-screen kills without risking a TV-MA rating or alienating a broad audience. Consequently, the actual act of killing Reese does appears offscreen. It makes the character look less competent and the action less visceral, reducing what could be a gritty interrogation scene to a cartoonish display of "less than lethal" takedowns.
The episode was aired shortly after the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and it engages deeply with the trauma of that event. It deals with the consequences of the Patriot Act, the widespread surveillance of citizens, and the growing concerns about continuously eroding civil rights and liberties in the USA and the rest of the Western world. The show posits a terrifying question: what happens when governments have such total tools of surveillance at their disposal? The concept of a benevolent AI like The Machine, one that wants to protect the common man, feels increasingly utopian. More recent events have made the subject of Person of Interest even more timely. Today, we debate the ethics of AI tools like Palantir, and we watch in horror as the influence of great tech oligarchs grows in world politics. Real life suggests that real-life equivalents of Finch might not have people’s best interests at heart, but rather their own agendas. The Pilot episode, while flawed, captures the anxiety of a world where privacy is a luxury and data is the new currency, making it a prescient piece of television that has stood the test of time.
RATING: 5/10 (+)
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