What I’m Watching: Person of Interest

Person of Interest: Season 3, Episode 5 “Razgovor” (B+)

Here again we have another episode that’s functioning on so many levels, and, for the first time in a while, brings two of the plotlines together in a way that complicates matters considerably. Carter taking time out to really try to identify the top player of HR looked like it was going to get her into trouble, but instead it brought her right to Reese, who was busy looking for the Russians who had abducted Gen. Reese coming face-to-face with Simmons was important, and it means that we’re getting much closer to HR playing an ever bigger role in this season. Carter shooting Jerry and revealing herself to Laskey was also monumental, and let’s just hope that her new errand boy proves dependable. After infiltrating a book club and going out dressed to party, it was fun to see Shaw get made by a ten-year-old practicing counter-surveillance, and to see her try to channel her emotions even though she’s just not wired that way. Flashing back to the car accident that killed her father in 1993 was useful in that it clearly explained how she copes with life-changing events. As if this episode wasn’t action-packed and dramatic enough, its ending reintroduced one of our beloved characters who was missing all throughout last week’s episode, and reunites this season’s two great new full-time additions heading into next week’s installment. Both Root and Shaw are fascinating characters, and seeing them share the screen is always a blast, and is sure to be quite intense.