Firewall (Person of Interest)
Season finale reveals Root as the mastermind behind the plot.
The first season of *Person of Interest* closes with "Firewall," the 23rd episode, which aired on May 17, 2012, on CBS in the U.S. and CTV in Canada. Greg Plageman and Jonathan Nolan wrote it, with Richard J. Lewis directing.
The plot begins with Finch contacting Carter for help with Reese, but she is occupied with Agent Donnelly, who has located Reese escorting a woman on surveillance. A day earlier, Reese and Finch got a new number: Caroline Turing, a psychologist. Posing as a patient, Reese watches her. Meanwhile, Fusco meets with HR, represented by councilman Larsson and Officer Simmons, who have taken a murder-for-hire contract. An anonymous client wants Turing dead, and Fusco must obstruct any NYPD inquiry. Reese, with intel from Zoe Morgan, saves Turing from attackers and hides her in a hotel. His face is caught on camera, prompting an FBI strike team. With Carter’s help, Reese and Turing evade both the FBI and HR members surrounding the hotel. While Finch hacks systems, Root (posing as Caroline Turing) breaks into the Library. Finch learns the threat was blackmailed by an unknown benefactor. Reese gets Turing to Finch via a water plant, then holds off HR. Carter and Fusco join a chase, and Reese uses a grenade to disable an HR vehicle. Finch waits with Turing in his car, but Corwin confronts him, demanding he shut down the Machine. Turing shoots Corwin dead. Finch discovers Turing’s records being deleted, revealing she is actually Root, who hired HR to stage her own murder—making Finch the real target. Reese arrives to find Corwin’s body. Fusco sends HR evidence to the NYPD, leading to an arrest. Reese speaks to a surveillance camera, asking the Machine to help find Finch, and a nearby payphone rings.
Co-writer Greg Plageman called the scene where Root psychoanalyzes Reese the hardest he ever wrote, noting both characters lie about their identities while probing each other, and Root’s accuracy about Reese is unsettling, especially in hindsight.
The episode drew 13.47 million viewers and a 2.5/7 rating among adults 18–49, a 4% increase from the prior episode. It was CBS’s most-watched show that night, beating *The Mentalist* and *Rules of Engagement*, but ranked fourth in its timeslot for 18–49, behind *Grey’s Anatomy*, a *Big Bang Theory* rerun, and *American Idol*.
Reviews were mostly positive.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Person of Interest
- Season
- 1
- Episode
- 23
- Director
- Richard J. Lewis
- Writer
- Greg Plageman & Jonathan Nolan
- Photographer
- Teodoro Maniaci
- Editor
- Ray Daniels
- Production
- 2J6223
- Runtime
- 44 minutes
- Airdate
- 2012-05-17
- Prev
- No Good Deed
- Next
- The Contingency
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the episode, Finch calls Carter to help Reese, but the FBI, led by Agent Donnelly, has located Reese escorting a woman. A day earlier, Reese and Finch received a new number: Caroline Turing, a psychologist. Reese surveils her by posing as a patient. Meanwhile, Fusco is summoned by HR and told that an anonymous client has hired them to kill Turing; Fusco is to obstruct any NYPD investigation. Reese saves Turing from assailants and takes her to a hotel, but his face is detected by cameras, leading the FBI to surround the hotel. With Carter's help, Reese and Turing evade the police. Finch hacks systems while Root (posing as Caroline Turing) breaks into the Library. Finch interrogates a threat and learns the person was blackmailed. Reese helps Turing escape through a water plant, then holds off HR shooters. Carter and Fusco help chase HR; Reese uses a grenade to disable an HR vehicle.
Reader's Guide
"Firewall" serves as the season finale of Person of Interest's first season, concluding several story arcs while introducing a major antagonist. The episode reveals that the seemingly innocent psychologist Caroline Turing is actually the hacker known as Root, who orchestrated her own endangerment to target Finch. This twist sets up the central conflict for the following season. The episode also advances the subplot of HR, the corrupt police organization, as Fusco and Carter finally discover they are on the same side. Co-writer Greg Plageman noted that the scene where Root psychoanalyzes Reese was the toughest he ever wrote, as both characters lie about their identities while trying to extract personal information. The episode was seen by 13.47 million viewers, a 4% increase from the previous episode, and received mostly positive reviews. Critics praised the team-building between characters and the effective use of Fusco and Carter as the show's emotional core.
Did You Know?
- The episode was written by Greg Plageman & Jonathan Nolan and directed by Richard J. Lewis.
- It aired on May 17, 2012 on CBS in the United States and on CTV in Canada.
- Co-writer Greg Plageman called the psychoanalysis scene between Root and Reese the toughest scene he ever wrote.
- The episode was seen by an estimated 13.47 million household viewers with a 2.5/7 ratings share among adults 18–49.
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