RAM (Person of Interest)

Plot

In 2010, Harold Finch operates the Machine with field agent Rick Dillinger, a Blackwater mercenary. Their new number is Daniel Casey, a programmer who disappeared months earlier. Dillinger meets Lester Strickland, a former acquaintance of Casey, and clones his phone, learning Casey is alive and expecting a package. Dillinger also discovers that John Reese and Kara Stanton have already questioned Strickland about Casey; they are pursuing Casey for stealing state secrets.

Dillinger observes Reese place a bug on Casey's jacket. Casey meets SSCI Agent Ian Banks at a café, realizes the man is an imposter, and flees. Dillinger catches up, but Reese and Kara take Casey into a car, which is attacked by hitmen. Dillinger and Casey escape, and Casey reveals the government hired him to breach a computer system—the Machine—which worries Finch.

Dillinger brings Casey to the Library for protection. In Washington, D.C., Control meets with Special Counsel, discussing the Casey problem and the death of Nathan Ingram.

Reese and Kara torture a hitman, who escapes and jumps to his death. Finch learns Casey has a laptop that could hack the system, but Casey could not crack it and fled after a car accident. Unbeknownst to them, Dillinger has planted a bug in the Library and overhears their conversation.

Reception

In its original American broadcast, "RAM" was seen by an estimated 10.64 million household viewers and gained a 1.7/5 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. This represented a 4% decrease from the previous episode, which had 11.00 million viewers and a 1.8/5 in the 18-49 demographics. The episode was the third most watched show on CBS for the night, behind NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS, and second in its timeslot. With Live +7 DVR, viewership rose to 15.32 million with a 2.7 in the 18-49 demographics.

The episode received critical acclaim. Matt Fowler of IGN gave it a 9.4 out of 10, calling it an "amazing" delivery of a flashback that demonstrated how pieces from past seasons fit together. Phil Dyess-Nugent of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" grade, noting that Person of Interest continues to reassemble itself in ways that expand in the viewer's mind.