Grief is a huge overlying theme on PoI. Forget layers of an onion, we’re talking about an onion wrapped in bigger onions wrapped in a fuckin’ turducken in terms of complexity.
So I’m going to disregard all the heavier shit and focus on something more easily digested...
Full disclosure? I’m in the pro-Iris camp, full stop. I get downright giddy when I see Wrenn Schmidt’s name float up onscreen, or listed in an upcoming ep synopsis.
I don’t expect everyone to agree. We all have our favourites, like what we like and vice versa. I once – one time! – made the mistake of checking the comments section of the PoI FB page... only to find calls to “bring back the PoI of yore! Get rid of the pesky womenfolk!” manywho believed “The AI-war is boring!” and “Root and Shaw are just gal-pals!”... I’lladmit, I was shocked by the negativity, narrowmindedness and generaldouchery... it felt like “they” were watching a wholly different show than Iwas. Thankfully opinions varied on other forums.
A substantial part of the PoI fandom seems happy to marginalize Dr.Iris Campbell under the “love interest” umbrella (further discounting her as “unprofessional”/”untrustworthy” or more eloquently as “icky” and “squicky” for no discernable transgressions), or mark her as a future villain.
It’s as though the *only* possible explanation for her introduction and further existence is either a) she’s a threat, or b) she is there for John to fuck. Because god knows Person of Interest has never shown itself capable of nuanced human relationships and interaction, right?
And though I’m likely talking to myself, I still feel some strange duty to counterbalance the anti-Iris sentiment and publicly defend (because there seems to be very little of that) the good Doc (to the 3 people likely to skim this). Let’s discuss.
FAVE HATER THEORY #1: SHE’S EVIL.
Now, since this is PoI and we are all by default paranoid: I don’t take anything at face value, I did do some minor risk assessment – listening for musical hints, watching for visual cues (I wish I’d been so clued in during Season 1, then Root’s reveal wouldn’t have come as such a delicious shock... TM POV label was yellow the whole time, warning the viewer to her knowledge of The Machine). Nothing nefarious to my eyes and ears.
BROTHERHOOD: Dominic has expressed interest in learning more about Detective John Riley, but I’m not sure a therapist’s notes would be his go-to. And given that his last “insider” was a recruit tasked to steal files, I doubt he has the clout to pressure IA to order a review, and then leverage ANY department shrink into breaking doctor/patient confidentiality on the offchance they might glean a tidbit of backstory (backstory which she hasn’t pushed for – she always pushes him on feelings, not time and place). Aside: I’m still shocked it took 6 shootings for him to get sent to the shrink’s office/come under review.
SAMARITAN: Straight-up, I think it’s ludicrous to think she could be a Samaritan plant. As far as we know, John’s cover is still intact, and from what we’ve learned of the program, killing and/or abducting and torturing-for-information is hella more likely-to-yield-results than observing the occasional head-shrinking where “fweelings” are discussed.
Honestly, I’m not sure how peeps figure learning the details of John’s improving mental health and how he deals (or doesn’t) with grief will win or impact either war (stopping his sessions and letting him spiral out of control might though!).
...What is suspicious? The shifty-as-fuck furniture.
FAVE HATER THEORY #2: LOVE INTEREST
Add an attractive actress (esp. as a recurring character) and this automatically applies. The woman’s role is immediately relegated to that of a sexual object to be coveted and pursued.
Yes, Iris is beautiful, but she’s also proved herself exceedingly intelligent and intuitive with an extremely high EQ. Um, perhaps she’s a psychologist who takes her chosen profession seriously? Who, after years of study and experience thinks she might be able to help this obviously-damaged and hurting patient find a little peace?
Nah, that certainly can’t be it. She must be lookin’ to land herself a man.
John needs therapy a helluvalot more than he needs to get laid.
As previously mentioned I’m not wholly against it and trust the writers to tread carefully should they choose to veer into romantic territory (but the show has never been about -- or kind to -- romantic pairings, so I highly doubt we have much to worry about).
Thusfar we’ve have only seen the faintest... erm okay, it was blatant viewer titillation — but technically the aborted hug/handshake could just as easily be interpreted as Awkward!John being awkward (and if Iris was played by an older, portly actress, no one would have blinked an eye... and last I checked a hug≠sex, and couldn’t get you pregnant). I’m happy that the writers are taking John’s therapy sessions seriously and haven’t reduced them to an excuse for him to get close and get into her pants (does she own pants? Has she ever worn pants?), even if there is some hint at mutual attraction (fuck, they’re human, aren’t they?).
I will admit, I too rolled my eyes at the clichéd convenience (a lazy writer’s trick to get from point A-B in the simplest way possible) of Iris having access to gala tix, John somehow knowing this and taking advantage. She might have come in on his arm, but it wasn’t a date, and attending the event together was neither unprofessional nor romantic (even without the addition of cumberbun-sporting third-wheel Lionel). John needed into the gala, and I think she saw it as an opportunity to observe a rather difficult patient in a different setting.
[Kind’a feel like there was a missed opportunity more than a little side-eye and/or full-on WTF? expressions from Iris as John goes about his regular “in the field” activities. She’s smart and tuned-in enough to John to notice when he’s whispering to invisible partners, or to be more than a bit worried when he leaps to his feet in advance of a yet-to-be-revealed threat (last time there was automatic weapons fire on the street)... but she doesn’t say a word. Alas, I guess we need to suspend reality just that little bit: Seems no one ever eavesdrops and it’s rare anyone even seems to notice (or be thrown off) by Team Machine apparently talking to themselves -- delivering the explanations and updates we need as viewers.]
From my perspective, leveraging the gala tickets later wasn’t an unprofessional, big fat “you owe me!” manipulation, but rather someone making use of the tools she had at hand in an attempt to nudge a patient she could feel retreating, regressing.
One step forward, two steps back?
Speaking of steps back, a large percentage of those expressing anti-Iris sentiment also seem hell-bent on pitting her against Zoe, like it’s an either-or: Two women enter, only one can live!
Zoe is essentially John with big hair. Don’t get me wrong, I love Zoe and her chemistry with John (and the rest of the team): she’s tremendously confident, ballsy and brash, smart and beautiful... I expect the sex would be great, but sadly devoid of any meaningful connection. Emotionally, she’s just as stunted as John is (though perhaps not as broken); something she seems conscious of per her “people like us” speech in 4.14 Guilty, but she sees no downside to it and no need to improve it... which is where their paths part ways.
John might not be the most self-aware dude, but I think he’s reached a point where he realizes he’s coming apart at the seams and can’t continue as he has, that he needs to learn new coping strategies... that he needs to deal (grieve, baby!) in order to move on, and more importantly, stay sane.
And yeah, maybe that’s where Iris is a threat... Emotional intimacy – far more terrifying than anything Samaritan or the Brotherhood have to offer.
That fuckin’ head-tilt/open-expression/leading-question-followed-by-silence thing Iris does? Deadly. I always interpreted John’s “You know what? You can tell IA whatever the hell you want!” sudden outburst and move to stalk out (4.05 Prophets) as a reaction to feeling the lure of her offer to help. It was a retreat, not a challenge. Here was someone who saw right through his bullshit, offering to help heal and unburden him... He wanted to take her up on it, despite feeling exposed and vulnerable, and I think that scared him more than any baddie with a gun.
[I would love to read the scripts/sides and find out what the writers fully intended, versus what we each interpret from the final filmed scenes and their subtle nuances... I will settle for DVD episode commentary!]
He’s drawn back to the safety of their sessions, even after she clears him. He keeps coming back, even though he is bad at therapy, bad at using his words (or making words, let’s be honest), but he shows up and tries in his very own John way, and she reciprocates. She’s trying to help him, even as he hesitates and evades and gets in his own way.
Arg, so why again should I dislike this woman?
I’m not sure what the endgame is for Iris... whether she’ll just quietly disappear as “the fight” comes back to the fore (or fall prey to/become a pawn in the fight... would really love it if she doesn’t fall down the “damsel in distress” hole and become a new source of angst, and think the writers are more creative than that.). Either way, therapy will eventually end, with a bang or a whimper – A happy and whole, emotionally sound John does not fit into the PoI universe, grief and the pursuit of justice will always be the driving force. I guess the hope is that his fraying psychological wounds get stitched up and heal just enough to hold him together for the fight ahead.
Michael Emerson is a gift. Vengeance!Finch scares the everloving shit out of me.
Root: I miss her, but I’m not terribly concerned that we didn’t see her this episode. Somehow her presence is always felt, like there’s a “Root!Adventures” spinoff taking place just off camera (btw, I’d totally watch that!). I’m glad that the writers don’t just throw her into scenes simply because we all love Amy so much. When she shows up, it’s with purpose and impact. She brings a dark edginess and an energy that chews up scenes – I am anticipating (and dreading, oh the feels) her return and the re-ramping-up of the mythology heading into the finale. That said, I am thankful for “downtime” non-mytharc episodes like this, that allow us to take a breath. Bit’o character development, maybe the odd hint or two for what’s to come, but none of the adrenal-gland burning, heart-breaking, mind-blowing events we’ve come to expect from the series (but that cannot be maintained over an entire season).
Fusco: “nutball friends” / “give Red my regards” / Third-wheel-in-a-cumberbun!Fusco working his distraction mojo (“So, Doc, I’ve been having this dream...”)? The man is comedic gold, but I’m glad we’re still occasionally gifted with glimpses of his darker nature and proclivity for an-eye-for-an-eye.
Hector the pibble? Super bloody cute. Glad to see Bear get some love this ep too.
Sad to report I was a sucker and totally fell for the tease at the end. I was content and in agreement/at peace with Finch’s rationale, and then TM picked up and started to spool back to 2007 and I was all “oooh, we *are* gonna get some closure--DAMMIT!!!”
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