
Scripted series · CBS
Person of Interest
You're being watched.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Person of Interest actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Person of Interest reads strongest on Spectacle, Character Depth and Bingeability.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
John Reese, former CIA paramilitary operative, is presumed dead and teams up with reclusive billionaire Finch to prevent violent crimes in New York City by initiating their own type of justice. With the special training that Reese has had in Covert Operations and Finch's genius software inventing mind, the two are a perfect match for the job that they have to complete. With the help of surveillance equipment, they work "outside the law" and get the right criminal behind bars.
The run
Seasons
5 seasons · 103 episodes.

Season 0 · Complete
Specials
201217 episodes

Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
201123 episodes
8.1IMDbA supercomputer developed by reclusive billionaire and software genius Harold Finch analyzes data patterns in surveillance for the U.S. government to identify impending acts of terrorism. But the computer, known only as "The Machine", can also identify ordinary people who are about to be involved in violent crimes. Can those crimes be stopped before they take place? Secretly tapping into The Machine, Finch and ex-CIA agent John Reese use vigilante tactics and state-of-the-art technology to identify the soon-to-be victims and prevent the crimes from occuring. Meanwhile, two NYPD detectives Joss Carter and Lionel Fusco are drawn into the cases and the mystery surrounding the two covert crime fighters.
Best episode · S01E23 Firewall

Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
201222 episodes
8.3IMDbThe Machine identifies another gripping season's worth of potential crimes that must be stopped. Adversaries from Reese's undercover past and Finch's government work threaten the team's crime-fighting mission and anonymity. Meanwhile, Detectives Carter and Fusco face down FBI probes and the dangerous tentacles of the police conspiracy known as "HR".
Best episode · S02E21 Zero Day

Season 3 · Complete
Season 3
201323 episodes
8.5IMDbThe team suffers a devastating loss and confront staggering challenges. Adapting to the next evolution of The Machine, now completely self-governed and hidden from all, Finch and Reese team with rogue agent Sameen Shaw to save lives and seek justice, but their missions now threaten to tear them apart. Joss Carter and Lionel Fusco finally unravel the criminal police conspiracy "HR" - but at a tragic cost. And former cyber-enemy — and now highly tuned confederate of The Machine — Root becomes an unpredictable ally when the team learns a second surveillance apparatus to rival The Machine is on the verge of activation.
Best episode · S03E10 The Devil's Share

Season 4 · Complete
Season 4
201422 episodes
8.3IMDbAlthough they’ve saved countless lives thanks to The Machine’s omniscience, John Reese and Harold Finch, along with lethal operative Sameen Shaw and unpredictable cyber-hacker Root now face an uncertain future. With a second machine — Samaritan — now online, the elusive team are now targets themselves, hiding in plain sight. The only thing more frightening than the ruthless Decima organization calling the shots is leaving those decisions up to an untested Machine. Facing a dangerous tomorrow, the POI team must find a way to outsmart Samaritan, an all-seeing, all-powerful artificial intelligence that’s self-governing, continually evolving and growing stronger every day.
Best episode · S04E22 YHWH

Season 5 · Complete
Season 5
201613 episodes
8.5IMDbFor years, the Person of Interest team have been protected by The Machine, but as worlds collided and a rival AI known as Samaritan finally cornered The Machine inside the nation’s power grid, it was the POI team’s turn to protect Finch’s creation. In season five, the cold war is over. The world around us might look the same, but something has drastically changed. Samaritan’s lethal “correction” has initiated its control. Finch’s Machine is essentially dead. Shaw is still missing. And the team is once again hiding in plain sight. But with Samaritan’s invisible grip tightening everywhere, will Finch be able to rebuild and resurrect The Machine? And if he does, will it be the same Machine when it comes back online?
Best episode · S05E13 return 0
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.

S05E13
return 0
Finch, Reese, Fusco and Shaw embark on one last mission to prevent Samaritan from destroying The Machine and cementing its hold over mankind.
- Directed by Chris Fisher
- Written by Denise Thé, Jonathan Nolan

S04E22
YHWH
Finch and Root race to save The Machine, which has been located by the rival AI, Samaritan. Also, Reese is caught in the middle of the final showdown between rival crime bosses Elias and Dominic.
- Directed by Chris Fisher
- Written by Dan Dietz, Greg Plageman

S01E23
Firewall
As the clock ticks down, Reese winds up trapped with his POI in the most heavily surveilled part of the city, forced to rely on the help of Finch, Carter and Fusco to fend off the FBI, corrupt cops and a slew of old foes.
- Directed by Richard J. Lewis
- Written by Jonathan Nolan, Greg Plageman

S03E10
The Devil's Share
As the POI team seeks justice for Carter’s murder, Finch realizes one of his team members may go one step too far in order to end the war with HR. Also, The Machine gives out the number for NYPD Officer Patrick Simmons, one of the crime organization’s key players.
- Directed by Chris Fisher
- Written by Amanda Segel, Jonathan Nolan

S03E23
Deus Ex Machina
The team takes desperate action in its race to prevent the malevolent AI program Samaritan from coming online and making them its first targets. Meanwhile, the months-long battle with the anti-surveillance terrorist group Vigilance comes to a shocking conclusion.
- Directed by Chris Fisher
- Written by David Slack, Greg Plageman

S05E10
The Day the World Went Away
Finch’s number comes up when a fatal error blows his cover identity and sets off a deadly series of escalating encounters with Samaritan’s operatives.
- Directed by Frederick E. O. Toye
- Written by Andy Callahan, Melissa Scrivner-Love
Recently aired
Latest Episodes

S05E13
return 0
- Directed by Chris Fisher
- Written by Denise Thé, Jonathan Nolan

S05E12
.exe
- Directed by Greg Plageman
- Written by Erik Mountain, Greg Plageman

S05E11
Synecdoche
- Directed by Tim Matheson
- Written by Jacey Heldrich, Josh Brown

S05E10
The Day the World Went Away
- Directed by Frederick E. O. Toye
- Written by Andy Callahan, Melissa Scrivner-Love


Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.

Jonathan Nolan
Showrunner

Bryan Burk
Executive producer

J.J. Abrams
Executive producer

Greg Plageman
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Zak Schwartz
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Ashley Gable
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Erik Mountain
Writer

Dan Dietz
Writer

Amanda Segel
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Andy Callahan
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Lucas O'Connor
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Ray Utarnachitt
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Melissa Scrivner-Love
Writer

Denise Thé
Writer

David Slack
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jacey Heldrich
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Hillary Benefiel
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Nic Van Zeebroeck
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Sabir Pirzada
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Sean Hennen
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Tony Camerino
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Josh Brown
Writer

Amy Berg
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Patrick Harbinson
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Michael Sopczynski
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Melissa Scrivner-LoveProducer
- Athena WickhamProducer
- Bryan BurkExecutive Producer
- Bryan BurkProducer
- Joshua LeveyProducer
- Jonathan NolanExecutive Producer
Writing
- Zak SchwartzWriter
- Ashley GableWriter
- Erik MountainWriter
- Dan DietzWriter
- Amanda SegelWriter
- Andy CallahanWriter
Direction
- Dennis SmithDirector
- Alex ZakrzewskiDirector
- Helen ShaverDirector
- Kevin HooksDirector
- Steven DePaulDirector
- Kate WoodsDirector
Music
- Ramin DjawadiOriginal Music Composer
Recognition
Awards
0 wins · 4 nominations
BET Award for Best Actor & Actress
No wins yet · 1 nomination
- NomineeBET Award for Best Actor & Actress2012
Person of Interest · Person of Interest
Golden Screen Award
No wins yet · 1 nomination
- NomineeGolden Screen Award2012
Person of Interest · Person of Interest
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
No wins yet · 1 nomination
- NomineeNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series2012
Person of Interest · Person of Interest
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
No wins yet · 1 nomination
- NomineeNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series2014
Person of Interest · Person of Interest
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
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- Amazon Prime Video with AdsStreaming
- Peacock Premium PlusStreaming
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