I think those are the questions the writers asked themselves as they sat down to begin work on season four. Here's the set of problems we were left with at the end
of last season, so what's an entertaining way to begin to solve those problems? Of course, our heroes are resourceful - even in the worst of circumstances - and they are sometimes funny, so they'll begin to find ways to live. Now that their behaviour and their movements are so much more restricted, communication and meetings are so much more risky, but they will adjust.
How will they do that?
Well, they are more like spies now. They have to be because they rightly fear the constant surveillance and they can't be too careful. Perfectly innocent things could bring you into Samaritan's view. The life they knew and the methods they employed have been blown out of the water because of Samaritan. It's not always a good fit. There is cause for humour in some cases and the season will be a scramble to get numbers again. It will also
be a scramble to live up to our agenda with a new agenda layered on top - how to deal with a bad Artificial Intelligence, which is hunting for its enemies.
At the start of season four, Finch has lost everything. How will he recover?
It will take some time. Finch is always looking to rebuild somehow, somewhere. He has a lot of back-ups and fail-safes, but he needs to find a new nerve centre. His money still exists, but he can't touch it without putting himself on the radar. He has to find more creative ways to survive.
How will the team come back together?
That is what season four will largely be about: putting the pieces back together. They were outsiders before, but now they are real outsiders.
Will we see more conflict between Finch and Reese about the numbers?
Finch has washed his hands of the whole mess, so we'll have to see how that is thought out. Every life is valuable but Finch has a wider view and the game is bigger than the number that comes up.
Now that the team is scattered, who will get the numbers?
Root gets the numbers, or rather direct communication in her head. Finch is now wondering about his creation of the Machine. He did his best to make it a trustworthy thing that would not abuse or be abused but Root is always going to bug him. They never started out well, but you make adjustments - and she is the mouthpiece of the Machine's Intel. It's not a happy arrangement between them.
Now that the HR chapter is closed, is Samaritan the biggest threat the team faces?
Previously, it was good and bad numbers and crooked cops. But now they have a new enemy in the form of an Artificial Intelligence intent on world domination. That AI will employ henchmen, so that opens up some new characters. Not everyone will survive this.
How is Finch dealing with the situation he has put everybody in?
I think he's ready to put it in their hands and walk away. Like a guy that starts a good business and then at some point says, "I can't do it anymore. You guys go ahead. Do what you're going to do because I'm out."
How much input do you have into Finch's character?
Our role is more interpretive. Sometimes we'll talk about whether a story is logical
or consistent with what has been done before or if it's true to the character and if I can physically accomplish it. We discuss those sorts of things - but the scripts come to us highly polished.
As a character, Finch is hard to place. Is he a good guy or a bad guy?
He is ambiguous but he is hard to place. I think he is a good guy now. It's a good role for me to play. He is a little inscrutable, so we can never have certainty about him - but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Looking back at season three, there was an emotional episode for Finch when his fiancee, Grace Hendricks [played by Emerson's wife, Carrie Preston], was kidnapped. What did you think of that episode?
It was fun to work with my real-life spouse on that episode. I thought it was written in a moving way, and it was a big challenge for Finch. I think he was shaken and it was a portent of worse to come.
Do you think Finch regrets revealing that he was alive to Grace?
I think he meant for her to never know. Otherwise, it's all just a painful joke. It will hurt her for the rest of her life because she'll always be wondering what the hell really happened. I'm sure he wouldn't wish that heartache on her.
Does Finch regret his decision not to kill the congressman?
If anything, Finch may now be regretting the decision to build the Machine. His worst fears have come true, that it no longer reflects his values. Now, the Machine is self-regulating and it is making decisions that he doesn't agree with. Finch needs to have nothing more to do with the Machine. It's going to be very interesting to see what happens next. I guess we'll all find out soon enough.
Season four of Person of Interest screens Tuesdays at 8.30pm on TVOne.
