Person of Interest took a shift in the finale when the machine was missing and went free. What does that mean for season 3?
Jonathan Nolan and Greg Plageman spoke with reporters at San Diego Comic-Con about what to expect in the upcoming season, the promotion of Sarah Shahi and Amy Acker to series regulars, and teased a new secret entity in play. From the sounds of it, Person of Interest will more intense than ever.
Check out the full video interviews from the Person of Interest executive producers.
Executive Producer Jonathan Nolan
Highlights of the Interview:
- Season 3 will continue to be a balance of the “Story of the Week” and “the larger overarching narrative” storytelling structure.
- Question is: What is the machine? And, what’s the machine’s plan now that it’s free.
- Sam Shaw (Sarah Shahi) provides a foil for Reese. They have similar skill sets, but different rule books. She’s a connection to the “Relevant World.”
- Root (Amy Acker) is the biggest advocate for the machine, even more than Finch. She trusts the machine and wanted the machine to go free.
- Recurring characters to return: Paige Turco (Zoe), Brett Cullen (Nathan),Ken Leung (Leon).
- Regarding flashbacks, Nolan enjoys that the show has “the ability to drop you — kinda airmail you back into a different moment in a character’s life.” See who they were, are, and will be.
- Carter is the moral center of the show. She’s the least compromised of the characters. The relationship with Elias will be further explored. She’s back in uniform in season 3.
- Finch let the machine go in order to save it and let it free. It’s a parental relationship between Finch and the machine. He created a life and then now what does it become.
- Finch will have anxiety over the machine and trepidation over what it might be.
‘Person of Interest’ Interview: Executive Producers Jonathan Nolan and Greg Plageman Discuss When Fiction Becomes Reality>>>
Executive Producer Greg Plageman
Highlights of the interview:
- Plageman discusses the aftermath of the Snowden revelation. Would people care if their information is monitored? Or, think if they aren’t doing anything wrong, it doesn’t matter.
- For the story, what if there was an entity that really did care about privacy and wanted to do something about it? They know about the machine and want to take matters into their own hands, but have to take guerrilla methods and tactics. It’s something the show will explore.
- The NSA scandal provides color and depth to the show. Not science fiction but science fact. The show will maintain a dramatic narrative.
- The most compelling villain is the person who makes sense, like Elias, Root, and the new entity. “It’s fun when someone who’s your adversary has very compelling arguments.” Finch is starting to see that with Root.
- Carter’s been demoted to wearing a uniform. What’s she going to do? She’s had deaths all around her.
- Carter’s relationship with Elias will continue.
- Shaw adds a crazy element to the show and keeps things off-kilter.
- In a looney bin and the machine calls.
Person of Interest season 3 premieres on Tuesday, September 24 at 10 pm ET on CBS.
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(Image and video: Carla Day.)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Contributing Editor and Writer for Collider, BuddyTV, TV Fanatic, CliqueClack, and other publications. TV criticism, reviews, interviews with actors and producers, and other related content. Founder of TV Diehard.
