POI 4.09 The Devil You Know

[markpud]

Reese and Finch are caught in a power struggle for control of the city's gangs when Elias is targeted by Dominic, the ambitious leader of the Brotherhood. Meanwhile, Root and Shaw disagree over how to handle a new threat from Samaritan.

I thought this was a great episode for giving a lot of back story on Elias and his "real brotherhood" of lifelong friends running the city streets; the brains, the money and the muscle! Poor Scarface met his end (but no body seen, so who knows) because he has real loyalty which Dominic doesn't appear to value as much. And Elias lived to fight another day. I really thought his time had come, as did he. Great stuff!

It's interesting to see how things look to Dominic. Elias has friends. He sees John Riley, corrupt cop protecting Elias, along with Shaw, the mysterious agent who forced him to reveal one of his stashes. And the unknown man at the top of the tree, Harold, who he presumes is financing everything including Elias' operation.

The shootout between Shaw and Miss Samaritan (I forget if she's been named) was cool, Shaw still finding time to ask for a raise and shoot out the security cameras that were pointing their red lights at her! Samaritan now knows it has a blind spot, but it's human presence can be its eyes. Root knocking Shaw down with a horse tranq! She is not gonna be happy!

I believe we get an episode in December at some point?!

 

[J-Sun]

Agree with all your pro-points. I really enjoyed the episode. On the negative ledger, though, there were several cameras and Shaw only shot one - perhaps she was only in the view of one, but it still felt weird. More importantly, while we got to do a lot of good things while running around, I'm not sure how much sense the pure plot made to me. Elias risks life and limb to get to the safe-bomb and it ultimately takes out his lieutenant and some enemy footsoldiers but not even Dominic's #2. So what really was the point? Why not just go directly into hiding? And why, one minute, is there nowhere to run and, post-bomb, Elias is out in the open again.

Aside from that, there was one scene where Reese and Scar were in a shot together while they were protecting Elias and I thought, "He's not going to make it out of this one" and, sure enough, he was killed (only apparently, as you note, so the writers can (implausibly but possibly) undo it but I believe it'll stick).

And I do like that, while neither Dominic nor Elias are very good guys, Dominic is all about cynicism, nihilism, and misanthropy (much like Decima) and Elias, like the Machine gang, thinks most of humanity's no good most of the time, but that there is something to hope for, some value in friendship, some sort of interconnection that isn't sheer cynicism despite having more than enough reason to feel otherwise. (I don't mean to be gilding a mass-murdering crime lord but this is fiction and, really, Dominic's worse. Though I also like that he's shown as smart and a viable opponent, not just a monster.)

Hm, another thing I didn't like in a mild way - Groves could have just been declaring the usual concern for one of the team but she came really close to spelling something out to Shaw. I like it better when it's ambiguous, hinting, humorous, etc. I also think she needs to stop calling Finch "Harry". She did it for awhile, then quit, then it was back in this episode. I see what the writers are trying to do and it's a good idea, but it just doesn't work. The spin Amy Acker can put on how she says "Harold" is enough.

I believe we get an episode in December at some point?!

I'm not sure. I figured it was going away until January but it wouldn't surprise me if they snuck in an episode somewhere that I'll likely miss.

 

[markpud]

I'm not sure. I figured it was going away until January but it wouldn't surprise me if they snuck in an episode somewhere that I'll likely miss.

Next ep is on the 16th I believe!

Elias risks life and limb to get to the safe-bomb and it ultimately takes out his lieutenant and some enemy footsoldiers but not even Dominic's #2. So what really was the point?

Fair point. I think Elias was relying on Dominic's hubris when he was how Elias tried to get to the safe, that he couldn't resist opening it. And he could have hoped that Dominic and his senior guys were in the room - sadly the warning he gave Dominic allowed #2 to get clear!

I like it better when it's ambiguous, hinting, humorous, etc.

Yeah this was rather full on by Root standards, but she is softening as she comes to trust some humans rather than being directly controlled (willingly) by the Machine and not getting involved. Loved Shaw's expression when Root had her in a kind of hug in the back of the movers van!

Fusco also got a couple of good moments, most notably throwing Miss Samaritan, fake-DEA, off the scent!

 

[J-Sun]

Next ep is on the 16th I believe!

Wow. Thanks for the information - I hope I remember it.

Fair point. I think Elias was relying on Dominic's hubris when he was how Elias tried to get to the safe, that he couldn't resist opening it. And he could have hoped that Dominic and his senior guys were in the room - sadly the warning he gave Dominic allowed #2 to get clear!

Yep, there was some ironic hubris is Elias' pointing out Dominic's hubris.

Yeah this was rather full on by Root standards, but she is softening as she comes to trust some humans rather than being directly controlled (willingly) by the Machine and not getting involved. Loved Shaw's expression when Root had her in a kind of hug in the back of the movers van!

"Okay, you can let go now."

Fusco also got a couple of good moments, most notably throwing Miss Samaritan, fake-DEA, off the scent!

Good point.

 

[ctg]

I thought this was a great episode for giving a lot of back story on Elias and his "real brotherhood" of lifelong friends running the city streets; the brains, the money and the muscle! Poor Scarface met his end (but no body seen, so who knows) because he has real loyalty which Dominic doesn't appear to value as much. And Elias lived to fight another day.

I would rather Harold have Elias in his back pocket then being threatened by new kingpin. Machine's people need all the people, and just like it is with the Walking Dead, the machine cannot really lose any of its assets. And as much as it was sad seeing Elias losing his right hand man, and his dear friend, the explosion levelled the field with Dominic as well as he lost valuable people from his organisation. So, I would rather put my money on Elias than on him being alive at the end of the season.

Why?

Well, Elias has certain advantages when it comes to taking down Samaritan in New York. They might not be able to cut its access to the internet completely or even destroy the servers, but in push comes to shove, I think Finch is able to conduct an operation and eliminate internet for few days on upper East Coast by using Elias people.

It's interesting to see how things look to Dominic. Elias has friends. He sees John Riley, corrupt cop protecting Elias, along with Shaw, the mysterious agent who forced him to reveal one of his stashes. And the unknown man at the top of the tree, Harold, who he presumes is financing everything including Elias' operation.

Yeah. And he'll have a surprise coming to him when he starts to really poke that hornet's nest.

while neither Dominic nor Elias are very good guys, Dominic is all about cynicism, nihilism, and misanthropy (much like Decima) and Elias, like the Machine gang, thinks most of humanity's no good most of the time, but that there is something to hope for, some value in friendship, some sort of interconnection that isn't sheer cynicism despite having more than enough reason to feel otherwise

I have been thinking for a while that Dominic is working for Decima, but as he lacks information I think he's in dark on what he should really know about things.

On the negative ledger, though, there were several cameras and Shaw only shot one - perhaps she was only in the view of one, but it still felt weird.

It was just a plot point nothing more. But believe me it's quite hard to shoot those small targets effectively and it would have been easier and more effective to cut electricity from the shopping centre.

 

[markpud]

I think Finch is able to conduct an operation and eliminate internet for few days on upper East Coast by using Elias people.

Quite probably, but Elias would ask a few questions, and Harold doesn't need the mafia (in any form) getting tied up in the AI war. Decima may be using the Brotherhood as pawns, or at least Greer sees them as kindred spirits as J-Sun mentioned. Elias right now is pretty angry and team Machine were warned to stay out of his way while he takes on Dominic. But inevitably they won't!

I wonder why Root told Shaw that she couldn't get a new identity from the Machine? I suppose that's moot now that the Decima agents are all looking for her.

 

[Dave]

I forgot to post about this episode, but I agree with your analysis. There was a new episode on the 16th, which I will start a new thread for. I just wanted to add something about Shaw. I don't think it is a big spoiler but in the opening scene of the next episode

Spoiler

Root has Shaw handcuffed so that she cannot escape

and Root says something that I had thought here, which is fairly obvious, and don't understand why Shaw cannot understand: If Decima agents find Shaw, they not only find Shaw but all the other Machine agents too. So, she at least owes it to them to stay put.

Spoiler

Shaw just makes it into a joke that she doesn't want Bear put in danger.