5.05 - ShotSeeker

[ctg]

Almost like a classical numbers case, but in this case the number has unique ears that any sonar operator would be proud to wear. However, it's not just ears, it the algorithms and an ability to modify ShotSeeker's code. Just that he isn't Harold.

In the other side of the code it's interesting to see Harold cooking up code of his own to match Samaritan's attack program. In our world those two would be something that only Authorities has been able to come up, in POI's world, the possibilities are endless. But what's certain is that Harold never wrote his AI to a weapon.

The Machine is a tool designed to seek out wrongdoers. Samaritan is similar type, but it was born inside a weapon program. Not that NSA will agree on that statement, but personally I see their doings are exactly being that sort of thing.

So, for that reason, The Machine is always going to come up as an underdog. It needs to learn to fight, even if it means doing some very dirty business. Similar stuff to what we saw happening couple episodes back, when it hired an assassin to cap Reese.

The question is what will give edge to the Machine?

PS. Loved the episode. And loved to see you know who alive.

 

[REBerg]

Spoiler

Despite the billions of losses The Machine has already sustained in its simulations with Samaritan, I think Finch is correct with his hands-off attitude. The Machine needs to develop its own self-defense tactics before it can successfully go on the offensive. Ordering the hit on Reese and classifying both Finch and Root as "threats" showed that it can go beyond its programming on its own.
Elias turning up among the living was a total surprise. His advice to his crime buddy should be heeded.

 

[ctg]

Spoiler

Elias turning up among the living was a total surprise. His advice to his crime buddy should be heeded.

I don't think he's going to listen. He didn't take the message too well. In the way that will send him back to being just Elias Treasurer. And I don't think he's keen on losing Elias empire, even if the kingpin is hiding underground. He's too determined and too much in the business to give up that easily. And the same thing goes with Elias.

He is wise, and determined to go through the grey rock, if needs be. In fact, Elias is too stubborn to die, but he knows Samaritan is too big for him to take alone. For that he's going to need to pull all strings and favours from the criminal underworld. Maybe they could even be Machine's secret army.

Why? Well, criminals are known for bending the rules, and with the case of Machine losing so much, it's going to need everything to pull down the rivalling Ai. The people might never know there's two sentient minds clashing each other. They might never know the true extend of what happened at the background.

Life goes on, while we read stories of an Ai being decades ahead of being able to beat man in a game of go. Maybe Nolan will that piece in the final episode, but however it goes, I believe POI's ending is going to BSG kind of massive revelation. And in a way a good interpretation on how a hypothesised Ai war could happen in our lifetime.

 

[Dave]

I don't think we need spoilers for that, but I was also very surprised. More surprised about Fusco's part in it, and his acting ability when his kid was threatened. He must have also been lying to Internal Investigations few episodes back too. Though, since he used to be a dirty cop, he probably has experience of that. Does the guest in the safe house have no legs? It looked like he had some very serious injury, but I forget now the actual circumstances in which he "died."

Fusco said that homicides were down, but that suicides and missing persons were up. He now knows that there are conspiracies at the highest levels. Garvin was set up. That CEO was set up. The Internal Investigation officer who asked questions conveniently had a heart attack. Fusco must be told what is going on because otherwise he is a loose canon. Also, this world of low homicides and low crime is not one that that anyone would wish for, not when people are "disappeared" and set-up for crimes they didn't commit.

I also liked this episode - as ctg says it was back to a number of the week episode, and yet there was a much larger canvas, and they never seem to win anymore. Even when they win a battle, winning the war seems less likely. I'm also looking forward to finding out how this ends more and more.