1. Pilot — Episode — Person of Interest

1. Pilot

John Reese is a former CIA operative living off the grid in NYC. When Reese is hauled into NYPD's 8th Precinct for a skirmish on the subway, he's bailed out by a man he doesn't know: Mr. Finch, a mysterious billionaire. Finch offers Reese a choice: stay on the streets and drink himself to death -- or join him in his mission to stop violent crimes before they happen. Finch has access to a secret source of information, one that identifies people who are about to be involved in violent crimes. There's just one catch: he doesn't know if these people will be the victims or the perpetrators. Skeptical but intrigued, Reese agrees to help. Together, Reese and Finch work to discover what danger is about to befall Assistant District Attorney Diane Hansen. Their actions garner the unwanted attention of NYPD homicide detective Carter -- a dedicated veteran cop who's not fond of vigilantes -- and Detective Fusco, a precinct detective who stands in the way of Reese's plans.

Plot summary and ending

Spoilers ahead. Coverage follows the scope labeled below.

Complete story — includes the ending

John Reese, a former CIA agent and Army Special Forces soldier now a homeless alcoholic, is arrested for getting into a fight on a New York subway train. He is bailed out before homicide detective Joss Carter can question him regarding DNA evidence linking him to a string of killings. Reese is brought to mysterious billionaire Harold Finch, who explains that after the September 11 attacks, he designed an algorithm capable of predicting crimes by analyzing behavioral patterns in troves of surveillance data. The program ("the Machine") provides the social security number of a person it predicts to be involved in an impending crime, victim or perpetrator. Finch enlists Reese in helping him thwart the crimes, appealing to Reese's sense of guilt following the death of his girlfriend Jessica. Reese's first person of interest, ADA Diane Hansen, oversees a ring of corrupt police officers and plans to kill a fellow DA. He blackmails one of the corrupt officers, detective Lionel Fusco, into being his inside source at the NYPD. Reese then reveals Hansen's corruption to an open court, kills corrupt detective Stills, and links Fusco to the crime to ensure his future cooperation.

Sources and content license

Source and revision history · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Person of Interest season 1. HTML formatting and reference markers removed. · Content license