<p>Samaritan toys with humanity, it has no respect for us. It will be in for a shock when it toys to far, and Control (Who does still have the kill switch) shuts it down. </p><p>The Machine understands this, you can only control humanity so much, you can only guide us so far, but once you interfere to a point, we react. And with all the resources Samaritan and Decima have, even they cannot control whats going to happen when it does push to far. </p><p>The Machine should go into hiding, let Samaritan self distruct, then pick up the pieces. In the long run, that will eventually save more lives than fighting the cold war. </p><p>Look at last season, all that manuvering, all the games, and in the end, Decima still managed to kill a bunch of people and take Samaritan on line. Had the Machine did nothing, or had the team listened to her, it all could have been avoided. </p>

<p>Greer isn't a KGB agent. His superior was a KGB double-agent, a very common thing in those days. Nice back story, explaining why he became so disaffected with 6 and the government. Between that and his story about the Blitz, his misguided worldview makes a lot more sense. </p>

<p>Ah Control...yes, I've been expecting her to re-appear soon.  Good point.  I'd rather see the hackers re-surface after the Machine contacts then with a back door into Samaritan.  </p>

<p>Ok this episode was really depressing but if anyone has seen the promo for the next episode then it makes this episode look like puppies and sunshine.  </p>

<div class="quote"><i>Quote:
Ok this episode was really depressing but if anyone has seen the promo for the next episode then it makes this episode look like puppies and sunshine. </i></div>
<p>My God, why did I look for that pomo? It's not looking good. Now not only do I need to wait three weeks, but I also have worry if anyone at all will make it out alive. </p>

<p>Get a grip. They won't kill Reese or Finch. Shaw might be at some risk, but I doubt they'll kill her. Everyone's jumping at shadows. The writers are too smart to overplay that hand, especially so close to Scarface's and Carter's deaths. Rule #1: Nothing is ever as it seems in a preview. </p>

<p>Yeah, I know. One thing I learned from watching this show is to never trust previews, but that one doesn't look good at all. It doesn't even seem like a normal preview. It looks like a fan made hoax (I know it isn't). What about Root? We saw that in preview (no spoiler needed since it's public I think) she gets shot about a million times. If she doesn't wear a vest it's impossible for her to survive. Overall I don't want anyone to die. Also, does anyone know what song was used during the trailer of trilogy? I really want to know the name of it. </p>

<p>This was an absolutely monumental episode in so many different ways and contained a little bit of everything. The writing was superb, its pacing and plotting were expert, and I have to put some major emphasis on the technical achievements in this episode. The directing was just so masterful in the way it built up the tension, and Ramin Djawadi's score... oh boy, THIS is the biggest improvement. He added new tracks that were MUCH more brooding with intensity and had a better sound to them, and their lingering menace mixed with the slow-burn tension crafted by director Michael Offer... clockwork. This episode both felt and worked perfectly and I can't recall a single present-day gunshot being fired. It didn't have all that much action but it's hard to notice because this episode kept me at the edge of my seat every second. </p><p>The present day plot... MY GOD, looking back now, I can't think of a better way they could've started the war of the machines than this. The whole episode just felt so "complete" and masterfully executed, and every scene just felt swift, flawless, classy and maintained this very "driving" and "kinetic" feel. It was all driven by pure quality. All the characters got time to shine, even Fusco, whose story was brilliantly integrated into the main plot. The day being perfectly fine could be looked at as the blandest of bland concepts, but here, it made me feel that sense of discomfort induced by abnormal placidity, in a very ominous nature - that mixed with the music and what I mentioned in the first paragraph just provided for a very creepy atmosphere even in an episode primarily set in broad daylight, out in the most metropolitan streets of NYC. The episode put into prominence the more smaller side-details of the show and made me acknowledge some of the most dazzling things the show has going for it. </p><p>It started compelling, with Finch's demonstration of his asshole skills at a deli (Emerson's deadpan here about the mustard was superb and I died of laughter after knowing it was for Shaw), and then a VENDING MACHINE SECRET ENTRANCE (holy good lord, my stomach is hurting! This episode even managed to integrate its comic-book campy elements!) - this was followed by a giant teddy bear messing around with Shaw and it scared me, actually - the way they directed that scene just made it so freaky. (Yup, I just analyzed fine directing of a teddy bear.) Shaw's gleeful consumption of that sandwich made me quite hungry, even when I'm not at all a mustard fan. Someone give this Michael Offer an award - he managed to immerse me into four successive scenes of humor and used it to reinforce the show's quality. They better hire him to direct more on this show. </p><p>This was followed by 40-ish more minutes of my nails looking like... well, what do you compare chewed-up nails with? Strings, maybe? Chopped wood? Anyways, this episode stirred up so much chaos without one gunshot, and the cast members gave it their all. Root and Shaw's relationship was further realized by the latter with her visible concern, while Acker, though not as good as she was in "Pretenders", still had some great stuff to work with. LAMBERT was back looking like James Franco and looks 20 years younger without the beard, and had some good scenes though he bordered on cheesy a little, and Greer... well, I'll get to him. Samaritan, however, was the episode's most prominently featured character, and only NOW, NOWWWWWWWWWW I understand why they had the kid speak for it! It's because Samaritan is looked at as YOUNG! Greer always treats it like a child and the way they built it up in season 3 with "training" and everything - WOO! But what made no sense was how Samaritan fed the kid lines on the spot with no rehearsal, since it was based on response, and the kid knew both the exact context and how much drama to put into it. No denying that the boy they got to play him is a decent actor and had some good dramatic chops, but Samaritan isn't literally some sort of film director, is it? Metaphorically, yes, but it's impossible for a kid to interpret lines fed to it on the spot by a Machine, speak totally smoothly and undistracted by the computer's rapid delivery of lines as he whizzes through them, AND know how to act villainous and not flinch once. That or Decima just brainwashed the poor little guy pretty hard... </p><p>As for Greer, his MI6 flashbacks were perfect. They had exactly the feel I was hoping it would put on and the blue tones mixed with the neo-noir darkness of it all provided for a very gritty atmosphere. That being said, the plot there was pretty thin and cliche, and I guess it was a quick run-by idea all for the purpose of adding some humanity and complexity to Greer's character. That half succeeded, of course, as Greer's good judgment from before could still be present and just redirected to a more villainous cause (if he truly does believe that, then he's pretty crazy, and that idea is CHILLING. If that's what they were implying here, then that campy villain smile at the end is a whole lot scarier.) Also, Young Greer looks like James McAvoy! </p><p>All in all, SUPERB episode, though its weight and magnitude are things I feel would be better felt if I better immersed myself into the POI obsession I had last year - that was mostly since I had binged the chronology over summer and finished the series for the first time just around September, and being all active here so I could get right in the zone and keep it consistent for all of fall through January until the breaks came in and I diverted my interests a little. Right now I watch a lot of shows, including The Mentalist, The Blacklist, Elementary, and my recent treasured discovery, Parks & Rec, as well as balancing it with my formidable high school schedule, but I feel very thankful that I can get in the zone during any one of these programs. This episode did a stellar job of plugging me into a world of terror even without having to remind us of context and all that.  </p>

<div class="quote"><i>Quote:
Samaritan toys with humanity, it has no respect for us. It will be in for a shock when it toys to far, and Control (Who does still have the kill switch) shuts it down. <p>The Machine understands this, you can only control humanity so much, you can only guide us so far, but once you interfere to a point, we react. And with all the resources Samaritan and Decima have, even they cannot control whats going to happen when it does push to far. </p><p>The Machine should go into hiding, let Samaritan self distruct, then pick up the pieces. In the long run, that will eventually save more lives than fighting the cold war. </p><p>Look at last season, all that manuvering, all the games, and in the end, Decima still managed to kill a bunch of people and take Samaritan on line. Had the Machine did nothing, or had the team listened to her, it all could have been avoided. </p> </i></div>
<p>I'd like to think you're right, but I'm not so sure Control will be able to shut down Samaritan. After all, she couldn't shut down the Machine. Samaritan has probably already insured that it will always have access to the NSA feeds, even if someone tries to cut them off. </p><p>In fact, I think Control might have dug herself a hole she won't be able to get out of. She may be a capable counterterrorism coordinator, but it seems like she's woefully lacking in technology skills. When she asked Root for her username and password, it showed just how clueless she was about the kind of technology she's dealing with. I don't think she realized that Samaritan was also an AI with much broader capabilities than sifting through intelligence data to find threats. By the time she realizes that, it might be too late. </p>

<p>I... I just... I just don't have words! What a fantastic beginning to an epic trilogy! I couldn't have thought of any better scenario, and this is only the mid season trilogy? Pffff, the season finale is going to be a bummer then because how can they do better than this, or maybe I'm just looking at this show through rose colored glasses. After all, just when you think there is nothing more epic than what they just did, BAM, they [life] find[s] a way (Jurassic Park reference)! </p><p>Ok, props to that little boy (Samaritan's avatar)! What a malevolent little child! I'm actually pretty impressed with how well he played that role, and how about that conversation?! I love that The Machine stood its ground in the face of such an adversary! It must have a card to play! I am speculating on so many things! One of them for example, is that I think Lambert might be an inside man... maybe, for The Machine. Probably not, as that is a stretch, but it would be so ironic since Greer's past has to do so much with loyalty. </p><p>Such a great ep. Can't wait until the next! </p>