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Person of Interest
S2.E12
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IMDbPro

Prisoner's Dilemma

  • Episode aired Jan 10, 2013
  • TV-PG
  • 44m
IMDb RATING
9.4/10
4.6K
YOUR RATING
Jim Caviezel, Terry Serpico, and Doug Drucker in Person of Interest (2011)
ActionCrimeDramaMysterySci-FiThriller

Finch and Carter are trying to get Reese out of Riker's, where he is still being kept prisoner by Donnelly. Meanwhile, Fusco is working alone on the next number.Finch and Carter are trying to get Reese out of Riker's, where he is still being kept prisoner by Donnelly. Meanwhile, Fusco is working alone on the next number.Finch and Carter are trying to get Reese out of Riker's, where he is still being kept prisoner by Donnelly. Meanwhile, Fusco is working alone on the next number.

  • Director
    • Chris Fisher
  • Writers
    • David Slack
    • Sean Hennen
    • Erik Mountain
  • Stars
    • Jim Caviezel
    • Taraji P. Henson
    • Kevin Chapman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    9.4/10
    4.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Chris Fisher
    • Writers
      • David Slack
      • Sean Hennen
      • Erik Mountain
    • Stars
      • Jim Caviezel
      • Taraji P. Henson
      • Kevin Chapman
    • 10User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos8

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    Top Cast27

    Edit
    Jim Caviezel
    Jim Caviezel
    • John Reese
    Taraji P. Henson
    Taraji P. Henson
    • Detective Jocelyn 'Joss' Carter
    Kevin Chapman
    Kevin Chapman
    • Detective Lionel Fusco
    Michael Emerson
    Michael Emerson
    • Harold Finch
    Enrico Colantoni
    Enrico Colantoni
    • Carl Elias
    Brennan Brown
    Brennan Brown
    • Special Agent Nicholas Donnelly
    Jay O. Sanders
    Jay O. Sanders
    • Special Counsel
    Boris McGiver
    Boris McGiver
    • Hersh
    Terry Serpico
    Terry Serpico
    • Byron
    Karolina Kurkova
    Karolina Kurkova
    • Karolina Kurkova
    Creighton James
    • Wayne F. Packer
    Brendan Griffin
    Brendan Griffin
    • Charles MacAvoy
    Annie Parisse
    Annie Parisse
    • Kara Stanton
    John Sharian
    John Sharian
    • Warden Hutchins
    James Knight
    • Brian Kelly
    Charlotte Maier
    • Megan
    Tom Titone
    Tom Titone
    • Dawson
    Tony F. DeVito
    Tony F. DeVito
    • Ragazzo
    • Director
      • Chris Fisher
    • Writers
      • David Slack
      • Sean Hennen
      • Erik Mountain
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews10

    9.44.5K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10anupmahindre

    This is the one.

    This right here, save this one. It's the best damn thing I've ever seen on TV.
    10claudio_carvalho

    In Rikers

    In Rikers, Carter is interrogating Reese under the supervision of Donnelly. Meanwhile, The Machine delivers the number of Karolina Kurkova in Brooklyn and Finch asks Fusco to follow her. Fusco protects her from a gang and is rewarded in the end. The Special Counsel asks Hersh to kill the four suspects in Rikers and he shoots his gun to the air in Times Square to be arrested by the police and sent to Rikers. Reese answers Carter posing of his alias John Warren while Finch updates the profile of his cover and Donnelly checks the information. Donnelly wants to go to John Warren's office in Wall Street, but Finch has already prepared the place to cover his story. One man of Elias protects Reese from the Aryans and Elias invites him to join his gang, but Reese tells him that they cannot be seen together. Reese asks Elias to send a picture of Hersh to Finch, and Fusco identifies him as a spy from the government. Hersh kills the suspect Brian Kelly simulating a suicide by hanging. Another suspect, Charles McAvoy, asks for immunity to denounce who the man in the suit is, but Finch steals his account, and he is forced to lie. Donnelly submits Reese to a last test in the yard, and he is beaten by the Aryans. Carter reprehends Donnelly telling him that he crossed the line. Reese is finally released and when he meets Carter during the night, something happens.

    "Prisoner's Dilemma" is among the best episodes of "Person of Interest". Reese in Rikers, interrogated by Carter with Donnelly supervising and giving directions to Carter is engaging. The segment of Fusco with the gorgeous and hot Karolina Kurkova is funny and entertaining. The past of Reese and Stanton shows a little more about the development of Reese. My vote is ten.

    Title (Brazil): "Prisoner's Dilemma"
    9A_Different_Drummer

    a little piece of tv history

    A little piece of history and one of my faves. We now know this is one of the top-rated series of all time. However, back in S02 the writing team, as good as they were, still had not figured out the key to turbo-charging the show, which of course turned out to be a double dose of estrogen. So in this 2-parter they put everything but the kitchen sink into the script, and viewers got it, and appreciated it. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))
    ErReads

    Fantastic episode

    I am bingeing my way through POI, and basically, it is a fantastic show. And this episode is just perfect entertainment. Every single thing about it. Kudos to the writers for coming up with all the twists and turns, and even the fun little jaunt with Fusco. 10/10 A++
    10ssardarfirouzi

    An Ozymandias level episode!

    Everything about this episode is PERFECT. The flashbacks, the ending, the genius of Donnely, the hilarious scenes of Lionel with the POI, 40 minutes of perfection.

    Related interests

    Bruce Willis and Taniel in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Prisoner's Dilemma is a thought experiment that utilises game theory to determine the best choice for individual members of a group to make when the outcome depends on the unknown choices made by each member. Essentially it is about balancing cooperation and competition to achieve optimal outcomes. (It doesn't only apply to prisoners, it was just the best example of how the dilemma works.) Eg. 2 co-conspirators are arrested, separated, with no way to communicate, and presented with 4 options. 1, confess and turn on your associate. You get immunity. 2, your associate confesses and turns on you. You get the maximum. 3, both confess. Both serve 2 years. 4, neither confesses. Both serve 1 year. In this case the best option (since neither can know, for certain, what the other has chosen) is to confess (compete) because it gives the best outcome regardless of the other person's choice. The worst you'll get is 2 years in prison, at best you go free. Not confessing (cooperating) runs the risk of taking all the blame and serving the maximum.
    • Goofs
      The flashback from Prague shows surveillance cam with Hungarian language . The spoken language in Prague is Czech.
    • Quotes

      Byron: You know, this is the bastard that stole my dog.

      John Reese: Be honest. He wanted to leave.

    • Connections
      Features Person of Interest: Matsya Nyaya (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Eminence Front
      (uncredited)

      Written by Pete Townshend (uncredited)

      Performed by The Who

      [Played when Reese is released from prison]

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 10, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Filming locations
      • Silvercup Studios - 4222 22nd Street, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Kilter Films
      • Bad Robot
      • Warner Bros. Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 44m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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