If-Then-Else

After i watched the episode i directly checked the writers and the creators. i did not know till then that this show's creator is of one of Nolan brothers. the younger brother .. the writer of Memonto... just brilliant... i watch so many maybe too many TV shows in these days but i have to admit this episode was one of the best i have ever watched. well they mixed up who is carrying the bag but that is OK i guess. the chess game lesson was great.. and we saw how Harrold thought moral values to the Machine... well written well played. big surprise at the end...i wish i can learn at least whose idea was this story... and i have to say it was brilliant. i enjoy the show. Thank you guys... i gave 10 pout of 10.

How anyone could rate this episode anything less than a 10/10 is beyond me.

If-Then-Else is possibly the most perfect episode of television I have ever seen. Person of Interest has achieved what most feature-length films achieve in only 43(ish) minutes.

Everything from the plot line to the way it is story-boarded, from the acting to the editing, is impeccable. PoI has once again provided something for users to really think about and reflect on: the differences and similarities between humans and machines.

Although every episode of this show (thus far) has been at least(!) above average, I-T-E showcased everything that is great about this show. In particular, the performances of Michael Emerson (Finch), Amy Acker (Root), and Sarah Shahi (Shaw), stand out as Emmy-worthy. The editing, writing and directing should also gain Emmy nods. Alas, this show will probably never be nominated for any more Emmys (PoI was nominated for one Emmy for sound editing way back in the pilot episode), as most great shows aren't, simply because they don't resemble Downton Abbey in terms of seriousness and realism.

I am coming to realise that there are no words to describe what a great episode of television this is. Nothing I write here could possibly explain the joy one has whilst watching such magnificence on the silver screen. Astounding.

Outstanding episode. Others have summarized it pretty well. Very thoughtful and creative, great flashbacks and details. The final scene was heartbreaking and beautifully done, as were all special effects. We now have way more insight into how The Machine works. Root and Shaw were very sweet - Shaw always tries to pretend she doesn't care but you can just see it's not as simple as that. Or, as little Genrika said in Episode 3.05 "It's not that you don't have feelings. It's just like the volume is turned way down, like the sound of an old tape. The voices are there, you just have to listen." My favorite POI episode.

I just wanted to add something - to the reviewer who said the show was ruined because "We are not into unnatural relationships. Two girls kissing is gross." ---- Are you serious? 'Bad code', as Root would say.

Masterpiece of storytelling. Comparison to chess game, "if" statement used in coding languages and simulation of parallel universes makes it my favorite episode of POI and one of the best I've ever seen, comparable only to best pieces of Black Mirror. Gem in TV shows history.

Kudos to Nolan, et al., the writers and actors for this episode, If-Then-Else, which competes right up there with any episode of The Americans, Homeland and other cablers whose greatness everyone knows about **because we hear it all the time**. We do not hear much about PoI from the talking heads and it is certainly no media darling, perhaps because it is a CBS show, or because Jim Cavaziel's Reece's expressionless monotone, or maybe because many critics wrote it off early in the first season. I am glad we stayed with it, as over the years this show has become not just a strong ensemble piece, but one of the most tightly crafted dramas airing on television. And those characterizations that annoyed critics the first season (Reece's grumble-like monotone, the idea of an all-knowing government spying on us) either turned into an important part of the ensemble's interplay, or was revealed as a prescient warning -- "holy crap! the Government actually IS spying on us!"

This uniquely structured episode rewards us longtime viewers with character-driven humor, with pathos and even a sly wink that comes right up the 4th Wall barrier, without truly breaking it. At the same time, If-Then-Else was filmed beautifully with the kinds of additional touches that one does not expect from cost-conscious network shows.

Just, really good job to all involved in this roller coaster of an episode and thank you for respecting the intelligence, loyalty and discrimination of your audience.