Parents' Guide to

Person of Interest

By Matt Springer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Anemic high-concept procedural with heavy violence.

TV CBS Drama 2011
Person of Interest Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 14+

Based on 6 parent reviews

skwunkel
skwunkel Adult
April 28, 2020
age 11+

Starts slow, becomes one of the best high concept sci fi shows of all time

I understand the motivation in rating this a 14+ as it does have quite a bit of violence, but I think this is a 'you know your kid' situation. The first season came out when I was 9 and I loved it then, however the show does get much more intense and dark as it goes on so 9 would probably be too young for the later seasons. While there isn't a whole lot of blood, there are some intimidating memorable villains and many intense torture scenes (even if they aren't super graphic). Characters also go to pretty dark places throughout the show which can be upsetting and intense the show's themes also get quite heavy and depressing at times, but that is part of why the show is so great.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much violence
dgvai
dgvai Adult
July 9, 2018
age 14+

Just a phenomenal TVS that teaches how bad is today's AI.

Just a phenomenal TVS that describes the current generation situation (2018), world is getting watched by AI's now-a-days and no Harold Finch here to teach our AI's.

This title has:

Great messages
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

As PERSON OF INTEREST begins, Reese (Jim Caviezel) is a washed-up former CIA agent, presumed dead, who's drinking away his sorrow over the death of his wife. Enter enigmatic billionaire Finch (Michael Emerson), who has a simple mission for Reese: Help save lives. Using data from a supercomputer built to hunt terrorists in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Reese and Finch act only with a Social Security number and must determine how innocent people become involved in terrible crimes -- and what can be done to prevent them.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (23):

We live in an age in which it seems that all you need to get a TV show deal is a very high-concept idea. The high concept behind Person of Interest isn't necessarily a bad one -- supercomputer identifies people about to be killed, rich man hires former CIA agent to help these people -- but the execution lacks energy and wit. With an idea so fundamentally silly, you'd expect the plotting and characterization to be a little less dour.

Instead, the show takes itself very seriously, which in turn results in a boring, humorless hour built on a goofy idea. Caviezel is either trying way too hard or not trying hard enough as the perpetually depressed Reese, while Lost's Emerson tries to mine what he can from the material but comes off as almost a parody of an eccentric wealthy person. Both of these actors deserve a better series than this.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence as problem solver on the show. Does every conflict on the show need to be resolved using fists/weapons? Why or why not?

  • What does the show have to do with the attacks on September 11? Is it important for the show to use such an event as a plot point?

TV Details

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