Person of Interest: Michael Emerson Talks Season 2

CBS's Person of Interest wrapped up its freshman season Thursday with the episode "Firewall," which left our characters in a bit of a quagmire. Finch (Michael Emerson) was captured by Root (Rachel Miner), the villainous hacker from earlier in season one looking to find the Machine. Reese (Jim Caviezel), while searching for Finch, decided to speak directly to the Machine... and in the final moments of the episode, the Machine apparently gave Reese a call on a payphone. Has the Singularity come to Person of Interest? Is the Machine self-aware? It would certainly appear so, but we'll have to wait until Person of Interest season 2 to find out. 

Speaking to TV Guide, star Michael Emerson shared a little bit about what he thought of the season's final twist. “We’re so used to thinking of the machine in one way – as the ever-present source of information in the background," he said. "It’s sort of omniscient but definitely under the control of its builders and operators. I don’t think anyone has ever considered that the machine was capable of independent activity. I think that’s a notion that comes up before we’re done.”

“It's a great cliff-hanger and it will determine everything that happens for quite a few episodes when we come back in Season 2," he added, promising more action and suspense. "The real physical danger will surprise the audience, and the audience will be left thinking, ‘How can they go on doing what they do?’ The circle must be broken, the audience will feel.”

Emerson, best known for playing the shifty Benjamin Linus on LOST, compared the cliffhanger to those of his previous show, noting "metaphysical" similarities that would leave viewers wondering, "'Oh wow, what does that mean?'"

Person of Interest will return to CBS in the fall.