Many Happy Returns (3 May 2012)

Because it's Reese's birthday and because there are no new numbers, Finch gives Reese the day off. However, there is a new number that Finch believes would not be a good case for Reese to ... See full summary »

Director:

Fred Toye

Writers:

Jonathan Nolan (creator), Erik Mountain (teleplay),

Stars:

Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Caviezel	...	John Reese
Taraji P. Henson	...	Detective Joss Carter
Kevin Chapman	...	Detective Lionel Fusco
Michael Emerson	...	Harold Finch
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Sarah Jennings
Jeremy Davidson	...	Marshal Brad Jennings
Judith Ivey	...	Sharon
Susan Misner	...	Jessica Arndt
Jonno Roberts	...	Peter Arndt
Brennan Brown	...	Special Agent Nicholas Donnelly
Fred Applegate	...	Medical Examiner
Kelly Coffield Park	...	Detective Marianne Nichols
Randall Duk Kim	...	Mr. Han
Samira Wiley	...	Triage Nurse
Roe Hartrampf	...	Bartender

Storyline

Because it's Reese's birthday and because there are no new numbers, Finch gives Reese the day off. However, there is a new number that Finch believes would not be a good case for Reese to work on, since it may hit a little too close to home regarding the nature of the death of his ex-girlfriend, Jessica Arndt. Reese is aware of Finch's motives. That number belongs to Karen Garner, who Finch is pretty sure is the victim. He is certain that Karen Garner is an assumed name and that she is on the run from someone, probably a violent boyfriend or husband. The case does hit home for Reese who decides to take matters into his own hands much like he would have handled the situation if the woman was Jessica. This situation doesn't sit well with Carter, who has been asked by FBI Agent Donnelly to assist in the investigation on Reese and finding his DNA at a past crime scene in New Rochelle, that crime scene being the death of Jessica's husband, Peter Arndt. Finch encourages Carter to join that ...

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 May 2012 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kilter Films, Bad Robot, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

44 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the TV series The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan, there is also an episode called "Many Happy Returns" (Season 1 Episode 6). In it, Number 6 is allowed to believe that he has escaped and returned to London. After being returned, he discovers that he was allowed to leave because it was his birthday. In Person of Interest, Jim Caviezel's character is also granted a reprieve on his birthday. Before POI, Caviezel also played the character "Number 6" in the remake of "The Prisoner" as well.

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Quotes

Peter Arndt: Who are you?
John Reese: I was the guy who left her behind, because I thought she deserved someone better than me. I thought she deserved someone who would look after her, be there for her. I thought she deserved someone like you. So, I don't know. I was hoping you could tell me.
Peter Arndt: Tell you what?
John Reese: What am I supposed to be, now that she's gone? When you find that one person who connects you to the world, you become someone different. Someone better. When that person's taken from you, what do you become then?

User Reviews

Good, but clichéd.

This episode revolved around domestic violence; so sadly what we got was a clichéd view of it. The view we got was the one fueled by mindless selfish fear. I don't hold my breath for an innocent man getting treated fairly within our kangaroo society. It is based on potentially every stranger is our enemy, the mistake is the 'potentially' is ignored and everyone is simply the enemy. Based on this fear men are obviously dangerous to weak people, and thus are guilty in fearful people's eyes, the reaction to fear when they do not feel a threat is to attack for ego's sake, these people are opportunistic and infest our society.

So for me the episode came across as propagandist towards the clichéd view of domestic violence that exists for the reasons I have given, men are overwhelming seen as the perpetrators, it is easy to convict a man of a violent crime against a woman, I'm not saying their aren't male abusers that would be ludicrous what I am saying is innocent men will be stitched up and lied about by many people as it serves their disgusting interests. Still in this episode I liked what happened I just wish it wasn't the clichéd view.