I thought the episode was really well done, especially since we didn't have a season cliffhanger (except for Root's phone call at the end of God Mode) and it was great to see all the characters involved, to greater or lesser degrees. (Actually, nobody decrees that all final eps of a show for the season have to be cliffhangers. Before "Who Shot J.R.?" they were just regular eps that happened to come last and weren't even considered "finales.")

I was thoroughly enthralled by Root -- she reminded me of Sarah Connor in the psychiatric hospital in Terminator 2. Her shrink, who like Carmichael, doesn't fully grasp what his patient is driving at, kept trying to intimidate her, promising her a visit with her son, only to put her back in solitary, while she kept saying judgement day was coming, all the while doing chin ups in her cell and eventually taking him hostage when she made her escape attempt. That chilling conversation she had where she started enumerating facts about his life and his face got more and more shocked was great.

I liked Carter in the episode and was glad she got a change of clothes, or several of them. I didn't see any flirting or the like between her and Reese, just the usual friendly talk and him being concerned about her demotion. I'd say telling her she looked "badass" wasn't the same kind of compliment than if he'd told her admiringly how hot she looked. At the bar, she flirted with the guy who wanted to buy her a drink and was all business with Reese. I half expected a guy to be in her bedroom when she got home -- thinking, whoa, that would be a shocker! But alas, in her closet was only her own wall of crime, much like Finch's, and it looks like she's got her own agenda going and is still investigating Beecher's death and the other unsolved murders. I do worry that when she learns who really killed those two cops, some serious s*** will be hitting the fan.

When Reese in essence offered her a job so she wouldn't have to walk a beat, she turned him down, with the comment that she's a cop. I think she still prefers the idea of being a cop than being a vigilante. And she wants to bring down those resposible for the deaths and her demotion. Which is probably why she's kept Elias tucked away. I loved her scene with Elias and Scarface -- and Scarface thanking her for saving his boss. One of the reviews I read asked "is it bad that I now ship Carter/Scarface?" lol

I liked the number too. I've seen some comments around here and the web about some numbers not being as interesting or compelling... and yes, they aren't all that way. But I think the thing to remember is that the Machine tells about "irrelevants" about "ordinary people" who will be the victims of crimes, so expecting them all to be fascinating, compelling individuals or important people in their own right is kind of besides the point. This guy was honest and true to himself, as Reese said, and the Machine noted the connection he had to his less than honest buddy, thereby giving us his number. I loved finding out that Reese had his own reasons for going into the military, that we still don't know the full details on and how he counseled Salazar that when the CIA came calling, to say no.

Loved Reese's dead pan humor all through the ep. "Are you guys closed?" recalled his "have you seen the men's room?" to Anton and company back in the pilot. He was hilarious when he realized he was in the midst of a bar fight that he hadn't started. Loved the shoot out at the pawn shop -- that shot of him on the floor, legs spread while firing was one we haven't seen before. He identified with the number, again telling Finch he liked him, and he wanted to see him succeed and get out of trouble. Loved the way he complained about the nearly kidnapped diplomat's son at the beginning: "they never say thank you" and then us getting to see Salazar thank him with a handshake.

I enjoyed Shaw... I think that more than her being there to keep JC from having to do as much of the heavy lifting stunt-wise, they can put Reese into situations that even someone as skilled as he might have difficulty getting out of by himself, like the pawn shop. And her banter with Finch, Reese and Fusco was funny.

I liked Fusco being called to help and to defuse the bomb -- I'm sure they wouldn't have left him if Finch hadn't first learned he knew what he was doing. He was hilarious all mad at being a human shield for Shaw too, but I still say they make a cute couple. I think they'd be an even more adorable odd couple than Reese and Finch do.

Finch wasn't stuck in the Library, he got out and about more than once, which I liked. Loved him hacking into the bad guys' computer on the steps, walking Bear at night and with Reese as they passed by the ship and seeing him drink his boiler maker.

That leads me to saying that most of all I was so happy to see Reese and Finch together again. Just seeing them in the preview scene was enough to make me smile, at seeing our heroes on the job, back to what passes for normal with them since the events of God Mode. That's what was best about this episode, I think. Not just the two of them, but for new and old viewers alike to start the new season on its new night seeing more of the team effort and how the characters, old and new, are fitting together.

But it was an episode where the closeness between Reese and Finch was perfect. They were walking Bear together and discussing the new number. Reese teased Finch about the Fleet being in and what sailors so on shoreleave, to Finch's distaste. And they worked together to save Salazar's friend when he was strapped to the bomb (bombs are a squick of mine and this got to me nearly as much as Reese' bomb vest in Dead Reckoning). Then, at the end, they were together in the bar, having a drink. I'm not sure I totally believe it was Finch's first boiler maker -- it could be but then, I can imagine Nathan trying to convince him to drink one. And Reese's loving smile at Finch when he did pick it up! When John responded to Harold's comment about how he got into the service with that teasing "I never told you" his tone of voice did me in! So they're in a bar, doing what sailors do... what's next? Matching tatoos? They could get each other's names... wait, they don't use their real names. It'll have to be "John" and "Harold."

I am glad to see most fans enjoyed the episode and are glad to be having the show back again.