Person of Interest: The Complete Second Season

This high-concept action thriller stars Jim Caviezel as former CIA operative John Reese and Michael Emerson as computer-genius billionaire Harold Finch, who team up as freelance crime-fighting heroes on the streets of New York City. The second season digs deeper into the show's premise—namely, a secret surveillance system hooked up to a supercomputer is watching your every move, and conspiratorial organizations are trying to take control of it for their own use. New hints suggest that the machine has evolved into something resembling an artificial intelligence with a conscience, and Amy Acker guest stars as a maverick hacker named Root who wants to set it free. But the main characters remain the most interesting dimension of the series, not only for the friendship and trust that develops between Reese and Finch, but also for their wary relationship with NYPD allies, including detectives Joss Carter (Taraji P. Henson) and Lionel Fusco (Kevin Chapman), who take on a rogue element within their own ranks. Creator Jonathan Nolan (who co-wrote the recent Batman films) fashions a New York here that is similar to Gotham City, where a few good cops resist rampant corruption and an enigmatic supervillain—aspiring mob boss Carl Elias (Enrico Colantoni)—pulls the strings. Compiling all 22 episodes from the 2012-13 second season on Blu-ray and DVD, extras include audio commentary on the season finale, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a gag reel. The Blu-ray release also features all of the episodes on DVD and UltraViolet. A solid show for thriller fans who appreciate smart plotlines and unconventional storytelling, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)