# Why was Person of Interest Cancelled?

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- Published: 2023-11-03
- Author: Lillie Gabler
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Person of Interest was a one-of-a-kind TV show that garnered much critical praise and a devoted fanbase during its five season run on CBS from 2011 to 2016. However, despite its popularity and acclaim, the show was cancelled after the conclusion of its fifth season in 2016, much to the dismay of its passionate fans. This in-depth guide will explore the various factors that led to CBS pulling the plug on this innovative crime drama.

## Overview of Person of Interest

Person of Interest followed former CIA operative John Reese, played by Jim Caviezel, who teams up with mysterious billionaire Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) to prevent crimes in New York City. Finch built a surveillance system for the government after 9/11 called The Machine that can predict future criminal activity. Finch recruits Reese to act as his partner and help stop these crimes before they happen.

Over the seasons, their team grows to include NYPD detective Joss Carter (Taraji P. Henson), lethal operative Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi), and hacker Root (Amy Acker) among others. Together, they work in secret to follow up on the numbers provided by The Machine and protect potential victims.

## Declining Ratings Over the Seasons

While Person of Interest debuted to strong ratings in September 2011 with an average of 15.6 million viewers per episode, the ratings declined in each subsequent season.

Season 2 dropped to an average of 14.3 million viewers per episode. Season 3 declined further to 13.2 million viewers, season 4 to 11.3 million viewers, and the final season 5 dropped to just over 9 million viewers per episode on average.

Here is a helpful table summarizing the declining viewership each season:

| Season | Average Viewers Per Episode |
| --- | --- |
| Season 1 | 15.6 million |
| Season 2 | 14.3 million |
| Season 3 | 13.2 million |
| Season 4 | 11.3 million |
| Season 5 | 9 million |

So while the show maintained a loyal fanbase that kept following it, the overall audience size shrank by over 6 million viewers between seasons 1 and 5. This steady decline in ratings was definitely a major factor in CBS‘ decision to end the show, as the numbers were clearly trending downwards.

## Natural Conclusion According to Showrunner

Person of Interest‘s creator and showrunner, Jonathan Nolan, publicly supported the decision to end the show after season 5.

Nolan felt the story had reached a natural conclusion and that it was better to end the show on a high note rather than stretch it on just for the sake of more seasons. As he [told Entertainment Weekly](https://ew.com/article/2016/06/21/person-interest-finale-jonathan-nolan-interview/), _"We had the sense for quite a while that Season 5 would likely be the last season. So we were able to shape the season, and the series, to end the way we wanted to."_

He and the other writers had crafted season 5 to bring closure to the show‘s key storylines and character arcs, particularly for Reese and Finch. Nolan believed continuing past season 5 just for commercial reasons would have been a creative misstep.

### Emphasis on Wrapping Up Character Arcs

Specifically, Person of Interest‘s final season focused heavily on providing emotional resolutions for its main ensemble of characters:

- **Reese** – His storyline comes full circle as he sacrifices himself to defeat Samaritan once and for all. A heroic death.
- **Finch** – Reunites with his long lost love Grace and escapes to begin a new life in Italy.
- **Fusco** – Restores his police career and continues fighting crime in Reese‘s memory.
- **Shaw** – While mourning Root‘s death, she finds purpose in continuing the team‘s mission.

For fans invested in these characters‘ journeys over 5 seasons, the ending provided satisfying closure. As Nolan intended, going beyond these resolutions just for more seasons could have started to feel forced.

## Financial Motivations for CBS

While CBS never explicitly cited declining ratings as the reason for cancellation, industry insiders noted it was likely a major factor.

Put simply, Person of Interest was no longer delivering the strong viewership numbers that earned it its initial renewals. According to [data reported by Variety](https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/person-of-interest-cancelled-cbs-1201795532/), Person of Interest averaged a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49 during season 5. For comparison, NCIS averaged a 2.2 and Criminal Minds had a 2.0 rating that same season.

Producing a high-concept show like Person of Interest was also very expensive between stunts, action sequences, CGI effects, and filming on location in New York City.

One [Entertainment Weekly article](https://ew.com/gallery/2016-tv-season-broadcast-drama-cost-per-episode/) estimated the show‘s production budget at $3 million per episode for the later seasons. For CBS, it clearly made financial sense to open up that budget for new shows that could potentially deliver better ratings.

### Opportunity Costs

In business terms, renewing Person of Interest had become much more "expensive" for CBS in terms of opportunity costs. By using resources on a lagging show, they gave up the chance to potentially develop a newer hit show that could bring in even more viewers and revenue.

While fans may disagree, as a business CBS made a calculated decision that the opportunity costs of keeping Person of Interest going simply outweighed the benefits. The dollars and cents justified ending it.

## Natural Conclusion to Story Arcs

As Jonathan Nolan noted, the fifth and final season tied up the show‘s major story arcs and brought closure to its central characters. The shadowy organization Samaritan that acted as an antagonist was finally defeated.

Reese sacrificed himself to take down Samaritan once and for all. His close allies like Finch, Shaw, and Fusco lived on, but Reese‘s story came full circle through his heroic death.

For fans invested in the characters‘ journeys, the ending provided a poignant and satisfying conclusion after 5 exciting seasons. Many praised the finale, feeling it ended at the right time.

### Critical Praise for the Finale

The Person of Interest series finale earned strong praise from critics:

- "[A] deeply satisfying ending." – [TVLine](https://tvline.com/2016/06/21/person-of-interest-recap-season-5-episode-13-series-finale-review-samaritan/)
- "I don‘t think I could have asked for anything better. This finale was perfect." – [IGN](https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/06/22/person-of-interest-the-series-finale-review)
- "One of the most beautifully crafted and emotionally rewarding swan songs I‘ve ever seen." – [TV Fanatic](https://www.tvfanatic.com/2016/06/person-of-interest-season-5-episode-13-review-return-0/)

Clearly the writers stuck the landing and delivered a finale that left many fans and critics satisfied with the conclusion to this beloved series.

## Cast Perspectives on the Cancellation

The main cast members were understanding of CBS‘ decision and simply grateful they could finish out the story on their own terms.

Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson expressed gratitude for five seasons and the opportunity to properly wrap up their characters‘ journeys.

In an interview with [TVLine](https://tvline.com/2016/06/29/person-of-interest-season-6-renewal-possibility-jonah-nolan/), Emerson said:

> _"I think we were lucky…Actors almost never get a chance to finish what they start. In that way, we were lucky."_

Overall, the cast was greatly appreciative of the entire experience. While disappointing for loyal fans, the cancellation let them creatively bring their vision to life over five seasons and walk away with pride.

## Fan Reactions and Petitions

As referenced earlier, diehard Person of Interest fans were understandably distraught over the cancellation news. Many took to social media to express their love and admiration for the show.

Multiple petitions were started on Change.org urging CBS to renew the show. The largest [garnered over 50,000 signatures](https://www.change.org/p/cbs-save-person-of-interest), but ultimately not enough to sway CBS.

Fans praised the show‘s unique concept, well-written female characters, the diversity of the cast with minorities in leading roles, and the respectful way it handled an LGBTQ relationship between Root and Shaw.

But business realities won in the end. As one fan commented on a petition:

> _"I loved the show…but TV is a business, advertising rates rule."_

While canceling it was a logical business move for CBS, that didn‘t make it any easier for the show‘s passionate base to say goodbye.

## Legacy and Impact

While it only lasted 5 seasons, Person of Interest made an indelible impact on the TV landscape and where we are today. Its central concept of an AI predicting crimes seemed visionary at the time, but feels eerily prescient given current real-world debates about privacy, surveillance, and data mining.

The show earned significant critical praise during its run. It won a prestigious Peabody Award in 2013, with the award committee praising Person of Interest as "a remarkably imaginative thriller that reminds us that if our worry is directed outward, it can be difficult to look inward – and truly know ourselves."

Looking back, Person of Interest was truly ahead of its time. It tapped into themes surrounding technology and AI that feel just as, if not more, relevant today. While ratings ultimately led to its demise, the show‘s legacy for taking creative risks and exploring thought-provoking ideas remains.

## Why Season 5 Was the Right Time to End

Given the intersecting factors of declining ratings, costs of production, and the story reaching a natural conclusion, ending after season 5 allowed Person of Interest to wrap up its major story arcs without excess filler or fluff just for extra seasons.

As we‘ve covered, Reese‘s death provided closure to his journey over 5 seasons. Finch reconnected with Grace. Other characters reached logical endings or new chapters.

Rather than face almost certain cancellation later on and potentially get stuck with an unplanned cliffhanger finale, the writers were fortunate to walk away on their own terms.

While bittersweet for devoted fans to say goodbye, Person of Interest‘s legacy remains intact. It will be remembered as a thought-provoking, complex drama that took risks, developed memorable characters, and tapped into themes that still feel incredibly relevant today.

## Conclusion

In the end, several intersecting factors led CBS to cancel Person of Interest after its fifth season in 2016.

Declining ratings diminished the financial incentives to keep spending on the expensive, high-concept production. Meanwhile, the showrunner and writers felt the story was ready for a conclusion and finished off character arcs in a satisfying way.

By allowing Person of Interest to wrap up its major plotlines and go out on a high note creatively, the cancellation, while difficult for fans, ultimately let the series preserve its legacy and impact. The show will be remembered fondly for taking risks, telling a memorable story, and starring an exceptional ensemble cast.

While CBS‘ business interests justified ending it from a financial perspective, Person of Interest lives on through its visionary concepts, critical acclaim, and the devotion of its passionate fanbase.

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