Person Of Interest is one of those timeless classic shows that are great to watch anytime. If you’re looking for shows like Person Of Interest, take a look at our list of recommendations. The show has hilarious moments, emotional moments, truly lovable characters, great character development and a storyline that puts much of modern TV to shame. While the show didn’t receive as much appreciation as it should have when it was ongoing, people who discover this show ended up loving it unanimously.
The show can get a bit heavy on the technical and moral side, but for fans of Sci-Fiction and Thrillers, that’s nothing new. A lot of shows often start out strong with a first great season and then their quality falls off in the later seasons, but not this show. Person Of Interest stays good throughout the whole show and has one of most emotionally satisfying finales I’ve seen in a long time. This show is a gem.
Person Of Interest follows the story of retired CIA agent John Reese and Harold Finch, a wealthy secretive tech genius. Together they save people’s lives by using a powerful AI that track people are who are going to commit crimes. It’s an incredibly complex subject but the show handles it brilliantly, so that even someone who hasn’t heard of AI will understand what it all means. The supporting characters are all great as well and actress Amy Acker’s character Root is a standout star in the show. While, not a lot of shows can compete with a show of this caliber, here are few shows like Person of Interest fans might enjoy.
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10 Shows Like Person Of Interest
Blacklist
There’s one and only one reason to watch this show and that is James Spader’s character, Raymond Reddington. It’s possibly the best role he’s played in his acting career. It’s just a pleasure to see him at work, with perfect his perfect demeanour hiding an unspeakable amount of rage. He is one of the smartest and most dangerous criminals in the world but can make you feel at ease with a small conversation. James Spader’s character is one of the best characters to have come on TV in a few years.
The show follows the story of Elizabeth Keen whose life is turned upside down, when the highly dangerous criminal, Raymond Reddington turns himself in on the condition that he will only speak with Keen. The two form a working relationship where Reddington helps Keen catch some of the most dangerous criminals in the world, and in exchange, Reddington is allowed to go free and do what he wants. It’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for shows like Person Of Interest.
Mr Robot
Mr Robot is one of the best mystery thriller shows to come out in recent times. The show dives into a lot of serious topics in a very smart way and still manages to keep the viewer thoroughly entertained. This show is a bit darker than Person Of Interest but has its own humour to it. The acting by the main characters in this show is beyond perfect and Rami Malek plays Elliot Anderson like he was born for it.
The show has a total of 4 short seasons that are very binge-able, but considering the heavy subject matter and the dark nature of the show, viewers would be wise to watch it over a period of time. It’s a show that everyone who likes mystery and thrillers with great character development should watch at least once in their lives. Every character plays their role perfectly. Showrunner Sam Esmail has shown his brilliance with this masterpiece of a show. I cannot praise it enough. There is one episode in Season 4 which is considered by fans of the show as the best episode on TV ever made, and I would have to agree.
Westworld
There is nothing on TV quite like season 1 of Westworld. I followed the show from the very beginneing, being a fan of Jonathan Nolan’s work. I can personally vouch for the first season of the show. It’s a work of art. Each episode flows like poetry. Anthony Hopkins plays the Godlike scientist and founder of Westworld, a park filled with lifelike androids where the rich come to enjoy life with no limits.
The show explores a lot of themes like morality, humanity, artifical intelligence, what’s real in the world and what’s not. At the end of the first you’ll come away feeling confused, wondering if you aren’t one of those auotmatons in Westworld. I won’t spoil much of the show here but it’s brilliant piece of sci-fi thriller work. The second and third seasons went off the rail a lot, so I recommend watching just the first season like a limited series. I promise, you’ve seen nothing like it.
Fringe
Fringe is part Person Of Interest and part X-files combined, in a very good way. Anna Torv shines in the role of Olivia Dunham, but it’s actor John Noble who steals the show as eccentric scientist Walter Bishop. John Noble’s performance is a once in a lifetime experience and some of his scenes will bring tears to your eyes. The show is a dream for people who like sci-fi, parallel dimensions, beings from other universes.
Even after dealing with the most outlandish topics in their show, Fringe manages to keep the focus on their brilliant characters. The more you watch the show the more you will get involved with each of these characters and begin to sympathise with them. The show manages to balance, emotions, sci-fi, thriller elements all perfectly. It’s a show worth checking out for fans of Person Of Interest.
Elementary
The show Elementary is a modern take on the legendary Character of Sherlock Holmes. Unlike the BBC Sherlock TV show, which had brillant first 2 seasons but completely garbage season 3 and 4, Elementary stays good consistently good from the beginning to the end. It’s difficult to find good thriller shows that start good and remain good till the end as showrunners often run out of ideas after completing the main storylines.
Elementary follows the story of Sherlock Holmes, played by Johnny Lee Miller, who meets Joan Watson, his ‘sobriety companion as appoined by his father to keep his addictions in check. In the beginning their relationship is cold and based on mutual exchange but as time progresses thier platonic relationship grows warmer. The pair help the NYPD solve difficult crimes that are normal detectives are unable to. There are some great storylines in the show and a few good villains you won’t be able to forget and of course, the legenday, Irene Adler and Moriarty make an appearance. I won’t give away any more of the story, but you should check out the show.
White Collar
White Collar was one of my favourite shows growin up. The character of Neal Caffery as the super smart and cunning conman with a heart of gold was just perfect for this show. Neal’s relationship with his parole officer and consultant Peter Burke was just beautiful to watch. White Collar was one of the first shows that got me into watching thrillers and mystery shows.
Every character in this is great and every episode is entralling in it’s own right. While, each episode delves into a different crime, there main story arc of Neal and Peter Burke is developed really well. Wille Garson’s character Mozzie is the best sidekick any show could possibly have. White Collar is a lot of fun but also has some genuinely intense episodes. If you’re looking for shows like Person Of Interest, you can’t go wrong with White Collar.
The Mentalist
The Mentalist is a great show to watch if you want shows like Person Of Interest. Simon Baker plays a phenomenal role as the smart mentalist Patrick Jane who can read people’s minds and play many mind tricks on them. Patrick’s wife and daughter are murdered in cold blood by a serial killer after he insults the serial killer openly on TV.
After the murders by the serial killer who calls himself ‘Red John’, Patrick starts working for the California Bureau of Investigation as a consultant to get the chace to avenge his family and find Red John. While the story of Red John is streteched out a bit, the crime of the week episodes are highly entertainig to watch. The other lead, Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon is the perfect partner for Patrick Jane. The supporting cast does an excellent job and my personal faviourite is Kimball Cho. It’s a show worth checking out.
Homeland
Homeland is one of the most popular American crime and mystery shows. The show portrays war and the lives of spies very realistically. In the movies and films, war and being a secret agent are very romantic concepts whereas in reality it’s the opposite. Claire Danes gives the performance of her lifetime in this show. This show is dark but that’s because it’s based in reality.
The acting from all the cast is superb throughout the duration of the show. The show makes you really care about the main characters and the stuff they are going through. Finally, the show manages to show the bad guys, the Russians, the Arabs in a relatable and positive light and not as ‘terrorists’ or ‘commies’ to be blown up. It’s very much like Person Of Interest in that sense. You should definitely check out Homeland if you like gritty reality-based TV with a focus on the characters.
Castle
Castle is very much like ‘The Mentalist’ as a show and has a lot of elements that made Person Of Interest so popular. The show has a great pair of lead characters in Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic that you really end up rooting for. The supporting cast is also great and does a good job. While there is an overall story arc to the show, the crime of the week type of episodes are engrossing and fun to watch.
The show combines a lot of humour and genuine emotion with a lot of darkness and violence very well. Fillion’s character and Katic’s characters have a lot of chemistry. The show follows the adventures of Richard Castle(Fillion) a novelist. When a serial killer starts imitating the murders in his novels, the police come knocking on Castle’s door. That gives rise to a long collaboration between Fillion’s and Katic’s characters. This is one of the best shows like Person Of Interest you can check out.
Burn Notice
This is the last show on our list, but it’s also one of the best shows on the list for fans of Person Of Interest. If you’re looking for shows like Person Of Interest Burn notice should definitely be on your list. It’s a must watch for fans of spy thrillers. While the show is a bit old, but it ages very well.
Burn Notice follows the story of Michal Westen played by the talented Jeffery Donovan, a spy who has been disavowed by the US goverment. Westen uses his abilites as a spy to help people in need. This is almost exactly like the character of John Reese in Person of Interest. You should definitely check out this show.
