Person of Interest Season 6: Why The Show Was Cancelled

When Person of Interest was canceled after season 5 because CBS no longer profited from it, there were plans for a season 6 story. The action-thriller series was based on the concept of artificial intelligence called The Machine, which could predict murders.

It provided "numbers" to its creator, Harold Finch (Michael Emerson), which would point to a "person of interest", who could end up being the victim or the perpetrator. For each case, the main characters would have to discreetly investigate. Person of Interest was unfortunately canceled after five seasons, but it wrapped up lingering plot lines.

In the Person of Interest series finale, Samaritan was finally defeated, and John Reese (Jim Caviezel), who was one of the show's two leads, sacrificed himself to save Finch. In the end, Finch got his happy ending. Also, a twist in the closing minutes brought back the Machine, with Shaw (Sarah Shahi) teased as someone who could follow in Reese's footsteps.

Since the writers and producers were aware that season 5 could be the end, they created a fitting conclusion. Viewers, however, still wonder why the show did not last beyond season 5 despite being incredibly ambitious.

Why Person of Interest Was Canceled After Season 5

Person Of Interest Was No Longer Profitable

Person of Interest was undoubtedly a hit for CBS, as it raked in well over 10 million viewers in its first three seasons. Ratings fell after season 3 to 8-10 million viewers. Its numbers for season 4 hardly justified axing the series, so the news that the show was ending came as a surprise to fans.

Les Moonves, who was the CEO of CBS at the time, explained what happened with Person of Interest in multiple interviews. The series was owned by Warner Bros., and as Moonves has said, owning shows is incredibly important when it comes to profit.

It was said that CBS didn't profit off of Person of Interest as much as they would have liked because a great deal of the ad revenue went to Warner Bros.

If CBS had 100% ownership of Person of Interest, they would have controlled the revenue, and there's a good chance that they would have kept Person of Interest going for season 6, and perhaps even longer. However, since CBS no longer made as much of a profit from Person of Interest, the network pulled the plug on the series.

What Person of Interest Season 6's Story Could've Been About

Season 6 Would Have Expanded Season 5's Story

If Person of Interest season 6 did happen, the events that occurred in season 5 wouldn't have been compressed into a 13-episode arc, as showrunner Greg Plageman has admitted [via IGN].

The story with Elias (Enrico Colantoni) and the battle with the evil A.I. Samaritan could have gone on longer, and it's quite possible that some of what happened in season 5 may have been reserved for season 6's story.

An additional story that could have played out in season 6 relates to comments made by Plageman, who talked about the idea that "backups" of the main characters lived on in the Machine. This was discussed in season 5 by Root (Amy Acker), who believed that dying wasn't the end.

The concept that a character's "memory" lived on forever is something they likely would have explored more deeply, given a chance. Plageman has said that this could have led to "some fairly loopy quests" in future seasons.

Person Of Interest's Cast Members Weren’t All Ready To See It End

Michael Emerson Felt The Final Season Never Slowed Down

TV cancelations often happen unexpectedly. While the writers might have had time to wrap up the Person of Interest storylines in season 5, the ending was still abrupt for the cast. Michael Emerson pointed out in an interview (via Celebrity Cafe in 2016) that the cast didn’t find out until right before the news broke to the rest of the world.

According to Emerson, they learned of the impending cancelation when the show wasn’t part of the CBS Upfront presentation following season 4. Upfronts allow networks to present their new slate of shows and tease different storylines so that advertisers can decide which shows to pay for commercial time in.

Emerson, like the rest of the cast, did eventually learn that the show would get a season 5, but he told the outlet he “wasn’t quite ready” to see the show end despite the grueling pace of shooting the episodes. He also didn’t feel like he was heading toward an ending while shooting that final season.

Emerson remarked that he was “surprised” while shooting because he kept expecting the pace to wind down, but the final season packed a lot of conflict and action into those 13 episodes, making the final stretch non-stop. Though Michael Emerson was proud of the work put into the series, working on season 5 of Person of Interest flew by, and he would have liked to see another season.

Person Of Interest Has Found New Life On Streaming

Person Of Interest Is Available to Stream On Freevee

In the past, if a television series was canceled, it typically meant that a person would have to wait for the show to be released for rental or purchase in a physical medium, like DVDs. Thanks to digital platforms, it’s become a lot easier for TV fans to find new shows to binge or even slowly digest over the course of the year. That’s true for Person of Interest as well.

While Person of Interest had a dedicated fanbase during its run, new fans have also been able to find it on digital platforms. Right now, the show is available to purchase on digital outlets like AppleTV, but fans just hoping to find a unique crime drama to watch are able to find it on Amazon’s Freevee.

Freevee has been a great way for people to find new shows that aren’t truly “new.” It’s Amazon’s free version of a streamer, supported by ads. This means new viewers will not have to pay to watch Person of Interest nearly a decade after it has finished airing.

What The Person Of Interest Cast Has Done Since It Ended

Most Of Its Cast Members Have Continued Working In Television

Since Person of Interest was canceled in 2016, the main cast has remained active in the entertainment industry. All the main cast members have gone on to a variety of different projects. Kevin Chapman, for example, has appeared in a slew of other TV projects since, from shows like The Punisher to The Equalizer to NCIS.

Jim Caviezel, best known before Person of Interest for playing the Biblical figure Jesus in The Passion of The Christ, is set to revisit the role soon. A sequel has been in development for years called The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection.

Caviezel has also appeared in the western The Ballad of Lefty Brown, narrated the documentary Onyx: Kings of the Grail, and appeared in the controversial drama Sound of Freedom.

Michael Emerson, who had appeared on Lost for four years before jumping into Person of Interest, took on fewer roles with a long-term commitment right after the series ended. He appeared for an arc in the CW’s Arrow and for another in Mozart in the Jungle.

Emerson also voiced a character in the video game Crucible before returning to a main role in the television series Evil. In 2024, he also appeared in Fallout as Wilzig.

The relationship between Root and Shaw became an emotional touchstone for fans of Person of Interest in the later seasons, and both Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi have spoken at length about loving the roles. They also, however, have both moved on to plenty of other projects since Person of Interest ended.

Acker was one of the leads in the X-Men-inspired series The Gifted and has remained a TV mainstay with roles in shows like God Friended Me, All Rise, 9-1-1: Lonestar, and The Watchful Eye. Shahi was the lead in a pilot for an updated Nancy Drew series, but it didn’t get picked up.

She moved on to roles in Chicago Fire, The Rookie, Sex/Life, and the DC movie Black Adam. Shahi also appeared in the Amazon movie Red, White, & Royal Blue.

Though Person of Interest's cast might have all wanted to return for season 6, they’ve kept themselves quite busy since the series ended. In the age of reboots, sequels, and prequels, though, it is always possible that they could see a reunion in the future.

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  Jim Caviezel

  John Reese

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  Harold Finch

Person of Interest: Released in 2011, Person of Interest follows former CIA operative John Reese, believed to be dead, as he partners with reclusive billionaire Harold Finch. Together, they use advanced surveillance technology to preemptively address violent crimes in New York City, working outside traditional legal frameworks to deliver justice.