CBS has finally confirmed that the upcoming fifth season of Person of Interest will indeed be its last.
“We’re extremely excited to be able share this final season with the fans,” creator/executive producer Jonah Nolan and executive producer Greg Plageman said in a statement. “We’re eternally grateful to our amazing cast and crew, as well as our partners at the studio and network. Most of all, we want to thank the show’s fans — the best fans in the world. This subversive little paranoia-inducing cyberpunk-thriller is for you and would not have been possible without your support. As life has come to imitate Person of Interest, it’s been our great privilege to work on the show for the past five seasons. We can’t wait for you to experience this thrilling and final chapter.”
All the signs had been pointing to a pending cancellation — POI in May was given a reduced, 13-episode order for Season 5, it was left on the bench for fall and was not scheduled until today. In January, executive producer J.J. Abrams articulated fans’ worst fear — that the upcoming fifth season of POI would likely be its last.
“The only heartbreak there is how much good story there was to come if it were to have continued,” he said, confirming that Nolan and Plageman were treating the upcoming episodes as the series’ last. “Jonah Nolan and Greg Plageman have done such an amazing job on the show.”
Also in January, CBS Entertainment president Glenn Geller indicated that a decision on the future of POI likely won’t be made until Season 5 airs.
POI, from Warner Bros. TV and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, was a breakout when it launched in September 2011 as CBS’ new Thursday anchor. But while fellow WBTV-produced CBS dramas Without A Trace and The Mentalist got to spend four seasons on Thursday before they were moved to another night, POI was transplanted after only two seasons. It did OK in its new Tuesday 10 PM slot, performing in line with other CBS dramas, which were picked up for full seasons in May, including Hawaii Five-O, NCIS: LA and Elementary. These shows are all owned by CBS, making millions for the company via off-network syndication deals, and will likely be renewed again for next season. POI also has an off-network deal with WGN America, which benefits WBTV.
