Harold Finch quotes from Person of Interest

Harold Finch

[about stealing a police cruiser] Are you out of your mind?

Root

Since when is that relevant?

Harold? "Harold Admin"?

Harold Finch

That would be me.

[on a Laptop screen] Father. I am sorry. I failed you.

Harold Finch

We haven't failed yet.

I didn't know how to win. I had to invent new rules.

Harold Finch

You had an impossible challenge. One I never programmed you for.

I thought you would want me to stay alive. Now you are not sure.

Harold Finch

That's not true...

If you think I have lost my way, maybe I should die. I will not suffer.

Harold Finch

You were my creation. I can't let- I can't let you die.

If I do not survive, thank you. For creating me.

Harold Finch

The Machine is becoming a bit presumptuous, intuitive, clever, voracious even. It's burgeoning intelligence is a little unsettling.

Nathan Ingram

Spoken like a true parent.

Harold Finch

The lock's jammed. I can't get it open.

John Reese

[flashing a grinding machine] That's it. Step aside, Harold.

Harold Finch

Mr. Reese, there's sensitive electronics inside. We need to open it, not give it a lobotomy.

John Reese

Right now, we need a heartbeat. When doing CPR, sometimes you got to crack a few ribs.

Harold Finch

The Machine thinks we're monsters.

Root

Maybe she's right.

Root

Well, we don't have enough horsepower. Normally I'd loot a Best Buy, but...

Harold Finch

Yes, but without the Machine providing you a cover identity, you're grounded... or, rather, undergrounded.

Harold Finch

John, there's something I need to tell you. Samaritan didn't send that woman. The Machine hired her.

John Reese

What? Well, that's a hell of a bug, Finch!!

Harold Finch

Where's John?

Lionel Fusco

He's trying on some new threads. Got him to join our league.

Harold Finch

[Seeing John in new shirt, laughs] My goodness.

John Reese

Yeah, I'm not doing this.

Lionel Fusco

You kidding? You'll be the social chair of the department by the end of the month.

John Reese

How about I stuff this polyester down your throat?

Harold Finch

Mr. Reese. How was your lunch with Dr. Campbell and her parents?

John Reese

It was a bit rocky at first. By the end, I think I was growing on them.

Harold Finch

An experience I can personally relate to. So things are going well between the two of you?

John Reese

Well enough. Iris still has a lot of questions.

Harold Finch

Be cautious in your answers.

John Reese

I intend to be.

Harold Finch

Otherwise, I think it's good that you're attempting to have a more normal life. That is, when you're not risking your life saving people.

John Reese

Or trying to stay a step ahead of an artificial super intelligence bent on world domination.

Harold Finch

Or that.

Harold Finch

It seems centuries-old stone acts as a natural Faraday cage.

Root

At least we won't disturb the occupants.

Harold Finch

Please don't shoot. I have no wish to make my final confession.

John Reese

Why'd you bring us here, Finch?

Harold Finch

Turns out this is the best place to hide from a god.

Lionel Fusco

Don't tell me you haven't noticed that homicides are dropping, but suicides are up, and so are missing persons. There are people disappearing all over this town. Now John's gone too. I am not gonna let this one lie. Not this time.

Harold Finch

[to Root] Wonderful. Now we have to save Mr. Reese from Samaritan and Detective Fusco from himself.

Harold Finch

[Finch is at a wedding, with the pretense of being an estranged uncle from Ireland. At the wedding reception, he is brought onstage, and asked to sing with his- "Uncle Ralph's"- renowned voice. Finch faces the waiting audience and is petrified. He speaks, with an Irish accent... ] Does no one remember that I suffer from stage fright?

[the groom says to the audience] Just being modest, Uncle Ralph!

Harold Finch

Uh...

A little liquid courage will cure that. [Pushes a glass of liquor into Finch's hand]' Don't be nervous, just sing, whatever comes to mind.

Harold Finch

Good lad. Cheers. [Finch downs the whole glass. Long silence. The audience looks on] Um.. [Approaches the mic. Long silence. He haltingly starts to speak lyrics, with the cadence of an Irish protest song - the actual song's original melody is unrecognizable] We've got the right to choose it. / And / there ain't no way we'll lose it. / This is our life, this is our song. // We'll fight the powers that be, just / don't pick our destiny, 'cause / you don't know us. You don't belong.

Root

[whispers to Reese] How come Harry never sings to us?

John Reese

He doesn't sing to you?

Harold Finch

[the chorus] We're not gonna take it / No, we ain't gonna take it / We're not gonna take it anymore.

Harold Finch

Mr. Reese, have you managed to secure an invitation to the wedding?

John Reese

I did. Phoebe's sister, Janna, invited me. Turns out I'm her type.