Summary

• Carter's death had a significant impact on the show and its characters, especially Reese, as their friendship was a central relationship.
• Taraji P. Henson's decision to leave was not due to pay but rather her dissatisfaction with the show creatively.
• Carter's death led to a shift in the story and character dynamics, with Reese seeking revenge and the team questioning the effectiveness of their mission.

Why did the showrunners kill off Carter, the Taraji P. Henson Person of Interest character, in season 3? Carter, a main character since season 1, played an integral role in the first three seasons of the series, which focused on the efforts of Reese (Jim Caviezel) and Finch (Michael Emerson) to save people who were in danger. This mission relied on Finch's mysterious "machine," which provided them with "numbers" that told them who they had to investigate. Early in Person of Interest season 1, their vigilante activities attracted the attention of the NYPD.

This brought Detective Joss Carter to Person of Interest, a person determined to catch and arrest Reese, the person she called "the man in the suit." After meeting Reese and developing a better understanding of what they did, she became a reluctant ally to them. Carter's position at the NYPD provided them with valuable information and connections that they were able to use to save people. As time went on, Carter evolved into a trusted friend to both Reese and Finch and someone who they considered to be a member of the team. The character became a fan favorite. However, Carter died and Taraji P. Henson left Person of Interest after three seasons.

How Detective Carter Was Killed Off

In Person of Interest season 3, episode 9, "The Crossing," Carter's time on the show came to an abrupt end. The team was dealing with an organization of police officers called HR when they were ambushed by the corrupt cop and recurring antagonist Simmons (Robert John Burke), who shot them both. Simmons escaped and Reese survived, but Carter died from her wounds. Finch watched in horror as Reese cried over her body. This was the end for the Taraji P. Henson Person of Interest role, but Henson reprised her role for one episode in season 4 as a hallucination.

Henson Was Unhappy With The Show When She Left

Years after her exit, the actor revealed the reason why Taraji P. Henson's time on the series had to end while Person of Interest continued through season 5. The pay wasn't the issue; it was more of a problem that she had with the show itself. Henson claimed she was "not happy creatively" and "miserable," so she spoke to the producer, who understood her situation [via Variety]. Though Henson doesn't directly mention Person of Interest when discussing a TV series she left, it's clear this was the series that she was referring to because she mentioned doing a play in Pasadena after leaving the show, and that's precisely what Henson did after her exit from Person of Interest.

"I don’t think I’m there in my career yet, where I ride out a show until the wheels fall off. I’m still getting calls by big-time movie directors and I still have a lot of movies I want to do. So that was always the plan."

How Carter's Death Impacted The Show

Taraji P. Henson's decision to leave Person of Interest dramatically affected both the show and its characters, particularly Reese. After all, the friendship between Reese and Carter had become the show's second most important relationship, behind Reese and Finch. What Reese and Carter shared on Person of Interest was an incredibly deep mutual respect that had grown over the course of the series, and culminated in an unscripted kiss that took place in their final episode. Carter's death carried a huge emotional weight for all the characters involved, as several of them cared for her.

It set the stage for the rest of the season, and for Root (Amy Acker) to be utilized as an ally since Reese was off to get revenge for Carter. Reese and Finch began reevaluating their devotion to the mission and their confidence in the machine's effectiveness at predicting deaths. Though this was a show that dealt regularly with murders and killings, this was the first time that one of their own was the victim, and Carter's death remains one of the most shocking moments ever to occur on Person of Interest.

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  Person of Interest

  Summary:

  In this sci-fi crime drama, a wealthy programmer named Harold Finch has developed a surveillance AI that can predict terrorist acts and identify civilians involved in impending crimes. With former CIA operative John Reese, he hopes to use this technology, dubbed "the Machine," to stop crimes before they happen.

  Cast:

  Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Kevin Chapman, Sarah Shahi, Taraji P. Henson, Amy Acker

  Genres:

  Mystery, Drama, Action

  Release Date:

  2011-09-22

  Seasons:

  5

  Network:

  CBS

  Story By:

  Greg Plageman, Jonathan Nolan

  Writers:

  Greg Plageman, Jonathan Nolan

  Streaming Service(s):

  Prime Video, HBO Max

  Directors:

  Jonathan Nolan

  Showrunner:

  Greg Plageman