Leave it to J.J. Abrams to distill post-9/11 paranoia and fear and turn it into great television.

In "Person of Interest" (9 tonight, CBS), Jim Caviezel is a former CIA agent with a mysterious past who ends up working for Michael Emerson, a scientist who has developed a way to see when crimes are going to be committed. The system lets them know who will be the victim, but not when or why. That's for Caviezel's character to unravel. Taraji P. Henson plays a cop trying to figure out what the heck is going on.

Caviezel channels Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry; he kick butts effectively and speaks with economy. Emerson is quirky and fastidious. This is the best odd couple of the season.

Abrams has hurt me before after developing a show with a great start ("Alias"!!). Please, please let this show stay as excellent as the pilot.