The series revolves around a computer program for the federal government known as "The Machine" that is capable of collating all sources of information to predict terrorist acts and to identify people planning them.
A team, consisting of John Reese, Harold Finch and Sameen Shaw follow "irrelevant" crimes: lesser level of priority for the government.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 11.79 million household viewers and gained a 1.9/6 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Laskey (Brian Wiles) later meets with Simmons (Robert John Burke) and Terney (Al Sapienza) and is ordered to kill Sven "The Swede" Vanger (Carsten Norgaard), a HR member that laundered money and bids on fake items at auctions.
Price intends to leave town with his girlfriend Natalie (Jennifer Ferrin) and starts shredding evidence of his activities before his office is shot up by two HR hitmen, who are killed when Reese and Shaw arrive.
Seeking answers, Carter consults Elias (Enrico Colantoni), who explains that HR used Vanger to launder money and deposit it in offshore accounts to avoid suspicion.
Carter and Fusco (Kevin Chapman) confront Vanger in his office and find that Price got into his e-mail and made him bid on a different item, therefore the baseball was actually $4.4 million worth and he traded it away for $5.
Reese and Fusco intercept Price before he flees with his girlfriend but they discover that HR has kidnapped Natalie, demanding the baseball at the auction house.
In its original American broadcast, "The Perfect Mark" was seen by an estimated 11.79 million household viewers and gained a 1.9/6 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "great" 8.4 out of 10 rating and wrote in his verdict, "This week's Person of Interest threw some clever tricks at us, but its strength ultimately rested in the escalating HR storyline and the big ending.