In preparation for the upcoming release of Terminator: Genisys, we’re taking a look back at the Terminator franchise, today peeking at the TV show, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
A Look Back: Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day
A Look Back: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008)
Which one was this again?
The one that Fox unjustly cancelled after season two’s cliffhanger.
What’s it about?
John Connor, now an angsty teenager is trying to have a normal life but those gosh darn metals won’t leave him be. His mother, Sarah, intent on John seeing the world before his 18th birthday, drags him all over the world only to end up in L.A. where they eventually make their stand to bring down Skynet.
What year is it?
It starts in 1999, but Sarah and John leap forward into the future eight years in the first episode, so most events take place in 2007. However, there are flashback (flash-forward?) scenes of Kyle and Derek Reese in the future.
What’s Arnold doing?
He’s not in the show, and I, for one, am grateful for that fact.
Who’s he fighting?
At the time the show was filming? Old age. And California.
Best Scene:
All of season two’s premiere, “Samson and Delilah.” From start to finish the episode raced through the plot at breakneck speed. After being victim to a car bomb, Cameron’s programming malfunctions, leaving her intent on terminating John Connor.
I was also a fan of the more Lena Headey-focused episodes like “The Good Wound” and “Some Must Watch.” As is the case in any part of the Terminator franchise, John was the most annoying part of the show (however, considerably less so than his predecessors), so any story that shined on Sarah was welcome in my eyes. John Connor may be the recognizable name to the Terminator universe, but it’s Sarah who has always been the star.
Terminator Aptitude Test:
Cameron does better than most, but that is solely because of her bond with John Connor. Both she and Cromartie make use of everyday phrases like, “Thank you for your time” and “Thank you for explaining” in an attempt to seem less robotic, but it only serves to make them stand out more. Cameron employed her logic most often when dealing with Sarah, saying things like, “If you beat him to death he can’t tell us anything.”
Catherine Weaver, the liquid T-1000 model, is the most advanced in the series (until Genisys, that is) and she passes most easily for human. John Henry, however, was the most fascinating as we watched him learn what it means to be human.
Position on Time Travel:
It’s all over the place. While the complicated mess that is time travel was touched upon in the films, TSCC really delves into the repercussions of trying to change the future. Many characters are from different times and as the franchise goes on, Judgment Day continues to alter because as the characters learn more about the future, the more they change. It’s a fascinating concept, albeit insanely confusing if you look too closely.
Overall Thoughts:
I’m furious Fox cancelled this show. It had issues, don’t get me wrong. Many plots were left to die and it often moved so quickly it was hard to keep up, but as far as a TV show that fully encompassed the franchise, TSCC was it. Season two’s cliffhanger and plans for season three had me so excited I nearly drowned in my own drool. Alas, it wasn’t to be.
