If you are remotely in my age group then you are a Terminator fan on some level. I was such a huge Arnold Schwarzenegger fan growing up in the eighties that all you had to do was make him a killer cyborg and I was indefinitely enamored with him. I did not however expect the epic grandeur that was James Cameron’s T2: Judgement Day, and it was my favorite movie/story for many years following.
So… without further hesitation, the other TV show I want to talk about is Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX – Fridays 8PM)
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (or TSCC from here on out) is not a James Cameron creation, however it stays true to the story of T:2 and picks several years after the film left off in 1999. TSCC follows a teenage John Connor (Thomas Dekker) and his mother Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) as they focus on stopping Skynet from ever happening while trying to stay out of the path of any machines sent back to kill John.
John and Sarah begin at a point where they sort of “settle” down and become comfortable… Sarah even finds a relationship with a man named Charlie (Dean Winters). Of course no peace can be had for the Connors as the first day at his new school John is confronted by another Terminator sent back to kill him, but is quickly rescued by an unlikely ally, his classmate Cameron (Summer Glau). John quickly learns that Cameron is actually another Terminator sent back to protect but Sarah and John are highly suspect of her true intentions. The trio are being followed and investigated by FBI agent James Ellison (Richard T. Jones) who is intially skeptical but slowly begins to believe Sarah’s story about Skynet and Judgement Day.
TSCC is another rare series that is amazingly written and stays consistent. You see character transformation with ALL of the main characters especially John and Cameron. Even though Cameron is a cyborg she manages to evolve and that adds to her mystique and constantly leaves you wondering about her relationship to John in the year 2027. Why did he specifically send her back. We don’t even know what model of Terminator she is! We do learn time and time again that she’s somehow unique, special even amongst the machines.
A few small down notes – the series definitely has a few slow “filler” episodes. Also, the CG effects aren’t quite up to par with what you see on other sci-fi shows, however it doesn’t carry the same budget as a show like Stargate Atlantis, so you can’t be too upset.
Those things aside, TSCC delivers on some really, really excellent writing overall, and it takes such brave turns. There are things in this series you’ve never seen before on a TV series and it really engages the viewer and leaves you wanting more. Sadly, this is another show on the chopping block. The viewer base isn’t high enough for FOX to justify keeping it on the air. Networks only care about ratings, not quality entertainment.
You can watch Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on FOX.com (in HD), Hulu.com, Netflix or pick up Season 1 on BluRay and DVD at your local retailer.
Dan Almasy 