Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

[palmer_eldritch]

OK, I have not been following this thread at all, and have never watched an episode of this show -- but people keep saying nice things about it. Should I break down and go the Netflix/Hulu route and get in? I'm looking for good writing not explosions...

No, don't.  Just wait for a year or two when you'll be able to buy the complete run on DVD since it's going away.

Can't I just start the Netflix cycle of doom now and passively watch to get 'caught up' in time for the cancel? Then I only have to wait for the release of the last season.

It does have good writing, clever plots and not too many explosions. I was expecting "kind of like the movies but not as good" and I was very pleasantly surprised.

[shiznitz]

ONe would thiink that wth all the pre-hype about the new movie, there would be some curiosity about the show. Maybe the name just sucks and idiots aren't making the connection.

I would think Summer Glau alone is worth 2.0 rating points...

[Rishathra]

The name really is horrible.  I wouldn't be surprised if that was the main reason it hasn't done well.

[Triforcer]

They should have called it Terminatrix. 

[angry.bob]

And what fucking self-respcting 18-49 year old is watching Ghost Whisperer?  That show has more than 2x the viewers of TSCC.

The same 18-49 year olds who frame advance The Tux to see the two frames of JLH's tit pop out. So really, no self respecting 18-49 year old. I did rent the first DVD of season one a while ago knowing nothing about it and hoping it would have cool, scary ghost shit in it. Sadly, they managed to make ghosts, and her tits, boring.

[HaemishM]

I think they are making a serious mistake by not tying the marketing of the new movie in with the show. Both could see some serious benefits from doing so, but it's like the movie wants nothing to do with the TV show. I blame McG. I like blaming McG.

The latest episode was goddamn awesome as usual.

[Tale]

The latest episode was goddamn awesome as usual.

Donald Where's Yer Troosers? was awesome. Shirley Manson must have had something to do with that.

[Gobbeldygook]

I'm amazed they dodged such an excellent excuse to make Shirley sing.

[Velorath]

I think they are making a serious mistake by not tying the marketing of the new movie in with the show. Both could see some serious benefits from doing so, but it's like the movie wants nothing to do with the TV show. I blame McG. I like blaming McG.

I'm not sure how tying the marketing of a summer blockbuster movie to a TV show on the verge of cancellation would benefit the movie.  Seems like it would be more likely to hurt the movie if people were to get the impression that the story was tied in to some TV show they never watch.

[UnSub]

I think they are making a serious mistake by not tying the marketing of the new movie in with the show. Both could see some serious benefits from doing so, but it's like the movie wants nothing to do with the TV show.

This is a good thing, considering no-one apparently watches the TV series outside of these boards. I don't think it was picked up by free-to-air TV in Australia for this next series, outside of the prestigious 11:30am - 4am filler timeslot.

[NowhereMan]

I'd stopped watching this and have just caught up. Damn it's one of the best shows the US is putting out right now, I'm sad to hear it probably isn't continuing.

As for what's going on generally, I suspect we're seeing a second machine faction that doesn't want to see humanity wiped out. The USS Jimmy Carter bit was JC seeking an alliance and Scottish cyborg lady is their agent sent back in time. I'm guessing they've got an attitude that they're going to save humans in spite of themselves, humans get in the way and cause problems and simply can't be relied on in any bid to actually save the human race. I'm also starting to suspect that John Henry isn't actually Skynet but rather the AI that gives rise (birth?) to Skynet, the Cain. The second Cylon faction then is linked to some sort of 'Abel' AI. That's after the whole exchange between him and Scottish cyborg about Cain and Abel, possibly taking that bit too literally though.

Also they've done a really good job of actually developing characters in this series, John's moment in the hotel really stands out but Cameron's slow development has been a really interesting arc. The best moment so far being her confrontation with Riley where she finds herself not simply obeying her programming. She knows that it calls for her to kill her as a threat but she doesn't and finds she's actually got a choice, leaving her in the position of not knowing what she's going to do. I thought it was a well done way of telling it, not simply having Cameron going, "Oh I have developed the capacity for choice. I am no longer a simple programmed clock toy and choose to learn to love. Take me now John!" Instead she's stuck with the novel experience of not being forced to obey her programming (for the sake of John's wishes or a sense that human lives matter or w/e). Fuck I wish we'd seen some similar themes explored in BSG, it could have made it something much better than soap opera in space that God did.

[Hayduke]

I'm amazed they dodged such an excellent excuse to make Shirley sing.

I thought that was awesome when Savannah told her she wasn't a boy and can't sing.

[Tale]

The second Cylon faction then is linked to

ha

[NowhereMan]

Argh! I thought that then went, not Cylons, cyborgs silly. Apparently I wrote it anyway.

[HaemishM]

It worked better as Cylons. 

You know, if they'd killed that character like that on any other show, I'd have been out of there. That was one of my favorite characters. But goddamn, the episode was just so full of win, I have to keep watching. I almost NEVER know where this show is going, and that's a great thing.

As for connecting with the movie, two reasons: 1) for the TV show, it gives them some much-needed exposure and 2) for the movie, it means the brand stewards are paying attention to fans of the brand. You don't have to cater to the niche geek market, but you shouldn't ignore it. Fans of the TV show ARE the market for the movie, and vice versa. They are the fuckheads that will buy Terminator Labeled Turd in a Box.

[Velorath]

As for connecting with the movie, two reasons: 1) for the TV show, it gives them some much-needed exposure and 2) for the movie, it means the brand stewards are paying attention to fans of the brand. You don't have to cater to the niche geek market, but you shouldn't ignore it. Fans of the TV show ARE the market for the movie, and vice versa. They are the fuckheads that will buy Terminator Labeled Turd in a Box.

If you're the director or producer of what I assume to be a 100m+ budget movie, your concern isn't for helping out a TV show out of the goodness of your heart.  Fans of the TV show are going to check out the movie, cross-promotion or no.  They likely checked out the TV show in the first place because they were fans of the movies.

[schild]

I've never seen someone killed in a show with no fanfare whatsoever. That was fantastic. So, what's in the box?

Edit: I know what is SUPPOSED to be in the box. I'm just wondering if that's what is actually in the box.

[Phildo]

So, what's in the box?

Another box.  Duh!

[NowhereMan]

I've never seen someone killed in a show with no fanfare whatsoever. That was fantastic.

I really thought he had just taken a round in the chest and would be back up 5 minutes later, till we saw the headshot. Fucking hell they've got balls to do things like that, awesome.

[patience]

I've never seen someone killed in a show with no fanfare whatsoever. That was fantastic. So, what's in the box?

Edit: I know what is SUPPOSED to be in the box. I'm just wondering if that's what is actually in the box.

24 has come close. Almost.

Derek's death was rivetting in its simplicity. It actually made me feel bad Green won't be able to collect on a paycheck for his enjoyable acting.

[Fordel]

Can't he just come back again, from the future or whatever?

[DLRiley]

Can't he just come back again, from the future or whatever?

Thank god your not writing my terminator.

[Fordel]

Can't he just come back again, from the future or whatever?

Thank god your not writing my terminator.

What if I am. 

[Arthur_Parker]

I've never seen someone killed in a show with no fanfare whatsoever. That was fantastic.

Yeah I liked that a lot, my favourite episode since the 1920's terminator one.

[shiznitz]

I've never seen someone killed in a show with no fanfare whatsoever. That was fantastic. So, what's in the box?

Edit: I know what is SUPPOSED to be in the box. I'm just wondering if that's what is actually in the box.

There are more eps coming? That ended like a finale of a show not coming back.  We always knew JC would be on his own eventually.

[kaid]

Their season finale and maybe series finale is this friday should be interesting. Even if this is their last season I have to say they at least made 2 really damn solid years of TV which things such as heroes cannot say.

Still when this finally gets canned and I expect it to be canned after this weeks episode fox is dead to me and I will never again bother with anything they do.


Kaid

[patience]

You'll be eating those words. Fox has a strong tendency of producing execellent shows they prematurely end. They'll suck you back in for more disappointment. Have they ever shipped off any of their troubled shows to one of their cable networks? It would be better than immediate cancellation.

[Jain Zar]

Unless SciFi.. oh SYFY picks it up for a run, I don't see who would really want it.  Its only 2 seasons long.  2 really really good seasons but still 2 seasons.
Maybe its best it goes out on a high note.
We won't have the kind of bitching BSG ended up with to read.  (My eyes can only roll so many times dontchaknow?)

And frankly Terminator Salvation looks fucking stupid.  Pretty skies, Road Warrior esque landscapes, grouchy McAsspants as Connor.  Some giant bipedal scrap robot that would look stupid in the Bay Transformers movies?

Yeah.  Gimme Sarah Conner Chronicles any day.  Character development, plots among plots, action scenes that feel realistic, actually making sense of the whole timetravel bits. 
(Plus hot mom.  But that's just a very nice bonus.)

[Wasted]

It was written to cover three seasons from the start, it would be a crime to leave it hanging.

I read that the only reason it didn't get canceleld earlier in the season was because WB cut the license cost to keep it running to help promote the movie.  It was said that once the movie was out they wouldn't need the series anymore. link

[Ookii]

When this series is canceled my only regret will be missing the death of Sarah Connor.  I don't really think they'll cover that anywhere if they don't cover it here.

[Velorath]

When this series is canceled my only regret will be missing the death of Sarah Connor.  I don't really think they'll cover that anywhere if they don't cover it here.

...

That's because in Terminator 3 it's established that she died of leukemia (and presumably Salvation doesn't seem to contradict that at all since in the trailer, John only says that the Terminators "tried" to kill his mother).  Her avoiding that fate is specific to the TV show.

[Tannhauser]

Just watched the last two eps and Jesus, what a show!  It will definately be cancelled, Fox can't have quality TV like this for long.  For instance

At least do a 2 hour movie to tie up the show (and maybe kill off Sarah) and set us up for the movie. 

They wonder why folks stop watching TV when they cancel great dramas like this.

[Gobbeldygook]

If this is how it ends, I'm satisfied.  Given what happened to BSG when they pulled a similar stunt, death might be a mercy.

[Ookii]

There is no possible way to continue, wouldn't they be covering the same ground as the movie?

I'm glad they made it apparent that this show has nothing to do with the movies anyway, they kind of negated that third one.

[Bunk]

I am so uterly confused right now. Does one being alive not preclude that option for the other?


I am so confused.