Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles returned for a second season on FOX. The series has its ups and downs, but it has my attention. Set between the second and third Terminator movies, The Sarah Connor Chronicles explores Sarah's task to raise her son to lead mankind against the machines in the future. The series stars Lena Headey as Sarah Connor, Thomas Dekker as John Connor, Summer Glau as Cameron (a reprogrammed terminator future John sent back to help), and Brian Austin Green as Derek Reese. Here are 5 things that keep me interested in the series. (Minor spoilers for season 2, episodes 1 and 2)
Image from FOX
5) Sarah's in charge
I know we're in a post-Buffy era where strong female characters aren't so rare anymore, but regardless I enjoy how much of the series is about Sarah. It would have been easy to focus on John and his destiny, to watch the hero grow up (and that might also make for a good series), but instead we see how Sarah deals with what's going on. She can't provide a normal life for her son and she doesn't try to. Sarah is careful about trusting Cameron and she adjusts to working with Derek, a resistance fighter from the future. They all have different ways of doing things, but Sarah takes the lead. Sarah is one of the few fictional mothers that must put her son in harm's way for the greater good, and she doesn't shy away from that challenge.
4) Time travel
Time lines play a big part in the Terminator movies, and even though the writers use time travel in the show, they're smart about it. We're clear on who's from the future and from when and what they're doing in the present. Sarah, John, Derek, and Cameron are always working toward a better future, so we don't have a mess about altering the past to affect the present or the future. Time travel can be really confusing but the series keeps it clean.
3) Flashbacks of the future
This doesn't seem to make sense at first, but neither does "back to the future." We see glimpses of Derek's memories--his past, which means our future--and we also see random scenes from the future. Robot fights, resistance fighters taking out bases...They're a direct tie to the future depicted in the original Terminator movie.
2) Cameron isn't human
Summer Glau is so believable as a terminator. She's socially awkward, blunt in her comments, and always takes the efficient path rather than the compassionate one. She calculates her movements and her speech sounds unnatural at times. She's programmed to act the way she does, and it shows. The season 2 premiere showed us Cameron out of control, and as scary as that is, the insecure feeling that she could short circuit at any moment and attack John is even scarier. Glau may seem meek and unassuming, but she packs a lot of power into her role.
1) John Connor, strategist
John Connor's characterization hasn't been completely consistent throughout the series. Sometimes he needs his mother's protection, and sometimes he plays the rebellious teenager. He's been a peacekeeper but also the one to spark action. John's brilliant at times, and I love those moments when he shines, when I believe he will lead humankind against the machines. The first season finale showed John's intelligence through his plan to take out the AI traffic control network. We see John's training applied to how he talks to new people and how he moves in unfamiliar places. The Connors have a code of saying the date first when they talk call each other to ensure that a terminator isn't mimicking one of their voices over the phone. Simple things, but that's what makes their characters. I hope as the series goes on, we see John grow into an intelligent, strong leader.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles airs on FOX, Monday nights at 8:00 EST.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles airs on FOX, Monday nights at 8:00 EST.
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