Sorry for the late entry on this but I wanted to put in my two cents on this series since this is both something new to write about on the tv scene and hell, Summer Glau is in it. Who could ask for more?
*** SPOILER ALERT ****
Staring off with some good news about the series starting with Lena Headey does a decent job of recreating Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor. While Lena is not as buff as Linda’s T2 appearance, the emotional and hard driven side of the Sarah character is still intact. Lena does her best to relay that weariness of always having to be on the move through her gautness and unkept low profile she needs to maintain.
The opening dream sequence best demonstrates as to why this Terminator series exists in the first place. This begs the question, if there is no SkyNet after T2, what is propelling the Connors to run when it appears at the beginning Sarah and John have a new life and home? While Sarah and John are not fully aware of the situation ahead of them, Cameron does explain in this episode that something else has taken place to continue the legacy of SkyNet. On this note, I am glad that the writers realized that something had to be explained in order to fit this show in the Terminator universe. This is where as a writer you drop this little nugget of information to lure the audience in and leave a breadcrumb trail towards the big reveal hopefully at the end of the season; if the WGA strike doesn’t end the season earlier than expected.
We get to Summer Glau…. hmmm, Summer. Just thinking about her who plays a new Terminator model that we have not seen before in any of the Terminator movies. I do have an exclusive picture of Cameron’s exoskeleton that one else has. So, if you really want to know and see it, go to the end of this entry. Next, Summer Glau’s Cameron is very interesting as she does hint that she is not like any other terminators before. A new model? I did love hearing the best line in the show from Cameron who just saved John, “Come with me if you want to live.” However, I do have this notion to tell you. Why is it necessary for Cameron to wear undergarments or as Sarah put it, “You might want to put them back in the holster,” as Cameron was repairing herself. Where did Cameron get those wonderful toys? Couldn’t she go COMMANDO???? A side note, when Cameron does fight the Terminator, I can almost see a drinking came as to how many times either one gets slammed into a wall or floor.
Next, a question to consider, who alerted the Terminator with the new alias of Sarah and John Reese (Connor)? Was the FBI agent James Ellison part of the Terminator recon team? Speaking of Agent Ellison, Richard T. Jones does a great job of not only bring us up to speed about Sarah Connor but serves as the doubting Thomas who is interest in her to bring her in. My only concern is for this character not to become another Mr. McGee from the Incredible Hulk tv series. Mr.McGee became more of an annoyance rather than an ongoing and worthy antagonist.
Lastly, John played by Thomas Dekker rounds out the cast nicely. Without sound like the whinning teen, “Shut up, Wesley,” he does get his point across that he is not the leader of the future rebellion and has no clue how to be one. This will give us a character with the most potential of growth as he matures and as the series continues. I do see a potential of John trying to sleep with Cameron. This goes back to my earlier post of Sex with Robots. Click here to read more.
Now for the bad, which is not that much in and of itself. The Terminator who poses himself as a substite teacher has got to be one of the stupidest ways to get close to kill John Connor. Since this takes place in 1999, before there was any heighten security in schools today, the Terminator could have easily walked into the school and killed everyone in sight. Makes perfect sense to me. Instead, the Terminator must have gone shopping for a briefcase and clothes, killed the real teacher, made up story to the school’s principal about replacing the “ill” teacher, then go to class, and takes roll call. What if John was absent that day? Nonetheless, John raised up his hand for attendance; this when the Terminator starts to shoot at him??? (Oh, I forgot to mention about where the gun was hidden; more on that in a moment.) What if John didn’t confirm who he was as John Reese but said, “No, I am John Meese.” What would have the Terminator done then? If we look back on the first movie, Arnold’s Terminator he would confirmed if the woman he was going to kill was Sarah Connor first. Once they said yes, they were terminated. Using that logic, John can always use this stupid jedi mind trick, “I am not the John you’re looking for. I’m Juan.” In any case, we get shades of Columbine with the gun play which I wished they used another setting to have the action take place. Oh, by the way, the Terminator’s targeting program to shoot at John sucks major ass. John gets out alive without a blemish or a nick; nothing. Okay back to the gun hiding thing. The Terminator as he takes roll call, stabs his right leg to make a long slit. This is where his gun was kept. I liked it better with this Terminator was called Robocop. Another question here, why did this Terminator keep the gun on his person rather than “in his” person or maybe, the briefcase? Next, how did this gun get in there in the first place? Later, we see the Terminator patches up his leg using duct tape. I nearly crapped my pants in laughter as this Terminator must have been from the deep South in the future. “Momma, there’s ‘nother Terminator in da house.” “‘Nother Terminator, get me that shovel.” Thank you improvised scene from Monster’s Inc. Or here is my take from Deliverance – Terminator style, “Yo’ sho’ got a pretty USB port,” and “Squeal like a dial up modem.” Thank you and good night.
Okay as promised, look below for the first look picture of Summer Glau’s exoskeleton new Terminator model.
Okay, so its not the real Summer Glau exoskeleton but rather my daughter’s Robot clock she got for Christmas. Sorry for the fake out as I couldn’t resist. Let me know what you thought about the pilot and the series.
The Monster Scifi Show 