Customer Reviews

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Season 1

5 star:		(146)
4 star:		(47)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I've got to get one thing out of the way first, for all those who didn't like Terminator 3. The Sarah Connor Chronicles does NOT pretend T3 doesn't exist, it addressed one of major issues in the film in its first 2 episodes. And since this is sci-fi, complete with time travel, there's no reason that history (even future history) can't be re-written.

To the folks who think the action is "great...for a t.v. show," I can only assume they haven't been watching t.v. in the last 10 years or so. There have been several shows that far eclipse what is being done in movies (Buffy, Alias, two more girl-power shows just off the top of my head).

What really surprised me about the show is how faithful it is to the first and second movies. In just this shortened (9 episodes) first season, we've seen the following characters from the films appear: Miles Dyson's widow and son, Dr. Silverman, Enrique and Kyle Reese.

As for the cast, Lena Headly is no Linda Hamilton, but her voice-overs became more and more convincing and even poignant as the episodes progressed. And of course, what sci-fi geek didn't salivate over the news of Firefly - The Complete Series's Summer Glau being cast in the pivotal role of female cyborg Cameron. And considering John Connor has been played by 3 different actors, Thomas Decker acquits himself quite well. He's less irritating than Edward Furlong, by a long shot.

If the show has a flaw, it's that at times it does feel a little too familiar. One has to wonder how long the writers will be able to sustain Sarah and John's journey, without really damaging the integrity of the film series. And I realize CGI is the norm for special effects these days, but give me a REAL metal (or at least plastic that looks like metal) endoskeleton over this computer-generated mess any day.

I think The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a fine continuation of the Terminator universe. No, it's not that rare series that's actually BETTER than the movies (OK, it's not THAT rare in sci-fi...see Stargate SG-1 - The Complete Series Collection or Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector's Set (40 discs)), but it's certainly among the best t.v. adaptations of movie storyline. With great casting, well-executed action, and suprisingly intelligent writing, it's a winner.

It's a rare thing that a TV series based upon a movie's premise ends up being as good as the show's origins: while slow to start, with a dreadful pilot and many sub-par episodes, the first series of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, over-all, became something that arguably lived up to that standard.

The show follows Sarah and John as they try, again, to prevent Judgement Day. The show follows on from the original two movies, generally ignoring the third (thankfully.) Much of the plot surrounds the character of Cameron, a female terminator sent back from the future to protect John. The show, so far at least, has eschewed predictable cliches involving the character, and often takes the viewer by surprise, from displays of dark humor to dragging the viewer through alternate displays of coldness and humanity.

Episodes I particularly recommend include "Dungeons and Dragons" and the jaw-dropping follow-up "The Demon Hand". Performances are variable. Lena Headey doesn't match Linda Hamilton's portrayal of the title character, reflecting more the post-La Femme Nikita (Dark Angel, Bionic Woman) obsession with angsty heroines. Thomas Dekker either gives the best or the second-best performance as John Connor, depending on whether you're familiar with the Director's Cut of Terminator 2. It's a good performance. The best performances are arguably by Summer Glau and Richard T Jones, as Cameron - a Terminatrix sent back to protect the Connors - and James Ellison - the surprised FBI agent chasing Sarah Connor - respectively. Glau's performance, while initially confused, provides depictions of humour and coldness that surprises or shocks the viewer every time.

This DVD set is reasonable for what you pay for, reflecting the short nine-episode run of the first season, cut short due to the 2008 Writer's Strike. The set includes a few commentaries and cut scenes. The aforementioned "Demon Hand" episode is complemented by a "rough-cut" of an alternative version, though the jarring changes in visual and audio quality make it somewhat difficult to enjoy by itself. Over-all, visual quality is excellent, I doubt you'll get much more enjoyment out of the less portable Blu-ray edition.

For all of their qualities, the original two Terminator films - at least, as released theatrically - were basic killer robot fantasies with their depth being limited to surface level discussions of time travel and anthropomorphism. Some would argue that the Director's Cut of T2 was a considerable step above this and I'd agree with them. But regardless, the first series of The Sarah Connor Chronicles managed to rise above the Theatrical versions of the movies: what seemed like another attempt to cash in on a pop-culture classic turned out to be a smart, entertaining, thought-provoking science fiction series. This DVD set is definitely recommended.

When the idea for this show was being shopped around, I thought it would not see the light of day.

A movie spin-off, to TV, normally is not going to be any good. Luckily that is not the case here.

This show takes place after T2, and follows John and Sarah as they try and survive and keep a low profile, while avoiding terminators.

One day something happens, they are spotted, and they meet a new terminator, sent back in time by John. This terminator is to protect John, this terminator is played by the beautiful Summer Glau.

This show is explosive and pretty big budget. The special effects look really good, the fight scenes are amazing, and the show has a pretty good cast. The guest stars are really good too.

After you get to episode 4, the show starts getting even better, it settles into more of a series feel. The first 2-3 episodes feel more like a big movie, then it gets into series territory, and it does a good job.


What I did first was put in my terminator blu-ray and watched it, followed by T2. I forgot how good these movies were, and how awesome Arnold was. When I watched the first episode of SCC I wasn't sure how this show was going to play out, would it be John and Sarah on the run, trying to avoid Terminators, or would it be something else? Luckily it is something else, but also some running, the show surprised me, and went places I didn't think they would go, and they do a very good job doing it. This is a pretty good series, unlike the guy below me, please view more episodes, try and make it to at least episode 5, by then you should be hooked!

The video quality is really good. I'm impressed. The audio is fantastic. I love the menus, and the show has some pretty cool special features. I sat down and watched this in no time flat, took maybe 6-7 hours, it flows easily, and is worth watching no doubt.

It is sad the show only has 9 episodes this season, but the 9 episodes are pretty good. Some of the cast you will recognize from "The Shield", "The Wire", "90210 - The Original One" and "Firefly", "The Unit", "The 4400" and the movie "Serenity"

The acting is great, Summer will send chills down your spine when you view the episode where she is practicing ballerina lessons.


This is a great show, I highly recommend it, and cannot wait for season 2 to start airing!

I must say I didn't expect too much at first. What is there to tell that hasn't been said before in the movies? And how do you create more than a couple of episodes about a mom trying to protect her son from human-like robots?
Man, was I wrong.
Of course there are Terminators all over the place and they are constantly being destroyed and get back up and what not again and again but that's what the story is about.

In short, for those who don't know: Sarah and her son want to destroy the computer network Skynet to avoid a future Armageddon. They get help from a sexy fem-bot: Cameron Phillips.
The trio is being chased by the FBI who doesn't know that the Connors are the good guys and by the machines whose existence is at stake.

It's fun to watch (if you keep in mind that most of the shot people are in fact robots...)
Lena Headey does a terrific job as Sarah. She is convincing as a caring mother, but she also manages the action very well and even looks convincing when others think she's insane. (Sorry fans, but I didn't think Linda Hamilton ever pulled that off. She looked insane all right but for the rest ...)
Summer Glau as the protective Terminator is funny. The way she moves and reacts to emotional (and other) outbreaks always make me laugh.
Some SciFi critics think Thomas Dekker too old for his role as John but I never had a problem with that. He is a terrific actor in his own right (as he already showed us in Heroes) and fits perfectly in the story.
Richard T. Jones is very good as the FBI agent who senses there is much more behind all this.

If you don't take this all too seriously (who does?) you're in for a ride.
Of course I would have wanted more episodes in this season but because of the writers strike there are none. Well, less is more. Better this way than having a few more but written by amateurs.
Blu-ray is state of the art. Also the extras are nice to watch. Of course there's a making of with interviews of the producers and writers etc. but what I really liked were the audition tapes of all the leading actors and the dance practice of Summer Glau.

The Good Things:
-Plenty of action and special effects, particuarly for a TV show.
-The drama is not bad.
-Everything seems to correspond well with the first two movies (they're making the show under the assumption that T3 never really happened...oh well). T2 did tie up all loose ends, but the show acknowledges this, and the characters have to find out how Judgement Day continues to happen.
-Characters are true to the first two movies (Sarah Connor seemed too weak at first, but she took on her usual tough-woman attitude very quickly).
-The guy playing the terminator is not as great as Schwartzenegger, but he does okay for himself, and has a few menacing moments.
-The other actors are fine.
-Some good ideas and more insight on the terminator universe (more on time travel, futuristic weapons, and so on).

The Bad Things:
-Some of it feels like the same old thing...Sarah and John are on the run again!
-No liquid metal terminators (at least not yet...)
-Some of the camera movements were jittery or hyper.
-Will we ever see the world end? This could become a very long and drawn-out saga...

Even though the first few minutes of the pilot episode had me worried, it quickly redeemed itself. It fits well with the first two films, the action was swell, and the drama was not too boring to watch. Unlike most other shows, I enjoyed watching this, and I hope to see more episodes. Reccomend watching T1 and T2 first.

Firstly, I'd like to preface this with a caveat that I'm a huge fan of the first two Terminator movies and their supplementary materials (books, games, etc). T3, however, is definitely not on my list of favorite movies.

This show wouldn't have been as successful as it's been if it had had a different cast or a different producer. The fact that the show launched smack in the middle of a Writer's Guild Strike and still manage to perform well in both time slot viewings and DVR's says alot about the quality of the show.

The story lines are very well thought out, confronting issues of not only human relationships, but the relationships of humans and machines. I think putting forth the idea that SKYNET ultimately evolved from a simple chess computer ("The Turk") is a great way of grounding not only the series but the franchise in simple reality, as well as generating a simple "this could happen anywhere" aura around the show. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I'll never look at my Dell the same way again. I'm also very glad they've avoided the "Terminator of the Week" series model, and instead of focusing on running away from SKYNET, they are making an attempt to face it. An attempt that we know will be ultimately futile, but it will be interesting to see how much of what happens in the series lays the groundwork for John Connor's eventual war against SKYNET.


I'd also like to give props to the actors, who have really taken their characters and run with them. I am a huge Firefly/Serenity fan, so Summer Glau was very familiar to me, as was Brian Austin Green. However, Thomas Dekker, Lena Headey, Dean Winters, and Richard T. Jones were all unknown quantities to me. Summer is as great as she's ever been, and has really gone from bit parts to a truly up and coming actress. Brian Austin Green has (thankfully) left his 90210 baggage behind and can now not only act, but do so really, really well. Thomas Dekker is simply fantastic, and I think the best John Connor so far.

There has been some debate about who plays a better Sarah Connor, Linda Hamilton or Lena Headey? I think it's kind of a loaded question because both women play Sarah Connor at drastically different points in their lives. Linda Hamilton played Sarah Connor when Sarah's only concern was protecting John from attack. Lena Headey is portraying Sarah in a time when protecting him is still a concern, but training him for his eventual destiny is of even greater importance.


Another point worth mentioning is that after viewing the series, I finally broke down and rented 300. I'm a huge history buff, especially of ancient greece, so hyper inflated "artistic" portrayals of actual events don't really appeal to me. However, Lena as Queen Gorgo really impressed to me throughout the movie, and I see alot of Gorgo in Lena's portrayal of Sarah. I'm not accusing Lena of being a one trick pony (which she isn't), but I believe that her portrayal of a strong female archetype in a blockbuster movie was perfect training for her to assume the role of Sarah Connor.

Richard T. Jones as FBI agent Ellison and Dean winters as Sarah's ex-Fiance Charlie are fantastic additions to the franchise. Most of the humans in the franchise are intimately intwined with the events the series portrays. Ellison and Charlie both enter as relative outsiders and their gradual understanding of what is really going on in the world of the series is a great new perspective on the events of the show. Charlie and Cameron also have probably one of the most memorable exchanges between two characters in season 1 (during episode 6, "Dungeons and Dragons")

As mentioned before, TSCC produced and aired in the middle of a WGA strike. With a season shortened to only 9 episodes, the fact that this series has generated as much fandom and hype as it has is a testament to how great it is. News just broke that the series has been renewed for Season 2, for 13 episodes with the possibility of extension to the full 22.

Also, the DVD box set should be coming out in the middle of august, according to the producers. FOX will be releasing the box set and airing reruns on monday nights starting in august, as a run up to the premier of season two.

Apparently, the suits at Fox have learned from their Firefly Folly and are finally giving a hit sci-fi series the marketing and timeslot it deserves.

To be honest, I have no clue what people can be complaining about with this series. IF you like Terminator, you should like this. There's no way Arnold S. and Linda H. were going to sign on for a TV series, so we get their capable replacements instead.

The timeline of this series is obviously after the second of the three Terminator movies. In the second, the viewer is essentially left with all Terminator entities being destroyed, and Sarah Connor protecting her 10-year old son while preparing him for his destiny. Leaving Cyberdyne Systems in ruins, they enlist the help of Miles Dyson to destroy his own research that would eventually lead to Skynet and Judgement Day.

In the Sarah Connor Chronicles, Sarah (Lena Heady) and her teenage son John (Thomas Dekker) are fugitive nomads, moving from one remote town to another in order to stay under the radar, not only from the possibility of other Terminators, but also law enforcement. However, that's not enough, and eventually a new Terminator model named Cameron (Summer Glau) meets up with the mother and son. Luckily, Cameron is a newer T800 model - obviously prettier than all previous Terminators - sent by John to protect John.

Wonderfully cast, with great special effects and acting, the story and drama follows the original storyline smoothly. Since insiders have noted that this series is in a different timeline than T3, the story-arc can be eliminated for confused linear thinkers.

It's very easy to become immersed in the plot for this series, and I'm already hooked. There are years and years between John's childhood and his ascension to "Leader of Mankind", and the only thing in between this series and greatness is a lack of imagination. The questions left by the first two movies (and even the blank spot between the second and third on that timeline) will be slowly answered, and John's formative years will vividly display how he learns to fulfill his destiny and become the wise, revolutionary leader of all future humankind.

Highly recommended for action fans.

I think this show is one of the best and original Fox has come up with in quite some time. I love seeing strong female leads and Summer Glau is obviously a break out star who plays that role almost as well as Sarah Michelle Gallar did during the Buffy years. Sure, there are some continuity issues with T3, but if you can over look that and enjoy this show for the original, fun ride that it is you should definitely buy this DVD. That way you'll be ready for season 2 next year.

Watched the pre-aired pilot about 6 months ago thought to myself wow this show rocks. Watched the aired pilot, plus the 2nd and 3rd eps (Gnotith, The Turk) and it just keeps building on the story line I look forward to monday night so I can catch the next new episode. This is one of the few shows out that I can see myself watching for years to come. All I can say is a big frell ya and a boooooooooooooya

When I heard about this show, I was both excited and angry. I always thought the Terminator COULD make a decent television show, but i don't trust Fox. They tend to create great shows and then cancel them before they can find their audience. They canceled Firefly, Dark Angel, Point Pleasant, Space Above and Beyond, and Drive (an amazingly addictive show that they didn't let reach the fourth episode). They even tried to cancel Family Guy.

I knew it would be a decent show, but i was afraid to invest myself in anything remotely related to Fox and have it taken away AGAIN. I'm still worried (Dark Angel was given a Second Season), but I'm glad I gave it a chance.

This show does everything right. I'd heard it was taking place after T2 and before Judgement Day. So i was afraid they'd write themselves into a corner with the set future of the rather awful T3. A quick time travel jump in the first episode immediately erases T3 from the Timeline. "There is no fate but what we make."

The whole cast is about as good as Television can get. Summer Glau is especially amazing as John Conner's new protector. But it is when Kyle Reese's brother is introduced that the show really takes off. Yes Brian Austin Greene is a strange choice for the part, but he really pulls it off.

We see how a terminator goes about regenerating it's living tissue when it has been overly damaged. We see more of the future (including a couple of the rubber skinned terminator models mentioned in the original film). We meet some of Sarah Conner's gun running connections from before her time in the institution. And we see plenty of Terminator on Terminator violence. What a great show.