Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009) User Reviews

Beats all of the post T2 films.

[BrickNash · 9/10 · 19 May 2018]

This show was the best addition to the Terminator franchise since James Cameron's own Terminator 2. Set two years after the events of T2, it portrayed some absolutely gripping situations as Sarah and John are in hiding in preparation for Judgement day.

Lena Heady is fantastic as Sarah Connor, and Thomas Dekker bears a striking resemblance to Edward Furlong which really adds some visual connective tissue to the proceedings. Even the "Teeninator" Cameron (Summer Glau), who I thought would be mega-annoying and drag everything down into Smallville pap territory is brilliant.

The series makes a great change in that not every Terminator looks like Arnie, which makes perfect sense, becasue it'd be a crap infiltration unit if they could be identified by facial features alone.

The downside is that there is a noticeable and pretty significant drop in quality between both seasons with the show suffering from some very poor writing in Season 2. This was most likely due to the writer's strike at the time and so with that in mind I think Fox were far too fast to cancel it. It does has other issues like some ropy VFX and some unexplained behavioural changes in the characters, but I'm certain that a third season would have ironed out all those problems. Fox probably threw away a big money maker and a potential classic.

It's sad that the show was perhaps made about ten years too early. If it had been a Netflix funded show made today then the advancements in TV VFX and a (probably) larger budget would have really beefed up the show's appeal. Having James Cameron himself as a producer would maybe have kept the writing in line too. The rights revert back to him next year so it's not too late ;)

It's a crying shame that such a great show ended so early, but regardless, there's plenty here for any rabid Terminator fan to sink their teeth into - and it's FAR more appetising than any of the post James Cameron feature films.

A show I still watch every year.

[johnh22 · 9/10 · 16 April 2018]

I won't mince words. When they cancelled this show, I was as upset as I was when they cancelled Firefly. Great show.

This series was more cerebral than the movies; I liked where they were going with the Cameron/ Allison character, exploring the machines beyond the cookie cutter origins.

I don't usually watch a T.V show I have already seen. This show is one of my exceptions.

Wow!! Awesome

[robmatthewsjr · 9/10 · 23 February 2019]

Action, suspense and drama.

This show has everything. I absolutely love it. It's shocking that a show this good only had 2 seasons and horrible shows live on.

This show should've last 5-6 seasons.

This show was excellent.

F@#K WHOEVER DECIDED TO CANCEL THIS SHOW

[fsexthings · 10/10 · 25 August 2022]

So good and easily the best sequel to terminator and T2 we ever got. Can't believe it ended so soon. Lena heady and Summer Glau in particular killed it but everyone was great.

Most underrated show, best TV ever

[artdev99 · 10/10 · 10 August 2009]

I admit I was skeptical when I saw the promos for Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles. I was prepared to not like the show.

Fortunately I gave it some time to develop itself and find its way. Dumping the T3 time line was brilliant because, as someone who has seen all the Terminator movies..T3 was junk.

Some people seem disappointed because TSCC is not one long constant chase like the movies. They are misguided and unsophisticated. One could not sustain that kind of tension over a TV season. Instead, what we have in TSCC is actual plot lines and character development! Thomas Dekker appeared ineffectual early on until the viewer realizes that we are watching a 15 yr old boy who thought he had escaped the horror of the machines for good, only to find "they are back". He is fearful, and feels incapable of leading an army. Some people criticize that portrayal. Yet, how should a 15 yr old feel in that situation? Exactly like that.

As the series progresses we see John Connor progress and become more like the leader he will some day be. One could make the comparison to Greek tragedy and the concept of fatalism where the hero can embrace his fate or try to avoid it. He begins to take chances and use initiative. This is quite entertaining to watch once the viewer begins to understand the process.

Frankly the show is wonderful. It exists on so many levels. And, to dismiss this as merely an action and explosion show is incorrect. This show is first and foremost about people. And, the interactions between cast members are refreshingly real. All the cast members give wonderful performances, even down to the lesser players. Summer Glau, a principal, is fantastic. She supplies just the right recipe of killer instinct and "ingenue" as an infiltrator terminator and the balance keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat as they watch the "machine" take on human behavior..but perhaps, not quite.

I have never purchased a TV show on DVD before and seldom have I purchased movies. But, I have purchased TSCC season 1 and have preordered the season 2 DVD. If anything, rewatching episodes, allows one to appreciate the series even more. With each reviewing, subtleties and nuances are revealed that were overlooked on first view. Try it yourself. Cue in on Hedley's one on one scenes with Dekker. They have an excellent rapport. You will see a single mom who is tightly bonded to her son and torn between the need to protect the child she loves and fostering the development of the leader of the resistance. Watch the subtle interactions between the principals when they share a scene, small glances, expressions and body language are so wonderfully communicative. The camera work takes you right into the Connors kitchen to sit among the Connors and observe the family's interaction. By the end of the first season, you will think you actually *know* the Connors.

Some here, complain that the TV show is not "like the movies". Celebrate that. This TV series blows the movies away. Because, it is the story that counts not the special effects. T3 and T4 are especially over shadowed by the excellence of TSCC

I have never gone out of my way like this to defend, of all things, a TV show for heaven's sake but, this show richly deserves the legions of fans it has created.

If this show goes away, we may never see TV this good again.

The Best Iteration of Terminator Fiction

[cbvb · 10/10 · 27 April 2021]

Yes, this show ends after two seasons on a cliffhanger, but it is the best fiction that ever cast in that universe. Sensitive, sad, and tragic - over of my favorite shows ever.

Best show Fox ever had......period

[nailz-DX · 4 August 2009]

The Terminator films were awesome, mostly the first two films. In the first it was about a woman who fought for survival but it was much more than that, it was a possible disastrous future, a warning that we as man might be treading the wrong path in regards to technology.

Terminator is just fiction but it still makes you think. Terminator 2 was much the same film as the original but now the destroyer becomes the protector, the heroes just run from a threat they aren't sure how to destroy then they do.....

Sarah Connor Chronicles was a totally different show than it's film parents, It stayed mostly in one place and they rarely ever just ran. At the shows core there was a strong drama around a son and mother and this machine in their midst. Sarah Connor is a complex woman who suffered much in life but still manages to make time for family, she fumbles sometimes in that role but that's what makes her so great.

Some people might blast the show for it's effects or it's action or goofy dialog, I think these were the shows strongest points. TSCC wasn't perfect but it was much better than anything else on Fox. I honestly dare anyone to watch every single episode that aired and see the story that unfolds and tell me that this show has nothing to offer because I would put my money on Terminator over anything else on TV not just Fox. I say that because frankly I'm tired of "Reality TV" and I'm sick of ads for things I care little about, I didn't pay for cable just to be bombarded with BS.......

Anyways, Fox has since canceled the show in favor of Dollhouse, WTF? I look at that news like this, Fox are a group of complete idiots when it comes to TV anymore but...at least the show had a chance and lasted two seasons, most shows don't even get that..... Bravo Fox for killing another show and angering millions of fans.

BRING BACK! NOT CANCEL THIS SERIES!

[Likeafrisbee · 10/10 · 17 March 2021]

Don't get why they just shut it down. Well make another try, it's been years. The creators should bring som new eyes to get more motivated with new ideas! This series was to good to end just like that. It's a "TERMINATOR" series. Terminator the moust loved action / Sci-fi movies in the hole world. Just bring som new people in on this, new writers. There are much ideas to this series to bring! Don't give up on this series!

Sometimes I wanted the machines to win...

[BBBrown · 6/10 · 21 May 2009]

I sat through every single episode of this now canceled series. Although well outside the targeted 18-49 year old graphic, I've been a sci-fi and Terminator movie fan for decades. This show thrilled on several levels but disappointed on many, many more. In the end, I found it simply depressing.

Often, I would find myself almost rooting for the machines rather than the human "heros and heroines" with their rationalizing any action necessary -- including murder -- as justified to save JC (John Connor). In doing so, they often seemed to mimic the survival plans and actions of the artificial intelligence against whom they were fighting. This dark side of "any means necessary" to justify deplorable actions as the only way insure the survival of the human race is epitomized in "24", "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and, to a large extent, the previous U.S. administration. Do we really have to sink to the level of our enemy in order to win?

I do not and have never subscribed to this view and found this series less and less entertaining each time it was presented, often tuning out in disgust at scenes/dialogs of many episodes, especially those depicting the physical and psychological abuse and torture of suspected Skynet workers/collaborators. Each of the lead characters demonstrated an unrelenting coldness with only the briefest signs of sensitivity as to what they were doing, not only to each other but to innocents caught in the crossfire. Rarely did any of the lead characters show any sense/signs of a truly moral center.

If these are the kind of people and actions needed to insure the survival of the human race, one must wonder if we even deserve to continue as the dominant life-form on this planet. I won't miss this series.

Left hanging

[jasesoft-imdb · 10/10 · 7 August 2009]

It's a GREAT pity this show has been canceled just as it was really gathering momentum. I found Season One a little hard to get into but season two had me chained to my chair every Friday night (last episode screened on Fox in Australia last night - 07AUG2009).

In Season Two the characters began to really develop and the interplay between them was becoming more and more intriguing. Apart from the three main actors, who are now excelling in their roles, the support cast is equally strong.

The story lines were developing faster and kept you guessing where the show would lead, with a twist every now and then taking it in an unexpected direction. The Season Two finale was excellent and gave the impression Season Three would open up a new swathe of story lines and begin to answer some of the lingering questions from the first two series.

This show is a winner with a great (and attractive!) cast and great story lines - which it makes it so hard to understand the shortsighted approach Fox has taken. It has plenty of legs in it and is begging for someone with some business nous to pick it up for a third, fourth and maybe fifth season! I remember how years ago Buffy was in trouble after only it's 2nd or 3rd season, yet someone was fortunately smart enough to realize the huge fan base that had developed and it went on to run for 7 seasons (and also spin-off Angel) - no doubt lining some executives pockets rather nicely.

TSCC is another one of those shows that has struck a chord with it's viewers and developed a loyal fan base which continues to grow as more and more people discover it.

One can only hope those smart executives are still out there.

Okay, but....

[henrytj · 6/10 · 23 January 2008]

First, I admit I've seen only the first hour of this show. I was prepared to completely hate it. It turns out that it wasn't so bad. The mother character is okay. Not as tough as the Sarah in the movies. Not as smart either.

About Summer Glau, well, what can one say, an intelligent athletic babe acrobatically kicking butt is always a joy to watch. But why did she start acting so mechanical once her true nature was revealed? Did her 'emotion chip' get damaged or something? Anyway I'll blame that on the writers.

The effects are pretty good for a television show. A TV show does not have the effects budget of a Hollywood movie. The TV evil terminators do seem a little dumber and less effective than the ones in movies.

But here is what I don't like, and strongly so. I also found this as the main flaw of the third Terminator movie. And that is the John Conner character. In the T2 movie John was an aggressive, strong character, if not just a little screwed up. But he recovered from surprise quickly and took reasonably intelligent and decisive action when needed. But the John in this new series, like the T3 movie, is a wimp by comparison. In the one scene in the series opener where he is chased into a parking lot by the evil terminator, he shows no tactical thinking. He stupidly glances over the top of a car and gives his position away. Then he cowers down like a frightened bunny until he is cornered and has to be saved by the others. Wait! Wasn't he supposed to be being trained from birth for this kind of thing? He shows not the slightest hint of inner strength. This character is not the resourceful, hardened, military genius of the first two movies.

All in all, it was fun to watch. There were some reasonably well thought out twists, but unless the writers quickly fix the male damsel-in-distress John character, then I don't see the series lasting. Maybe the writers intend to show him developing, but starting him out as so completely useless is a mistake.

An Honest Review

[generationofswine · 10/10 · 21 September 2018]

Yeah, I am still bitter that they canceled this.

But, I guess the good things never last. I am going to blame marketing for this, given that I remember hearing about them making a series...and then I didn't even realize what channel it was on until almost the end of the second and final season. So that could be why, but who knows.

The good news is that Sarah Connor completely and totally disavows T3. The story starts with T2 ending the movie canon and believe me we are all greatful for that.

The fact is that Lena Headey pulls off tough really well in this, almost better than...I feel so dirty saying this...but almost better than Linda Hamilton. At least, I liked Headey more in the role. She seemed to balance the mother and the soldier a lot better than Hamilton did--though she had scarce opportunity to do it in the movies.

Summer Glau is the new good Terminator and, for those of you that haven't seen it, she is threatening in this. She is small and thin and really very ominous in her role and given her size, being as believably threatening as she was is just pure talent. There is no way someone with her figure could pull that off without really knowing how to act.

And the cool thing about this is that John Connor--Thomas Dekker--isn't the savior of humanity yet and that was a big draw because even though the movie focuses on his mother, had the series lasted longer we could have seen how he developed into the man that saves humanity form the machines and I really would have loved to see that.

Alas all we have are two awesome seasons and a lot of angry fans and even though it is incomplete, it is something that is worth watching, it's fantastically entertaining and everyone does a great job.

It's worth your time, despite the disappointment of an early demise.

Better than I expected

[jollyrottn · 7/10 · 21 August 2022]

The actors are great. Richard Jones and Brian Green are awesome. This might be the first time I ever empathized with an FBI agent on any show or movie since The. X-Files.

Overall the show starts off a bit wooden but picks up after a few episodes, and is definitely better than that horrible thing called Dark Fate.

Could have been a great show. But it's not.

[SyberianStorm · 4/10 · 22 March 2009]

I usually don't write reviews online, but Terminator is one of my favorite franchises out there and this series not being as good as it could have been, irks me enough to write one.

Simply because, this show could have been great. Really great. Unfortunately, it's not. I don't really know why, since there are tons and tons of source material to work with, good and bad.

Season one was quite decent. It was basically a plot hole fest, but an entertaining one at that. Full of inconsistencies (like Cromartie's metal head successfully making a time travel, Cameron's changes in behavior, etc., I could go on, many have already pointed them out), but nonetheless, there were enough action scenes and plot events that kept the pace and managed to not lose the viewer's attention. The... "jokes" stung in here and there were dumb, but at least made you laugh, because they seemed so uncharacteristic (think "class dismissed").

Season two started decently, not faultless, of course, but there were a few episodes that were entertaining to watch, even by themselves (for instance, episode 1, 5 and 12). Then it dove into empty, useless drama with lots of sulking and little meaningful conversation. Starting from episode thirteen, it was a real pain to watch, everything dragged on, nothing worthwhile happened. The problem is not the drama itself, the problem is trying to turn an action based concept into drama alone, with nothing to make it move forward. Characters just walk into a room, they talk about something, then head into another room, talk again, and that's it. And even when they talk, they say basically nothing. A few examples:

Jesse: What does different mean? Derek: Different means different.

Cameron: I don't know what I was going to do. John: What do you mean you don't know what you were gonna do? Since when do you not know what you're going to do. Cameron: I don't know.

It's nonsense. When people talk on screen, they should say things that make sense. They should reveal previously unknown information about themselves, the plot, or something that makes the whole thing go forward. That's what talk is for. If you don't have that, you won't understand what's going on, it will become boring and silly after the first sentence.

Many have criticized the acting of the series. Well, we don't get to see the same level of acting we saw in the feature films, that's for sure. But I think that's a lot more because of the badly written plot and dialogue than the inability of the actors. Lena Headey is no Linda Hamilton, but I don't think she couldn't play Sarah Connor more rough, if the way the story was written would allow it. Thomas Dekker could play John Connor a lot more characteristically, but again, if you're given a dumb set-up and plot with dumb dialogue, you can't make it all turn out well. Summer Glau plays Cameron faultlessly, as faultless as the plot allows. She could be a very interesting character in her own right, but she is also given dumb, "freakish" lines and things to do on the screen (not to mention being the series resident eye-candy). The same could be said about the rest of the cast. They could do better, were they allowed.

After having examined the outside, let's dig a little deeper and see about the inside. Here I experience more major problems with the concept.

The original message of Terminator is long lost. That human beings should not hurt and destroy each other. They should not spew hatred, because it can lead to the eventual creation of a sentience that would want to annihilate them all (Skynet). That humans should learn to trust each other, to work together, to shape their destinies for the better (there is no fate but what we make). And even a soulless Terminator could learn how important that was. Sarah Connor, who hated that machine, could learn to trust it. You get the idea.

Here, you don't get even a glimpse of that. More people die in one single episode than in the feature films altogether. Like it was that meaningless. And you see the main bunch constantly telling each other off, threaten each other, then run off in distrust. John matures somewhat along the progress of the show, but eventually, I couldn't say he is all the better now than he was at the beginning. Just different. The others are the same as they started. Cameron, who has one of the "most advanced learning computers" in her head, hasn't learned a single damn thing since the start. Instead of settling differences and talking things through straight, the characters say nothing to each other, don't answer questions, just sulk and act emo and depressed. If that is to make the series serious... well, it doesn't. Saying coherent things, overcoming obstacles and fighting off weaknesses through sacrifice would make it serious.

Just a little character development and wits would do the trick. Like with Cameron's malfunction, they could've stuck her chip in an interface and tried to repair the damage that way. Could have been an interesting insight to her "mind". Or leading things in a way that Derek eventually starts trusting Cameron. Or Sarah and John could learn to rely on each other more. You could write a long list (or try Yukito Kishiro's Battle Angel Alita to see how it should be done; it's an excellent cyborg story, with the main heroine strangely resembling Cameron/Glau)

Anyway, if you're pondering on to see the show or not, I'd say give it a go. It has a few good moments that are fun to watch by themselves. But it's definitely not the kind of thing you pick for a weekend-long movie marathon.

Go Cameron! It's your built day!...

[Chalice_Of_Evil · 9/10 · 8 August 2008]

Despite what some others have said, the series with the too-long name DOESN'T "crap all over the movies" it was spun off from. It actually *builds* upon what has come before and expands the universe that was set up in the first two films (having the good sense to pretend as if the dismal T3 never happened). No, it's not quite like the movies, but that's a *good* thing (since this IS a series, and thus it requires story arcs that can play out over the course of a whole season).

As the infamous Sarah Connor, Lena Headey does one hell of a job picking up where Linda Hamilton left off. She might not be exactly like the movies' interpretation, nor should she be. This is a reinterpretation of Sarah Connor, and Lena gives it her all, doing the character justice. She fits the role well, is believable and manages to perfectly balance Sarah's toughness and leadership role with that of a protective mother who'll do anything to keep her son alive. She's edgy, she's intense, she kicks major butt, but also conveys Sarah's vulnerability (not to mention the weight of the world that she carries on her shoulders) in a nicely nuanced performance. Her portrayal of Sarah Connor makes you believe in this tough-as-nails mother and you're on her side every step of the way. I feel a bit sorry for Lena, though - the fact that she has to deliver those pesky voice-overs each episode (as well as a ridiculously long "Previously, on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles..." at the start of each episode. Surely they could've shortened it to just simply "Previously..."). The voice-overs do wear a bit thin eventually (especially when Sarah's referencing something totally obscure), but then sometimes they're extremely relevant to the story and thus their inclusion is justified.

"Isn't there some guy? Some guy who's meant to save the world or something?" I hear you ask. Ah yes, John Connor. As the future leader of the human resistance in the war against Skynet, one might not have expected him to be so...emo. Thankfully, though, he's not TOO heavy on the angst. He's actually a damn sight better than both the whiny interpretations of the character that have come before. While he *does* still whine on occasion, he's much more accepting of his destiny than we've previously seen. It's great to see him learn and grow, as his mother trains him and teaches him life lessons in Not Getting The Human Race Slaughtered. Thomas Dekker admirably portrays the troubled young John, and his interaction with his mother is what keeps the series grounded. They have their ups and downs, but what comes across most clearly is how much they care for each other and that they would quite literally move heaven and earth to keep the other one safe. It's one of the strongest mother/son relationships in a series that I've seen a good long while. The excellent chemistry between the two actors is immediately evident, and it's because of this that their interaction on screen comes across as so believable.

As John's other female protector in the series, the multi-skilled chameleon, Summer Glau, proves to be the series' greatest asset. She brings considerable emotion and depth to what is...essentially...a robot. "What's a robot doing, showing emotion and depth?" you may ask. Good question. They explain this within the first two episodes. Cameron Phillips (her first name obviously being a nod to the creator of the franchise, while her last name may well be acknowledging the tool used to put her together on her 'built day' - the Phillips head screwdriver) is more than just a machine. We saw in T2 that Arnie was capable of "learning" things that John taught him, and this time around they've taken it a step further. Not only is she capable of eating chips and picking up lingo (her favourite phrase being "That's a tight present."), but she's also far better at remaining inconspicuous - when attending high school with John - than big old Arnie could have ever been. That's not to say that she doesn't come off as slightly odd to those around her. Almost everyone notices there's something a little 'off' about Cameron, but it's not enough to blow hers and John's cover as siblings.

Summer Glau continues to impress and show off her incredible range, bringing so much more to this role than one might expect. Just with her eyes alone, she conveys SO much. Her deadpan delivery of lines is what oftentimes provides the most laughs in the series, while her relationship with both mother and son taps into the heart of the series. Here we're presented with this machine...but what if there were more to it than that? Whilst she's regarded as one of the "heroes" of the series, Cameron never lets you forget what she was built for. Equal parts chilling and heroic, Cameron is an integral part of the show.

The series shows great potential with its story lines and looks to be expanding the universe even further in Season 2. The first season (which was tragically cut short by the writers' strike) showed a lot of promise and will hopefully only get better as the series continues. If you are willing to accept the fact that this is a different animal to the movies, you should be able to sit back and enjoy.

This show is UNDERRATED -- Definitely Great TV

[ThomasJeff · 10/10 · 10 March 2009]

I read all the bad reviews, and watched all the episodes. Trust me, the people giving it bad reviews watched only the pilot or two episodes and gave up too quickly. The show evolves and gets much better than the first few episodes. The plots are exciting, much more than Fringe (which can be disgusting and predictable) or even Dollhouse (which can be too unrealistic), two shows that I also really like this season.

I'll tell you something, I never bought a DVD for a TV show in my life, this is the first time and I've watched every popular show imaginable. This show has great plots, dialogue, and layered meanings and themes hidden within the show. If you liked any of the terminator films, you'll absolutely love this show. If you like any scifi or action TV shows, you'll definitely love this show. Just don't expect it to be like the Terminator movies with humongous budgets and explosions (yet it has quite a lot in each episode).

The Terminators portrayed in the series are amazing. The evil terminator seems so robotic and yet its ability to trick humans is wonderful. The complexities of the terminator characters are very entertaining.

Summer Glau is probably the BEST terminator ever. I love Arnold but she really makes the terminator seem realistic (why would a genius AI infiltrating humans send a bodybuilder? They'd send a little girl!!!).

The AI development storyline for Skynet is intense, alluding to chess was a great idea.

Sarah Connor played by Lena Headey, is very realistic. A very imperfect but tough woman who is on the verge of insanity--yet still tries to behave like a mother. She goes through some tough struggles.

John Connor sucked in the first few episodes, I'm sorry, but resistance are not "laid back, mellow, irrational, teenage delinquents"-- Don't worry though the character evolves into a fearsome resistance leader and engineer. He also struggles with trying to be a normal person and accepting his destiny (quite realistic).

Cromartie, the terminator who tries to kill John, played by Garret Dillahunt is an excellent actor (you probably seen him in Last House on the Left).

Important: The season finale of the second season was probably one of the best season finales I have ever seen in any TV show. It's definitely worth every penny, I really think you will be entertained, especially if you loved Terminator films.

Shouldn't have cancelled the series

[leosp-29225 · 10/10 · 12 June 2022]

After Terminator 2,the quality of the movies have gone downhill. This series was a sequel to Terminator 2,showing John and Sarah trying to escape from new terminators and the government as well. This series did right everything the sequels failed to do. A serious plot with John and Sarah being persecuted not only by the terminators but the government as well,amazing villains like Cromartie, good female Terminators like Cameron and Weaver. They should have given this series a last season instead of cancelling it,such a wasted potential.

Does what T3 failed to do.

[Alexander_Anderson · 9/10 · 17 August 2007]

First of all I would like to begin by stating that I actually enjoyed Terminator 3. I know that there are a lot of haters out there but I do not count myself as one of them. I enjoyed the movie for what it was. However, as a die-hard Terminator fan I believe "enjoyable" is an underachievement for a franchise as great as the Terminator series. Terminators 1 and 2 were classics, and the third instalment fell a little short.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles however evokes a feeling which was strangely lacking in T3. Excitement. The idea of ignoring the events of the third movie, which this series seems to be running with, seems a wise move. I enjoyed every moment of the pilot immensely.

Although a little sceptical before I watched the pilot, Lena Headey and Thomas Dekker are cast well as Sarah and John Connor. Initially I didn't believe either had the right look or attitude to play characters portrayed so well by Linda Hamilton and a young Edward Furlong. However I was gladly mistaken. Headly does Sarah Conner almost as well as Hamilton, a high praise if there ever was one, and Dekker plays the reluctant leader with credibility. I see both actors growing into their roles more with each new episode. The main highlight in my opinion was Summer Glau in her role as Cameron. She portrays her character with a grace and beautifully understated performance which is refreshing, and more believable and engaging than Kristanna Loken's performance in T3.

All and all, the pilot was a great beginning to the series with some nice surprises and a lot of action. It may have a few teething problems as all new shows do, but with a little bit of polish before it airs it will be a very strong beginning of a new journey for this classic franchise. Lets hope Fox shows some common sense for once and holds onto this one.

Pilot gives mixed feelings

[BenNicholson123 · 7/10 · 30 March 2008]

With a series as epic as Terminator it will be hard for the TV-series to live up to the standard set by the first two movies. That said it does a good job.

Ill start with Summer Glau, because she is by far the best and most interesting character. Shes the best actress and portrays the emotionless and unstoppable Terminator very well. I was worried in her first scene, but she definitely has turned into the beginnings of a great character.

Lena Headey as Sarah Connor... is nothing like the original Sarah, but she plays a hardheaded and brave (if foolhardy) mother pretty well. Other than that i cant say much at this time, shes not bad, not at all... but shes yet to prove herself.

My big problem is with Thomas Dekker. I cant stand his teenager noncy bull. Its like he is out of a scene from High School Musical, all his acting stinks of teenage rebel, and not in the interesting way, in the way that makes you want to throttle him. The writers made the mistake of trying to use him to appeal to the 14 - 16 crowd, and it kinda ruins the show.

Im hoping in later episodes he will man up, mature up, and act like the hero hes supposed to be. Right now hes just a moody child, which i don't think is logical to the story due to his upbringing.

Other points: The bad-ass terminator sent to kill them... seemed a bit too bad-ass. Its better when they have no emotions, this guy is just arrogant. Which adds to the clichéd feel. Other than that hes okay.

Though it starts off like T3, its definitely not the same story. Ill be interested to see how it moves on.

Plot holes due to time travel are a given. They were rife in the original series, and they are here. They are obvious if you look for them, but honestly it doesn't ruin the show. Maybe some questions will be answered later... but its not necessary.

So there's my views. Good potential so long as they don't pander to kids, and focus on the fact that its a grown-ups series.

Very good

[mbuzanova · 10/10 · 4 November 2019]

Sorry, I'm from Russia, I write through a Google translator. This series is a great continuation of the legendary films. He closes many questions thanks to the long airtime, unlike films. It is unfortunate that it is closed on such a note. I would like to continue.

I have mixed up feelings about this show

[fairdraconica · 6/10 · 28 September 2022]

As a life-long fan of pre-Genesys Terminator films, I finally decided to watch this show, not expecting much from it. I totally enjoyed season 1. I, normally, don't warm up to new characters easily, but I did like Cameron, Charley and, to a lesser degree, Derek. Cromartie is a very interesting antagonist, too. But season 2 wasn't so enjoyable to me. Some parts looked ridiculous, like the episode where Cameron forgets she's a cyborg, which, in my opinion, interferes with her, otherwise pretty interesting, character development. Another thing... I have nothing against religion, but there's time and place for everything, and forcing it on AI is definitely not it. Completely unnecessary. What also made me feel bored and, at times, annoyed were the characters of Riley and Jesse. I understand it's a human drama, apart from being sci-fi, but there are just too much of these two, and I'd rather see more scenes with Skynet, cyborgs, etc. We were supposed to start feeling for these new characters, understand them better, and how it all ended for the two was, for once, not boring, but by the time it happened I was already tired of them. And, finally, John Connor seems to forget at times that he's already had a cyborg protector and companion before. I wish it was mentioned more, because how on Earth can you not think about it? Why not remember him now and then in a conversation, and maybe compare him and Cameron in some situations? For example, in T3 (as flawed as it is) John remembers his T-800 (aka 101) from T2 very warmly; he's such a big part of John's life that it leads to a tragedy in the future, because the great John Connor loses his cautiousness. But in the long hours of The Chronicles he's barely mentioned at all. Why couldn't they give more of that iconic character to nostalgic fans? I give this show a 6, because I can tell they did try. And, of course, I appreciate that they didn't destroy and re-write everything that came before it (unlike the abominations called Genesys and The Dark Fate).

The only Terminator Project Worth Your Time After Judgement Day.

[DYouKnowWhatIMean · 10/10 · 1 December 2021]

Skip: Rise of the Machines Salvation, Genisys, & Dark Fate

Those films aren't worth your time. Watch:

Terminator, Terminator 2 Judgement Day, & Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles

This is the true sequel and a worthy successor to the two great films. The only problem with this series is that it was canceled before its time and ended on perhaps the biggest tease for a future season that you could possibly think of. It really guts me that we didn't get to see the future they promised in the final minutes of the finale here.

The acting is good, it's filled with fun action, the effects are a little dated, but you know what? Just enjoy the ride, as brief as it will be.

just a pilot but already repetitive

[Miles-10 · 6/10 · 14 January 2008]

I know its' just a pilot and the show might yet find its legs, but the first episode, while enjoyable was very indebted to the clichés of the movies. Summer Glau quotes Michael and Arnold's lines ("Come with me if you want to live.") and actions (naked Summer like naked Arnold gets the attention of three punks whom she beats up so she can take their clothes.) and then there are some nice wrinkles about time travel. The FBI agent chasing them probably doesn't know what's really going on but who knows what he's keeping from the cops he persuades to help him track Sarah Connor and company. I hope I still care in a month, but I might not.

My Initial Review...

[Bello-4 · 5/10 · 13 January 2008]

First let me say this. I enjoy Terminator and didn't hate the pilot episode. I don't worship it, but I enjoy it as much as most fans. When I heard that Terminator was coming to television as a weekly series I was instantly curious of the storyline and quality as the movies and mythos are such that a series is a very tall order. Well if I had to phrase things then I'd say that the pilot, while good, fell several inches short of being tall.

First the cast. Lena Headley and Thomas Dekker are good enough as Sarah and John Connor. I've got no trouble with them. Lena Headley brings a believable routine of life but also caution to Sarah. While Thomas Dekker brings a believable portrayal of John having moved from T2's almost enjoying the excitement to years later the weight of his predestined life overbearing him. The reluctant hero as they'd say. I love Summer Glau, I'm an avid fan, and think that she's an interesting choice to actually be a terminator. Understanding that terminators likely come in different shapes and sizes to avoid being instantly singled out, I still can't be bias and so I feel that she's perhaps to small against the beefy bad terminator played by Owain Yeoman the way she's thrown around like a doll. I also had trouble with how she acts to human, not enough monotone in my opinion, to make you initially curious. Regardless of how advance she may be she needs to deepen her voice and no longer apologize like she did to John in the pilot for "lieing" to him. She lied in order to get close to him, it's what she does. However I remain open minded, and knowing her range of abilities as an actress from Firefly and Serenity, I'm more than willing to give her a chance, cause it was only the pilot episode and I gave that same chance to Sarah Michelle Gellar, whom I had never heard of before, as Buffy Summers and Katherine Heigl in Roswell whom I thought would just be T&A after a few episodes, and Shiri Appleby also in Roswell whom I had only ever seen before in two episodes of Xena Warrior Princess!

Owain Yeoman I don't like. He needs to be more cold, more machine. Right now he's trying to hard. Robert Patrick as the T-1000 exuded both those attributes in spades while having a lot more wicked fun. He needs to take some lessons and get some memorable lines of which I only heard one while he was shooting up the school.

Understand me when I say I did like the pilot overall. It could have been better, but hey it's only the pilot episode. I already do like how the writers and producers acknowledge that they intend to stay away from the terminator of the week, meaning we'll see other stories and developments. I also like how Summer as Cameron Phillips uses her computerized brain as much as her indisputable brawn. And this time around, it looks as if future John Connor has sent back what could amount to caches of materials that can be used in their fight and flight in future episodes. As the series develops it'll be interesting to watch how things coalesce and what the writers can come up with. Let's just hope that they can stay original, stay away from the mundane, and that the fans are willing to give this show a chance and not savage it because it may not be T2 in quality on a weekly basis.

KB

Fond memories 12 years later.

[stevescoundrel · 9/10 · 14 June 2021]

I loved this show and its terminators, and it's amazing that I still think about it (the characters pop into my mind) over a decade later. So it's ironic that I found its flashbacks in time as too many and the one dull part of the show. Otherwise, it was a solid 10 and I don't know how it got cancelled. Were the ratings that bad or were the deciders pushing their new lame plaything? (The way it seemed.) I just saw Shirley Manson's band released a new album. Garbage, rightfully, didn't go to waste.