Terminator The Sarah Conner Chronicles

[grahamthomson]

The iTunes Store is offering the pilot episode of this new series as a free download.

***SPOILERS

Pretty good stuff, actually. I was surprised. A few nods to the films such as the camera pointing at the road as they drive, and the likes of "Come with me, if you want to live".

The actress playing Sarah Conner is not wholly convincing, though Linda Hamilton's white plimsoles are big shoes to fill. Next to John Conner, she looks and acts too young.

John Conner is not too bad, certainly not as annoying as Edward Furlong.

But the real star of the show is the young teenager Terminatrix, she's a great character, enigmatic, mysterious and quite cute. The other Terminators are pretty well done as well, especially the special effects which are great for a TV show.

There's even a shooting in a classroom, which actually made me wince, what with near-recent real-life events in the US.

The plot is the usual "set things up for the series" fayre but engaging enough to hook the viewer. There are a lot of plot threads set up with boyfriends, FBI agents, the truth behind the new Terminator and how it'll fit in between the second and third films.

If you liked the feature films, then I am sure you'll like the series.

[The Doctor]

I saw this a few months ago via Other Means and thought it was suprisingly decent, so will give the series proper a try. Unusually for a SF show on FOX, it has a very good chance of surviving beyond the initial 13 episode run as due to the writer's strike in the US, it's launching when there is very little originated drama airing that isn't a re-run.

Summer Glau (late of Firely) is indeed very good as the female Terminator.

-Ralph

[Hero]

Agreed and Agreed. This show was better than expected Nine episodes at the moment to make the most of unless the writers strike lets up.

===KEN

[duffism1981]

I just caught the episode in full as forgot it was on an missed the first half hour on Thursday. The episode was better than I expected, but I found that I couldn't really get into it, thanks to the weak performance from the chick playing the Terminator. Her version of the line "Come with me if you want to live!" was so bad it would have felt right at home in a dodgy porno script. The fight scenes with the heel Terminator were just unspeakably bad and unconvincing. Hopefully as the series goes on, that she will improve in the role.

Though to be fair to the chick, and the fact that I am an Arnie fan, have to give her credit for taking up the role that the big man did so well.

Though I did enjoy the story.

[elliotthopkins]

I heard it was cancelled. My mate Kev described the pilot in the pub at the weekend. It seemed ace. Summer Glau as a female termi?

It's being slowly acquired.

Elliott.

[Dark Stranger]

Hope it's not cancelled, thought it was great. I loved the completely expressionless faces while smashing each other off walls, pure T2.

[The Doctor]

As far as I am aware, the show is still running. Ratings have nosedived in the US though the fall-out from the writer's strike means all bets are off.

-Ralph