Judgment Night
As much as I love future shocks and SkyNET, the Terminator franchise died for me when Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines came out. I need to see it again to understand why I didn’t like it so, but I believe it was more than just the fucking with what was established Terminator canon, and more because Arnold as a Terminator says, “Talk to the hand.” When a TV show was announced, I prayed for Judgment Day.
So when Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles aired, I had low expectations. I didn’t question why yet again more Terminators have found their way back in time, or why these Terminators act like smart-asses with little quips or nitpick any of the things I normally would. Because to me, this is not the Terminator I grew up with, knew and loved. Those two movies will forever be something special to me.
That said, I actually enjoyed this Terminator TV show. It’s like 24, but with cybernetics and Summer Glau, and there are worse things out in the world. I don’t love that we have to retread SkyNET territory, but I can live with it, provided I see cyborgs beating one another up each week. It’s not in the same universe or league as the original two films, but it’s a way to pass the time until the new Terminator: Salvation trilogy comes out (which I do have high expectations on). Also, I didn’t realize that David Nutter was involved, and while his track record is spotty (X-Files and Supernatural, yay — Tarzan and Traveler, boo), I still have faith. I just wish this wasn’t a network TV show, only because it feels so much like a network TV show.
Monday has just become a busy night.
Author
EC Epitaphs From The Abyss #1 Cvr D Sorrentino Silver Foil Variant (2024) NM
$9.99 (as of July 26, 2024 09:55 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
FASIGO PS4 Controller 2 Pack, Wireless PS4 Controller for PS4 / Pro/Slim & PC, with 2 USB C Cable - Black
$29.99 (as of July 24, 2024 09:53 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
OpenCritic
This show makes me wish for a nuclear holocaust. I made it 25 minutes in before i decided watching Joey Fatone host the Globes pre-show on the TV Guide channel would be more entertaining. I’m not trying to be funny.
I thought all the problem was in the casting. Summer Glau was not a convincing Terminator at all, and the other guy was a pale imitation of Arnie. Why no T-1000s?
Didn’t think the writing was half bad. I only saw Sunday night’s ep, haven’t seen Monday’s yet, and I felt like I got less than half a story, so we’ll see what comes next.
Maybe I figured out why I like Terminator the show, and hated Terminator 3 the movie:
“Josh Friedman, producer of the 2008 Fox Broadcasting television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which takes place after Terminator 2: Judgment Day, stated in an interview that the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines occur in an alternate timeline from that of the TV series.”
It’s a flawed show, don’t get me wrong. More resistance fighters sent back in time, emotional Terminators, etc. I don’t care for it, but it’s infinitely better than Bionic Woman.
Coming to this quite late. Let me sum up quickly. Love the Terminator franchise. Am slave to it. Love all the games and movies. Am of course devoted to James Cameron, and yet I didn’t think the third movie was as bad as I’d expected. Aside from a few cringes (talk to the hand being one) I reminded myself that Cameron took over ALIEN from Ridley Scott and that franchises can be shared.
I feel about T3 the way I felt about AvP and the Alien sequels. Enjoyable, but not “canon.” I treat them like novels or comic books.
Anyway, I finally watched the first half of the Terminator series and I have to say I will certainly watch more. Head and shoulders above Bionic Woman, which has no budget and a terrible lead (why didn’t they just cast Starbuck as Jamie?).
Really like Sarah Connor – jury is still out on everyone else. The Terminator should have looked either a lot MORE or a lot LESS like Arnold. This guy looks like he should be bringing me potato skins at Bennigans. I dunno.
I like Summer Glau but I never got much sense of what she’s capable of since she played a nutcake in Firefly (and I just watched EVERY episode this past week whilst playing Warcraft) and the only other thing I’ve seen her in was Sci Fi channel’s original movie MAMMOTH.
But though I’m waiting for an answer on why she has emotion, Her strange forehead and glassy expression make for a pretty decent robot. And I know she can kick some major ass from her training in Serenity – so I’m hoping they take more advantage of that fact.
Thought the action was pretty poorly directed but I do like that it took place just after T2 with very little explanation, set up the mythology clearly, and got the characters to a new place in a neat fashion.
I’m going with it. I want it to live.