Sarah Connor-related stories
Posted May 22nd 2009 11:00AM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: OpEd, The Sarah Connor Chronicles
I just got back from
Terminator: Salvation (it was ... eh) and while I was watching it, I couldn't help but think about Fox's just-canceled
Sarah Connor Chronicles. It was established when the show began that the two would be working in entirely different continuities. But why?
One of the things that made the first film such an impressive piece of film-making was that they were able to do such a dense science fiction film on a small budget. Now that franchise has turned into special effects and (BOOM!) explosions!! The lower budget forces you to get more creative with storytelling and you wind up with
The Sarah Connor Chronicles. But what an opportunity the
Terminator franchise had with both outlets occurring simultaneously. An opportunity totally squandered.
Continue reading The Terminator franchise missed out on a huge cross-platform opportunity
Posted Apr 11th 2009 12:35PM by Mike Moody
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E22) And now we wait.
The season two finale of
The Sarah Connor Chronicles turned out to be the most gripping episode of the entire series. The last few minutes delivered some major surprises and a glimpse of what to expect from a possible third season.
But the chances of a third season are slim to none. The show's live ratings on Friday nights have been, well, terrible, and
some sites are already reporting that the series will not return next season.
So now we wait for the official word from Fox. Will there be a season three of
TSCC, or was this Sarah Connor's last hurrah?
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Born to Run (season finale)
Posted Mar 14th 2009 2:40AM by Mike Moody
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E18) Viewers, come back! The water is safe. The "Sad Sarah" storyline is officially over, and
The Sarah Connor Chronicles has found its groove once again. Last week, we said goodbye to Sarah's depressing head-trip with an engaging episode that ended with a shocker (well, I was shocked anyway). This week, John, Sarah, Derek and Ellison struggled to answer that eternal
Terminator question: Can metal be trusted?
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Today is the Day
Posted Mar 3rd 2009 9:03AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Ratings, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free, Dollhouse
Well, it looks like
my initial concerns regarding Fox's low ratings for the Friday night sci-fi double feature might be unfounded. It looks like the
new Live+7 DVR data has given a 30% boost to
Dollhouse's ratings and a 36% boost to
The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The gains are considered very high, particularly for a Friday night.
This is a bit of a relief to me because it sends a signal to Fox that another season of either show (both of which I enjoy) would be a good idea. If anything, this information is further proof that the current ratings system is obsolete and should be replace by something else (damned if I know what, though. The trick is to get advertisers to trust whatever new system they adopt).
It's also a sign that, unlike myself, some sci-fi fans actually go out on Friday nights and can wait until later to watch their favorite Friday night shows. Good for them.
Posted Feb 15th 2009 9:46AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Programming, Ratings, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free, Dollhouse
The verdict is in, and it looks like both
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and
Dollhouse did pretty poorly in the ratings.
Did anybody expect otherwise? Given the timeslot and the relative lack of publicity (no matter
how cool the trailers actually are), the shows still did pretty well. Hopefully the additional views from DVRs that are watched during the week will increase the ratings enough so Fox doesn't cancel within three episodes.
I can only hope that Joss Whedon's statements about Fox are true and they were expecting low initial ratings for the series and that they hope to make up for it in DVD sales and increased ratings over time. If this sort of programming succeeds over time, then folks like me will have a legitimate excuse to stay in on Friday nights.
Let us not forget that success stories such as
The X-Files started on Fox on Friday nights. I'm not giving up hope yet.
Posted Dec 19th 2008 11:03AM by Debra McDuffee
Filed under: Industry, Programming, OpEd, Festivus, Cancellations, Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Reality-Free
As we do every year, we here at
TV Squad are reminiscing on the top TV news stories of the year. What has 2008 brought us? Well, while we were all complaining about the lack of quality shows that debuted this season, we may have missed the second-year shows going right down the crapper.
Let's start over at ABC. Three very promising shows premiered last season --
Dirty Sexy Money,
Eli Stone, and
Pushing Daisies -- to praise from the critics and buzz from the viewers.
Dirty Sexy Money, with the cast that could be someone's fantasy cast, started off strong. There was a mystery, unique and complex characters, and some integrity. With the writer's strike went the integrity and the ratings, and recently, we got the news that
no more episodes of Dirty Sexy Money would be ordered.
Continue reading Top TV Stories of 2008: Second-year shows go down the toilet
Posted Dec 16th 2008 9:02AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S01E13) "We all know how reliable bloggers are." Words spoken by John Connor, the future savior of humanity. Therefore it must be true.
It's hard to believe the season is so far along. If this season is the traditional 22 episodes, then there is only nine to go when the series returns in February. On Friday nights. On Fox. I hope it makes the full nine.
This episode didn't thrill me and was disappointing for something hyped as the "Fall finale". I was hoping for more of an action-oriented episode rather than a Riley backstory. Even the Riley flashbacks and flash-forwards weren't as interesting as previous episodes.
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Earthlings Welcome Here
Posted Dec 9th 2008 12:29AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E12) One of the major differences between this television series and the movie upon which its based is that time travel in this series is more complicated than anybody in the movie universe could have imagined. That is probably one of the reasons why the show has adopted such an unusual method of telling a story as of recent.
Mind you, time jumps and parallel storytelling is not a new method. I think
Pulp Fiction started the craze and the show
Lost has pretty much been built on such a concept. However, in this instance the three separate stories involving past, present and future (or perhaps more accurately cause and effect) tied into one instance. There is even a parallel to John Connor himself (who played a virtually non-existent role this episode) when the baby Sydney born at the end (although fully grown in the future-flashes) became the savior of humanity. If John Connor is supposed to be a modern take on Jesus Christ, who would Sydney be? I liked how they ended the show with Sydney's birth, an experience your average story tends to associate with hope.
I got a laugh when the Fields named the dog Charles Barkley. Get it? "Bark"ley? This show does a lot of play on words.
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Alpine Fields
Posted Dec 1st 2008 11:57PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E11) If ever the show
Cold Case did an episode involving killer robots from the future, it would be tonight's
Sarah Connor Chronicles. The reverse is also true.
Cameron certainly earned her "most efficient killing machine on the planet" title tonight. And she didn't even have to do laundry. Obviously, the mystery of her constant attendance at the hall of records at night is not going to be solved this episode (since it was only brought up this episode). The real mystery is what happened to Eric at the end? Did he succumb to his cancer? Did he take sick leave? Did he just up and quit? I wouldn't mind knowing.
This episode was entirely
Summer Glau, and she was brilliant in it. I think this is her best acting on the show to date. John Connor did play a minor role in the B plot with some development of his relationship with Riley (who is, at this point, either playing with his head, insane or both).
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Self Made Man
Posted Nov 25th 2008 10:19AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E10) The nice thing about being a Terminator and dying is that provided the body isn't destroyed, you could always come back. Although how Cromartie came back at the end was a bit of a shocker.
My review is going to ramble somewhat. I'm writing this after imbibing some rum. It's what separates us from the machines.
Come on, people. When Ellison saw Cameron stick the metal pole into the ground, you'd think he'd be somewhat suspicious. Perhaps that will be a plot point later.
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Strange Things Happen at the One Two Point
Posted Nov 17th 2008 11:25PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E09) You'd think that eliminating Cromartie would end all the Connors' troubles, but apparently, Cromartie isn't necessarily gone (he's still appearing in dream sequences) and all the troubles continue.
I consider myself to have at least average intelligence, but tonight's episode had me confused. What was the significance of Sarah touching the three dripping blood dots on the wall at the end? Is it just something to make Sarah and the audience cogitate further on the mystery behind them?
On a side note, I was very glad they tortured the real Charles Fisher (Fischer?) and threw him in jail. I'm still pissed off at him for killing Tara back when he was Warren.
My first question is: why does Skynet even take human allies? I thought the goals of the machine were to exterminate all humans and set up a more organized and logical society (on a sad note, I know people who agree with at least one of those goals). Is the idea that humans know how to torture other humans better than machines do?
Actress Leighton Meester attends the Gotham Magazine Leighton Meester cover party at Marquee on September 27, 2008 in New York City.
Duffy-Marie Arnoult/WireImage.com
Actress Leighton Meester attends the Gotham Magazine Leighton Meester cover party at Marquee on September 27, 2008 in New York City.
Duffy-Marie Arnoult/WireImage.com
Leighton Meester attends the Gotham Magazine/Leighton Meester Event sponsored by Jose Cuervo Platino at Marquee Nightclub on September 27, 2008 in New York City.
Brian Ach/WireImage.com
Leighton Meester attends the Gotham Magazine/Leighton Meester Event sponsored by Jose Cuervo Platino at Marquee Nightclub on September 27, 2008 in New York City.
Brian Ach/WireImage.com
Leighton Meester attends the Gotham Magazine/Leighton Meester Event sponsored by Jose Cuervo Platino at Marquee Nightclub on September 27, 2008 in New York City.
Brian Ach/WireImage.com
Leighton Meester attends a Gotham Magazine celebration at Marquee on September 27, 2008 in New York City.
Michael N. Todaro/FilmMagic.com
Leighton Meester attends a Gotham Magazine celebration at Marquee on September 27, 2008 in New York City.
Michael N. Todaro/FilmMagic.com
Blake Lively on location for "Gossip Girl" on September 22, 2008 in New York City.
Bobby Bank/WireImage.com
Cynthia Sparer, Dr. Herbert Pardes, Leighton Meester, Alex Cohen and Pamela W. Barnes attend the Kids for Kids celebrity carnival benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation at the Park Avenue Armory on September 20, 2008 in New York City.
Jason Kempin/WireImage.com
Actress Leighton Meester attends the Kids for Kids celebrity carnival benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation at the Park Avenue Armory on September 20, 2008 in New York City.
Jason Kempin/WireImage.com
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Complications
Posted Oct 20th 2008 10:02PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E06) Much of Catherine Weaver's backstory was told in this episode. We have learned that the T-1001 (presumably) killed and replaced the original Catherine Weaver and her husband. Although for some reason we have yet to learn she left the daughter Savannah alive.
On the other hand, we still don't know the T-1001's motivations. She has no problem committing murder, as seen in her first appearance. The T-1001 nearly encountered John tonight, so we're still in the dark as to whether her mission is to terminate him (as with all the other Terminators) or something else entirely. If she encounters John and doesn't try to kill him, then she may be part of that cyborg contingent that has some other objective that was seen in the first season.
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Tower is Tall But the Fall is Short
Posted Oct 7th 2008 12:26AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E05) The game of time-travel chess continues. It seems that whenever Sarah and the gang foil one Terminator plot, another two crop up in its place (or they fulfill some sort of objective from Skynet and bring things one step closer to Judgement Day).
Observations from tonight's episode:
How did Reese get the credentials to teach at the military school? I know being from the future gives one access to certain information, but it seems a stretch.
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Goodbye to All That
Posted Sep 29th 2008 11:05PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S02E04) This story focused more on the individual members of the Connor team, particularly Cameron. I was glad about this for two reasons. First, more Summer Glau. Second, I think the flash forwards make for very good, interesting episodes.
At first, I was a little taken aback by Cameron's display of emotions. Since when can Terminators shed tears? I suppose it sort of makes sense given that she's an infiltration unit, but it seems kind of a stretch.
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Allison from Palmdale
Posted Sep 22nd 2008 10:41PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Episode Reviews, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Reality-Free
(S03E03) Is it me, or have the Terminators gotten more sophisticated since Arnold's day? Arnold never would have set a trap. He would have just pursued until terminated.
The opening of this episode was reminiscent of the closing of the first
Terminator movie when Linda Hamilton was driving in the desert.
It's funny how the actor whose life Cromartie stole ended up being (sort of) famous. Usually they try to keep a low profile. Also, despite being the future savior of humanity, John Connor is not above stealing cable. This is a lesson for the rest of us.
Continue reading The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Mousetrap
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