By Robert Schlesinger
The Terminator was one of the pleasant surprises of the year that might have killed the traditional television cycle. I refer to “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” which debuted (and thus was able to run out fresh episodes) during the writer’s strike.
I’ve been a long-time fan of the Terminator franchise, which with two great films was one better than most such series. But news of a television series left me skeptical. I’m happy to report that I was wrong — it was an interesting and at times stylish take on the robots from the future. (Though speaking of killer robots, mark your calendars: Battlestar Galactica — the best show on television — returns on April 4.)
Here’s a taste of Terminator, from last week’s season finale. (Let’s see if I can match Farrell’s technical skill in putting YouTube into here.):
Well, I will admit that I held back on Battlestar until forced to get into it, and I’ve resisted Sarah Connor Chronicles, but that was nicely done. The only worry I have about the show is that it’s on FOX, which isn’t known for compelling drama and their action shows (24, Prison Break) stretch the bounds of suspension of disbelief. I may need to hear how Season 2 goes before I go back and catch up with this.