Terminator the Series

[BillCable]

But Christian Bale isn't 16... 

What's he supposed to do, hang out for 20 years while people are rounded up and executed?

[efranks]

The thing that sucks about this show is that the writers probably had some ideas of how to explain a lot of this for next season but may never get that chance.

On the Cameron/John Henry issue, the cable hooked to John Henry wasn't in his chip socket, it was in the back of his head.  My assumption is that he took Cameron's chip out, inserted it into his chip socket and then plugged her into the computer in his place.  Whether or not he's Cameron/John Henry now or just Cameron, I'm not sure.  Since he didn't have a memory without being plugged in, I'm guessing that unless he downloaded parts of himself into the chip, he's just Cameron now.  Her exoskeleton was damaged so she needed a new one and JH was it for her. 

As for John jumping ahead, I don't really know what the deal on that one is.  Unless the plan was for him to see what happens in the future, get some experience and then jump back so he can help set up the resistance.  But, if he skipped ahead and there was still a resistence, then...I don't know.  It's another one of those time paradox things that make me flip out if I think about them too much.

Here's another question though.  At the very end we saw some lightening and then Sarah's voice.  Did she travel into the future also? 

One thing that I took away from this season is that Weaver is apparently and offshoot of the other Terminators and is working to stop the outcome we know about.  Asking John if he'd join her and the metal on the sub being asked the same thing ties that all together IMO.  But why she was working against Skynet is a question we'll probably never have answered.

I don't expect the new film to have any real ties to the TV series.  So, unless I'm wrong and somehow TSCC gets another season, I don't expect to ever get any answers to the questions raised this season.

   E...

[DSJ™]

Yeah, this series season ender raised more questions than answers, it sure has the internet a buzz tho.

My assumption is that he took Cameron's chip out, inserted it into his chip socket and then plugged her into the computer in his place. Since he didn't have a memory without being plugged in, I'm guessing that unless he downloaded parts of himself into the chip, he's just Cameron now.

Cameron was not plugged into the computer when John, Weaver, Sarah & Ellison entered the room.

That's what I'm thinking, JH downloaded all the info he needed into the chip before he inserted the chip in his head.

Here's another question though.  At the very end we saw some lightening and then Sarah's voice.  Did she travel into the future also? 

The blue lightning that was caused by the TDE "Time Displacement Equipment" appeared in another room from where John & Weaver appeared. So did Sarah change her mind & decide to make the jump? I can't see just a voice gong through the TDE so something/someone came through.   

Nice seeing Allison Young in the end tho. So do we have an alternate timeline? Time travel, a tricky subject. 1.21 gigawatts! 

[GrandMoffNick]

I understand that every time someone jumps through time and does something it changes the future, etc etc etc. but to me that "fact" makes one version of the future a small fraction of the "rest" of the futures and takes away from what you are watching. I think they need to down play that.

I don't like young John jumping into the middle of the resistance he started. That doesn't make sense to me in keeping with my general understanding of Terminator stuff. I'm a fan but not super hardcore and it just confuses me.

[DSJ™]

Scoop: Fox set to terminate 'Sarah Connor Chronicles'

Resist the urge to nuke the messenger, but multiple sources are telling me that Fox will not be renewing Terminator: The Summer Glau Sarah Connor Chronicles for a third season.

"It's done," maintains a source close to the show. "Everyone has pretty much known for a couple of weeks." Adds a network insider: "Consider it canceled."

The one bright spot? Despite horrific ratings, Fox isn't ready to declare SCC dead and buried -- at least not officially. "No decision has been made yet," insists a network rep. "We will be announcing our fall schedule on May 18."

Rough translation: It won't be back.

Oh, I just thought of one other bright spot: At least the show went out on top creatively. Last Friday's finale was an action-packed, closure-filled triumph. The only thing left unresolved is what Summer Glau will do for an encore. I'm thinking 24 should hire her as next season's Big Bad.

[EdSolo]

It is obvious FOX plans to cancel the show...they  do that to all Friday shows.  Will someone else pick it up?  Who knows, it could depend on well T4 does.

As for the timeline...the initial premise of this show was that T1 and T2 all happened and the show started a little while after T2...probably about 3 years since I think John was 13 in T2.  When Cameron jumped them to 2007, an alternate timeline was created, one which the events of T3 never take place, so that John doesn't meet his gf/wife and the military does not create Skynet.  I believe the initial premise of T4 is that the events of T3 did take place and therefore, does not have any ties to the TV show, hence we won't see Cameron or even an Arnold cameo (unless they are keeping that real quiet).  From what I have seen in the TV previews, it looks like we see Skynets first realistic human looking Terminators as opposed to their failed attempt with the rubbery skin types.

I would say the reason no one knew John in the future is that he jumped over Judgement Day and thus never grew up to start the resistance.  While being in the future may give him experience, I don't see any reason the Reese brothers will follow a 16 year old.

I think the Weaver T-1001 is supposed to be the same as the Terminator on the sub...especially with the Moray eel bit.  I kind of wonder why she said that she wouldn't join John in the future though.  Possibly her plan was to go to the past to prevent Skynet while at the same time ensuring the creation of her race of Terminators, if in fact they even have the desire to wipe out humanity, so Terminator might not be the right term for them.

[knashdx]

I believe the initial premise of T4 is that the events of T3 did take place and therefore, does not have any ties to the TV show, hence we won't see Cameron or even an Arnold cameo (unless they are keeping that real quiet).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438488/trivia

Roland Kickinger was chosen to portray the Terminator's body, while Arnold Schwarzenegger's face was digitally grafted onto the body. Coincidentally, the former portrayed Schwarzenegger in the biographical film See Arnold Run (2005) (TV).


Arnold is in the movie - All be it as a CG item, but he is in it. It isn't a Terminator movie without him.

[efranks]

I re-watched the final episode last night and you're right, Cameron was not plugged into John Henry's computer system, there was just the readout on the screen, "I'm sorry John."  So, did JH download Cameron into the sytem, upload himself onto her chip and then drop it in his head?  Maybe.  But if so, other than looking for his brother, I'm not sure why he went to the future.

I don't know.  And you know what, I don't care.  If the series is done, in the end, it doesn't matter because the films will be what they are and the series is what it is, unfinished.

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[knashdx]

I re-watched the final episode last night and you're right, Cameron was not plugged into John Henry's computer system, there was just the readout on the screen, "I'm sorry John."  So, did JH download Cameron into the sytem, upload himself onto her chip and then drop it in his head?  Maybe.  But if so, other than looking for his brother, I'm not sure why he went to the future.

I don't know.  And you know what, I don't care.  If the series is done, in the end, it doesn't matter because the films will be what they are and the series is what it is, unfinished.

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Just some  thoughts -

After the Hunter Killer slams into the building and Weaver saves them, she tells them to run. We then see part of the Liquid Terminator rejoin the larger part. What if that smaller part was down there helping to do the chip transfer?

After all Skynet has tried multiple times to kill John Connor; what if transporting him into the future is Skynets way of trying to keep him from having an impact on the resistance? Skynet could be hoping to make the resistance weaker and easier to destroy if John Connor is a child and has no impact.

[efranks]

The part that rejoins Weaver is the eel from her fish tank.  It gets smashed when the hunter killer crashes into the building. 

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[knashdx]

The part that rejoins Weaver is the eel from her fish tank.  It gets smashed when the hunter killer crashes into the building. 

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I will have to rewatch the episode. I missed that.

[DSJ™]

Live+7 DVR ratings for Finale 4.49 mil. with a 1.7/6 18-49 demo. ( the demo increased by 80%)

Commentary: Save this 'Terminator'

[BillCable]

I'm surprised ratings don't automatically count DVR views.  But then I guess you can't count on anybody watching commercials when they DVR.  I sure don't.

To counter that trend they're switching to product placement.  I've noticed more natural product placement recently.  On Smallville they did an AcuView thing a year or so back that was just cringe-worthy.  I think Chloe had dirty contacts and ended with the line "Acuview to the rescue!"  I almost puked.  You could tell the actress had to struggle to even spit the line out.  But last week Jimmy Olsen and Green Arrow were talking about how Jimmy's career experiences weren't exactly the sort of thing you punch in to CareerBuilder.com and it came across as something people would say in regular conversation.  They got their plug in without detracting at all from the show.  The Office does a really good job of that as well.  But for something like Terminator you'd be challenged, especially if the series moves to the future.

[efranks]

I remember that Smallville episode, Bill.  You're right, it was terrible.

I actually like to play Spot the Product Placement on shows.  Sometimes, you're right, it's just part of a natural conversation and sometimes it's just something sitting on a desk or whatever.  I don't mind those, they're kind of fun to look for.

There was an episode of the Office,though, where they were playing up a Staples brand shredder.  And Dwight was all about shredding everything in the office.  I think, in that case, they overplayed it on purpose and made it part of a running joke during the show.

Anyway, you're right about the commercials.  They can't sell commercial space based on DVD playback, it's on first run shows.  From a business standpoint I see why the networks and Neilsen don't count it, but from a practical standpoint, if your show is getting a large viewing between first run and DVR, instead of cancelling based on a lower live viewing, maybe they should try to figure out how to bring the DVR crowd to the TV set to watch live. 

I record a lot of stuff in a given week and there are still some days where there are more things on at a given hour than I can watch and record.  That's poor scheduling IMO. 

But we're talking about FOX.  They don't have any loyalty to anything, really, with the possible exception of 24.  Since American Idol is such a powerhouse, it helps them finish first for the season every year so everything else they put on is incidental.  It shows in the way they treat their shows.  The ones that succeed, succeed in spite of FOX.  Bones, for example, I can't count how many times that's had its timeslot moved do different hours or different days.  Even House is like that.  FOX has no loyalty to TSCC because they know they're still going to get their coveted viewership out of Idol.

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[EdSolo]

The only difference with Bones and House (besides ratings numbers maybe) is that Fox didn't move those shows to the dead zone of Friday nights...that is where they put any show they want to kill off for low ratings.  Boston Public, Dark Angel, Prison Break among many others have been moved to Fridays and then promptly cancelled.