The best thing for viewers to come out of the TV content shortage from the writer's strike has to be that it caused so many of us to give Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles a chance. The series finished its short 9 episode first season last night and at least for me, would be at the top of the list of shows to watch next fall and stands as a Heroes-killer if it keeps the Monday timeslot and goes up against that series. I have no idea what the hold-up is on Fox's end, but this show deserves to be renewed.
Quality performances from the entire cast, excellent writing, and deft handling of Terminators on a TV scale were sustained throughout the first year. I haven't been this interested by a show's early goings since Alias broke out of the gate.
SPOILERS for Vick's Chip/What He Beheld
The final two episodes ended the season with several pitch-perfect moments that only helped seal the deal as something to pick up on DVD. Vick's Chip started the night off more subdued compared to the second episode of the evening but was still an excellent exploration of the Terminator tech and provided key characterization notes. Skynet wanting access to the city's traffic camera system was another fitting way to attempt subtle infiltration. The scene of John removing Cameron's chip recalls the deleted scene from Terminator 2 and displayed more of that tension over how close to get to her.
What He Beheld provides the strongest moment of connection yet between John and his uncle when Derek takes John to watch young Derek and Kyle playing baseball. It's a pretty powerful sense of contact for John with his father and also included a very well played revelation by Derek that he knew John's lineage by family resemblance.
I enjoy the show's score very much but was blown away to hear Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around" as the FBI team tragically tries to raid Cromartie's room only to get dismantled by something they aren't ready for. At first when the agents' bodies start raining down into the hotel pool, I assumed they weren't killed to lighten the blow for television (as I'm guessing the show creators meant to play with expectations). Then we get a look at all the blood mixing with the water, and the impact is realized with the devastated Ellison as the spared survivor, only alive because Cromartie left the scene to resume his mission.
All of the above was plenty and then they go ahead and have a car bombing on top of it. Sure, plenty of other shows have had that, but to see it happen to Cameron, a terminator, certainly piques interest. We know she's not dead, but what kind of shape is she in? It'll be tough passing for human for a while at least.
Season 2 should be something special and I can't wait!
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