Last night’s Complications opened up the beginning of a new mystery for Sarah Connor: what are the three-dots? Could this symbol possibly be connected to Skynet? Do the dots represent something else entirely? Or are they simply a manifestation of her craziest imagination? We won’t answer those questions here, but we will point out a few other things…
As JW mentioned in his earlier blog post, in Sarah’s second dream she wanders into a nursery (of turtles)! If you look closely, you’ll notice the location of the nursery is actually the living room of the old, burned-down Connor house (from season one). Is there hidden meaning to Sarah dreaming about that place?
Brilliant West Wing actor Richard Schiff guest starred in the episode as Charles Fischer. Immediately before shooting, Schiff spent the week at the Democratic National Convention in Colorado. In fact, he flew back right after to shoot this series! While we love his performance as the Skynet Grey, this isn’t the first role we considered Schiff for — any guesses as to which first season role we considered him for?
And one more side note about Richard Schiff — all of the scenes that take place inside the shipping crate were shot on our stage 28A on the WB studio lot. Said stage is actually one of the same stages that housed his previous series, The West Wing. Nothing like coming home.
Complications marked the return of Dr. Sherman, as played by Dorian Harewood. His scenes with Sarah were shot quite soon after production wrapped on The Tower is Tall…, but keep your eyes peeled for a return appearance from Sherman in the near future (and in a different location, no less).
This is the first episode in which we open up the possibility that our characters’ actions in the present may be altering the future. (Derek’s future/past never included being tortured by Fischer, but Jesse’s version of it did.) Literary and psychological scholars refer to this concept as multiverse, a series of parallel universes or alternate realities. Wikipedia suggests that multiverse is “the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes (including our own universe) that together compromise all of reality.” It’s a hotbed issue within the Terminator franchise (after all, Sarah Connor’s known for her “no fate but what we make”), but this is the first time we’ve possibly seen his concept in play in our series. So is Derek right? Can they actually stop Judgement Day? Perhaps or perhaps Fischer’s trip back really was to secure the future by setting up his younger self. Thoughts?
As we’ve mentioned in the past, we often use shorthand in the writers’ room when breaking stories. It’s certainly no different with this one! The working name for “Fischer” was actually “Fritzel,” but of course we never actually intended to use it! The name Fritzel initiated with one of the episode’s two writers, Ian Goldberg, as he pitched the story. Ironically enough, this is one of the first episodes this season that has retained it’s title from the original draft of the script — a watch joke, as Charles Fischer explains within the episode.
Complications was written by the dynamo team of EP John Wirth and staff writer Ian Goldberg and directed by Steven DePaul, longtime television helmer.
My guess is that you originally considered Richard Schiff for the role of Dr. Silberman, the psychiatrist who tried to kill Ellison and was Sarah’s physician at Pescadero in T2.
The first role you considered Schiff for was Sarkissian.
The fake Sarkissian, sorry.
I’d say he was considered for the role of Enrique.
The episode was great, too. Not everything fit together for me until I saw it again today. Just a great show you guys.
I would have guessed Dr. Silberman also. Richard Schiff did a wonderful job.
I’m guessing Dr. Silberman as well and he would have been awesome. (Of course I still like Bruce Davison’s take on the role.)
Good to know we’ll be seeing Dr. Sherman again. Dorian Harewood is a solid talent with a great screen presence.
I’m a bit concerned that the various mysteries are starting to pile up a bit so I hope that at least a couple of them get resolved before too long.
I think shiff was considered for the role of Ellison??
if not then Dr. sieberman.
I think alot of what has been done would change the future alot, was glad to se that mentioned by derek.
many people on fox tscc wiki board dont like the way john is acting , he doesnt seem like much of a future leader, so u should address that in back 9.
I think the storys are getting better each ep , and am glad to see cam acting more like in S-1
Great episode! Richard Schiff and Adam Busch were amazing. I can’t really imagine a context in which I’d notice a resemblance between a West Wing advisor and a Buffy geek bad, but those guys really worked.
And thanks in advance for making Cromartie reusable! I’d miss that chassis way too much if it was gone for good.
My guess for Schiff is actually Andy, creator of the Turk. That is in keeping with the tick-tock watchmaker fascination with detail that he pulled off so well in Complications…
This show is doing a great job - keep it up!
I think that Jessie is messing things up. I also think that Fisher was sent there to secure himself being set up. However he didn’t intend to be caught by Jessie. But by Jessie killing the older Fisher and not letting Derek kill the younger one she messed things up. Like I said I hope that Jessie isn’t there to stop Cameron, maybe in her version of the future that Cameron turns on John. I don’t think this version will.
Not sure if this has anything behind it, but did anyone else notice the reference to the military industrial complex? By far it is one of the greatest powers in the world…kind of interesting that it’s paired up with Skynet.
I think the 3 dots are a religious symbol. Maybe something about the origin of Skynet.
Triumvirate of Skynet, military, ?
Wow, COMPLICATIONS is one of the best eps so far. Great, dark stuff.
I am wondering if Jesse is somehow involved in “grey” matters with Charles Fisher…and/or was dragging Derek and Young Fisher into this situation meant to mess with Young Fisher’s head? Jesse remains suspicious, yet she also seems so darned earnest.
Loved the turtle thing, mainly because of how it ties this show subtly to BLADE RUNNER…
Bravo.
Is it time to introduce a new character with a background in theoretical physics to discuss the complexity of time travel paradox? (Schiff would have been great in the role of an amiable-Einstein researcher at some government funded Institute for Advanced Studies whose work is later developed and perfected by Skynet.) Derek and Jesse discussing the multiverse rings hollow in a series so devoted to IDEAS. If the military industrial complex, of which the terminator itself is such a potent symbol, is a snake, the research scientists working purely on theory, are the head. “Now we are all sons of bitches.” (Alamagordo-1945)
Wow! What an amazing episode! It will be interesting to learn more about the back door virus that was planted and how all of this relates together. Also, what will they now do with the chassis of chromartie? SO interesting!
This episode has been my favorite thus far if for nothing else than the tortoise talk straight Blade Runner. Completely awesome.