TV Critic superstar Alan Sepinwall has kindly been devoting a little weekly time to us on his popular blog. In this week’s take on Self Made Man, Sepinwall mentions that “the show has been consistently entertaining on an episode-by-episode basis for most of the season such that it’s not an urgent need for answers. But at some point, I would like a sign that the writers know where this is all going.” Trust us, Alan, it’s going somewhere.
As if you didn’t have enough reason already to watch, next Monday’s Alpine Fields takes on the great debate as to whether the Connors and company can actually alter the future with their actions in the present. And the following week’s fall finale, Earthlings Welcome Here, will tackle Sarah’s obsession with the three-dots, bringing you to a surprising conclusion. Where will it lead? Trust us, it’s not just going somewhere, it’s going somewhere good.
How good can it be? In THIS mythology most of us die (as if we aren’t gonna do that anyway…), machine take over the world and enslave us - or was that just the apes?
I forget, so they turn us into batteries, or they just pissed at us on G.P.?
In any case, it ain’t good.
Sarah’s going to die. Cameron and Derek, et al, ar also obviously toast -’cause they aren’t around by T3. (are we still sticking WITH that timeline - or is our fate with T:SCC one that WE can make?)
I LIKE the gloom. I grew up reading Conan novels: he killed everybody that he came up against; then he died once he became king.
We already KNOW the outcome - it is the RIDE that we enjoy. Give us THRILLS! More John, Sarah and Cameron kicking butt - and more Cameron with big guns (unless SHE is a T-killer too, the premise of her dispatching big bad boytoys mostly with her bare hands takes the “lethal” out of them. And Arney should have been toasted fighting his T-100,000 in T3 as well!…)
T:SCC skips over the T3 timeline
Sarah, John and Cameron time-traveled forward
to 2007 in the pilot.
The unknown future rolls torward us….
i’m a little concerned about the show..
this season is not as good than the first
there is a lot of things than bothers me
-derek needs more action, more scenes
-john needs to leave that stupid idea to have a normal life and try to be a man for once
-riley needs to go soon
-cameron needs to stay more time with john (it’s supose to be his bodiguard!!)
the change in the chemistry of john and cameron was a terrible mistake, that chemistry was one of the most important elements in season 1
i love this show and i’ll keep supporting
but i’m a little disappointing about this season
I am actually very much enjoying this season.
It seems to have a good balance of both hardcore plot points important to the overall story and general fluff to fill out time and add in excitement.
I really think i should be a writer I’ll proudly admit i’ve had my eye on Riley from very early on…
Usually i am very critical of things. But i love the show enough not to utter a single bad word.
Lots of people like to talk bad about John’s foibles. But really let’s face it he’s a kid.
And the younger you are the dumber you are BUT he is smart enough and motivated enough to grow into a strong competent man.
Can anyone blame him for wanting some aspect of a normal life?
I don’t mind the day change to fridays or anyday i will follow.
What i have my eye on Mr. Ellison’s further role. As well as the relationship between Cameron and John…
I agree and disagree with fabrice. I personally think this season is better than season 1. It’s somehow become my #1 favorite show. Sneaky ninja!
I DO agree that Derek needs more action and more scenes. It seems he’s been mostly restricted to his own little storyline and one of the things I loved about him was how he interacted with the Connor clan. He’s a living first hand account of what they’re trying to prevent. Why aren’t they picking his brain more? Why aren’t they trying to learn more from him?
I don’t agree that John needs to leave the idea of a normal life behind. I loved how he kicked ass in Self Made Man and I think showing more of that would be fantastic but I’d hate for him to become all consumed like his mother. But then again…he always remembers.
Riley needs to die a horrible death. It’s not that I don’t like her character, but I hate what she’s doing to John. He doesn’t deserve that. At all. Jesse needs to die too.
Yes, Cameron needs to be around John more.
Keep making amazing episodes, guys! I’m all set for more!
What if John is making bad decisions in the future?????? Should i speak such blasphemy lol.
Maybe there is an important reason to Jesse and Riley’s actions…. Maybe not. But is it not possible that the savior of mankind could go freakin nuts at some point?
I can’t wait to see if there actions truly affect the future. When Derek said 2 weeks ago i believe “Maybe i came from a timeline where that didn’t happen” that really got me thinking.
Time travel is really fascinating and my favorite part about the show.
I think i figured out that if they could ultimately prevent the war from starting for good then by default John would be giving up his life and would not even exist>>>> No war = John Connor NOT sending back his father in time= no John Connor… this stuff can get complicated lol.
I love how Tvaddict previewed “Self Made Man.”
“Rumor Alert: Summer Glau loses all of her clothes in an action-packed shoot-out (And yes, we’re not above making stuff up to get you people to tune into this show!)”
Their unwavering support is awesome.
Also, I thought Travis Fickett of IGN had a pretty spot on review of the epsiode. He had some very nice things to say about Summer’s performance(who wouldn’t).
http://tv.ign.com/articles/934/934902p1.html
Yea this is an alternate timeline. Summer is good as always, not Katie Sackhoff good..yet lol
Also this season is better then the 1st in my opinion. And hasn’t the future been changed already? I mean Derek doesn’t remember a thing about the torture he went through so wasn’t Jessie from a different future? Anyway can’t wait for next weeks episode. And I love the blog guys! U must read most of the comments
Good to know that there’s a destination. It’s great how much possibility there is in this show, I could see it going on for years and years, provided ratings are good enough to get a season 3.
Best show on TV!!! I’m 45 and my hubby is 56, We are with you every Monday night. Don’t change a thing, Keep us guessing with your twist and turns!!! We love it. And a confession, I wasn’t really a T movie fan…(there I said it..)
I coudln’t resist posting this
I know reviews like this bring you guys great satisfaction for all the hard work you do.
“I think Fox believes in its coming Friday sci-fi block. I say so because I want it to be true, because I believe it’s possible they do, and because it will be one Hell of a great one, that I’m sure of. Because while it may not be a rating-hit, there’s one thing this show has certainly managed to accomplish while many weren’t looking, and that’s becoming one of the greatest show on television right now.”
http://tvoholic.com/episode-reviews/terminator-the-sarah-connor-chronicles-self-made-man/
I also was a little disappointed about last episode. Although it was really great to see Cameron investigating the past, and to get to know more how she works and interacts with other people (great thing was we could see Summer a lot) it was another episode where Cameron/John interaction just last for something like a minute… come on, guys, I can agree that the best scenes does not need to be the longest one, but still, give them some minutes per episode together. We had hoped for a great discussion between them regarding the night spent by John with Riley…
All episodes are really pleasant to watch, but they are not linked enough between them.
However, that being said, the show is still number 1 to me… I just wish john could push away Riley and that He and Cameron could more interact.
I thought “Self Made Man” was a very good episode, but I have a problem with the way it was marketed. The preview made it appear a that Cameron and John would have significant interactions, when in actuality there was very little. Most disappointing, the preview captured the most significant interaction - the final scene. It wasn’t a teaser, it was a spoiler.
A lot of die-hard fans want to see John and Cameron confront the empty space that’s developed between them, and because of the preview, anticipated that some red meat was finally being thrown their way. At the end of the episode, those fans were asking, “where’s the beef?”.
These loyal fans are crying blood murder on the terminator wiki b/c they feel somewhat betrayed. I would advise the marketing department that such short-term ploys serve to alienate the loyal fans, who already invest far too much time supporting and defending the show all across the web.
So expectations weren’t managed that well last time. Previews are supposed to be bite-sized morsels that whet the appetite, not the main course.
Please, no more bait and switch. Less is more in this case. Don’t set us up for disappointment because that’s the recipe for turning loyal fans into disillusioned fans.
I think the actor who played Erik was really good. Summer did a great job, she carried the episode. We need to see more than 90 seconds of John & Cam per episode. Please?
You have already established that future can be changed in Complications. Is this more filler or will we actually see Ellison and Cromartie where we left them, oh how many weeks ago now?
Whatever the story is with the dots, it’s too long, it’s not doing anything good for Sarah’s character, and if I felt like deciphering clues that only lead to other clues, I’d be watching Lost, not TSCC.
Nice episode, last week.
“All episodes are really pleasant to watch, but they are not linked enough between them.”
X2
and more Cameron/Jonh scenes.
also, final ep seconds with Sarah saying philosofical stuff regarding that happened (like the 1st season) would be great.
we need more Sarah T2 feeling! kinda “stand up soldier” and “deep thoughts”….after all this is “The Sarah Chronicles”!
more john and cameron please. i expected her to at least show a slow tear sliding down her face when she stated “you were with riley”. come on. she has feelings show more of them. pretty cold the way she didn’t blink when told the library guy wasn’t at his job. wow. ice cold. love this show. love the story. love the ideas. love it all. great job guys, all of you.
Why do you guys deliberately (it seems) make John and Sarah so unlikable? Cameron is the most pleasant and likable character on the show, and she’s a heartless killing machine.
Has anybody seen the past couple of podcasts? I haven’t checked in with the website in a while but I haven’t seen them for a few weeks. Did they just stop doing them?
It’s official now guys/gals.
After ‘Self Made Man’ this show rose above Heroes as my favorite show.
I know a lot of people grumbled about ‘Self Made Man’, but T:SCC is so much more then just guns and killing. This adds depth and storyline to the characters (Connors) we’ve already come to love in the Terminator movie series.
The storyline is real, the characters and acting great, and it leaves me wondering what’s going to happen next. While Heroes dabbles in the time travel changing the future storyline, it’s lackluster at best. T:SCC actually has a human feel too it, that any and all of this could be the future. Endless possibilities.
I, like many other fans out there are glad this show was not axed. A big “Whew” for sure.
Keep up the good work…
It’s official now guys/gals.
After ‘Self Made Man’ this show rose above Heroes as my favorite show.
I know a lot of people grumbled about ‘Self Made Man’, but T:SCC is so much more then just guns and killing. This adds depth and storyline to the characters (Conners) we’ve already come to love in the Terminator movie series.
The storyline is real, the characters and acting great, and it leaves me wondering what’s going to happen next. While Heroes dabbles in the time travel changing the future storyline, it’s lackluster at best. T:SCC actually has a human feel too it, that any and all of this could be the future. Endless possibilities.
I, like many others out there are glad this show did not get axed. A big “Whew” for sure.
Keep up the good work!!!
I thought the episode was great. My only complaint really was the lack of Sarah. I think at the minimum she should be the C-storyline.
I would like to thank the writers of this blog and the entire cast and crew. This is a Supremely intelligent and interesting television show- not like most of the stupidity in our culture right now. Every episode you can learn something from fables, history, weapons, philosophy and human interaction. I am glad that not every scene is killing something, although being in the military I love to see things blowing up! Keep up the great work, and I would love to see the future being changed while at the same time the present continues. Or at least making it so that in the future the Connor forces triumph over the machines due to what the team does back in 2008..
I know it’s unconvential, but I’ve thought since like the second episode of season 1 that Cameron and John were gonna get together(like romatically) I know she’s a machnie but I sense it. He cares about her I can tell. Also I’m curious to know what Riley and Jessy’s agenda is against John.
I think thus far, the most intriguing episode has been “Allison from Palmdale” for many reasons. Let me preface by saying, I believe there is a great deal of likelihood that something romantic between John and Cameron will develop, and I hope I am right. Here are a few things that have caught my interest:
Samson and Delilah: I think it perked all of our ears when, pinned between two trucks and about to have her chip removed, Cameron screams (among other very interesting things), “I love you John, and you love me!” The first part of that declaration would, given she is a robot, seem very tactical and manipulative… But on what grounds would she base the second half, that he loves her?
Complications: While hanging her foot out the window, she explains to John that she is, “Feeling what it’s like to get away from it all.” After more questioning, she responds, “I don’t think you understand how we work. I have sensation. I feel. I wouldn’t be worth much if I couldn’t feel.” Later in this episode, we, to both our surprise and John’s, watch as she plays with the truck radio for no apparent reason.
Mr. Ferguson is Ill Today: I personally found Cameron’s decision to remove her jacket before entering John’s room particularly interesting. I have no doubt that in her constant scanning she has noticed John does not have a negative reaction to her. Also to be noted in this episode is her reference to how John will in the future talk with her about feeling lonely.
And finally, Allison from Palmdale: There are so many interesting things about this episode. The most significant (and ironic in the sense it is treated as a malfunction) is the fact that Cameron/Allison is genuinely “human” for a period of time. While this might have been short-lived, it shows a capacity in Cameron we could only before imagine. More appropriately, it shows John, when he walks in and sees her playing fuseball and having fun, something he could only before imagine.
At the very least, Phantom, there seems to be a ghost in the terminator machine, excellent observations from a series that rarely just abandons carefully planted clues. Terminator: SCC’s greatest weakness may be that the viewers need to pay attention and follow the storyline.
I love this season. It’s been great. One thing I noticed, it has been four episodes in a row where Sarah has either gone crazy, or they have referenced the time she was in a mental hospital. So I wonder if you are leading up to something with that? My theory is that she starts having dreams about Kyle again since that is what happened last time she was ‘crazy.’ And Kyle would keep Derek around…