You may know her best from her unofficial T:SCC online comicals, but frequent blog commenter and livejournal blogger Allergygal/Roxy Bisquaint is dedicated to all things Sarah Connor.
If you’ve got some time, take a moment to read her hilarious (see: tongue-in-cheek!) and intelligently well thought-out entry entitled, “The Idiot’s Guide to Sarah’s Transformation” — it’s excellent play-by-play on the character of Sarah Connor up to this point!
Well done, SuperChronicler. We love your dedication.
I LOVED THIS!
It’s so true that that’s how so many of these ‘fans’ think.
I’m glad someone explained it in terms they can understand now.
Bravo!
allergygal is one of the true hadcore fans of this show.
That article was so funny!
Congrats, Roxy!
David’s right, you’re one of the true hardcore chroniclers.
Thank you for sharing your charisma, your great sense of humor and your passion for TSCC everyday with all of us.
haha.. that was truly brilliant…
helped me understand this better than ever.
May be she should write some light comic scenes for TSCC
Yeah, I love your post. I love the Sarah Connor character, so I have enjoyed these last episodes. Sure I like Cameron, but it’s not all about “Jameron”. Sarah Connor is oldschool, she’s vulnerable yet a true badass. I appreciate her character even more with these past episodes. Cheers to Lena Headey!!!
Well done.
I freely admit, I wasn’t getting it. When I watch Lost or The Wire, I focus in so I don’t miss details like the one that was explained in this article. In this series, I was never expecting that extra layer. I maybe sensed it a bit subconsciously, but I don’t think it was as evident in many of the previous arcs that the layers went this deep. If there was, please write an analysis of that whole episode with the black and white tommy-gun terminator!
Anyway, the series is proving deeper than I originally expected, and I am grateful. I will keep watching. Hopefully FOX will keep airing.
In addition to the blog, the ComicCon videos from yesterday also helped clear things up a lot too.
I personally didn’t think the episode was all that bad, but after reading that and realizing how much I’ve missed, I’m kinda sad that I wasn’t able to appreciate the thoughts and dedications that went in the ep. Dang I feel shallow
Thanks for the linky!
Great article AG! It’s so awesome you’re not afraid to call it like you see it. Sarah gets much slack for her struggles throughout the series because it’s all misunderstood. A very fun and entertaining way to help people get up to speed
Fantastic analysis AG! Very keen insights into the Sarah character.
Loved it !
Great explanation & funny too, lol !
Just read it and loved it! While I am a John/Cameron fan(atic), I am still madly in love with Sarah. She’s so deep and complicated. And the way she feels like she needs to be a Terminator in order to protect John is so sad. She wants to be strong for him.
)
(And I gotta say, that I loved the way you guys showed the way Sarah is scared of Cameron taking her place. Very smart
HA! HA! That was awesome! I love how you put everyone in their place. Plus even though I’ve seen each episode a few times it was helpful. I admit I was still a little confused, sometimes it hard to put all these episodes together on a sick level. Personally I like the Sarah Connor character and all the eps, but its nice to see it from a different perspective that makes her journey more understandable.
Great job Roxy!!!
Roxy, you rock! What a way to use the hater’s arguments against them and to show that SCC is more about Sarah’s journey and psyche than it is about ‘Jameron’ (geez, can’t believe I used that term!) - thanks for your hilarious and thoughtful insight as always! It’s nice to know that my friends and I aren’t the only ones who appreciate where the series is going with the Sarah Connor character.
Excellent! Well done!
This is an amazing article. I just discovered the comicals. Amazing work! Those comicals should be included as special features on the T:SCC DVDs!
Thanks Roxy. I had liked the episodes before, but I just thought it was about showing that Sarah is going crazy. Now that I understand how deep and complicated the episodes truly were, I love them that much more. I didn’t even catch that Cameron was wearing Sarah’s clothes in the last episode. Great attention to detail!
I don’t think people were upset because they couldn’t understand that episode. It’s not THAT deep. The problem was with pacing and the content itself. The last few Sarah-centric episodes really broke up a perfectly fine rhythm and could’ve secured the show’s cancellation. That’s why everyone’s so pissed. So that rant seems really pointless.
I already understood the sarah arc. I got that Sarah was afraid to be replaced by Cameron, and that killing Winston consciously was a huge deal. I liked the tranformation, and it was a necessity I think if Sarah wants to be truly helpful to John.
Doesn’t change the fact that the arc simply took a bit long (like four-five episodes or something?). I am afraid you scared away some people with that… As said in the post, there are a lot of awesome characters in the series, not just Sarah. I am not a big hater of the last eps, but I am dying for something new now, since Sarah is simply my least favorite character of the main four, though, for clarification, i am not saying I dislike the character. (just my opinion!). And the fans of the other characters didn’t get that much for all these episodes, so you get people whining about that!
Very good points, Roxy.
Though, if I’m a “hater” for bringing things up that seem to be missing from this particular show at the moment that made James Cameron’s original story so damn good as a sci-fi/action adventure that had a moral center…
Then so be it.
If I feel that making Sarah the focal point and shifting the balance too far to one side to the detriment of the other main characters, which I strongly believe helps undermine the overall popularity of the show, and that makes me a “hater”…
Then so be it.
This is NOT just a story about Sarah Connor IMHO. As in T2 there were THREE distinct characters that were given equal emphasis: Sarah Connor… John Connor… and the Terminator (aka “Uncle Bob” aka “The Governator”).
All were “alpha” characters, all were fairly and justly treated and not brought low in order to prop up one at the expense of the others.
Many on the forums have wondered WHY Cameron and John are made either glitchy as a clever way to say that she’s totally unreliable as a character (after all she’s ONLY metal, and seemingly not different as she claimed in the pilot) and can blow at any moment when the mood strikes the writers, or completely moronic and clueless and irresponsible when it’s convenient to remind us that Sarah is the main character and must be elevated above the two fan favorites?
All three characters evolved and were made the better for it in T2 (and Sarah toughened up in T1 too… to the breaking point as we saw her in T2). All three were heroes in very distinct ways. All of them. Is that a crowd pleasing way to write the characters? You betcha! But, again, the core of the story was about hope and love triumphing rather than despair and hate… and death.
If I believe that one of the MAIN core ideas behind the story of Terminator is human and sentient machine interaction and ultimate cooperation leading to a hopeful outcome because we can ALL find our “hearts” no matter what we’re made out of, and that makes me a “hater” for it…
Then so be it.
One of the most interesting aspects of T2, to me, was John and “Uncle Bob’s” solid byplay, their bouncing ideas off each other and learning from each other… UB was not asking John questions in order to learn how to become a better killer or liar… he wanted to learn because at his core, he was not… he had the capacity to be decent even when he was blowing stuff up or drooling over mini-guns.
Future John DID NOT program the Terminator instinct to kill on a whim out of UB, UB took it upon himself to be a better individual… himself.
Arnold Schwarzenegger believed strongly that his bad-ass, metal monster character was dealing with new EMOTIONS that were foreign to him, but he figured them out and discovered something wonderful in the process. This is also in keeping with James Cameron’s vision as well. The two ideas between actor and director were both in sync.
One of the reasonings behind the age old sci-fi elements of in a sense, humanizing a cyborg, robot, or other machine was that it makes us see what it means to be HUMAN. We could more easily identify with the AI character, and it would hold a mirror up to ourselves. A moral lesson to the reader or viewer. As the metal person struggles with their identity and their “humanity” and moral compass we learn valuable lessons on how we should live our lives in order to make things better.
Sarah Connor:
“The unknown future rolls toward us. I face it, for the first time, with a sense of hope because of a machine; a Terminator, can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too. ”
These two sentences spell out the entire Terminator saga plainly, bluntly. They are not hard to understand. They’re not meant to be.
If that makes me a “hater”…
Then so be it.
While it was totally fun for me to see a blog post linking to my Sarah transformation piece, I’m actually more thrilled that so many people are getting something out of it. I love this show and I love the writing — it’s intelligent and complex and thought-provoking. Some episodes are more action oriented, some are more character study. But all of them are cumulatively taking us somewhere. I’m truly enjoying the journey.
By the way, I don’t really think all the Jameron fans are idiots. But this was about Sarah’s journey and, well, someone had to play the “idiot”
AG, that was hilarious. I have to applaud your take on the Cro-Jameron Fan. Classic. You already know where I fall on the issue.
The analysis of the transformative direction of Sarah was one heck of a read. Honestly, I’d love to see it done with action figures, but maybe that’s just me. I think you summed it up very well with the idea that Sarah had to figure out how to be more like Cameron (while still fearing that Cameron is becoming more like her in John’s life).
It’s also a good metaphor for life. As mom’s little boy grows to become her little man and then suddenly (seemingly) her little man starts paying more attention to that pretty little thing over there. Oh…she doesn’t love him, not like a mother would, but she does things that mom can’t. Plus, in his eyes, she’s not “Mom”. When the Oedipal complex is shrugged off, mom has to deal with her Jocasta complex. It’s a messy business dealing with these teenagers. Very messy indeed. And that’s not including the embarrassing outbreaks (of terminators, acne, whatever) that have to be endured.
Mucho kudos, AG.
I think “Jamerons” at THEIR core are hopeful and hopeless romantics… some may be driven by purely “hormonal” levels, but I’d say a good 90% just see John and Cameron having a solid, truthful, loving relationship as a sood byproduct of James Cameron’s story and ideas.
That at the root of it all… we’re really all the same.
Perhaps Summer and Thomas feel, in some ways, the same way? Hmmm….?
Now, if that makes us “idiots”…
Well…
Oops! Just had one of my “idiot” moments!
sood = “solid”
Speaking of idiotic things, when will we get an edit button around these parts?
You go girl
Haha cool!
PS: Have anyone seen the second Terminator Salvation Trailer? It was fkin amazing!
gj rox, made me realize even more how all those eps tied into the last ep.
nice work
Cool. I’ll just say it right now and I’ll most likely bring upon your wrath but I also don’t Jameron fans are total idiots. Josh Friedman didn’t include the Cam/John story line just for kicks. There’s a lot to their “relationship” that not only involves romance but the exploration of who and what Cameron is as a character I don’t really care for the Sarah arc, never have even in T1 and T2 (I guess that makes me a hater *shrug*) but it was cool to see how everything fit together from episode 1. Now we can say-
“Yay, Sarah’s transformation over with…ON TO THE GOOD STUFF!!”
lol
Excellent post! Everyone that has ever watched the show should read it. There is no stronger female character then Sarah on any show. Thanks for writing it.
I agree with something someone said in the comments on her blog… this should be a Press release it would make people angry specially the shallow ones… or haters, but it will explain a lot to the general public that simply doesn’t get this, THANKS A LOT FOR SHARING IT WITH US!!!
Great article. Now if we can only get people to understand that there’s a big dif between the show and the movies then maybe they’ll stop comparing the two every five seconds.
I second the “Edit Button” motion
Well done Roxy! And thanks to hadley for the link. I don’t always catch all the subtle references and links between scenes and episodes, so some of us really DO need an idiot’s guide at times. And I’m not even a Jamer. Very nice job, Roxy. The writers must feel like it’s a steep uphill battle sometimes.
I’ll fess up I’m a Summer fan starting with the original Pilot episode last season. And Cameron is certainly a great & fun character to watch. But Lena Heady has won me over big time, she is SUCH a good actress. And we can see just how much the writers are giving her to work with. So much depth to her character. You can’t help but love this Sarah Connor.
Call me slow again, I did not fully realize the important significance of HOW Sarah shot Winston this time, even though it was so powerful and SO obvious. Duh. Now it’s so powerful it gives me the chills.
Again, thanks Roxy, for the Idiot’s Guide.
This is the first time I’ve read Roxy’s (Allergygal) blog. What have I been missing?!
I’m always glad to read another point of view, always hoping to understand a little more…esp with this episode. Thanks so much! =)
Great! Well done Roxy!
I actually thought that was what Sarah was all about since Gnothi Seauton S01E02. When she talks about ‘We’re all shape shifters’, about sometimes not even knowing her name, and being surprised that John shared her bedtime readings of the Wizard of Oz with Cam. Those were intimate fond memories, and she must have realized that Cam was no ‘ordinary’ machine to John…. I have been waiting for these past episodes ever since….. Some must sleep….was an answer to Sarah’s own monologue on ‘know thyself’. To be honest, I quite enjoy discussions between Cam and the others more than fight scenes. The machine-human exchanges are always thought provoking.
That said, good story telling is an art form. And so like any artistic expression it is open to interpretation. I don’t think ‘Jameron’ shippers are ‘idiots’. If that is what they choose to take away from the drama, so be it. More so when teen angst is written into the story. Good or bad, James Cameron has already established a premise for the ‘terminator universe’. Whatever comes after, will have to deal with the shadow of what’s already established, and for some it is fights between man and machine.
I hope by the end the season, the desert would have transformed them all, …..including Derek. He would make an interesting character analysis.
Dan Hitchman,
I would hotly contest the notion that 90% of the Jameron fans think John/Cameron is a basis for a “solid, truthful, loving relationship” - from my experience with fangirls who sail that ship, they’re attracted to it precisely because it’s effed up in many fundamental ways. There may be a touch of sweetness to it on the outside looking in, but at its core it’s something dangerous, tragic, frightening, complex, and fascinating for all those reasons.
I would reserve the adjectives “solid, loving, and truthful” for abnormally good relationships between two HUMANS, but certainly not a human and a machine.
Why do I get the feeling that the makers of this show are a bit desperate to get us to like these Sarah Connor centric episodes.Now they are posting links to blogs of fans who are obviously interested in Sarah Connor at the expense of other main characters. Hence we are getting these explonations of why it is all really brilliant in the end and we are just too dumb as a viewers to appriciate it.
It is also nice that the rest of us fans are getting classified as “shallow” and “jameron oriented” because we arent that interested in watching Sarah Connor for 4 or 5 episodes having some mental issues which could have been handled in a couple of episodes instead of having the rest of the characters and plot points in a back burner status.
I do understand that it cant be alll about action but in my opionion a wiser course would have been to have the characters to interact more with each other in the episodes rather than have one of the main characters go on a knight rider like missions with guest stars who appear in one episode and are never seen again.
Part of me also wonders if this is really Josh´s idea in the first place and not something that Lena Headley demanded as appropriate for the leading actress of the show. There has been cases where the popularity of certain actors or actresses has caused some pretty heated arguments among the cast members. Especially if the supposed main characters status as the main draw of the show is taken by a supposed supporting character.
It’s amazing what we miss when all we concentrate on is waiting to see Cameron in her underwear or Derek in the shower. This is the most intelligently written show on the air.
“…and not something that Lena Headley demanded as appropriate for the leading actress of the show. There has been cases where the popularity of certain actors or actresses has caused some pretty heated arguments among the cast members. Especially if the supposed main characters status as the main draw of the show is taken by a supposed supporting character.”
What?
Anyway. Great job, Roxy! I loved it. And I loved those eps.
Yep that is what the rest of us are really waiting for. For an endless cascade of Cameron centric underwear scenes and closeups of Derek in the shower.
Can some people really be anymore condescending. We really are mental midgets compared to these people of supreme intelligence who can appriciate the subtle nuances of the Sarah Connor centric story arc.
Speaking of Arnold the actor and James Cameron the writer/director…
Wouldn’t it be nice if in Season 3 that the actors and writers/directors were all on the same page and not always left in the dark?
Maybe the actors don’t exactly always like how their characters are being portrayed and would like to put in their two cents.
This is what made “Seinfeld” so good. They had round tables with the writers in order for everyone to feel like they could contribute story and character elements and not be left out. There was no secrecy between the two groups.
Harrison Ford felt the same way about Han Solo and added his own bits in order for him to feel more comfortable with the role. He took ownership of it.
As he so famously told George Lucas: “You can write this sh#t, George, but I’m not gonna say it.”
Well, what do I know? I’m an “idiot.”
Excellent points Tilt. I agree 100%.
I understood all of the episodes about Sarah’s transformation, I just didn’t especially like them. Many of us believed that calling a complete halt to all other character developement and slowing the pace was a mistake. That doesn’t make us stupid or unsophisticated. Which side the “haters” lie on is strictly a function of point of view and perception.
You go, Tilt!
Great write-up AG. You have capture the layers of complexity embedded in the series - precisely why I love what Josh Friedman has created. This is the most amazing show on television.
I think some of you are overreacting. It was hilarious, and enlightening to some of us. I didn’t catch the Sarah clothes on Cameron either.
There’s nothing wrong with people who didn’t like the episodes and she’s not trying to say there is. Everyone enjoys different things. But I do think this series has a little of something for everyone. Great stuff.
The Idiot’s Guide is tongue-in-cheek. No need to take it personally. Instead of feeling insulted, why don’t you guys feel happy that someone took the time to explain what a lot of people missed. After all, we all love this show, right? We’re not posting on this blog simply because we want criticize everything that hasn’t gone perfectly this season, or because we KNOW we can do better than Josh Friedman, right?
I mean, we are all here to support the show, not tear it down, right?
Don’t misunderstand, I thought the article was very funny. I enjoyed it.
Did anybody catch my smilies and winkies and quotes around “hater” and “idiot” in my posts?
Yup, I did get the Sarah episodes (I’m not a mouth breather… well… I am when I sleep because I have a deviated septum
), and I understood where A.G. was coming from even if I didn’t particularly think it was the time or the place for the show to come to a grinding halt (think of the ratings!!!!), or exactly like what Josh did with Sarah or the other characters.
But that’s just one man’s opinion.
@Dan -
Please explain what you meant by “You go Tilt!”. What point of view are you supporting there?
We’re not down in the ratings necessarily because some don’t “get” the nuances of the show, Logan, but in what direction the show has been taking for most of Season 2.
Some of A.G. post seemed a bit condescending to the fans that like the show, but don’t agree where it’s been dragged to.
If the Back 6 are as awesome as the reel makes them out to be, then that’s where the show should have been previously and should remain for Season 3 and beyond. They didn’t need to wait so long to suddenly wake up and find their voices.
It may have killed our chances DVR numbers or no DVR numbers.
So you weren’t winking and nodding as you just stated. You took the Idiot’s Guide personally. Precisely my point.
I took it mostly as AG says she meant it as, but there were elements that smacked of condescension that some of us picked up on. It’s not black ‘n’ white, Logan, it’s gray.
“After all, we all love this show, right? We’re not posting on this blog simply because we want criticize everything that hasn’t gone perfectly this season, or because we KNOW we can do better than Josh Friedman, right? I mean, we are all here to support the show, not tear it down, right?”
Hey Logan, I agree with your last comments completely. By use of the term ‘haters’ I mean precisely those folks who just go on an on about how the direction of the show is going the wrong way, etc. There’s a difference between constructive criticism (which I personally believe Roxy’s article was) and saying ‘I didn’t get understand/prefer this ep’ as opposed to saying how much Josh sucks, I can do the show better, do it this way, you’re killing the ratings, etc. Quite frankly, I and others are getting tired of reading these comments, which is why I wanted to state my own opinion. Agree with me or not, but reading such comments is about as depressing to me as reading about low ratings.
And just as there was a heavy Sarah storyline/light on Cameron in the last three eps, there have also been eps where there’s almost no Sarah (like in Self Made Man when she fearlessly had to wield a laundry basket in only one scene) and lots of Cameron. The show is striking a balance with what characters are featured each week, and most of the time, it gets it right. I hear that there will be more John/Cameron stuff in the next few eps, so the Jameron folks will be happy and folks like me will still appreciate the few Sarah scenes we’ll get.
“Part of me also wonders if this is really Josh´s idea in the first place and not something that Lena Headley demanded as appropriate for the leading actress of the show. There has been cases where the popularity of certain actors or actresses has caused some pretty heated arguments among the cast members. Especially if the supposed main characters status as the main draw of the show is taken by a supposed supporting character.”
Tilt, Josh mentioned that the Sarah storyline was his idea of the direction he wanted the show to go in. I’ve met several of the cast and crew a few times and they all seem to genuinly like and enjoy working each other with a minimum of egos. Your suggestion of Lena ‘demanding’ more face time seems so ridiculous, I could only go ‘wtf?!’ For all the Cameron fans out there, there’s also us Sarah fans as well that appreciate the work Lena Headey (Tilt, that’s the correct spelling of her last name there) is doing.
I’m not down on the Sarah episodes because I don’t like the character, I was down on them more for the fact that the show had been canceled mid-season and then resurrected and whomever decided to keep going on the Sarah had gone off the deep end again tangent even though they just dodged a bullet put things in a tail spin.
This was when they should have been firing on all cylinders. Ratings, Annie, are our lifeblood. I have to be a realist here. I’m sorry.
You have to sometimes hold off on the “deeper” and “slower” episodes until you’ve established a strong audience loyalty. They had not. The Sarah arc was a gamble and it didn’t pay off. I wish it had, but this is not how you come back from actually being shut down.
It’s Vitamin C time and not Ambien time. LOL! I hope that these last few episodes give the fans and the new viewers some real meat to chew on and those live numbers start going back up.
I don’t want the show to go out in a whimper, I would much rather it go out with a BANG! and a really cheer-inducing, fan-tastic finale in Season 6 or 7.
Great article, Roxy! Thanks for the indepth look into Sarah’s mind and for laying it out for us. I’m also a Sarah fan, but I missed the Sarah/Cameron connection and didn’t even notice that Cameron was wearing Sarah’s clothes in Some Must Watch…
Annie, I agree that Lena demanding more face time is ridiculous. I don’t know her personally, but I don’t think that’s something Lena would do. Based on interviews that I’ve seen of other actors, directors, and producers describing Lena, I think she is too professional to whine about face time.
Okay I will bite.
Lets assume that there would be a blog like Roxy´s but in which the viewpoint would be completely opposite of what was implied in Roxy´s article. In this theoretical blog the fans who posses a certain viewpoint of how the show should go are presented as “idiots” and their mental thought capacity consists of statements like these:
Example 1: “I REMEMBER CAMERON HAD ON PRETTY LIPSTICK”
Example 2: “NOWHERE! DOES THAT MEAN WE CAN CALL IT CAMERON IN HER UNDIES CORNICLES.
Now where is the supposed fun in this if the whole concept of fun is based around presenting the opinions of certain fans as idiotic and making them seem like caveman from the distant past. The blogger could have made the whole article a bit less inflammatory. The whole point of Roxy´s blog is to strenghten the views of the fans who think the Sarah Connor centric story arc is the best thing since sliced bread.
Furthermore it also seems that any person who disagrees on the direction of the show based on the Sarah Connor episodes is a now a “hater” of the show.
“By use of the term ‘haters’ I mean precisely those folks who just go on and on about how the direction of the show is going the wrong way.There’s a difference between constructive criticism (which I personally believe Roxy’s article was) and saying ‘I didn’t get understand/prefer this ep”
So is Roxy´s blog an attempt of “fun” (as Logan termed it) or a “piece of constructive criticism (as Anne termed it)”? I really dont know. What i do know is that all of us watchers of this show are entitled to our opinion withouth being termed as “idiots” or “haters” of the show in question.
I would like to comment finally on the Annie´s quote about Josh Friedman wanting to steer the show in this particular direction. If Lena Headey (thanks for the correction btw) would have made this demand…do you really think that they would tell it to us?
How many times have we seen the actors and actresses who are advertising their latest movie telling us how great the experience has been and how the director was so understanding and a true genius in directing the cast. Then a few years later they could be telling an entirely different story about that particular movie set.
On the point about Lena Headey, I don’t agree. It was not her doing. She’s too classy (as are the other cast members) a lady to demand more face time.
In fact, didn’t she not like how John and Sarah were ripped apart? I agree with Lena!
Great job Roxy Bisquaint! That entry was awesome and well broken down. While reading it, I started saying to myself, “wow, this is all making sense!” I really loved your down to earth writing. I really makes it easy for people like me (idiots) to understand.
keep up the great analysis!
Thanks.
Hater is the guy/girl who said something sucks cause he/she doesn’t like it… and doesn’t see the bigger picture or in this case, how things are connected… and other that, have said (as we have read in this blog) “I didn’t like it, where’s John Where’s Cameron?” Hater is the one who talks badly of something for shallow reasons like that one
Good read, thanks for posting =).
Also while I’m here, if you have time please sign this petition to save TSCC, every little helps =).
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/the-sarah-connor-chronicles.html
Just because someone states his oppinion on what could make the show better, it doesn’t make him/her a “HATER”! All this “haters discussion” made me laugh.
A hater wouldn’t watch the show in the first place, would he/she? Stop being so ridiculous!
“Hater” is such a strong word for someone who didn’t enjoy “Sarah’s mental journey” or whatever it’s called. It was something different, the last 3 episodes kinda lacked in action, so of course many people got worried.
I enjoyed those episodes and I’m looking forward to the remaining ones and I’m sure there will be enough action to satisfy everyone!
Oh, God.
There will be no living with her now… *goes off to find the scotch*
STEPHANOPOULOS: So back in Sacramento, you’re getting it from both sides. Democrats say you cut spending too much; Republicans say you raised taxes too much. Is D.C. the safest place for you this weekend?
SCHWARZENEGGER: Well, I think that it is always terrific. And I have told you that many times that, when you’re in the center, you get attacked from the left and you get attacked from the right. And this is a good sign, actually, because that means that you’re in the right place
Even as a politician Arnold still sheds wisdom… who knew?
Everyone here are intelligent loyal fans to the show. You wouldn’t be here right now otherwise. However if we start biting at each other’s throats, or worse Josh’s, then Fox will never approve a third season. I understand the need for realism here as well as optimism, the two balance each other out, but let’s all remember one thing. No one here wants to see this show get cancelled. Argue a point all you want to try and show up someone else’s post but in doing so remember that the Fox execs will take a look at it and say “Aha! See? Even the fans hate this show!”
And that is more important than ratings. I’m not pointing fingers but after reading the entire forum, the article, and other forums like this, I think someone needs to say it. You may not like something and feel free to voice it but in the end please, please, please, voice what you do like about the show as well. Criticism without constructiveness is just that, criticism. For example:
Even though I don’t like how the storyline had to get so spread out this season with all of these side plots what I like most about the show is John’s struggle to go from teenage boy to the leader of mankind. None of the movies have ever shown that. The guns, explosives, and Cameron in her underwear are a SWEET bonus.
I love you Summer!
Brilliant post. Hopefully this puts down complainers and we can enjoy our damn show :]
Well said nick!
I love this show and I can’t wait for tomorrow’s ep!
So instead of having to actually make posts about why you feel this way and why it is your opinion… it is actually quite okay to just label the poster as a “hater” as the final answer to any criticism?
Isnt it time that we move past the point of labeling people. There have been some pretty bad episodes in human history caused by people who like to explain things by labeling them.
Hey! Here’s a song in answer to Roxy’s blog! Tongue in cheek to answer tongue in cheek!
The Ramones: “Pinhead”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwAl8rslIyw
D-U-M-B
Everyone’s accusing me!
I thought this was a very funny entry, especially someone who’s known for satire (The Comicals). It put a lot of the Sarah transformational dynamics into a language that was easily spoken, even by the imaginary cro-magnon that serves as her foil.
It’s easy to sit back and be offended by satire, but let’s realize it’s just that. Not an insult or an attempt to point fingers or cause hurt feelings.
@Tilt
I don’t know if you are located outside of the United States, but it seem like you are unfamilar with The Complete Idiot’s Guides. There are actual reference books that break down subjects into less complex pieces. They are written in a similar style of over-the-top silliness as Roxie used in her blog.
Personally, I think what Roxie did was brilliant, and the whole point of Roxie’s blog post was to share her insights about series, and call attention to all the layers of meaning embedded in the Sarah arc.
It is only inflammatory if you share the opinion that Cameron in her undies is what this show is about. If that’s the case, then hey, I understand your decision to view her post as an affront to everyone who wants to see more of Summer in her skivvies.
@Dan
It’s interesting that you detect condescension in others, but don’t notice how your posts reflect stratospheric levels of condescension. Let me give you a couple of examples:
“This was when they should have been firing on all cylinders. Ratings, Annie, are our lifeblood.” - This Dan, is an example of condescension. You were condescending towards Annie, if it slipped your notice. As the ultimate armchair quarterback, you are also condescending towards Josh Friedman.
“You have to sometimes hold off on the “deeper” and “slower” episodes until you’ve established a strong audience loyalty. They had not. The Sarah arc was a gamble and it didn’t pay off. I wish it had, but this is not how you come back from actually being shut down.” - This Dan, is another example of condescension. You, who have never developed a show or worked as a network executive, presume to know how best to run a show after being shut down - better than the people who actually had to scramble to make it happen. Again you have the enviable position of criticizing Josh after the fact. Again, you play the armchair quarterback position quite well.
Until you have developed a concept, taken it to a network, gotten it green-lighted, and held on to your audience competing against Monday Night Football, DWTS, and constant scheduling interruptions, you are in no position to deliver such high-handed advice to Josh and company.
Let’s be clear: the definition of condescension is to display “patronizingly superior behavior or attitude.”
Logan,
He was warned not to do what he did. He did it anyway. The ratings were low, now they’re lower.
How is that condescension unless you don’t like to hear a stark truth?
Yes, I’m not a TV-man, nor Hollywood suit, but even I could have told you what was going to happen by pursuing this style of episode at that time. Does it mean something like this couldn’t have been told? No. It should have been placed on hold until the ratings were solidly in their favor.
Do some of us fans now have a sloping forehead and slouch over for bringing this up?
Just because we like “Jameron” do we now suddenly only want to see Cameron walk around in a bra and panties and John drooling on himself for every episode from now on? Come on! Give us SOME credit!
And this someone, me, likes the Sarah Connor Comicals and thinks they are quite clever and funny, and believe Roxy has quite the imagination.
This isnt the first time when a show has had some fans making these kinds of explanatory articles for the fans who “just dont get it”.
I remember the same kind of debate going around other tv shows. Posters claiming that some of us just dont understand the brilliance and the deeper issues which are shown to us. Now Terminator: The Sarah Connor chronicles is far above most of the shows currently running in its attention to dialogue and plot development.
I and I assume most of the fans do get the main plot points in the Sarah Connor storyline but for me personally some of the episodes in the Sarah story arc havent been that interesting.
Basically I dont understand why they need to show the Sarah Connor centric episodes one after another. Wouldnt it have been better to have had Sarah´s story arc developing in combination with other story arcs rather than in a kind of void where other plot points are almost put on stasis.
I must give nods to Logan for this following brilliant argument:
“It is only inflammatory if you share the opinion that Cameron in her undies is what this show is about. If that’s the case, then hey, I understand your decision to view her post as an affront to everyone who wants to see more of Summer in her skivvies.”
What I want is to get the brilliance of what was season 1 back. What i want is having the team tackling the issues together rather than going their separate ways for several episodes. What I want is having terminators back in a series titled “the terminator”.
Tilt,
If what I’m reading is true… they ain’t getting back together any time soon. They’re going to be torn asunder.
It’s like they take great joy in beating the crap out of these four main characters. Build them UP, for godsakes! UP! The opposite of DOWN. LOL!
Argh.
@Dan -
You keep saying, “he was warned not to do this”. Who told you this? He did. He owned up to that, yet you keep using it against him as if he doesn’t understand this error. Do you know the context in which he was warned? It could have been after the horse had left the barn, and he was forced to finish what he started despite anyone’s reservations. The fact is, you don’t know the context, but you use this point as evidence of his mismanagement of the show.
Wow, this fandom just loves to argue, huh? heh
Allergygal used exaggeration for the sake of humor. Why are people taking this personal? She never said that’s how ALL Jameron fanatics are. But there ARE some who are like that… and focusing on that and exaggerating it is humorous.
If you yourself is not like that, then why are you taking offense? If you ARE like that then again, why are you taking offense if it’s just the truth? Either way, NO ONE should be taking offense to this article. It’s all in good fun while being informative and must I say, deep.
Agreed. I thought it was great. Passed it around to everyone at work here.
To Tilt and Dan: Don’t feel insulted by AG’s article… I am somewhat of a john-cameron realtionship fan as well, and in the beginning I felt a bit uneasy with the article as well. Till I realised that it is not about us. We get the sarah storyline.
But be honest, when looking at other forums like the official wiki, it does seem there are people on it wo DO behave like that: “OOH CAMERON in UNDERWEAR, need more!!!!111″ And all that sillyness. And other one sentence comments in that vein. Sometimes even I feel uneasy about this. Or things like: “Where’s ahnuld? Stupid show without the governator…. Riley needs to die!!” and so on and so on. That’s the kind of fan she was referring too, and I am afraid to say, there are a whole bunch of those I think.
However we also do need those fans for the ratings…
Thank you to the blog for linking to my LJ post. I’m kind of amazed by the response. It seems to have been well-received, but hey, it was poking fun at some so I accept the criticism of the presentation that a few expressed. Maybe I can clear up a few issues.
My use of the term “hater” was explained in the brief intro to the piece and I don’t know why anyone took offense to it. To fall under my definition, you’d have to have this attitude: “I didn’t understand that episode so it sucked.” Come on, anyone seriously offended?
I do find the idea of a simple boyfriend/girlfriend relationship between John and Cameron a bit silly, so I made a ridiculous caricature of a Cameron-drooling Jameron fan play my “idiot”. But no, I don’t think John/Cameron is idiotic. On a deeper level there’s definitely something to it. It’s been set up since the beginning of the series and has been unfolding ever since. John is confused and conflicted about his feelings towards Cameron and she is utterly devoted to him (purpose!). It’s a relationship to be sure, but it’s complex, it spans present and future, and I think we’ve got a long way to go on that story.
When I sat down to write about Sarah’s journey, I didn’t write it to tell anyone they didn’t understand it. I wrote it *for* anyone who didn’t understand it or maybe didn’t get it as fully as I delved into it. I never expected more than maybe a handful of friends to even read it, but I made it a public entry so anyone could. I’m glad so many have and that so many enjoyed it.
I personally find Sarah Connor to be the most fascinating character on television. I’ve loved the character since T1, but the way this show has developed her and the way Lena Headey has played her has brought Sarah Connor to life in a way I never expected. Her fierceness and determination are layered with an emotional depth that makes me believe her every sacrifice and feel her every struggle. And of course, she’s totally badass.
Is she ever! And the blog entry was completely enjoyable, funny and enlightening.
Yes, this Sarah Connor is an incredible character and Lena is spectacular. I was watching parts of The Good Wound again just now before heading off to work. She is absolutely magical. Wow.
Nice job, AG. In context hater refers to those fans (all of whom I might add we desperately need) who react by saying “You didn’t completely satisfy my unrealistic expectations in the last forty minutes so I reject entirely, without trying in any way to understand, what you’re trying to do. Here’s what I think would be neat…I posted earlier about the concept of family that made tthe first season so special. Sarah solo suffers not from any failure from the fierce and feisty Lena but the sense that vital parts of the family are missing in action. Sarah is the core of the series because she shows the Tinman what it costs to have a heart. We all think we want jokes and sex and the modern equivalent to the Elizabethan “bit with a dog” (a car chase?) In realtiy this show has presented us with more under the weekly pressure of churning out a series. The darkness of the Sarah soul-searching will set the stage nicely for the dramatic climax of season 2…”but enough of words, observe all.” (A Clockwork Orange)
Oh boy. Amazing how many people are willing to step up and admit that they are idiots :%
What a wonderfully cohesive theory. It made something click for me about Sara that I was resisting in her character until now. She sees other people from her narrow perspective of the need to protect John. This is especially so in her relationship with Derek, Riley, and Cameron. This makes her limited in her ability to comprehend the big picture, just like Cameron. There is only the mission (protecting John) and what effects it; everything else is irrelevant. With that point of view, it is impossible to be a good leader because that requires an understanding of the perspective of others. That is where John’s strengths come in. He is able to judge the hearts of others because he has imagination, he can place himself in their shoes. At times, Sarah’s cluelessness of the experience of others, even when it parallels her own, has made her seem ineffectual on some levels. Now I see that she is supposed to be. She is a soldier, like Cameron, not a leader, like John. If we are allowed more seasons, perhaps Josh was planning on widening Sarah’s tunnel vision. Good parents are not jealous of the relationships their children have, in fact, the opposite. But it makes for good drama. Personally, I would be thanking God for Cameron if my son were John Conner.
Amazing article!!!!
Excellent considerations.
[...] THE SARAH CONNOR SOCIETY’S SECRET (?) HQ SOMEWHERE NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO ROXY B‘S [...]