If you want to be a hero, you gotta learn how to drive stick - The Sarah Connor Chronicles

[weewarrior]

I'm still all about the Sarah and Cameron interaction. So much snark, so much chemistry, and still that push-pull of Sarah obviously liking Cameron and respecting her as an asset, but at the same time not entirely trusting her. And that seems warranted; Cameron is very independent - as seen in The Turk, she is very well able to disobey John if she wants to - and I suspect her overall role is a little less clear than she lets on. Keeping the last coltan bar could have multiple meanings from her pragmatically collecting spare parts in case she got hurt to more diffuse, emotional reasons that seem pretty sophisticated for a cyborg.

Something I'm about ready to see go are the voiceovers; they may be less pompously worded than Mohinder's infamous monologues, but as illustrations for the episodes' themes they are frequently forced and implausible. I really don't think that Sarah, who has mostly concerned herself with the survival of her son for the last fifteen years, is particularly given to pondering the morality of nuclear scientists or analysing the underlying meaning of Jewish folktales, never mind using them to reflect on her own screwed up situation.

The casting is splendid on this show, especially for the terminators. Brian Blessed as the TOTW was a genius idea, as his clear blue eyes give him an otherworldly air quite fitting for one of the machines. Garrett Dillahunt - whom I've seen last as the doctor on John from Cincinnatti and as Aidan Quinn's personal Jesus on The Book of Daniel, but who is otherwise surely better known for his two psychotic Deadwood characters and his stint as an all-knowing Keyser Soze clone on Life - as George Lazlo/Cromartie is likewise a great choice. Generally speaking, I am glad they stuck with the "traditional" model instead of going for the shape-changing, liquifying T-1000, although I suppose it's mostly for budget reasons. It did make for a nice assembly arc for Cromartie, though, and gave Agent Ellison something to do besides.

Speaking of Ellison, judging from reactions I seem to be the only one liking the FBI storyline so far. Admittedly, the parallels to X-Files are getting a little excessive: after aquiring a rather snarky Scully in Agent Greta Simpson only an episode before, Ellison is now revealed to have a Mulder-like reputation and even attracts a Krychek variant in Agent Stewart. The latter basically screams Undercover Robot - most ironic, given that Lee Thompson Young's recurring Smallville character is cybernetic - but could just as well be only a very ambitious young colleague ready to climb over Ellison's back.

The scene where John has to take the key from Blessed's sleeping model was very intense, as were his scenes in the hangar in general, even though it was clear that they wouldn't shoot the Future Saviour of Mankind in the fourth episode, no matter how much he acts like a fifteen year old. Kudos on the latter, by the way - John might be the TV teen I currently most want to sent to his room until he rotts and who isn't FNL's Julie Taylor, which effectively makes them the most realistic teenagers currently on a TV show.

The cut from Sarah saying Brian Blessed's minion could go if he got past Cameron to him driving with a very blank expression was absolutely priceless. I really hope they went back and got him out of the minefield, though, because, seriously - awkward.

Comments

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

I really don't think that Sarah, who has mostly concerned herself with the survival of her son for the last fifteen years, is particularly given to pondering the morality of nuclear scientists or analysing the underlying meaning of Jewish folktales, never mind using them to reflect on her own screwed up situation.
Okay, hee. I do like them, but you may have a point there.

The latter basically screams Undercover Robot - most ironic, given that Lee Thompson Young's recurring Smallville character is cybernetic
I didn't hear the screaming. Didn't ping me as a robot at all. I mean, he didn't act anything like a Terminator; I don't know why everyone's jumping on him.

I like the FBI storyline too, though.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I didn't hear the screaming. Didn't ping me as a robot at all. I mean, he didn't act anything like a Terminator; I don't know why everyone's jumping on him.

He's opposing One Of Our Heroes, and we've already seen Terminators getting by as basically "normal" humans, so naturally, there will be a hidden one, because everything is a conspiracy. And Stewart's so interested in Ellison, it's a wee bit creepy.

I like the FBI storyline too, though.

vonnie_k did, as well, but when I read the TWOP episode thread, it was page after page of "FBI story, boring!" That probably convinced me that it was a wide-spread sentiment.