Terminator #9: TSCC: Complications/Nov2008

[Truth Seeker]

Complications

Stars:Summer Glau (Cameron Phillips)
Thomas Dekker (John Connor)
Lena Headey (Sarah Connor)
Brian Austin Green (Derek Reese)
Shirley Manson (Catherine Weaver)
Richard T. Jones (Agent James Ellison)

Recurring Role:Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen (Jesse)

Guest Star:Adam Busch (Young Fischer)
Dorian Harewood (Dr. Sherman)
Richard Schiff (Fischer)
John Kelly (Baldwin)

Sarah faces deja vu when her nightmares conflict into real life meaning trouble for Sarah and John. Derek and Jesse look into a Skynet schemer.
​

 

[Arnwyn]

I'm surprised they didn't freak out a whole lot more when the Terminator body went missing. That's already shown to be a really big deal.

P.S. I hate time travel, and even talking about time travel is bad. Alternate timelines now? BAD! (Though it does kind of make sense in the bad TV-time-travel-cliche sort of way... )

 

[LightPhoenix]

P.S. I hate time travel, and even talking about time travel is bad. Alternate timelines now? BAD! (Though it does kind of make sense in the bad TV-time-travel-cliche sort of way... )

Well, in a show whose premise is evil robots go back in time to kill someone, it's kind of necessary. I actually liked the way it was handled... relatively offhand, without focusing too much on it. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, who knows, who cares, we're trying to tell a story here.

I thought this was the best of the three shows I watch over the weekend/Monday (True Blood and Heroes being the other two). I agree that it was too understated, especially with Cromartie's body going missing. The "A"-story was a little bland, though it was nice that it focused on Derek.

One interesting thing I think was brought up was the influence of Sarah on John. That is to say, as soon as Sarah is incapicitated, John steps up his game and becomes a little more like the John Connor from the future. It raises the possibility that it's actually Sarah that is holding John back from becoming future-John. It's been hinted at before (and once blatantly said by Derek), but I think this was the first time there was evidence it might actually be the case. Maybe Sarah should pull a runner, to get him where he needs to be.

One major nitpick... how come Cameron can't tell Ellison is lying? She's done it before. It made no sense.

 

[Arnwyn]

Well, in a show whose premise is evil robots go back in time to kill someone, it's kind of necessary.

I know, I know...! But like I always tell my wife: "I like Terminator despite the time travel, not because of it."

I actually liked the way it was handled... relatively offhand, without focusing too much on it. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, who knows, who cares, we're trying to tell a story here.

To be honest, me too (and I said so in my previous post). They are readily admitting that their actions have obviously changed the future already, so what is a possible - and maybe interesting - result of doing such things? Alternate timelines, of course.

So, because of that, I did manage to tolerate the "A" story. And I really really liked the introduction of the concept of "Greys" - human traitors that the machines have found a use for. Very cool. (Flawed introduction - what machine doesn't barcode even their human allies? - but still cool.)

But I still hate time travel. Running from a Terminator while trying to stop the creation of SkyNet? Cool. Continually referencing time travel? Not cool. (YMMV)

One major nitpick... how come Cameron can't tell Ellison is lying? She's done it before. It made no sense.

It was groan-inducing for my wife and I.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I tried watching again to see if it got better. What I came away with is that if these are the people to save us we are doomed. I know it is network TV but please, really, why can't anyone be smart and start capping people like they need to. Sarah can't cover her trail because she leaves witnesses and gets a Terminator on John as a result. Derek won't kill a future traitor because maybe he may not go bad? What was the point in going back in time again? And then Cameron can't tell Elison is lying and listens to John when he says don't kill him. Why the hell didn't they just take the body back originally?

Why are they still in LA. Shouldn't they have moved to New Zeeland by now?

Next time I will take comments about the show getting better with a larger grain of salt.

 

[Sir Brennen]

I tried watching again to see if it got better. What I came away with is that if these are the people to save us we are doomed. I know it is network TV but please, really, why can't anyone be smart and start capping people like they need to.

Wow. So you'd rather see a show where the heroes have no problem killing innocent bystanders, because it's the smart thing to do? That's what would make the show better for you? Again... just, wow.

Being aware of the moral dilemma - having a sense of conscience - about taking a life makes the lead characters more human. I like the fact that Sarah recognized not killing the witness in the bowling alley resulted in Chrome-arty hunting John down. I like that John is struggling with having to kill someone in defense of his mother and himself. It makes the characters more real and does lead to more dramatic complications, as this episode's title points out.

Your version, BJ, would be a show where everyone is a Terminator...

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Wow. So you'd rather see a show where the heroes have no problem killing innocent bystanders, because it's the smart thing to do? That's what would make the show better for you? Again... just, wow.

Being aware of the moral dilemma - having a sense of conscience - about taking a life makes the lead characters more human. I like the fact that Sarah recognized not killing the witness in the bowling alley resulted in Chrome-arty hunting John down. I like that John is struggling with having to kill someone in defense of his mother and himself. It makes the characters more real and does lead to more dramatic complications, as this episode's title points out.

Your version, BJ, would be a show where everyone is a Terminator...

Having a heart works in many cases. I just don't buy it in this case. This is not a normal dilema. This is not even will one city be distroyed. This is a case of will humanity survive at all. I'm not setting an artificial idea of the future here. The war against the machines is the premise of the show we are supposed to buy into. Innocents die in war and the higher the stakes the more acceptable those innocent deaths become.

My version would be one where the main characters realize the stakes, take them seriously, do what needs to be done, and only then ponder their own souls for the choices they needed to make for the greater good. Allow the characters to make the decision to condem their own soul so that millions will live.

 

[Asmo]

User Deset Gled is talking about "amazing episodes" in the Supernatural thread - to me, this was an amazing episode. I rank it as one of the best single episode of all the shows I´m following.
The scene where Cameron turns Ellisons unconscious body over was just superb. As I understand it she knew or at least suspected he was lying, but backed down to John, correct or not?
Why they didn´t take Croms body with them the first time- well, I guess they thought that destroying the chip was enough.
I wonder how Ellison will react when it becomes clear for whom he´s really working for. Poor guy..
Once again, fantastic episode!

Asmo

 

[GSHamster]

One major nitpick... how come Cameron can't tell Ellison is lying? She's done it before. It made no sense.

She did. She explicitly says, "He's lying" after throwing Ellison into the bookcase. John overrules her, "You don't know that."

Now, maybe she should have argued more, but she doesn't usually argue, and usually follows the human's lead.