Musings (by myself and others) on Terminator thus far this season

[laceblade]

People! I say again, watch this show. I think it has a broad appeal to many different audience types. DO IT.


In the most recent episodes, I've really enjoyed watching John's disgust in a fellow teenager's treatment of his mother, and Sarah's disgust in how Akagi deceives his son. In the latest Monday's point, Sarah makes a point of noting that "safe doesn't mean happy," but it's very clear at the least that they are a loving family.

Also....Derek pretty much has to believe Sarah trying to track down the three dots and stuff now, right? I love the way this show uses even stand-alone episodes to do great character development. They're also still layered in a way that is vastly interesting to me.


coffeeandink has some brief thoughts scattered, but especially in this entry, where she says simply, "I just love how this show undercuts the messianic readings even as it depends on them, the way it emphasizes the heroism of ordinary people, the adaptability of ordinary people, the networks of human interconnections. It's Buffy's true heir."

Her post here is also thought-provoking, including an angle on Catherine Weaver I hadn't considered.


vonnie_k also has nice insights to Terminator (and all of TV, ever):

And she IS right. They can't let their guards down. Nothing is what it seems until you get to the endgame, then it is too late. Riley is a plant from the future. Jesse deceives Derek. Cameron is in danger. We don't even know if Jesse was telling the truth when she told Derek her mission. What is Riley's role? To distance John from the influence of Cameron? I'm intrigued by this John, the future John who has lost his mother to cancer and who has no one but a machine to turn to for a confidant. John who gets older, harder, more battle-weary while Cameron remains... the same? Or has she learned and evolved into whatever Cameron is becoming right now? Yes, I think so. Cameron that's influencing John in Jesse's future isn't the Cameron Derek remembers, but *this* Cameron, our Cameron, who would have another 20 years of aping and internalizing human actions and emotions, and who would stay a constant by John's side when everyone else he's loved is dead and gone.

Lastly....I like what Entil had to say about the Riley revelation:

The subplot in this episode has Riley twisting John around her little finger, as per Jesse’s orders, and she does a pretty nice job of it. Now that we know she’s playing John, her sob stories take on a sinister edge. The writers will need to continue on this subtle path, and avoid the temptation to have John make too obvious a mistake. It should never look like John is overlooking some obvious detail, since he’s already making some boneheaded moves as it is. Kudos to the writers for making Riley’s deception believable!

I'm excited for the rest of this season!

ETA: I totally forgot to mention how much I LOVED the episode with Adam Busch (Warren of Buffy) and Richard Schiff (Toby of West Wing). It was SO WEIRD watching them play such opposite characters of what I was used to them playing, Schiff in particular.


There is now an ETA behind the cut.

Comments

[messener.livejournal.com]

I too am enjoying this series very much. The character interactions are very interesting to watch and see how they all develop. The stuff about changing the future with Derek is an interesting concept too.

One thing, I believe the point Sarah made was that "Close doesn't mean happy", not safe. I think she was responding to the comment of "I thought this would bring us closer together." Then again, it's been two days since I saw it, so I could be remembering incorrectly :)

And I never thought about this before but I wonder if naming her Cameron was an homage to James Cameron...

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

And I never thought about this before but I wonder if naming her Cameron was an homage to James Cameron...

I just thought of that while reading this entry and I'd bet good money that it is.

[mystickeeper.livejournal.com]

You're right, it was close, not safe. Thanks!


Oh man, I never thought about that! I bet it is an homage, they're pretty particular about their decisions.

Along with that, I loved what they did with Derek, too; I wasn't expecting it at all.

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, and all the callbacks? The video game one was my favorite.

[carabbit.livejournal.com]

I LOVE THIS SHOW

Half the time I don't even know what is going on but it does its crazy so well that I STAY ENGAGED.

[mystickeeper.livejournal.com]

I KNOW. EVERYONE IS SO PRETTY.