While I was testing out the iTunes Store movie rental service, I noticed the premiere episode of Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles was free download, so I checked it out.

The Good

• The special effects look great. The once high technology of a liquid metal terminator is now available to a television series.
• Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and Cameron (Summer Glau) are portrayed pretty well. Both lend a bit of geek appeal as Headey was in 300 and Glau in Firefly.
• The series takes place between the movies Terminator II and Terminator III and looks like it may fill in some continuity questions between the films. I personally would like to see how Skynet still gets built after all the technology was destroyed in T2, and how does Sarah Connor die before T3.
• Decent doses of Terminator-style violence.

The Bad

• The basic premise of mother and a son on the run from homicidal robots, cops, and Armageddon - is pretty darned depressing. Not a lot of smiles here.
• Neither is there enough humor. Ah-nold is sorely missed, with his robotic line delivery of “Hasta La Vista” and “I’ll Be Back.” The movies also had a lot of ridiculous humor based on robots trying to make sense of our world.
• The kid playing John Connor was slacker-vapid and the bad Terminator was nothing more than a marching meat loaf.
• Sarah Connor’s miniskirt in the first scene was fairly ridiculous (trying to get those viewers hooked, eh?) and Heady is so thin I don’t know how she picked up that heavy electric cannon from the future. But I suppose if it’s eye candy you want, there’s a brief broadcast-television-acceptable nude scene near episode’s end when Sarah, Cameron, and John are sent forward in time in true sans-clothing Terminator fashion.

Conclusion

While amusing, this episode actually made me want to re-watch all three Terminator movies. I generally liked what I saw but not enough to become a regular viewer. Still, I’ll monitor the buzz and see how the series is shaping up. If the series isn’t cancelled, I’ll rent the first season instead. I was reasonably entertained by Summer Glau kicking robot meat-loaf.

Check out the trailer for yourself:

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