sarahconnorchronicles

You know the one I'm talking about. After the writers strike ended last year in February, most of the networks made the interesting decision to just go ahead and shelve most of their freshmen series for the season, even if they'd picked up their "back nine" orders. Instead, they thought they'd launch the shows to big fanfare this fall, almost as if they were new again. Unfortunately, it looks like this plan backfired on them tremendously.

Across the board, those sophomore series that went on hiatus for more than six months are way down in the ratings. Apparently, absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder when it comes to the television landscape. It makes the instant gratification generation forget you existed. And stop caring.

So I've been back from LA for a couple of days, watching Rich and Keith file frantic reports from Comic-Con. It just makes me shake my head in sympathy. Though CC is a different animal from the TCAs, in both structure and in sheer volume of people and activities, I still know exactly how they feel. It all starts to feel like a blur after awhile -- panels, reporter scrums, parties, meeting your favorite (and not-so-favorite) TV stars... When you get back to "normal life," it almost feels like it never happened.

Anyway, now that I have a day or two to reflect, I took a cue from our friends at AOL and came up with a list of things I learned on this press tour. But this list will involve both the network-related things I learned with what I learned about celebrities, my fellow critics, and myself.

(S01E07) When I was in college, I took a science fiction class. In it, we discussed the themes of the first two Terminator movies, such as the religious themes (note the initials of John Connor and the other religious figure with the same initials) and the sources of violence (In the first movie it came in the form of machines. The second backpedaled and blamed minorities for violence).

I mention this because given the overt religious theme of tonight's episode, I wonder if Josh Friedman was in the same class. This episode went all "New Testament" on us.

Summer Glau looked mighty fine dressed as a cop like that. Some might not find it sexy, but I couldn't help but be reminded of when female strippers dress as cops. They look a lot like that. At first, I mean. When the clothes are still on. But I digress...

(S01E05) Andy Goode is back with another chess computer, the Turk II. This is relevant because John Connor played chess in his youth in South America and apparently knows a lot about chess history as a result. And people say this series is unrealistic.

Of course, chess is being used as a war metaphor in this episode (rather blatantly if you listen to Sarah Connor's commentary at the beginning and end of the episode). This could be ironic because apparently Skynet is being developed from a chess program. Perhaps in the future, Skynet loses a game of chess to a human and annihilates the species as a result.

(S01E04) John decides to try and control his own destiny and convinces his mother and Cameron to seek out and destroy Cromartie, the Terminator sent back in time to kill John in the first episode. Hilarity ensues.

Or, maybe not. John is showing his teenage angst by going totally emo. Apparently that suicide from the last episode has really gotten to him. I guess that's the only meaning which could be found from an otherwise meaningless death (story-wise, I mean).

I did enjoy the episode and felt it was a lot better than the last one. The storylines are progressing nicely and it's good to see John undergo some character development, even if it was emo. As usual, the performances of Lena Headey and Summer Glau make the show enjoyable.

Spoilers after the jump...

(S01E03) Sarah tracks down Teresa Dyson in an effort to find Skynet's creators. Meanwhile, John and Cameron try to fit in at a new school.

"The Turk" of the episode title is a reference to a chess-playing machine built in the 18th century and also represents quite possibly the beginning of Skynet (or perhaps a predecessor). It was built by a former intern at Cyberdyne named Andy Goode.

To set the mood at the beginning of the episode, Sarah has a dream of murdering the scientists of the Manhattan Project before they build the atomic bomb. The obvious analogy is there, but I note that the good that occurred as a result, such as the surrender of the Japanese or the rise of nuclear energy as a power source. Also, many technological innovations started with military use, including the Internet. Of course, mentioning all that would have just killed the mood.

The winter of 2008 will be an interesting one for television. With so many current shows at or near the end of their seasonal run, due to the staring contest known as the writers' strike, the schedule is going to look a bit different. Not only will it be filled with more reality shows, but it will also contain some untested scripted programs that have been waiting for the mid-season to air.

Nevertheless, not all is doom and gloom come the new year. There will be many favorites returning to the airwaves, although they may have shortened seasons. For instance, shows like Medium, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Lost, Monk, Psych, and, yes, even According to Jim, will be returning to the schedule. Then there is the anticipated return of Jericho and, of course, another season of show-killer American Idol, which may not have any competition at all this year.

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We Americans love free stuff! We love it so much that we will sign up for free stuff even when we don't need it. Hence, the reason why many of us have free samples of cholesterol medicine or Viagra when we don't even have high cholesterol or EFD. Sometimes, though, the free stuff that is being offered is pretty decent. This time around, FOX and The Sarah Connor Chronicles are making this type of offer.

To help promote its upcoming new series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, FOX has announced a contest. Fans can design a promotional poster for the new series with the winner getting a trip for two to Los Angeles. There they get to attend the show's premiere party on January 9, 2008 where their poster will be revealed by cast members. The winning submission will also be posted on the show's official site.

I'd tell you to get drawing because entries are due December 13, 2007, but I don't really see the point. As you can see by my submission posted here, this contest's already in the bag. I'll say "Hi!" to the Governator for you ... he better show up! I know, you can totally tell I used that promotional shot of Lena Headey for my Sarah drawing, but I had to put her in that leather jacket! She looks so badass! Sorry guys, better luck next time.

A few short clips form FOX's upcoming Sarah Connor Chronicles have popped up on YouTube. I've placed them below.

I'm a casual fan of the Terminator movies, but I have to admit that this new series looks really, really cool. The series stars Lena Headey in the titular role; Thomas Dekker as her son, John; and Richard T. Jones and Summer Glau.

The new series takes place after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Sarah is forced to protect her son from enemies from the future who want to make sure he doesn't succeed in ultimately destroying the machines who themselves are bent on destroying mankind. Ooh, that's heavy, but it's also the kind of ultra-violent escapism that fan boys and fan girls alike love to see. One of the things that set the Terminator movies apart from other big shoot-em ups is that it had that element of real (not forced) human drama, and I think, based on these clips, this new series will have the same.

The new series will air Sundays at 9:00 p.m. starting spring of 2008. Clips after the jump.

When I heard of this new series coming to FOX, I had mixed reactions. I'm a big fan of the Terminator franchise, so first there was a feeling of excitement. That feeling quickly changed to fear when the premise was revealed, which changed once more to my just not giving a crap anymore.

I recently got the opportunity to read the pilot script for this show, so I went from not caring to mild curiosity. Could this show pull off a worthwhile addition to the Terminator series of movies? I was about to find out. I should warn you, though -- big spoilers ahead, so tread carefully.