Blatherings on TSCC 1x01

• Nice opening sequence, with plenty-o-tie-ins to the movies.
  • Especially like the re-use of the road. Knowing it's a dream sequence shows Sarah's need to move/run impacts her on a subconscious level.
  • Sarah mentions fate. Having seen the series now, this is nice to have it crop up so early, again in a subconscious level. I think she struggles with changing fate vs it being set.
• "I don't like secrets."
  • I like this bit of dialogue. Everything about her life is a secret... I can see her not liking them.
• Ah, commitment...
  • "It's been almost two years."
  • Safe until they break cover. The act of running is what triggers the sequence of Bad Things. This is a pretty twisted logic thread. Sarah's self-preservation fears were the cause of the current Bad Things. Or, what put into place new events. Or something like that. (Time travel screws with the noggin'.)
  • Maybe her dream was some weird sort of premonition. (Don't really think so, but could go there if I needed to believe she wasn't just a screwed up person afraid of commitment and that the dream was triggered by a feeling of being trapped.)
  • Dean Winters... had to do the Google, because I *knew* I knew him... hey, it's the insurance guy!
• "One bag. Plus the guns. I'll make pancakes."
  • First time through, this line cracked me up. The collision of secreting away (packing the most minor of possessions and firearms) with something as everyday as pancakes was awesome.
  • Knowing the pancake theme is repeated is equally fantastic. Nothing is better as a viewer than being rewarded for watching with reoccurring gems.
  • Another collision motherhood vs. 'protect the future savior of mankind'.  This is an interesting dynamic TPTB play with throughout the series.
  • I like that she's just doing the best she can... with various amounts of success.
• "I know the rules. They're like written on the inside of my eyeballs."
  • Something I was interested in throughout the series was John's struggle with his mother's mothering. Her obsessive need to keep him safe reminded me (oddly enough) of Nemo. (paraphrase, cause I'm not Googling...) "Well, that's a funny thing to wish for. If nothing ever happens to him, nothing ever will."
  • Training him to be safe is one thing, but the smothering struck me as teaching him to be follower, not a leader. Which circles back to the motherhood vs savior thing.
• Cameron
  • Hey, it's the chick from Serenity! I loved her ass-kicking character in that movie.
  • Raise your hand if you knew she was a Terminator the second she got shot.
  • "Come with me if you want to live." Love it!! More viewer rewards!
  • Over the entire series, I love the mirror to Sarah that is Cameron. She is the protector without the smothering, without the love, without the mistakes love makes. (There are REAMS of fanfiction that could be devoted to this. Reams, I say.)
  • Love that she's something 'different', and that (I don't think?) we're ever told what model she is. Leaves things so open for *cough*shippy fanfiction*cough* future character development.
• Cromartie
  • Hey, it's the guy from Mentalist!  (Shit. Owain Yoeman is two years younger than me?) And, hey... he doesn't last long... wonder if it was plotted that way, or if the Mentalist gig interfered or...? He makes a good bad guy.
  • The 120 second reboot time gets mileage later, which is awesome.
• "Put those things back in the holster."
  • The look Cameron gives Sarah is priceless. I'm sure she was thinking about the bullets. ROFL.
  • Cameron tells Sarah her actions caused the Terminator to chase her, but at the same time, says it doesn't matter because they will always find her and John. Nice on/off of guilt.
• "I'll stop it."
  • Big promise to live up to, there. Another nice scene of the motherhood conflict.
  • A look into John's self-doubts of being a leader. His mother's overshadowing influence combined with a child's misgivings.
• Annnnddd... a time jump out of the bank with nifty special effects. Like it.
• Little nekkid chick + drunk jocks = ass-kickin'. Even if it was a little predictable from the second the car stopped, what's not to love??
• Bookends
  • "No one's ever safe." Nice book-end for the beginning of the ep, and a reoccurring gem.
  • The swing-set, seen through a chain link fence. Dig it.

Randomness... this is one depressing series. From a purely 'teevee is filled with fluff and bunnies and sitcoms' point of view, I understand why it got cancelled. Viewers can handle angst, but being a serialized, science fiction show that had very little to offer in the way of 'hope' until the second season ender, well... it was double-doomed.

From the point of view of someone who loves smart TV, I'm gnashing my teeth. The good ones always get cancelled. *pouts*

Now I get to go read what inkyotz said back during the original run. Awesomeness with a creamy awesome filling and a crunchy shell of awesomeness.

Rec - TSCC

Looking for something of a very nice length that is plot-driven with lovely characterizations? Look no further than Out on the Wire, by LithiumDoll.