Post by Erika on Aug 12, 2008 12:28:35 GMT -5
www.thestar.com/article/476571
He warned us he'd be back.
Even without Arnold Schwarzenegger as its iconic avatar, or the guiding vision of its creator, writer/director James Cameron, the Terminator franchise endures, continuing its inexorable march toward Judgment Day and the "rise of the machine."
And beyond. The fourth movie, Terminator: Salvation, opening next May 22, picks up the saga with an adult John Connor (Dark Knight Christian Bale) bringing the fight to the future.
In the meantime, the battle rages on in the present, as a teenage Connor (Thomas Dekker) fights for his survival, protected by his steely mom ( Lena Headey), a time-displaced future uncle (Brian Austin Green) and a literal-minded "good" Terminator disguised as a teenage girl (Firefly waif Summer Glau) in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, making an unlikely return to prime-time for a second season Sept. 8.
If you missed the series' strike-shortened first season – and the numbers would suggest that many did – you're getting a second chance this week and next, Sundays through Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox and A.
Those few episodes might have been it, given the series' hefty production price tag and Fox's history of prematurely axing shows that don't maintain high ratings. But producers insist they've learned from last season, and the action-packed preview reel screened at the recent TV critics tour, and again last month at the San Diego Comic-Con, would seem to bear this out.
"Sometimes the show got overly complicated," conceded executive producer Josh Friedman, adding that "in the middle of the season when the ratings dipped a little before they went back up, I think that maybe we lost some people.
"There were some episodes that were very heavy mythology episodes and very heavily serialized.... I would say that these episodes this year are a little bit more self-contained than our episodes were last year."
There was also the problem – at least among hardcore fans, who tend to be their own worst enemies – of the casting of Headey in the title role. Despite the British actor's warrior-woman cred from her performance as Queen Gorgo in the film 300, genre bloggers generally had only harsh words for her portrayal of Sarah Connor – particularly in comparison to Linda Hamilton's mighty-muscled original characterization in the first two films.
"The whole last year," Headey allowed, "people seemed to make terrible comments. I have gigantic biceps this season."
With the new movie sequel coming out next year, there is also the question of cross-continuity, an issue of equal importance to fans. Also, given the back-and-forth time-travelling nature of the saga, one of unique storytelling complexity.
"What I can tell you is that both the show and the movie take certain inspiration from the Terminator mythology and certain themes, you know, that are important, like the value of self-sacrifice and perseverance and faith," says co-producer James Middleton, who is also an associate producer on the forthcoming film.
"But when we, in the premiere of our show, deposited Sarah Connor in the present day, we instantly created a new timeline in the mythology. So in that way, you know, the experience that our audience has watching Sarah Connor can only be seen on the television show."
Another new wrinkle in the upcoming season – at least, judging by the preview reel – is the question of the shifting loyalties of protector Terminator Glau.
There are strong indications that she may turn "bad" – not that anyone involved is about to deny or confirm it.
"You have to be creative," stonewalled Glau. "You have to look at things differently when you're on a series like this."
"We are very guarded about what we do on the show," said co-producer John Wirth. "The actors don't even know what we're doing ... until they get their scripts."
One thing Glau can attest to is the reaction of the public.
"People always choose to say something to me when I'm at the pharmacy, the produce section or the airport," she laughed.
"And so I'm like, 'I'm sorry. I'm just a regular girl.'
"I always feel like I'm disappointing in real life, reaching for the celery. But I am surprised and thrilled (with) how many people are watching our show. I cannot say how proud I am.
``People are seeing the show and really excited about it. It's been nice."
Sounds like a pretty good Terminator to me.
He warned us he'd be back.
Even without Arnold Schwarzenegger as its iconic avatar, or the guiding vision of its creator, writer/director James Cameron, the Terminator franchise endures, continuing its inexorable march toward Judgment Day and the "rise of the machine."
And beyond. The fourth movie, Terminator: Salvation, opening next May 22, picks up the saga with an adult John Connor (Dark Knight Christian Bale) bringing the fight to the future.
In the meantime, the battle rages on in the present, as a teenage Connor (Thomas Dekker) fights for his survival, protected by his steely mom ( Lena Headey), a time-displaced future uncle (Brian Austin Green) and a literal-minded "good" Terminator disguised as a teenage girl (Firefly waif Summer Glau) in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, making an unlikely return to prime-time for a second season Sept. 8.
If you missed the series' strike-shortened first season – and the numbers would suggest that many did – you're getting a second chance this week and next, Sundays through Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox and A.
Those few episodes might have been it, given the series' hefty production price tag and Fox's history of prematurely axing shows that don't maintain high ratings. But producers insist they've learned from last season, and the action-packed preview reel screened at the recent TV critics tour, and again last month at the San Diego Comic-Con, would seem to bear this out.
"Sometimes the show got overly complicated," conceded executive producer Josh Friedman, adding that "in the middle of the season when the ratings dipped a little before they went back up, I think that maybe we lost some people.
"There were some episodes that were very heavy mythology episodes and very heavily serialized.... I would say that these episodes this year are a little bit more self-contained than our episodes were last year."
There was also the problem – at least among hardcore fans, who tend to be their own worst enemies – of the casting of Headey in the title role. Despite the British actor's warrior-woman cred from her performance as Queen Gorgo in the film 300, genre bloggers generally had only harsh words for her portrayal of Sarah Connor – particularly in comparison to Linda Hamilton's mighty-muscled original characterization in the first two films.
"The whole last year," Headey allowed, "people seemed to make terrible comments. I have gigantic biceps this season."
With the new movie sequel coming out next year, there is also the question of cross-continuity, an issue of equal importance to fans. Also, given the back-and-forth time-travelling nature of the saga, one of unique storytelling complexity.
"What I can tell you is that both the show and the movie take certain inspiration from the Terminator mythology and certain themes, you know, that are important, like the value of self-sacrifice and perseverance and faith," says co-producer James Middleton, who is also an associate producer on the forthcoming film.
"But when we, in the premiere of our show, deposited Sarah Connor in the present day, we instantly created a new timeline in the mythology. So in that way, you know, the experience that our audience has watching Sarah Connor can only be seen on the television show."
Another new wrinkle in the upcoming season – at least, judging by the preview reel – is the question of the shifting loyalties of protector Terminator Glau.
There are strong indications that she may turn "bad" – not that anyone involved is about to deny or confirm it.
"You have to be creative," stonewalled Glau. "You have to look at things differently when you're on a series like this."
"We are very guarded about what we do on the show," said co-producer John Wirth. "The actors don't even know what we're doing ... until they get their scripts."
One thing Glau can attest to is the reaction of the public.
"People always choose to say something to me when I'm at the pharmacy, the produce section or the airport," she laughed.
"And so I'm like, 'I'm sorry. I'm just a regular girl.'
"I always feel like I'm disappointing in real life, reaching for the celery. But I am surprised and thrilled (with) how many people are watching our show. I cannot say how proud I am.
``People are seeing the show and really excited about it. It's been nice."
Sounds like a pretty good Terminator to me.
