Que? Sarah, Sarah: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

[wwolfe]

I've read and watched sci-fi books, short stories, movies, and TV shows since I was about eight. Four decades on, what stays with me are two frequent responses: excitement about an interesting premise, and disappointment at a dull execution. It's often puzzling how the same mind can dream up such an unusual, potent idea, but then fill in the

Comments

[theloa]

Playing the devil's advocate on the subject of drips: I assume that the idea is that he starts of as weak and floundering and then gains strength as the series progresses. If he started strong he'd have nowhere to go growth-wise.

But I'm not going to disagree with anything you say - mostly because I haven't seen the show yet. But I will in the next couple of days.

It's often puzzling how the same mind can dream up such an unusual, potent idea, but then fill in the details - things like characterization, plotting, dialogue - with such a dreary lack of originality, or even simple competence.

It's scary how well this sentence fits Heroes. I pray same won't hold true for this show.

[wwolfe]

I can see your point on allowing us to experience John Connor's maturation. If they do that in a convincing way, I'll be fine with it. It's puzzling to me that he wouldn't have already started that process, given the period of hiding out and training he and his mom seemed to have done in Mexico, but I'll still be OK with it if they show him making some strides in the near future.

Re: "Heroes." It's funny you should mention this show, because my reaction to "Sarah Connor" was strongly influenced by how badly burned I've felt watching the second season of "Heroes." There's no doubt that I reined in my more enthusiastic responses to "Connor's" first two episodes precisely because I'm leery of getting singed again.

[theloa]

It's an easy comparison to make. Plus - you know - what'siname - Thomas Dekker? was on Heroes as Claire's gay friend. There was a promising storyline mismanaged.

I keep wondering how the cowboys at the CW let this little dogie escape.

[kuzibah]

This made me snort out loud

I've always liked Lena Headey.

[wwolfe]

In fact, she's the biggest reason I decided to watch the show (and that I hope it does well enough to keep her steadily employed). Try to see a small independent English film called "Aberdeen," starring her and Stellan Skarsgaard as daughetr and father. Not a barrel of laughs, but very well acted. (She's also fetching in an early role in a surprisingly charming Disney adaptation of "The Jungle Book.")

"...the primary problem with a lot of TV genre shows is (and TV in general): People want novelty, but it shouldn't be too unfamiliar."

This once again makes me think of the single best sentence about TV that I've ever read, written by critic Tom Carson back in the 1980s, and quoted often by me ever since: "The two rules of TV are that nothing ever changes and everything always works out." To a large extent, the best TV shows are the ones that break those two rules - not for cheap effect, but because that's what the stories and characters demand.

Re: I've always liked Lena Headey.

[heatherosa]

Wow, I never would have realized that was her in The Jungle Book.
It's unfortunate that version is now out of print. Because it was surprisingly good. I've been trying to find a copy of it on DVD for ages, but it runs pretty high. It's actually a bit lower now (in the $25-30 range and up, rather than the previous $60-80), but when I compare that to the price I pay for all my other DVDs, that's about three times as much. Plus, with my luck I'd pay the $25 and they'd re-release a better version in a month.

[iidoru]

"Making the weak character a male drip still leaves us stuck with a drip

"nod for continuity"

[wwolfe]

I hadn't thought of that. Makes sense - although I still hope they either scale back or improve the narration

I've had a meh reaction, myself.

[ldfarris]

and I really can't put my finger on it

Re: I've had a meh reaction, myself.

[wwolfe]

I agree completely on the question of machines fighting, for exactly the reasons you give.

It also occurred to me that having a remorseless, expressionless machine as the baddie isn't all that interesting in a weekly TV show, as opposed to a movie. (The performance of the actor who played the Terminator the first two episodes made me realize just how crucial Arnold's work in the same role was in the movies. A belated kudo to Mr. S.)

The show's producers may have realized this, or at least sensed it, because I think the FBI guy is supposed to fill the same role. And, to the show's credit, the FBI guy has been conceived and played as a decent person with understandable motives. I hope they give this character a fair shake. If "Sarah Connor" is in some sense a re-telling of "The Fugitive," as others have noted, then the FBI guy makes a better Lt. Gerard than the Terminator does.

"At least it ain't Bionic Woman." Word.