Search - Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - The Complete First Season on DVD

Christin R. (Raksha) from SPOKANE, WA
Reviewed on 11/27/2011...

What a fantastic show! This series had a major challenge in that the Big Chase format of the movie franchise really wouldn't work on a weekly basis for TV. Instead, they turned the focus more toward the characters and the creation of skynet, which was a good call. The cast is very strong and they all have great chemistry with each other. You get to see Sarah struggle to strike a balance between trying to protect her son and prevent Judgement Day from every happening and preparing him to be a leader and a warrior if Judgement Day comes anyway. You get to see John grow from a teenager fighting his destiny to a young man who's beginning to accept and own his life. And Cameron...well, maybe she's a real girl after all? Okay, so maybe not! But she's something more than just "metal" that's for sure.


Season 1 of this show was off to a good start, though sadly it was cut very short by the writer's strike that year. Luckily, they hit the ground running in Season 2 and ramp up the momentum even more.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

William F. (furmage) from APPLE VALLEY, CA
Reviewed on 4/20/2010...

Good series to help fill in the caps and give a little more insite into John Conners and his mom.

Suprisingly solid entertainment

A. Gammill | West Point, MS United States | 02/26/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've got to get one thing out of the way first, for all those who didn't like Terminator 3. The Sarah Connor Chronicles does NOT pretend T3 doesn't exist, it addressed one of major issues in the film in its first 2 episodes. And since this is sci-fi, complete with time travel, there's no reason that history (even future history) can't be re-written.

To the folks who think the action is "great...for a t.v. show," I can only assume they haven't been watching t.v. in the last 10 years or so. There have been several shows that far eclipse what is being done in movies (Buffy, Alias, two more girl-power shows just off the top of my head).

What really surprised me about the show is how faithful it is to the first and second movies. In just this shortened (9 episodes) first season, we've seen the following characters from the films appear: Miles Dyson's widow and son, Dr. Silverman, Enrique and Kyle Reese.

As for the cast, Lena Headly is no Linda Hamilton, but her voice-overs became more and more convincing and even poignant as the episodes progressed. And of course, what sci-fi geek didn't salivate over the news of Firefly - The Complete Series's Summer Glau being cast in the pivotal role of female cyborg Cameron. And considering John Connor has been played by 3 different actors, Thomas Decker acquits himself quite well. He's less irritating than Edward Furlong, by a long shot.

If the show has a flaw, it's that at times it does feel a little too familiar. One has to wonder how long the writers will be able to sustain Sarah and John's journey, without really damaging the integrity of the film series. And I realize CGI is the norm for special effects these days, but give me a REAL metal (or at least plastic that looks like metal) endoskeleton over this computer-generated mess any day.

I think The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a fine continuation of the Terminator universe. No, it's not that rare series that's actually BETTER than the movies (OK, it's not THAT rare in sci-fi...see Stargate SG-1 - The Complete Series Collection or Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector's Set (40 discs)), but it's certainly among the best t.v. adaptations of movie storyline. With great casting, well-executed action, and suprisingly intelligent writing, it's a winner.
"

Slow to start, but a good answer to the movies

Paul E. Harrison | Stuart, FL | 02/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's a rare thing that a TV series based upon a movie's premise ends up being as good as the show's origins: while slow to start, with a dreadful pilot and many sub-par episodes, the first series of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, over-all, became something that arguably lived up to that standard.

The show follows Sarah and John as they try, again, to prevent Judgement Day. The show follows on from the original two movies, generally ignoring the third (thankfully.) Much of the plot surrounds the character of Cameron, a female terminator sent back from the future to protect John. The show, so far at least, has eschewed predictable cliches involving the character, and often takes the viewer by surprise, from displays of dark humor to dragging the viewer through alternate displays of coldness and humanity.

Episodes I particularly recommend include "Dungeons and Dragons" and the jaw-dropping follow-up "The Demon Hand". Performances are variable. Lena Headey doesn't match Linda Hamilton's portrayal of the title character, reflecting more the post-La Femme Nikita (Dark Angel, Bionic Woman) obsession with angsty heroines. Thomas Dekker either gives the best or the second-best performance as John Connor, depending on whether you're familiar with the Director's Cut of Terminator 2. It's a good performance. The best performances are arguably by Summer Glau and Richard T Jones, as Cameron - a Terminatrix sent back to protect the Connors - and James Ellison - the surprised FBI agent chasing Sarah Connor - respectively. Glau's performance, while initially confused, provides depictions of humour and coldness that surprises or shocks the viewer every time.

This DVD set is reasonable for what you pay for, reflecting the short nine-episode run of the first season, cut short due to the 2008 Writer's Strike. The set includes a few commentaries and cut scenes. The aforementioned "Demon Hand" episode is complemented by a "rough-cut" of an alternative version, though the jarring changes in visual and audio quality make it somewhat difficult to enjoy by itself. Over-all, visual quality is excellent, I doubt you'll get much more enjoyment out of the less portable Blu-ray edition.

For all of their qualities, the original two Terminator films - at least, as released theatrically - were basic killer robot fantasies with their depth being limited to surface level discussions of time travel and anthropomorphism. Some would argue that the Director's Cut of T2 was a considerable step above this and I'd agree with them. But regardless, the first series of The Sarah Connor Chronicles managed to rise above the Theatrical versions of the movies: what seemed like another attempt to cash in on a pop-culture classic turned out to be a smart, entertaining, thought-provoking science fiction series. This DVD set is definitely recommended."

Terminate with extreme prejudice

AMP | Somewhere on Earth | 01/17/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Good Things:
-Plenty of action and special effects, particuarly for a TV show.
-The drama is not bad.
-Everything seems to correspond well with the first two movies (they're making the show under the assumption that T3 never really happened...oh well). T2 did tie up all loose ends, but the show acknowledges this, and the characters have to find out how Judgement Day continues to happen.
-Characters are true to the first two movies (Sarah Connor seemed too weak at first, but she took on her usual tough-woman attitude very quickly).
-The guy playing the terminator is not as great as Schwartzenegger, but he does okay for himself, and has a few menacing moments.
-The other actors are fine.
-Some good ideas and more insight on the terminator universe (more on time travel, futuristic weapons, and so on).

The Bad Things:
-Some of it feels like the same old thing...Sarah and John are on the run again!
-No liquid metal terminators (at least not yet...)
-Some of the camera movements were jittery or hyper.
-Will we ever see the world end? This could become a very long and drawn-out saga...

Even though the first few minutes of the pilot episode had me worried, it quickly redeemed itself. It fits well with the first two films, the action was swell, and the drama was not too boring to watch. Unlike most other shows, I enjoyed watching this, and I hope to see more episodes. Reccomend watching T1 and T2 first."