This is a Terminator household. First and foremost. I will argue that T2 is one of the best sequels of all time, even though I don’t feel like I have to do that because everybody knows. There is a debate in this household that Terminator is better than T2, but we don’t have time for that. We are here for The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I’m going to be honest. When I first heard about the show it was one of those things where there was so much talk about it that I was annoyed. So I put off watching it forever. “You gotta watch the Sarah Connor Chronicles, you gotta watch the Sarah Connor Chronicles…”

So I watched it.

In November 2009, C2 Pictures, the studio behind 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, decided the franchise’s next move would be to the small screen. Partnering with Warner Brothers and bringing Fox on board for the pilot, the groundwork was set for a new chapter in the Terminator saga. The pilot was written by Josh Friedman, who also served as the series’ executive producer, marking his first foray into television. David Nutter signed on to direct the pilot, fully committing to the project and sidelining other opportunities to safeguard the vision James Cameron had established. And honestly, who could blame him? Nutter directed three of the series’ standout episodes—though one of them is a bit debatable for me—but after that, he moved on to projects like The Mentalist, Arrow, and other shows I didn’t watch (no offense, they just weren’t my thing). That said, Nutter’s track record speaks for itself. Before Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, he’d already made his mark with Smallville, Dark Angel, and Roswell—all shows we should absolutely circle back to at some point.

When it comes to the timeline, the quixotic nature of the Terminator saga is chaos in its purest form—timeline paradoxes and wild attempts at ‘fixing’ things. It feels like an epic, futuristic Don Quixote tale, with Skynet, Sarah Connor, and time loops all embodying those delusionally optimistic efforts to ‘save’ or ‘doom’ humanity. C2’s Vice President of Development Josh Middleton and Friedman reimagined The Sarah Connor Chronicles as an alternate sequel to Terminator 2, ignoring T3. Middleton’s desire to bring Sarah back after T3 led to the series, and Friedman saw it almost as a replacement for T3, embracing the Terminator tradition of alternate timelines. While continuity debates continue, the show adds another layer to the timeline.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles follows Sarah and her son, John, as they try to prevent Judgment Day while being relentlessly hunted by Terminators. After surviving the events of Terminator 2, they’re forced into a life on the run, with the help of Cameron, a Terminator sent to protect John from the future. Along the way, they navigate a world full of dangers—both human and machine—while struggling to alter their fate and make sure John can someday lead humanity against Skynet. Oh, and we get to have Terminator of the week stories!

As for casting, Lena Headey, who most of us know as the notorious Cersei Lannister at this point, was recommend by a friend on the production. Friedman who loved her audition tape saw her as a rather tough woman. Her roles up to this point really highlight that. Heady had feared and revered Sarah Connor so she knew stepping into those combat boots would be a major thing. Thomas Dekker was chosen to play 15 year old John Connor and would consider his version a continuation of Edward Furlong’s. Dekker sees his version as darker and obviously more mature, as he wanted to start John as a angsty teen to coming into his place as the future leader of the resistance which I think was a great choice on his part. He also looks a hell of a lot like Michael Biehn in my opinion. To round out our mains, in an obviously last but not least, we have Summer Glau, Texas native, as our savior Terminator, Cameron. Yes, we all know where the name is derived from. Glau was originally resistant to playing the character as she just didn’t think she had the look, nor do the delicate balance of cyborg and human. Eventually, her mom convinced to do submit a tape and the rest is history. Also, don’t worry, I’m also a part of the crush train. I love her voice, it’s like a shoegaze album dream. *Cough* Serenity. Oh and David f*cking Silver aka Brian Austin Green. I’ll be honest– I was skeptical but he really drove it home as Kyle’s brother, Derek.

Okay, let’s dive into the episodes before I go down a rabbit hole. Episodes:

Season 1, Episode 2: Gnothi Seauton

I’ll admit, I’m still a little upset that Enrique had to go down this route. On a lighter note, though, John being all angsty while trying to record his voicemail on his flip phone is unintentionally hilarious. And let’s not forget him going to the internet cafe with the 1337 address, our Tech Wizard somehow misses the giant monitor behind him, broadcasting his search terms for everyone to see. We can go easy on him. That’s advanced tech for the time.

Now, we have to address the Cromartie head-in-the-time-bubble controversy. This was such a big deal that creator Josh Friedman had to step in and clarify things. You remember the rule from Kyle Reese in the first movie—only living organisms can go through time, right? Well, Friedman claimed Cromartie’s head had flesh on it, but we couldn’t see it because it was burning off too quickly (and because no one wants to watch flaming flesh, apparently). So… does this count? Should we even go this deep into it? Either way, it’s one of those moments that gets the fanbase riled up.

And can we stop being so mean to Cameron? It feels like every episode someone’s unnecessarily harsh to her. Meanwhile, Sarah is hit with some heavy news: Cameron tells her she dies of cancer in 2005. By the end of the episode, we see Sarah in a doctor’s office, getting blood drawn—a reminder of her humanity and vulnerability. It’s always a little deflating to think someone as strong as Sarah Connor could be taken down by something like cancer.

Season 1, Episode 7: The Demon Hand

This episode kicks off with one of the season’s best Easter eggs—Cameron rocking the T-1000 look. So cool. Meanwhile, Agent Ellison is now fully in the thick of it, past the point of no return. After diving into Sarah’s old institution tapes and getting his hands on the T-888 arm, he takes his newfound knowledge straight to Dr. Silberman. What starts as a seemingly civil meetup quickly escalates into chaos—poison, stabbing, and arson, with Ellison as the unlucky target.

Thankfully, Sarah swoops in just in time to punch the hell out of Silberman, saving Ellison and snagging the cyborg arm for herself. Priorities. This episode is packed with nods to the franchise’s roots, but instead of feeling like cheap fan service, they’re woven in perfectly. Bonus points for the poetic twist of Silberman ending up in the same facility where Sarah once ranted about Judgment Day.

Season 2, Episode 3: The Mousetrap

I’ve been waiting to address that Mayhem himself, Dean Winters, is in this show. He plays Charley Dixon, the EMT and Sarah’s once fiancé, whom she had to leave behind. Agent Ellison advises Charley to get out of town since Cromartie is hot on their trail, but of course, Cromartie catches up with him and kidnaps Charley’s wife, Michelle. Also Penny from Lost. This forces Charley to bring Sarah back into the mess, and she walks right into it with her time-traveling entourage, all while John is off running around with Riley. I saw some people complaining that John isn’t acting like the “future leader of the resistance,” which, in my opinion, is a bit of a stretch. I mean, the guy is a teenager with the weight of the world on his shoulders—can we cut him some slack? He’s angsty, sure, but these moments are important for shaping the John Connor we’re meant to see.

Cromartie eventually finds John, who’s been out in the open, but not before we get one of the most memorable moments with Cameron. After Cromartie nearly drowns John, he manages to swim to safety. Breathless and freaked out when he surfaces, he asks Cameron for help, only for her to respond simply with, “I don’t swim.”

Things get worse though. Cromartie detonates a bomb, and in the chaos, Michelle is fatally injured. Charley’s desperate pleas to Sarah in the van are gut-wrenching, especially when we remember Sarah’s own words: death has always followed her. There’s a tender moment between Charley and John—one of the few father figures John’s known, someone who truly cared for him and his mom. Sadly, Charley becomes just another casualty in their dangerous journey. Beastmaster easter egg.

Season 2, Episode 4: Allison from Palmdale

Cameron malfunctions and reverts to her past identity as Allison Young, revealing memories of her life before becoming a Terminator—her father as an architect, her mother a music teacher, and her last birthday party. Glau is amazing in this episode, seamlessly shifting between Cameron’s cold, robotic persona and Allison’s vulnerable humanity. After a malfunction in a grocery store, Cameron is arrested and spends the day with Jody, a homeless teen who winds up being a spoiled rich kid. At a shelter, she’s forced to share details of her life, but as the day unfolds, she reverts to discussing her mission to kill John, caught somewhere between the past and the present. When Allison and Cameron’s memories start to blend, she loses control and can’t snap out of it before nearly choking Jody to death. It’s probably my favorite episode. You leave wishing you knew more about Allison and it made me feel worse that they are so mean to her. I’m not letting it go.

Season 2, Episode 22: Born to Run

Sarah is back behind bars and our little family is fragmented.. For me, the standout moment in this journey has been watching Cameron’s evolution. I knew John wouldn’t leave his mom behind, but seeing Cameron tear through the prison? Easily one of the most badass moments in the series. Then there’s John Henry, or Cromartie—sorry, John—playing D&D on loop. It’s become a favorite scene of mine, like Dale Cooper as Dougie in The Return, stuck on autopilot but still captivating.

I won’t lie: I got a little weepy when John finds Cameron lifeless in the chair. You want him to carry her, to find her chip, to do something, but he doesn’t. Instead, he’s pulled into the future without Sarah, who’s left promising, “I’ll stop it” as John fades from her timeline. Things aren’t all bad, though—he finally meets his dad and is reunited with Derek when they make the jump.

And then there’s Cameron. When John sees her again, the subtle relief on his face says it all. It’s a moment that leaves you wanting more.

Earlier, just before heading to meet Catherine Weaver (I love you Shirley Manson), John tells Sarah he loves her—a moment that hits hard given everything they’ve been through. At the very end, we hear Sarah’s quiet, heartfelt response: “I love you too.” It’s a bittersweet echo that lingers long, well it’s still lingering.

And after all that? The series ends. Just like that. I get it now, everyone—I really do. “That’s where they left this???” was the only thing I could say.

The Aftermath:

The Sarah Connor Chronicles is probably one of the more tragic stories in television history. To start, and it’s probably the most commonly said thing about the show, it ends on a cliffhanger—one that leaves so much unresolved and fans with a sense of abandonment. The series was also a casualty of the 2007-2008 writers’ strike, which shortened its first season and created a significant gap between seasons one and two. The delay led to a loss of momentum, and despite a solid second season, the damage had already been done. This combination of a gut-punch cliffhanger and the disruptive effects of the strike ensured that the show never got the resolution it deserved, leaving everyone to wonder what could have been.

Where to Watch:

They’ve got it on lockdown right now. It was, was on Hulu about a year or so ago. You can buy a physical copy because trust us you will need them again. Or you can get creative.

I’ll say this and hope it’s a safe space: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is probably my favorite of the Terminator timelines right after the original Terminator and T2. While it certainly has its WB teen drama moments, it kept me locked in and left me with less of a “Well, that was a nostalgia cash grab.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that approach in some cases, but I feel like that’s what most reboots or sequels turn into, and SCC managed to dodge that. It’s hard to find a fan who doesn’t at least give the series credit for taking interesting dives into the timeline and making choices that ultimately paid off.

This series was one of the most requested comebacks, yet it never happened. Were you one of those hoping for its return when it went off the air? Do you think it was a major injustice? Let me know if you’d like me to dive into more episodes from this series. There’s so much more to explore!

Until next time my Cosmic companions!

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