The Sarah Connor Chronicles

[KenK]

I don't know. I've found Dolluhouse to be incredibly involving, and very satisfying story and character-wise. The think I like about Dollhouse is that it's paying off on things right off the bat. I get the impression that were it to continue, it wouldn't draw things out like other genre shows (yeah, I'm talking specifically about freakin' Heroes!). The great thing about almost every season of Buffy was that by the end, there was the kind of closure that worked both as an end to a season as well as the potential end of the show. One could argue that Whedon probably did this in the early days when renewal wasn't guaranteed, but it worked out well creatively. And maybe this is more due to Dollhouse only being 13 episodes this season, but there's been absolutely no filler.

Believe me, I'd love for TSCC to continue. I just hate the idea that they can't keep both shows.

 

[Mister J]

The nature of the “dolls,” who constantly have their minds erased, makes them impossible for an audience to empathize with, while the “non-doll” characters are underdeveloped and border on being “stock characters.”

I couldn't disagree more. It's not worth fully delving into here, because there is a Dollhouse thread, this is way off the mark IMO.

The bit about empathy strikes me funny, especially since, though I've watched every ep, I still don't particularly like this version of the title character. Even discounting a comparison to Linda Hamilton, which I'm sure has been done to death, this Sarah is meh, at best for me ...and that's pushing it. Kill her instead of Derek and I'm a happy guy.

At any rate, if it comes down to choosing one or the other, I'll go with the rookie season offering.

 

[Angry Sentinel]

Ok, sure. I'll toss my two cents in.

Edit...I want to give Dollhouse a chance, but I'm not really sure if it's premise is well suited for TV. If you're a network exec, I'm sure that the concept of characters who get mind-wiped at the end of each episode is like a wet dream since it's the perfect excuse for episodic content over serialization, but after being spoiled by the likes of TSCC and Battlestar Galactica, it's hard for me to stay invested in a show like Dollhouse.

I hear what you are saying but none of his shows premises were well suited for TV. That is something I love about the guy. Buffy, Angel, Firefly... they were all off the cuff.

TSCC and Battlestar are being looked at from a point of view of at least two seasons of development. Dollhouse has only had 13 eps. It just needs more time, it can get there.

The main characters by nature cannot get much development, and unfortunately even the "normal" characters don't really seem to get much development, sticking to fairly cookie-cutter reactions in each episode.

I'd say Terminator is much more deserving of renewal. I'd like for both shows to be renewed, but if Dollhouse has to be sacrificed to save Terminator, then so be it. It should be interesting to see just how many people will tune in for DH with Prison Break as a lead in and not TSCC.

Again, I don't really disagree. But I think the difference is just a matter of time. I know Whedon can bring this show into view, this is just his style of development. All of his characters start off cookie cutter. And then he grows them into something amazing.

 

[Timstuff]

The final DVR numbers for "Adam Raised a Cain" are in. The show got a 50% increase overall, and a 70% increase in the demographic rating.

http://sarahconnorsociety.net/2009/04/23/massive-dvr-numbers-are-in-for-adam-raised-a-cain/

Come on, renewal... I can already almost see that third season lighting up my TV screen!

 

[TKing]

I can't wait for season finale next week (UK viewer)--I've already spoiled myself what's to come, but I like what I've read.

I also just wanted to say I love the use of music in the show. They just embellish the atmosphere. "Donald Where's Your Trousers" in last ep, the music during the final Derek/Jesse talk when he pulls the gun on her, even "Samson and Delilah" at the season's beginning. I can't think of any show at the moment that uses non-soundtrack pieces so brilliantly.

 

[BlackLantern]

The final DVR numbers for "Adam Raised a Cain" are in. The show got a 50% increase overall, and a 70% increase in the demographic rating.

http://sarahconnorsociety.net/2009/04/23/massive-dvr-numbers-are-in-for-adam-raised-a-cain/

Come on, renewal... I can already almost see that third season lighting up my TV screen!

good DVR numbers but DVR numbers are merely noted.....I don't believe anyone saying that they are looking at "everything".....they are looking at everything they can put ads on and that's about it

 

[DarknessOfDeath]

I can't wait for season finale next week (UK viewer)--I've already spoiled myself what's to come, but I like what I've read.

I also just wanted to say I love the use of music in the show. They just embellish the atmosphere. "Donald Where's Your Trousers" in last ep, the music during the final Derek/Jesse talk when he pulls the gun on her, even "Samson and Delilah" at the season's beginning. I can't think of any show at the moment that uses non-soundtrack pieces so brilliantly.

The soundtrack is so awesome. Love it.

Shirley Manson (who portrays Catherine Weaver) sings 'Samson and Delilah'. I have the track that plays during the showdown between Derek and Jesse and also 'Donald Where's Your Trousers'.

Hey TKing. Long time no see.

 

[Timstuff]

good DVR numbers but DVR numbers are merely noted.....I don't believe anyone saying that they are looking at "everything".....they are looking at everything they can put ads on and that's about it

If the DVR ratings are good enough then that should send Fox the message that the show is on the wrong night, although they should know that by now anyway. Still, it proves that the core fanbase of this show is over 4 million strong, and if they were to put it on a better night, they'd probably be able to get a lot more of them watching live as well as the casual viewers that the Friday time slot has locked out. And even in the worst case scenario, a larger core fanbase at least makes the show look more attractive to other networks that Warner Bros. may try to sell the show to if Fox drops it.

 

[Superfreak]

TSCC and Battlestar are being looked at from a point of view of at least two seasons of development. Dollhouse has only had 13 eps. It just needs more time, it can get there.

BSG and TSCC should never be compared... BSG is in a whole different league.

 

[aaron]

nothing is on a bsg league. well, the wire beats it slightly.

 

[Timstuff]

That is debatable. I consider them to be about equal in terms of quality and worthiness of emotional investment.

Anyway, last night's initial numbers for Dollhouse and Prison Break are in, and it looks like Terminator was actually the best thing Fox Fridays had going for them. Dollhouse hit an all time low in ratings with only 2.99 million viewers, and a 1.1 demographic rating.

http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-4-25-tv-ratings-fox-friday-dramas-droop-as-cbs-rolls

Maybe now the Dollhouse fans will stop blaming Terminator for their show's ratings, and start thanking it for the ratings it was helping achieve before they ran out of episodes.

Most importantly tough, it shows that TSCC still has value, and hopefully that means something to Fox.

 

[FCEEVIPER]

That good to hear TimS.

Producer Talks SARAH CONNOR
Ashley Miller gives her thought on the rumors.
By Jarrod Sarafin April 25, 2009
Source: Corona Coming Attractions


Lena Headey stars as Sarah Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
© Fox TV

Fans of sci-fi genre television seem doomed to experience rough rides on primetime networks these past few years. While some series build enough of a niche audience to survive the ratings wars, a lot fall through the Nielsen cracks. From Fox's "Firefly" being pushed around from the beginning to ABC's "Invasion" getting the axe to "Jericho" being pardoned only to be summarily executed a year later, there's no shortage of genre downfalls on the major networks.

The latest contest of fanboy backlash seems to be centered around the series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." It's no surprise that with the low ratings it has received on its Friday night lineup (the night many shows go to die) that news outlets around the web continue to report the series is a rotting corpse and we just haven't been notified of the funeral arrangements.

Those cancellation reports have been coming for this particular series for sometime, with EW's Michael Ausiello adding weight to them, when he reported that the show was leaving the airwaves because the sets were destroyed. At the time, this seemed to be a cause of alarm for fans that yet another one of their genre series was fading into TV oblivion. But if you caught the season 2 finale, you would have seen the real reason the sets were destroyed. Obviously the writers and producers couldn't respond to rumors before the finale or they would have ruined the surprise.

But they can certainly speak out now.

Patrick Sauriol, of Corona Coming Attractions, sat down with co-writer/co-producer Ashley Edward Miller to discuss the rumors, her take on the direction of the Fox series and why fans shouldn't give up hope just yet. To read the interview, click here.

We'll likely know the true fate of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" when Fox announces their pick-ups for next year on May 18, 2009. Until then, let the debate continue.

 

[hippie_hunter]

The show explains that time travel doesn't create paradoxes, instead it creates new future timelines that seem to rewrite over the ones that Sarah, John and Derek remember.

I knew it!

 

[hippie_hunter]

The show explains that time travel doesn't create paradoxes, instead it creates new future timelines that seem to rewrite over the ones that Sarah, John and Derek remember.

I knew it!

 

[mr. peasant]

Maybe that's why Sarah couldn't stop Judgment Day. She got afraid that since John jumped into a future where Judgment Day happened, stopping it might accidentally erase him from existence.

 

[Nightmare]

So Maybe when John goes into the future, passed the time when he sent back Kyle Reese thus making himself never exsisting.

 

[BlackLantern]

He's jumped into a future when Judgment Day happened but John Connor wasn't around to fight in and eventually lead the Resistance....

 

[hippie_hunter]

Yeah, there's still an opportunity for John to send Kyle to bang his mom.

 

[BlackLantern]

Yeah, there's still an opportunity for John to send Kyle to bang his mom.

well as it stands...Derek and Kyle just see some punk kid in their hideout...its not like John can just be like "Hey, Kyle...wanna go back in time to 1984 and slap it in my mom??....Id really appreciate it'

 

[Superfreak]

If the DVR ratings are good enough then that should send Fox the message that the show is on the wrong night, although they should know that by now anyway. Still, it proves that the core fanbase of this show is over 4 million strong, and if they were to put it on a better night, they'd probably be able to get a lot more of them watching live as well as the casual viewers that the Friday time slot has locked out. And even in the worst case scenario, a larger core fanbase at least makes the show look more attractive to other networks that Warner Bros. may try to sell the show to if Fox drops it.

you gotta get off the friday night thing Timstuff. It's mostly irrelevant.

If the show is good, people will watch it regardless of what night it is on.

 

[BlackLantern]

you gotta get off the friday night thing Timstuff. It's mostly irrelevant.

If the show is good, people will watch it regardless of what night it is on.

yes...exactly...'Don't Forget the Lyrics' and 'Are you smarter than a 5th Grader' have the same Friday night spot on Fox during summer and they have between 4-6 million viewers. Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs on CBS as well....it's all in the content....you can't put anything too complicated on Friday nights

 

[mr. peasant]

you gotta get off the friday night thing Timstuff. It's mostly irrelevant.

If the show is good, people will watch it regardless of what night it is on.

I disagree. Regardless how good a show is, if people have other things to do, people aren't going to watch it. And Friday night is traditionally social night for most people in the target audience.

 

[Timstuff]

yes...exactly...'Don't Forget the Lyrics' and 'Are you smarter than a 5th Grader' have the same Friday night spot on Fox during summer and they have between 4-6 million viewers. Ghost Whisperer and Numb3rs on CBS as well....it's all in the content....you can't put anything too complicated on Friday nights

That's because old people and families are typically the ones who watch shows on Fridays. They don't have any interest in a violent action drama like TSCC, so they stick with tame stuff like gameshows and whatnot. The few drama fans that are still watching TV on Fridays are already watching CBS, and so the only way for TSCC to be a real hit on Friday would be to steal away viewers from Ghost Whisperer, which has been a Friday favorite for much longer.

Anyway, about the whole John in the future thing, the've already established in TSCC that there are no time parodoxes, because they're using the string theory. Every time you use a time machine, you're basically reshaping the universe into an alternate version while preserving yourself, so John has nothing to worry about in regards to his own existence.

Also, I take issue with this idea that teenage John is going to stay in the future and lead the resistance. First of all, the show does not have the budget to spend 22 episodes in the post apocalyptic future. Second of all, wouldn't it be more effective for John to just go back to 2009, and try to stop Judgment Day from ever happening while still trying to mature into a potential leader? I honestly don't see the "young Future!John" thing happening. John's plan was to go get Cameron's chip back, and then return to 2009. If he stays in 2027, he's just wasting his time, because anything he accomplishes there is just going to disappear when he goes back to 2009.

 

[hippie_hunter]

well as it stands...Derek and Kyle just see some punk kid in their hideout...its not like John can just be like "Hey, Kyle...wanna go back in time to 1984 and slap it in my mom??....Id really appreciate it'

Think about it...if some kid came up to you to travel in time just to pork his/her hot mom, who wouldn't take up the opportunity?

 

[Sam Fisher]

Brain Austin Green Interview
http://www.skynextpodcast.com/