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selenakTwo Sarahs Day!
My reaction to the basic premise and thus the plot and SJ's characterisation hasn't changed: I still think it was a bad idea to give Sarah Jane Rose's plot (and characterisation) from Father's Day (down to the parents being the one to self-sacrifice because their daughter can't sacrifice them), and don't buy it. However, everyone else was fabulous. I loved Clyde and Rani striking a bargain with Grask in the Alt!Future, Gita's scene gave her actress the chance to impress the hell out of me in a few minutes (not that she ever was bad, but it's not a role that requires much reach normally), and Luke being responsible and doing his best to keep Sarah Jane grounded was just adorable. Also, the gag with the police box was great. Okay, I'm laying my cards on the table now: with that many Doctor namechecks this season, I say he'll show up before it ends despite Elisabeth Sladen explicitly denying it in an interview. Even if it's just for a few seconds, but we will see him.
Someone who'll definitely show up is the Brig, and oh, Nicholas Courtney's appearance in the trailer for next week made me squee in happiness. I'm also intrigued by the Bane coming back, though if they're after Luke, won't that be a replay of the plot from last season's finale?
Before I get to the other Sarah, let me say that a snooty remark in Empire re: the next Terminator movie ("While they won't be fretting over what Lena Headey's been up to in the TV series, director McG has voved not to rewrite James Cameron's original vison") has ensured I won't watch that movie. Since I am a hell of a lot more impressed by the tv show than I was by the two movies I actually saw (not that they were bad, but I did not love them; I do love the show).
Firstly, kudos to everyone who guessed Gareth Dillahunt would be back: you were right, and I was wrong. But I bet you didn't guess what he would be back as! More on that later. What I love about the twists the show throws our way is that they do make sense if you place them in context. Riley being revealed as a plant from the future, thus showing the point of the John/Riley subplot (other than to give John a means of teenage rebellion against his mother) this season, is a case in point. Riley showed up pretty much simultanously with Jesse in Los Angeles (and basically the next day after John didn't just risk his own life but his mother's and everyone else's on his faith in Cameron); she kept asking John about himself while really saying as little as possible about herself and was not worried that those crazy people after the Connors with guns could endanger her own family; and in Mexico, she accepted the discovery John had lied about his last name basically without blinking. At the same time, the show doesn't demonize Riley but shows she's just as damaged by having lived through an apocalypse as Derek and Jesse are.
Speaking of Jesse: the great thing is, we still don't know whether she is telling the truth this time, but it makes sense either way. The Resistance losing faith in Future!John Connor and blaming his relationship with Cameron, seeing Cameron as the one in charge, and deciding to do something about this via time travel? Makes sense. Some complicated Skynet plot using human collaborators? Would also make sense. But I like the resistance thing better. It's also another chicken and egg thing: is Future John that attached to Cameron because he lived with her for twenty years, or did he send her back because he's that attached to her? (Also, considering he did send her back: which version of Cameron is with John in the future RIGHT NOW? The one we currently see on tv or the one who has yet to be send back, since we don't know from which point of departure in comparison to Jesse's and Riley's Cameron left?) "It's sick," Jesse says to Derek, and: "If he lives with her for twenty years, what does that make him?" The implication being that it makes him less than human. Someone neither human nor machine. Which might also be true of Cameron and her growing self awareness. Or Catherine Weaver, who is the most advanced Terminator model to date. Or for that matter that growing AI she has in her basement.
Dr. Sherman dying off screen (I wonder whether the actor became suddenly unavailable?) was sad, but I loved that whole subplot with Ellison. Babylon, aka John Henry, so far has not grasped the human concept of death, that crucial difference between human and machine, as evidenced by the fact that it called for medical attention for Sherman despite reading no life signs from him. Why not restart Dr. Sherman, as every single Terminator recharges if the chip hasn't been taken out? T-Catherine asking Ellison to teach it is wonderfully ambiguous, because while it might be a ploy, it could as well be sincere. Her end goal could be giving the future Skynet a different nature. Not necessarily for altruistic reasons, but she could be sincere in this, tying into the interest she and the late Cromartie have/had in Ellison. The Ten Commandments, indeed. They include "thou shalt not kill", yes, but that's not the first one, but the fourth. It's preceded by far by the one about having no other gods. But who is god for an artificial intelligence? Itself? Its maker?
Being a parent eats up your life, as Sarah and this week's guest character tell each other. Catherine Weaver in a way is playing mother not just for the girl whose real mother she presumably killed but for her own "mother", the AI that gave her life, and she has just asked Ellison to step in as father. John has seen his father as a child and knows he'll see him again, always younger, and that he'll create himself by sending Kyle back. Sarah is John's mother, but she also tries to save humanity as a whole. Two episodes ago, her control gave way to grief and exhaustion; this week, it was to rage. She doesn't let Cameron play muscle, she beats up Alex herself after finding out she got played. And yet - didn't Sarah intend to play him (presumably by swaping that chip herself and destroying it), for exactly the same reason (protecting her son)? Earlier in the season, Sarah got paralleled with benevolent parenthood, with her new pregnant neighbour. Being a parent is a powerful incentive, but protecting your child can also mean dooming other people, playing them false, sacrificing them. So this week's parent embodies the shadow side.
Meanwhile, that reconciliation over Cromartie's grave in Mexico seems to have stuck, as the John and Sarah relationship continues to be good, with him working through the night because ultimately he trusts her instincts and becoming immediately defensive when Derek appears to critisize her. (Though even when they are at odds, both Connors are deeply uncomfortable talking about each other with other people.) Which is a good thing, since Derek seemingly starts to lose faith in Sarah's leadership (and definitely in Future!John's.) He's been on the fence so far, neither telling the Connors about Jesse nor Jesse about the Connors. But now, when finding Jesse's surveillance pictures of himself and John and then hearing her story demands a choice, he comes down on her side of the fence and tells her the truth. We'll see whether "there must be no secrets" also applies to Sarah; whether or not Derek will now tell her about Jesse. We know Jesse is still lying (or rather, leaving out certain things); my guess is that if Derek doesn't tell Sarah soon, she'll find out when John finds out about Riley, and it's going to be ugly.
My reaction to the basic premise and thus the plot and SJ's characterisation hasn't changed: I still think it was a bad idea to give Sarah Jane Rose's plot (and characterisation) from Father's Day (down to the parents being the one to self-sacrifice because their daughter can't sacrifice them), and don't buy it. However, everyone else was fabulous. I loved Clyde and Rani striking a bargain with Grask in the Alt!Future, Gita's scene gave her actress the chance to impress the hell out of me in a few minutes (not that she ever was bad, but it's not a role that requires much reach normally), and Luke being responsible and doing his best to keep Sarah Jane grounded was just adorable. Also, the gag with the police box was great. Okay, I'm laying my cards on the table now: with that many Doctor namechecks this season, I say he'll show up before it ends despite Elisabeth Sladen explicitly denying it in an interview. Even if it's just for a few seconds, but we will see him.
Someone who'll definitely show up is the Brig, and oh, Nicholas Courtney's appearance in the trailer for next week made me squee in happiness. I'm also intrigued by the Bane coming back, though if they're after Luke, won't that be a replay of the plot from last season's finale?
Before I get to the other Sarah, let me say that a snooty remark in Empire re: the next Terminator movie ("While they won't be fretting over what Lena Headey's been up to in the TV series, director McG has voved not to rewrite James Cameron's original vison") has ensured I won't watch that movie. Since I am a hell of a lot more impressed by the tv show than I was by the two movies I actually saw (not that they were bad, but I did not love them; I do love the show).
Firstly, kudos to everyone who guessed Gareth Dillahunt would be back: you were right, and I was wrong. But I bet you didn't guess what he would be back as! More on that later. What I love about the twists the show throws our way is that they do make sense if you place them in context. Riley being revealed as a plant from the future, thus showing the point of the John/Riley subplot (other than to give John a means of teenage rebellion against his mother) this season, is a case in point. Riley showed up pretty much simultanously with Jesse in Los Angeles (and basically the next day after John didn't just risk his own life but his mother's and everyone else's on his faith in Cameron); she kept asking John about himself while really saying as little as possible about herself and was not worried that those crazy people after the Connors with guns could endanger her own family; and in Mexico, she accepted the discovery John had lied about his last name basically without blinking. At the same time, the show doesn't demonize Riley but shows she's just as damaged by having lived through an apocalypse as Derek and Jesse are.
Speaking of Jesse: the great thing is, we still don't know whether she is telling the truth this time, but it makes sense either way. The Resistance losing faith in Future!John Connor and blaming his relationship with Cameron, seeing Cameron as the one in charge, and deciding to do something about this via time travel? Makes sense. Some complicated Skynet plot using human collaborators? Would also make sense. But I like the resistance thing better. It's also another chicken and egg thing: is Future John that attached to Cameron because he lived with her for twenty years, or did he send her back because he's that attached to her? (Also, considering he did send her back: which version of Cameron is with John in the future RIGHT NOW? The one we currently see on tv or the one who has yet to be send back, since we don't know from which point of departure in comparison to Jesse's and Riley's Cameron left?) "It's sick," Jesse says to Derek, and: "If he lives with her for twenty years, what does that make him?" The implication being that it makes him less than human. Someone neither human nor machine. Which might also be true of Cameron and her growing self awareness. Or Catherine Weaver, who is the most advanced Terminator model to date. Or for that matter that growing AI she has in her basement.
Dr. Sherman dying off screen (I wonder whether the actor became suddenly unavailable?) was sad, but I loved that whole subplot with Ellison. Babylon, aka John Henry, so far has not grasped the human concept of death, that crucial difference between human and machine, as evidenced by the fact that it called for medical attention for Sherman despite reading no life signs from him. Why not restart Dr. Sherman, as every single Terminator recharges if the chip hasn't been taken out? T-Catherine asking Ellison to teach it is wonderfully ambiguous, because while it might be a ploy, it could as well be sincere. Her end goal could be giving the future Skynet a different nature. Not necessarily for altruistic reasons, but she could be sincere in this, tying into the interest she and the late Cromartie have/had in Ellison. The Ten Commandments, indeed. They include "thou shalt not kill", yes, but that's not the first one, but the fourth. It's preceded by far by the one about having no other gods. But who is god for an artificial intelligence? Itself? Its maker?
Being a parent eats up your life, as Sarah and this week's guest character tell each other. Catherine Weaver in a way is playing mother not just for the girl whose real mother she presumably killed but for her own "mother", the AI that gave her life, and she has just asked Ellison to step in as father. John has seen his father as a child and knows he'll see him again, always younger, and that he'll create himself by sending Kyle back. Sarah is John's mother, but she also tries to save humanity as a whole. Two episodes ago, her control gave way to grief and exhaustion; this week, it was to rage. She doesn't let Cameron play muscle, she beats up Alex herself after finding out she got played. And yet - didn't Sarah intend to play him (presumably by swaping that chip herself and destroying it), for exactly the same reason (protecting her son)? Earlier in the season, Sarah got paralleled with benevolent parenthood, with her new pregnant neighbour. Being a parent is a powerful incentive, but protecting your child can also mean dooming other people, playing them false, sacrificing them. So this week's parent embodies the shadow side.
Meanwhile, that reconciliation over Cromartie's grave in Mexico seems to have stuck, as the John and Sarah relationship continues to be good, with him working through the night because ultimately he trusts her instincts and becoming immediately defensive when Derek appears to critisize her. (Though even when they are at odds, both Connors are deeply uncomfortable talking about each other with other people.) Which is a good thing, since Derek seemingly starts to lose faith in Sarah's leadership (and definitely in Future!John's.) He's been on the fence so far, neither telling the Connors about Jesse nor Jesse about the Connors. But now, when finding Jesse's surveillance pictures of himself and John and then hearing her story demands a choice, he comes down on her side of the fence and tells her the truth. We'll see whether "there must be no secrets" also applies to Sarah; whether or not Derek will now tell her about Jesse. We know Jesse is still lying (or rather, leaving out certain things); my guess is that if Derek doesn't tell Sarah soon, she'll find out when John finds out about Riley, and it's going to be ugly.
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no subject
Date: 2008-11-25 01:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-25 02:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-25 10:42 pm (UTC)There is a strange duality in that J. H. behaviour is considered problematic, and people close to it want it to change behaviour, and J. C. behaviour is also considered highly suspect. Both of them are so important to each respective groups, that these group can probably not change the behaviour to much in J. H. and J. C. without pontial compromising the effectiveness of each individuals. In many ways is J. C. as much as J. H. the end result of gigantic project, that they also are themselves part of in feedback loop kind of way.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 07:12 am (UTC)A little disappointed that he's somehow completely repaired (aside from the chip), when the first season established how difficult it was for a Terminator to repair itself from that much damage. He had enough facial damage to be a Batman villain! Something Ellison's going to poke into?
Of course, I realize that keeping absolute continuity with that would be a challenge both from a make-up and acting standpoint, but I was hoping for something Farscape-y. Even if it would kill the budget dead. :(
no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 09:58 am (UTC)Pressure: every time Derek says something like "we all die for you" I'm surprised present day John doesn't snap, because how on earth do you live up to all of this? The guilt alone, and that's before anyone actually dies.
no subject
Date: 2008-11-26 09:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-27 03:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-11-27 04:08 pm (UTC)