So Say the Believers on 'Chronicles'

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

Do ya’ believe me, now?

Forgive me if I wanted to convert the “Can ya’ hear me, now?” Verizon Wireless commercials into a Sarah Connor version whilst watching last night’s episode of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Do ya’ believe me, now?

Agent Ellison took a trip down Sarah Connor memory lane last night – complete with a visit to Pescadero State Hospital, where Sarah was incarcerated for three years. Seems Agent Ellison is secretly keeping that missing hand from the now incinerated T888 (we remember this got broken off when Cameron kicked its arse a few weeks back). Ellison has dug up ever conceivable bit of video tape and medical file on Sarah almost as if to reassure himself that the hand he’s secretly keeping in the freezer at his apartment really is from a machine.

Do ya’ believe me, now?

And it seems ol’ Dr. Silberman (we remember Dr. Silberman from the film, right?) has headed for the hills. He’s no longer working at the hospital. Rather, he’s happily making a life for himself, tending to his garden whilst trying not to think about that disturbing incident on June 8, 1997, when two terminators faced off in the hallway of the hospital – one to protect, the other to destroy.

Do ya’ believe me, now?

Ever since Day 1 of this series, T:SCC have faithfully referenced key sequences from the film. How could we forget the T-1000 v. T101 fight at the hospital; the irony of John arriving to rescue Sarah with the help of the exact machine she last remembered trying to kill her; the relentlessness of the T-1000’s pursuit.

Yet, we never saw any of this from Dr. Silberman’s point of view.

Last night, we did.

And it was powerful.

Not to mention there was something eerily poetic about how the experience seemed to both haunt and fascinate him. In the film, at least from Silberman's point of view, that hallway sequence played more comedic whereby Silberman didn't really believe what he was seeing and/or take it seriously even when it was happening. It was sobering to have the series frame that experience on the darker side - showing us it disturbed him and everyone else who worked at the hospital during Sarah's stay.

It also made him a believer.

And even though we knew this was a pivotal day for Sarah given she escaped, we never knew that earlier in that day, she signed away her rights as John’s mother. As in, she was going to plan her OWN escape to try and get to him – and was prepared to die doing so.

Awesome additional backstory detail.

And so what would this recap be without mention of my favorite terminator Cameron (remember, I am Summer Glau’s … well, okay, biggest new fan).

Cam’s taken up ballet this week.

Yes, you read that right. She actually makes one heck of a ballet dancer, and it’s a clever cover as she seeks out Andy Goode’s partner, Dimitri, who made off with that darn TURK computer, but then sold it for $20,000.

There is something beautifully clinical, yet so cold and calculating about Cam’s precision. You knew she was just using Dimitri’s ballet-instructor sister to get to him, and that he would likely end up dead. Still, you couldn’t help but want to watch her go through the motions.

Literally.

And then there’s loopy Uncle Derek, still recovering from his brush with that nasty T888. Guy is just a wee bit paranoid (and perhaps rightfully so given he is from the future where machines are running the world). He wanders around constantly scrutinizing Cam (their stare down over pancakes a classic). I’m curious how this is going to play out.

The ending sequence of this week’s ep has to be one of the more poignant. Cam is in her room at the house, practicing the ballet she had quickly learned whilst Derek watches. It reminded me of when the T101 says goodbye to John at the end of the T2 film - “I know now why you cry, but it’s something I could never do.”

Makes us forget they are machines for a minute.

And there's something strangely beautiful about that.

How in the world is next week the two-hour season finale?!?!??!

The first season two-hour finale of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles airs next Monday beginning an hour earlier at 8 p.m. on FOX. If you missed any of the episodes, visit the Official Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Web site to catch up before next week!