Well, the producers promised us one heck of an episode and they certainly delivered. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles went out with a big bang tonight and leaves lots of unanswered questions. Will we get answers next season?
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (TSCC) continues the ongoing saga first started in 1984 in the original Terminator movie. This particular piece of the puzzle follows the travails of freedom fighter Sarah Connor (Lena Headey), her teenage son (humanity’s future savior) John (Thomas Dekker), and his Terminator protector, Cameron (Summer Glau). Others in the cast include Richard T. Jones, Brian Austin Green, Garret Dillahunt, Shirley Manson, Leven Rambin, Dean Winters, Stephanie Jacobsen, Mackenzie Brooke Smith, and Sonya Walger.
The FOX series premiered on January 13, 2008 — in the plum spot following an NFL playoff game. Over 18.6 million viewers watched with an impressive 11.1/16 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. However, without the benefit of a football lead-in, only 10.1 million returned to watch the next day, with a 6.2/9 in the demo. The third installment dropped again, to 8.66 million and a 5.3/8. Despite the vast decline, FOX opted to renew the series for season two.
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When TSCC returned last September, it drew its worst numbers to date — 6.33 million and a 2.4/7 in the demo. Things got worse immediately and the series hit a dismal low of 4.57 million and a 1.8/5 in November. The show went on hiatus for two months starting in December. When it returned in February, TSCC served as a Friday night lead-in to a new sci-fi series, Dollhouse. The hope was that the pairing would be mutually beneficial but it didn’t work that way and many believe that TSCC has actually been hurting the Joss Whedon series. TSCC’s audience ended up dipping below three million in early March.
While many moviegoers are greatly anticipating the new Terminator movie, the TV series just hasn’t attracted enough interest. With ratings like these, it’s impossible to think that the series will return for a third year. That’s a huge shame because, after an episode like tonight’s, we’re left with a lot of unresolved plot points.
Tonight, we saw John Connor leave his mother behind and time travel to the future. Once there, he meets Derek (who doesn’t know him yet) and his dead father, Kyle Reese (who hasn’t fathered him yet). Reese is accompanied by very version of Cameron.
It’s obvious that the series is poised to take off in some interesting directions and is really hitting its stride. The fact that the last few episodes have been so strong make the show’s prospects all the more disappointing. It’s a shame that the writers didn’t get to this point sooner.
If the show doesn’t come back next season, and it looks like it won’t, are you upset with how the show has ended?
Image courtesy FOX.
Why are they canceling TSCC????? This is a great show. I always look forward to watching each episode. The good shows always seem to get canceled or end too early, especially when they are scifi. They are making it so you don’t want to get “hooked” on a show only to be disappointed when they end. Please come back with another season.
I bet its canceled. Fox has canceled every show I like on their network, its why I no longer try and get attached or really watch too much on Fox anymore. That’s what Fox does…let the audience get attached and then get rid of it. A few of my shows were already mentioned, but Arrested Development was an amazing show; in fact its its in my top 3 of all time favs. If Fox had their way they would cancel baseball and football. I think they should give it one more season because I expect ratings to go up after… Read more »
Keep TSCC! It is original and fun! The typical ratings systems for TV are antiquaited at best. I bet they aren’t even taking in to account the internet views. They have amazing talent on this show. With more to see from Joshua Jackson next season….it would be a shame for them to give up on it now.
Go ahead…CANCEL TSCC..Who cares??? You canceled FIREFLY…you canceled SANCTUARY… you cancel all the good shows and keep realty crap on that sucks bigtime!! You guys dont know your a33 from a hole in the ground!!!
Death to all infnidels, heathens, barbarians, Crusaders and the entire executive staff at FOX-TV IF THEY dare TO cancel this show!!! ALLAH AHKBAR!! May the curses of Ibrahim the Unfortunate, former TV Executive and originator of Iraqui Idol who died a violent death eaten by a million scorpions while bugs chewed on his intestines and mongrel hyenas slurped up his entrails, be visited upon them if they SHOULD CANCEL the TSCC!!! ALLAH AHKBAR!! iF YOU CANCEL, IT WILL NOT BE tHE tERMINATORS that you will fear!! All FOX TV network watchers around the world will BOYCOTT your Fox Network and… Read more »
The best show on tv ! If Fox cancels it, I’m banning them from my tv. Cancel American Idol instead, it has killed so many other fox shows due to being moved around and pre-empted.
I wish less shows were cancelled – and even if they were, that some of the cable channels might pick them up instead. If TSCC does get canned, then why can’t Sci-Fi pick it up? It seems like perfect Sci-Fi fodder and at 3m (more with the tivo/DVR audience) would be a great draw for a cable station, surely?
The only thing I hate more than cancelled shows, is shows not allowed to finish out the storyline.
I cannot believe that this show is being cancelled. We should be cancelling all these stupid reality shows and even some of the newest series starting to come out. They have nothing to them. Terminator can’t be stopped at this point. The latest show opened sooo many doors to keep it continuing. John is now in the future with his father, uncle and his all time robot or sybor. Whatever. Now what happens to save the world. Also the other machine went back in time with John. There is so much to be told at this point. Please don’t leave… Read more »
The show has been on little over a year and I am a new viewer and loving the show. Thing it’s a shame they don’t realize maybe some people are just now discovering it. This isn’t the normal kind of show I watch. I had never seen the movies or knew the plot but I really started to get into the show so much I watched the movies. Shame it they can’t give any a show an honest chance to build a following. First seasons are dull sometimes just for the fact the are building the characters personalities. Season 2… Read more »
If you include the Digital recording (PVR,DVR,Tivo) recordings of TSCC the ratings goes up 36%, and that doesn’t count streamed video. That and the strong market for DVD Box Sets where the show hasn’t rolled out yet, and also the iTunes sales the ratings for the show don’t show the whole picture. I went so far to check lists of most torrented shows and it is perennially in the top 10 list for every one of the random weeks I checked. I understand that some of these are not revenue generators for shows or networks but they could always leverage… Read more »
The powers that be can not cancel this show! It is one of my favorites. They can’t leave us hanging like this. It seems they are always cancelling the good shows. I agree with the others, you have to think to enjoy this show and too many people just don’t want to think. Another season…PLEASE!
It’s a great show. I hope FOX keeps it.
It’s funny that a show like this – which I love – doesn’t do very well. I’m not too surprised though. The thing may be that a show like this attracts viewers with an imagination – people who like to think. But when the competition has Wife Swap and Howie Do It? the braindead majority flock to that sort of mindless mush. The producers also made a mistake after the first few episodes of the 2nd season – they had WAY too many episodes without much action or suspense.
i love it. i hope it comes back for the 3rd season 🙂
We love this show…..never miss an episode…PLEASE DONT CANCEL!!!!!