Episode 2.01 - Samson & Delilah

[LRae12]

Well, with the new season less than a week away, I thought it fitting to start off with a brand new thread to discuss spoilers and reactions to the season's opener.

This is what Titan TV has listed for the premiere:

Spoiler:

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Samson and Delilah (New) 8:00 PM, 1 hr
Mon 09/08/2008
WPGH 9
Drama/Other
TV14, English, 2008

Shaken by the madness surrounding his 16th birthday, John comes to grips with reality and confronts the true nature of his destiny; Agent Ellison finds himself questioning his faith while facing the Feds in a standoff; a hi-tech CEO joins the fray.
Cast & Credits: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Richard T. Jones

ooooh, sounds interesting especially the part about

Spoiler:

Ellison facing the Feds in a standoff. When we last saw him, his entire fed team had been wiped out by a terminator. I think this will be a cool twist to bring and FBI agent on board with the rag-tag team.

[-beardo-]

I love Agent Ellison, he is one of the best characters in the series, and has the most complex issues to deal with. By the end of series 3 Ellison should have quit the FBI and be working with Sarah and everyone else. Season 2 should show Ellison developing his researh on the concept of terminatrs and the world ending, et etc. I wnat him to have some scenes with sarah, but not trying to arrets her, trying to help her.

[DigitalLeonardo]

I like to call Ellison the Morris of T:SCC. (As in from Charmed) he is following a much MUCH darker path then Darryl did, but it is very similar and I really like where they are taking the character.

I agree Beardo, he should join Sarah by season 3. He would be a great addition to the team, though I dunno how I feel about him fighting the terminators... I don't think he could hold his own in the end and maybe dead weight to Sarah.

[Jenni Lou]

I have been saying since the first few eps that it is only a matter of time before Ellison eventually aids the Connors in their mission. With each ep he learns something new about what is going on. And it would help them to have a guy on the inside of the government.


Also, ep stills for the ep!

Spoiler:

http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_001.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_002.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_003.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_004.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_005.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_006.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_007.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x01_008.jpg

full versions here

[Cell]

Ellison is okay, if he's fleshed out a bit more then I'll like him more. I can't recall his name right now, but the medic ex-fiancee, Dean Winters, needs to join up with the gang. I realize it may be a problem because he's such a better actor than everyone else on the main show that he'd completely overshadow them, but he needs to be a regular, now.

[Parker]

What they need to do for Ellison is get him more involved in the story and really develop him as a character because he really is a great actor.

[Cell]

Loved, loved, loved the first ep. There were a few things I didn't like, but overall I thought it flowed really well, was well written, intense, had a killer twist ending, and set things up very nicely for the rest of the season. As much as I'm looking forward to Dollhouse, it really sucks that this show will be going on a long hiatus when Dollhouse takes its place in Fox's line-up.

[KingofCretins]

What an episode! Seriously, best of the series so far, IMO.

Spoiler:

I love Summer getting to play THE Terminator... after John. Evoking Arnold and Robert Patrick perfectly. I *really* loved her emotional flip-out, which I agree was all trickery, but Summer played it beautifully.

John was great in this episode, I was really impressed. I know it's Sarah Connor's show, but it's John's destiny, and he needed to start to stand on his own. I really do like the idea that Cameron really is *with* future John.

And, for awesomeness... T-1000!!!!!!!

[Ehlwyen]

Thanks for the pics Jenni Lou! Ha Shirley Manson has an Orb of Thessala.

Wow! I just got through with the episode and I am really surprised at how it all played out. Cameron going Terminator was completely unexpected. And her emotion and begging for John to not destroy her was chilling. I was impressed her programming so closely mimicked human instinct for survival through deceit. I was disappointed in John's hesitation, but damn, my heart burst from pride when he made the final decision.

I love the ending with him cutting his boyish hair and taking upon the buzz cut of future John. I like the reversal that cutting his locks will give him strength by shedding his youthful attachments. And even with the beginning song and seeing the promos, I didn't realize his shorn locks would play such a meaningful role in the episode.

Shirley Manson was all around awesome. I hope she stays with the show for a LONG time. I loved the opening song, I look forward to listening to the lyrics again.

[BlasterBoy]

What a fantastic premiere :eek: I was seriously blown away.

Summer Glau was fantastic in this episode, from playing the evil terminator, to playing the trick, to finally coming back to the good side. I was seriously flipping out near the end saying, "WHAT!? They're frakking killing her!? WHAT!?" The action was amazing! The car crash was super! Woah.

I was a bit confused as to what was going on with the Shirley Manson storyline, but by the end, I got it. I know she's creating a group from all the sections called "Babylon" and she is, like....metal? What? Or is she a terminator? A weird terminator....bit confused on that one, but I liked the final scene with her killing the guy "that pissed her off". That was a great one.

One minor, minor, MINOR complaint: in the opening sequence with "Samson & Delilah" playing (btw, what a perfect song for this scene!!!!!), the John/Sarah stuff was all in slow motion, which didn't look cool, it looked completely sloppy, IMO. Like, really sloppy. They were all blurry (I know it's slow motion, but that looks unprofessional) and I really think it would have worked better in regular time. Not sure why they put that action in slow motion when it would've worked perfectly in regular speed

Overall, SUPER episode. Can't wait for next week!

[Dark Ages]

I LOVED IT!! I loved every minute of this episode. When Cameron tried to terminate John I was in shock. When Cameron had that break down before John pulled her chip out. I was in aww and felt bad for her, for a second I didnt want him to pull it out. But he had to. I was wondering was that Cameron acting or was she really saying that, beacuse she felt it. The Shirly Manson (T-1000) I really dont care for her as an actress. She was okay. But I'm UBER EXCITED!!! For next episode.

[Jenni Lou]

and she is, like....metal? What? Or is she a terminator? A weird terminator....bit confused on that one,

Have you seen the movies? Because if you have you shouldn't really be confused. She is a T-1000 model and can form to imitate many shapes and items. In fact, when she killed that guy, it was a direct homage to a way that the same model killed someone in T2.

I also enjoyed the ep, for the most part. LOVED Ellison telling Cromartie that he would never lead him to Sarah. I am excited that he is now a believer and it seems he will become the ally I suspected he would be since the introduction of his character.

Also, I am looking forward to finding out more about Cameron and future John. Just what is their relationship. Although she is a robot, there is a definite connection there that John seems to sense, imo. At the very least he seems to trust his future self more than he does his mother and uncle.

[BlasterBoy]

Have you seen the movies? Because if you have you shouldn't really be confused. She is a T-1000 model and can form to imitate many shapes and items. In fact, when she killed that guy, it was a direct homage to a way that the same model killed someone in T2.

Nope, have never seen any of the movies. That's probably why I'm really confused.

Is T-1000 model something that's extremely rare/special or something? I should probably watch the movies

[Ehlwyen]

Nope, have never seen any of the movies. That's probably why I'm really confused.

Is T-1000 model something that's extremely rare/special or something? I should probably watch the movies

You should definitely watch the first two movies. At least T2. Because it pretty much rocks my world. There's a lot of grace and introspection that TSCC can only barely capture since it has to run on a 40 minute interrupted by commercials format.

T-1000 are definitely more advanced than Cromartie type. And I think Shirley's model is probably a higher model than T-1000 considering her thought capabilities. Somewhat how Cameron is more advanced in her emotions and learning capabilities.

It's really an interesting plot point that the machines are fighting for their own future by trying to create themselves.

[DigitalLeonardo]

Oh My God.

What an episode. WHAT AN EPISODE! Really just blew my mind on the levels that things were taken.

Cameron was just simply fantastic. A chill went down my back when Cameron was begging for John not to deactivate her. Her screaming and "John I love You!" Emmy winning perforamance right there. I just can't beleive how far she went and how part of me wanted John to let her be.
EvilCameron was just great, and I loved the scene of her stapeling her face. She totaly redeemed herself at the end when she is talking to Sarah and tells her to not let John save her next time. My heart dropped.

The entire chase between Sarah, John and Cameron was great and I really think the paceing and just action was perfect. We really got ALOT for 45 minutes and I was just simply amazed. This episode could totaly compete with one of the movies, easly. I hope we get the same level of quality for the remainder of the season.

Now Catherine. Damn. Its funny that we were actually talking about the T-1000 in another thread and how we'd doubt to see it appear in the series because of the budget, so when Catherine formed outta the toliet I screamed like a little school girl. I was so excited and I knew, KNEW she was going to finger-kill that guy.

This is really going to be a fantastic season. And Catherine is my new favorite character. She is just so bad ass and I thought she was just gunna be human (I kinda hoped she would) but seeing her as a T-1000, damn. Just damn.

One minor, minor, MINOR complaint: in the opening sequence with "Samson & Delilah" playing (btw, what a perfect song for this scene!!!!!), the John/Sarah stuff was all in slow motion, which didn't look cool, it looked completely sloppy, IMO. Like, really sloppy. They were all blurry (I know it's slow motion, but that looks unprofessional) and I really think it would have worked better in regular time. Not sure why they put that action in slow motion when it would've worked perfectly in regular speed

I agree. I felt the slow motion was out of place and just looked bad in some places. Like when Sarah was getting knocked down... It looked choppy kinda like I was watching it online and my internet was going slow...

But the song was just perfect.

[galathea]

While I was less than thrilled with the extended and over the top slow motion intro sequence, the episode picked up excellently in pacing and character work afterwards. By the way, I would have much preferred to see how the moment between Sarah and John played out, where she killed Sarkissian, instead of just jumping in after it happened. It would have given even more impact to the scene between Sarah and John where he refuses to talk about it with her. In any case this episode sets up a rift between John and Sarah and I am curious to see how this plays out over the season.

I love how the episode focused on John basically taking a step from boyhood to manhood and I think the title was exceptionally well chosen, especially since it's ambivalent. In the biblical story Samson's love for Delilah allows her to eventually trick him into telling her his secret and losing his strength. On the one hand they reversed the tale here by John withstanding Cameron's emotional trickery and making his decision to take a stand and nonetheless reactivate Cameron a show of strength, complete with an inversion of the symbolic act of cutting his hair. On the other hand I think his weakness for her might indeed pose a problem later on and it will be interesting to see if Cameron's warning to Sarah is meant to be a foreshadowing.

John displayed a very impressive level-headedness and strength of will, showing traits of the man, the future ?saviour', he is destined to become. I loved especially that after a short moment of hesitation he decides to leave Sarah behind, although he hears her screaming in pain and has to suspect that Cameron will kill her. I really appreciate that over the course of S1 Dekker played John as hesitant and boyish, giving his character turn in this season opener much more impact. It's still his 16th birthday and he leaves his childhood, or what was left of it, behind.

I am also curious to see how Ellison's story will develop over the season. There has to be an ulterior motive for Cromarty to let him stay alive and I hate the thought that he might end up betraying the Connors, willingly or not, because I really loved his turn from hunter to believer over the course of S1. I didn't really care much for the introduction of the new Terminator model nor the actress who played her, but I guess that might change later.

So, excellent episode and apart from the intro sequence the only thing I would complaint about was that there wasn't enough Derek in it!

[Cell]

By the way, I would have much preferred to see how the moment between Sarah and John played out, where she killed Sarkissian, instead of just jumping in after it happened. It would have given even more impact to the scene between Sarah and John where he refuses to talk about it with her.

Sarah didn't kill Sarkissian, that's why they didn't show it and that's why there was so much tension between the two of them. John knows his mother has killed before, he's even seen her kill before, the tension was because John had to kill Sarkissian and he's never killed before.Neither of them knew how to handle that, and I suspect that will unfold as the weeks go by.

[galathea]

Sarah didn't kill Sarkissian, that's why they didn't show it and that's why there was so much tension between the two of them. John knows his mother has killed before, he's even seen her kill before, the tension was because John had to kill Sarkissian and he's never killed before.Neither of them knew how to handle that, and I suspect that will unfold as the weeks go by.

Okay, that makes sense. I still would have preferred to see the scene play out.

[Heather]

What's really hysterical is that, at the end of the episode when the tech guy is in the bathroom, I was like "OMG! SHIRLEY MANSON IS HIDING IN THE BATHROOM WITH A TRENCHCOAT AND MAGNIFYING GLASS!" Then, when he was peeing, I was like "OMG! SHIRLEY MANSON IS THE URINAL!" ANDD THENNNN, when the urinal really did turn into Shirley Manson, I went "OMG! HE JUST PEED IN SHIRLEY MANSON'S MOUTH!"

And then the episode ended and I was left reeling in the aftermath. So much action (all of which was fantastic) and the best acting the show has had yet. The story moved quickly and tied things up very nicely and I loved the music in the episode. I especially loved the fact that everything was so crisp and clear (though, I believe that's a new thing Fox is doing...Filming with HD cameras or something?).

My only complaint was, like most other people, the over-the-top, excessively long, and incredibly sloppy opening scene. Not to mention, it was really confusing for me. I didn't get how Sarkissian ended up dead, either. Though, I do love how Sarah threw John out the window first (though I know why she did that, it was still hysterical to me... ). I also loved the song playing. I was like "OMG! Is that Shirley Manson?!" (yes, I had a ton of Shirley Manson thought bubbles appearing throughout the episode. And it was exciting. ).

Summer Glau was on the top of her game and Lena Headey did a spectacular job in this episode. She was less monotone in 2.01 than she was in the latter half of season 1. It was almost like she got a handle on how to fake the American accent and still convey emotions. She was great. Shirley Manson, too, was totally chilling. I had a little trouble understanding what she was saying, but, once I did, I was like "Oh my...Shirley Manson's a badass bitch" - which was followed closely by "Oh my...I Shirley Manson."

So yeah, best episode of the series so far, without a doubt. I loved it.

[Cori]

I guess I'm the only one who liked the slow motion at the beginning then. Or rather I liked the combination of the slow motion, of what was actually happening on screen and of the song (which was just beautiful ).

I enjoyed this episode a lot! I wouldn't say it's my favourite ever but it was action-packed and gripping and still had many very moving emotional scenes. Summer made me cry when Cameron was pleading with John, that was exceptionally well acted! I love that John trusted his instincts and went against his mother and his uncle, that he trusts Cameron so much (maybe too much?). The determined look he had on his face as he lit the fire, that was very well done by Thomas Dekker and gave us a glimpse of the man John Connor is going to become.

Yay for having Shirley Manson on the show! I suspected right from the start that she was not human and was rewarded when she turned into that Terminator model and killed the guy who was pissing her off. Plus, I absolutely love that they let her keep her Scottish accent, it was refreshing to hear that on the show.

Sarah didn't kill Sarkissian, that's why they didn't show it and that's why there was so much tension between the two of them. John knows his mother has killed before, he's even seen her kill before, the tension was because John had to kill Sarkissian and he's never killed before.Neither of them knew how to handle that, and I suspect that will unfold as the weeks go by.

Yes that's what I immediately thought as well. You could see that John was struggling immensely with it, much more than when Sarah killed him.

Okay, that makes sense. I still would have preferred to see the scene play out.

Maybe the writers wanted to make a mystery out of who killed Sarkissian and that's why they didn't show it. Maybe we will see John having flashbacks to that particular scene as the season unfolds and see exactly what happened.

The ending with John cutting his hair in such a symbolic manner was great, even though I kinda suspected that something like this was coming as I had seen pics of Thomas Dekker with his new haircut. Still, it was a very well acted and moving scene. I loved that John really starts to grow up in this episode and starts making his own decisions, which in turn creates a rift between John and Sarah. There is a great potential for angst and drama there, which hopefully the writers will explore during the course of the season.

Oh and I completely agree with galathea that there wasn't enough Derek in the episode. At least Brian Austin Green is a regular now so hopefully that will change soon.

Another thing that bugged me: I really disliked that male voice which narrated the intro at the beginning. I always loved the intro narrated by Lena Headey in season 1. Sarah's voiceovers were also missing, I wonder whether they discarded them completely or if they will reappear again.

Overall, this was an excellent start to the new season and I can't wait to see where the writers will take us next.