Episode 2x02 ~ Automatic for the People

[LRae12]

So next week's episode thread is up and running here, and here's what Titan TV has to say about it:

Spoiler:

Automatic for the People
(New) 8:00 PM, 1 hr
Mon 09/15/2008
WPGH 9
Drama/Other
TV14, English, 2008

Sarah and Cameron conduct a private investigation on a nuclear plant; John continues to lose interest in his academics, but a new friend sparks his social life; Catherine gains an important puzzle piece for her pet project.
Cast & Credits: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Richard T. Jones, Shirley Manson

So, no mention of Derek in this epiosde and they dont' have Brian Austin Green listed in the credits for the ep. Not liking THAT much for sure....

[Jenni Lou]

episode stills.

Spoiler:

http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x02_001.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x02_002.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x02_003.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x02_004.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x02_005.jpg http://black-celebration.net/caps/al...l_2x02_006.jpg

full versions here

Someone tell me Cameron doesn't look hot in the second to last pic.

[Cori]

Well judging from the episode stills,

Spoiler:

Derek seems to be in this episode after all! What a relief!

I gotta say I love the title of the ep, it's one of my favourite albums by REM after all.

For anyone who is interested, the trailer to episode 2.02 can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEqD8b2JAl0

[DigitalLeonardo]

Wow. I think T:SCC is on a roll. There has been no real bad episode of the series. This episode was no where in the top 5, but was most defenitly another action packed episode.

I just wanna say I am happy to see Leven Rambin on this series. I gushed about her before, but she is a favorite of mine from All My Children. Now I enjoy her character, I am very curious to see what happends with her. John doesn't have good luck with girls are nice to him. I found it weird that when he asked her about his family she totaly just changed the subject. I DON'T want her to be a terminator, I am kinda sick of all these random terminators.

Which makes me ask, where the hell did that Greenway terminator come from? For awhile I thought it was going to be Weaver, but then it wasn't so I was just wondering where did it come from? The future? I just found it a bit weird and kind of the low point of the episode.

The story was interesting and I am glad they've gone back to the cancer worry for Sarah. My heart JUMPED when that thing bleeped... I was so afraid Sarah was get cancer... And just the fear and panic. Lena played it so well (I also think she has totally gotten her accent down and she is finally able to throw personality into it) The end when Cameron was doing the scan I was so scared...

Ellison is no longer the character I thought he was. I feel bad Dixon, cause Ellison is just wrecking his life. I know he is trying to protect him, but it just seems like he has an alternative motive and very jerkish...

Weaver's minor cameo apperance was very cool. I so knew it was her and she still looks so badass. I guess she can't have a major roll in EVERY episode - but she still looks badass when she doesn't even speak!

Another cool note was Cameron. Damn. She is so out there right now and I am on the edge of my seat to see what happends. There is just so many questions of what she will do and if she will stay good. I was scared like twice that she'd attack Sarah... I think Summer is just amazing at playing no emotion. So you just don't know what way she will turn. I hope she isn't killed off in the season finale, cause I really do adore her.

And if Riley is human, I hope she joins the fight. A new Kate Brewster.

[Llywela]

Which makes me ask, where the hell did that Greenway terminator come from? For awhile I thought it was going to be Weaver, but then it wasn't so I was just wondering where did it come from? The future? I just found it a bit weird and kind of the low point of the episode.

I wondered the same thing - there was no explanation for where that terminator came from, which is actually a rather major plot hole, when you think about it. How many people/robots are being sent back?!

The random resistance fighter being sent back to send them on this mission also gave me pause for thought - the show can't use this method of creating the adventures-of-the-week very often. It's already rather dodgy in terms of logic.

The story was interesting and I am glad they've gone back to the cancer worry for Sarah. My heart JUMPED when that thing bleeped... I was so afraid Sarah was get cancer... And just the fear and panic. Lena played it so well (I also think she has totally gotten her accent down and she is finally able to throw personality into it) The end when Cameron was doing the scan I was so scared...

I'm glad this is being referred back to, as well - it is only natural that it would be preying badly on Sarah's mind, knowing that she could only have six years left. Or maybe less, because every action that they take changes the future.

I also enjoyed the parallel that Cameron drew at the end - Sarah is afraid she has a time bomb inside her, and Cameron knows that she might go bad again.

Ellison is no longer the character I thought he was. I feel bad Dixon, cause Ellison is just wrecking his life. I know he is trying to protect him, but it just seems like he has an alternative motive and very jerkish...

I actually thought that Ellison was doing the right thing in this episode, looking after the little people, which Sarah isn't in a position to do. Charley's connection to Sarah has put him in danger, through no fault of his own - Cromartie tracked him down with ease, after all. The fact that he cares about Sarah and John, enough to help them out more than once, has endangered him further, and his wife, despite the fact that she was in the dark up till now. But Sarah has too much to worry about already, just keeping herself and her son alive, to even register the danger that she places others in. So that's where Ellison comes in, in this episode - looking out for the little people. Recognising that Charley's involvement in recent events has placed both him and his wife in danger, and encouraging them to take whatever steps are necessary to protect themselves. They can't unlearn what they know; they can only move forward with the insight that they have.

Another cool note was Cameron. Damn. She is so out there right now and I am on the edge of my seat to see what happends. There is just so many questions of what she will do and if she will stay good. I was scared like twice that she'd attack Sarah... I think Summer is just amazing at playing no emotion. So you just don't know what way she will turn. I hope she isn't killed off in the season finale, cause I really do adore her.

Absolutely - Cameron is even more ambiguous than ever at the moment. I'm not convinced she is fully back to speed yet; a lot of her reactions seem very delayed. So it is hardly surprising that Sarah still isn't sure she can be trusted, or that Derek is even more antagonistic toward her than ever.

I do enjoy Derek's negativity. I mean, he must be irritating as hell to have to live with, but his backstory makes perfect sense of his pessimism, and I always appreciate that kind of character detail and continuity.

I really felt for John in this episode - so much has happened in such a short time. No wonder he is feeling even more disconnected from 'normal' kids than ever. He has never been able to have a normal life, and never will - that's an awful burden to have to carry at any age, but especially at 16. I'm not sure this new friendship with Riley can possibly end well, though...

[LRae12]

Which makes me ask, where the hell did that Greenway terminator come from? For awhile I thought it was going to be Weaver, but then it wasn't so I was just wondering where did it come from? The future? I just found it a bit weird and kind of the low point of the episode.

oh, see I thought it kind of made sense. The resistence fighters that have been sent back in the past were usually done so as a result of skynet sending a terminator back (in the movies). I just assumed that the resistence got wind of the Greenly terminator being sent back to cause the nuclear meltdown, and they sent back the fighter to warn them to stop him. He didn't have very clear information, as he was dying, but he did say 2 days and Greenly's name and the powerstation's name. Perhaps the terminator's impersonation was what he was referring to.

The random resistance fighter being sent back to send them on this mission also gave me pause for thought - the show can't use this method of creating the adventures-of-the-week very often. It's already rather dodgy in terms of logic.

I agree, I don't think it should be over-used, or else the show will get monotonous. But I think it was ok in this episode, especially given the ending and how he apparently gave them much more information to go on (I guess setting up future episodes crises to advert).

I also enjoyed the parallel that Cameron drew at the end - Sarah is afraid she has a time bomb inside her, and Cameron knows that she might go bad again.

Me Too! I thought her blunt question was remarkable. And I think it gave Sarah pause to think about her actions towards Cameron as well, the mis-trust, which granted is justified. I just loved how Cameron threw it back in Sarah's face though, so matter of fact.

I actually thought that Ellison was doing the right thing in this episode, looking after the little people, which Sarah isn't in a position to do. Charley's connection to Sarah has put him in danger, through no fault of his own - Cromartie tracked him down with ease, after all. The fact that he cares about Sarah and John, enough to help them out more than once, has endangered him further, and his wife, despite the fact that she was in the dark up till now. But Sarah has too much to worry about already, just keeping herself and her son alive, to even register the danger that she places others in. So that's where Ellison comes in, in this episode - looking out for the little people. Recognising that Charley's involvement in recent events has placed both him and his wife in danger, and encouraging them to take whatever steps are necessary to protect themselves. They can't unlearn what they know; they can only move forward with the insight that they have.

I agree. The Cromartie terminator had all ready been in their home. They're easy prey and obviously this was all foreshadowing, because Titan TV has this to say about next week's episode:

Spoiler:

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
The Mousetrap (New) 8:00 PM, 1 hr
Mon 09/22/2008
WPGH 9
Drama/Other
TV14, English, 2008

Cromartie kidnaps Charley's wife, leading Sarah and Derek to outfox the sinister antagonist and assure the distressed damsel's safe return; as the future of mankind rests on his shoulders, John begins to develop strong emotions for two of his allies.
Cast & Credits: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Richard T. Jones, Shirley Manson

Absolutely - Cameron is even more ambiguous than ever at the moment. I'm not convinced she is fully back to speed yet; a lot of her reactions seem very delayed. So it is hardly surprising that Sarah still isn't sure she can be trusted, or that Derek is even more antagonistic toward her than ever.

I really had to pause and wonder at Cameron in the plant when she kept mopping when Sarah was speaking to her. It was just so odd that she didn't at least recognize the fact that Sarah was speaking to her. And when she replied that she was thinking, Sarah was all WTF? Since *when* do you do that? It was a valid question.


I did wonder about what Cameron said to John in the beginning of the episode about John not being able to be trusted any longer, and about 'not them'. Who was she referring to? Did John change the future by putting a terminator before his own life?

Overall, very satisfying episode, once again.

[Jenni Lou]

I did wonder about what Cameron said to John in the beginning of the episode about John not being able to be trusted any longer, and about 'not them'. Who was she referring to? Did John change the future by putting a terminator before his own life?

Yeah, I had assumed that he had changed the future slightly and that there were some people in the future who were not happy with what he did in our present timeline to save Cameron.

The timelines can easily get clunky and confusing in this show so maybe it's best not to think about it too much.

[Llywela]

One other thing that struck me about this episode was that this was very much a defeat. The events at the nuclear plant led to greater automation, which means we are one step closer to Skynet, which means this was a battle lost - that was what they were trying to prevent. It is even questionable now whether the future Derek knew, where the plant was in resistance hands, can ever come about after this development.

Just about everything the group does changes the future in some way, and if you try to think too hard about it your brain will implode! It is best to just accept that the future remains in constant flux and leave it at that.

[hawkedup]

Really good episode. I'm so glad there is a place to talk about it.

Cameron and the Mop: Cameron didn't have her mind in the game there. It was the first time we'd seen something like that. Why? She's jealous of John's new girlfriend. She probably doesn't know it but for the first time she was not in the moment and she had to consciously try to "think about what to do".

I agree that they have to stop making every other person a terminator. If they can send that many back, why don’t they send an army or something?

I think the writers realized that they had to stop sending people (humans in this case) back in time and so did it one last time with random resistance fighter #5 so that they could reveal that list there at the end and not have to do it anymore.

Also, what happened to the girl John was talking to in the first season? Is this her replacement cos the actress bailed or something?

[Jenni Lou]

Also, what happened to the girl John was talking to in the first season? Is this her replacement cos the actress bailed or something?

You're right! I was really curious about what was up with her last season and thought they might get into this one. :/

But no, different character all together.

[stormwreath]

A couple of random thoughts:

Maybe Cameron's reactions are slowed down because she's constantly having to manually override her own programming now? (Because her programming keeps telling her to TERMINATE JOHN CONNOR.)

Also, maybe she's bothered because she knows, from the future, that she was supposed to have been destroyed at the end of Season 1? (And she accepted it because robots don't have emotions, supposedly.) But John risked the lives of everybody by bringing her back - hence her questions about Jesus and resurrection last episode - and now she doesn't know what's going to happen next.

And finally - anybody else wondering if the T-1001 is not working for Skynet, but is in a separate faction of her own?

[EvilVampire]

The random resistance fighter being sent back to send them on this mission also gave me pause for thought - the show can't use this method of creating the adventures-of-the-week very often. It's already rather dodgy in terms of logic.

Dodgy?

I nominate that for understatement of the year , but I agree.

The way I see it, we can watch the series (or the movies, for that matter) only by means of suspending disbelief (as it's always the case with time-travel), but that suspension becomes more difficult as they increase the number of times they use that plot device (since the inconsistencies become more difficult to ignore).

And finally - anybody else wondering if the T-1001 is not working for Skynet, but is in a separate faction of her own?

I don't know, but do we have confirmation on the model number?

[Jenni Lou]

I don't know, but do we have confirmation on the model number?

Kristin at E! interviewed the showrunner and he confirmed that, yes. He even called her a T-1001. But this hasn't been brought up on the series itself yet.

[EvilVampire]

Thanks. I was wondering when that had happened.

I wonder if her advantages over T-1000 are only cognitive (she does seem to mimic human behavior much better), or she's also tougher, faster, etc.

Also, I'm not sure how they'll be able to deal with a terminator like that. Cameron seems weaker than ordinary T-888; there's no way she'd have a chance against a T-1001.

[stormwreath]

Cameron seems weaker than ordinary T-888; there's no way she'd have a chance against a T-1001.

The impression I get is that her muscles are the same strength as a T-888 (since they're made from the same components), but she's smaller and therefore less strong due to lack of leverage. To compensate, though, she's more intelligent and adaptable. Most of her victories over T-888s have come through clever use of the environment: hanging power cables, scraping his head against a passing truck, or kicking him into a couple of high-voltage electrical generators.

And I htought you can't use brute strength against a T-1000 series anyway because they just re-form; you have to use environmental effects (burning, freezing).

[litzie]

Someone tell me Cameron doesn't look hot in the second to last pic.

Actually I was noticing throughout those scenes with Cameron's slut outfit that she manages to look not hot by portraying absolutely no emotion, no sexuality, and no awareness of her body - I was thinking it was an unbelievable bit of acting, because Summer Glau takes a lot to make her look not hot...

Which makes me ask, where the hell did that Greenway terminator come from? For awhile I thought it was going to be Weaver, but then it wasn't so I was just wondering where did it come from? The future? I just found it a bit weird and kind of the low point of the episode.

I was thinking that he was sent back, with the plan to replace Greenway at the last second...and the resistance got wind of this in the future, and thus sent the resistance fighter back to stop him/get the gang to stop him.

oh, see I thought it kind of made sense. The resistence fighters that have been sent back in the past were usually done so as a result of skynet sending a terminator back (in the movies). I just assumed that the resistence got wind of the Greenly terminator being sent back to cause the nuclear meltdown, and they sent back the fighter to warn them to stop him. He didn't have very clear information, as he was dying, but he did say 2 days and Greenly's name and the powerstation's name. Perhaps the terminator's impersonation was what he was referring to.

and, yes, exactly this...didn't see it til now!

Another cool note was Cameron. Damn. She is so out there right now...

Absolutely - Cameron is even more ambiguous than ever at the moment. I'm not convinced she is fully back to speed yet; a lot of her reactions seem very delayed...

I really had to pause and wonder at Cameron in the plant when she kept mopping when Sarah was speaking to her. It was just so odd that she didn't at least recognize the fact that Sarah was speaking to her. And when she replied that she was thinking, Sarah was all WTF? Since *when* do you do that? It was a valid question.

A couple of random thoughts:

Maybe Cameron's reactions are slowed down because she's constantly having to manually override her own programming now? (Because her programming keeps telling her to TERMINATE JOHN CONNOR.)

That was definitely the impression that I got - the whole bit about Cameron thinking (and sarah's response) highlighted the fact that Cameron is operating differently than she did in season 1. She seems to be writing her own programming so to speak...at least, making her own choices. Maybe, because she is overriding the "terminate John Connor" programming, she is also having to evaluate all her other responses to see if they're the right ones/connected to the terminate order? And that's why she was delayed so many times, because she was processing her "instincts" to see if they were right?

One other thing that struck me about this episode was that this was very much a defeat. The events at the nuclear plant led to greater automation, which means we are one step closer to Skynet, which means this was a battle lost - that was what they were trying to prevent. It is even questionable now whether the future Derek knew, where the plant was in resistance hands, can ever come about after this development.

Just about everything the group does changes the future in some way, and if you try to think too hard about it your brain will implode! It is best to just accept that the future remains in constant flux and leave it at that.

Actually, so far as we know, they might have changed the past back to the current (bad choice of words I know) version of the future. Because as Cameron recites early in the episode, the resistance fighters take the plant back from Skynet in...2026? or something. So Skynet originally has control of the plant - via Catherine's group, I assume. So maybe they've just reset things to the status quo...and Skynet, via Greenway, was attempting to shut the plant down or explode it, either way screwing over humanity and leaving the resistance fighters in the future without a power source.

You're right! I was really curious about what was up with her last season and thought they might get into this one. :/

But no, different character all together.

Yeah I'm really hoping they do go back to that girl, cuz I found her very confusing and I really want to know what her deal was. Though I have a feeling there's only room for one blond haired school friend in each season...

[hawkedup]

Yeah. Something must have happened with that other actress and so they introduced a new character to fill her spot as mysterious love interest. I guess it's okay, though, since I'm liking this girl more than that other one already.

As for Cameron’s model, have they said which model she is? Not that it really matters, but I hadn’t really noticed that she seemed weaker then the Triple 8’s until you guys mentioned it. She keeps saying she’s a new model—more human.

Also, is anyone getting the feeling that Cameron might be a grandfather paradox? Connor sends her back in time to help Sarah and John. She stays with them in some form until the time comes when Connor sends her backwards again.

Or maybe she makes herself. Did anyone else notice in season one that she keeps a piece of that (I forget what it’s called) metal that they threw into the ocean? And she saves that T-888’s skin instead of just burning it along with him. Why would she do that?

[Jenni Lou]

Also, is anyone getting the feeling that Cameron might be a grandfather paradox? Connor sends her back in time to help Sarah and John. She stays with them in some form until the time comes when Connor sends her backwards again.

That's why I don't think too much about it. All the time traveling just opens up a stream of paradoxes. I just don't put a lot of thought into it.


I just read that the ratings for this ep were very low. Lower than season one with only about 5.5 million people watching. If they don't improve the show can't go on.

[litzie]

That's why I don't think too much about it. All the time traveling just opens up a stream of paradoxes. I just don't put a lot of thought into it.


I just read that the ratings for this ep were very low. Lower than season one with only about 5.5 million people watching. If they don't improve the show can't go on.

Oh no that's horrible! I thought this show was safe, what the heck?? Is it the timeslot or something? Especially since the premiere was so good, you'd think the ratings would reflect that..

[EvilVampire]

The impression I get is that her muscles are the same strength as a T-888 (since they're made from the same components), but she's smaller and therefore less strong due to lack of leverage. To compensate, though, she's more intelligent and adaptable. Most of her victories over T-888s have come through clever use of the environment: hanging power cables, scraping his head against a passing truck, or kicking him into a couple of high-voltage electrical generators.

I tend to agree about the strength, but I think she was losing to the T-888 until Sarah intervened, and it's not the first time it happens iirc, so most of here victories were the result of team effort.

And I htought you can't use brute strength against a T-1000 series anyway because they just re-form; you have to use environmental effects (burning, freezing).

I think you can use brute strength to throw them wherever you want them to fall, so the stronger, the better. But still, of course you'd need environmental effects, unless you have anti-terminator weapons (a T-X might have built-in weapons capable of disabling or destroying a T-1000 series), but then, Cameron doesn't have that, either.

Also, even freezing/burning etc., aren't usually of much use - it takes a lot of heat to destroy a T-1001, and freezing would probably be insufficient to destroy it, even though it might immobilize it, which is good enough only if it can be maintained indefinitely.

Additionally, this T-1001 seems very smart as well. If it weren't for the fact that the good guys have to win , my money would be on the T-1001.