The Sarah Connor Chronicles 8-9: Terminate with Puzzles, Surprises, and Soul

The two-hour season (and I hope not series) finale of The Sarah Connor Chronicles on Fox tonight was about as offbeat yet compelling an ending as ever I recall seeing on television. I could speculate about why the producers did it that way - but I think what happened on the television screen, which was pretty extraordinary in a low key way, is much more important than why it was made that way.

Agent James Ellison finally gets the FBI to take out Cromartie. Unsurprisingly, the terminator totally devastates the team - but lets Ellison live. Why? Because Ellison will play some future part in the emergence and success of Skynet...

Cameron turns out to be good, through and through. She kept the terminator part because it contained information that could help save John. She risks her own cyber brain so it can be plugged into the city's traffic control system. As Derek rightly remarks, she could certainly have used that access to do something bad - but she does not.

But she is apparently blown to bits in a car rigged to explode in the very last scene - with Derek nowhere to be seen.

Was that his doing, somehow?

Now, I don't believe that Cameron's really gone. The Arnold and other terminators have gotten up and walked away and put themselves back together from much worse. Not to mention that Fox, if it does continue this fine series, would be crazy to do it without the hottest character on the show - who even has virtues of adding a little humor.

Ok, I did talk there about the producers' motives. Which brings to the question: will Fox executives renew the series?

I hope they do. These Chronicles add a thoughtful, even leisurely piece to the Terminator stories - which is just what television should do in comparison to movies. Philosophic issues were raised and explored. Strong relationships were developed. The Sarah Connor Chronicles have soul.

And there's a lot more to be told of John and Sarah's story - and now Cameron's, and Derek's, and Ellison's. I hope to see it next year.

But, whatever happens, here's a round of applause for what we saw this year.

See also: The Sarah Connor Chronicles 1 and 2 ... 3 ... 4. A Robot Primer ... 5 ... 6 ... 7 ...

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