TheTerminatorsequel to come closest to the success ofTerminator 2:Judgment Daywas the TV seriesTerminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Whileeach sequel in theTerminatorfranchise sinceJudgment Dayhas tried to build on the lore, most were unpopular for various reasons, part of the problem beingthe confusingTerminatorfranchise timeline.
Terminatortime travel rulesoften retcon the existing story, with most of the sequels beginning with a different alternative future. This is a difficult-enough issue to overcome, butrecasting both Linda Hamilton’s Sarah Connor and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 Terminator is also often a major hurdle for the franchise.That said,The Sarah Connor Chroniclesdid it, becoming the best sequel to James Cameron’sJudgment Day.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Is A Direct Sequel To Terminator 2
The Sarah Connor Chronicles Retcons Sarah’s Original Fate
There are severalways to watch theTerminatormovies and TV shows in order. Some viewers prefer to stick with the release order, butif watching chronologically,The Sarah Connor Chroniclesis a direct sequel toTerminator 2: Judgment Day.The show follows Sarah and John Connor as they try to outrun other Terminators sent from the future.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machinesexplains thatSarah Connor died of leukemiabetween 1997 and 2003. Such a tragic fate was not popular among fans, with many writing that the character deserved a more explosive ending.The Sarah Connor Chronicleslooked set to offer her a different fate, but the show was canceled after just two seasons, despite Lena Headey’s excellent portrayal.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles Perfectly Recast Sarah And John Connor
The Formidable Cameron Was An Unexpected But Excellent Replacement For Schwarzenegger
Recasting Sarah Connor was a brave decision, but it worked.Headey’s Sarah is more calculating and introspective than Linda Hamilton’s raw and powerful portrayal, as she is now in a different place in the world. Thus, John was recast, too, with Thomas Dekker playing an older version of the character originally portrayed by Edward Furlong.
It is virtually impossible to separate theTerminatorfranchise from Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It is virtually impossible to separate theTerminatorfranchise from Arnold Schwarzenegger, butThe Sarah Connor Chroniclesgave us an exciting new antihero.Summer Glau’s Cameron is so different from the T-800 that she carves out a place in the franchiseasthe most advanced Terminator model of all. Picking somebody so different from Schwarzenegger stopped the character from being a lazy replacement.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles Remains One Of The Best Things To Come Out Of Terminator
The Sarah Connor Chronicles Deserves A Reboot
Ofall theTerminatormovies and TV shows,The Sarah Connor Chroniclesmanaged to do something truly impressive. Even without Schwarzenegger or Hamilton, the series gave us exciting new characters to root for, elaborated on the lore, and deftly developed the existingTerminatorfranchise characters. The show was canceled far too soon, but has become an underrated classic, despite its uncertain ending.
1984
100%
89%
1991
91%
95%
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
2003
70%
46%
2008
TV series
85%
88%
2009
33%
53%
2015
26%
52%
2019
82%
2024
Animated series
87%
79%
The Sarah Connor Chroniclesleft viewers with a cliffhanger, with Cameron deactivated and John discovering that his fate has changed. The show had already proven that it didn’t need Schwarzenegger to be a success, and has now gained a cult following. Rather than working on yet anotherTerminatormovie reboot,The Sarah Connor Chronicleswould now be a perfect candidate for a revival.
