Self Made Man
Encyclopedia
"Self Made Man" is the 20th episode (11th of the second season) of the United States television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (T:TSCC). Aired on , "Self Made Man" explores Cameron's nighttime activities of enlisting help to research a Terminator's presence in the past, as well as John Connor
's continuing relationship with Riley Dawson.
, the plot of "Self Made Man" consists of two separate storylines.
While the Connors sleep, Cameron (Summer Glau
) secretly visits the library and her friend, bone cancer survivor and nighttime library attendant, Eric (Billy Lush
); it's revealed that Cameron has been doing this regularly to improve her human disguise and infiltration capabilities. After discovering the 1920 photograph of a T-888 model Terminator
(Todd Stashwick
), Cameron uses the library's resources to deduce that it time travel
led to the wrong date. The T-888, having accidentally killed the architect of a downtown landmark (Pico Tower) crucial to its original mission of assassinating
the governor of California
in 2010, it invented a new identity: 1920s Los Angeles
realty magnate, Myron Stark. As Stark, the T-888 funded and designed the building itself before ensconcing itself inside a wall to wait for New Year's Eve
2010. Returning to the library after finding and tending to Stark, Cameron damages her relationship with Eric by revealing to him that his cancer has returned; the following night however, Eric is missing, but Cameron is unconcerned and succeeds in wooing the new attendant with the doughnut
s she had brought for Eric.
Simultaneously with Cameron's escapades, John
(Thomas Dekker
) also sneaks out of the house, responding to a phone call from Riley Dawson (Leven Rambin
). Meeting her at a house party
in Van Nuys, they leave after John beats up
the host (Oren Dayan) for accosting Riley—who stole his lighter
. Driving to a vista overlooking Los Angeles, John and Riley discuss their relationship and supposed foster family
backgrounds. The official T:TSCC blog revealed that John Connor's fight was written knowing that he's still dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder and having killed Margos Sarkissian earlier in the season.
, whereas it was director Holly Dale
's first foray into the Terminator franchise
. Graphia vetted the episode's historical information alongside T:TSCC department heads, and History for Hire, a prop house specializing in period pieces. All of the 1920s scenes were shot on the Warner Bros.
backlot
, which itself was inaugurated during the same era. "Myron Stark's" meeting Rudolph Valentino
(Branden R. Morgan) at the premiere of The Sheik
is the first occasion of the series referencing a real-life person. The fictional Pico Tower was written at the intersection of Pico Boulevard
and 3rd Street, despite the two roadways running parallel in real life. Costume designer
Amanda Friedland created the flapper
-themed wardrobe for "Self Made Man". Production wrapped on "Self Made Man" on October 15, 2008.
, Travis Fickett extolled Summer Glau
's performance, and held it up as an example of her acting ability keeping the whole series from failing. Fickett also explained that "Self Made Man" received better ratings than the preceding episodes of the series' second season. At the website Television Without Pity (TWoP), the staff review rated the episode a "C", and specifically took issue with the suspension of disbelief
required for Cameron's ability to find anything and everything about the Myron Stark storyline in a closed public library; , 757 of their readers awarded it an average grade of "B+".
Though the series never specifically explains the three dots written on the Connors' basement wall in "Automatic for the People", reviewers (including IGN, TWoP, and Total Sci-Fi
s Owen Van Spall) attributed them to this episode's revelation of the Terminators' temporal triangulation ability. Van Spall and TWoP also noted the plot point of the T-888's mission to kill the Governor of California
. Stark's assassination mission was to take place on New Year's Eve
2010, at which time Arnold Schwarzenegger
would still be the Californian Governor (leaving office in January 2011); Schwarzenegger is the star of the first three Terminator films in the franchise
, having premiered the role in 1984.
John Connor
John Connor is a character appearing in the American science fiction Terminator franchise and he serves as the series main protagonist. Created by writer and director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film The Terminator and first appears portrayed by teenage actor...
's continuing relationship with Riley Dawson.
Plot
Written by Toni GraphiaToni Graphia
Toni Graphia is a television writer and producer.-Career:Graphia got her start as part of an Writers Guild of America apprenticeship program under which she "went from opening fan mail to selling scripts in just a few years."...
, the plot of "Self Made Man" consists of two separate storylines.
While the Connors sleep, Cameron (Summer Glau
Summer Glau
Summer Lyn Glau is an American actress, known for playing River Tam in the science fiction series Firefly and follow-up film Serenity, and for playing Cameron in the series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.-Early life:...
) secretly visits the library and her friend, bone cancer survivor and nighttime library attendant, Eric (Billy Lush
Billy Lush
Billy Lush is an American actor from New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Coral Springs High School in Coral Springs, Florida in 1999. He later attended Florida State University to pursue theatre. He is known for his portrayal of Kevin Donnelly on the NBC drama The Black Donnellys, which was...
); it's revealed that Cameron has been doing this regularly to improve her human disguise and infiltration capabilities. After discovering the 1920 photograph of a T-888 model Terminator
Terminator (character concept)
In the Terminator film series, a terminator is an autonomous robot, typically humanoid, originally conceived as a virtually indestructible soldier and assassin, as well as an infiltrator....
(Todd Stashwick
Todd Stashwick
Todd Stashwick is an American film and TV actor. He played the role of Dale Malloy on The Riches until its cancellation. Stashwick actually preempted the official announcement that the show was canceled when he announced the cancellation on his MySpace blog on September 25, 2008...
), Cameron uses the library's resources to deduce that it time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
led to the wrong date. The T-888, having accidentally killed the architect of a downtown landmark (Pico Tower) crucial to its original mission of assassinating
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
the governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
in 2010, it invented a new identity: 1920s Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
realty magnate, Myron Stark. As Stark, the T-888 funded and designed the building itself before ensconcing itself inside a wall to wait for New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
2010. Returning to the library after finding and tending to Stark, Cameron damages her relationship with Eric by revealing to him that his cancer has returned; the following night however, Eric is missing, but Cameron is unconcerned and succeeds in wooing the new attendant with the doughnut
Doughnut
A doughnut or donut is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets...
s she had brought for Eric.
Simultaneously with Cameron's escapades, John
John Connor
John Connor is a character appearing in the American science fiction Terminator franchise and he serves as the series main protagonist. Created by writer and director James Cameron, the character is first referred to in the 1984 film The Terminator and first appears portrayed by teenage actor...
(Thomas Dekker
Thomas Dekker (actor)
Thomas Alexander Dekker is an American film and television actor and a musician. He is also a singer and has written and produced two albums. He is best known for his roles as John Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Nick Szalinski on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, and Zach...
) also sneaks out of the house, responding to a phone call from Riley Dawson (Leven Rambin
Leven Rambin
Leven Alice Rambin is an American actress. She is best known for playing look-alike half-sisters Lily Montgomery and Ava Benton on All My Children and her recurring roles in; Grey's Anatomy, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, One Tree Hill and CSI: Miami.-Biography:Rambin was born in...
). Meeting her at a house party
House party
A house party in the English-speaking world is typically a type of party where medium to large groups of people gather at the residence of the party's host. In modern usage, a house party is typically associated with teenage or young adult crowds, loud music, dancing, and the consumption of alcohol...
in Van Nuys, they leave after John beats up
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
the host (Oren Dayan) for accosting Riley—who stole his lighter
Lighter
A lighter is a portable device used to generate a flame. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable fluid or pressurized liquid gas, a means of ignition, and some provision for extinguishing the flame.- History :...
. Driving to a vista overlooking Los Angeles, John and Riley discuss their relationship and supposed foster family
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
backgrounds. The official T:TSCC blog revealed that John Connor's fight was written knowing that he's still dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder and having killed Margos Sarkissian earlier in the season.
Production
"Self Made Man" is the third T:TSCC episode written by Toni GraphiaToni Graphia
Toni Graphia is a television writer and producer.-Career:Graphia got her start as part of an Writers Guild of America apprenticeship program under which she "went from opening fan mail to selling scripts in just a few years."...
, whereas it was director Holly Dale
Holly Dale
Holly Dale is a Canadian film and television director and film producer. She received a Gemini Award in 2008 for Best Direction in a Dramatic Series ....
's first foray into the Terminator franchise
Terminator (franchise)
The Terminator series is a science fiction franchise encompassing a series of films and other media concerning battles between Skynet's artificially intelligent machine network, and John Connor's Resistance forces and the rest of the human race....
. Graphia vetted the episode's historical information alongside T:TSCC department heads, and History for Hire, a prop house specializing in period pieces. All of the 1920s scenes were shot on the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
backlot
Backlot
A backlot is an area behind or adjoining a movie studio, containing permanent exterior buildings for outdoor scenes in filmmaking or television productions, or space for temporary set construction....
, which itself was inaugurated during the same era. "Myron Stark's" meeting Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
(Branden R. Morgan) at the premiere of The Sheik
The Sheik (film)
The Sheik is a 1921 silent film produced by Famous Players-Lasky, directed by George Melford and starring Rudolph Valentino, Agnes Ayres, and Adolphe Menjou...
is the first occasion of the series referencing a real-life person. The fictional Pico Tower was written at the intersection of Pico Boulevard
Pico Boulevard
Pico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA...
and 3rd Street, despite the two roadways running parallel in real life. Costume designer
Costume Designer
A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
Amanda Friedland created the flapper
Flapper
Flapper in the 1920s was a term applied to a "new breed" of young Western women who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior...
-themed wardrobe for "Self Made Man". Production wrapped on "Self Made Man" on October 15, 2008.
Reception
Reviewing the episode for IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, Travis Fickett extolled Summer Glau
Summer Glau
Summer Lyn Glau is an American actress, known for playing River Tam in the science fiction series Firefly and follow-up film Serenity, and for playing Cameron in the series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.-Early life:...
's performance, and held it up as an example of her acting ability keeping the whole series from failing. Fickett also explained that "Self Made Man" received better ratings than the preceding episodes of the series' second season. At the website Television Without Pity (TWoP), the staff review rated the episode a "C", and specifically took issue with the suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief or "willing suspension of disbelief" is a formula for justifying the use of fantastic or non-realistic elements in literary works of fiction...
required for Cameron's ability to find anything and everything about the Myron Stark storyline in a closed public library; , 757 of their readers awarded it an average grade of "B+".
Though the series never specifically explains the three dots written on the Connors' basement wall in "Automatic for the People", reviewers (including IGN, TWoP, and Total Sci-Fi
Dreamwatch
Dreamwatch was a British magazine covering science fiction and fantasy films, books and television programmes.Published monthly by Gary Leigh and then Titan Magazines , it was a leading genre entertainment magazine, competing with SFX and Cinescape in the genre magazine market.-Overview:The...
s Owen Van Spall) attributed them to this episode's revelation of the Terminators' temporal triangulation ability. Van Spall and TWoP also noted the plot point of the T-888's mission to kill the Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
. Stark's assassination mission was to take place on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
2010, at which time Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
would still be the Californian Governor (leaving office in January 2011); Schwarzenegger is the star of the first three Terminator films in the franchise
Terminator (franchise)
The Terminator series is a science fiction franchise encompassing a series of films and other media concerning battles between Skynet's artificially intelligent machine network, and John Connor's Resistance forces and the rest of the human race....
, having premiered the role in 1984.