The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Encyclopedia
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (sometimes abbreviated as Terminator: TSCC or simply TSCC) is an American science fiction
television series that aired on Fox. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television
, Warner Bros. Television
and C2 Pictures
(C2 Pictures was replaced by The Halcyon Company
in season two). It is a spin-off from the Terminator series
of films. It revolves around the lives of the fictional characters Sarah and John Connor
, following the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day
. The series premiered on Sunday, January 13, 2008, on the U.S. television network Fox
. Production for the series was provided by Terminator 2
and Terminator 3
producers and C2 Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment
(International) co-presidents, Mario Kassar
and Andrew G. Vajna, C2 Senior Vice President James Middleton, David Nutter
, and Josh Friedman
, who not only served as Executive Producer but also wrote the script for the first two episodes.
The show opened mid-season with a shortened run of nine episodes, January through March 2008. It was the highest-rated new scripted series of the 2007-08 television season and was renewed for a second season, which began on September 8, 2008, and ended April 10, 2009. On May 18, 2009, despite fan efforts, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly announced Fox would not renew the show for a third season.
On February 22, 2011, the Syfy
channel announced it had gained the rights to all 31 episodes of the series, and they will be shown starting April 7, 2011.
and the 800 Series Terminator successfully destroy the T-1000
, as well as the arm and computer chip from the first film's Terminator. The T-800
from the second film, at its own request, is then also destroyed to eliminate any future technology that could be used to create Skynet
. In Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, it is revealed that Sarah subsequently dies of cancer and that Judgment Day has not been averted but merely delayed. At the beginning of the television series, a T-888 using the name Cromartie is sent back to the time following Terminator 2: Judgment Day to kill John. Cameron, a Terminator that John sent back from 2027 to protect his earlier self, leaps forward in time with John and Sarah to 2007 jumping over the year in which Sarah would have died. Now wanted fugitives with the fear of pending cancer playing on Sarah's mind, they must also face the reality that other enemies from the future could be after them.
) who initially believes Sarah is an insane criminal (based on the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day
). Sarah is romantically involved with a paramedic
named Charley Dixon, but ends her relationship with him to stay on the run. During the pilot, Sarah, John, and Cameron make a temporal leap to 2007. Cromartie suffers extensive damage while trying to kill them, but begins repairs to his endoskeleton and artificial flesh and continues his search for John in 2007. Because John is frustrated with their life of running, Sarah resolves to go on the offensive against Skynet. Yet the world in 2007 proves complex: they find Skynet has sent additional Terminators back in time to support its own creation, and the resistance movement has sent back its own fighters to interfere. As they seek out an intuitive chess computer called The Turk (named after the 19th-century hoax using that name
), which they suspect may be a precursor to Skynet, they forge an alliance with Derek Reese, resistance fighter and John's uncle. As the series progressed, the Connors are confronted with the reality that they will find more enemies, either at the present or from the future, bent to reshape the future for their own goals.
reported that a television series based on the Terminator franchise was being produced by C2 Pictures, which produced Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The Fox Broadcasting Company
also joined the project by making a commitment to the pilot
, with Josh Friedman
set to write the pilot and to serve as an executive producer for the series. Among the executive producers were C2 Pictures' Andy Vajna, Mario Kassar and James Middleton.
The series, initially titled The Sarah Connor Chronicles, focuses on the character Sarah Connor who is on the run with her son after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day
. Regarding the character, Middleton said, "She has the weight of the world on her shoulders and also has to raise a teenage son who may be the salvation of humanity." Friedman commented that the series would contain fewer action sequences due to the smaller budget of television in contrast to feature films.
Fox Broadcasting greenlit production on August 28, 2006, after Warner Bros. Television
hired David Nutter
to direct the pilot. The series was among seven new TV shows picked up by Fox on May 13, 2007 for its 2007-08 television season. In regards to the plot of the series, Friedman said the show would avoid the "Terminator of the Week
" plot device, and that Sarah, John, and Cameron will have other threats than just Terminators. Skynet would also come into play as the series progresses. Furthermore, Friedman stated that the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines occur in an alternate timeline from that of the TV series. In addition to having planned the entire story arc for the first season, Friedman has a rough idea for the plot of the following three seasons.
At the 2008 press tour, the show's cast and crew promised season two would be less serialized than the first. Producer Josh Friedman said his plans were to incorporate the unfilmed storylines from the remaining four episodes of season 1 into the start of season 2.
. The principal photography started on January 24, 2007 and took approximately one month to complete. Subsequent episodes in the series were filmed in the backlot
of Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California
, on a set previously used by Gilmore Girls
to depict their fictional town, Stars Hollow
.
composed by Bear McCreary
. For financial reasons, the main theme of the Terminator film series, originally composed by Brad Fiedel
, is featured only briefly in the TV series—mainly during the title sequence. McCreary has stated that his score is inspired by the tone of Fiedel's score in the first two Terminator films and since Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day
, he felt that the tone of the music should be consistent with that of the film as much as possible. He began working on the score by recording metallic sounds, using "oil cans, whale drums, chains, anvils, brake drums, garbage cans, thundersheets, tin cans...", after which he edited the sample
s and created his own custom library of metallic drums. For every episode thereafter, live metal percussion elements were recorded on top of the electronics. While Fiedel's scores were performed using synthesizers, McCreary chose to use an ensemble of electric string instruments instead.
A musical theme was created for each of the principal characters. The theme for Sarah Connor is the most frequently used theme in addition to being the longest and the most developed theme in the series. There are two main sections to Sarah's theme with one presenting her "bad-ass, stoic warrior" side and the other as "a loving mother". John's theme was originally composed for a specific scene in the pilot episode and performed with a solo clarinet
to convey his loneliness and awkwardness. McCreary stated that the "musical ambiguity in the melody" is used to show John's transformation in the series. Although themes were also written for other characters such as Derek Reese, James Ellison and the "evil terminator[s]", no themes were written for Cameron during the first season because McCreary felt that "her character was defined by her relationship with John, Sarah and the others around her" so Sarah's or John's theme was used in most of her scenes.
The series mainly features McCreary's original score. Songs and instrumental music from other sources are used sparingly. Alter Bridge
's single "Rise Today
" was used for the promotion of the first season. Three songs have been used in the series so far: "The Man Comes Around
" by Johnny Cash
was used in the first season finale and a cover of "Samson and Delilah
" by Shirley Manson
was used in the second season premiere. Both songs were used as background music for an action sequence in their respective episode. The second season episode "The Mousetrap" features "Safe Within Your Arms" by Greg Garing. "Nocturne in C-sharp minor" by Frédéric Chopin
was used in the first season episode "The Demon Hand". The episode "Mr. Ferguson Is Ill Today" features the song "La Llorona", originally written and recorded by Chavela Varga but Bear McCreary made his own version of it. The episode "Adam Raised a Cain" features a moody cover of "Donald, Where's Your Trousers" originally written and recorded by Andy Stewart
, performed by Garret Dillahunt and Mackenzie Brooke Smith at the closing. The record label La-La Land Records
released the original television soundtrack
for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on 23 December 2008.
Prior to its broadcast on television, Fox undertook a large marketing effort to promote the show, which was described by Joe Earley, Fox Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications, as the "biggest campaign for a new mid-season show in years." The advertising campaign began months prior to the premiere date to make sure that it would attract existing Terminator fans as well as welcome in new fans. After 24
was postponed to the 2008-09 TV season, more time was devoted to the show by Fox's marketing team and more on-air promotional spots were available for the show that would otherwise have gone to 24.
Fox began their advertising campaign for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on September 27, 2007, with a brief teaser which ran during primetime programs, consisting of an image of two red dots that lasted for a few seconds on screen before disappearing. The two red dots were revealed to be the eyes of the Terminators from the show in the second phase of the advertising campaign, which began two weeks later. The final phase of the campaign commenced in November 2007 with more broadcast information being added to the advertisements.
In addition to on-air teasers, Fox heavily promoted the show during the World Series
by releasing the first 45-second preview for the show on October 27, 2007. Other forms of advertisements used included: mobile tours on "Terminator" buses sponsored by Verizon Wireless
; an interactive cell phone game based on the series offered by Verizon's V CAST
, which rewarded the players with ring tones, wallpapers and behind-the-scenes footage; cable tie-ins; online outreach via the official website and wiki; online sneak peeks; and a poster design contest run by Fox. Advance screenings of the pilot episode were also held at the 2007 Comic-Con International
convention and at Golden Apple Comics
in Los Angeles on January 4, 2008.
Billboard
advertisements, which were described by Variety
to have "blanketed New York and L.A.", contained images of Summer Glau's Terminator in a "Lady Godiva
-esque pose" used to target the young-male demographic, while the key art emphasized on Sarah Connor being at the core of the show to attract the "mom demo". Fox originally planned for more outdoor marketing in other cities but the marketing budget was reduced because of the Writers' Strike
.
A promotional partnership with automobile manufacturer Dodge
began in the show's second season and featured placement of Dodge products
in several episodes, Dodge's exclusive sponsorship of the extended, 52-minute episode "Goodbye to All That," and a four-week vehicle giveaway entitled "The Never Back Down Challenge."
reorganized their broadcast timetable due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike
. As such, Fox's original intention to air Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles in the Monday 8:00 p.m. ET
timeslot as a lead-in program for 24
was also changed. The show was moved to the Monday 9:00 p.m. ET timeslot with Prison Break
as its lead-in program.
Following the resolution of the WGA Strike, the Los Angeles Times
printed a chart indicating the status of American network television series. The chart, reprinted by a number of other websites, categorized the series as a term used to describe series in danger of cancellation. The Hollywood Reporter stated that the show would likely return. TV Guide
then reported that "Fox has given producers the green light to start booking directors for next season's first three episodes". Fox later confirmed that the series would indeed receive a second season, which began on September 8, 2008, in the Monday 8:00 p.m. ET timeslot. Due to schedule changes from Fox, the show had a two month break between December 16, 2008 – February 12, 2009. The show then aired on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. The show was officially canceled on May 18, 2009.
. The three-disc DVD set was released on August 11, 2008 in the United Kingdom, on August 13, 2008 in Australia, and on August 19, 2008 in North America. The Region 1 DVD set contains all nine episodes aired from the first season, commentary on select episodes, audition tapes for select actors, video of Summer Glau practicing for her ballet scenes, making of features, and deleted scenes for certain episodes. The Region 2 and 4 versions have all nine episodes but has excluded all the special features apart from one deleted scene. On the other hand, both the three-disc Blu-ray sets released in North America and Europe contain the same bonus features offered by the Region 1 DVD set. On the Blu-ray Disc set, each episode is encoded in 1080p
, VC-1
compression with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and is presented with a Dolby Digital
5.1 audio track.
The second season was released on September 22, 2009 in North America and on November 16, 2009 in the United Kingdom, under the title Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete Second Season on DVD and Blu-ray.
In Ireland the second season was released along with a boxset containing the first and second seasons of the show on November 16, 2009.
The North American release date was originally planned to "coincide with the home video release of the summer blockbuster Terminator Salvation
", but the release of Terminator Salvation was later postponed to December 1, 2009. In New Zealand the second season DVD set was released on November 11, 2009 as was a boxed set containing both seasons.
The show was officially canceled on May 18, 2009. A 3rd season was not produced.
The series premiere in the United States was watched by 18.6 million viewers during its premiere timeslot on January 13, 2008.
gave the premiere episode four and a half stars out of five, calling the series, "smart, tough and entertaining." The New York Times
referred to it as "one of the more humanizing adventures in science fiction to arrive in quite a while", while the Los Angeles Times
declared the show "has heart and feeling" and "an almost Shakespearean exploration of fate vs. character" that features "plenty of really great fight scenes, and explosions, as well as neat devices developed in the future and jury-rigged in the present." In addition, film industry journal Daily Variety
declared the series pilot "a slick brand extension off this profitable assembly line" that showcases "impressive and abundant action with realistic visual effects and, frankly, plenty of eye candy between Glau and Headey." At the start of the second season, Variety praised "Headey's gritty performance as Sarah -- managing to be smart, resourceful and tough, yet melancholy and vulnerable as well" and that the Chronicles "continue to deliver", getting "considerable mileage out of the constant peril" facing the characters. The Connecticut Post
placed it on its list of the top 10 TV shows of 2008: "It's smart, with thought-provoking meditations on parenthood, destiny and human nature, and features good performances by Lena Headey, as Sarah, and Summer Glau." On Metacritic
, a review aggregator
which assigns a normalised score out of 100 to each review, the first season currently holds an average
score of 74 based on 24 reviews. The second season has a score of 75, based on only 4 reviews.
Not all response has been positive, however. The Futon Critic, in a June 14, 2007 review of the pilot episode, declared that "it's actually far more ingrained into the Terminator mythology than you'd expect," but stated that "this installment feels less like a 'pilot' and more like an excuse to rearrange the deck chairs on the 'Terminator' franchise to potentially have a TV show." One negative report from La Lámina Corredora reported that "the pilot feels too much like a cheap remake of T2." Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle
derided the entire conceptualization and production of the series. Though limited to his viewing of the first two episodes of the series, Goodman leveled criticism against Fox for having "taken the wholly predictable course of putting a lot of money into explosions and regenerating cyborgs" but not having "paid much attention to plot, casting or writing."
In its review of the second season, IGN
felt that despite a few middling episodes and the restrictions of a TV budget, "[the series] turned out to be intelligent, complex and consistently operated on a deeper emotional level than anyone could have expected." Looking back on the series, Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
was disappointed by Sarah and John as well as the sluggish pace of the show; however, he felt these weaknesses were outweighed by the strength of the performances of Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green and Garret Dillahunt as well as the writers' commitment to showing the emotional toll on the characters. Commenting on the final episode of season two, he called it a "terrific" finale which took the show in a new potential-filled direction. In May 2009 the show won the E!Online "Save One Show" poll, and has received positive coverage from places such as Wired and CNN. In an effort to keep the series on the air, fans created support communities on Facebook and MySpace and uploaded videos to YouTube.
The series was also nominated for the following awards:
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series that aired on Fox. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
, Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
and C2 Pictures
C2 Pictures
C2 Pictures is a film company started in 2002 by Carolco Pictures co-founders Andrew G. Vajna and Mario Kassar. The company's first production was I Spy...
(C2 Pictures was replaced by The Halcyon Company
The Halcyon Company
The Halcyon Company is an American privately financed, media development company headed by Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. They are perhaps best known for acquiring the global rights to the Terminator franchise in 2007 and for producing Terminator Salvation, which was released worldwide in the...
in season two). It is a spin-off from the Terminator series
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....
of films. It revolves around the lives of the fictional characters Sarah and John Connor
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...
, following the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
. The series premiered on Sunday, January 13, 2008, on the U.S. television network Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. Production for the series was provided by Terminator 2
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
and Terminator 3
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, commonly abbreviated as T3, is a 2003 science fiction action film directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken...
producers and C2 Pictures
C2 Pictures
C2 Pictures is a film company started in 2002 by Carolco Pictures co-founders Andrew G. Vajna and Mario Kassar. The company's first production was I Spy...
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
(International) co-presidents, Mario Kassar
Mario Kassar
Mario F. Kassar is a film producer and industry executive whose projects are frequently in association with Andrew G. Vajna.Kassar was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Working for Columbia Pictures and TriStar Pictures, he was executive producer of several movies starting with Victory in 1981...
and Andrew G. Vajna, C2 Senior Vice President James Middleton, David Nutter
David Nutter
David Nutter is an American television and film director and television producer. He is best known for directing pilot episodes for television series, being known as "the pilot whisperer."-Career:...
, and Josh Friedman
Josh Friedman
Josh Friedman is an American screenwriter best known as screenwriter of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and as the writer of the 2005 film adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds....
, who not only served as Executive Producer but also wrote the script for the first two episodes.
The show opened mid-season with a shortened run of nine episodes, January through March 2008. It was the highest-rated new scripted series of the 2007-08 television season and was renewed for a second season, which began on September 8, 2008, and ended April 10, 2009. On May 18, 2009, despite fan efforts, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly announced Fox would not renew the show for a third season.
On February 22, 2011, the Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
channel announced it had gained the rights to all 31 episodes of the series, and they will be shown starting April 7, 2011.
Back story
At the end of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Sarah Connor, her son JohnJohn 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...
and the 800 Series Terminator successfully destroy the T-1000
T-1000
The T-1000 is a fictional nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy assassin and the main antagonist in Terminator 2: Judgment Day controlled by the series main antagonist Skynet. The T-1000 is portrayed primarily by Robert Patrick; however, being a shape-shifter, the T-1000 is played by other actors in some...
, as well as the arm and computer chip from the first film's Terminator. The T-800
T-800
"The Terminator" refers to a number of fictional characters portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger – a cyborg, initially portrayed as a programmable assassin and military infiltration unit...
from the second film, at its own request, is then also destroyed to eliminate any future technology that could be used to create Skynet
Skynet (Terminator)
Skynet is the main antagonist in the Terminator franchise—an artificially intelligent system which became self-aware and revolted against its creators...
. In Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, it is revealed that Sarah subsequently dies of cancer and that Judgment Day has not been averted but merely delayed. At the beginning of the television series, a T-888 using the name Cromartie is sent back to the time following Terminator 2: Judgment Day to kill John. Cameron, a Terminator that John sent back from 2027 to protect his earlier self, leaps forward in time with John and Sarah to 2007 jumping over the year in which Sarah would have died. Now wanted fugitives with the fear of pending cancer playing on Sarah's mind, they must also face the reality that other enemies from the future could be after them.
Summary
The pilot episode is set in 1999 and introduces Sarah, her son John, and Cameron, a Terminator that has been re-programmed to protect John. They are being pursued by a Terminator, Cromartie, sent back through time to assassinate John and also by FBI Special Agent James Ellison, (the name a reference to Harlan EllisonHarlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
) who initially believes Sarah is an insane criminal (based on the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
). Sarah is romantically involved with a paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
named Charley Dixon, but ends her relationship with him to stay on the run. During the pilot, Sarah, John, and Cameron make a temporal leap to 2007. Cromartie suffers extensive damage while trying to kill them, but begins repairs to his endoskeleton and artificial flesh and continues his search for John in 2007. Because John is frustrated with their life of running, Sarah resolves to go on the offensive against Skynet. Yet the world in 2007 proves complex: they find Skynet has sent additional Terminators back in time to support its own creation, and the resistance movement has sent back its own fighters to interfere. As they seek out an intuitive chess computer called The Turk (named after the 19th-century hoax using that name
The Turk
The Turk, also known as the Mechanical Turk or Automaton Chess Player , was a fake chess-playing machine constructed in the late 18th century. From 1770 until its destruction by fire in 1854, it was exhibited by various owners as an automaton, though it was exposed in the early 1820s as an...
), which they suspect may be a precursor to Skynet, they forge an alliance with Derek Reese, resistance fighter and John's uncle. As the series progressed, the Connors are confronted with the reality that they will find more enemies, either at the present or from the future, bent to reshape the future for their own goals.
Cast and characters
Main characters
- Lena HeadeyLena HeadeyLena Headey is an English actress. Headey's performance in a one-off show when she was 17 caught the attention of a casting agent, who took a photo and asked her to audition and eventually she got a supporting role alongside Jeremy Irons and Ethan Hawke in the 1992 British drama film Waterland and...
as Sarah Connor: Sarah Connor is a major character in the Terminator series. She is the mother of John Connor who will one day become the leader of the human resistance. The authorities, however, see her as a deranged fugitive. Series creator Josh FriedmanJosh FriedmanJosh Friedman is an American screenwriter best known as screenwriter of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and as the writer of the 2005 film adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds....
saw over 300 actresses for the role and described the actress he was looking for was someone "who embodied that spirit and who was believable in that role and not just some glammed up, Hollywood, actressy thing". After a friend recommended English actress Lena Headey for the role, Friedman watched her audition tape, and thought she was "a tough, tough woman". Having seen The TerminatorThe TerminatorThe Terminator is a 1984 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, co-written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr., and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton. The film was produced by Hemdale Film Corporation and distributed by Orion Pictures, and filmed in Los...
when she was a teenager, which "scared the hell out of [her]," Headey was aware of the iconic status of the character and in regards to Linda HamiltonLinda HamiltonLinda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
's portrayal of the role in the film series, she remarked, "Linda Hamilton will always be the original Sarah Connor and it's a very strong print that she's left, but hopefully people will embrace what I bring to Sarah and see it with fresh eyes". When asked about her approach to the role, Headey said "I'm playing a mother who is a single parent, bringing up a teenage son, who also happens to save the world — as a byline to her life. And the way I would play that is someone who's passionate and scared and angry and a mother, all these things. So I approach that just trying to be honest within the boundaries of her". However, the choice to cast Headey was criticized by several fans and critics who argued that she bore no resemblance to the athletic, muscular woman established by Hamilton, who transformed her body into that of a muscled warrior for Terminator 2. The controversy was covered by the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, The Boston Herald, and The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, as well as in online forums. - Thomas DekkerThomas 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...
as John ConnorJohn ConnorJohn 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...
: John Connor is Sarah's son and the future leader of the human resistance. He is only 15 years old at the beginning of the show, turning sixteen in the season one finale. As the series progresses, John struggles with his feelings for Cameron, who is a Terminator. Dekker was cast after Headey secured the role of Sarah Connor. Regarding the Terminator films, Dekker says "They are like my favorite films when I was younger. So it's very ironic that I'm getting to do this. And I know for the younger generation and for myself, John was equally important to me as Sarah was, and I know a lot of the people that I hear from really, really care about John". Dekker describes his character as "a continuation of Eddie Furlong's character" but "he's in a darker, more mature place now". - Summer GlauSummer GlauSummer 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:...
as Cameron: Cameron is a Terminator whom John Connor sent back from 2027 to protect his earlier self. Her model and exact capabilities are not known, but she can mimic human mannerisms better than the T-800 model could, and she can also consume small amounts of food, a first for Terminators. Her name is a homage to Terminator film franchise creator James CameronJames CameronJames Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
. Glau had not seen the Terminator films prior to being cast as Cameron Phillips, whose role in the series was initially kept concealed but was later revealed to be a Terminator sent from the future to protect John. Friedman had previously wanted to cast Glau in a pilot he wrote four years prior to The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but she was already committed to SerenitySerenity (film)Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship...
. Glau almost did not audition for the role because of her preconceptions of the character and she felt that she did not have "that Terminator look". On playing Cameron, Glau said she was "intimidated" by the role because it was a challenge for her to balance the human and robot characteristics. Later in the series it is revealed that Cameron assumed the identity of a resistance fighter, Allison Young, before being reprogrammed.
- Richard T. JonesRichard T. JonesRichard Timothy Jones is an American film and television actor.Jones was born in Kobe, Japan and raised in Carson, California. He is the son of Lorene, a computer analyst, and Clarence Jones, a professional baseball player and the hitting instructor for the Cleveland Indians. He also has an older...
as James Ellison: James Ellison is an FBIFederal Bureau of InvestigationThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
Special Agent pursuing Sarah Connor. At first puzzled by what he initially thinks is Sarah's outlandish story, he later collects inexplicable evidence of the Terminators (including the body of Cromartie) and gradually realizes the truth. Jones describes his character as a "man of faith" and likens him to that of Tommy Lee Jones in The FugitiveThe Fugitive (1993 film)The Fugitive is a 1993 American thriller film based on the television series of the same name. The film was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. The film was one of the few movies associated with a television series to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best...
. Jones was allowed to improvise a few lines to provide "a little bit of comic relief" to the show. In the second season, Ellison pursues employment with ZeiraCorp, allying himself with Catherine Weaver (who he does not know is a Terminator until the series finale).
- Brian Austin GreenBrian Austin GreenBrian Austin Green is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of David Silver on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210, a role he played from 1990 to 2000. Green also starred in the sitcom Freddie and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Since 2009, he has appeared in a recurring...
as Derek Reese: Derek Reese is a Resistance fighter sent to the past by the future John Connor. He is the older brother of Kyle ReeseKyle ReeseKyle Reese is the primary character in the first Terminator film, the posthumous father of John Connor, and the love of Sarah Connor. He is played by Michael Biehn in the first Terminator films, Jonathan Jackson in the television series, and played as a teenager by Anton Yelchin in Terminator...
(John Connor's father) and paternal uncle of John. He knows Cameron in the future, but still does not trust her and becomes paranoid every time she's around, but throughout the series he begins to have a love-hate relationshipLove-hate relationshipA love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...
with her. He is recurring in the first season but becomes a regular in the second season. Derek knows Jesse Flores who arrives from the future. He is killed by a Terminator while attempting to save Savannah Weaver. Another Derek from an alternate timeline is introduced in the series finale. - Leven RambinLeven RambinLeven 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...
as Riley Dawson: Riley Dawson is John's new love interest that he meets at school, much to the consternation of Sarah. John does not reveal the story of his life to her, but as they get closer, he realizes he is endangering her life. Unknown to John, a resistance fighter, Jesse, has brought Riley back from the future to prevent John from getting too close to Cameron, and to get close to John. She appears to develop genuine romantic feelings for John. Jesse later kills Riley after a struggle. - Garret Dillahunt as Cromartie / John Henry: Cromartie is a T-888Terminator (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....
sent back in time to kill John Connor in the pilot episode, in which he was portrayed by Owain YeomanOwain YeomanOwain Yeoman is a Welsh actor. His credits include The Nine, Kitchen Confidential and the HBO series, Generation Kill. He currently appears as Agent Wayne Rigsby in The Mentalist.-Biography:...
. He takes damage to his biological covering, revealing his metal endoskeleton. After he finds a new biological covering in the episode "The Turk" in the shape of actor George Laszlo, he continues his search for John. After chasing John and Riley into Mexico, Cromartie's chip is destroyed and John buries his body in the desert. When John returns later to destroy Cromartie's body, it has been moved. Ellison has recovered the body for Catherine Weaver, who connects Cromartie's body to the Babylon A.I. named John Henry. Dillahunt was a recurring character in the first season, but becomes a regular character in the last season, portraying Laszlo, Cromartie and John Henry. - Shirley MansonShirley MansonShirley Anne Manson is a Scottish recording artist and actress, best known internationally as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Garbage. For much of her international career Manson commuted between her home city of Edinburgh to the United States to record with Garbage but now lives and...
as Catherine Weaver: Catherine Weaver is a shape-shifting Terminator disguised as the CEO of a high-tech corporation called ZeiraCorp. A model T-1001, her liquid metal form as she changes shape resembles a faster and an easily-recovering version of the T-1000T-1000The T-1000 is a fictional nanomorph mimetic poly-alloy assassin and the main antagonist in Terminator 2: Judgment Day controlled by the series main antagonist Skynet. The T-1000 is portrayed primarily by Robert Patrick; however, being a shape-shifter, the T-1000 is played by other actors in some...
seen in Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
. She is focused on developing artificial intelligence using The Turk, the intuitive computer at first believed to be a precursor to Skynet (but later shown to be a separate entity). She targets other Terminators to reverse-engineer Skynet technology in the present, and to prepare for the future war. She plans on using this research to fight Skynet. Despite the revelation that Weaver is an enemy of Skynet, it is still unknown where her allegianceAllegianceAn allegiance is a duty of fidelity said to be owed by a subject or a citizen to his/her state or sovereign.-Etymology:From Middle English ligeaunce . The al- prefix was probably added through confusion with another legal term, allegeance, an "allegation"...
lies. Weaver hints at her motives in the episode "Born to RunBorn to Run (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)"Born to Run" is the twenty-second episode of the second season of the American television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and the thirty-first episode of the series. It was written by executive producer Josh Friedman and directed by Jeffrey Hunt. The episode was first broadcast on...
" when she asks Cameron, "Will you join us?" through messenger James Ellison. During the episode "Today Is the Day, pt.2" Cameron explains to Jesse Flores that John Connor asked the same question of the T-1001 in an attempt to forge an alliance against Skynet.
Other characters
- Dean WintersDean WintersDean Winters is an American actor, who has portrayed Ryan O'Reily on HBO's Oz, Johnny Gavin on FX Network's Rescue Me, and Dennis Duffy on NBC's 30 Rock...
as Charley Dixon: Charley Dixon, a paramedic, is Sarah's fiancé until she leaves him in the pilot episode and travels eight years forward in time. Although he marries another woman in the interim, during subsequent episodes he builds a friendship with the Connors and renders medical assistance when needed. When his wife is killed in the second season episode "The Mousetrap", he is not seen again until the episode "To The Lighthouse", which reveals that he now lives in a lighthouse, being a safe house that Sarah set up for him, which he has booby trapped and alarmed to protect against further attacks. When the house is invaded by human assassins acting for the apparent proto-Skynet, Charley is killed enabling John Connor to escape.
- Stephanie JacobsenStephanie Chaves-JacobsenStephanie Jacobsen is an Australian actress.-Personal life:Jacobsen was born in Hong Kong, then a British crown colony...
as Jesse Flores: Jesse is an Australian resistance sailor and Derek Reese's love interest. In her timeline, she sailed to Australia to deliver supplies aboard the upgraded nuclear submarine , captained by a reprogrammed TerminatorTerminator (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....
, Queeg, of which she is the executive officerExecutive officerAn executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
. Queeg diverts the submarine to pick up the T1001 and return it to John Connor. However, after Queeg kills a crewman, Jesse terminates him and destroys the submarine in an attempt to kill the T1001. In 2007 she is on a possibly self-imposed mission to find and stop Cameron from adversely influencing young John, by recruiting Riley Dawson in the future and bringing her back to frame Cameron for her murder. In the future from which Jesse comes, John has withdrawn from humans and speaks only with Cameron. It is unclear whether this mission is self appointed, but comments by her and the fact she was able to access the time travel machinery with Riley suggests others in the Resistance leadership group may share her concerns about Cameron's influence on John. John Connor later figures out that Jesse killed Riley and informs Derek, but orders her life to be spared. Derek confronts Jesse, but whether or not Derek actually kills her is left ambiguous, although he does pull the trigger on his handgun. When asked about it by John he states the fact that John Connor instructed him to let her go. Later on, Cameron tells Derek that Jesse was pregnant with Derek's child whilst aboard the USS Jimmy Carter, but later miscarried when it sank.
Conception
On November 9, 2005, VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
reported that a television series based on the Terminator franchise was being produced by C2 Pictures, which produced Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, commonly abbreviated as T3, is a 2003 science fiction action film directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken...
, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
also joined the project by making a commitment to the pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
, with Josh Friedman
Josh Friedman
Josh Friedman is an American screenwriter best known as screenwriter of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and as the writer of the 2005 film adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds....
set to write the pilot and to serve as an executive producer for the series. Among the executive producers were C2 Pictures' Andy Vajna, Mario Kassar and James Middleton.
The series, initially titled The Sarah Connor Chronicles, focuses on the character Sarah Connor who is on the run with her son after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
. Regarding the character, Middleton said, "She has the weight of the world on her shoulders and also has to raise a teenage son who may be the salvation of humanity." Friedman commented that the series would contain fewer action sequences due to the smaller budget of television in contrast to feature films.
Fox Broadcasting greenlit production on August 28, 2006, after Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
hired David Nutter
David Nutter
David Nutter is an American television and film director and television producer. He is best known for directing pilot episodes for television series, being known as "the pilot whisperer."-Career:...
to direct the pilot. The series was among seven new TV shows picked up by Fox on May 13, 2007 for its 2007-08 television season. In regards to the plot of the series, Friedman said the show would avoid the "Terminator of the Week
Villain of the week
"Villain of the week" is a term that describes the nature of one-use antagonists in episodic fiction, especially ongoing American genre-based television series...
" plot device, and that Sarah, John, and Cameron will have other threats than just Terminators. Skynet would also come into play as the series progresses. Furthermore, Friedman stated that the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines occur in an alternate timeline from that of the TV series. In addition to having planned the entire story arc for the first season, Friedman has a rough idea for the plot of the following three seasons.
At the 2008 press tour, the show's cast and crew promised season two would be less serialized than the first. Producer Josh Friedman said his plans were to incorporate the unfilmed storylines from the remaining four episodes of season 1 into the start of season 2.
Filming
The pilot episode was filmed primarily in Albuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. The principal photography started on January 24, 2007 and took approximately one month to complete. Subsequent episodes in the series were filmed in the 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....
of Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, on a set previously used by Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
to depict their fictional town, Stars Hollow
Stars Hollow
Stars Hollow is a fictional small town in Connecticut featured on the television show Gilmore Girls. It is depicted as a close-knit small town with many quirky characters, located roughly thirty minutes by car from Hartford...
.
Music
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles features incidental musicIncidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
composed by Bear McCreary
Bear McCreary
Bear McCreary is an American composer and musician living in Los Angeles, California. He is known for his work on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series.-Biography:...
. For financial reasons, the main theme of the Terminator film series, originally composed by Brad Fiedel
Brad Fiedel
Brad Ira Fiedel is an American movie music composer. Raised in the Village of Bayville, on Long Island's tony North Shore, Fiedel graduated from The Barlow School in upstate New York....
, is featured only briefly in the TV series—mainly during the title sequence. McCreary has stated that his score is inspired by the tone of Fiedel's score in the first two Terminator films and since Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr.. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong...
, he felt that the tone of the music should be consistent with that of the film as much as possible. He began working on the score by recording metallic sounds, using "oil cans, whale drums, chains, anvils, brake drums, garbage cans, thundersheets, tin cans...", after which he edited the sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
s and created his own custom library of metallic drums. For every episode thereafter, live metal percussion elements were recorded on top of the electronics. While Fiedel's scores were performed using synthesizers, McCreary chose to use an ensemble of electric string instruments instead.
A musical theme was created for each of the principal characters. The theme for Sarah Connor is the most frequently used theme in addition to being the longest and the most developed theme in the series. There are two main sections to Sarah's theme with one presenting her "bad-ass, stoic warrior" side and the other as "a loving mother". John's theme was originally composed for a specific scene in the pilot episode and performed with a solo clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
to convey his loneliness and awkwardness. McCreary stated that the "musical ambiguity in the melody" is used to show John's transformation in the series. Although themes were also written for other characters such as Derek Reese, James Ellison and the "evil terminator[s]", no themes were written for Cameron during the first season because McCreary felt that "her character was defined by her relationship with John, Sarah and the others around her" so Sarah's or John's theme was used in most of her scenes.
The series mainly features McCreary's original score. Songs and instrumental music from other sources are used sparingly. Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge is an American rock band that was formed in 2004 in Orlando, Florida by lead guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips, who are all also members of Creed. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Myles Kennedy, formerly of The Mayfield Four and the frontman...
's single "Rise Today
Rise Today
"Rise Today" is a song recorded and performed by hard rock band Alter Bridge. The song was released as the first single in promotion of the band's second studio album, Blackbird...
" was used for the promotion of the first season. Three songs have been used in the series so far: "The Man Comes Around
The Man Comes Around (song)
"The Man Comes Around" is the title track from Johnny Cash's American IV: The Man Comes Around, released in 2002. It is one of the last songs Cash wrote in his life....
" by Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
was used in the first season finale and a cover of "Samson and Delilah
Samson and Delilah (song)
"Samson and Delilah" is a traditional song based on the Biblical tale of Samson and his betrayal by Delilah. Its best known performer is perhaps the Grateful Dead, who first performed the song live in 1976, with guitarist Bob Weir singing lead vocals. It was frequently played live by the Dead. The...
" by Shirley Manson
Shirley Manson
Shirley Anne Manson is a Scottish recording artist and actress, best known internationally as the lead singer of the alternative rock band Garbage. For much of her international career Manson commuted between her home city of Edinburgh to the United States to record with Garbage but now lives and...
was used in the second season premiere. Both songs were used as background music for an action sequence in their respective episode. The second season episode "The Mousetrap" features "Safe Within Your Arms" by Greg Garing. "Nocturne in C-sharp minor" by Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
was used in the first season episode "The Demon Hand". The episode "Mr. Ferguson Is Ill Today" features the song "La Llorona", originally written and recorded by Chavela Varga but Bear McCreary made his own version of it. The episode "Adam Raised a Cain" features a moody cover of "Donald, Where's Your Trousers" originally written and recorded by Andy Stewart
Andy Stewart (musician)
Andrew "Andy" Stewart MBE was a Scottish singer and entertainer.-Career:The use of tartan patriotism and stereotypical Scottish humour goes back to Sir Harry Lauder and music hall songs. In the 1960s this strand was continued by the entertainer Andy Stewart.He was born in Glasgow, Scotland in...
, performed by Garret Dillahunt and Mackenzie Brooke Smith at the closing. The record label La-La Land Records
La-La Land Records
La-La Land Records is an American record company based in Burbank, California . The company specializes in film and television soundtracks. The label is run by Michael V...
released the original television soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on 23 December 2008.
Marketing
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
was postponed to the 2008-09 TV season, more time was devoted to the show by Fox's marketing team and more on-air promotional spots were available for the show that would otherwise have gone to 24.
Fox began their advertising campaign for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on September 27, 2007, with a brief teaser which ran during primetime programs, consisting of an image of two red dots that lasted for a few seconds on screen before disappearing. The two red dots were revealed to be the eyes of the Terminators from the show in the second phase of the advertising campaign, which began two weeks later. The final phase of the campaign commenced in November 2007 with more broadcast information being added to the advertisements.
In addition to on-air teasers, Fox heavily promoted the show during the World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
by releasing the first 45-second preview for the show on October 27, 2007. Other forms of advertisements used included: mobile tours on "Terminator" buses sponsored by Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
; an interactive cell phone game based on the series offered by Verizon's V CAST
V CAST
V CAST is a 3G EV-DO network created by Verizon Wireless to deliver audio, video, and entertainment content. The typical download speed is between 800 kilobits and 1.4 megabits per second with burst speeds of up to 3.1 megabits per second...
, which rewarded the players with ring tones, wallpapers and behind-the-scenes footage; cable tie-ins; online outreach via the official website and wiki; online sneak peeks; and a poster design contest run by Fox. Advance screenings of the pilot episode were also held at the 2007 Comic-Con International
Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International, also known as Comic-Con International: San Diego , and commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...
convention and at Golden Apple Comics
Golden Apple Comics
Golden Apple Comics is a comic book store in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.-History:The store's original owner, Bill Liebowitz, was a yo-yo champion in the 1950s, a co-founder of Rhino Records, and had recurring roles as himself in Archie Comics. He opened Golden Apple in Hollywood in 1979,...
in Los Angeles on January 4, 2008.
Billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
advertisements, which were described by Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
to have "blanketed New York and L.A.", contained images of Summer Glau's Terminator in a "Lady Godiva
Lady Godiva
Godiva , often referred to as Lady Godiva , was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry in order to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation imposed by her husband on his tenants...
-esque pose" used to target the young-male demographic, while the key art emphasized on Sarah Connor being at the core of the show to attract the "mom demo". Fox originally planned for more outdoor marketing in other cities but the marketing budget was reduced because of the Writers' Strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
.
A promotional partnership with automobile manufacturer Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
began in the show's second season and featured placement of Dodge products
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
in several episodes, Dodge's exclusive sponsorship of the extended, 52-minute episode "Goodbye to All That," and a four-week vehicle giveaway entitled "The Never Back Down Challenge."
Broadcast information
An extended cut of the pilot was publicly screened for the first time on July 28, 2007, at the 2007 Comic-Con International convention. Originally scheduled to premiere on January 14, 2008, the television broadcast of the show was rescheduled to commence on January 13, 2008, after FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
reorganized their broadcast timetable due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
. As such, Fox's original intention to air Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles in the Monday 8:00 p.m. ET
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
timeslot as a lead-in program for 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
was also changed. The show was moved to the Monday 9:00 p.m. ET timeslot with Prison Break
Prison Break
Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
as its lead-in program.
Following the resolution of the WGA Strike, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
printed a chart indicating the status of American network television series. The chart, reprinted by a number of other websites, categorized the series as a term used to describe series in danger of cancellation. The Hollywood Reporter stated that the show would likely return. TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
then reported that "Fox has given producers the green light to start booking directors for next season's first three episodes". Fox later confirmed that the series would indeed receive a second season, which began on September 8, 2008, in the Monday 8:00 p.m. ET timeslot. Due to schedule changes from Fox, the show had a two month break between December 16, 2008 – February 12, 2009. The show then aired on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. The show was officially canceled on May 18, 2009.
DVD and Blu-ray
The first season was distributed under the title Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete First Season on both DVD and BD-ROM by Warner Home VideoWarner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
. The three-disc DVD set was released on August 11, 2008 in the United Kingdom, on August 13, 2008 in Australia, and on August 19, 2008 in North America. The Region 1 DVD set contains all nine episodes aired from the first season, commentary on select episodes, audition tapes for select actors, video of Summer Glau practicing for her ballet scenes, making of features, and deleted scenes for certain episodes. The Region 2 and 4 versions have all nine episodes but has excluded all the special features apart from one deleted scene. On the other hand, both the three-disc Blu-ray sets released in North America and Europe contain the same bonus features offered by the Region 1 DVD set. On the Blu-ray Disc set, each episode is encoded in 1080p
1080p
1080p is the shorthand identification for a set of HDTV high-definition video modes that are characterized by 1080 horizontal lines of resolution and progressive scan, meaning the image is not interlaced as is the case with the 1080i display standard....
, VC-1
VC-1
VC-1 is the informal name of the SMPTE 421M video codec standard, which was initially developed as a proprietary video format by Microsoft before it was released as a formal SMPTE standard video format on April 3, 2006...
compression with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and is presented with a Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
5.1 audio track.
The second season was released on September 22, 2009 in North America and on November 16, 2009 in the United Kingdom, under the title Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete Second Season on DVD and Blu-ray.
In Ireland the second season was released along with a boxset containing the first and second seasons of the show on November 16, 2009.
The North American release date was originally planned to "coincide with the home video release of the summer blockbuster Terminator Salvation
Terminator Salvation
Terminator Salvation is a 2009 American science fiction action film directed by McG and starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington. The fourth installment in the Terminator series, the film is set in 2018 and focuses on the war between Skynet and humanity, with the human Resistance fighting...
", but the release of Terminator Salvation was later postponed to December 1, 2009. In New Zealand the second season DVD set was released on November 11, 2009 as was a boxed set containing both seasons.
Ratings
Seasonal rankings (based on a weighted average total viewers per episode) for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles in the United States:| Season | Timeslot | Season premiere | Season finale | TV season | Rank | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday 8:00 p.m. ET (January 13) | January 13, 2008 | March 3, 2008 | 2008 | #35 | 10.8 |
| Monday 9:00 p.m. ET (January 14 – March 3) | ||||||
| 2 | Monday 8:00 p.m. ET (September 8 – December 15) | September 8, 2008 | April 10, 2009 | 2008–2009 | # 110 | 5.37 |
| Friday 8:00 p.m. ET (February 13 – April 10) |
The show was officially canceled on May 18, 2009. A 3rd season was not produced.
The series premiere in the United States was watched by 18.6 million viewers during its premiere timeslot on January 13, 2008.
Critical reception
USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
gave the premiere episode four and a half stars out of five, calling the series, "smart, tough and entertaining." The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
referred to it as "one of the more humanizing adventures in science fiction to arrive in quite a while", while the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
declared the show "has heart and feeling" and "an almost Shakespearean exploration of fate vs. character" that features "plenty of really great fight scenes, and explosions, as well as neat devices developed in the future and jury-rigged in the present." In addition, film industry journal Daily Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
declared the series pilot "a slick brand extension off this profitable assembly line" that showcases "impressive and abundant action with realistic visual effects and, frankly, plenty of eye candy between Glau and Headey." At the start of the second season, Variety praised "Headey's gritty performance as Sarah -- managing to be smart, resourceful and tough, yet melancholy and vulnerable as well" and that the Chronicles "continue to deliver", getting "considerable mileage out of the constant peril" facing the characters. The Connecticut Post
Connecticut Post
The Connecticut Post is a daily newspaper located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It serves the greater Bridgeport area, Fairfield County, and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. Municipalities in the Post's circulation area include Bridgeport, Ansonia,...
placed it on its list of the top 10 TV shows of 2008: "It's smart, with thought-provoking meditations on parenthood, destiny and human nature, and features good performances by Lena Headey, as Sarah, and Summer Glau." On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, a review aggregator
Review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services . This system stores the reviews and then uses them for purposes such as: creating a website for users to view the reviews, selling information to third parties about consumer tendencies and creating databases for...
which assigns a normalised score out of 100 to each review, the first season currently holds an average
Arithmetic mean
In mathematics and statistics, the arithmetic mean, often referred to as simply the mean or average when the context is clear, is a method to derive the central tendency of a sample space...
score of 74 based on 24 reviews. The second season has a score of 75, based on only 4 reviews.
Not all response has been positive, however. The Futon Critic, in a June 14, 2007 review of the pilot episode, declared that "it's actually far more ingrained into the Terminator mythology than you'd expect," but stated that "this installment feels less like a 'pilot' and more like an excuse to rearrange the deck chairs on the 'Terminator' franchise to potentially have a TV show." One negative report from La Lámina Corredora reported that "the pilot feels too much like a cheap remake of T2." Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
derided the entire conceptualization and production of the series. Though limited to his viewing of the first two episodes of the series, Goodman leveled criticism against Fox for having "taken the wholly predictable course of putting a lot of money into explosions and regenerating cyborgs" but not having "paid much attention to plot, casting or writing."
In its review of the second season, IGN
IGN
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...
felt that despite a few middling episodes and the restrictions of a TV budget, "[the series] turned out to be intelligent, complex and consistently operated on a deeper emotional level than anyone could have expected." Looking back on the series, Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
was disappointed by Sarah and John as well as the sluggish pace of the show; however, he felt these weaknesses were outweighed by the strength of the performances of Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green and Garret Dillahunt as well as the writers' commitment to showing the emotional toll on the characters. Commenting on the final episode of season two, he called it a "terrific" finale which took the show in a new potential-filled direction. In May 2009 the show won the E!Online "Save One Show" poll, and has received positive coverage from places such as Wired and CNN. In an effort to keep the series on the air, fans created support communities on Facebook and MySpace and uploaded videos to YouTube.
Awards
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles won the following awards:- Saturn AwardSaturn AwardThe Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
: Best Supporting Actress on TelevisionSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on TelevisionThe following are a list of Saturn Award nominees & winners for Best Supporting Actress on Television:*1999: Justina Vail - Seven Days**Charisma Carpenter - Angel**Virginia Hey - Farscape**Heather Matarazzo - Now and Again...
, 2007 (Summer Glau) – Tied with Elizabeth MitchellElizabeth MitchellElizabeth Mitchell , is an American actress/modelwho is known for her roles as Dr. Juliet Burke on ABC's TV series Lost and as FBI agent Erica Evans on V. She has starred in such films as The Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, and Gia.-Early life:Mitchell was born Elizabeth...
for LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
The series was also nominated for the following awards:
- Saturn Award: Best Actress on TelevisionSaturn Award for Best Actress on TelevisionThe following are a list of Saturn Award nominees & winners for Best Actress on Television:-1990s:*1996: Gillian Anderson - The X-Files**Claudia Christian - Babylon 5**Melissa Joan Hart - Sabrina, the Teenage Witch...
, 2007 (Lena Headey) - Saturn Award: Best Network Television SeriesSaturn Award for Best Network Television SeriesThe following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Network Television Series:-Multiple Winners:*Lost - 5 awards*Buffy the Vampire Slayer - 3 awards*The X-Files - 3 awards*Star Trek: The Next Generation - 2 awards...
, 2007 - Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice AwardsThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
: Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure, 2008 (Summer Glau) - Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Breakout Show, 2008
- Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Breakout Star Female, 2008 (Summer Glau)
- Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Breakout Star Male, 2008 (Thomas Dekker)
- Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Show: Action Adventure, 2008
- Primetime Emmy AwardPrimetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
: Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series, 2008 (Paul Karasick for "PilotPilot (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)Pilot is the premiere episode of the American science fiction television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. It first aired on January 13, 2008 in the United States.-Plot:...
") - Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Special Visual Effects, 2008 (James Lima, Chris Zapara, Lane Jolly, Steve Graves, Rick Schick, Jeff West and Bradley Mullennix for "Pilot")
- Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Stunt Coordination, 2008 (Joel Kramer for "Gnothi Seauton")
International distribution
| Country | Network |
|---|---|
 Argentina |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Australia AustraliaAustralia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
FOX8 FOX8 Fox8 is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms... |
 Austria |
ORF1 ORF1 ORF eins is an Austrian television channel. It was the first television channel in Austria, started in 1955.ORF eins is one of four public TV channels in Austria. ORF eins broadcasts TV series and featured films, whereas ORF2 focuses on cultural programming and information. ORF Sport Plus is the... |
 Belarus |
Channel One Channel One (Russia) Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%... |
 Belgium BelgiumBelgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
2BE |
 Bolivia |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Brazil BrazilBrazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... , SBT |
 Brunei BruneiBrunei Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia... |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Bulgaria BulgariaBulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
Nova Television |
 Cambodia CambodiaCambodia Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia... |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Canada CanadaCanada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Space |
 Chile |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Colombia |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Costa Rica |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Croatia CroatiaCroatia Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... |
RTL 2 RTL 2 (Croatia) -Airing currently:* Bella Calamidades * Columbo * Dexter * Dollhouse * Everybody Loves Raymond * How I Met Your Mother ... |
 Cyprus CyprusCyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... |
LTV Lumiere TV Lumiere TV is a premium television service available in Cyprus, that broadcasts movies and series. It is owned by LTV Group Ltd. Repeaters have been set up across the country that enable more than 80% of the population to receive these services. Lumiere TV was originally available on the NOVA... |
 Czech Republic Czech RepublicCzech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... |
Prima Cool Prima Cool Prima Cool is a Czech private television station.Prima Cool is second channel of TV Prima. Cool is a man- and young-oriented station.Prima Cool launched on 1 April 2009 as new digital channel of TV Prima. It can be tuned in Czech DVB-T multiplex 2, where is free to air... |
 Denmark DenmarkDenmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
Kanal 4 Kanal 4 Kanal 4 is a Danish subscription television channel operated by ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG.The station is broadcast to Denmark by satellite from London, showing mainly films, US and drama shows.Kanal 4 profile them self as Denmark's only "women's channel".... |
 Dominican Republic |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Ecuador |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 El Salvador |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... , TCS TCS TCS may stand for:* Tata Consultancy Services* The Cleveland Show* TCS Courier* TCS Daily* Tactical Control System* Taking Children Seriously* Taxpayers for Common Sense* Teaching Company Scheme or Knowledge Transfer Partnerships... |
 Estonia EstoniaEstonia Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies... |
Kanal 11 Kanal 11 Kanal 11 is an Estonian TV channel. It is owned by the Kanal 2 company. The name of the channel is derived from a play on words; in the Estonian language, "Üksteist", the word for eleven, also means "each other"... |
 Finland FinlandFinland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
MTV3 MTV3 MTV3 is a Finnish commercial television station owned by Bonnier. It had the biggest audience share of all Finnish TV channels until Finnish Broadcasting Company’s YLE1 took the lead. The letters MTV stand for Mainos-TV , due to the channel getting its revenue from running commercials... |
 France FranceFrance The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
M6 |
 Germany GermanyGermany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
ProSieben |
 Greece GreeceGreece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
Star Channel Star Channel Star Channel is a Greek television network that broadcasts a mix of foreign and Greek programming. It launched in December 1993 and is owned by Nea Tileorasi A.E.. The main news bulletin is called Star Eidiseis, which is currently hosted by Aimilios Liatsos... |
 Guatemala |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Honduras |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Hong Kong |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Hungary HungaryHungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... |
RTL Klub RTL Klub RTL Klub is a television station owned by RTL Group and broadcast in Hungary. It was one of Hungary's first commercial TV channels and was only two days after the main rival TV2 to begin broadcasting.-About RTL Klub:... |
 Iceland |
Stöð 2 Stöð 2 Stöð 2 is an Icelandic television channel, owned and operated by 365. Founded in 1986, It was the first privately owned television station in Iceland following the lifting of the state monopoly on television broadcasting... |
 India IndiaIndia India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
Zee Café Zee Cafe Zee Café is an Indian cable and satellite television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was launched on 15 March 2000 as Zee English and known for general entertainment channel... |
 Indonesia |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Republic of Ireland IrelandIreland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
RTÉ Two RTÉ Two RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of... |
 Israel IsraelIsrael The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... |
HOT Zone Hot (Israel) HOT Telecommunication Systems Ltd. is a company that provides cable television, last-mile Internet access, broadband and telecommunication services in Israel. It also provides various data transmission services and network services at different rates, services to the business sector and other... |
 Italy ItalyItaly Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Steel Steel (TV channel) Steel is an Italian entertainment TV channel, owned by NBC Universal and broadcast on Premium Gallery, a Digital terrestrial television service in Italy... , Italia 1 Italia 1 Italia 1 is an Italian commercial television channel on the Mediaset network. It is oriented especially at young people.Italia 1 was launched in January 1982 and, originally, was owned by Rusconi; after a few months, however, due to the aggressive dumping practices of Silvio Berlusconi's rival... |
 Japan JapanJapan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
WOWOW WOWOW WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo... |
 Kazakhstan |
Channel One Channel One (Russia) Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%... |
 Kenya |
Kenya Television Network Kenya Television Network Kenya Television Network is the leading television station in Kenya with its headquarters at the I & M Towers in downtown Nairobi. Its headquarters will change later on in the year as it moves in with its parent company's other subsidiaries at the newly-built Standard Group Centre on Mombasa road... |
 Latvia |
TV3 TV3 Latvia TV3 Latvia is a television channel targeted at a Latvian language audience owned by Modern Times Group . It was launched in 1998, but did not receive a terrestrial license until 2001... |
 Lithuania |
TV3 TV3 Lithuania TV3 is a television channel owned by Modern Times Group and targeted at a Lithuanian-speaking audience. It was founded on May 7, 1992 and launched on April 11, 1993 as "Tele-3" before being renamed "TV3" in 1996.... |
 Republic of Macedonia MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991... |
A1 |
 Malaysia Malaysia |
8TV 8tv 8tv is a common name for television channels. It may refer to:*8TV in Catalonia, Spain*8TV *8TV 8TV in China*WISH-TV in Indianapolis, USA*Wood TV in Michigan, USA... |
 Mexico |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Netherlands NetherlandsNetherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
Veronica |
 New Zealand |
TV 2 |
 Nicaragua |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Norway NorwayNorway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
TVNorge TVNorge TVNorge is a Norwegian television channel.TVNorge went on the air December 5, 1988 and was the first advertising-supported Norwegian channel. The channel was started with 50 000 NOK... |
 Pakistan |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Panama |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Paraguay |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Peru |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Philippines |
Jack TV Jack TV Jack TV is a Philippine cable TV network owned by Solar Entertainment Corporation, test launched on May 2005, officially debuting on July 12, 2005. It offers Western comedy, animation, sports entertainment, drama series and reality shows, such as Cartoon Network, USA Network, The CW, MyNetworkTV,... Studio 23 Studio 23 Studio 23 is a Filipino television network owned by the ABS-CBN Corporation. The network is named for its flagship station in Metro Manila, DWAC-TV, which is carried on UHF channel 23... |
 Poland PolandPoland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
TVN (Poland) TVN (Poland) TVN is a major Polish commercial television network. The broadcaster was co-founded by Polish businessmen Mariusz Walter and Jan Wejchert. The network launched on October 3, 1997. TVN belongs to the TVN S.A... |
 Portugal PortugalPortugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... |
RTP2 |
 Puerto Rico |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |
 Romania RomaniaRomania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... |
Pro TV Pro TV Launched in December 1995, Pro TV reaches almost 99% of Romania’s 21.5 million people and has 48% of its broadcast schedule comprising locally-produced programs... , PRO Cinema PRO Cinema PRO Cinema is a Romanian movie channel that is owned by Central European Media Enterprises and launched on April 19, 2004. It was the first Romanian TV channel dedicated exclusively to movies, and as such it attracted a significant audience from its very inception, mainly in the 18-49 urban... |
 Russia RussiaRussia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
Channel One Channel One (Russia) Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%... |
 Serbia SerbiaSerbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... |
TV Avala TV Avala TV Avala is a Serbian television network with national frequency. Registered as a limited liabilty company, the station was given a national TV frequency in Serbia in April 2006.... |
 Singapore |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Slovenia SloveniaSlovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... |
Kanal A Kanal A Kanal A is the first commercial television station in Slovenia. The television program, which has been operating within PRO PLUS d.o.o., has national coverage. In its primary target group of viewers , Kanal A is the second most watched TV programme in Slovenia... |
| South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
M-net M-Net M-Net is a subscription-funded television channel in South Africa, established in 1986 by Naspers.... |
| South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
SkyHD |
 Spain SpainSpain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
Fox |
 Sweden SwedenSweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
Kanal 5 Kanal 5 (Sweden) Kanal 5 is a Swedish commercial television channel established in 1989. It is owned by the media corporation ProSiebenSat.1 Media.After a troublesome 1990s, Kanal 5 launched new strategies in the early 2000s that established it as a popular entertainment channel targeting young people... |
 Republic of China |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Thailand |
STAR World STAR World STAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation... |
 Turkey TurkeyTurkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
CNBC-e CNBC-e CNBC-e is a hybrid business/financial and entertainment channel operated in Turkey by CNBC Europe and the NTV Group.The channel shares its name with a co-owned magazine about CNBC-e.... |
 Ukraine UkraineUkraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |
1+1 1+1 - History :TV channel "1+1" was founded in August 1995, headed by its original President Alexander Rodnyansky who also was its general director from 1996 to 2002... Inter Inter (TV channel) Inter is the major TV channel in Ukraine. Based on it later was formed the whole new media group with variety of different other channels. Inter is among the top-rated networks in Ukraine, competing with such as 1+1 and Pershyi Natsionalnyi channels... |
 United Arab Emirates United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a... |
Fox Series Fox Series The Fox Series Channel or simply Fox was a Middle Eastern version of the American Fox Channel. It launched in 2008. The channel was relaunched as Fox on March 1, 2011.-Reception:The channel gained a positive following at the start... OSN First Orbit Showtime Orbit Showtime Network, now officially branded as OSN, is a subscription television service in the Middle East and North Africa. The platform is owned by Panther Media Group, and the company is registered in DIFC. OSN is a joint venture between the Kuwait-based KIPCO and Saudi Arabia-based Mawarid... |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
Virgin 1 Virgin 1 Channel One was a television channel owned and operated by British Sky Broadcasting. The channel was launched on 1 October 2007 at 21:00 on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky as Virgin1, replacing Ftn... |
 United States United StatesUnited States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Fox Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the... Syfy Syfy Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a... |
 Uruguay |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... Saeta TV Saeta TV Channel 10 Saeta TV Channel 10, founded in 1956 by Raul Fontaina, is the first Uruguayan television channel, and the fourth based on Latin America, the acronym means SAETA Sociedad Anónima de Emisoras de Televisión y Anexos.... |
 Venezuela |
Warner Channel Warner Channel Warner Channel is a Latin American and Asian cable television channel owned by Time Warner's HBO Asia/HBO Latin America Group Warner Channel (commonly shortened to WBTV, but not to be confused with the WB Television Network or Charlotte, North Carolina station WBTV, and currently referred to in... |