By Kofi Outlaw

John Connor’s Terminator-bodyguard Cameron learned that Cromartie, the terminator missioned with assassinating John, had followed them through the time-portal into the future. Sarah’s first instinct was to run, however John had another idea: turn the tables by hunting the hunter.

Cameron surmised that Cromartie’s initial target would be an incoming shipment of rare metal that could be used to repair his damaged exoskeleton. Cameron, John and Sarah went a reconnaissance mission down at the docks, only to discover that a new terminator—posing as the leader of an Army squad—was after the shipment. Sarah wanted to scrub the assault, but John wouldn’t be deterred; to him, the shipment of metal was a convoy of future enemy soldiers, which needed to be destroyed before it could ever become a threat. John disobeyed orders and snuck onto the truck containing the shipment, leaving Sarah and Cameron scrambling to follow him.

Meanwhile, the real Cromartie—wearing a freshly grown, albeit deformed, skin—broke into a plastic surgery center and forced a surgeon to alter his looks to match those of an out of work actor. Agent Ellison was called in once the surgeon’s body was discovered, slathered in “blood that’s not quite blood.” After reviewing the surgeon’s security tapes, Ellison brought in the actor and questioned him; the clueless sap was deemed innocent, and released to go home—where Cromartie was waiting to take his place, permanently.

Sarah and Cameron finally located John at a nuclear fallout shelter in an old hanger bay. Apparently, this new terminator’s mission was to stockpile the necessary materials for building the killer cyborgs, and then to go on standby, safely protected in the hanger, until judgment day took place and the war began.


Inside the hanger, John watched the terminator eliminate his human lackeys and then go into “sleep mode.” After a quick call to Cameron, he surmised that after opening the bay doors he would have fifteen seconds to escape before the terminator could reboot his systems. John opened the doors, but wasn’t content to leave empty handed. He and Sarah hijacked the truck of metal alloy, while Cameron put the smackdown on the terminator, and sealed him in the hanger…for now, at least.

This episode continued to demonstrate that TSCC has a carefully plotted, pointed story arch to it. I enjoy how every episode relates to Sarah’s voice-over narration, and the themes and internal conflicts she wrestles with as mother to the future leader of humanity. John is showing some cohunes, which I appreciate, and Cameron continues to put the kind of smack down that cyborg-chick should. “Bionic Woman” take notes: this is how it’s done. Some say this show is boring, but I remind them not to compare it to the TERMINATOR films, but rather to other TV shows. Compared to this season of PRISON BREAK, TSCC deserves an Emmy.