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At this very moment, Fox Broadcasting executives somewhere in a pre-apocalyptic Los Angeles are said to be weighing the future of the best sci-fi show on television — Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. If you're a fan of the show, this may be your last chance to save it from Judgment Day. If you're not a fan, keep reading to find out why you should become one.
There's no one so zealous as a convert, and this writer was deeply skeptical of Sarah Connor Chronicles in its early weeks, even going off-topic on Threat Level to poke fun at the fledgling franchise early in 2008. Today, I'm haunted by my callous words. After a shaky start, which might have contributed to the show's poor ratings, Chronicles has emerged as a deeply felt and artfully imagined drama with so many unexpected gifts that it's often hard to believe you're watching broadcast television.
The show came to life in Season 2, which concluded last month. A tapestry of heartbreak, dread, looming violence and black humor, it resembled nothing so much as a sci-fi Sopranos. The familiar conventions of hour-long dramas were routinely shattered, while the writers meticulously enriched the Terminator mythos beyond all expectations. Unlike the blatant make-it-up-as-you-go-along ethos that powered Battlestar Galactica, the Sarah Connor writers really do have a plan.
Meanwhile, the performers have given life to a host of memorable characters, from Lena Headey's grim title character to Summer Glau's terminatrix Cameron, the most inscrutable, yet intriguing, sci-fi character since Spock.
Which brings us to your mission: Save Sarah. Over at sci-fi enemy-blog io9, they've started a Flickr group featuring viewers posing with products advertised on the show, giving sponsors and executives important proof that Chronicles fans — unlike those deadbeats watching Ghost Whisperer — are willing to put their money where their eyeballs are.
You can also show your appreciation by becoming a fan of the show on Facebook, or joining all the Facebook groups dedicated to saving Sarah Connor Chronicles. And visit the Terminator wiki to learn where to address a supportive e-mail to the executives who've made the show possible.
Finally, if you've never seen the show, or gave up on it prematurely, Amazon.com has DVD and download options for catching up. Needless to say, a boxed set of Sarah Connor is the perfect Mother's Day gift.
Photo: Summer Glau in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles*/courtesy Fox*
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