media schooling

Ok, ok, so as many of you know, I haven’t seen much of the “required” viewing that would make me a geek. I blame growing up without a television, and that I was way more into fantasy than sci-fi until about 5 years ago. And then I realized how epically *amazing* science(!) is.

Terminator: Salvation is coming out soon, and I have a question for you all. I’ve never seen any of the Terminator movies. Should I watch the prequel first, and then follow in the “correct” order, or should I watch them in the order they were made? This is important, people.

Also, how in God’s Name did I miss this?!:

More importantly, was it any good? Even just as wank material eye candy?

44 thoughts on “media schooling

  1. Really you only need T2. The first one is “okay” but pretty dated. Good drinking movie though.

    The last one does not exist. Don’t even bother.

    No clue about the TV series though. Heard it was terrible, then it got better.

    • BLASPHEMY.

      Terminator I is the best and makes the entire series. it is the foundation.

      T2: pretty awesome.

      T3… well… um… yeah. “Don’t even bother.”

  2. Dude! Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles is AWESOME!! I love it! Paul & I have been watching it & it rules!
    The TV show comes in pretty much as if Terminator 1 & 2 happened & #3 was NEVER MADE. DON’T WATCH the 3rd one…no good. T1 & T2 rock though. So watch those then get the series & start watching those! The finale I think is next monday for this season, so it should come out on DVD soon. But get caught up. Also, you watch BSG right?? It’s FABULOUS!! And it’s going to finish starting in January too.

    • I um… I’ve just caught up with all of TNG and a bit of Voyager and B5, via Qais. Michael tells me of this BSG, but I’ve never seen anything from it.

      • If you don’t take the new Battlestar Galactica as being anything tied in with the original series, but a series onto itself that takes the concept in a new and different direction, it’s awesome. IMHO it’s not better than the original ’70s series (which in it’s own right was fun), just different, very cool, and and a well done sci-fi show.

        Also if you haven’t finished watching the rest of B5, do it when you have a chance. I am still waiting for JMS to get off his butt and give us the “Telepath War” movie, and more B5 universe features.

  3. Agree with above comment about T2, movie-wise.

    I really like the TV show, but I wouldn’t bother watching every episode necessarily…

  4. Unfortunately, the only good thing about that show was Summer Glau. But yeah, if you wanna see her kicking more ass, it is good for that! XD

    As for the movies: First one was good. Second one was bloody awesome. Third one.. meh, it was basically a rehash of the second except not nearly as well done. If you’re going to watch only one of the movies, watch the second. It’s easy to follow without seeing the others too.

  5. I’m having John Connor-esque leader-of-the-human-resistance style nightmares recently. And I’m no stranger to apocalyptic dreams but these are really getting to me. It’s the whole overwhelming weight of responsibility in the face of overwhelming bleakness. So, I’d be happy to watch the terminator movies with you. I don’t believe in sacred cows, so we can watch T3 for a laugh (haven’t seen it).

    No fate but what you make.

    • No fate but what you make.

      Except in T3, in which the writers have completely forgotten this. Or maybe they wanted to change their fate to the plot requiring one to be unable to change one’s fate.

      • Are you implying that hollywood writer’s would sacrifice our holy canon for the sake of making a blockbuster popcorn flick? I find your lack of faith disturbing. :p

        also, thanks for the spoiler :p

        Although you bring up a point, Sci-Fi fans are the most strict about series continuity. Most other genres are good at shrugging off inconsistencies. If you do it in Sci-fi, its jihad time.

        • Oh yeah, I guess that is a spoiler, but I actually think T3 is beyond spoilable. đŸ˜›

          I’m not a fan of how the Terminator series deals with time travel anyway, but at least apart from T3 it’s *kinda* internally consistent.

        • I don’t have any that I’m truly satisfied with, but I like Back to the Future because they acknowledge (at least partly) that if you change the past, the future you go back to is a different one. The diverging timelines idea.

          Terminator kinda lumps everything together, with the future influencing the past influencing the future, the problem being they (at least in the series) talk about multiple futures, yet each of those futures can impact one single present.

          I find it interesting to think about but the whole concept is quite full of paradoxes. đŸ™‚

        • Have you ever seen the movie Millennium? Where a doomed sterile future ferries doomed airline flights into the future in a futile attempt to re-populate? I do enjoy me some temporal anomalies

          Oh, speaking of which.. ongoing Star Trek drinking game.

          *takes a shot*

  6. And really? Fantasy? How did I miss this?

    Geez, you date someone for a year and come to discover how little you really know about them.

  7. T3 isn’t very good. The way the conclusion came about was interesting, kind of a neat plot twist; but nothing worth sitting through the whole film for. I would at least watch the original and then T2–T2 is, arguably, the complete package; but there are little things you appreciate more if you’ve seen both of them.

    Hey, I finally get to use this icon!

  8. Yeah, why not watch T1, it’s a fun time. Re: T2– what everyone else said. Go for the Director’s Cut, as there are interesting little bits that add more to the why of Sarah Connor (in a way that ought never have been cut, but that’s my pedantry rolling unchecked.)

  9. T1 and T2 are the only ones I have seen. I feel like both of these movies are stronger as a monument to Governator-cheese than as endearing sci-fi or post-human documents. Please tell me you’ve seen Blade Runner. That’s pretty critical post-human viewing, in my humble o.

    I also grew up in a no-tv house, so I can mad relate to holes in the pop culture reference matrix.

    • Blade Runner is awesome. I once wrote a paper on it just as an excuse to watch it over and over again.

      It’s funny what media references have become so incorporated into our society that when you finally get around to watching a Staple Of Society, nothing really surprises you. Know what I mean?

  10. I was raised with the first two movies, what is nice about the first one is seeing Sarah Connor’s character become, between the films, a different person—someone who has grown up and hardened because of her life choices/what’s been thrust upon her.

    I too need to check out the series, though I’ve heard pros and cons.

  11. I like T1 for the 80s cheesetasticness, the nekkid Ahnold, and because it’s Where The Story Begins (even though T2 will fill you in on all you need to know if you skip T1.)

    T2 is pretty decent, and by far the best wank material of the bunch due to Linda Hamilton’s freaking amazing muscles. HAWT.

    I watched the first half-season of Sarah Connor Chronicles on tv, and it was decent. I haven’t really followed the current season at all. I don’t find River TamSummer Glau all that attractive or skilled as an actress, but Lena Headey is fierce as Sarah.

  12. a: DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN

    b: I am in the same boat. I am a Terminator virgin. Please let me know what the “best practice” is for popping this type of cherry.

  13. Because the movies are all about messing with time back and forth, there’s no real need to see them in a particular order.

    There are certain jokes and visual images in T2 that will make more sense if you see T1 first. T3 is awful and really had nothing to add to the storyline overall.

    Terminator Salvation is kind of a prequel, but kind of not, since the film series began in the future anyway…ow, my head hurts.

    I’m actually a big Terminator fan. T2 is my favorite. Robert Patrick is super hot as the liquid T-1000 Terminator.

  14. T3 is only enjoyable if the movie starts while you are drunk and you continue drinking throughout. It played Campus Films my senior year, and I prefunked it and snuck in beers. Wow I sound like an alcoholic there, though I can take or leave booze…

  15. Ok, gonna preach to the choir here a bit, but put down my take on this.
    Out of the lot, T2 is the best, hands down with T1 coming a close second. I have to agree with many that the only reason why they stand out as the best is because James Cameron was behind them both.
    Since I am part of the old guard who grew up on Terminator, my suggestion would be to start off with the first movie, then watch T2, then catch up on the TV series. Then check out the new movie, which is looking supprisingly good, and not quite a sequel or a prequel. Apparently it’s also a bit of a changed future too thanks to the previous time travel experiments. Would be interesting to see how they work it out.
    IMHO the only really good parts of T3 was the Terminatrix (yes I am a geekboy thank you), and the scene with the police officer in the graveyard. I would say watch the movie if you want to, and if you want to get a greater picture of the franchise, however don’t expect a lot out of it. Sadly it could have been so much better.
    I wish they would re-release the Terminator FPS “Skynet”. That game was ahead of it’s time.

  16. I’ve only seen any of these movies once, but here are my FIRM AND UNWAVERING OPINIONS which are subject to change in the future:

    Terminator: This is an 80’s horror monster movie. That is a good thing. Everything reeks of the 80’s in the best possible way.

    Terminator 2: It’s a boyhood fantasy (my robot-dad beats up the bullies at school!) about time-travel paradoxes. I don’t think it’s good to make a movie about paradoxes, as you spend the whole time having your disbelief thrown back in your face.

    Terminator 3: Oh god my eyes

  17. T2 redefined the standards of GOOD science fiction. Sadly the new Terminator is done by the same fuck tards who did T2 so we will see if they actually make up for it. I can’t imagine why they were given a second chance after that abortion of a movie was made though.

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