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Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Season 2 Episode 5

Goodbye To All That

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9.2

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AIRED: 10/6/08

John and Derek protect a future member of the resistance at a military academy, and Weaver gives Ellison his first assignment.

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Fan Episode Reviews (13)

A Terminator is on the loose - Derek and John take one path to save a life. Sarah and Cameron take another.

9.5

By cxtasy, Dec 29, 2010

The opening few scenes in "Goodbye" have a familiar look - a Terminator is searching for a human victim - a future resistance fighter. All the crew has is the name of one victim, Martin Bedell - and two more are listed in the phone directory, so they split up to head off the assassinations.

John and Derek head to a military school out in the Southern California foothills. How much I appreciate a production crew that takes the trouble to go on location, providing interesting backgrounds and story enhancements which are much more interesting than endless studio shots troubled by lighting fads and cheap set decoration. It's expensive, and demonstrates over and over that TSCC's backers are committed to quality.

Setting up the story, Derek relates in a number of flash-forwards that a cadet at the academy (will become)(has been in the future) a key member of the resistance, and a close associate of John. But they realize the T-888 will be searching him out, and, through having John enroll in the academy and Derek hired as a temp. Tach officer, they begin to lay a trap.

Sarah, meanwhile, barely rescues a young boy with the same name, in a frightening few scenes of high-caliber rounds splintering the front door, and Cameron driving the getaway car. The T-888 is one large fellow.

That pretty much tells the story - save two young men with the critical name. So you think you're going to see this play out in routine Terminator fashion, gaining some insight into John's future friend in the Resistance, and seeing Sarah confront some of her shortcomings as a mother, hardened as she is by constant vigilance and the urgency of escape. As the story nears a climax and Sarah is helping young Martin work on a school book report, they begin reading "The Wizard of Oz," and only then did I notice the amusing reference to author L. Frank Baum - John and Derek used "Baum" as their alias at the military academy. The woodlands trap for the approaching Terminator is set - the cadets all believing it's an exercise.

Sarah begins reading the finale of "Oz." The T-888 begins pursuing John; Derek begins his defensive pyrotechnics. Faster and faster, switching scenes from Sarah to John.

Finally, it hit me! The writers have had a stunning inspiration - the final paragraphs of "The Wizard of Oz" are used as a parable for the pursuit and destruction of the Terminator. All I could gasp was, "WOW!" A child's fairy tale (or is it?) is profound enough to stand in for narration of a desperate attempt to forestall the end of our civilization.

And as Derek and John drive away from the academy, John hears more about the future - when Martin will die for him. Unless, of course, John succeeds in his mission. So much weight, so much burden on him - his eyes fill with tears.

This is "exactly why I watch this series." Scripts and imaginative story-lines that far surpass most every drama on-screen. Compelling and intense relationships that make us care about the characters and their trials. Commitment to life and the preservation of a society. There is nothing else that compares to TSCC. Re-run rating A-.moreless
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Dieing for him..

8.5

By Parricida, Dec 29, 2010

That was beautiful episode and I liked the emotional level, the way they blend future and now and maybe made John to understand that he thinks there should be choice but in the end - he should follow the path taken and not question it so much -he has destiny and lately has been rebelling against it but that military camp seemed to be what he needed plus I hope he managed to get his skills up too.

Anyway, I did liked the Sarah's part too.. that little boy and having a kid around who acts like kid and has that warm inside and..moreless
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'Goodbye To All That' is a fine example of why FOX needs to persevere with this show and give it time to grow. Good things come to those who wait, after all.moreless

8.5

By screenagedkicks, Dec 29, 2010

Episode five of The Thomas Dekker Show, 'Goodbye To All That' is certainly an improvement on the somewhat lacklustre 'Allison from Palmdale' and no, that's not because we get to see Dekker running around in combat fatigues and sweating a lot (and how about the way he effortlessly handles a firearm, eh? I wonder what else he's an expert at handling… ahem), and nor is it due to the show's fifty two minutes of brand spanking new entertainment, instead of the usual forty five. No, this instalment manages to grace the presence of the 8/10 league simply because it marries character development with plot development and, while slightly predictable in places, gives us access to emotions and perspectives that were previously only implied. Dekker and particularly Brian Austin Green get a chance to shine with some material that exposes their characters' inner-workings: the horror of their experiences, their fears, the tiring nature of what they do. Green's sequence with the trigger-happy cadets is spine-chillingly believable and their shared moment in the car toward episode's end perfectly pitched for optimum poignancy. It's good to see young John Connor given a level of depth that was previously lacking from the show, particularly in series one, and it only strengthens the viewer's belief in Dekker as a perfect representation of the role. On the flipside of the narrative coin, of course, we have Sarah's internal struggle with the ethics of kidnapping a young child, and her own insecurities at her suitability for parenthood, which certainly feel more worthwhile than last week's sojourn into mawkish flippancy in the form of the pregnancy storyline. While the plot itself didn't really do anything for the overall arc of the show – and in fact, didn't really go anywhere within the confines of the 52 minutes – I wasn't sufficiently frustrated by its pace that I wanted started throwing things at the TV, shouting "get Dekker's shirt off!" like I may previously have been inclined to. Which is probably a good thing. And then, of course, there are the glimpses into the Skynet-torn future (always a bonus), super bad ass Terminator dude going **** left, right and centre and a chance for Shirley Manson to do what she does best: keep her mouth shut and murder people in the most gut-wrenchingly sadistic way. Pity she did actually get some lines, otherwise we may have had a virtually perfect recipe on our hands… as it stands though, 'Goodbye To All That' is a fine example of why FOX needs to persevere with this show and give it time to grow. Good things come to those who wait, after all.moreless
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Excellent acting!

10

By elahoda, Jul 16, 2010

My only pet peeve about this show is how they managed to just drive up to a military school (and base?) with a truck full of guns, and managed to fake their ID's into the army.

Regardless of that, I had to say this episode solidified my appreciation for Brian Austen Green. I wasn't so sure about him when I found out he was acting in this series, but surely, over time, I have been greatly impressed by his acting. His thousand-yard-stare, as a seasoned war veteran, who has seen a lot of terrible things, was very well done. He made you believe he had actually seen battle and death. His acting alone, made this show one of the best of the series so far.moreless
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Review.

9.5

By efc91, Jul 16, 2010

John and Derek protect a future member of the resistance at a military academy, and Weaver gives Ellison his first assignment. Just watched this episode, I think it is by far one of the strongest episodes of the second season. Glad to see I'm not alone in think this glad it's rated highly.

The Derek and John storyline in this episode was awesome, there was plenty of action towards the end of the episode with the T-888 chasing Derek and then John risked his life, it was great.

There was some good flaskbacks or flashforwards I dont get how that works in this show.

Sarah and Cameron was good aswell at the begining of the episode where they saved the kid. I still dont like that women from garbage shes a garbage actress.

All in all this was a really strong episode of the show with plenty of action. 9.5 out of 10.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Lena Headey	Sarah Connor
Thomas Dekker	John Connor
Summer Glau	Cameron Phillips
Richard T. Jones	Agent James Ellison
Brian Austin Green	Derek Reese
Shirley Manson	Catherine Weaver

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Patrick Kilpatrick	The Termintor	Guest Star
Jonathan Jackson	Kyle Reese	Guest Star
Dean Norris	Nelson	Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (6)
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- In the final fight with the Terminator, as Sarah Connor reads from the book, the Terminator characters are likened to those in The Wizard of Oz:
  Bedell = Dorothy, the innocent
  John Connor = Scarecrow, learning, growing in knowledge
  Reese = The Lion, the one who became brave
  Terminator = The Wicked Witch
  Cameron (present at the end) = The Tin (Wooden) Man
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- When Agent Ellison is in the bar looking at the photograph taken at the birthday party, the sticker on the mirror reflecting Sarah Connor says "Since I gave up hope I feel much better". Hope is a major theme of the Terminator movies and TV series.
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- Goof: The Terminator goes to the home of the seven year old Martin Bedell, just as Sarah does, by checking the phone book. But how many seven year olds are listed in the Yellow Pages?
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- The exterior of the house and neighborhood in which the young Martin Bedell was rescued from by Sarah is the same house exterior and studio neighborhood where Bewitched was filmed. The Bewitched house has had a few minor modifications on the outside to look more current. The interior does not resemble the interior Bewitched set. The exterior was also used for the home of Andy Goode in season one episode "The Turk". The house was on fire in the episode but has since been restored for further use. It has also been used in other television shows including Two and a Half Men.
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- Goof: At the shooting range John's protection glasses change positions between shots, while he's demonstrating to the recruit next to him how to use the rifle properly.
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- Another Terminator is introduced and killed off in this episode. He is unnamed, but his mission was to terminate Martin Bedell, one of John Connor's best fighters, before the war began. The last time a Terminator was introduced and killed off in the same episode was "Automatic For The People". Ironically, that episode, and this one, both have scenes that take place at the nuclear power plant.
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QUOTES (9)
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- Sarah: Look, I'm sorry. I didn't ... I didn't mean this. This was never the plan, ever.
  Martin #1: What was the plan?
  Sarah: I don't know. You can't always have one. Not all the time. Sometimes you just do. And I did. To you.
  Martin #1: Well ... you saved my life, right? So ... good plan. (smiles) Thank you.
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- Sarah: (about Martin, who's being hunted by an 888) Babysit. Nothing complicated.
  Derek: It won't touch him. I won't let it.
  Sarah: You better not. 'Cause if you do, pray that 888 gets to you before I do.
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- Sarah: (to Cameron) So what would you do now? In your professional robot opinion.
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- Martin #1: I want to call my mom. She was supposed to get me book for my book report... (he picks up receiver, then Cameron grabs the phone and lifts him over her head with one hand)
  Cameron: If you call your mother, that man will use her to find you. Then he'll kill her, he'll kill you. (Martin starts to freak out)
  Sarah: Uh, Cameron...
  Cameron: (trying to act normal) Would you like a bedtime story?
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- Derek: (coming out of the military school with a sour expression) Good news, you're in.
  John: What's the bad news?
  Derek: I'm in.
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- Sarah: Where are you going?
  Derek: Martin Bedell number one. Closest address.
  Sarah: Without a plan?
  Derek: I have a plan. It involves guns.
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- Pyle: Sir...we heard that you were in the war, heard you've seen action.
  Derek: Yeah...I have seen action in the war.
  Pyle: Got a lot of kills?
  Derek: Say again?
  Pyle: Kills, sir. I want to go infantry as soon as I get out of here. Maybe rangers, maybe Delta...best of the best.
  Derek: Best of the best...Counting kills, like it's a game, like it's just a game. I remember one...particularly fun day. Guy in my squad, got his stomach blasted open in a firefight. He spent six hours, holding his guts in. (Pyle's expression pales) His buddy carried him on his back to the nearest aid station, just praying that someone could put the dumb son of a bitch together again. The game...(Derek looks at Pyle's name tag) Pyle, the game is played with your buddy's life, with the lives of your squad, your platoon. (voice gets louder) The game is played by you, on behalf of the whole damn human race!
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- Marty: Are you a spy?
  Sarah: No, not a spy.
  Marty: Are you a mom?
  Sarah: Yeah, I'm a mom.
  Marty: You kinda suck at it.
  Sarah: I'm working on it.
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- Derek: We'd all die for you.
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NOTES (4)
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- Original International Air Dates:
  New Zealand: November 5th, 2008 on TV2
  United Kingdom: November 20th, 2008 on Virgin 1
  Denmark: November 21st, 2008 on TV3
  India: January 20th, 2009 on Zee Cafe
  Sweden: March 5th, 2009 on TV6
  Australia: April 10th, 2009 on FOX8
  Norway: July 18th, 2009 on TVNorge
  Finland: September 27th, 2009 on Sub
  Czech Republic: October 1st, 2009 on Prima COOL
  Slovakia: August 19th, 2010 on Markiza
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- The gun used in this episode by the unnamed terminator is the same gun used in the original Terminator. It is a 45 Long Slide with laser sightings.
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- This episode was presented with limited commercial interruptions, making it almost 52 minutes long. Other episodes are 42/43 minutes long.
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- Leven Rambin and Garret Dillahunt do not appear in this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (3)
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- Title:
  
  The episode's title is likely a reference to Robert Graves' autobiography Goodbye To All That, best known for its coverage of World War One. Both the book and the episode deal with young military men thrust into situations beyond their control and imagination.
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- Derek: The game...(looks at Pyle's name tag) Pyle, the game is played with your buddy's life, with the lives of your squad, your platoon.
  Possibly a reference to The Andy Griffith Show character Gomer Pyle, played by Jim Nabors. He starred in his own spin off show where he joined the United States Marine Corps (USMC). Also possibly a reference to Pvt. Pyle in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket who is in US Marines boot camp and realizes he is in completely over his head.
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- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:
  
  When Derek and John go undercover in the academy, they use the alias, Baum. L. Frank Baum, is the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz which is the book the young Martin Bedell uses for his book report in this episode.
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