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Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Season 2 Episode 1

Samson and Delilah

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AIRED: 9/8/08

The Connors face an attack on two fronts in the wake of the Jeep explosion, one of them from an unexpected source that sends them on the run. Cameron and John face choices, and John realizes that maybe he is destined to be alone. Meanwhile, after Cromartie's massacre, Agent Ellison must face off against both the Feds and his faith.

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FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (46)

Evil Cameron.

9.0

By w4u, Oct 24, 2012

Wow! Amazing season opening. Definitely a different one. I feel weard and strange seeing Cameron in the dark side. She is very creepy. John and Sarah survive from death or life situation. This affect John very strongly. He becomes more depressing and more desperate. He continues to care about Cameron even she has gone bad. I feel sorry for Charlie. He sees Sarah and John like his own family but they are not. And they never won't be. And final scenes are awesome. Boss lady, it's revealed that she's a new model cyborg. And the scene that the urinal forms into the woman is perfect and also scary.moreless
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i don't like bad cameron... i want her to be good and stay good forever.

7.0

By teambff, Dec 27, 2011

i am loving shirley manson entering into the picture.. she so fits right in.

through the first season i felt summer glau was clearly burning up the screen with her great acting, with that i felt this is the first time someone else stepped up to match her level, that being thomas dekker.

he was really good in this.. his best performance in the series so far i thought.

great job dekker.

twas an ok start to the new season.. immediately i felt myself missing the "old days" of the first season, cameron's quirky little ways, etc, but by the time it was over i was fairly satisfied and ready to jump into the new season.moreless
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An explosion turns John's greatest ally to his most dangerous enemy, and the crucible of a life taken and one saved hardens John closer to the man he will become. Meanwhile, a 3rd party has entered the picture by purchasing the Turk and seeminglymoreless

10

By iltarion, Jun 12, 2011

I entered a second viewing of Samson and Delilah fully with the knowledge that this episode is regularly touted as one of the series' best. A letdown was the most predictable outcome. Instead, I came out appreciating this episode MUCH more than I did after the first time I watched it, even though I thought back then that it was pretty kick ass and the best TSCC episode in a long time.

If this isn't the best TSCC episode, then it is either 2nd or 3rd, with only This is the Day and Born to Run even in the discussion. The episode announces its "Samson and Delilah" theme in the very first scene and has masterful unity of effect throughout the entire 43 minutes, even tying it all together by having John cut his hair near the end.

Much like the massacre of the FBI team at the end of Season 1, I was disappointed with the first scene of Season 2 when watching it the first time. Same as in the prior mentioned scene, I had wanted and expected a more straightforward approach to the action. After watching it a 2nd time, I have a much greater appreciation for the artistic and unique direction of the first scene and how well it sets up the tone and theme of the entire episode. Not only is the music background perfect in tone, it also provides the gist of the Samson and Delilah story. If you aren't familiar with the story, you can simply just listen to the vocals as they tell the crux of it. The following "chase" with Cameron pursuing Sarah and John was quickly and concisely done. Since Cameron was such an essential part of the series, it was difficult for me to stomach her as a bad guy. I believe that resolving that situation within one episode was the way to go. I would have had a real difficult time with it if they would have protracted it out to multiple episodes. Of course, the scene where Cameron was pinned and to the surprise of everyone went into a hysterical rant to avoid her own termination, which included a stunning proclamation of love for John, is one of the most memorable of the series. John wisely pulled her plug anyway, but then clearly battled with the decision to burn her as both Derek and Sarah took the expected turns trying to convince him it was the right thing to do. But when it comes time to destroy Cameron for good, of course, John can't do it. No surprise there since the writers aren't THAT stupid, and secondly, because just the first scene of this episode alone proved that without her John can be taken out by any goon with a gun. Frankly, if John was to burn her, he might as well jump in the blaze with her. As he said earlier in the episode, she saves his life. Yeah, quite often. He never makes it to J-Day without her.

No, but it was the WAY he did it that was surprising, holding a gun to Derek and Sarah to keep them back. John standing on one side of the blaze with Cameron while Sarah looks stunned on the other side, clearly illustrates the chasm that has leaped up between them. As mentioned just last episode, Sarah has never killed anyone; now, John has. So, in that way, a chasm has opened.

John cutting his hair at the end beautifully ties all the action and the theme together. It symbolizes that John is shedding his youth and is now determined to be the man he is supposed to be. Unfortunately, his actions would contradict that notion as quickly as next episode.

The introduction of Weaver and the sudden reveal that she is a T1000 is just an extra bonus to the action of this episode. Cromartie is still out there as a bad guy to be dealt with first.moreless
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Cameron's chip is damaged in an explosion. She goes haywire and tries to kill john. When john finally deactivates Cameron, he misses her so much that he wants to reactive her. Everyone else is dead-set against reactivation.moreless

9.5

By jimsnodgras, Jun 12, 2011

Awesome episode. The scene where Cameron gets trapped between the two trucks was epic. There was nothing Cameron could do physically so she uses her feminine charm to manipulate John. John is so moved that he hesitates pulling the chip out. When he remembers that Cameron just threw a monkey wrench at him 2 minutes ago he finally pulls the chip.

I did find the scene where the whole crowd gathered to burn Cameron a little unrealistic. Come on John blows on the chip and cleans some dust out of it then he plugs it back into Cameron. That would be suicide if you actually did that. It would have been more realistic if John had tried to reprogram the chip first. I also think it was a stupid move to reactivate Cameron. Heck, even Cameron thought it was a stupid move. I guess it shows that humans are pretty emotional creatures and we do risky things because of it. We become attached to people, our pets, and even a terminator sometimes. Cameron seems to understand emotion, but she isn't moved by it. Terminators are not designed to be emotionally manipulated.

Any way, over all it's not a bad episode. TV wise, I'm glad they kept Cameron in the story line. It makes for good TV.moreless
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The series continues where the cliffhanger end to Season 1 left off...

10

By neo_red_1, Aug 25, 2010

Awesome, awesome episode to kick off the season! The show is really firing on all cylinders here and the quality is definitely better now. Better action sequences, a bigger budget, a great addition to the cast, a jaw-dropping revelation at the end, more Summer Glau, and a tear-jerking moment I keep playing over and over. We get a better version of the usual intro and thank goodness for the recaps from Season 1. The opening sequence picks up where last season left off with a Jeep exploding with Cameron inside. The goons responsible head to the house to deal with Sarah and John Connor. Cameron survives of course and gets herself together. A cool song is playing during this ala James Bond. I searched it up and it's "If I Had My Way" sung by Shirley Manson herself. Very cool and definitely download worthy.

We are also introduced to Catherine Weaver (Shirley Manson), the mysterious CEO of a high tech company. This is Manson's first time as an actress but she is terrific here! The role really suits her. She looks very stylish and professional. Kind of like the White Queen. Kind of like Emma Frost in X-men. I love her accent and she looks much younger than I thought. Definitely a great addition and definitely looking forward to seeing more of her. Summer Glau is awesome as Cameron. She conveys robotic emotions very well that it's hard to tell if she's sincere or not, which is perfect. It's good to keep the audience guessing. I can understand how John Connor is clearly falling for her and yet can't completely trust her. It must be the worst feeling in the world. What to do with a drop dead gorgeous terminator that you're in love with but who could end up killing you. This show has a lot going for it. I mean Lena Headey, Summer Glau, Shirley Manson, and later Leven Rambin together in one show? Good grief! John Connor doesn't have it THAT bad. Make me the future leader of mankind against the machines anyday. Thomas Dekker btw is a terrific John Connor. He and Summer Glau look good together. I'll be rooting for him all the way. It's clear from this episode that they've now got a bigger budget to work with. More scenes out in the streets. More cars. More trucks. More explosions. A lot better than last season where they're mostly inside a house. The story is something to look forward to as well. It's rare nowadays to see a show with an intriguing plot like TSCC. What we have here is the tying up of loose ends from Season 1; a major development on Cameron and John's relationship with her; and the introduction of a new enemy. Anyway we've got more than 20 episodes to go. Woohoo! Can't wait for next week!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Lena Headey	Sarah Connor
Thomas Dekker	John Connor
Summer Glau	Cameron Phillips
Brian Austin Green	Derek Reese
Garret Dillahunt	Cromartie
Shirley Manson	Catherine Weaver

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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James Urbaniak	Sarkissian	Guest Star
Carlos Sanz	Minister	Guest Star
Roger Guenveur Smith	Sac Federici	Guest Star
Dean Winters	Charley Dixon	Recurring Role
Shane Edelman	Matt Murch	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (9)
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- Goof: When Cameron is replaying her memories of the explosion, we see her reaching for the door with her left hand. Given the point of view, she should be looking at it from the other side. The viewpoint is actually what you'd see if you walking next to Cameron on her left side, which is what the camera was doing.
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- Goof: Sarah has a sandwich and a big glass of milk when she talks to Cameron on the way to see John at the end of the episode, but she arrives outside the bathroom door with a sandwich and some clothes instead.
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- Nitpick: Sarah crashes the minivan into a sedan, yet neither vehicle deploys airbags.
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- Sarah and John attempt to remove Cameron's chip at the church. Sarah wasn't ready and fumbled when John called for the screwdriver, only to then find out that it was the wrong size. Surprisingly, they are ill prepared for the task, as with only 120 seconds until Cameron's system reboots, they would only have one chance to remove the chip.
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- Nitpick: Despite being pinned between the two trucks, Cameron should have been able to move her head around, making it difficult, if not impossible, for John to remove the chip. Also, she should have been able to use one if not both of her arms to try to grab him.
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- Cameron sees Sarah and John steal the SUV and drive away. They drive through a tunnel and Cameron is suddenly there at the end waiting for them. It isn't explained how Cameron knew where they were going, nor how she got there so fast with damaged legs.
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- Catherine Weaver, the head of the new high-tech corporation which will later be revealed as being named Zeira Corporation (the business's Babylon Project is introduced in this episode). She is one of the "sheep in wolf's clothing" that was alluded to by Doctor Silberman in "The Demon Hand", a Terminator, and not just a T-888 like Cromartie, Vick, and Carter. Similar in design to the T-1000 morphing model shown in Terminator 2, she is a T-1001. The main difference between those two models is that detached pieces of a T-1001 are able to perform independent actions rather than simply rejoining the main mass after separation. Due to copyright issues, Friedman and the other writers must come up with new model numbers for the series not previously used in the films.
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- Cameron being "flipped" and reverting back to her previous programming is similar to a scene in Terminator 3 in which the T-101 sent to protect John reverts after an encounter with the T-X.
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- Nitpick: Cameron demand that an injured Sarah call to John echos the tactic used by the T-1000 in the final scenes of Terminator 2. However, since Cameron is an advanced Terminator model, she should not need to demand such a thing. Previous episodes (such as "Queen's Gambit") have shown that Cameron is able to mimic the voices of humans. If she really needed John to be called, she could've done it herself instead of demanding Sarah to do so.
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QUOTES (10)
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- Derek: (about Sarah) Think she's gonna go with you, let you to take care of her? 'Cause it's not gonna happen. She left you at the altar for a reason.
  Charley: That's not what I want.
  Derek: Really.
  Charley: Yeah. I'm married.
  Derek: So you say.
  Charley: I love my wife.
  Derek: So you say.
  Charley: Look, I just wanna know they're okay, got it?
  Derek: What if they're not?
  Charley: Then I'll make 'em okay. Like I did for you.
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- John: She's different. I made her, I sent her back. She's different.
  Derek: She's not different.
  John: There's physical damage to her chip, which means she can be repaired, she…
  Derek: John…
  John: I need her. She saved my life. She saves my life!
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- Cameron: Are you here to kill me, John?
  John: Are you here to kill me?
  Cameron: No.
  John: Promise?
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- Sarah: (through bathroom door) John, I need you to know that everything that happened today, everything we did, it was all… It just happened the way it did and there's nothing we can do to change it. Whatever happened, we're alive, okay, we're alive. I know you need more from me today, but it's gonna have to be enough. Can you hear me? Are you listening?
  John: Yeah, I'm listening.
  Sarah: Happy birthday.
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- (John is about to remove Cameron's chip)
  Cameron: John. John, you can't do this. You don't know what you're about to do.
  John: Yes I do. You're going to kill me.
  Cameron: No, John. You can't do this. You're not doing the right thing, this is not the right thing, John. Things are good now. Things are fine now, I ran a test. Things are good now, I'm fixed now. You can trust me now, everything's good now.
  Sarah: What are you waiting for?!
  Cameron: She doesn't know, she doesn't. I'm good now. I'm good, I ran a test, everything's perfect, I'm perfect.
  Sarah: John!
  Cameron: I'm sorry for what I did, I'm sorry. It wasn't me. You have to understand, it wasn't me. That wasn't me. You can't let this happen, John. (John pries open where her chip is kept)
  Cameron: You can't, please, listen to me. Listen to me, I don't want to go. Please, John, please, John, listen to me, I don't wanna go. Please, John, please. I'm good now, listen to me, I don't wanna go. I'm sorry. That wasn't me. I'm fixed now, I ran a test. Everything's perfect. You can trust me.
  Sarah: John Connor!
  Cameron: I love you! I love you, please. I love you, John and you love me! (John pauses, then pulls out her chip)
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- Agent Ellison: (as they stand outside the Connors' burnt house) I'll never lead you to her. So if that's why you left me alive, you might as well kill me right now. I'll never do the devil's work.
  Cromartie: We'll see.
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- (Show opening)
  Narrator: In the future a computer program called Skynet will declare war on the human race. Machines have traveled back in time taking human form to terminate John Connor, the future leader of the resistance, Sarah Conner, John's mother, teacher and protector, Cameron, a terminator reprogrammed to defend them at all costs, Derek Reese, John's uncle and a commanding officer with the resistance. Together they fight to stop Skynet from ever being created. The battle for our tomorrow starts today.
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- (John's leg is bleeding heavily)
  Sarah: Can you walk?
  John: Yeah.
  Sarah: Good, 'cause we gotta run.
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- Cameron: Do you believe in the Resurrection?
  Sarah: What?
  Cameron: The story of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection, do you believe in it?
  Sarah: Would you, if you've seen what I've seen?
  Cameron: Faith isn't part of my programming.
  Sarah: Yeah well, I'm not sure it's part of mine either.
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- Charley: What are you looking for?
  Derek: It's a piece of tech, it's called "The Turk". It's another computer, it's a program.
  Charley: What does it do?
  Derek: Right now, it plays a mean game of chess. In a couple of years, it's gonna get really pissed off ... blow up the world.
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NOTES (4)
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- This was the last episode to be broadcast in the show's original timeslot Mondays at 9 p.m.
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- Original International Air Dates:
  New Zealand: October 8th, 2008 on TV2
  Denmark: October 10th, 2008 on TV3
  United Kingdom: October 23rd, 2008 on Virgin 1
  India: January 6th, 2009 on Zee Cafe
  Sweden: January 28th, 2009 on TV6
  Australia: March 13th, 2009 on FOX8
  Norway: June 20th, 2009 on TVNorge
  Finland: August 30th, 2009 on Sub
  Czech Republic: September 3rd, 2009 on Prima COOL
  Slovakia: August 5th, 2010 on Markiza
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- Starting with this episode, Sarah no longer does her beginning and closing voiceovers like she did for the series' first nine episodes.
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- The song heard in the episode's teaser is "Samson and Delilah", also known as "If I Had My Way". The song was sung by Shirley Manson, the lead singer of the band Garbage. It had previously been recorded by The Grateful Dead, as well as Ike and Tina Turner and Peter, Paul, and Mary. It also should be noted that Shirley Manson is actually in the show and the song was played over the entire beginning sequence of this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (3)
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- Terminator 2:
  
  When Cameron stands over Sarah and orders her to "Call to him." (John), she's repeating what the T-1000 in the Terminator 2 said to Sarah in a similar circumstance.
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- T-1000:
  
  When Catherine Weaver, a T-1001, elongates her finger into a sharp object and sticks it through her victim's eye, it echoes the scene in Terminator 2 where T-1000 did the same thing to a hospital guard.
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- Title:
  
  In biblical scripture, Samson is a man with tremendous strength who, through the power of God, kills many Philistines to free the Israelites from their oppression. Delilah was a woman who was loved by Samson, and caused his downfall when she betrayed him. She was approached by the Philistines who paid her to find the secret to Samson's strength.
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