Two notes on Terminator
1) The writers need to pay more attention to detail. I know that in Hollywood, it’s verboten to call an abortion what it is (murder). But they still need to try to write to the characters, yes? The former FBI agent (I can never remember his name, and I always want to call him Emerson) is a deeply spiritual man. They’ve done whole episodes about how much he loves the Bible (and likes to misquote it, if I recall, though nothing so egregious as “Yea, though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death…”). When he’s talking to that dude he knows and telling him why his marriage ended, basically he says that his wife had an abortion while they were trying to have kids, because she didn’t want to have a baby once 9/11 happened. But he says, “I didn’t even know until she had terminated it.” Deeply spiritual people don’t refer to unborn children as “it.” We say “the baby” or something like that until we know the sex, and then we say “him” or “her.” Also, we don’t refer to “it”s as being “terminated.” Babies aren’t employees or subways or magazine subscriptions, so they don’t get “terminated.”
2) The monkeys on Fox are yet again going to try to kill a great show. They’re moving it to Friday nights on Fox, where great sci-fi goes to die. Excuse me, where great sci-fi gets “terminated.”
Hey! That’s the name of the show!
December 16th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Hey, I give them points for even going there. It’s more than 99% of shows would do showing some measure of a sense of loss resulting from abortion. I like that they have a sympathetic and admirable character that takes faith seriously.
That said….
I had a similar reaction to another scene with the Ex-FBI guy - when he was talking to the captured terminator and explaining that human life is sacred. When the asked why human life is sacred he said because God made everything and so we are all God’s children. The terminator asked if he were one of God’s children and the FBI guy replied something like “That’s something we’ll have to see about.”
No - we don’t have to see about that. Human life is not sacred because it is part of God’s overall creation - but because it is the only part of His creation made in His own image - the only thing with an immortal soul. Terminators were not given immortal souls by God - so they are not God’s children. Terminators are creations of man - they no more soul in them than a Barry Manilow song. This is not a view held by a particular denomination - but is generally accepted Christian theology. OK - Episcopalians would likely disagree about the Manilow songs - few others would.
Still - at least they are trying to have some meaningful discussion of serious religious/philosophical ideas. I like that - I hope they keep it up. But you are right - Friday night doesn’t bode well for Sci-Fi shows. That’s when everyone is packing to go to the Star Trek convention in the nearest moderately sized city.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Hey, Riley’s from the future! What is Jessie’s plan?
Are Terminators predecessors (at least the Shirley Manson variation) to Cylons?
We have to wait until February? Way to kill a show, Fox.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:54 am
I’m guessing that “it” refers to the pregnancy, in which case “terminated” is both accurate and medically correct. Like Cat, I appreciated that they went there.
As long as the show doesn’t get canceled, I don’t mind the Friday change. Last year I was recording bigbangtheory, howimetyourmother, and terminator, so I wasn’t able to watch Monday Night Football during the 7-8 hour. Of course now there’s no MNF…crap!