The Terminator as Metaphor for Life

In his Wired Magazine article bearing the same name as this post Josh Friedman, executive producer of the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, has some interesting things to say about life and his TV show. Here are a few excerpts from his story:
But before I could actually start writing the show, I was diagnosed with kidney cancer. I had to have an operation to remove the tumor, which meant I couldn't write it for that season. So I had a couple of months when I couldn't do anything, and I was in pain. I had this crisis — I went to a therapist, and I said, "What am I doing? I'm going to write a freaking show about a scary robot? Who cares?"

But when she calmed me down, I started reflecting upon it, and I realized that this show really was about my life. It was about mortality. The first voiceover I ever wrote for the series started with "I will die. I will die, and so will you. Death gives no man a pass." That's what the Terminators are — they're death coming to get us.
...
To me, the show is about what you do with life in the face of death. I mean, yeah, it's a genre show. It's the Terminator, and it's kind of pulpy, and some people think it's past its prime. But you can find yourself in this show. I definitely found myself in it.
The TV series season ended last Friday with a great twist in the plot. I had not thought about the whole life metaphor idea but resonate with it and think that it is one of the reasons I like the show. Each week we see the characters struggling against the enemies of mankind.. they are in a life and death battle - much like us.. even if we are living unaware.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting comment. I have not thought about it this way. I am enjoying the series and wondering how it will tie in with the coming Terminator: Salvation movie.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't watch the series but love the movies, especially the last one. Interesting that in all is the struggle to survive despite the odds and in the case of some illnesses, statistics from doctors.

    ReplyDelete

I love to get comments and usually respond. So come back to see my reply. You can click here to see my comment policy.