Last night I found myself watching the first episode of the new Terminator TV show. It wasn’t exactly religious programming for a Sunday night. But it was right after the playoff game between the Giants and the Cowboys and the TV kinda stayed on that channel.
Actually I offered to Tivo it so that Gorgeous could watch something else instead but she said she kinda wanted to see it as well.
We both like sci-fi. 🙂
An Iconic Character
The original Terminator movie introduced us to that iconic relentless machine of destruction, was the rocket fuel that ignighted Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career and gave him his trade mark, “Ahhll be bahhk.”
That movie 24 years ago spawned two sequels and now we’ve got a TV show to add to the franchise. That they are continuing the story is a bit confusing since they wrapped it up so nicely with the third movie.
But then again there is time travel involved and that’s pretty confusing stuff I guess, so paradoxes are probably explainable. Somehow.
A Compelling Story
Why is it so many find the Terminator storyline so compelling? What is it about a relentless robot that keeps coming after getting knocked down again and again that keeps us coming back to watch?
A big part of the attraction is that this is the same story of the ages. For example, take a look at what Reece tells Sarah Connor in the first movie:
Listen. And understand. That terminator is out there. It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.
Believe it or not that story mirrors reality. In the Bible Peter tells us that we have an enemy out there and he’s prowling around like a lion looking to devour us. Jesus said the enemy’s purpose was to steal, kill and destroy. Us.
And the enemy we all share is every bit as relentless in his pursuit to destroy us as those tireless robots in the Terminator movies.
Perhaps that’s why we find the story line of battling relentless evil so compelling.
I’ll be back
Pop Quiz: We all know that the catch phrase which has become associated with Arnold Schwarzenegger and his classic accent originated with the original Terminator. But if I told you Arnold was paid $30 million for Terminator 3, how much would you guess he was paid to play that nearly indestructible robot in the original movie?
Let’s make it multiple choice.
- A). $7,500,000
- B). $750,000
- C). $75,000
How much do you think one of the top money earning Hollywood stars was paid for that movie?
Would you believe Arnold was “only” paid $75,000?
It’s true. Seems like a small amount by today’s Hollywood standards.
