View source for Terminator: Pilot

{{Quote|There are those who believe that a child in the womb shares his mother's dreams, her love for him, her hopes for his future. Is it told to him in pictures while he sleeps inside her? Is that why he reaches for her in that first moment and cries for her touch? But what if you've known since he was inside you what his life held for him? That he would be hunted, that his fate was tied to the fate of millions, that every moment of your life would be spent keeping him alive. Would he understand why you were so hard? Why you held on so tight? Would he still reach for you if the only dream you've ever shared with him was a nightmare? Would he know my love runs through him like blood?|'''[[Sarah Connor]]'''}}
{{infobox episode
| name       = "Pilot"
| series     = [[Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]
| season     = [[Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles/Season 1|1]]
| number     = 1
| image      = File:Terminator 1x01 001.jpg
| airdate    = [[January 13th]], [[2008]] <ref name=TVRageairdates>[http://www.tvrage.com/Terminator-The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles/episodes/440019 TV Rage; Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles; "Pilot"]; Airdates.</ref>
| writer     = [[Josh Friedman]]
| director   = [[David Nutter]]
| producer   = [[Mario F. Kassar]]; [[Andrew G. Vajna]]; [[Joel B. Michaels]]; [[James Middleton]]; [[Charlie Goldstein]]; [[David Nutter]]; [[Josh Friedman]]; [[Aaron Miller]]; 
| starring   = [[Lena Headey]]; [[Thomas Dekker]]; [[Summer Glau]]; [[Richard T. Jones]]
| previous   = {{dash}}
| next       = [[Terminator: Gnothi Seauton|"Gnothi Seauton"]]
}}
'''"Pilot"''' is the premiere episode of the science fiction/action TV series ''[[Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]'', which is based on the popular ''[[Terminator]]'' film series created by [[James Cameron]] back in [[1984]]. The events of the series as a whole take after ''[[Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines]]'', however, this episode takes place before the events of that film, but several years after the events of ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]''. The episode was directed by [[David Nutter]] with a script written by series developer [[Josh Friedman]]. It first aired on the [[FOX Network]] on Friday, [[January 13th]], [[2008]] at 8:00 pm. 

== Synopsis ==
[[File:Terminator 1x01 002.jpg|left|thumb|[[Cameron Phillips]].]]
Sarah and John Connor have been living with a man named [[Charley Dixon]] for the past six months. Sarah and Charley are in love and he even proposes to her. One night in [[1999]] however, Sarah has a horrifying nightmare in which she sees a [[T-800 Terminator]] assassinating John just before the start of Judgment Day. This terrifies her to the point that she and John pack up their stuff and leave Charley's home in [[West Fork]], [[New Mexico]]. When Charley goes to the police to report her missing, he meets an [[FBI|F.B.I.]] agent named [[James Ellison]], who is likewise interested in finding Sarah. He shows Dixon Sarah's profile and reveals that she spent three years in a mental hospital because she believed that the [[Skynet]] defense system would create robot killers that would one day destroy the world. Charley grows frustrated over Ellison's glib demeanor and leaves. 

Two weeks later, John is enrolled as a student at [[Crest View High School]] in [[Red Valley]], New Mexico. During chemistry class, he meets a pretty student named [[Cameron Phillips]]. After class, Cameron tries to bond with him, asking him questions about his family. John has poor social skills and grows nervous. Cameron says that she'll see him later and walks away. John returns to his new home where his mother is painting. He doesn't care for the house and comments about how all of the kids at his school wear cowboy boots. 
[[File:Terminator 1x01 004.jpg|right|thumb|Worst. Substitute teacher. Ever.]]
The next day, John returns to school. His normal teacher, Mister Ferguson, is his replacement is a substitute teacher named [[Mister Cromartie]]. Cromartie takes roll call, but as he does so, he cuts into his leg to pull out a concealed weapon. When he correctly identifies John Connor, he opens fire. Cameron jumps in front of John to deflect the bullets, revealing that there is more to this young woman than meets the eye. As students scatter, John jumps out the classroom window. Cromartie pursues him and continues to fire at John who ducks behind a school bus in the parking lot. As Cromartie bears down up him, Cameron runs him over with a truck. She opens the passenger-side door and beckons to John, "Come with me if you want to live".

Upon hearing news reports of the school shooting, Sarah drives out there, but John and Cameron are long gone by this point. Cromartie comes upon her on a hill overlooking the school and attacks her. Realizing that this is John's mother, he keeps her alive because he can use her. Imitating Sarah's voice, he calls John on her cell phone and tells him to return home. He then goes to their new house and waits in ambush. 
[[File:Terminator 1x01 013.jpg|left|thumb|Don't mess with [[Sarah Connor]].]]
Cameron has prepared for this tactic however. Disguising her voice to sound like John, she enters the house first prompting Cromartie to shoot at her. She gets back up and the two start throwing each other through walls as Sarah arms herself. She shoots at Cromartie with a pump-action [[shotgun]], but this has little effect. As Cameron keeps the Terminator engaged, Sarah and John leave in the truck. Cameron uses a broken power line from the basement and jams it into Cromartie's neck, temporarily short-circuiting his system. She then runs out of the house to catch up with John and Sarah.

It's dark by the time they pull over to catch their breath. Sarah is not amused at the sudden appearance of another Terminator, even if she is programmed to protect John. She questions Cameron who reveals that Judgment Day is still scheduled to take place, only it will occur on [[April 19th]], [[2011]]. In the new timeline, somebody other than Miles Dyson is fated to build Skynet, but she does not know who. Sarah has a brief talk with John and then decides that they have to stop running. She must find who is destined to build Skynet.
[[File:Terminator 1x01 014.jpg|right|thumb|[[Cameron Phillips|Cameron]] holds up a bank.]]
Later that evening, they drive out to Mulholland Drive to the home of [[Tarissa Dyson]] - widow of Miles Dyson. Tarissa is not exactly happy to see them. Sarah reminds her that she did not kill her husband, but after Cameron gives a flash of her robotic eyes, it becomes clear to the widow that the Terminators are back. Sarah presses her for information on anyone who might have had access to her husband's work, but she tells her that everything had been destroyed. Sarah pleads with Tarissa for help.

Cromartie tracks them to the house, but as he exits his vehicle, Sarah, John and Cameron blast through the garage of the home in Tarissa's truck. As they spin away, Cromartie fires an assault rifle at them. One of the bullets hits Sarah in the shoulder, but she keeps on driving until they are safely away. They take up sanctuary inside of a warehouse where Cameron patches up Sarah's shoulder.
[[File:Terminator 1x01 015.jpg|left|thumb|Time machine is the ultimate getaway car.]]
The following day, Cameron takes the lead on the next step towards fighting Skynet. She brings Sarah and John to the Security Trust of Los Angeles and tells them that about a safety deposit box that was opened at the bank in [[1963]], which held material that could aid them. Cameron goes through the motions of a staging a bank robbery, forcing the [[Bank teller|teller]] to bring the three of them to the vault and to lock them all inside. Cromartie arrives and forcs his way past a squad of uniformed officers outside the bank. While he tries to tear through the heavy steel door to the vault, Cameron assembles an isotope weapon from the components left behind in 1963 and then cobbles together a time travel device. She hands the weapon to Sarah Connor who then uses it to incapacitate Cromartie as he makes his way through the door. Cameron activates the time circuit and the three disappear from the room, re-emerging on a highway in [[2007]]. A teenager in a car takes a picture of the three of them on his cell phone as they make their way off the road. Cameron stops another group of motorists and takes their clothing. Sarah sees a road sign that indicates that they are now in the future. Even though they have traveled through time and bent the rules of nature, Sarah knows that the enemy will never stop coming for them. "But until that day...", she reflects, "It's gonna be one hell of a dogfight".

== Cast == 
=== Principal Cast ===
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|- style="background:#CCCCCC"
!width="150"|Actor
!width="200"|Role
|-
| [[Lena Headey]] || [[Sarah Connor]]
|-
| [[Thomas Dekker]] || [[John Connor]]
|-
| [[Summer Glau]] || [[Cameron Phillips]]
|-
| [[Richard T. Jones]] || [[James Ellison]]
|-
|}

=== Guest Stars ===
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|- style="background:#CCCCCC"
!width="150"|Actor
!width="200"|Role
|-
| [[Owain Yeoman]] || [[Cromartie]]
|-
| [[Sonya Walger]] || [[Michelle Dixon]]
|-
| Nick Wechsler || Deputy Ridge
|-
| [[Charlayne Woodard]] || [[Tarissa Dyson]]
|-
| [[Dean Winters]] || [[Charley Dixon]]
|-
|}

=== Co-Stars ===
The following cast list is taken from the end-credit sequence from the episode.
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|- style="background:#CCCCCC"
!width="150"|Actor
!width="200"|Role
|-
| Aurora Antonio || Wiseass
|-
| Chad Brummett || F.B.I. agent
|-
| Aaron Cash || Terminator
|-
| Jason Grutter || Police officer
|-
| Gary Houston || Mister Ferguson
|-
| Deborah Martinez || News anchor
|-
| [[Genia Michaela]] || [[Bank teller]]
|-
| Kenneth Miller || Boy
|-
| Brandon Molale || Big cop
|-
| Shawn Prince || Danny Dyson
|-
|}

=== Uncredited cast ===
{{Uncredited cast}} 
{| class="wikitable" border=1
|- style="background:#CCCCCC"
!width="150"|Actor
!width="200"|Role
|-
| Steven Blacksmith || High school student
|-
| Dave Colon || Police officer
|-
| Robert Grant || Police officer
|-
| Phil Morris || Miles Dyson
|-
| Peggy Ann O'Neal || FBI visitor
|-
| Sara Pena || Child at museum
|-
| Tavia Schwartz || Restaurant patron
|-
| Z. Ray Wakeman || Driver
|-
|}

== Notes & Trivia ==
{{Source image}}
* ''[[Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Pilot]]'' redirects to this page.

* This episode is rated TV-14.

* This episode is included on disc one of the ''[[Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: The Complete First Season]]'' [[DVD]] collection. 

* Production code number: 276022. <ref>[http://tviv.org/Terminator:_The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles/Pilot TV IV; Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles; "Pilot"]</ref>

* This series was developed for television by [[Josh Friedman]].

* Executive producer [[Mario Kassar]] is credited as [[Mario F. Kassar]] in this episode.

* Actor Aaron James Cash is credited as Aaron Cash in this episode.

* This is the only episode of the series with [[Charlie Goldstein]] as a producer. 
[[File:Terminator 1x01 006.jpg|right|thumb|"Come with me if you want to live".]]
* This episode premiered in [[Australia]] on [[February 12th]], [[2008]]. <ref name=TVRageairdates/>

* The pilot episode first aired in the [[United Kingdom]] on Channel One on [[February 21st]], [[2008]]. <ref name=TVRageairdates/>

* This episode first aired in Finland on [[November 10th]], [[2008]]. <ref name=TVRageairdates/>

* The opening scene takes place on [[August 24th]], [[1999]] in [[West Fork]], [[Nebraska]]. The scenes from John's new high school take place on [[September 6th]], [[1999]] in [[Red Valley]], [[New Mexico]]. 

* The date that Sarah, John and Cameron go to [[Terissa Dyson]]'s house is [[September 9th]], [[1999]]. 

* [[Cameron Phillips]]' first name is taken from [[James Cameron]], who is the creator of the ''[[Terminator]]'' franchise and the director on the first two films. However, Cameron had no involvement in the production of the television series. 

* If actor [[Owain Yeoman]] looks familiar to some viewers, it might be because they recognize him from the CBS crime drama series ''The Mentalist''. Yeoman played the role of CBI detective Wayne Rigsby in seasons 1-6.

* [[Sarah Connor]]'s [[FBI]] file indicates that she was born in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]] and that she is 5'4". Actress [[Lena Headey]] is 5'5½". Actress [[Linda Hamilton]], who played Sarah Connor in the film series is 5'6". <ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0372176/bio IMDB; Lena Headey]; Biography.</ref><ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000157/bio IMDB; Linda Hamilton]; Biography.</ref>

* As [[Sarah Connor]] had only previously encountered [[T-800]] model Terminators, the Terminator from her dream must be a T-800. 

* The phrase "Come with me if you want to live" has become something of a trademark in the ''[[Terminator]]'' franchise. It was first spoken by [[Kyle Reese]] to [[Sarah Connor]] in the original ''[[Terminator (1984)|Terminator]]''. It was said again ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'' by the [[T-800 Terminator]] to [[John Connor]]. In this episode, [[Cameron Phillips]] says the line to John after she hits [[Cromartie]] with the pick-up truck. 

* The Dyson residence is located at 41645 Mulholland Drive in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], 90272.

=== Sarah Connor's FBI file ===
* Name: Conner, Sarah (no middle initial)
* Known aliases: [[Sarah Reese]]
* Status: Escaped from Pescadero State Hospital. Whereabouts: Unknown. At large.
* Occupation: [[Waitress]]
* Sex: [[Female]]
* Age: [[1965|33]]
* Place of Birth: [[Los Angeles]], [[California]]
* Race: Caucasian
* Height: 5'4"
* Weight: 110 lbs.
* Hair: Black
* Eyes: Green
* Marks/Tattoos: Puncture scarring front and back right shoulder. Multiple combat scars.
* Known associates. [[Charley Dixon]], fianc{{e}}; [[John Connor]], son (15).
* Federal warrants: Murder, attempted murder, armed assault & battery, armed robbery, assault & battery, domestic terrorism, kidnapping, arson of United States government property and property used in interstate commerce, arson of a building.
* Remarks: At large. Armed and dangerous. Approach with extreme caution. Trained in the use of military grade firearms, handguns, edged weapons, explosives, and hand-to-hand combat. If contact is made, utilization of FBI HRT is highly recommended.

=== Terminator models ===
The following Terminator models are featured in this episode.
* '''[[T-800]]''': This is the Terminator that [[Sarah Connor]] sees in her dream.
* '''[[T-888]]''': This is the [[Cromartie]] Terminator.
* '''[http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/Series_900 T-900]''': Unconfirmed. It has been speculated that [[Cameron Phillips]] might be a T-900, but her series model has never been revealed.

== Allusions ==
* {{No allusions}} <!-- Remove template once the task has been satisfied -->

== Bloopers ==
* [[Sarah Connor]]'s [[FBI]] file mis-spells her last name as Conner.

* [[James Ellison]] mis-spells Pescadero State Mental Hospital as Prescadero State Mental Hospital when filing his report. 

== Quotes ==
* '''[[Cameron Phillips]]''': The Skynet missile defense system goes online April 19th, 2011. Declares war on mankind and triggers a nuclear apocalypse two days later. 
* '''[[Sarah Connor]]''': And Miles Dyson?
* '''[[Cameron Phillips]]''': Someone else builds Skynet. 

....
* '''[[Sarah Connor]]''': Don't think that, John! Don't you ever think that! Look at me! No one is ever safe!

....
* '''[[Sarah Connor]]''': Half an hour. One bag, plus the guns. I'll make pancakes.

....
* '''[[John Connor]]''': What model are you? Are you new, you seem... different.

....
* '''[[Terminator]]''': The future is ours. And it begins now.

....
* '''[[John Connor]]''': So do you have, like, an account here?
* '''[[Cameron Phillips]]''': Safety deposit box.
* '''[[Sarah Connor]]''': When'd you open that?
* '''[[Cameron Phillips]]''': 1963.

....
* '''[[Sarah Connor]]''': Every family has rules, and we had ours. Keep your head down. Keep your eyes up. Resist the urge to be seen as important or special. Know your exits.

....
* '''[[Cameron Phillips]]''': Back at school, you apologized for lying to me, so I should apologize for lying to you.
* '''[[John Connor]]''': It's all right. I get it. You needed to get close to me. It's just the way you're... programmed. Like some hot girl is really gonna try and make friends with the new weird kid. If I'd thought about it, I would've known something was messed up.

....
* '''[[Sarah Connor]]''': It is said that the death of any one person is the death of an entire world. Certainly for parents, the death of a child is no less than a holocaust. In the case of my son, these words are literally true. And even though we've traveled through time, bent the rules of nature,  they will keep coming for him, keep trying to kill him. But until that day, it's gonna be one hell of a dogfight.

== See also ==
{{Terminator SA}}

== External Links ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
* {{imdb|title/tt0898023/|"Pilot"}}
* {{tv iv|http://tviv.org/Terminator:_The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles/Pilot|"Pilot"}}
* {{share tv|http://sharetv.com/shows/terminator_the_sarah_connor_chronicles/episodes/365440|"Pilot"}}
{{col-2}}
* {{tv.com|http://www.tv.com/shows/terminator-the-sarah-connor-chronicles/pilot-987902/|"Pilot"}}
* {{tv rage|http://www.tvrage.com/Terminator-The_Sarah_Connor_Chronicles/episodes/440019|"Pilot"}}
* [http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_101:_Pilot "Pilot" at the Terminator Wiki]
{{col-end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Keywords ==
[[1990s]]; [[1999]]; [[California]]; [[Crest View High School]]; [[Cyberdyne Systems]]; [[Cyborg]]; [[Electrocution]]; [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]; [[Gunshot victims]]; [[Dreams]]; [[High school]]; [[Los Angeles]]; [[Los Angeles County]]; [[Nebraska]]; [[New Mexico]]; [[Nightmares]]; [[Red Valley]]; [[Security Trust of Los Angeles]]; [[Sheriff]]; [[Skynet]]; [[Student]]; [[SWAT]]; [[T-800 Terminator]]; [[T-888 Terminator]]; [[Teacher]]; [[Terminator]]; [[Waitress]]; [[West Fork]]

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[[Category:2008/Episodes]]
[[Category:January, 2008/Episodes]]
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{{App|Sarah Connor}}
{{App|John Connor}}
{{App|Cameron Phillips}}
{{App|James Ellison}}
{{App|Charley Dixon}}
{{App|Cromartie}}
{{App|Michelle Dixon}}


{{App|California}}
{{App|Los Angeles}}
{{App|Nebraska}}
{{App|New Mexico}}


{{App|T-888 Terminator}}


{{App|Cyborgs}}


{{App|Federal Bureau of Investigation}}


{{App|1990s}}
{{App|1999}}
{{App|2000s}}
{{Cat|Bank robberies}}
{{Cat|Dreams}}
{{Cat|Electrocution}}
{{Cat|Female partial nudity}}
{{Cat|Gunshot victims}}
{{App|Impersonation}}
{{Cat|Male partial nudity}}
{{Cat|High schools}}
{{Cat|Nightmares}}
{{Cat|Time travel}}


{{Act|Summer Glau}}
{{Cat|Dorenda Moore}}

{{Wikify}}


[[Category:Episodes with plot summaries]]