The problem with Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines well, one of the problems with Rise Of The Machines - was how in thrall it was to the original films. In certain ways, anyway: it followed a similar arc to Judgement Day, and it imitated the opening of both of Cameron's films with the nude Arnie turning up and demanding people's clothes, motorcycles, and boots albeit with a comedic twist. Besides that, it ignored what made the first two movies brilliant, which is the weird risks and new elements it introduced. Not just new Terminators, but straight up switching genres (like the leap from Alien to Aliens, The Terminator to T2 is like horror movie to action flick) and the like. You know what the most interesting post-Cameron Terminator media was? The TV show. The Sarah Connor Chronicles wasn't particularly rated commercially or critically, but it actually tried to do something different with the existing continuity. Ignoring the films post-Judgement Day, it instead depicted Sarah and John Connor trying to live under the radar and avoid detection by Cyberdyne, whilst being aided by a way more badass female Terminator than Rise Of The Machines managed. It expanded the worldview, introduced some neat new concepts, and has since evaporated into obscurity.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
