We seem to have been waiting for this one forever (indeed Paul first told us about it back in May last year), but at last on Thursday the wait is over. Virgin 1 have been doing a great job of bringing us some of the less-high-profile US sci-fi shows (even if Blade was a bit hit-and-miss), but here’s one which looks as though it could really hit the mark.

Sarah Connor was always my favourite character from the Terminator movies. Gutsy, sexy, at her best when forced into a corner by the deadly machines, she always managed to bring her resourcefulness to bear to protect herself and her son John. This series appears to be set shortly after the events of the second movie and earlier than the third, which won’t come as a surprise to Terminator fans. If Skynet had already gone sentient there wouldn’t be much good Sarah Connor could do (and she was dead by then anyway) and in his early teens as he was in Judgment Day, John wouldn’t have been much help to her. Besides, he never really believed his Mom until he saw the Terminators for the first time. This period in their lives is ripe for some heavy action and that action gets underway right from the opening scenes…

You can watch the entire first episode online here:
http://www.virginmedia.com/virgin1/sarahconnor/

Find out more on Fox’s Terminator pages.

Sarah Connor is played by British actress Lena Headey (most recently seen in 300), her son John by Thomas Dekker, and he has a handy reprogrammed Terminator on board too, as a protector, in the attractive shape of Summer Glau.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Virgin 1, Thursday 21 February, 10pm