This show is an unusual move, especially for a risk-averse network like Fox. The “Terminator” franchise is beloved by many and known for its big budget action thrills. One would imagine that the budget necessary to pull off a weekly television series within the same mythology would be prohibitive. Further choosing to ignore “Terminator 3”, the overlooked and under-appreciated installment of the franchise, makes the series even more of an oddity. Yet somehow, the creative minds behind “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” manage to overcome most of those challenges with a clever premise and a solid cast.

The emphasis is clearly on Sarah Connor, played by the capable and lovley Lena Headey, as she continues to keep her son safe and secure for his inevitable rise as humanity’s great savior in the future. Sarah’s considerable paranoia is best seen through the eyes of John, her son, played by a nuanced Thomas Dekker. Dekker’s performance actually makes it unfortunate that the writers couldn’t find a way to make “Terminator 3” work in the timeline of the series; his portrayal of John Connor feels like the perfect precursor to the version of John Connor in that film.

As it turns out, Sarah and John are on the run from the FBI, thanks to the belief that Sarah killed Dr. Bryson, the man who would have brought about SkyNet and, as a result, the terminators. Agent Ellison is a great character, and it should be fun watching him hunt down the Connors. And there are, of course, new terminators on the loose, trying to kill John and stop him from defeating them in the future.

Logically, this is probably the weak point of the premise. Much is made of the fact that SkyNet and the terminators shouldn’t exist, since the technology and knowledge that would allow it was destroyed in “Terminator 2” (remember, the elements of “Terminator 3” don’t exist in this timeline). Despite that, Sarah is still convinced that John will grow up to be a great leader for humanity and save mankind. That doesn’t quite make sense. John wouldn’t need to be that leader if the threat is over! Sarah’s nightmares work as a partial explanation, but it’s still not a perfect fit.

Whatever the case, the threat still does exist, so it’s a moot point. The future managed to send back another terminator to protect John, this time in the unusually attractive fan favorite Summer Glau. Glau has a history of playing atypical characters, and it pays off in this role. It doesn’t hurt to have an athletic, sexy young woman beating down larger muscle-bound men, especially when Sarah is right there in the background, reloading her shotgun!

The writers also throw in a bit of creativity by using the time travel premise to launch the Connors out of 1999 into 2007. It’s just enough to throw the Connors off balance, into an unexpected world, but a short enough trip to allow Agent Ellison to remain on their case. Setting the story in the present (more or less) allows the focus to stay on the core conflicts: surviving terminator attacks, eluding Agent Ellision, investigating the revival of SkyNet, and trying to rebuild the semblance of a normal life.

Considering the fact that the pilot was devoted to exposition (and setting up the alternate-alternate-reality premise), the challenge for the writing staff will be taking a fairly restrictive concept and evolving it into a series with enough variety. The cast is certainly capable enough, and the transition to a lower budget was handled extremely well. This one will fall squarely on the shoulders of the writers. Even taking Fox into account, they will have as good a chance as any to prove the viability of the show, thanks to a decimated network schedule during this extended writers’ strike.