canceled sci-fi shows don't get closure, being left with unresolved cliffhanger endings. That said, many of these shows are still well worth watching.

One of the best shows that Firefly fans will love is Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. While the show was also canceled early despite its status as part of the phenomenally successful Terminator franchise, it is excellent. Amazingly, while it is the first Terminator project without Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Sarah Connor Chronicles is even the best Terminator sequel. The show is set after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day and follows Sarah and John Connor as they go on the run from the government. Lena Headey plays the titular role, and the show also stars a familiar actress from Firefly.

Summer Glau Played A Terminator After Firefly Was Canceled

Glau's Character Is The Most Advanced Terminator Yet

Summer Glau as Cameron looks upset in The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Summer Glau played one of the main characters in Firefly, and the show ended just as her story was unfolding. While the movie Serenity wrapped up the main Firefly plotlines, the show originally concluded on an uncertain note. Five years after Firefly was canceled, Summer Glau appeared in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, playing Cameron, a reprogrammed T-900 model, sent back in time to protect John Connor (Thomas Dekker) in a similar manner to Terminator 2's T-800. However, Cameron is a very different kind of Terminator from any other in the franchise, and even more dangerous than Terminator 2's T-1000.

The main cast of Firefly TV show
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Cameron is the most advanced Terminator model in the franchise by far, as she blends in so effectively with the human population that she is able to attend school with John. While the T-800's attempts to mimic human expressions provide comic relief in the Terminator movies, Cameron is able to emotionally for humans. This makes her less predictable than the franchise's usual killing machines, and therefore much more deadly than any other Terminator model seen in a Terminator installment to date. Additionally, already known for playing complex characters like Firefly's River, Glau's portrayal of Cameron was perfect.

How Summer Glau's Terminator Character Compares To River

The Sarah Connor Chronicles Was Canceled Too Soon, But Features An Amazing Turn From Glau

The Sarah Connor Chronicles' Cameron and Firefly's River Tam could be seen as the same character, but in reverse. River is a remarkably intelligent and gifted human but became a programmable living weapon under government experimentation. Cameron is already a programmable living weapon, but she has a human side. For both characters, their allegiance is often questioned. Cameron could either be learning similarly to AI, or developing genuine human feelings. At the end of the first season of Firefly, it is not yet certain whether River's "code word" programming can be overridden, posing similar thematic and scientific questions.

TV Show

Year(s)

RT Critical Score

RT Audience Score

Firefly

2002-2003

77%

96%

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

2008-2009

85%

88%

While The Sarah Connor Chronicles started strong and had an excellent cast, its popularity quickly waned. After just two seasons, The Sarah Connor Chronicles was canceled in large part because of its budget, which was much lower than any Terminator movie, but extremely high compared to many other TV series at the time. That said, though the show ended too soon, The Sarah Connor Chronicles is well worth watching. Like Firefly, it is extremely well-acted, with something new to add to the sci-fi genre, delves into big questions about technology, and includes actors that have now become sci-fi icons.