TV SERIES REVIEW
Terminator Zero
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Genre: Thriller, Action, Anime, Sci-Fi, Adventure
Year Released: 2024
Runtime: 8 x 28m episodes
Director(s): Masashi Kudō
Writer(s): Mattson Tomlin
Cast: Timothy Olyphant, André Holland, Sonoya Mizuno, Rosario Dawson, Ann Dowd
Where To Watch: the season will be released on Netflix on August 29, 2024

RAVING REVIEW: Set within The Future War (and before it,) TERMINATOR ZERO delivers a “modern” twist on this classic saga as it attaches itself to an anime aesthetic and strengthens its narrative storytelling. Mattson Tomlin leads the writing team on this series, which seamlessly blends the well-paved world of the Terminator we all know with a mix of contemporary storytelling to draw both fresh eyes and nostalgia-loving fans alike.

The story picks up in 1997 as Skynet is brought online to a future in 2022 when humans fight the well-known losing battle against machines. The series focuses on a soldier sent back to 1997 — tasked with saving the life of Malcolm Lee (André Holland,) an upstart computer programmer who is days away from inventing their newest AI for his company. Lee and his family have stood up against what might be the future world-ending AI, but this new assassin from tomorrow presents an existential threat to every man, woman, and child alive.

The series deserves high praise for the crisp and tonally structured animation style under the seasoned eye of BLEACH director Masashi Kudō, set partially in the stunning setting of 90s Japan. This new locale offers the series a fresh twist to the age-old battle of man versus machine, deepening its story with one steeped in the technological fears of the time.

The show has an exciting voice cast: Timothy Olyphant's Terminator is unlike the Terminators we’ve seen before while having just enough familiarity to make the story feel like home, and Rosario Dawson voices Kokoro, an AI that has a surprising struggle against what is and isn’t “okay.”. Holland portrays Lee as a man who is divided between his apocalyptic prophecies and protecting his family. With Sonoya Mizuno as Eiko and Ann Dowd’s Prophet, the cast emphasizes human resilience and ethical dilemmas in a dystopian world.

TERMINATOR ZERO looks at how global crises can shape relationships within a family, sometimes creating such pressures that families have no choice but to break under them. The show also deals with more serious ethical considerations related to AI, personified through Lee's game-changing AI creation.

The exploration into anime is new territory for the series and a welcome one, as the 1990s Japanese aesthetic isn't used simply as a background but as part of what drives it narratively, embodying traditional values at odds with avant-garde technology.

Kudō oversees every frame, helping the series offer fantastic action and a feast for the eyes where sci-fi meets animation. The scenes are expertly crafted, capturing the messy grandeur of a world about to be wiped clear. By boldly reimagining the franchise, TERMINATOR ZERO is true to its origins but dares with great ingenuity on the new terrain of history. With this fresh direction, the series aims to introduce itself to a new audience while also forcing the audience to rethink the themes that have been so prevalent in the franchise.

TERMINATOR ZERO stands out as more than just a follow-up or spin-off; it is an entire reimagining within the continuity that examines and rebuilds the main pillars of its universe. The series asks its viewers: Can humanity learn from the mistakes of history and finally get it right? The fate of humankind soon becomes tied to our dreams and a belief in something better that only promises action.

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[photo courtesy of NETFLIX]

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