Trama

Sarah, Derek and Cameron try to prevent a nuclear meltdown, Charley has to fill in Michelle when James shows up at their home, and John meets someone new.

After having settled down in a new residence, Sarah and Cameron go undercover to a power plant as new employees to investigate the dying words of another fatally wounded resistance fighter, who arrives and dies mentioning the power plant which leads to Carl Greenway who's in charge of putting a potentially new reactor on-line in two days. Meanwhile, Agent Ellison and Charley tell a disbelieving Michelle about what's going on with Sarah Connor. Elsewhere, John ditches school and strikes a bond with a shady student named Riley.—matt-282

A visitor from the future warns Sarah and the others that something fateful will occur at a nearby nuclear plant in 48 hours. Sarah and Cameron get jobs at the plant and learn that it is to go on line in two days provided an engineer, Carl Greenway, gives the green light. Their dilemma is whether they need to stop the plant going on line or make sure that it does. John returns to school and strikes up a friendship with an attractive classmate, named Riley. When John takes her home, Sarah is none too pleased. Meanwhile, Agent Ellison visits Charlie Dixon and his wife and tells them they need to leave for their own safety.—garykmcd

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"- "Automatic For the People" - September 15, 2008

Previously on: After the car explosion Cameron went bad, as in terminate John Connor bad, and John pulled her chip. But before he did she begged him not to saying she loved him. Later he put it back in as a test and Cameron overrode her terminate orders; Cromartie showed up at Dixon's looking for Sarah and spilled the beans to his new wife that Dixon had wanted to marry Sarah; Cameron spilled the beans that, in the future, Sarah dies of cancer.

In a flash of light, a bubble appears containing a naked man with a gaping (and super fake-looking) wound in his chest. He grabs some clothes from a nearby homeless man and sprints down the street.

At the church where they've sought sanctuary a newly shorn John awakens to discover a banged up Sarah, Cameron, and Derek figuring out what to do next. Sarah wonders how to trust their untrustworthy guard dog, referring to Cameron. Derek nods at the nearby crucifix and says he's been asking for his help. Sarah and Derek bad mouth Cameron as John walks past them to Cameron and asks if she's all healed up. She says he can't be trusted anymore. Not surprisingly, he's surprised at this assessment. She calls risking his life to fix her was not a wise move. (Terminators are not programmed with gratitude apparently.) She says that this could upset people. He says tough luck, thinking that he's referring to his Scooby gang. She is not, but doesn't elaborate who these "people" are.

Sarah tells John to go to school saying that he could use some boring today. She says she'll keep Cameron close.

At school John- whose face is all scratched up- looks around at his classmates in the hall with - well it's hard to tell what with the way Dekker is playing it. Fear? Alienation? Dislocation? Envy? Panic realizing he hasn't finished his chemistry homework? Anybody's guess. The halls clear as he stands at his locker. He walks off purposefully to sit by a rock and brood.

A blond girl approaches him and wonders why he bailed on English. She calls him a weirdo and sits. She introduces herself as Riley and gives him attitude for not knowing who she is. Wearily he starts to speak and she interrupts and says obviously he's way too busy to talk to her right now. The bell rings and he asks if she has somewhere to be. She asks if he does and then asks if he has 20 bucks to help her still gnawing hunger. (She's chomping on what looks like a fruit roll-up). He stares at her impressed with her brazenness. (Maybe).

An extremely pregnant Busy Phillips (Yeah, "Freaks and Geeks") is showing Derek and Sarah a beautiful three bedroom, brick home. She's kind of a hippie chick, letting her bump hang out. She's the next door neighbor. The home owners are in Tokyo for a year. Busy gestures at Sarah's cuts and scrapes, and she brushes it off as a family car accident. Busy complains about her Orca-size proportions. Sarah says there are worse things to be. Cameron enters and looks quizzically at Busy's belly. Cameron feels her belly. Sarah says they'll move in today.

Agent Ellison comes to Dixon's house and confonts Mrs. Dixon. There is a gun out and Michelle says she doesn't know what it's about since Charley hates guns. Dixon returns and wonders what's going on. Ellison says they need to talk.

At the new house Sarah walks around appraising the homey environment. She reclines on a loveseat and broods. She starts to fall asleep just as gaping wound guy breaks in the French doors. Cameron goes to check the perimeter with a scoped rifle as Derek and Sarah wrestle with gaping wound guy who keeps saying "Stop Greenway." Derek's all "who's Greenway?" He squeezes out something about something happening at a power plant in Serrano Point in two days and then dies. Sarah says he's from the future, sent by John. Derek says he'll handle whatever is happening with Greenway at Serrano Point. Sarah doesn't think so.

We get a glimpse of Serrano Point in the future- spaceships attacking, resistance fighters firing missiles at the spaceships. Derek exposits that it's a key power stronghold in the future. Sarah wonders what will happen in two days. Cameron thinks they can find out from Greenway.

We cut to Sarah and Cameron with IDs entering the plant as temp janitors. The duo watch a cartoon depiction of how the plant works: uranium rods, cooling, containment meltdown. A black woman showing them around wonders why they look so rough around the edges. They answer simultaneously "car accident." She tells them to be careful of going in the fuel building without proper coverage or they'll be fried. Cameron spots Greenway as he walks by. (He's Paul Schulze of "24"-Ryan Chappelle/"Sopranos"Father Intintola fame.) (Man between this one, Kim Kelly from "Freaks and Geeks," Penny from "Lost," not to mention Dennis the last beeper salesman in New York from "30 Rock," this is one star-studded supporting cast).

At the Dixon house Michelle is flabbergasted that Sarah is alive, in L.A. and that there are killer robots on the loose. Dixon assures her that he doesn't love Sarah "like that" anymore. She slaps him, noting that of all the things he just spilled that would seem to be the least of their worries. She departs. Ellison says "you two need to leave this place," that it's not safe. Dixon wonders where is.

At a food cart Riley explains she got the boot from Catholic school for a little star tattoo on her wrist. She asks what's up with his face. "Car accident." Everyone's fine he says. He tells her his mom found a new house today and wonders if she wants to come over. (Because nothing says "I like you" than putting a new friend immediately in harm's way.)

Back at the Plant Greenway is double checking stuff since the plant is going back on line tomorrow. He gulps some pills. Sarah, pushing a cart, says she'd have a headache too if she had his job. He says they're just vitamins. She introduces herself as Kara from Elgin, Texas. Unsurprisingly, Greenway was stationed right near there in the Navy. Small (fictional) world observes Sarah/Kara. She asks about how the plant goes about going back on line. Perfectly, he hopes. A supervisor type asks for a word with Greenway. As he departs she grabs the empty pill bottle from the trash. Supervisor guy is leading Greenway across a metal walkway to another building saying that the plant is going back on no matter what and they won't let Greenway stall them. Sarah/Kara tries to follow but she doesn't have the right kind of security card for the swipe-y thing. Supervisor guy, who is yelling at Greenway, catches a glimpse of movement through the window in the door. Sarah/Kara shrinks to one side so he doesn't see her when he comes to check.

John and Riley survey the new house. She thinks it's nice. He looks around oddly. She jokes "never brought a girl home before?" He says he hasn't. They check out his room, which is decked out for a little kid with toys. "She's got to be kidding," he says.

At a bar where, apparently, all the plant personnel hang out from security to managment to janitors, Sarah/Kara sidles up to Greenway who's sitting at the bar drinking tonic water. She chats him up about his life: 12 years in the Navy on a nuclear sub, a cheating wife, cancer. (Which accounts for the big scar on his bicep.) He's worried that he's spooked her with the cancer talk. (Understandably, she doesn't explain she will die of cancer in the future). Supervisor guy looks on from the other end of the bar. Greenway says she wouldn't be the first to be spooked since in a new plant a guy with cancer is like a black cat, but in 20 years of working with nukes he's never been exposed. Lucky, says Sarah. Greenway agrees. Sarah says he seems like a good guy and that if the others won't drink with him it's their loss. That's not the reason they won't drink with him he says.

Meanwhile, across the bar Cameron is checking out the jukebox. She goes up to some security guys playing pool. She says it looks like fun. One guy says it's fun but that Bob here, gesturing to his buddy, says he can beat anybody for 50 bucks. She says she'll play, how hard can it be. First security guy says it's plenty hard and explains how to shoot. (As he does she scans his security card). She leans over and with her fancy Terminator brain calculates the perfect angle. She sinks half the balls on the first shot. Bob is not pleased.

Out in the parking lot Derek is tossing Greenway's car as a pink pick-up pulls up and a man with a crowbar gets out and smashes Greenway's back window. Derek hides but the pick-up guy just takes off after doing his damage.

In the bar Cameron is counting a wad of cash when Derek enters and tells her and Sarah about the smashed windshield. Sarah reports that he has a lot of enemies since he stopped the last test over safety concerns. People are afraid the plant will get shut down and lose their jobs if he stops the test scheduled for tomorrow. Cameron confirms the reactor is showing irregularities. They're between a rock and a Skynet place because if Greenway doesn't stop the test and the reactor melts down half the area will be contaminated but if he stops it, the plant can't be used by the resistance fighters.

Riley is checking out the fridge as they walk around the house. She pulls out some ice cream. Sarah arrives home. John introduces her. Sarah pulls John aside. Cameron appraises Riley. Riley looks nervous.

Sarah is all you just brought a girl you just met home? He wonders when exactly the time will be right to live his life. Riley says she can leave. John says everything is fine and takes Riley's hand and leads her upstairs. Sarah is flummoxed. Cameron sits and the table and creates a security card. Sarah goes up and touches John's doorknob but doesn't knock.

Inside the room, John and Riley lie head to toe and she asks if he ever thinks about the future and freedom from the tyranny of parents. He admits he thinks about the future quite a bit but he doesn't know about freedom. She says her parents are freaks. "Yours too?" he asks. They gaze at the stars that the former inhabitant of the room put on the ceiling.

Back at the plant Sarah tails supervisor guy with her new security badge. She enters a room with a "radioactive materials" warning on the door. It's full of cinematic smoke as she walks around. She approaches a red door with "radiation" printed on it and people in protective suits working. Supervisor guy comes up behind her and wonders what she's doing. She claims to be looking for the supply room. He tells her that a lift has leaked some hydraulic fluid and to suit up and clean it up.

She suits up and enters the room, fll of 55 gallon drums of waste being carted around. She's sweating and breathing heavy and then busts out of the room and takes off the suit. Someone waves a wand over her and it crackles. Supervisor guy, somewhat gleefully, reports she's been fried. (The source of her cancer?) She gets the Karen Silkwood "rubdown." (People in suits attack her wth water and brushes.)

Back in John's room it's morning and Riley is sitting at the end of his bed. She's made a LEGO robot to protect him while he sleeps. He wonders if he looks like he needs protection. "If you don't want it," she says. He takes it. She says she's going to try to make it to English. He says he's going to ditch. She throws her phone at home and asks if she can call him. He programs in his number but says that, even though it's weird, whenever she calls him the first words out of her mouth need to be the date. She wonders why. Because that's the way it is, he says. She takes off.

In a blue johnny Sarah is getting wanded. Supervisor guy returns with the same clothes she was wearing. She wonders if they weren't fried. He says it turns out they weren't and that the positive read was a hiccup, a problem with the scanners. He walks off.

At the Dixon house, Dixon is carrying a gym bag to his truck and Ellison approaches him saying he wanted to see him off. Ellison asks after Michelle, who is emerging from the house. Dixon says they wanted to raise kids in this house but that you can't plan for anything. Michelle gets in the truck. Ellison gives him a bible, "for the road." Dixon asks what Ellison is going to do. Ellison says "we'll see." Dixon takes off.

Back at the plant it's T-minus two minutes to the test. Greenway is now insisting that everything is fine. Sarah, who inexplicably is in the control room, calls Derek telling him there's something wrong with Greenway. Derek is at his house. Sarah looks over at Greenway and realizes that his scar is missing. (Uh-oh, somebody's been taken over). Derek sees Greenway hanging from his ceiling. Sarah watches as Terminator Greenway counts down from 5. The reactor comes back online and all the panels are green. At least until the commercial starts.

Terminator Greenway walks down some stairs and begins spinning a big red wheel, releasing some white smoke/gas. Sarah goes to find Cameron and tells her Greenway has been replaced by a machine. Cameron doesn't react and says she's thinking about what she should do. An alarm goes off and some guys run by nattering on about a leak. Sarah tells Cameron to go fix it.

Terminator Greenway returns to the control room and tells a semi-hysterical underling that everything going to be fine. Underling say, nuh-uh, the reactor is going to melt down and rushes off to futz with the cooling system. Terminator Greenway shuts the door behind him. The other people in the control room look at him, he tells them to remain calm. Supervisor guy arrives to see that Greenway has killed them all. Greenway spots him and throws him into the wall.

Derek drives up as people are fleeing the plant.

Cameron is spinning the big red wheels the other way when Greenway attacks her from behind. They fight.

Sarah and Derek enter the control room and a countdown to melt down is on screen. Supervisor guy is out cold. Sarah rushes over and starts to rifle through the "emergency manual." (Seriously? This is starting to feel like a MacGruber sketch). Derek says there's no way, there's not enough time. Sarah has found the proper page, though and won't be pulled away. Derek grabs the red phone and a man on the other end asks for a security code. Sarah sees Cameron and Greenway fighting and rushes off leaving him.

The terminators fight. Sarah runs and takes out a security guard and grabs his machine gun. She approaches the radioactive room with out a suit and runs through it. Derek, wisely, does not follow suit. Sarah shoots Greenway and Cameron pushes him into some tanks, revealing his silver Terminator underpinnings. Sarah, still with the gun trained on Cameron, she akss Cameron if she's okay. She is. She goes and finishes spinning the red wheels, avoiding disaster.

In the radioactive room, Cameron puts the Terminator Greenway parts and some video tapes in a waste drum. Back at home she runs a wand over Sarah, it crackles. But Cameron says she's clean. Sarah asks Cameron about the cancer, and if she'll still get sick and if today is how it happened. Cameron says she doesn't know. Sarah wonders if she's going to go off like a time bomb some day. Cameron says she doesn't know, and asks if she is going to do the same.

Cameron enters the house and says to John, "you have a new friend." John says her name is Riley and you probably creeped her out. He advises her to not stand so close to people. Cameron says she was just assessing her threat level. John asks if he's safe. Cameron says she doesn't know, "girls are complicated." John says regarding what she said to him before about not being able to trust him? He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. Including her. Cameron walks away.

John's phone rings. It's Riley, who wisely says the date first. "16 November." She hangs up. It was a test.

Sarah leans against the car outside. She notices a bloody handprint on a post on the house. She walks further and sees another on the door. She pushes the door open and walks into a dark basement room. We see a wall full of words smeared in blood including "Greenway," "Alpine Field," "Wallace Brooks" and more. The camera pulls back to show Cameron, Derek, John, and Sarah all standing in a line appraising the wall. Sarah approaches and touches a word. The blood is still wet.

Cut to Sarah, taking a shower.

Cut to a man speaking to the press in front of the plant saying that because of the tragic incident at Serrano Point, it and six other power plants are joining into a partnership with his organization, Automight systems. Apparently, they're going to equip all their control rooms with sophisticated machines that will eliminate human error. (Ruh-roh). The man walks down some steps and into a waiting car... and morphs into Catherine Weaver.