I had originally meant to review this show on release earlier in 2024, but it wasn’t meant to be. I didn’t get around to watching the series until a few weeks ago. I’ll admit I’m not the most well-educated on the Terminator franchise as of yet, I’ve not seen all the films but the first two I enjoy quite a bit. As action films go, the series is certainly ambitious, handles many powerful themes, and was instrumental in shaping science fiction in years to come.  

Terminator Zero is the latest foray of the franchise into animation. The series is eight episodes in length and is produced by Production I.G and Skydance Television with episodes streaming on  Netflix. The story of Terminator Zero is set in Japan where a scientist by the name of Malcolm Lee is targeted for assassination by Skynet who sends a Terminator to execute him. Lee is developing an AI named Kokoro who is meant to put a stop to Skynet before Judgement Day arrives and the program takes ownership of the world.

Similar to the original film the human lead resistance in the future sends one of their best soldiers named Eiko back in time to put a stop to Lee’s death and foil Skynet’s plans. As you may be able to tell from that brief overview of the plot, I wouldn’t recommend this series to someone who has never seen the original film. It certainly relies on the viewer having prior knowledge of the premise beforehand making it a tough sell for newcomers.

If you’re familiar with the franchise, then I think this is at least worth your time. Terminator Zero certainly goes in some interesting directions throughout the series, playing with the mythos in a way that feels like a natural extension of the live-action films. The story again chooses to hone in on the philosophical science fiction themes surrounding the nature of humanity, morality, and artificial life. Although the original series explored these concepts at length, their inclusion here is again warranted as it shows the writers at least understand the draw of the source material. 

Misaki, Malcolm’s housekeeper is a true standout amongst the cast and her storyline feels fresh amongst the familiar cat-and-mouse chase between the Terminator and Eiko. Our new characters, while not as compelling as the likes of Sarah Connor or the T-800 are still given some intriguing character arcs that promise to develop into more complex storylines within a potential second season. This is probably my biggest issue with the series as a whole. Like the first Terminator film, this series only scratches the surface of the true scale planned for the story.  I fear these plans may cause the show to devolve into an overly complicated mess but as of now, there was just enough in the first season to hook me. 

In terms of animation, the show looks solid with beautiful backgrounds and a few great action sequences. However, there is a lack of true grandiose set pieces like those present in Terminator 2: Judgement Day and its sequels. The Terminator in this story also lacks the same presence that Arnold Schwarzenegger brought to the role, which was disappointing. Perhaps if he had utilized more unique weaponry or tactical prowess he could have stuck out more amongst the sea of robotic menaces developed by Skynet.

On the other hand, I enjoyed the score composed by Michelle Birsky and Kevin Henthorn. It is played constantly throughout the series and for good reason. I love how they took subtle elements from the original film soundtrack and remixed them slightly creating suitably atmospheric and robotic vignettes that sound right at home in both the grim future and present day. While Terminator Zero never truly wowed me I still managed to find some entertainment. I think there is potential for the series to go in new directions within future seasons. If you are a Terminator fan I also think you’ll find a good amount to love here.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Terminator Zero

0.00

5

Score

5.0/10

Pros

• Misaki's storyline
• Decent animation and action
• Overall decent plot

Cons

• Lots of setup
• Action lacks big blockbuster moments
• Can be convoluted