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It wasn't until shortly before the second Terminator movie came out in 1991 that I first saw the original. I was in high school. Obviously, Terminator 2: Judgement Day is the best film in the series. And it's also long been my own opinion that the fourth film, Terminator: Salvation was the worst. But after urgings from my brother that it really wasn't so bad, I had to rewatch. That led to this - a brief recap of the highlights and lowlights of each film. What better time than The Great Quarantine to re-watch them?

For each of the films, I'm going to go over some of the best and worst bits, highlighted by plusses and minuses.

The Terminator

So much of what made the original film great is that nothing like this had been done before. The special effects that were done with models rather than CG, the humans vs machines concept, the very idea of using time travel to retroactively assassinate an enemy.

Starting in this movie, and continuing in the second, James Cameron does an amazing job of conveying just how unstoppable the machine is. Movies beyond the second just don't convey that in the same way.

Michael Biehn was awesome in every one of James Cameron's trifecta: The Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss.

The music. From the iconic five drumbeats that most people would recognize anywhere, to the synth soundtrack. Dated? Sure. But classic.

There's something satisfying about watching a crazy-seeming time traveler try to convince someone just living a normal life that something supernatural is real, and then seeing it proven.

Arnold's assault of the police station. Trained officers just aren't prepared to shoot a guy in the face and have him not go down.

The bad editing. Right at the beginning, you can see a guy's mouth moving out-of-sync with the voice, as it repeats a recording of something he said eight seconds prior.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day

For me, this film remains head-and-shoulders better than any of the others in the series. When the movie first came out, it was all about the special effects, which were a breakthrough at the time. But it really is about more than that.

Perhaps this film's greatest bit of genius is the switch-up whereby Arnold is the protector, and the guy you might initially take to be a human is the real villain. They conceal it well at the film's outset.

Linda's Hamilton's performance, and her physical transformation between the first and second film. Outstanding.

The idea and the execution of the T-2000, who can perfectly imitate anyone, and can be shattered into a thousand pieces with no lasting harm.

Sarah Connor deciding that she can't go through with the assassination of Myles Dyson, his conversion to our heroes' cause, and his final redemption.

"If a Terminator can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too."

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

The third terminator film is the first one not directed by James Cameron. Maybe that's why the series went off a cliff at this point. I still think that my script idea would have been better.

The idea of sending a robot back to kick off the war and kill resistance lieutenants is a good one.

The Terminatrix is dumb. The name, obviously fashioned after dominatrix is dumb. The idea that the next terminator has to be even more advanced than the T-2000 is dumb. And the ridiculous sex face that she makes after first tasting John Connor's blood is dumb dumb dumb.

I absolutely hated when the Terminatrix managed to drive other cars using nanites. Even if she could take control of the computers inside those cars, they weren't equipped with motors to control the steering wheels, accelerators, and brakes.

The scene with Earl Boen's trauma counselor, first seen in the original Terminator movie, and who had an even bigger role in Terminator 2, was one of the best parts of the film.

Sarah Connor dead of... melanoma? Bummer.

I can see what they were going for when Kristanna Loken's Terminatrix said "I like this car", and "I like your gun" before she stole those items, imitating Robert Patrick in T2. But it was a bit too much.

Seeing the early prototype T-1 tanks and the flying hunter-killer prototypes was pretty cool.

Arnold trying to kill them while retaining control of his voice to warn them felt really dumb. "Desire is irrelevant. I... am... a machine!"

The revision of the scene from Terminator 2 where Arnold goes into a bar to steal clothing, except this time it's a strip club for ladies. The glasses he gets are pink and star-shaped.

A lot of the dialogue was actually pretty good. "Drop the gun. And... the coffin!"

Terminator 4: Salvation

Since first seeing it, I've always referred to this film as the worst one in the series, which is sad because I'd had such high hopes for Terminator 4. But I rewatched it, and I've got some thoughts.

The focus on a main character who turns out to be half robot was dumb. It's probably one of my biggest complaints.

I'm really glad that we finally got to see a T-600, although I'd been under the impression from the original Terminator that they were infiltrators, like the T-800, rather than patrol-and-destroy robots. I'd have liked to see the plastic skin that Michael Biehn's Kyle Reese claimed that they so easily spotted.

I liked the use of a signal as a weapon against the machines. It would seem to mean that the machines have crap for infosec, but this is explained later in the movie.

I liked that not all humans were resistance. Some were simply survivalists with no drive to fight the seemingly unbeatable machines.

The aerostats, simply drones that scout and relay information to Skynet. And the hydrobots, which lurk underwater to leap out, grab, and drown humans. Inventive bots - very cool.

I don't like Christian Bale.

I'm a fan of Moon Bloodgood, who I first saw in the excellent TV series Journeyman. And Michael Rooker is always good.

The brief usage of Guns & Roses You Could Be Mine from Terminator 2 was a nice touch.

I liked when the terminator used a simulated voice to lure in John Connor.

The Terminators in this movie all have a signature combat move as stupid as Hulk Hogan's legdrop: The throw. Rather than grappling humans and using their obviously superior strength, weight, and durability, they throw them, enabling them to get away. Then, they walk over and throw them again.

Terminator: Genisys

I've long had a soft spot for Terminator: Genisys. As with many of the movies in the series, there are bits that are absolute garbage. But it had redeeming moments.

The decision to showcase a machine life form even more advanced than those we'd yet seen and have him be made of nanites? Bad decision.

I really liked the recreation of Arnold's original appearance in the first Terminator movie. It's too bad that Bill Paxton couldn't be involved.

Nobody's going to kill it like Linda Hamilton did in T2. That said, Emilia Clarke did a fantastic job. The turnaround whereby she saves Kyle Reese from a Terminator rather than the reverse was awesome.

Having Genisys be the exciting new phone app which is actually going to end the world? Dumb.

Arnold's role as Pops was probably my favorite of his outside of the first two films.

The ending where Arnold gets dipped in magical metal and becomes a T-2000? Horribly stupid.

Terminator: Dark Fate

The switch from John Connor being all-important and Skynet being the enemy worked out surprisingly well in this reboot.

They ignore the existence of every Terminator film beyond the first two. Namely, the good ones.

I love that they switched this one up so much. John Connor dies in the first couple minutes, shortly after the events of Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

Sarah Connor's return was long-overdue. She's still a badass.

They had to go again and make another even-more-advanced Terminator.

My reactions after re-watching the series? I still think Terminator 2: Judgement Day is the best one. No surprise there. And I still think the original Terminator is second best. As for the other four? They're all okay, and they all have both good and bad bits. I no longer think I can place any of them above any other.