Josh Friedman, the executive producer on Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles (T:tSCC), spilled some insights into season two in a recent interview with Josie SF for io9. (spoilers)

Given the drive in the previous season, it was interesting to learn that in Friedman's view that push of the show is not to prevent the apocalypse, and that Skynet is inevitable. The focus is instead is on will John become what is needed. Furthermore, given that the inevitability of the robot apocalypse, the show is about, "what are you going to do with your day knowing you're going to die?"

However, as a result of the future John Connor sending back Cameron, the present John Conner will be changed by the intensity of that relationship in ways Friedman referred to as "problematic."

Friedman also talked about the high school plot arc from last season. While initially introduced to show that high school has its own dangers, the arc was interrupted by the Writer's Strike and will not resume in Season 2. So the mystery of those paintings and the suicide will remain a mystery.

However, Friedman does have a plan for John's high school years. Since the point of the series is to raise a leader, not a hot-house flower hiding in a bunker, John will be learning valuable skills away from his mother's protection.

He'll also be getting a new love interest this season, who will serve as yet another influence on John.

Beyond John's growth, Friedman promised that there will be a continued emphasis on strong female characters in Season 2. Along with Sarah Connor, the nominally female Terminator-Cameron and Shirley Manson as a powerful CEO character, they'll be adding a new neighbor for Sarah to interact with, who will be played by Busy Philipps (Feaks and Geeks). Busy's character, and the actress herself when they started filming, will be eight months pregnant when introduced. On Busy's role, Friedman said,

"And you realize, you never see... pregnant women on television. You see fake pregnant women on television... It's important for people to see that, if you're going to put on the sexy robots, you need to put on other representations of women and the female form. Not for political reasons — I do it because it works on the show, and there's a reason thematically."

He went on to explain that as a single mother, Busy's character will have a number of parallels with Sarah's character, as a mirror to what she could have been like if not carrying the huge burden of the future.

Sources
http://io9.com/5029402/sarah-connor-producer-tells-io9-the-terminators-deepest-secrets