It’s been a couple of weeks since the final episode of Dollhouse hit the airwaves, and it’s taken me that long to really process what this season’s highs and lows have led to. While that may not seem necessary to some, the complete adrenaline-high I received in the final few episodes was so much that I needed to step back and retrace the events, right from the start. Sure, Dollhouse was just a tv show, and not even a hugely respected one (thus the cancellation) but that doesn’t mean its content was flimsy. Whedon is great at building shows with many layers and hidden arcs, and while they may not be as completely headf**king as say, the ones on Lost, they certainly pack a punch. So it’s very sad to see that he was forced to cram everything into roughly four episodes, with very little time to develop the smaller nuances he usually does so well.

The issue of pacing has its roots in Whedon’s approach to the show. Initially the show was moving at a slower pace, with frequent standalone episodes that contributed very little to the overall arc. We saw lots of different personae, with slight Echo aftereffects. If Dollhouse was anchored with the station, he would probably still be taking this approach. Unfortunately it quickly became apparent that time was growing short and the core plotlines needed addressing, and so the standalone episodes became far more integrated into the show’s mythology. Season 1 took this approach, but included standalone episodes all along the time line. Season 2, however, felt as though there was a clearly defined break between segments: those that aired prior to the November hiatus and those that aired after.

The initial episodes were primarily standalone and, with the exception of “Belonging”, could be ignored. They were just more imprints for Echo’s character. The episodes after the hiatus took on a far more frantic pace, attempting to bring in politics and intrigue while progressing both the mythology of the Dollhouse and character development. The double bill airings meant that you were getting hit with an awful lot of information every Friday night. The twists were addictive, but the nuances were lost. This pace continued right up to “The Hollow Men”, an episode that closed the story and could have closed the series nicely, had it not been for one little problem. That extra episode from season 1, “Epitaph 1″. This episode prevented the nice little ending provided by “The Hollow Men,” and almost guaranteed that a large portion of the viewing public would be royally pissed off.

I went into this season in a situation similar to a large percentage of the Dollhouse-watching public. I hadn’t seen “Epitaph 1″. It was an extra episode released on the dvd boxset and only aired months after the first season finished. I had no knowledge of the future that was set in stone, of the horrors that the tech could produce or of the relationships that would form. I remained that way right up until the third to last episode, “Getting Closer”, aired. This is the episode where everything gets turned on its head, where previously true-blue people revealed hidden aspects and where you realise how screwed up everything really is.

I’m glad I didn’t see “Epitaph 1″ before then, because apart from providing a sense of doom to the remaining episodes, a lot of its footage is scattered throughout season 2. While it was a cool experience to watch and recognize clips, I definitely preferred to experience them for the first time as they occurred, not as flashbacks. According to the DVD’s commentary for this episode, Whedon and his writers created the story for Epitaph 1 with no really solid idea of how the time line between the present and the future would unfold. When watching this season for the second time (in order to get a better grasp on everything, I’ve since re-watched season 2. I highly recommend it), it certainly felt as though connections were being made in order to tie up issues. Some issues were left hanging with no real explanation (or mention) whilst others were addressed in a patchy way.

One of the biggest issues people seem to be having is that the story was finished poorly. Over the years, I’ve observed that a large percentage of the viewing public see time leaping within a show as cheating. Moving forward X years is thought of as a means to get writers off the hook for the interim period. Unfortunately, with “Epitaph 1″ floating around in the ether as a way to finish off the show in case of cancellation, season 2 was written into a corner. As soon as cancellation news came down from on high, it was practically set in stone that the end of the season would deal with the future. Otherwise the story would never be finished and the tech would rule forever.

Given that there was only a finite number of episodes to cover the end of the plot arc and deal with tying up “Epitaph” loose ends, a time leap was inevitable, and it definitely left viewers with several hundred unanswered questions. Sure, some endings were satisfying, such as knowing that Sierra/Priya and Victor/Anthony did eventually get to start their life together. Others were unfortunate, but understandable. Paul’s death in battle (so reminiscent of Anya’s abrupt end in Buffy) was believable, given how he lived his life. I don’t agree with the crazy-ass solution Alpha/Echo came up with so that she could have him back, but it was logical for her. Knowing that Alpha somehow re-programmed himself to be a good guy was somewhat odd, but he was never really sane to begin with. It didn’t make you want to throw a handy nearby object at the TV.

Unfortunately the issue of how we got from destroying the Rossum corp. to tech ruining the world was addressed too vaguely to truly satisfy. Brief nods to what happened may avoid the unpleasant “exposition scene”, but they also drive followers mad with their lack of detail. The writers themselves didn’t seem to quite know what happened, and this shows far too much to be forgiven. There is some comfort in knowing that if a Serenity situation does arise, Whedon has the absolute perfect period in which to set it, and if that can’t be achieved then the Dollhouse could live on in comic form, just as Buffy, Angel and Firefly have done.

Of course, whether or not Dollhouse lives on in another form in the future, it is gone for now. Like Firefly before it, Dollhouse has been canceled too soon to realize its true potential, although it was given a long enough reprieve to finish off most of its stories in style. The final season may have been focused more on the exhilaration and excitement than on subtle character development, but it made for an enjoyable ride. Even “Epitaph 2″ was worth the watch, though it did leave me wishing “The Hollow Men” had been the finale instead. The irritation caused by a sheer lack of detail is canceled out by the months of enjoyment provided by the remainder of the season.

So, when all is said and done, was Dollhouse worth the watch? Absolutely. Did season 2 improve on season 1? Definitely. Will I be buying the DVDs when they come out? You bet. However, do I think it’s up there with Buffy, Angel and Firefly? Sadly, no. When it was on top of its game, Dollhouse was up with the best of the Whedon productions, but unfortunately that wasn’t as high a percentage of episodes as it should have been. Perhaps it could have improved dramatically if given another season, it certainly did in this one. But with the Friday night slot, a network that bought one show but wanted another and a public not quite comfortable with the entire concept of the show, it’s amazing that it even got a second shot and I for one am glad that it did. Savour what remains of the Dollhouse. Remember the good, forgive and forget the bad, and finally, start hoping that it returns in another form to fill in the blanks.

Almost everyone that’s ever been a child knows the story of Sleeping Beauty. Baby is born, three nice fairies give her gifts but one not so nice one (aptly named Maleficent) provides her with a death sentence. In order to prevent this, the fairies change the curse from death to sleep, thus giving her the name “Sleeping Beauty”.

Unfortunately, Maleficent’s motives for such a horrible present are never really explained. Sure, there’s a cursory nod given, but not being invited to the party is a bit of a minor offense to earn the death of a child. So it’s fortunate that the master of eerie angles and gothic style, Tim Burton, may plan on examining the story from her point of view and finally explaining why she hated the baby so much.

Despite earlier assumptions that Burton’s next project would be an adaptation of “Dark Shadows”, a 1960s tv show, it now seems that the House of Mouse may be too strong to break away from just yet. With the upcoming “Alice in Wonderland” adaptation generating so much positive buzz, its easy to see the attraction for Disney. It’s been proven* that retelling a story from the “villain’s” point of view can work extraordinarily well. Add to that Burton’s talent for dealing with the darker side of stories and there’s the makings of a fairy tale with a totally new vibe and a sympathetic evil character. This could even be Disney’s very own Sweeney Todd! Though probably with a lot less blood.

Of course, as with all Burton movies, the first question in everyone’s mind is “who will Johnny Depp play?” My money’s on the evil raven.

*One of the more recent examples is the success of “Wicked”, the novel adapted into a Broadway musical that retells the story of the Wizard of Oz from the “Wicked” witch’s side. If you haven’t seen or read it, it’s definitely worth taking a look.

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 9/8c

Episode: “Dan de Fleurette” (Season 3, Episode 4)

Synopsis: Dan falls for Vanessa’s new roommate, who’s more than she appears. Blair, at her wit’s end over her lack of progress in NYU social circles, receives a report that Jenny is attempting to dismantle the hierarchy at Constance, prompting her to rush back to her old fiefdom in its defense. However, after a carefully planned series of events coordinated by Chuck, she realises that NYU is hers to conquer, she just needs to find the right method. When Lily arrives home and discovers Serena’s deferral of Brown, she’s not best pleased, leaving Serena feeling as though she’s never good enough, even when she finds a job she’s good at.

Review: It’s getting harder and harder to review “Gossip Girl”, as there’s been very little to talk about. At this point, 3 seasons into the show, there’s not much point in discussing how well or badly the current episodes are holding up to the first season. It’s no longer relevant. So therefore, from this week onwards casting the eye backwards won’t be a constant aspect of the review. It’s a serialized drama with an overall story arc and many many episode-length mini-dramas. Should there be more mini-drama than story/character progress, then that’s something we just have to deal with.

With all that said, it’s time to move on to reviewing “Dan de Fleurette”, and as episodes go, this was a pretty entertaining one. The guest stars may have been a tad distracting, particularly Tyra as she looked slightly ill much of the time, but Hilary Duff seems to have formed a decent connection with Penn Badgley. Since it looks like they’ll be spending a good deal of time together over the next few weeks, that’s a good thing.

Serena’s dramas with her mother seem to be somewhat ridiculous. For a woman that wants her daughter to be happy (and doesn’t every mother?), she’s behaving atrociously. Serena has said she’ll go to college after a year’s deferral, and as far as I can tell, that’s perfectly reasonable. So why is Lily acting so irrationally and insisting that Serena charge straight off to Brown? Congratulations to Kelly Rutherford for successfully portraying the utter frustration Lily feels about Serena’s decision, along with doling out the blame to Rufus (who deserving nothing but thanks for his behaviour, but it’s not like that matters) for his “part” in things. Serena’s job-hunting was a little dull, but her eventual role seems to suit her and hopefully she’ll keep her job for a few episodes so that we can see the princess dealing with divas. Of course, it’d be funnier witnessing Blair running after them, but we can’t have everything.

Speaking of Blair, her downward spiral of self-doubt and longing for the familiarity of the old finally hit bottom, and it’s about time. I have no patience for a whiny Blair, this is the Queen of Bitch-town and it’s about time she got her ass in gear. Georgina Sparks may have made Blair’s quest to conquer NYU more difficult, but it’s not impossible. Now Blair is off the mat (thanks to the wonderful Chuck, who is far more of a sweetheart than he’d ever let on), she’ll prove to everyone that it takes more than a little public humiliation to keep Blair Waldorf down. While Leighton Meester isn’t bad at the whiny act, she excels at the Queen Bitch persona, so I’m looking forward to seeing that back in action in the next episode.

Up Next Week: “Rufus Getting Married” – Georgina’s back, but will her arrival have a ripple effect? Rufus and Lily move up their wedding plans, but someone or something threatens to ruin the event. Carter’s not being completely honest with Serena, but if the news comes from an enemy will it be believed?

Catch up on Gossip Girl here.

Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Just like on the Gossip Girl beat, due to college work kicking my ass over the last month, I’m rolling this week’s and last week’s “Dollhouse” reviews into one big (late) bundle of joy for your reading pleasure. Things should return to their regularly scheduled review roll out times this week.

Episode: “Vows” (Season 2, Episode 1)

Synopsis: It’s six months after Alpha’s attack and Echo’s continuing glitches place her and her mission in danger when trauma triggers a semi-wipe. Saunders continues to struggle with the realization that her personality is not her own, with Topher suffering the consequences. Ballard attempts to adjust to working within the Dollhouse after so long trying to take it down, but just as he accepts DeWitt’s offer to act as Echo’s handler, a new enemy rises against the Dollhouse on a much more public stage.

Review: Poor Topher, Saunders/Whiskey is messing with his head, he sleeps in a server room and he’s so unable to deal with work that he’s offloading it onto Ivy, the girl he barely trusted to manage getting snacks for him properly last season. It seems that everything Saunders said about hating Topher, about him building her to hate him, it wasn’t the case. She made that decision all on her own. So what is it about him that’s so awful and why does her hatred of him upset him so much?

Speaking of Saunders, it’s a pity that she won’t be around much this season, what with Amy Acker getting a regular slot over on ABC’s new drama, “Happy Town”, because her storyline already has me hooked. How does a person deal with the fact they’re not who they think they are? How does a doll deal with the concept of its body being reclaimed by its original owner, even if it results in the end of their own persona’s existence? Saunders is right, if she goes back to the person she was before Whisky, she’s killing the person she’s become. There’s a wealth of material within that storyline alone, but based on what happened at the end of this episode, coupled with Acker’s unavailability, it doesn’t seem like Whedon will get a chance to really delve into it.

Happily, there are signs of reasonably strong threads running within “Vows”, other than just Saunders’ struggles. Echo’s struggle to deal with her memories, coupled with her vulnerability to glitches means that imprints might start blending soon. I have to admit, Dushku’s performance definitely improved, as she carried off the happy clappy newlywed, the tough-talking FBI(?) agent and the battered wife lying through her teeth to save her ass. If only she could work on her doll-performance then we’d really be getting somewhere.

Of lesser interest (though it’s sure to increase in importance as we progress through the season) is the appearance of a public threat to the Rossum Corperation, the parent company controlling Dollhouses all over the world. Senator Perrin (played by another Whedon alum, Alexis Denisof, with a very distracting non-British accent) is a very public figure, he can’t be brushed off the way Ballard was, and he may be able to swing focus onto the darker parts of the company. It seems that he doesn’t even know what he’s looking at, but surely it won’t be long before he becomes more informed.

Overall, the persona of the week (potw, for future reference!) storyline was, as usual, not what we watch the show for. The character development, particularly the Saunders-related storylines, were very strong. Watching Echo flip into a new persona to protect herself from the situation shows great promise, and if we could continue to have that sort of content with less focus on the potw, Dollhouse will definitely make good on all the potential it holds. So why, after a great finale and a solid enough season opener (hell it was far better than Gossip Girl’s!), did it yet again fail to improve, ratings wise? If the fans aren’t careful, Dollhouse will fall under Fox’s axe.

Episode: “Instinct” (Season 2, Episode 2)

Synopsis: When Topher takes his imprinting process to the next level, he accidentally causes too deep a bond between Echo and her pseudo-son. When the engagement is cut short, the call of motherhood proves too strong for a regular wipe and Echo’s willing to do anything to get “her” son back. Mellie is called back for a diagnostic, providing Ballard with a chance to see what a recovered doll is like. Senator Perrin receives an anonymous tip regarding the Rossum corporation and its lower-profile activities.

Review: After a promising start to the season, some great character development and plenty of unresolved issues, slightly let down by a shoddy potw, “Instinct” manages to do quite the opposite. Instead, we’re treated to quite a compelling potw, but the character development aspect was fairly neglected, with one character magically healing his issues somewhere between “Vows” and “Instinct”. Topher’s struggle and confusion seems to have been just my imagination, with the self-satisfied genius from early season one firmly back in the saddle. However, the potw aspect, with his reprogramming both Echo’s brain and body leaves many questions open, such as exactly where the limits of this technology lie. All this on top of the effects of such a deep bond on an doll such as Echo, one that already retains bits of everything. As she said herself, they make it so real for the dolls, so for all intents and purposes, Echo has just lost her son. Will that impact later decisions and interactions?

Sadly, not all of the episode was as interesting as Echo’s newest addition to her persona collection. We got to catch up with Mellie/Madeline/November, but honestly, who cares? Unless they’re setting up a storyline which demonstrates how becoming a doll can cause permanent damage, just let the character go. Even tormenting Ballard by dangling her in front of him is boring. Also, while it’s great to learn more about the Senator and his reasons for shedding light on Rossum’s under the table dealings, the segment didn’t fit into the episode, just like Mellie’s little snippets. There must be a reason for including these scenes, if only to continue building the storylines, but this sort of progress needs to be a logical part of the episode, not just part of the overall series arc. Dollhouse has already made this mistake, with early season one shoving scenes of Ballard’s investigation into random episodes without really integrating them into the stories cohesively. The writers really need to take a careful look at their current approach, because it really doesn’t pay to make the same mistake twice.

So, although there was a strong potw, something almost unheard of, the rest of the episode really lets the overall production down. Add to that a slip in the ratings (TVByTheNumbers puts Dollhouse‘s ratings at 2.09 million and 0.8/3) to bring the numbers to an all-series low and it’s not exactly a recipe for success. Fingers crossed that something improves and does it very very fast.

Up Next: “Belle Chose” – Topher slips up on the job, mixing Echo and Victor’s imprints. Meanwhile, DeWitt is approached by a family in crisis.

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive. Catch up on Dollhouse here.

Have you been watching Dollhouse? What’d you think? Is it living up to the concept? Does it deserve the ever decreasing audience numbers? Did Fox make the right choice by booting Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles over Dollhouse? Show off your opinions down below:

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 9/8c

Due to college work kicking my ass over the last month, I’m rolling this week’s and last week’s “Gossip Girl” reviews into one big (late) bundle of joy for your reading pleasure. Things should return to their regularly scheduled review roll out times this week!

Episode: “The Freshman” (Season 3, Episode 2)

Synopsis:

Blair attempts to rule the incoming freshman class at NYU, but finds that college isn’t quite the same as high school. Dan discovers the exact same thing, as he turns from zero to hero in the space of a few days. Georgina appears at NYU and quickly steals the pseudo-throne, only to lose it when her past comes back to haunt her. Consolation comes in the form of a dark and handsome familiar face that should know better. Meanwhile, Serena decides not to go to Brown, but hides at Chuck’s instead of admitting this to her mother, accidentally ruining his big business presentation in the process.

Review:

Despite a low quality start to the season, this episode certainly went a long way towards redeeming that slip. Blair and Chuck’s move from unstable pair playing games to stay fresh to a couple that support each other through the rough patches was very plausible, showing a strength to the relationship that we’ve seen flashes of up til now. Georgina’s scheming brought some humour and extra life to the forty minutes, even moreso when Blair’s retaliation showed up (one of her finer moves I must admit). Unfortunately, Serena’s storyline with Chuck didn’t quite reach the levels the rest of the episode did. Instead of being interesting and surprising, it was predictable and dull. From the moment Serena heard about Chuck’s super secret plan, it was destined to fail. A secondary dud appeared in the (mercifully) small amount of screen time we were forced to sit through with Nate and Bree. Happily, Dan’s meteoric rise to the top of the college social food chain was unexpected and had some enjoyable results, not to mention shockingly stupid. Apparently Dan had some form of lobotomy between the book shop and the party. But sticking to a character’s regular behaviour is so restrictive for writers, it’s obviously better to go with insanely unlikely stuff instead. At least it guarantees some watchable tv for the next while.

Episode: “The Lost Boy” (Season 3, Episode 3)

Synopsis:

Blair and Chuck wind up in a bidding war over what they both perceive to be the key to their respective successes. Dan and Georgina continue their romantic flirtation, but her penchant for naughty deeds costs her her new man. Vanessa learns the truth about Scott, but just when she thinks the others will follow, events take a strange turn. Nate & Bree take their relationship public, while Serena learns to trust her knight.

Review:

Notice how Scott wasn’t mentioned in the review for last week’s episode? That’s because his parts are just that forgettable. Heck, if his storyline this week wasn’t so fundamental to the progression of the rest of the season, I’d probably have forgotten him again. The actor (Chris Riggi) seems to only do two moods, bland and irate bland. Thankfully he’s going to be gone for a while, though how long remains to be seen, especially with Georgina hot on his heels. It’s a pity we lose her flair along with his sour puss, but since she’s got a regular spot over on the new medical drama on NBC (“Mercy“) we’re lucky to have her at all. The bickering and pushing between Blair and Chuck over the photo seemed forced, though at least the cause of both was interesting. At least it’s understandable for Blair to automatically assume that she’s been selected for a secret society, as she believes it to be her right. It’s a pity that the episode felt somewhat mid-season-esque, rather than improving on the previous episode’s progress up the interest scale. However, the plot is thickening between Carter and Serena, Blair and Chuck are toddling along with nothing but childish squabbles mucking them around and Georgina has a plan, which is usually worth the price of admission. It looks like Gossip Girl, while not exactly setting the world on fire, continues to give us just enough to keep us interested. Oh, and then there’s the cryptic exchange between Bree and Carter, maybe that character will actually gain a dimension. After all, Dan ended up making out with Georgina, proof positive that stranger things have happened..

Up Next: “Dan de Fleurette” – Jenny’s first day back means time to assume the reigns as Queen, but the old one may not be quite done with her title just yet. Meanwhile, the stars come out as Vanessa gets a new roommate, one that’s not quite your average college gal.

Read More: Gossip Girl Recaps

Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Reversals of Fortune” (Season 3, Episode 1)

Synopsis: We return to the world of Gossip Girl and her subjects as summer is drawing to a close, with the gang reflecting on the events of the season. Dan and Jenny have adapted to the Van Der Woodsen way of life, if only on the surface. Meanwhile, Serena’s summer abroad shows exactly how far a girl can go to get her daddy’s attention. Apparently events didn’t go as she’d hoped as she made a mad dash exit at the end of the last season. In a shocking twist, Nate and Vanessa did not end up together after their European summer experience. Instead, they’ve found far more interesting partners. As for Chuck and Blair, desperate to avoid falling into the humdrum rut of a regular relationship they’ve opted to play games, both in and out of the bedroom.

Review: For a season premiere, this episode lacked a lot of the punch designed to motivate viewers to stick with the show. Blair and Chuck’s opening game was beyond predictable, with the whole set up screaming, well, set up. Vanessa’s complaining about Dan was irritating, although she claimed it was because he was lying, it definitely appeared more to be his adoption of the high life at all. Dan’s speech to her explaining the reason for so many changes was a high point of the episode, showing Vanessa that she doesn’t know everything about his life. Maybe now she’ll stop whining. Serena’s wild child summer didn’t have the meat to hold up the bulk of the episode, which the writers attempted to have it do. Although her constant fleeing from Carter was interesting, the whole thing was more suited to a side plot.

However, when you think about it as a whole, there’s quite a list of subtle issues off and running. What will happen with Scott, now that he’s managed to insinuate himself into Dan and Jenny’s social circle? What are his motives? Can Chuck and Blair last when all they do is rely on games to keep things fresh? How is Nate’s grandfather going to ruin things for Nate now? That’s all before you cast your mind back to Georgina Sparks and her actions at the end of the last season. These things do linger, though this could be because I’m already a fan.

Of course, with college just around the corner, things are soon going to change for everyone, so perhaps more of the fire will return to GG then. At the moment though, it seems that we’re in somewhat of a “calm before the storm” lull. Hopefully, that will change. The show doesn’t have to rely on fire to survive, but it helps to have some sort of drive to it, rather than just floating in the current.

Up Next Week: “The Freshman” – Blair tries to prove herself Queen Bee of the Freshman class, but an old enemy gets in her way. Serena gets ready for Brown, but a row with Chuck sends her back to Carter seeking help to take him down a peg or two.

Catch up on Gossip Girl here.

Did you see the Gossip Girl premiere? Did you think it matched up to the quality of previous seasons? Have your say down below.

With our return to the upper echelons of Manhattan’s youthful society hitting televisions this week, it’s time to recap what happened over the course of season 2. For those of you that want a more in-depth look at the events of last year, our beloved FSR editors haven’t thrown away last year’s reviews quite yet, so feel free to catch up that way. However, for those that want the quickfire version, stick around! There’s plenty to see and learn right here:

Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgeley) : Good guy from the wrong side of the wealth line, in serious L.O.V.E with Serena van der Woodsen. At the end of season 1, Dan and Serena parted ways, only to reunite several times over the course of season 2. His college dreams of attending Yale were thwarted due to a lack of funds, sending him towards NYU and matriculation with his former classmates. Dan’s biggest twist this season was the scandalous relationship with a teacher at Constance Billard, breaking Serena’s heart. Though the two weren’t a couple when rumours began about the pair, a spark caught and relations were had. However, all good things must end and the object of his affection hopped a bus back to the midlands where she will be forever labeled as the teacher that slept with a student. Hope it was at least good sex.

Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) : Former bad girl with a love of guys with a good heart, now step-sister to Chuck Bass. Slept with her best friend’s boyfriend during her wilder days. Other than breaking up and making up with Dan a handful of times over the course of the season, Serena’s storylines mainly involved her climb back to the top of the social ladder and her relations with some wishy-washy partners. Another major strand to her story arc involved falling victim to a complex con (fake marriage, fake investments, fake beau) enacted by a supposed friend and created a somewhat interesting plot line for the usually lovestruck girl. Of particular interest in that arc was the return of Georgina Sparks (the wonderfully evil Michelle Trachtenberg) to the realm of Gossip Girl, first as born-again goody-two-shoes and then as the vicious bitch we know and love.

Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) : Queen bitch of her school, with a love of Audrey Hepburn and Chuck Bass. Heavy (one-sided) rivalry with bff Serena, along with some residual issues over boyfriend-related events. Blair began the season furious with Chuck for his desertion and dangling her new-found love in his face. Humiliation soon followed, when her Lordly beau ran off with his step-mother (who just happened to be Nate’s older lady friend). Blair’s love life continued down the messy path, with Chuck playing a major role in the games. Unfortunately, it also featured Chuck’s uncle, a fact which almost split the pair as they finally found happiness together. Happily, Chuck had grown beyond the point of letting her slip away, and the couple became official in the final moments of the season. On the non-romantic side of the street, Blair’s dreams of attending Yale sputtered when her jealousy of Serena turned nasty, then died when she focused her wrath on a new teacher, earning blemish after blemish on her previously sparkling record. With the loss of her chance at Yale, she tried to lose the rest of her identity, but eventually realised that she still had something to live for, even if it is at NYU.

Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) : Playboy of Manhattan’s (youthful) elite and in lust/love with Blair. Has severe daddy issues and believes all women want him. Chuck started season two feeling guilty and heartbroken over his treatment of Blair, a theme which continued throughout the season. Rivalry between the couple reached new heights, with declarations of love and twisted game-playing featuring heavily. In the end, Chuck’s predictions over the couple’s doomed destiny seem false, as he finished the season standing with Blair and presenting her gifts from all over the world. Sadly, season two wasn’t all happiness, with the death of his father hitting the young man hard. Added to this was the betrayal by his trusted uncle, who attempted to steal the Bass empire from under Chuck’s nose. Luckily, his step-mother rescued his company and offered him a place to live. What a lady.

Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) : childhood sweetheart of Blair Waldorf until he cheated on her with bff Serena. Turned his dad in for drug possession and broke his mother’s heart. Nate began the season in a precarious situation, with no money and an older woman handing him wads of cash to satisfy her. After that particular relationship goes up in smoke, along with his official one with Vanessa, Nate is left living the life of a squatter in his old digs. Eventually things look up, all it takes is an attempted extortion and his father going to jail. Further family matters play merry havoc with his newly repaired relationship with Vanessa, but that’s ok because he was meant to be with Blair anyway, sacrificing any remaining friendship with Chuck by doing so. Except Blair and Nate weren’t meant to be, with the pair breaking up after a perfect prom. Nate’s storyline this year was pretty circular, with the long and the short of it being his cutting of ties with Chuck and his decision to attend NYU.

Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) : sister to Dan and former devotee/current target of Blair and her coven. Has a flair for designing clothing and a hatred of all things Chuck. Started the season working in the Waldorf fashion house as an intern before working her way up to integral and under-appreciated designer. After a few episodes of a friend’s whispering in her ear of fortune and fame, little J. decided to quit school, start her own fashion line, attempt emancipation and don as much eyeliner as she could get out of one pencil. Eventually she woke up to the idea of a life without a real future and settled back to life at school, and, through Blair’s intervention, was eventually crowned as the new Queen of Constance Billard.

Vanessa Abrams (Jessica Szohr) : Best friend to Dan and current girlfriend of Nate. Bohemian attitude to life and wants to make movies rather than go to college. Belongs on staff here at FSR. Vanessa began season two as Nate’s girlfriend, with the relationship going through one hell of a ride over the course of the season. Her liaisons with Chuck, his cheating with a significantly older woman (for cash), his relations with little Jenny Humphrey, his reunion with Blair. So much to choose from, and most of it was Nate’s fault. Happily, everything worked out for the best. At the end of the season, the pair were due to set off backpacking around Europe for the summer, as friends. Wonder how long that lasted.

Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford) : Mother of Serena and wife of Chuck’s father, Bart Bass. Rich and powerful, with a long-forgotten but recently-resurfaced love for Rufus Humphrey. Intolerant of her daughter’s wilder side due to her own past. Lily started the season as the new Mrs Bass, despite her feelings for a certain Mr. Humphrey. By midway through the season was a widow, but this wasn’t enough to get those crazy cats back together. A secret from her past in the form of a son given up for adoption caused a rift between the pair, along with many tears upon being informed of his death. Good intentions went wildly awry as she tried to keep Serena on the right path and keep Rufus out of the red when both fell prey to a con artist, but it all worked out alright in the end. Except for the sad news that the spin off following her life as a teenager in the Valley wasn’t being picked up.

Rufus Humphrey (Matthew Settle) : Father of Dan and Jenny. Fronted a rock band in the 80s, during which time he fell head over heels for Lily. Still head over heels for Lily, but has more issues now. After professing his love to a married woman (Lily) and having her admit she loved him back, Rufus was elated, but this was not to last. Discovering that Lily had fallen pregnant, had his son and given him away without even informing him drove a wedge between the newly formed couple. Worse still was the revelation by the adoptive parents that his son had died years earlier, meaning he’d never get to know the lad. Rufus rallied eventually and even fell back in love with Lily, despite a worrying time where money threatened to come between them. Happily, disaster was averted and he proposed, beginning the combining of the Humphrey and van der Woodsen households forever.

What’s next for Gossip Girl?
At the end of season two, we saw Georgina Sparks return to her nastier ways, swearing vengeance against a certain ex-Queen B. We’re not quite sure whether it was the constant put downs or the loss of the Church’s money that shook Georgie out of her sweet and forgiving altered persona, but the damage is done and Blair is going to pay. Somehow, despite her seeming disdain for attending school, Georgie has made it to NYU and is up for some mischief at Blair’s expense. Her big eyes and sweet charm convinced the college housing authorities to pair them for next year’s accommodation, guaranteeing wacky fun times ahead.

Of course, with she and Chuck newly coupled, it’s possible that no one could knock Blair off her own personal cloud 9, not even missing out on Yale. It was a long road for the pair, but Chuck’s admission of love and tokens of affection from around the world would make any girl swoon. He’ll be busy learning to run the Bass empire and keep it safe from evil uncles and takeover threats, but there’s no doubt that he’ll make time for his favourite girl.

Meanwhile, Serena has more on her mind than mere romance as she heads off into the horizon to locate daddy dearest. She should really be more concerned with a threat far closer to home, as her supposedly dead half-brother begins to cosy up to Dan and the gang. Lily and Rufus have just gotten things back on track, with a very sweet proposal thrown in for good measure, but will their relationship weather the coming storm? A child coming back from the grave should be a joyous occasion, but will it stir up old issues over giving him away in the first place? Not to mention how it will affect Dan and Serena and their Ross ‘n’ Rachel dance?

The only way to find out how all this will sort itself out is to watch the season premiere, “Reversals of Fortune”, coming this Monday night (Sept 14th) at 8/7c on The CW. Til then – XOXO, GG fans.

Joss Whedon certainly does like working with familiar faces. In fact, he likes it so much that he has made room for one of his favorites in his latest offering. Summer Glau (aka River in Firefly), has found safe haven after the sad cancellation of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (T:SCC). According to Entertainment Weekly, she has landed a role on “Dollhouse”, the very show that many claim caused the downfall of her own due to Fox’s unwillingness to fund both. Rumours and speculation regarding this possibility have been running rampant since soon after the cancellation of T:SCC, with Joss himself stating that he would love to have Glau on “Dollhouse”, but the part had to be right.

Apparently they have found the right part for the deadly machine, as starting this season, Glau will trade in her kick ass terminator super-powers for those of a mere Dollhouse employee. There’s not much in-depth information out there right now regarding her part, but so far we know that she has some form of history with Echo (played by Eliza Dushku). It’s not quite the lead role that she had on T:SCC, but most parts on “Dollhouse” are given decent weight, so she shouldn’t feel short-changed.

Not only has Joss enlisted the help of the fallen Terminator this season, but he has also called forth Alexis Denisof from the ranks of his past employees. Those around here who were Angel and/or Buffy fans way back when will remember the name as that of “Wesley Wyndham-Price”, originally a Watcher who realized his true calling was that of rogue demon hunter (just what are rogue demons anyway?). He moved from Buffy to Angel at the start of Angel’s first season and remained a fixture until the final episode of season 5, but since then his name hasn’t appeared that much. Now, his new role is that of US Senator on “Dollhouse”, where he will fight to take down the nefarious organization.

Of course, Joss Whedon is known for having a history of this. After the demise of “Firefly” at the hands of Fox, (does anyone notice a theme here?) he found roles for many of its leads in Angel and Buffy, and of course everyone knows that Summer Glau herself was first discovered at an Angel casting call for a single episode role! They don’t? Well, there’s some useless trivia for you. He’s also recently taken a shine to casting from the “Battlestar Galactica” pool, having cast Tahmoh Penikett (“Helo”) as Ballard in season 1 and returning for more in season 2 with the addition of both Jamie Bamber (“Apollo”) and Michael Hogan (“Colonel Tigh”).

Dollhouse returns to our screens with season 2 at 9pm on Fox, on the slightly delayed date of Sept. 25th. Check back then for the first exciting episode recap.

Well, it’s official. The Gossip Girl spin off, Valley Girl/Lily, is dead in the water with no hope of revival any time soon. According to Variety, Dawn Ostroff, the CW’s entertainment president, has stated that the concept of spinning right round back to the 80s is no longer in the running for a mid-season pickup. She also dismissed the idea of “The It Girl” – the spin off series from the original Gossip Girl book series – being picked up as a spin off but made it very clear that the network is open to other spin off approaches.

“If [executive producers] Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage would be open to it, of course we’d be open to it. There is a spin off actually of the book series which is called “The It Girl”, and we’ve explored that with them. It’s been harder to find how you make that a world that’s well-rounded enough for us, because it takes place at a boarding school, and it’s very insular.”

Based on my limited knowledge of the book series, this is a good thing as this series follows Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) off on her own little adventure at private school. Given the highs and lows we saw from the past season, it’s probably best that that particular character doesn’t get her own series. It’s possible that it could cause riots and a trend for far too much eye make-up.

As for the loss of the original spin off, what we saw in that nifty little backdoor pilot last season did have some promise, so it’s sad to hear that the story won’t be picked up. It could be “Veronica Mars” fan-bias, but the combination of actors chosen for the 80s portion of the episode were solid. Unfortunately the episode itself didn’t work so well, but that’s a whole other story. So, as we say “xoxo” to the 80s fashion and the bad bad bad hair and make up, pause for a moment and think of what might have been. This time next year, every female tween could have been sporting a puffball skirt, Madonna-esque rubber bracelets, big hair and blue eyeshadow! Perhaps this decision is a blessing in disguise…

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “The Goodbye Gossip Girl” (Season 2, Episode 25)

Synopsis: It’s Graduation day and the gang’s all here. When Gossip Girl dismisses Serena as irrelevant, she launches an all-out attack on the cyberland big brother, vowing to discover her (or his) identity. But two can play at that game, and Gossip Girl has far more ammunition than Serena could hope to have. Meanwhile, the new queen of Constance is about to be elected and Little J’s a candidate. However, winning a peaceful year means playing dirty in the big leagues. does Jenny really have what it takes? Blair decides to end the games for good and confronts Chuck about his use of the “L” word to everyone but her. Finally, a new face emerges and an old “friend” firmly establishes a place in the gang’s world, but what will this mean for the current players?

Review: So, season 2 is over and that’s not exactly a bad thing. Sure, there were high points, but the highs were too often counterbalanced with pretty deep lows. “The West Wing” once called the swearing in of a certain Vice President “a triumph of the middling” and that’s definitely what this season has felt like. Perhaps season 1 spoiled us? Either way, the sophomore year is over and we can reflect on how the season finished off.

The idea of discovering the identity of Gossip Girl was tantalizing, especially as it really does have to be someone featured on the show’s peripheries. Of course, we were never going to really find out who it was, as it’d spell the end of a lucrative series for The CW. However, the chase was fun and the consequences of going head to head with the big G were far reaching. Everyone’s dirty laundry aired at once does remind me of the “take out the trash” day strategy employed in politics. It’s far less damaging to release in bulk than to drip feed as you can’t pay attention to all of them at once. Some stories were juicier than others though, so we’ll see whether any of the dirt sticks as the gang matriculates, Gossip Girl in tow.

It did seem as though Gossip Girl had managed to finally destroy Blair and Chuck’s chances as her all-out assault hit them mid-seduction. The couple that had gone through hell over the last two seasons seemed about to be happy together, only to have past affairs used to ruin it. However, the writers realised that another trip around the block for Dan and Serena just yet would throw the fans into a revolutionary frenzy, and so rescued the damsel and her black knight. How will Blair and Chuck fare with an honest to goodness grown-up relationship, now that the games are at an end and they have both declared their feelings? Though I’m ashamed to admit it, Chuck’s declaration was one of the high points of the episode for me. It was sweet and kind and loving and everything that you could tell was just beneath the sniping back and forth between them all through the series. Oh, and did I mention cute?

Of course, to balance the cute we need something evil and no character manages that better than good old Georgina Sparks. Her mere moments in the episode rank as my other high point as not only do we discover that the Poppy Lifton issue has been resolved (The only problem with this scene: HOW did she resolve the issue?) but also that she will be back! So if things go Georgina’s way, Blair will be getting a new room mate with quite the score to settle and let’s face it, when doesn’t Ms. Sparks get her own way? Perhaps this will be the spark (no pun intended) required to shake Blair’s cobwebs off and get her back to her queen bee fighting weight.

Apparently to balance all that pesky teen drama, there’s the compulsory trip to the grown up side of the street. Yes, we watch more of Lily and Rufus’s awkward fumbling through the minefield of love that they navigate each week. However this week, instead of misery there’s finally a proposal and an acceptance. Now the merging of both households can begin, and with Rufus’s nest egg returned it seems that everything will be fine. Assuming that you ignore that slight problem from Lily’s youth which sat just across from Dan earlier..

Sadly, we may not be not destined to see any more of what came before there even was a little Rufus-Lily baby running around, as the CW have not yet picked up “Valley Girl” for next year. There has been no definite decision regarding its pick up, and it is still officially a contender for a mid-season slot. However, only weeks ago it was all but guaranteed a slot and now the network needs to wait a few weeks before making its decision. Things aren’t exactly looking rosy for the show’s chances.

Whilst this is a great shame, given the quality of the 80s stuff last week plus the excellent casting, it will probably work out well for the network. Working with a tight budget as all networks are in this fun-filled economic climate, choosing shows like “The Vampire Diaries” and “Melrose Place” is a safer bet, providing access to a wider audience than a Gossip Girl spin-off would allow. “Vampire Diaries” should appeal to the Twilight audience (which is rather massive), but may even pull in a wider demographic. Heck, look at how well “True Blood” has done with a very adult approach to the genre.

That’s it from me for the summer. We’ll return to New York’s elite next season, full of questions and hopeful that this time around the show will consistently perform. Will Little J. survive as queen? How will B. cope with her matriculation to lowly NYU, with the lovely Ms. Sparks to keep her company? Has S. really located her father, and why on earth would she want to? Do we really even care? Oh, and of course, does the talented Mr. Bass really have what it takes to stick with former queen B.? Gossip Girl will be watching, and so will we.

XOXO

Catch up on Gossip Girl here.

What did you think of the season finale? Did it leave you wanting more?

It’s been a while since Twilight stories have been flying thick and fast, so we thought we’d celebrate here on Film School Rejects by doing the obvious and lumping whatever news we do have on the scarily popular saga into a single post. After all, we don’t want to flood the site with fans. Sadly, we don’t have that much information to give, but we do have a pretty poster featuring two towering heroes and their fair maiden to drool over, not to mention some completely unexpected casting news for the fourth and final entry in the saga.

First, the people behind The Twilight Saga: New Moon (what a mouthful), have finally released something for their fans to swoon in front of. You may be forgiven for believing that this is in fact the fourth or fifth in a series of promotional posters released, as the fans have been rather busy creating their own masterpieces of advertising. To be honest, some of theirs are better. They should look for some sort of contract. However, this is the first official entry and it shall be treated with due respect and subjected to intense scrutiny.

(Click to Make Huge)

It seems that the people that created the official poster decided to stray away from what the fans were going with, and focused less on shirtless hunks and more on teenage angst and love triangles, so it sticks to the book rather well. Indeed, it even demonstrates the wonder of Robert Pattinson’s hair and how is has indeed become less bouffant and quaffed, whilst still maintaining his quest for the tallest in the land. Apparently Taylor Lautner is now crashing that particular party though, with his starting that required reach for the heavens. Unfortunately the image is somewhat let down by the book’s main character. Rather than actually connecting with either of the guys she’s meant to be torn between, she pulls herself out of the scene entirely by entering into some form of staring competition with the viewer. Right now, her main focus appears to be looking slim and sexy next to some random massive moving props.

Moving on from the angst-filled to the obvious, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that no, Robert Pattinson does not intend to abandon ship midway through the Twilight Saga. Yes, RPatz has indeed signed on for Breaking Dawn. There was some panic that he may leave the series Edward-less, as he had not yet been contracted for the movie, but this has all been sorted out and millions of girls, boys, women and men around the world have breathed a giant sigh of relief. Sadly, still no word on a start date, but all will be revealed in time.

Finally, the first official clip from The Twilight Saga: New Moon will be presented to the world by Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner during the MTV Movie Awards on May 31st. Don’t worry if you don’t catch it there, tenner bets that it’ll be on YouTube within 15 minutes.

What do you think of the first poster for Twilight: New Moon?

This is the news I have been waiting months to report, at least in part. Whilst it gives no pleasure to report that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (T:SCC) is no more, having been cruelly axed after weak ratings performance, there is an enormous flash of silver within this dark cloud. The unthinkable has happened. Dollhouse, despite lagging ratings in the last few episodes, has been renewed. Fox execs. are apparently petrified that the Whedonites will either abandon ship or attack their headquarters if another of the Joss-master’s shows goes the way of Firefly, and so have granted a second season to the drama. Rumblings persist that only one of the two floundering Friday night dramas could stay on, and it seems that Dollhouse has won the battle and will live to fight another day, while T:SCC fades into memory.

News of this started leaking late last week, but it seemed too good to be true. Whilst the show’s content has only increased in strength from episode 6 of the season, Dollhouse never quite won the ratings battle, toughing it out in a dead end spot on the Friday night timetable. As with T:SCC, the ratings never lived up to shows such as Ghost Whisperer, a Friday night fave, and cancellation seemed assured. Some have posited that Dollhouse has been granted the same sort of reprieve given to T:SCC itself last year. Another season to sort itself out and gain traction in the audience stakes, but if it doesn’t perform better next time, it’s out.

T:SCC had a tough time of it this year, it was moved from a decent night to a dismal one and it had to deal with quite a deep lull in plot mid-way through the season which didn’t help in viewer retention. However, the ratings were stabilizing and even increasing towards the end of the season and the plot was skyrocketing off. Indeed, one very interesting theory was posted over on MTV, saying that the people behind T:SCC were even doing the unthinkable and repairing the paradox regarding John Connor sending his own father back to father him. Yet even with the might of Terminator Salvation‘s publicity kicking in and bolstering possible numbers for next season, the show was, in a word, terminated. Whether Dollhouse’s destiny is to follow in these footprints and survive only one more season remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure. It’s nice to know it’ll be back.

What do you think, will Dollhouse go the way of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles after its second season?

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Valley Girls” (Season 2, Episode 24)

Synopsis: The gang complete their journey through high school with the time-honored rite of passage – attending Prom. Blair is blessed with a fairy Godmother who ensures that her night is everything she ever dreamed of, and Serena’s bad day finally ends as she attends prom with Dan, though only as friends. Meanwhile, Lily reflects on her time of rebellion back in the 80s, when she left home and comfort for the freedom of her sister’s relaxed lifestyle.

Review: There’s always a danger when attempting to use an episode of a series to spin off a new one. Slotting in new characters, storylines and locations and establishing a new tone whilst maintaining the original’s is a tough needle to thread, and unfortunately Gossip Girl didn’t quite manage it. Don’t get me wrong, the spin off show segments(“Valley Girl” at last check) looked good, plus the show contains a large quantity of Veronica Mars alums and that’s always positive, but the episode suffered with a serious case of split personality. The overall effect was disjointed and showed it for what it was: an attempt to shove two shows together in order to save money on a proper pilot.

It’s a pity that the episode was so fragmented, as the Gossip Girl segments were stronger than some complete episodes have been this season. Blair and her perfect night, Blair realizing that Nate’s not the one for her (finally! Perhaps that particular circular plot will come to a close for good now) and even the once-faithful acolytes turning on her and attempting to give her what she deserved, all played exceptionally well. Even the Serena storyline was interesting, though that could be because Gabriel did not appear and Serena was in no way love-lorn. It was fitting that she and Dan attended prom together, and the easy way in which they fit together does give hope that their circular plot may take another turn and allow them some happiness together. Not that the writers would leave them that way for long.

The Valley Girl aspects of the show, Lily as a young woman, her sister’s rebellion and channeling of Madonna, the idea that their home life wasn’t exactly a barrel of laughs either, their struggle to make it in their own right, all these came together to form the basis of what could be a strong show. Hopefully the writers won’t rely too much on montages of 80s fashion, as even the short one included in this episode was a touch too long for my taste. Yes, Gossip Girl makes fashion a main character, but not in an in-your-face, “oh my god look at what they’re wearing, isn’t it ridiculous!” manner. The fashion helps define the person and show their personality in the same way “Sex and the City” became famous for. Making 80s fashion a staple without using it in relation to the characters leaves it as a novelty tactic which audiences are sure to find boring and repetitive, probably after only a single episode. The show should be about the characters, not the era and its embarrassing memories.

The only negative about the content of the show – other than the complete inability of the writers to blend the two aspects into one seamless episode – was that the plot concerning Georgina Sparks and her plans for revenge (admittedly, I did wonder if it was Georgie behind the assault on Blair’s perfect night initially) was completely untouched. After witnessing the birth of her evil phoenix from the ashes of the much changed young girl at the end of the last episode, it was hard to simply set that image aside and continue on to the bubbly froth of prom. Then again, this approach leaves a wealth of evil material for the finale episode, so it should be explosive. Last season provided quite the shocker ending, so with both Georgie and the supposedly-dead son of Lily and Rufus on the horizon, we’re in for quite a ride.

Up Next Week: “The Goodbye Gossip Girl” – We finally reach the end of the season two. As Georgina Sparks continues her quest for revenge on Poppy Lifton, the veil of secrecy regarding Gossip Girl’s identity may be lifted when she publishes one update too many. Meanwhile, Blair and Chuck finally deal with their relationship, Serena’s college acceptance may not be as guaranteed as it once seemed and Lily and Rufus attempt to repair the connection Lily damaged through channeling her mother.

Read More: Gossip Girl Recaps

Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? Will you be watching “Valley Girl” if it makes the CW cut for Fall? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Omega” (Season 1, Episode 12)

Synopsis: In the season finale (sort of), the mystery of the composite event that spiraled Alpha into Crazytown is fully explained, as we see why Echo holds such a fascination for him. Meanwhile, events thought previously understood are given a new explanation and an old doll is revealed. Finally, Agent Ballard ties himself to the Dollhouse in exchange for playing knight on a white steed and saving the damsel, even though she’ll never know it happened.

Review: It confounds me that this episode received all-series low ratings. Plot wise, it was an all-season high, with threads previously thought to be fully understood completely altered. People had suspicions about Dr. Saunders, and some even hypothesized that she was a doll, but this was right out of left field. Of course, the episode wasn’t a one-trick pony. Trust Mr. Whedon to knock the season finale right out of the ballpark.

From the revelations regarding Whisky, Alpha and Echo to Agent Ballard’s new employment, Caroline’s witnessing of herself as a doll to Echo getting her head around the idea that she is a shell, even though she can contain the personalities of so many others, the episode provided one hell of an emotional ride. Best of all, even though we were left with some driving questions and a villain on a mission still to capture, we got answers.

A common issue with season finales is that they concentrate on the cliffhanger aspect so much that you end up seriously frustrated for three or four months, waiting for answers to finally come. Alpha’s origin (particularly what caused his composite event) was explained, his drive to hook up with Echo is understood and the mystery over why Dr. Saunders was left alive when so many others were dead during his attack is clear. Echo is back where she belongs, though the idea of “Omega” becoming an operative for the Dollhouse alongside Ballard was somewhat appealing and did offer an interesting possible arc to follow.

The remaining issues which can carry over to the next season (if we’re lucky enough to be granted one) range in size from mere wonderings to major plot points. What will happen to Victor now that he can no longer be his best? Why did Topher program Dr. Saunders to hate him? What other directives did he instill? Could this be tied to the still-unknown informant which leaked information to Ballard? Now that Ballard plays for the Dollhouse team, will he be an even better operative against them, operating from within to discover their purpose? How much does Echo remember of what has just happened? And of course, where is Alpha and what is his next move now that his beloved Omega has disappointed and betrayed him? There’s quite a bit of meat left in this series, not to mention character development and one-shot stories.

The season as a whole is difficult to categorize, as 4 of the initial 5 episodes were much weaker than the remainder of the season (the pilot being the notable exception, and even then there’s controversy). However, whilst many found the initial episodes dull and merely filler, I know that at the time I enjoyed them. Also, similar to shows like “Lost“, there’s more subtext there than can be gotten on the first time around. From episode 6 (“Man on the Street“) onwards though, the series was a powerhouse, with each new episode leaving you itching for more. Characters like Sierra and Victor have come into their own, and have had major plotlines associated with them. The show may seem to be all about a single character, but it’s more of an ensemble piece than you would think. The more it focuses on the characters and not just the engagements, the stronger it gets. One major concern which floated around after the idea of this show got out was that it would be nothing more than episode of the week fare. If the characters’ personalities change from week to week, how does one attach to any character at all? After 12 episodes, it’s safe to say that this isn’t an issue. They’ve found something that works. Hell, they’ve even moved an oft-dismissed boring character into the heart of the show (yes, I’m looking at you, Ballard). This is progress indeed.

Whether the story will live on beyond this episode remains to be seen, as we wait for Fox’s air schedule for 2009/2010 to get the final verdict on Dollhouse. Ratings have dropped in the last few weeks, so perhaps it’s too much to hope for another season, but these ratings don’t contain the numbers for DVR or Hulu viewings. Maybe some tech savvy executive will take a look at those figures and decide to save it, but only time will tell.

Finally, just to clarify this whole pseudo-season finale issue. There is an episode remaining in the season, but Fox doesn’t plan to air it. “Epitaph One” is a standalone episode following the events of “Omega”, but with no plot additions. It will feature on the DVD box set, so we will get to see it, but unless Fox changes its tune it won’t air on network television.

So that’s it for these reviews. Maybe we’ll be back next year, maybe we won’t, but either way you can still catch coverage of (most of) your favorite shows in the TV for Movie Lovers Archive. As usual, it you’ve missed any Dollhouse episodes, recap on them here.

Did you watch Dollhouse this week? What’d you think? Reckon it’ll be back? Sad to see it go? Did you see the Saunders twist coming? What’s Alpha’s next move? Anyone else notice that they caused the composite event that created psycho Alpha?

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “The Wrath of Con” (Season 2, Episode 23)

Synopsis: Serena and the gang come together in an attempt to take down Poppy, but Lily has other plans. Meanwhile, Rufus discovers that Lily may be just like her mother after all, leading him to reconsider popping that all-important question.

Review: When the highlight of the episode is its final moments, something’s usually not quite right. Unfortunately, that’s the best way to sum this week’s installment up, something wasn’t quite right with the execution. On paper, it must have looked great. Georgina’s complete about-face into spouting Bible phrases and being Miss Goody-Two-Shoes, the gang all together to take down a common foe, Chuck and Blair having “the” conversation, Rufus and Lily finding more ways not to be together, the list just keeps going. Yet despite all the juicy story aspects, the episode fell flat.

With so much negative to discuss, it’s important that the brief shining moments of positive are remembered. Despite being mentioned above as part of the “great on paper” set, Blair and Chuck’s discussion of their situation was a bright spot in the episode, most notably because Chuck was the complete gentleman that Blair’s always believed him to be. He acted out of her best interest, he admitted he loved her, he let her be happy. Of course, she doesn’t know any of this and if she did, it’d be adios Nate. Perhaps he can go back to Vanessa (who was a no-show again) to console himself before heading back for camp preppy. Meanwhile, Blair would linger in Chuck’s arms for a while before they enter this whole dance again, leaving us with no option but some form of murder-suicide plot.

The brightest other moment came, of course, from Georgina. During her entire sappy Jesus-loving, Bambi-eyed, saved stint, she was more irritating than any storyline previously attempted on “Gossip Girl“, quite the achievement! Had this been Survivor, people would have been ringing in in their droves to have her voted off the island and back to her mothership. However, those final moments where Georgina steps back into her Prada slip-ons and slings her Louis Vuitton bag back over her shoulder, you know the bitch is back and this time, she’s playing for keeps. Who knows whether it was the loss of the Bible money, Blair’s constant slamming or the fact that she was taken for a fool, but something tipped Georgie right over the edge. Poppy’s not going to know what hit her and that’s a scene I want to see.

On the adult end of the street, who knew that Lily had such a devious side! After all, setting your own daughter up with a criminal record (which, incidentally, she didn’t seem to care about. If she drops the charges, is the arrest expunged? Won’t this impact Brown’s acceptance?) is quite the dastardly deed. However, it was enjoyable to witness. Serena’s nice and all, but a night in jail may make her less irritating and possibly even get her to forget about Gabriel! This plot should be laid to rest with all possible haste, just like Lily and Rufus’ relationship is about to be. Rufus was never really a fan of Lily’s mother because of the very same streak exhibited by Lily herself this week, so it looks like it’ll be bye bye birdie. With their supposedly-dead son still lingering (who never did show up this week) in the background, he could end up the glue that binds them together, or the acid that burns them apart.

One final thing. Did anyone else think of a few very famous names when they heard the term “fauxcialite” and its definition?

Up Next Week: “Valley Girls” – It’s spin-off time as the back-door pilot to Gossip Girl’s spin off show (tentatively called “Lily”) finally airs. Through a series of flashbacks to the 1980s (complete with fashion mistakes, big hair and blue eyeshadow), we meet Lily as her teenage self and see what life was like for her as she grew up in “The Valley”.

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Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Briar Rose” (Season 1, Episode 11)

Synopsis: When Agent Ballad breaks up with Mellie, her connection to the Dollhouse gives him the final clue he needs to find its location. However, his desperation to scale the castle wall and rescue the princess may lead to losing her forever when he enlists a deceptively mild-mannered engineer to break in.

Review: First of all, sorry about the delay folks. There were some technical difficulties which prevented Dollhouse reaching my screen until late last night. Trust me, the relevant technology has been severely spanked for letting me down so disgracefully. However, what an episode to be made wait for! When thinking of how best to frame the introduction to this week’s review, I was worried that I would have to say how much of a let down the episode was after going through such a lot of pain and suffering to get to watch it. Happily, this is not the case. Unfortunately, I was spoiled on this episode from the moment Alan Tudyk’s name appeared onscreen and therefore was watching it with a huge level of unintended suspense. Maybe this made it more enjoyable, but I’m pretty sure that it had all-round appeal.

Alan Tudyk deserves some major props for this episode, he pulls off the bumbling inept scientist who just wants to be left alone perfectly, only to turn around and morph into a creepy psychopathic villain at the drop of a hat. His scenes with Amy Acker are excellent, as he exudes crazy stalker vibes all over her, removing what little confidence she had built up since he last saw her. Acker herself deserves equal credit for these scenes though, as her sheer terror and complete regression to a helpless victim, stuck in the memory of the original attack, are completely mesmerizing. If you managed to take your eyes off the screen for this segment of the show, you were either not paying attention or a far harder person than I.

There’re some obvious plot holes, such as how Ballard and “Kepler” made it from the outside vent to inside the Dollhouse without hitting a single camera, even though that place is wired like Fort Knox. However, the episode earns the odd moment of suspended disbelief as after all, it kicked ass. Strangely enough, even the opening sequence, regarding the abused teen and the paralleling the Sleeping Beauty story with both her own and Echo’s plight, was appealing. I hope that “Susan”‘s promise won’t be broken and that she’ll return to visit again, as that little girl was on the brink of progress and losing faith in the person that inspired it could only lead to more damage.

Speaking of the Sleeping Beauty parallels, that aspect was played up a little too much. A touch more subtlety would have been nice there, Mr. Whedon. Yes, the story rings through into Echo’s own. Yes, there are many ways you can call attention to this fact. However, perhaps next time use a couple fewer and save the audience from feeling like they need things spelled out.

In the moments following the end of this episode, it seems that the common experience was a strong case of the “what the f***?!”s. Who the hell is in Echo’s body, how did Alpha know this personality, what did he do with Saunders and Victor, what are his plans for Echo now that she’s whoever she is, the list goes on and on. There’s been one heck of a set up for the finale and they have a lot to live up to after an episode like this. As the ratings are at an all-season low and with only a week left to improve them, perhaps we will have to say goodbye to Dollhouse, but at least we’ll understand it a bit more before we see it go.

Up Next Week: “Omega” – In the pseudo-season finale, Alpha’s end game may cost Echo everything, but what ties the pair together?

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Did you watch Dollhouse this week? What’d you think?

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (Season 2, Episode 22)

Synopsis: When Blair and Chuck notice inaccuracies in Gabriel’s version of how he met Serena, a confrontation is ensured. However, the scheming Gabriel turns this discovery to his advantage, applying his Midas touch to situation and walking away with a group of investors as head over heels about his business venture as Serena is over him. When Chuck realizes that only the true Queen of Mean can solve the mystery, he seeks out the devilish Ms. Sparks but finds instead a truly changed person. But is she really as saved as she makes out to be? Meanwhile, Nate’s jealousy over Chuck’s contact with Blair causes him to pop a surprising question, for all the wrong reasons.

Review: Well, that was a fun little episode. Jealousy, betrayal, scheming and best of all – a little Chuck and Blair action (strictly platonic, but better than nothing). As we head into the home stretch of the season, the story arcs are setting up nicely and it’s obvious that nothing’s going to go smoothly.

Even the adults had a little drama this week, as Rufus dealt with money worries and considered a fairly prominent relationship issue. Whilst the ring was completely not to my taste, the idea of him proposing to Lily is both a blessing and a curse. It could seal the fate of Dan and Serena forever, but would also get rid of the angsty back and forth dance that Rufus and Lily do every so often. Funnily enough, the part he’s now so blase about, his cash flow issue, is exactly what he should go back to worrying over.

From the moment Gabriel mentioned an investment, his intentions were clear. Scam as many people out of their money as possible and blow the joint. Doesn’t anyone on this show watch Lost? Sawyer was an expert at just this con! Just like Sawyer, Gabriel displayed a sliver of heart when he tried to protect Rufus from the con, but unfortunately not enough to let him keep his money. Now the question becomes, did Gabriel just bail out on Poppy too, or is this still part of the plan? Of course, we’re still looking for an answer regarding why the dastardly duo chose Serena to begin with. Also, were the investments the only reason for the scheme, as it seemed that Poppy was surprised at this turn of events. Perhaps they just hadn’t planned on getting into that quite so quickly. It appears that it’s nothing to do with Georgina, as Gabriel seems clueless about anything to do with that particular minx.

Speaking of Georgie, for all her talk of being saved, praying and confessing her sins to Jesus, one mention of Blair Waldorf had her leaving her commune and headed back to the bright lights of the big city. It’s possible that Chuck was right and the “saved” stuff was all an act, or there could be genuine remorse motivating her to find Blair. The audience expects the former, which makes me lean towards the latter. Writers do try their best to confound our expectations, after all.

Surprisingly this week, even the sub-plots were strong enough to hold attention. Nate and Chuck’s sparring over Blair, Vanessa confessing about her torrid night of passion with Chuck, even Dan’s whingy bits about Yale were solid. The disdain and almost fear on Blair’s face as she peered down those steps into the subway station was priceless, and Vanessa’s method of confession was cute. Who doesn’t want to drink the pain away when confessing something so embarrassing?

It looks like Dan’s headed for NYU as Rufus’ money walks out the door with Gabriel, so the final hold out of the gang is Serena. At this stage, it’s unlikely she’ll end up at Brown, so perhaps it’ll be Columbia for her and Nate whilst Blair and Dan matriculate at NYU. Wouldn’t that make for some interesting late night study sessions.

Up Next Week: “The Wrath of Con” – A supposedly deceased member of the Humphrey family shows up on Rufus and Lily’s doorstep looking for help.

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Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Haunted” (Season 1, Episode 10)

Synopsis: When a close friend of Adelle dies, we discover that the Dollhouse is capable of the most unexpected of services for the more prepared and well connected customer. Meanwhile, Ballard finds the charade difficult to maintain as Mellie tries to understand why he is so distant, and Topher makes an unusual request for the most human of reasons.

Review: Finally, a bit of a breather! It was by no means a bad episode, in fact it was quite enjoyable. However, it didn’t have the big reveal, the frantic pace or the shocking character development that has become a constant in the last month’s worth of episodes. This week’s focus was on the subtle character development. Boyd, Adelle, Topher and even Agent Ballard got to grow a little bit more, whilst Dichen Lachman proved yet again that she’s a versatile performer. Either that or she really is a tomboy with a head for “boy stuff”*.

It’s hard not to feel for Topher in this episode, which indicates exactly how well Fran Kranz pulls off his character. Once thought of as an odious jerk with absolutely no empathy or even humanity, he has grown into a likable little boy with a comic twist. Unfortunately all those things that we saw initially haven’t gone away, and so connecting with someone and finding a friend requires more mad science on his part. The idea of someone being completely alone on their birthday is saddening, but this goes beyond that right to pitiable. Maybe Boyd can take Topher under his wing, teach him how to meet women and eventually be his best man! …Or maybe not.

Poor Boyd. It’s like watching a parent running around after their child has gone off to college, only a thousand times worse because he knows that she’s not ready to be alone (and also probably has a psycho after her). However, he’s growing into the role of head of security nicely, obviously aided by his cop skills. It seems that this role may come into conflict with his affection and attachment to Echo in the coming episodes, but in the end he focuses on people more than his job. The connection made between the two was artificial on his end initially, but now she’s etched under his skin and he’d fight for her as he would his own daughter. Which, given her track record of scrapes, engagements gone awry and mishaps, he may well need to do.

Of course, he’s not the only one with a doll under the skin. Ballard is slipping under the weight of hiding his knowledge of Mellie’s true identity, especially with no end in sight. Although he gained an ally in this episode (not that she wasn’t already under the not-so-smooth-talker’s spell), he also lost a piece of himself. Each time he’s with Mellie, it looks like his moral compass takes a hit, as he starts to see himself as a bad guy too. The foreplay/sex scene between the pair was even a little intimidating, as Ballard looked to be teetering on the brink of losing control and Mellie’s quite fragile without her code-phrase to activate her ass-kicking skills. Whether he’ll completely snap or not is unknown, but the remorse and disgust he looked to be filled with whilst in the shower indicates that he’ll fight against it.

One final point. Why on earth can every single person, professional or layman, fight as though they’ve been training all their life? Margaret’s son and husband went at it with some finesse, finesse which I doubt that a random person pulled off the street would have. I’d like to see people fighting that actually look like they’ve never been in a fight before, just once. Not everyone spends their life beating people up!

*”Boy stuff” being the general term for it. No, I am not saying it’s just for boys. I am not a boy and take part in most of what they were messing with. Generalizations are so much handier than saying “stuff that is predominantly appealing for boys but also has a large female fanbase which actively takes part and also gets pissed when said stuff is generalized as being just for boys”. Don’t you agree?

Up Next Week: “Briar Rose” – Adelle searches for information in the darkest place in the Dollhouse. Meanwhile, Alpha returns and this time he means business.

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Did you watch Dollhouse this week? What’d you think?

Gossip Girl, The CW, Airs Monday 8/7c

Episode: “Seder Anything” (Season 2, Episode 21)

Synopsis: Relationships get more complex this week as Serena returns from Spain a (possibly) married woman, while Blair’s attempts to solidify her place in life and society almost destroy her relationship with Nate. Jenny gives Chuck a wake up call, prompting an unexpected apology and another sign that a heart really beats beneath his hard exterior.

Review: Is Blair really that stupid? Thank God she redeemed herself because right up until the end of that dreadfully social party, I was wondering what had hit her so hard on the head that it knocked everything she’d learned from her tumble from the realm of the socially blessed. To think that manipulating someone would not turn and bite her on the ass after all that was a little bit stupid. Not just a little bit, but an enormous amount. Nate’s grandfather has played the manipulation game for far too long not to have an insurance policy approach, and mutually assured destruction is always a winner. All’s well that ends well though, as Chuck came to her rescue in rather an odd way, preventing yet another knock to her stupid little head. Hopefully the bump won’t cause any more forgetfulness.

Speaking of memory lapses, we had an exemplary incidence of recovering from convenient-short-memory syndrome. Many a TV character has succumbed to this disease, forgetting entire chunks of their history only to resurrect them whenever the plot next calls for the emotion to surface or a subplot to be filled out. Little J managed to do her part admirably here, as someone who managed to go almost two full seasons between being attacked and calling her attacker on it. Considering her family has had plenty of dealings with Chuck, and yes she has exhibited signs of distaste, it was nothing to this week’s venom. Why she chose this week to mention it, who knows, but it shook Chuck up plenty and got him ready for the battle for Blair we’re bound to get next week. After all, what white knight is ready to abandon his fair lady just for being herself? Also, what white knight is that wooden? Nate needs to relax a bit, you’d think that some time with Vanessa would have taught him to breathe a little easier.

Speaking of Vanessa, where was she this week? Won’t she be delighted to hear that Nate, having broken up with her after all the issues about following his own path vs following the path set out by his grandfather, has now decided to go his own way and live his own life. Apparently he can live outside the family confines just fine, once he has Blair there with him.. Maybe Chuck will be called on to console her again, after his excellent performance the last time. Hell, he could even twist it to make Blair jealous and realize she loves him and not Nate!

Over at the party house, AKA the Waldorf apartment, plot development was thrown into chaos as Serena’s urgent conversation with Blair’s lawyer step-father revealed that she had inadvertently (that’s teenage speak for drunkenly) gotten married. To her friend’s ex-boyfriend. Of 3 days. I’ve said before that Serena’s not been acting like herself, but this is just like plastering it all over a billboard and screaming at the top of your lungs in the middle of an cave of echoes. Serena, though impulsive, is not that idiotic. She may sleep with her best friend’s boyfriend, but she won’t marry some strange man…

Ok, the old Serena might have been at risk of marrying a random guy on the spur of the moment, but the new and more matured Serena would never behave in such a ridiculous fashion. Scriptwriters, take note: There’s nothing wrong with a good plot twist to keep the story fresh, but at least make them believable. Keep within the bounds of the character’s plausible behavior!

However, having said all of that, the final moments of the episode cushion what was a highly improbably episode. Did anyone out there watching NOT do a double take? What is going on? Are Poppy and Gabriel in on some scheme together? That’s what it looked like, and Serena has fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Gabriel knew Serena way back during her glory days with Georgina, is there some lingering grudge going on there? How is Poppy involved in all of this? Thank goodness we don’t have to deal with yet another hiatus this week, because this mystery needs explaining sooner rather than later.

Up Next Week: “Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” – An old friend from the past returns as rivalry flares between two lions over one lioness. Meanwhile, Serena’s complex relationship with her pseudo-husband gets even more muddled.

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Did you watch Gossip Girl this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Spy in the House of Love” (Season 1, Episode 9)

Synopsis: When evidence is discovered of a spy in the Dollhouse, Topher and Dominic enlist Echo and Sierra to discover the leak. Meanwhile, Mellie returns to Ballard’s life, bringing more complications than he could have ever imagined. We learn more DeWitt’s inner workings and her private life and the Attic’s grizzly purpose is finally revealed.

Review: This week saw “Dollhouse” again ditch the linear storyline in favour of multiple focused threads of plot, with nicely misleading intersecting stories and snatches of overheard conversation which point down the wrong paths. Did anyone manage to dodge all the misdirects and see the story for how it really was, before all was revealed?

Again, Dichen Lachman showed that she could do a great job handling a large portion of the episode’s focus, but surprisingly Eliza Dushku also showed her acting chops and pulled off not only the dominatrix character but also the body language expert nicely. Even better, Echo herself is gaining more of a character, a sure sign that the season end is rolling around pretty soon. As Topher and DeWitt pointed out, she was protecting herself from the most prominent threat to her survival and she did it with style. Did Alpha ever request to be imprinted? While the higher ups did seem to think Echo acted only to protect herself, it is also possible that her aim was to be of help to the people in her life. Echo has shown a strong sense of loyalty to those surrounding her, so it would be fitting for her to step in in order to help protect them. Perhaps she should be more protective of herself, however, as the Attic looms over her as a possible punishment for straying too far into Alpha’s footsteps.

Yes, we finally discovered the mysteries of the Attic. It’s probably best that that wasn’t broached earlier in the season, as the concept really is quite horrific. Worse than Minority Report‘s prisons, worse than the conditioning in A Clockwork Orange, truly a horrific prospect. Losing yourself and your mind forever, unless they decide to give it back to you for some limited time frame before leaving you upstairs again. Not to mention the fact that experiencing the wiping seemed excruciating. Perhaps that was just the same as the initial wipe for the dolls, Sierra did seem in a great deal of pain during her first wipe, but there were not tubes running from the ceiling into her then. Just goes to show that you never cross the Dollhouse.

Speaking of the dangers of crossing the Dollhouse, Agent Ballard really should learn that it’s not safe to chase them. Now that he’s been informed that Mellie is not Mellie, he may have the advantage of protecting himself from revealing important information regarding his investigation, but he also has the tricky task of maintaining the illusion of a connection without letting her or the Dollhouse know that something’s wrong. Thank goodness the secret spy in the midst of the Dollhouse could program Mellie with that parameter, allowing Ballard to protect his investigation.

During November’s reveal to Ballard, she stated “Our person inside has been captured”. Strangely, this was before the spy was revealed. Could the spy sent to the Attic in this episode be a different one to the informant passing messages to Ballard? The tech imprinting the dolls with extra parameters was NSA based, which makes it more likely that the spies are one and the same, but is it possible that another spy exists who knew that this tech was available? Why would the NSA be interested in the purpose of the Dollhouse, rather than the technology employed?

As usual, “Dollhouse” leaves us with plenty of questions and a thirst for the answers. However, will the answers ever come? Ratings were down a little this week, with “Dollhouse” only getting 1.4 in the 18 to 49 market share. However, three episodes remain and with Prison Break as a lead in for the final installments, perhaps that number could be coaxed out of the red and into safer waters.

Up Next Week: “Haunted” – No new episode until 24th April, where a loss in Adelle’s life leads to a new mission for Echo. Meanwhile, Ballard investigates into someone he once thought of as a close friend, and Topher secretly programs Sierra for a new engagement.

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Did you watch Dollhouse this week? What’d you think?