Film School Rejects » Dollhouse Recaps

The End of the Dollhouse

Michelle Graham — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:50:45 +0000

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.

Recaps: Dollhouse Season 2, Episodes 1 and 2

Michelle Graham — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:24:14 +0000

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:

TV Review: Dollhouse – Omega

Michelle Graham — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:10:36 +0000

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?

TV Review: Dollhouse – Briar Rose

Michelle Graham — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:21:21 +0000

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?

Read More: Dollhouse Recaps

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

TV Review: Dollhouse – Haunted

Michelle Graham — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:13:32 +0000

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.

Read More: Dollhouse Recaps

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

TV Review: Dollhouse – Spy in the House of Love

Michelle Graham — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:16:09 +0000

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.

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive. Read More: Dollhouse Recaps.

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

TV Review: Dollhouse – Needs

Michelle Graham — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:52:04 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Needs” (Season 1, Episode 8)

Synopsis: Echo and some of her friends awaken with their original personalities, but no memory of how they came to be in the Dollhouse. Each doll deals with the lingering issues just below the surface of their consciousness.

Review: Another strong episode this week, as we got to grips with some of the darker parts of the dolls’ past memories and what brought them to where they are now, along with allowing them to work out their issues in real time. There are a couple of niggly little parts, so let’s address those first before dealing with all the good.

Firstly, was Mike just a method of forcing the dolls to move out of the dollhouse faster? Or was it just collateral damage, because he roomed with the worst cases of “need-driven-issues”? He was taken down pretty quickly, did he not have any issues of his own? Second, Victor was in a war and has horrible memories from that, but his need was to get the girl?

Other than that, however, the episode was rocking along and giving all sorts of character insight at a rapidfire rate. More was made of the DeWitt-Caroline connection, she seems to know a whole lot about one specific doll, which is especially odd when you look at how distant she is about others. From earlier episodes, we know that there was some sort of back and forth for about 2 years before Caroline agreed to join the Dollhouse, hopefully this will continue to be built on and explained.

Again, from previous episodes we’d gathered that the Dollhouse was a voluntary commitment, that any dolls were there of their own choosing, usually to avoid dealing with some awful part of their past. Seeing November/Mellie’s back story at this point was a good choice, as prior to her being revealed as a doll she was fairly dull, and since the reveal there hasn’t been much to do with her (other than see how obsessed she truly is with Agent Ballard). Giving some sort of emotional pull to her means she’s not as dismissible, especially when it’s such a sad history that she has.

However, the real shock in the doll histories was the idea that Sierra wasn’t there because she chose to be, but because some man she refused to sleep with put her there. They say rape takes the victim’s power away, and it seems that Sierra’d had hers stolen away long before her handler got to her. Even worse than the idea she could be put into a place like the Dollhouse was the idea that the person behind this could then pay to have her whenever and however he wanted. God knows what sort of sick and twisted situations that girl has been in.

I have to say, while Caroline’s story is interesting and Echo’s the main character, Sierra’s back story and her history within the dollhouse is far more compelling. This is helped by the fact that Dichen Lachman seems better able to carry off her character, whilst Eliza Dushku seems to try so hard to be blank and empty of personality that she’s practically screaming it.

So, where does all the need-fulfillment we witnessed this week leave the dolls and the pieces of personality we’ve seen emerge in each of them? Will Echo continue to retain memories or has this reset her to a more standardized doll-like state? Less importantly, what will Agent Ballard do now that he’s found the tap and heard Caroline’s distress call? Well, we’re over the midway point of the season, so hopefully there’ll be enough episodes in the current season order to answer some of the questions. The ratings are holding sort of steady, but remain low, so it looks like it’ll be down to Fox having faith in the show (no pun intended) and keeping it on despite phenomenal numbers. However, nowadays a huge portion of viewers treat TV as an on-demand service, watching when it suits them rather than being dictated to by some network schedule. So, with DVR numbers discovered to be very strong, maybe that’ll be the kiss of life for the series.

Up Next Week: “Spy in the House of Love” – A spy is discovered to have infiltrated the dollhouse, and it’s up to the newly programmed Sierra and Echo to root them out.

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive. Also, Read More: Dollhouse Recaps

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TV Review: Dollhouse – Echoes

Michelle Graham — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:57:42 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Echoes” (Season 1, Episode 7)

Synopsis: When a memory super-drug is released into the general population of a university, an army of dolls is sent in to contain its spread and solve the mystery of its release. Meanwhile, Echo’s routine engagement with a familiar face is rudely interrupted when a television bulletin causes memories from Caroline’s life to surface.

Review: Whilst not quite as good as last week, purely because the standard is now so much higher, this week’s episode definitely keeps the bar high and continues to prove that it deserves to be saved from the chopping block. This week sees memories from Echo’s supposedly lost life as Caroline begin to emerge, proving that her life before the Dollhouse isn’t completely lost, just locked away behind man-made memory blocks.

Unfortunately for Sierra, this also holds true for the memories of her rapes, memories which were difficult to watch her reliving. Chalk one up for the acting of Dichen Lachman here, she went from confident CDC agent to traumatized victim in the blink of an eye and very convincingly. In fact, all the dolls gave strong performances when showing their trauma, from Victor glitching back to his war torn memories to November reliving one of Mellie’s memories.

Ah, Mellie. You’re far more interesting now that you’re a doll and not just a needy neighbor, but just as you get interesting, you leave. Hopefully you’ll return, though in the mean time we’ll keep an eye out for this Debbie person, as she’s bound to be a doll too. Could this be the start of a weird and wonderful love triangle? Happily, we were kept out of Mellie and Agent Ballard’s romantic side of things this week, and it sounds like this will be the case for another couple of episodes. Huzzah! Now he can get back to mooning over Caroline and trying to work the case without FBI backup.

We finally got to see more of Caroline than a video yearbook piece and her induction into the Dollhouse, and it appears that there’s still more to come. Where did she go after she disappeared from the hospital room? Was that directly after her boyfriend/husband died? It looked as though she was physically fine but mentally a wreck, which appears to be the Dollhouse’s perfect candidate. That and having a killer body, of course. There’s a lot of mystery still remaining in Caroline’s life, not least of which is why Ms. DeWitt has such a strong attachment to her. Even before she was brought into the Dollhouse, DeWitt seemed to know Caroline and her likely actions, so what’s the tie there?

Speaking of DeWitt, her scenes with Topher this week were fantastic, a great bright point to lessen the tension. It was refreshing to see her be let out of the prim and proper British character and into that of a whimsical (and comical) child. She has not only a sense of humor, but a sense of self-ridicule! Also, after weeks of disliking Topher or being on the fence about him, he’s finally won me over. I didn’t really need to see his briefs, though. The sequences shared by he and DeWitt are among the funniest so far on Dollhouse, so I hope that we get the chance to see more of that side again soon.

One last thing, after such a strong episode last week, how on earth did this week’s Nielsen ratings slip back downwards?! Dollhouse lost 250,000 audience members and 2 tenths of a point in the 18-49 market share. Maybe DVR numbers will bump this up, but c’mon people! You saw a killer episode last week and you don’t tune back in? Words fail me. Hell, Sarah Connor Chronicles retains its audience. Here’s hoping that we do better next time around.

Up Next Week: “Needs” – After the events of “Echoes”, the dolls awaken back in the Dollhouse with memories they shouldn’t possess.

Read More: Dollhouse Recaps

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TV Review: Dollhouse – Man on the Street

Michelle Graham — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:44:26 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Man on the Street” (Season 1, Episode 6)

Synopsis: Agent Ballard’s suspicions of the Dollhouse’s existence are confirmed as he comes face to face with Echo out on an engagement. However, a second encounter leaves him more lost and confused than ever. Meanwhile, Sierra begins exhibiting strange behaviour whilst wiped, to the alarm of those around her.

Review: Woah. Any doubts held about this series should be completely eradicated after viewing this episode. The biggest issue with reviewing this week is most definitely where on Earth to begin, the sheer quantity of content is hard to absorb. To quote Julie Andrews, let’s start at the very beginning, shall we?

The one complaint that’s remained constant since the series started was that Agent Ballard’s arc was so very detached from both Echo’s story and that of the Dollhouse. Such a divide meant that every week, some chunk of time was spent on a story which wasn’t exactly interesting and didn’t further the main story. As of this episode, that issue should be a thing of the past as Ballard ended up in the thick of the Dollhouse’s business, in ways he didn’t even realise. It certainly wasn’t an issue here! Give Joss credit where it’s due, peppering the world with dolls is a sneaky move but it makes perfect sense and leaves us really at a loss. Who can be trusted?

Something else which may not have been designed to leave the viewer unsure and confused is Echo’s message to Ballard. The news of multiple Dollhouses isn’t really news, it’s been guessed at before. However someone inside the establishment working against the system is right out of left field. Careful rewatching of the scene reveals no new information, damn their cautious filming. Who sent the mysterious message? Assuming Alpha was the one sending the messages to Ballard initially, what other party would be interested in shutting down the Dollhouse? The use of “we” in Echo’s message indicates that a group is involved here, one that knows Ballard and his ties (whatever they may be) to Caroline. Or is this all part of a larger game, more of DeWitt and the Dollhouse playing tricks and double bluffing, attempting to get Ballard off the scent by convincing him he’s working with an infiltrator from within? Either way, he may not be of much use for the next while, being suspended and all.

Though most of the action focused on Ballard and the twists and turns surrounding his obsession with Caroline/Echo, the story within the Dollhouse is also worth noting. Rather than just being a sidebar and a way to fill time, it dealt with the abuse of the trust between a handler and their doll which, unfortunately, nicely mirrored paedophilia and abuse of innocents. While it’s not exactly what you want on your tv show, it just serves to remind us of exactly how vulnerable these fully grown people are, once their imprints are stripped from them. It also raises another issue regarding the dolls in their wiped state – how much do they recall and how do they do it?

It’s been established that the dolls (at least the ones we follow) retain memories and connections from their wiped state, otherwise names of staff and other dolls would be lost after each engagement. So does there exist a baseline within the doll’s mind which they are wiped back to? Though Sierra’s experiences have supposedly been wiped from her recollection, are they really gone? Ms. DeWitt implied that Topher’s task in removing these memories was much more difficult than a simple wipe, why is that? Am I thinking about this too much? And one final note, if they’re concerned about this sort of issue (a bad memory corrupting a doll’s base personality), why not do a backup before each engagement?

Moving along from the pseudo-science analysis, there was definitely a reason for all the hype around this episode. Joss and many cast members said over and over that episode 6 was where it kicked off, that episode 6 was what to wait for, and boy were they right. Fox may have had their fingers in the pie of episodes 1 to 5, and while I liked them, I loved this. Whedon-esque hallmarks were all over this week’s instalment, with sharp dialogue and genuine comedy muddled together into a fan pleasing combo plate. Not only that but Echo got to get her Faith on as she kicked Ballard’s ass all over that kitchen, and in some great heels too. Throw in the large amount of character development throughout the cast and it adds up to one hell of a tough act to follow. Happily this week’s episode retained most of the audience and lost only .1 of a share in the 18-49 set, so if this doesn’t get them back for next week, nothing will.

Up Next Week: “Echoes” – When a deadly virus runs rampant on a college campus, Echo is sent back to school, where parts of her past start coming back to her.

Missed an episode of Dollhouse? Catch up here! For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive.

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TV Review: Dollhouse – True Believer

Michelle Graham — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:51:17 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “True Believer” (Season 1, Episode 5)

Synopsis: When a commune is believed to be holding people against their will, Echo (Eliza Dushku) is sent in to be the eyes of the ATF. When a news report from outside the commune catches her on camera, Agent Ballard’s (Tahmoh Pennikett) quest to find Caroline finally catches a lucky break. Meanwhile, Viktor (Enver Gjokaj) causes a stir within the Dollhouse when he demonstrates too much of an “interest” in another doll (Dichen Lachman).

Review: So, Agent Ballard’s story line may actually link up to the goings on in the Dollhouse soon. Oh, and male dolls shouldn’t get hard ons. These are the two things you take away from the latest episode on Dollhouse. Sure, the episode was entertaining, crazy cult infiltrated by a .. crazy blind cult member named Esther. Cue many pointed stories about Esther in the Bible, which could also be extended to Echo’s own situation, seeing the truth of the Dollhouse. Usually Dushku raises no objections from me regarding her acting abilities, but this evening was a different story altogether. There were maybe two moments where her blindness was believable. Unfortunately, the rest of the time was spent attempting to prove that those moments were pure flukes, so much so that it distracted me from actually following the plot.

Echo wasn’t the only one undergoing trauma this week, as in one of Topher’s (Fran Kranz) rare likable appearances, he catches a glimpse of Viktor’s flag flying proudly. Apparantly male dolls are meant to remain as limp as a noodle while in their doll state. A altogether too brief sequence with Dr. Saunders (Amy Acker) provides more smile raising material as they are forced to check if this was a one off occurrence, containing multiple sly jokes intermingled with clinical-speak. More Amy Acker, please! Deadpan or comical, the girl can bring it.

Last but not least, there is Agent Ballard, whose plot line may just have received the kiss of life. The possibility of watching 8 more episodes of his dead man walking act, angsting over where Caroline is and how to find the Dollhouse would cause most to despair, especially with it being so removed from the goings on within the rest of the show. One shining light lifted the driven angst filled haze this week, as Ballard attempts charm (and it really seems to have been a while since this happened) in order to get what he needs. Proof positive that a human being and not just a man on a mission lives in his shell. Of course, there’s even more reason for his tunnel vision now. Caroline/Echo/Esther was caught on camera and there’s living, breathing and most importantly, independent proof that she exists. More angst ahoy! Of course, how Ballard will get from one shot of her on a news reel to finding the Dollhouse is beyond me. I’ll just have to tune in next week.

Ah yes, next week. Episode 6 has been vaunted as the episode where everything really gets going, and while I’m happy with the show so far, I do want it to start stepping up a gear. We’re almost at the midway point for this season, and the arc seems to be a little hesitant, it’s time to get things going. It seems that now is the time to step up the story too, as this week for the first time since “Dollhouse” hit the airwaves, the ratings went up! It seems that Fox had a good night, with both Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse going up notably in both the market share and overall viewer numbers (20% and 7% of an increase respectively). If next week’s episode is as good as they say and the numbers hold for just one week, Dollhouse may claw its way into the healthy end of the spectrum, but that’s quite the long shot. In the meantime, holding out hope for retaining this week’s numbers is optimistic enough.

Up Next Week: “Man on the Street” – Echo’s newest mission has her healing the broken heart of a client who’s lost his love. Meanwhile, the Dollhouse is in danger as a TV reporter prepares to expose its activities to the world.

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive.

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

TV Review: Dollhouse – Gray Hour

Michelle Graham — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:54:29 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Gray Hour” (Season 1, Episode 4)

Synopsis: Echo’s (Eliza Dushku) newest mission as an art thief goes awry when a supposedly impossible event occurs, leaving her confused and defenseless. Meanwhile, Agent Ballard (Tahmoh Pennikett) plays hard ball with Lubov/Victor (Enver Gjokaj) in an effort to get more information on the Dollhouse.

Review: So, this week we see Echo become a safe cracker extraordinaire, right up until the moment when she forgets who she is, where she is and pretty much anything above basic motor functions and speech. If anyone was wondering what a Doll in their wiped state was like, this episode definitely answers a lot of questions. Suggestible, innocent, confused and lost seem to sum it up, and a complete danger to themselves. It’s no wonder that the Dollhouse is set up to function as a giant spa, relaxing the newly “born” back into the real world.

This client of the week approach is starting to wear thin, as it seems that while we make inches of progress with character development involving any of the dolls (which happen to make up a large portion of the cast), it takes far too long to do. Not only that, but whilst Agent Ballard’s story line has a linear progression, it doesn’t really connect with the audience (other than the shock factor of his supposedly innocent source being a doll himself) and seems cut off from anything else we do see. Isolating the only real forward moving plot line like this seems destined to fail, but perhaps integration is on the cards. After all, seeing all the information Adelle deWitt (Olivia Williams) has on Ballard’s work and character means that he is being watched, and she’s definitely eager to keep him off the scent. Could another doll be set to follow Victor into the lion’s den in order to get Ballard onto a new case?

Speaking of the dolls, it was nice to see the grouping behaviour displayed by Echo, Sierra and Victor commented on by someone other than a fan. Topher’s (Fran Kranz) statement about it being instinctual raises some interesting questions. Exactly how blank is the tabula rasa state? From what we saw of Echo in the vault after her remote wipe (which was done remarkably well, from her inability to move from the pre-programmed waking script to the fetal position she tried desperately to stay in, a position she was found in after the Alpha attack), the moral center also remains, based on her unwillingness to hurt people and the concepts of good and bad, right and wrong and broken and whole all still seeming fully formed. Usually seeing a doll in this state doesn’t give that much information, as the environment in which they live is so sanitized, so safe and nurturing that the dolls are never really tested and made to reveal themselves and what they’re made of. Perhaps that was the point the whole time? With Alpha so interested in Echo, he could be testing her in both wiped and programmed states, attempting to force her to access her true self and override the programming instilled by the Dollhouse.

So how broken are all of these experiences and personas making Echo/Caroline? With each new character being imprinted, does a new fracture form within? The use of the artwork was a great way of conveying the exact situation of every doll, but particularly Echo. After all, she is starting to retain aspects of previous imprints and losing even the tabula rasa unity that forms the basis of all the other dolls. Does she really need the prodding and testing of Alpha to cause her to crack apart? So much of this series is still unknown, there are more new questions every week and most of them are about Alpha! With Topher’s upgrade in security, perhaps more information will trickle down to those watching the show.. Perhaps.

So yes, the episode suffered from a client of the week approach, yes the Agent Ballard storyline remains completely uninteresting and removed from the main and yes the Alpha teasing is cruel. However, despite the negative aspects, the 42 minutes spent in the Dollhouse this week were rewarding and informative. It may not be a content-crammed episode, something which viewers of Lost and Battlestar Galactica are currently enjoying vast quantities of, but it did allow us to gain an insight into the dolls. Unfortunately, yet again Dollhouse slipped in the ratings, with TVByTheNumbers reporting 3.5 million viewers and a 1.5/5 rating/share, so keep getting the word out and grabbing new viewers if you want to ever solve the mystery of Alpha and see more of Echo’s real personality, whatever’s left of it.

Up Next Week: “True Believer” – Echo loses her sight in order to see the inner workings of a clandestine cult.

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive. If you missed a Dollhouse episode, catch up here.

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

TV Review: Dollhouse – Stage Fright

Michelle Graham — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:28:48 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Stage Fright” (Season 1, Episode 3)

Synopsis: Echo (Eliza Dushku) is assigned to protect a singing sensation with a twisted overzealous fan, but inner loyalties to a doll friendship make the situation more complicated. Meanwhile, Agent Ballard (Tahmoh Pennikett) is closer to the Dollhouse than he realizes, but a twist regarding his Russian source (Enver Gjokaj) leads him into danger.

Review: Wow. For the first time, Agent Ballard’s quest shows signs of an interesting story. For a side plot which seemed so boring in the first two episodes, the mere small twist we saw this week was enough to light a fire under my interest levels and bring them up a degree or two. This could possibly be due to the small amount of progress made, or possibly because of the twist, however either way it’s a spark and apparently it set to be built upon in the next episode. Before tonight (i.e. for the whole two other episodes), the storyline remained steadfastly separate from the characters within the Dollhouse and therefore slightly removed from the audience. Bringing them into contact gives it a bit more life and depth, plus it serves as an important reminder that anyone could be a doll.

Back in the Dollhouse, things are getting more and more interesting. Again, the client selection was more than meets the eye, which is more than many people expect from a show like this. Plus in the course of the job, we learned Eliza Dushku could sing, who knew? It seems that Echo’s recall of past events and connections is getting stronger, as are her attachments to those in her life. The action taken to protect Sierra (Dichen Lachman) certainly seemed to be at the expense of the client, though things all worked out in the end. Dr. Saunders (Amy Acker) stated that prior to Alpha’s disintegration and psychotic break, he had the knack of thinking outside the box, so perhaps it really was all part of Echo’s grand design to rescue the songstress (Jaime Lee Kirchner) from herself. The exchange between the two dolls at the end of the episode poses some questions. How much does Echo remember? Why did she warn Sierra against coming over? How did she know that the men in suits disliked the idea of the two girls interacting?

It’s certainly clear why they moved this episode up in the airing schedule as with two strong early episodes in a row, solidifying the core audience and hooking new viewers should be an easier task. Word of mouth is far more positive now than it was after the premier, and lets face it, with Fox’s track record this is the most important thing. Unfortunately, despite all this the ratings slipped again and if the downward trend doesn’t stop soon, we may never discover the secrets of the Dollhouse.

Up Next Week: “Gray Hour” – Echo becomes a burglar so she can perform a dangerous art break-in. Meanwhile Ballard challenges Lubov/Victor and Adelle makes a disturbing confession.

Read More: Dollhouse Recaps

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TV Review: Dollhouse – The Target

Michelle Graham — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:15:53 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “The Target” (Season 1, Episode 2)

Synopsis: Echo (Eliza Dushku) is programmed as a girl with a taste for the outdoors, but when her client (Matt Keeslar) turns her into his prey, she needs to call on more than just her imprint to survive. The mystery of “Alpha” deepens as we flashback to how Dr. Saunders (Amy Acker) got her scars and what happens when a doll retains personalities after wiping.

Review: After a shaky premier, Joss Whedon & co deliver a strong follow up to kick start the series and really get the audience asking questions. Who is Alpha? Is he still out there? What does he want with Echo? What made him snap? Will this happen to Echo? Those are just the beginning, and honestly I’m excited to find out the answers. The initial episode order had this playing in the episode 3 slot, but moving it up a week certainly should grab attention.

The episode seemed to flow much more smoothly this week, without the dragging that was felt so much in the first half of the premier. This time there was no dull boring start up job to establish what happens at the Dollhouse, plus there was less emphasis on the slightly dull Agent Ballard (Tahmoh Pennikett) plotline. The pacing was a lot tighter, even with flashbacks in the mix. Echo’s handler, Langton (Henry Lennix), was well placed here as the audience’s way in to the story as rather than it being spelled out for the audience alone, it could be directed at him.

The present-day story, unlike the previous prostituting example from the last episode, was well developed, and not only because it did the unexpected. The client (there’s no point in naming him, he isn’t exactly going to come back) was more of a 3 dimensional character this time around, from his daddy issues to his obsession with finding the perfect girl and proving himself. Not only that, but seeing the relationship between handler and doll reversed was striking, especially when viewed along with their original bonding and how distant Langton was initially. Trust is definitely a two way street and her complete faith in him must have rubbed off over time.

Overall, the only thing wrong with that episode was that it ended. Echo’s story has just begun, she definitely has started to retain aspects of previous imprints and it’s just a matter of time before it won’t require a drug to seeing doubles of herself. After hearing more about Alpha, it’s clear that this has happened before but was he the first and if not, does it always end with bloodshed? What does this mean for Echo? Most importantly of all, did the ratings for this episode improve on last week’s, and will Fox leave the show on the air long enough for us to find out the answers to all these questions?

Up Next Week: “Stage Fright” – Echo is hired to protect a female star singer from her stalker fan.

TV Review: Dollhouse – Ghost

Michelle Graham — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:07:47 +0000

Dollhouse, Fox, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Ghost” (Season 1, Episode 1)

Synopsis: We’re introduced to the “Dollhouse”, a mysterious location whose inhabitants are blank slates, ready to be programmed for their next mission. These missions range from providing the perfect romantic encounter to acting as a trained assassin. Once the mission is complete, the dolls are brought back to the Dollhouse by their “handlers” for their treatment, after which it’s as though they never left. Echo (Eliza Dushku), one of many agents in the institution, is hired to handle a kidnapping when a memory of her new personality botches the transaction. Meanwhile on the outside, FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett, aka Helo from BSG) pursues this fabled place relentlessly, though his superiors disapprove. Is he seeking it to find someone special?

Review: After a confusing start and a slow first half, this show certainly kicked up the interest level to finish on a very interesting note, but will it be a villain of the week or a strong character driven story that we end up with? This being the pilot, it’s hard to tell, but after watching last night’s episode I’m definitely tuning back in next week to find out more.

The show’s current focus deals with the dolls and their missions (more specifically Echo’s life and missions) and seems like a fascinating but possibly tawdry storyline. However, their personae when leaving the Dollhouse are only one aspect of this. The other side of this existence is the strange lives they lead within the house itself. Seeming almost childlike, as that’s what they really are without any life experience, they are treated as such, with their time within the confines of the house made up of keeping fit, showering together and being treated so that they can be ready for the next outing. The characters we spot as we move through the house and the lives of the dolls all have their own quirks, from Doctor Saunders (Amy Acker) whose scarred face may explain the distance she keeps from the dolls to the arrogant tech guy playing with memories as though they were video games. Only Echo’s handler, Boyd Langdon (Harry Lennix), appears to have an emotional link to any of the dolls, but it’s already been mentioned that he’s new. Perhaps he doesn’t know the rules of the game.

As the show focused on Echo, it was logical to begin with hints as to how she came to be a doll, but of course provide no real detail. This theme followed through the entire episode, not quite to “Lost”’s level of teasing but there were a lot of questions raised with no real answers. Fortunately it hasn’t caused frustration yet, but it did leave me wondering whether I’d started the episode a few minutes in. Raising questions is always good, we don’t need yet another passive show devoid of deeper levels. Joss Whedon’s been a master at long term plotting for quite some time now, his outline for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”’s fifth season was partially in place long before we’d gotten there, so I have faith that “Dollhouse” will be another hit. However, the start of the episode was a tad dull. Perhaps it was that we hadn’t attached to the characters yet (though while in the Dollhouse, it’s hard to attach to any of them, they’re all completely devoid of emotion other than “pleasant”) but until Echo’s personality developed a personality and a human side, the show was somewhat dead. Since it’s well known that Fox demanded that the show be postponed for reshoots and a better cut of the premier, this could be a bad sign. However, have a little faith. I repeat, it’s Joss Whedon.

Unfortunately as proven with “Firefly”, this alone does not protect the show from cancellation and according to the Hollywood Reporter, last night’s premier was “the lowest rated scripted series premier on a major broadcast network this season” (other than the cancelled “Crusoe”, on NBC). Putting it on Friday was always a risky move but this is an unforeseen low. It’s possible that Dollhouse may die before it’s even really had time to make memories, so fight the power, keep tuning in and watch the Whedon magic unfold. It’s always worth it.

Up Next Week: “The Target” – Echo becomes an expert outdoorswoman when she is is hired by a handsome young client named Richard, but is he what he seems? Meanwhile, Agent Ballard ( receives a clue about Echo’s past and we learn about Dr. Saunders’ (Amy Acker) mysterious scars

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the TV for Movie Lovers Archive.

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