[US] DollHouse [** Spoilers **] (Renewed!)

anotherlostie

Great episode. I particularly liked that it was much more an ensemble piece with stories for Sierra and Victor than just Echo on her assignment of the week. However I thought this was going to delve into Echo's past, but that didn't happen.

I had thought Mellie was a doll until DeWitt sent the guy to kill her, so the flowers in the vase twist was a nice surprise. But wouldn't Ballard be surprised that his ditsy new girlfriend was able to take this guy out?

As for the mole, my inclination is towards Amy Acker - she might turn out to have a bigger part to play than the original guest star credit, just like happened in Alias. However we don't know which handler went with Echo to the Chinese place, so maybe not having Boyd there was part of the plan, which leans towards a higher power. Topher's assistant does seem too obvious. But I like the notion that Adele is a doll (with Mr Dominic as her handler?)

Richard Dower

Anybody could be an active!...in fact some actives might not be actives but normal people pretending to be actives. Glad i didn't read any spoilers! as the Mellie twist was huge for me, total surprise. Thats one of the pitfalls of the net and forums...it can totally ruin things and the enjoyment of a show. All my fave shows i deliberately avoid any info about them and have no clue whats gonna come next, i can discuss things all i want after the fact! :-)

www.miraclelaurie.net www.miraclelaurie.com

User45701

abelard wrote: »

A friend of mine suggested Ms DeWitt could herself be a doll which could be possible given that there seems to be another layer of power above her with the whole global network of Dollhouses and mysterious intentions.

I think all the employee's of the dollhouse - it makes scene why take on real people if you can program an active to do it, and programmer guy isa geniuses right? how did they find 20 like minded geniuses who where all willing to take the job.

If we ever see another dollhouse i bet the employee's will all act and have the mannerisms as the ones we know

anotherlostie wrote: »

I had thought Mellie was a doll until DeWitt sent the guy to kill her, so the flowers in the vase twist was a nice surprise. But wouldn't Ballard be surprised that his ditsy new girlfriend was able to take this guy out?

i thought she was a doll aswell then the epiosde convinced me she wasent and then she was again.
Best epiosde so far

is_that_so

Certainly much better than anything to date, which wouldn't be too hard, although the segued interviews of morons leering at the camera was very annoying. That said between the wooden Dushku, the dubious scripts and the very clichéd plots, Dollhouse just doesn't do it for me and I don't much care to find out where it leads. Enjoy the rest of it however long it lasts.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Savage episode.
If the storyline continues to move this fast and the ratings get a boost - now that BSG is over - I'd be highly surprised if it wasn't picked up for a second season.

Lirange

lostexpectation wrote: »

so who isn't a doll then?

The only one I feel confident to say isn't is Mr. Dominic. Beyond that it's anybody's guess. I was just giving mine.

iguana

J-blk wrote: »

Ballard could very well be an active as well, both his obsession and fighting skills just don't seem normal...

I'm not saying he's not possibly an active but Ballard is an FBI agent. All agents go through rigorous Krav Maga training and Ballard is a big guy who obviously works out quite a bit. If he wasn't extremely proficient at hand to hand combat it would be far stranger.

J-blk

iguana wrote: »

All agents go through rigorous Krav Maga training...

The other agent (Romo from BSG cause I can't remember what he's called here) seemed to have no fighting skills at all so at least in the context of the series, it doesn't seem like most FBI agents have great fighting skills... That's only second to his obsession though which seemed to be highlighted by the conversation with the Dollhouse client - that he's a bit too obsessed with it all...

iguana

J-blk wrote: »

The other agent (Romo from BSG cause I can't remember what he's called here) seemed to have no fighting skills at all so at least in the context of the series, it doesn't seem like most FBI agents have great fighting skills...

No, but depending on the type of job they do within the FBI some will be better skilled than others. Ballard has to be about 6'5" and is well built, muscular and in good shape. Whereas Romo is older, smaller and a bit flabby. IRL Penikitt is a skilled Maui Thai fighter, which is a lot of what you are seeing on screen, as they are using his natural skills and Krav Maga is as uncinematic as you can get. I wouldn't say his fighting skills mark him out as a doll. The dolls don't have any unnatural fighting skills, just imprints of skilled fighters, so an actual skilled fighter would easily be at least their equal.

I seem to remember in the pilot there was some unseen higher up who wanted Ballard to investigate the dollhouse, so I'm assuming that is a plot strand that will eventually be expanded upon.

J-blk

Fair enough. I don't really want Ballard to turn out to be an active anyway, cause that just diminishes the whole story (he wouldn't technically really be trying to bring the Dollhouse(s) down if he was so tied into them - even without knowing it - and that would take away from the whole cat-and-mouse thread of Ballard trying to expose them). I'm still looking forward to finding out more about why exactly he is so driven though...

BlitzKrieg

I've been following Dollhouse (its the recent addition to my friday trio BSG, terminator and now Dollhouse. Soon to be a duo again and then nothing .

It has long been the weakest of the lineup and I only continue because I like the idea and (more importantly) I want to see Wash as the Villian. I really am trying to work out how he can play off being evil psychopath so I continue to watch to see his much anticipated appearance.

On the last episode it was a step in the direction that should have happened in episode 2.

Everyone understood the basic premise of the Dolls etc by the end of episode 1, yet they spent 5 episodes repeating it slowly to make sure everyone was on board and only gave a trinkle of other tidbits (alpha, new techniques and risks etc) and it is only now at episode 6 that they start to run with the notion that everyone is with them on the whole reprogrammable humans and are now bringing in the paranoia and the suspicion.

Which is all good, but it felt like the last 5 episodes went really slow but this one came at you a bit too fast and too much. It was like they had at least 3 more episodes planned to go slow, saw the dropping figures and cut them up into one episode and used those street interviews to move between them.

Its sort of confusing that echo can be out on a mission at one moment with her handler and at the same time there is the whole issue with victor again with her handler. You'd think after echo almost got caught by the FBI he would have been in the office demanding to know whats going on or similar, he has previously over smaller issues. So it does jump around alot.

but the plot finally moving is a welcome addition.

Kipperhell

I just started watching this and I must say your one really isn't a good actress she is pretty enough but I don't think this was the best use of actors. Nice to see Amy Acher again. It is a pity the Whedon hasn't gone with more humour like in Buffy/Angel for a show but I don't see the room for it in this.

Watchable and could drag me in.

mikeruurds

Bloody hell episode 6 was good. What an improvement. I was starting to lose hope.

Richard Dower

Everybody looking forward to tonights episode?....i am!, hope Mellie dosen't get killed off!!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Richard Dower wrote: »

Everybody looking forward to tonights episode?....i am!, hope Mellie dosen't get killed off!!

Indeed, I am. Won't get a chance to watch it until tomorrow night though - gotta work tomorrow, but if I didn't I'd stay up to watch it at about 3am.

Richard Dower

"i could eat that word".....hehe!, second best episode of the season!!!!, how good was that?
Ooh man there was some great laughs, DeWitt and Topher are a comedy duo! :-)
The humour was full on in this episode, while i didn't understand at first but when they revealed they were all intoxicated their strange behaviour then made sense.

BUT...did anyone feel the comedy was overdone?...as if it was forced, like they were deliberately trying to inject comedy?....but it was great and we got back story for Echo, got a bit on Victor as well.
What was great for me was Mellie, when she started to glitch it was an "oh s*it!" moment!

Topher and DeWitt thought they were gonna get iced!! :-)
Good stuff overall and it's definately going in the right direction....gonna stick it out now see where the white rabbit leads.

Mr E

The best thing about that episode was how completely unpredictable it was. Very very good.... midway through the season now.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Great episode. The series is really starting to come into it's own. Dushku's wooden acting is even less irritating now.

anotherlostie

I thought this was great. Olivia Williams was so much fun, getting away from Adele's starchy ways, especially clambering over the divide. Mellee potentially going psycho was a nice mini cliffhanger too. Nice to see the backstory for Echo. Alpha is hardly her boyfriend?

Is Mehcad Brooks going to be part of the cast now? I think they even beat Desp Housewives' record of showing him without his shirt in his first episode!

I thought there were only 7 episodes in this run, like an extended pilot. Are there going to be another 6?

Mr E

6 left, anotherlostie.

[php] 8. 1- 8 3 Apr 09 Needs
9. 1- 9 10 Apr 09 Spy in the House of Love
10. 1-10 24 Apr 09 Four Engagements
11. 1-11 1 May 09 Briar Rose
12. 1-12 8 May 09 Omega
13. 1-13 15 May 09 Epitaph One[/php]

matrim

Another good episode. The Topher and DeWitt scenes were very funny.

It also confirms that DeWitt, Topher, Boyd and Dominic aren't dolls, as they were affected by the drug

iguana

Richard Dower wrote: »

BUT...did anyone feel the comedy was overdone?...as if it was forced, like they were deliberately trying to inject comedy?....but it was great and we got back story for Echo, got a bit on Victor as well.

I thought the same, a bit like the Buffy episode where they all lost their memories, but it fit better into Buffy as it was a naturally humourous show. Some of the lines were classic though, my drawer of inappropriate starches, I'm going to use that from now on.

Richard Dower

Any word on ratings for the last ep?
What i also noticed was that Mellie was a lot stronger character, which she said herself in the kitchen scene....but is her whole smitten/love thing just an imprint?

As for the humour...thats why i said it felt forced, in Buffy/Angel it was in line with the whole vibe of those series, but with Dollhouse i don't feel the vibe and overall subject matter warrent full on comedy like that.

In fact i would say that DeWitt looked like a fish outta water in those scenes, though you could interpret it as Dewitt being so stuck up her own arse it was hard for her to "do" comedy.

PopBeloved

Any word on ratings for the last ep?

They were the worst yet in the demographic that matters: the 18/49s. It scored 1.3/ 4. The programme needs a major upswing immediately.

In fact i would say that DeWitt looked like a fish outta water in those scenes, though you could interpret it as Dewitt being so stuck up her own arse it was hard for her to "do" comedy.

I thought Olivia Williams was the best part of the episode. It helps that she's the best actor on 'Dollhouse' and I say that as someone who thinks it has it's fair share of very good actors.

Richard Dower

PopBeloved wrote: »

They were the worst yet in the demographic that matters: the 18/49s. It scored 1.3/ 4. The programme needs a major upswing immediately.



I thought Olivia Williams was the best part of the episode. It helps that she's the best actor on 'Dollhouse' and I say that as someone who thinks it has it's fair share of very good actors.

Damn! why did they get a cut in ratings?....un;ess people didn't get the humour...i could understand that people might have not understood what the hell was going on?

This sucks!....i don't wanna see it get cancelled, even if it's just to watch Mellie

is_that_so

I think they have made life difficult for themselves with how they set it out. Objectively the first three episodes were pretty awful. While Whedon fans would hang on a lot longer, a casual watcher would have long since gone.

The series really did not improve noticeably until episode 6, close to halfway into its initial run. In some respects maybe that's where they should have started. As others have commented as well, Dushku is the really weak link, although not the only one, and it needs a pretty good episode for her not to make you switch off.

PopBeloved

why did they get a cut in ratings?....un;ess people didn't get the humour

The ratings went down between this episode and last week's; the virtues and flaws of this week's episode are one of the few things we can discount as reasons for the drop-off.

I have no idea why it's floundering. There was basketball on that night. Or maybe it's because at it's best Dollhouse is still only at the high-end of okay and people are throwing up their hands. I don't know.

lostexpectation

anotherlostie wrote: »

I thought this was great. Olivia Williams was so much fun, getting away from Adele's starchy ways, especially clambering over the divide. Mellee potentially going psycho was a nice mini cliffhanger too. Nice to see the backstory for Echo. Alpha is hardly her boyfriend?

well we never saw him die

but i got the feeling alpha had been around longer then echo

User45701

Very good ep and after the news on TV.com that dollhouse fans should not lose hope of a renewal and that was after ep 5. The last 2 eps have been great. this epiosde was funny though - imagine the power of a weapon like that - acid that spreads by touch.

BlitzKrieg

I say ratings are gonna be stuck down for a period because Dollhouse doesnt have a good word of mouth at the moment (in fact its very much the opposite online)


I enjoyed this episode enough, I was convinced up until the last moments that the killer was a doll aswell (as he had gone from being affected to clearheaded so quickly) and that it was going to lead into Alpha or someone else having dolls of their own and there is a sort of Doll war undercurrent.

I actually was quite disapointed with Echo's backstory, she turns out to be some preachy save the planet college girl, I was hoping for something with a bit more drama behind it, either her being hedonistic layabout (as hinted at the end of episode 1) who is one of the few willing participants without considering the full ramifications (think anyone who posts on after hours regulary) and that whatever elements of *caroline* that are still in there are ripping themselves apart for being so foolish not to mention alot of people looking down on her/being over protective because of it.


I dont know save the planet girl on the wrong side of the law with dead boyfriend just doesnt appeal to me as a backstory. Gets a meh.

robby^5

Terribly disappointing episode, real let down.

Back story was pretty boring. So she's some whiny little peta wannabe who saw too much and didn't understand what it is she saw either, which makes me question why they would bother making her a doll when the evidence was destroyed and all she has to prove anything is her word... meh, pretty uninteresting imo. Also the boyfriend was an awful character, kept saying stupid **** like "that's my girl"

Still I'm enjoying the show and think it has quite a lot of promise even though they've been hit and miss so far. I believe it was mentioned that Caroline was on the run for two years before being caught, so hopefully they go into detail with that and actually make me care about Caroline, because right now I care more about Echo.

lostexpectation

well i guess its more Taken then nikitta it could happen to anyone type thing

iguana

I think that this episode has placed me solidly in the camp of everyone who feels that Dushku is the weak link on the show. I've never had a particular problem with her acting as she pretty much nailed Faith and I've not really seen her in anything else, Tru Calling was stupid. But she isn't a good enough actor to pull off being different characters in the same episode. Each new imprint is still just the same person being ballsy, the same person being sexy, the same person being innocent. It wouldn't matter so much with an ancillary character, but with Echo she is supposed to be experiencing flashes of her true personality, or of other imprints and Dushku's acting ability just isn't up to conveying it properly.

The thing in this episode that really showed her up was Enver Gjokaj's Victor. I thought he was completely different as the NSA guy running the investigation, to his Russian pimp and his innocent Victor. While he was in the lab being intelligent and officious you could almost forget that he's a doll. And it made Mr Domnick's frustration with Topher making him NSA and his apple sauce comments both real and funny. You never get that kind of immersion when watching Echo.

Kipperhell

Well that episode pretty much destroyed any notion of the people running the house being dolls. Echos back story is pretty pathetic and I am not pretty much sure Alpha is her boyfriend who "died". What is kind of irritating about her back story is it is like a Knight Rider/A team simplistic story.

PopBeloved

I think Dushku is the weakest actor on the series after Fran Kranz and there's something off with each of her personas but I still think she delineates the characters well. There was a cluelessness to the last character which seperated her from whom she had played before and there was a shrewishness to her character in the second last episode which seperated her again. I don't think she has the physical control Victor has or the kind of features suitable for projecting a different demeanour like Sierra and she's definitely hit-and-miss but I think she's doing a pretty good job. The problem with Dollhouse is the writing.

ziedth

I also agree that Dushku seems to be the weak link although it wouldn't put me off watching the show like it did with fringe

I'm enjoying the show for the most part I kind of wish that Victor would get more screen time as he seems to be a watchable.

I'll def stick with it but i'm wondering would I be as forgiving if it wasn't a Josh Weadon show!

User45701

ziedth wrote: »

I also agree that Dushku seems to be the weak link although it wouldn't put me off watching the show like it did with fringe

I'm enjoying the show for the most part I kind of wish that Victor would get more screen time as he seems to be a watchable.

I'll def stick with it but i'm wondering would I be as forgiving if it wasn't a Josh Weadon show!

Your 1 from dollhouse is in fringe as well?

ziedth

User45701 wrote: »

Your 1 from dollhouse is in fringe as well?

No Budd,

What I mean is the lead in Fringe (Dunham is it?) is very poor character or actress. It put me right off watching the show. Which is a pity because I quite liked walter and the chap who was in Dawsons creek in it.

Richard Dower

Dushku *is* a major problem, i said it before....she was only hired for her looks/past history of Wheadon shows. She is the weak link, i think they should kill her off and find a new Echo.

robby^5

Well if the show isn't cancelled this season I definitely think the writers should start focusing more on Victor and Sierra maybe tell more of their back-stories and shift the focus away from Echo.

Obviously I don't see Echo being killed off or anything, but if there was less focus on Echo and more on the 3 of them as a group I think the show would definitely benefit.

Looking forward to this weeks episode, as it looks like it could be exactly what I'm looking for judging from the promos.

Richard Dower

Yes, this weeks promo looks great...the Dolls wake up! :-)

Richard Dower

Not long now guys.....SOO EXCITED!! :-)

User45701

my eta says 22 mins but im recked i think ill just wait till the mornin

Mr E

It was a very good episode, but wasn't the revelation I was hoping for. I actually rolled my eyes when DeWitt said "right on schedule..." in the first act, but they took it in a good direction when Echo decided to go back. The scene with Caroline, Topher, and later DeWitt was very good.

I was kind of pissed off when everything was wrapped up in a nice little bow by the second last scene (yep, I rolled my eyes again - sedative released when they had closure - seriously?), but the last scene was a nice sting in the tail.

Very good episode, but not as good as that promo promised.

Richard Dower

It was good, but not great and not as good as the promo made it out to be. We learned that the dolls choose to be dolls, interesting plotline for Mellie that her daughter died, is it me or does any think that Victor is getting better?....i rather like his character, and the can act and has some "range", unlike Dushku who plays it the SAME every damn week.

Victor and Sierra definately have a past and a connection outside of the Dollhouse...we now know why he has feelings for her, from within the Dollhouse at least....nice to see that Victor even in Doll mode always waited for her and checked to see she gets to bed ok, it made sense that she smilies at him and is relieved when she is about to jump into her pod.

But i didn't quite understand Sierra's problem?...as in that guy she went to see, he raped her right?...but was he a client of the Dollhouse or was he someone she knew before becoming a Doll?...and how did he know about the Dollhouse and that Victor might be her handler?

But it was good that we got to see the Dolls and introduced to Tango and Mike, overall it was good, but not great. It needs to set up a little.

Mr E

*sigh*

CBS won the night despite two out of its three shows being repeats. The results for Dollhouse should finally end any discussion of the show’s renewal prospects, unless DirecTV plans to save it in the same fashion it saved Friday Night Lights and there are at least a couple of reasons why that doesn’t seem likely for Dollhouse (it doesn’t have the 40+ 37 episodes under its belt with critical acclaim that FNL had before the first deal and it doesn’t match DirecTV’s “football exclusives” pattern).

Otherwise Dollhouse is done on FOX after it finishes its run. But this being the Internet I’ll have to endure hearing about how wrong I am probably at least until the upfront announcements of next year’s schedule in late May.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/04/04/friday-ratings-cbs-wins-with-mostly-repeats-dollhouse-looks-done/15945

Richard Dower

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!...i seriously think Wheadon is cursed at Fox, what is it about this network?...they cancel great shows non stop. Sucks...but again i say a large part for this is Dushku, Wheadon should have written all the episodes and taken great say in the production of the show.

Thats two for two so with Wheadon at Fox, time to move on buddy!

Sherifu

Just started watching the first few episodes this week. Liking the Joe 90 vibe and two of the stronger actors from BSG popping up is good. Also helps to have Eliza Dushku in there. Some nice eye candy every week.

Go Joss Whedon go.

fredmc

Mr E wrote: »

*sigh*

That sucks so much...

Richard Dower wrote: »

But i didn't quite understand Sierra's problem?...as in that guy she went to see, he raped her right?...but was he a client of the Dollhouse or was he someone she knew before becoming a Doll?...and how did he know about the Dollhouse and that Victor might be her handler?

She refused to have sex with him before she was a Doll so he paid for her to become one(?). Now he hires her out to have sex with him as revenge, since he was never turned down before. I think he mentions raping her as one of her engagements with him.

iguana

fredmc wrote: »

She refused to have sex with him before she was a Doll so he paid for her to become one(?). Now he hires her out to have sex with him as revenge, since he was never turned down before. I think he mentions raping her as one of her engagements with him.

She said men with guns came to take her to the dollhouse, so I don't think Sierra went willingly.

Is there only 26 dolls per house? And when will we meet the ones with funnier names? Hotel, Papa, Whiskey and Xylophone.:D