Dollhouse season 2; rewatch and reviews

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by saturn5, Nov 7, 2010.

  1. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    I'm afraid Daffy can't make the correct gesture for me, he lacks the correct anatomy. Maybe Daisy Duck? ;)(Donald's girlfriend). Or maybe that icon is just symptomatic of the content of the rest of that post?:)
     
  2. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    THE LEFT HAND

    The good;
    Once again some great acting from Enver, his Topher impression is flawless. Nice face off between Adele and her Washington counterpart too.


    The bad;
    It all seems a little overly complex, surely there must be simpler ways for Rossum to protect itself. Equally it rather beggars belief that with all the attention focused on him Rossum could get away with controlling the senator in quite so blatant a manner.

    Best line;
    Topher; "The only person in the world I would trust" (HIMSELF!)
    also like
    Adele; (grabbing the Washington Dollhouse heads groin)"If you don't return my active I will send someone to cut these off!"
    plus
    Adele; (upon finding Topher arguing with Toper/Victor); "Finding him obstinate are we?"

    Packing heat;
    Echo;8
    Boyd; 8
    Dominic; 9
    Sierra; 4
    Victor; 3
    Ballard; 10
    November; 1

    Echo kissage; 4

    Kinky dinky;
    Topher thinks Bennett's 'Librarian energy' is through the roof, she has got a serious case of the Diana Princes.

    Capt subtext;
    Bennett remarks to Topher 'Looks like you got the girl'. Love the little smile of pride Adele gives Topher as he tricks his way into Perrin's brain print. Topher asks himself "Who's your backdoor man?" before deciding on a better phrasing.

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost;
    Echo; 5 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Victor; 1
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 1
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    Echo getting tortured is nasty indeed, she can't pass out and can't even cry out to god. Can we please have an ep without needles, I really don't like them. Bennett's headbutt is also nasty, somehow it's easier to watch people harm one another than themselves. On a similar vein hard to watch Perrin and Echo cutting on another's chips out. Perrin snapping the goons neck and strangling his wife is also disturbing, Alexis showing some of the creepiness he demonstrated in the Angel ep 'Billy'.

    Total number personalitites;
    Echo; 28
    Sierra; 12
    Victor; 10
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls; Mellie is a Doll once more at the Washington Dollhouse, I wonder what her new name will be?
    9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

    Bondage;
    Sierra tied up; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Echo; 2

    Knocked out; twice for Echo
    Echo; 6
    November; 1
    Sierra; 1
    Victor; 1
    Topher; 2

    Kills;
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 3
    November;1

    Dolls injured;
    Echo roughed up again.

    Happy hookers;
    As Bennett stares quizically at Echo/Bree's brain print Topher explains "She was kinda a hooker"

    Know the face? Ray Wise, another great character actor from Twin Peaks, Robocop and especially good as The Devil in Reaper.
    14-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse).

    Reminds me of;
    With her useless arm Bennett has more than a little Dr Strangelove about her.

    Whedon cliches;
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children

    Breaking the programming;
    Echo can now distance herself from the personality of Caroline and perhaps doesn't want her back. If Bennett's memories are to be trusted we can see why? Echo is now able to overcome her imprinting to the degree that she can use her arm even though Bennett programmed her not to.

    Questions and observations;
    So it appears Caroline is not the saint we might first have thought. Topher refers to Echo as his friend, a small but somehow huge moment. Boyd refers to 'manufacturing a president' (Kennedy?) whilst Adele actually refers to Rossum as 'facists' seeing them for what they really are at last.
    So it seems that Rossum can 'improve' people, take away their negative qualities and give them beneficial ones? Part of me says that's a wonderful power, part of me says it could so easily be abused. On the one hand we could cure people of phobias, addictions, prevent paedophiles being attracted to children, take away criminals violent and anti-social traits, brave new world. On the other hand who decides what is truly negative and what is beneficial, what if someone decides to 'cure' gay people? To make everyone fit into their narrow vision of morality? The prospect sounds scarily like some form of mental eugenics.
    So now we have Echo out in the world on her own, dechipped and free of the Dollhouse. How will she cope? Can't wait to find out.

    Marks out of 10; 8/10, good ep
     
  3. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    Meet Jane Doe

    The good;
    The subtle struggle for power within the Dollhouse is truly nailbiting stuff, especially the final scene between Topher and Adele. Some lovely little touches showing how much the Dollhouse has changed since Adele is no longer in charge, cigars in Adele's office, Boyd's security guys with their feet up.

    The bad;
    Do we really think a girl as gorgeous as Echo needs to shoplift or scrounge from bins? Couldn't she just charm her way through life in the manner of 'The Sexless Innkeeper'? Personally I don't find the jail storyline all that involving, it just doesn't seem much of a challenge to our girl when we've seen her do so much more. Also it seems unecessarily complex, why not just have Ballard take the Mexican girl into custody as his FBI witness? In many ways the Dollhouse reminds me of early Angel, supposed to be about the 'client of the week' but the viewers wanted more and more arc and interaction with the central characters instead.

    Best line;
    Echo; (putting the moves on him) "...just the two of us?"
    Ballard; (turning her down)"Is it really just the 2 of us?"
    plus
    Rossum honcho; "Did you ever think of imprinting a Doll to kill me?"
    Adele; "I like to think I'd have the honesty to do it myself"

    Packing heat;
    Echo;8
    Boyd; 8
    Dominic; 9
    Sierra; 4
    Victor; 3
    Ballard; 10
    November; 1

    Echo kissage; 4

    Kinky dinky;
    The latest client seems to be a sadist who quotes the Marquis de Sade. Echo comments that sometimes a girl 'likes to be chased'. She implies that she's done a 'sister act' before but never with 'cooking food'? Ballard and Echo's training seems akin to foreplay, 'getting all sweaty' as Xander would say.

    Capt subtext;
    Adele tells Topher she cares for him, reinforcing their mother/wayward son vibe. She also calls Echo 'love', English slang or something more? Echo comments that she's been 'gay' 7 times and that occasionally there is some 'noise from the chorus girls'.

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost;
    Echo; 5 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Victor; 1
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 1
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    Can we please have an ep with no needles? Also the prisoner's bruising is nasty, again because it's more real than any sci-fi injury

    This weeks fantasy;
    The Dollhouse is now renting out Dolls as submissives to a sadist.

    What do we think of the client?
    Hard to know, how far does he go? The stern headmaster or Pinhead from Hellraiser? You could argue that it's better for him to do this with actives as they'll be unhurt and have no memory of it afterwards.

    Total number personalitites; Echo refers to now having 36 personalities in her mind
    Echo; 36
    Sierra; 12
    Victor; 10
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls;
    9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

    Addy is a bit British;
    She call's Echo 'love' (see Capt Subtext)

    Topher is a bit geeky;
    He actually refers to Cylons on a show with numerous BSG stars!

    Bondage;
    Sierra tied up; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Echo; 2

    Knocked out;
    Echo; 6
    November; 1
    Sierra; 1
    Victor; 1
    Topher; 2

    Kills;
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 3
    November;1

    Know the face? Glenn Morshower, another great character actor who also played Cassie Newton's dad in the Buffy ep 'Help'
    15-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse) Glenn Morshower-2(Buffy/Dollhouse)

    Guantanamo;
    Brutality from the police towards illegal immigrants, keeping 'the scum off the streets'.


    Reminds me of;
    Adele suffers the 'death of a thousand cuts' also experienced by Lilah at the hands of Lindsey and Gavin in Angel. Echo and Ballard's training routine appears to have been inspired by Clouseau and Kato from the Pink Panther films. ED as a nurse as she was in Tru Calling and her medical pilot that didn't get picked up.

    Whedon cliches;
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children. Corporate politics literally played with deadly seriousness.


    Breaking the programming;
    Echo seems to imply that rather than being a composite of all her 36 personalities that the Echo character is actually a seperate entity and can access the other's skill and knowledge at will, like a filing system. Does this mean she also keeps Caroline filed away, afraid to let her loose?

    Questions and observations;
    With the addition of a new house in Dubai there are now 23 Dollhouses around the world. Boyd is very honest with Adele, informing her that they'd always placed the actives at risk, they're now just more blatant about it. We now have Adele at her most sinister ever, seeming to come aboard with Rossums blatantly insidious plan. Topher seems increasingly conflicted and Boyd, Echo and Ballard are now in cahoots. I'd like to see Topher be a bit nicer to Ivy, he seems unecessarily snide to her. Very clever concept, the Dolls imprinted into helping in the Dollhouses research.

    Marks out of 10; 7/10 would like more Dollhouse and less jailbreak
     
     
     
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2010
  4. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    A LOVE SUPREME

    The good;
    Great to see Alpha back (NICE suit! Dominic would approve), also glad they spared Joel, he was by far my favourite of all of Echo's clients. Gorgeous scene at the end where he says goodbye to Echo and she assumes the Rbecca personality for him, one last time, telling him that his dead wife wouldn't want him to be alone. Really is a rollercoaster that kicks in and never stops. Once again a great performance from Enver as the shrink but Alan Tudyk is the unquestionable star.

    The bad;
    If Alpha is a Doll why not use Topher's gizmo we saw in The Public Eye to knock him out?

    Best line;
    Topher; (upon learning that Terry Karens is still in Echo's mind) "So she's a serial killer?"
    Boyd; "Only a little"
    plus
    Echo; (as Topher introduces himself) "We've met Topher, don't you remember?"
    and
    Topher; (realising the quantum shift in Echo's abilities) "I'm obselete. This must be what old people feel like. And Blockbuster"
    also like
    Joel; "It's just this morning I was engaged to a great girl and this afternoon I'm hiding out with my dead wife"
    not to mention;
    Boyd; "You have to put it together?"
    Topher; "It's called the manufacturing room, not the 'It's finished' room!"

    Packing heat; Boyd and Ballard with their pistols. Bit surprised Adele doesn't have a gun stashed somewhere. Apparently the staff have tranquliser guns but not in the house itself.
    Echo;8
    Boyd; 9
    Dominic; 9
    Sierra; 4
    Victor; 3
    Ballard; 11
    November; 1

    Echo kissage; 4

    Kinky dinky;
    Sierra's personality is naughty and aware of it. She's been done wrong 10 days to Sunday and it's still Tuesday.

    Capt subtext;
    Dr Victor wonders if Adele is actually jealous of Echo the virgin/whore, much to Topher's amusement? Alpha is quite the dandy, he cites famous Georgian-era socialite Beau Brummel. One of Echo's past engagements was a lesbian who married her in San Francisco in what Boyd describes as a 'lovely ceremony' (YAY!) but was killed by Alpha (BOO! Why do so many lesbian characters die on TV?). At least one other of her past romantic clients was a woman called Angie Demeron. Alpha asks if Ballard is gay. Echo tells Adele that they'll 'Hug it out later'. Alpha declares one of his personalities was an Eagle Scout and the other a sailor which must combine to some form of dirty joke?

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; Frank Pierce, Echo's repeat romantic engagement
    Echo; 6 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Victor; 1
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 1
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    Somehow Alpha's knife is all the nastier for having that fish-gutting mini-hook at the front. Poor Matt Cargill (motorbike/bondage guy from the very first episode) get's blown to smithereens with Boyd and Ballard picking their way through his viscera.

    This weeks fantasy;
    . Frank Pierce who wants his sister-in-law to fall in love with him

    What do we think of the client?
    .Once again, if you lust after your sister in law it's probably quite a moral option to hire a proxy so you can live out your fantasies without wrecking your brother's marriage.

    Total number personalitites; Sierra is a glammed up Ava Gardener style film noir femme-fatale, Victor is a psychiatrist, Echo is Rebecca for Joel and Susan for Frank Pierce
    Echo; 36
    Sierra; 13
    Victor; 11
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls; There are now a couple of hundred Dolls in the house and Echo is the most popular active they have.
    9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

    Addy is a bit British;
    Alpha says he loves Addy's British knack for understatement, Monty Python and uses the hunting call 'Tally-ho'
     
    Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
    Adele confesses to Alpha that she's scared out of her mind and tries to bargain with him, offering Echo and Joel. She says her chivalry has been overcome by her sense of self preservation.

    Bondage; Echo in a straightjacket and Ballard tied to the chair
    Sierra tied up; 1
    Ballard; 2
    Echo; 3

    Knocked out; Topher and Ballard by Victor
    Echo; 6
    November; 1
    Sierra; 1
    Victor; 1
    Topher; 3
    Ballard; 1

    Kills;
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 3
    November;1

    Dolls injured;
    For once it's the Dollhouse staff who get the stuffing beaten out of them, at least one being killed.

    Happy hookers;
    Dr Victor states that Echo is a virgin/whore and is celebrated for the fact. Ballard describes himself as Echo's pimp. Alpha wants to tally Adele's ho's.

    Know the face?
    15-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse) Glenn Morshower-2(Buffy/Dollhouse)

    Reminds me of;
    Victor does a great Woody Allen and rather reminds me of Dr Joel Fleischman from Northern Exposure. Topher makes reference to Return of the Living Dead and Harry Potter whilst Alpha refers to Stephen Sondheims epic 'Send in the Clowns' and 'Nothing more than feelings' , maybe he spent the summer on Broadway, hence the suit? He also refers to Yogi Bear and sounds a little like Snagglepuss "Who doesn't love a pun?". He describes Echo as his 'immortal beloved' which is a reference to Mozart.

    Whedon cliches;
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children. Corporate politics literally played with deadly seriousness. Monty Python quoting villains. Offices full of zombies.
     
    Breaking the programming;
    Even Topher doesn't know what Echo is any more. She can resist Alpha's signal which sends the other Dolls crazy.

    Questions and observations;
    You always figured people would get addicted to the Dollhouse and like all addictions lead them to ruin. A truly stunning ep, easily the best of season 2 and possibly the best so far. I'd never actually watched Firefly until after I'd watched Dollhouse Season 1 so I had actually no idea of who Alan Tudyk was or his performance as Wash. Amazing how effective you can be with the simple device of taking an actor everyone associates with funny and heroic characters and casting them as absolute villains, as Nic Brendon recently proved with his amazing performance in the rapist story arc on Private Practice. Some great dialogue, this ep co-written by Joss himself . Nice music too.

    Marks out of 10; 9/10, excellent ep, Alpha always ups the game, the first ep I went back and watched again straight after
     
     
     
  5. Skellington

    Skellington Part-time poltergeist Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2009
    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Good point. He may be a little like Echo and have some immunity to imprint tech.

    The ones that you mentioned, plus :
    Alpha: "Well ... TALLY HO, then! In fact - what say we tally your hoes?"

    and Ballard's "So if she floats, she's a witch." (Not a funny line, but incisive.)

    I think that you mean Beethoven, but I'm just going by the title of the Beethoven biopic starring Gary Oldman. (This wouldn't be the first Oldman reference in a Whedon show, given Spike's gemeral demeanour (reminiscent ofm Sid And Nancy?) and his playing of Oldman-as-Sid's version of My Way in Buffy episode Lover's Walk; not to mention the Dracula connection.)
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2010
  6. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    Yes Beethoven (hangs head in shame). Remember Topher's disruptor did work on Echo
     
  7. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    STOP LOSS

    The good;
    Ivy's back, hooray! A small moment but I love how Echo tells Victor he needs to say goodbye to Sierra and he does so like a kids TV character. Also a nice touch that he feels the need to sleep in a pod once released.

    The bad;
    Nothing bad, just a bit lacklustre. You wonder that the supersoldiers can't come up with a better way to recruit Victor than beating him up and kidnapping him, couldn't they just invite him for a beer or something? Check out the scene where Echo knocks Victor out. He waits a second then let's go of his rifle to allow her to pick it up.

    Best line;
    Adele; "I want roger. I want to roger Roger"
    and
    Echo; (threateningly) "Remember, I have a serial killer in my head"
    Adele; (not backing down an inch) "One that's petirifed of women if I recall"

    Packing heat; Echo chooses a S&W 9mm, Boyd has his revolver and Victor a SIG. Echo also picks up a SIG and everyone uses M4 carbines
    Echo;10
    Boyd; 10
    Dominic; 9
    Sierra; 5
    Victor; 5
    Ballard; 11
    November; 1

    Echo kissage; 4

    Kinky dinky;
    The only personality Ivy doesn't download into Echo is the 'Naughty pirate wench'. Which I think is something of a shame personally. GI Jane Echo is also pretty hot. Naked Adele. The last scene a delight for cling film fetishists. Again, I'm not kidding either; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummification_(BDSM)

    Capt subtext;
    Very obvious jealousy from Adele over Victor. When she takes the shower with the actives does this represent her throwing her lot in with them? The ending rather suggests the opposite.

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; Imprinted Victor actually refuses to have sex with the lovely Adele because he is promised to another
    Echo; 6 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Victor; 1
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 1
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    Drooling Adele!

    Total number personalitites; lord knows how many personalities Ivy and Topher downloaded into Echo for her mission, I'll put at least 5?
    Echo; 41
    Sierra; 13
    Victor; 11
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls; .
    9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

    Addy is a bit British;
    see best line
     
    Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
    When Victor is asked to join the big bad military conspiracy his response is "Where do I sign up?"

    Bondage; Victor plasticuffed, Echo and Sierra hooded but not cuffed. Victor, Sierra and Echo all bound in the attic at the end
    Sierra tied up; 2
    Ballard; 2
    Echo; 4
    Victor; 2

    Knocked out; Victor KO'd by commandos and Echo and Rossum as are Echo and Sierra
    Echo; 7
    November; 1
    Sierra; 2
    Victor; 3
    Topher; 3
    Ballard; 1

    Kills; amazingly given all the gunplay the Dolls don't kill anyone
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 3
    November;1

    Know the face?
    15-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse) Glenn Morshower-2(Buffy/Dollhouse)

    Guantanamo;
    Adele thinks that "Pain reveals who we really are". Does she mean his or hers? The Bay of Pigs is referred to (as it was in Buffy), a danger of 'group-think'. Echo tortured as she's sent to the attic.

    Fanfic;
    Just type mummification+fetish into your search engine

    Reminds me of;
    The white body suits rather reminds me Jerry Bruckheimers The Island.

    Whedon cliches; It's those strawberries again, just like Firefly. Secret military organisations with underground headquarters
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children. Corporate politics literally played with deadly seriousness. Monty Python quoting villains. Offices full of zombies. Strawberries.
     
    Breaking the programming;
    Victor and Sierra's love is now evident whether they're imprinted or not.

    Questions and observations;
    So the Dollhouse can cure PTSD (shellshock)? Once again, if Rossum can cure schizophrenia and battle trauma you can see their potential for good in the world and how Adele became attracted to the post in the first place. Victor's real name is Anthony Ceccoli and to judge by his accent he's from New York. He was a commando with the 75th Ranger regiment and served in Afghanistan. His pal transferred to the 160th Specialist Aviation Regiment, the Nightstalkers. Once again we have Lady Gaga just as we had in the first ep, someone must be a fan. Note Victor's suite is 'at the Hyperion' which you understand better if you're an Angel fan. Echo tells Adele that the time for playing both sides is over and she must choose. No needles, hooray! Adele hitting the sauce pretty hard nowadays, we hardly see her without a glass in her hand. What's a 'Sharpie'? Do we ever meet Judith, Adele's secretary? What happened to the commandos? Can Echo just call upon them whenever she needs? Are she and Victor now linked via their 'neural radio'? Presumably Rossum use Topher's gizmo from 'The Public Eye' to knock the Dolls out.

    Marks out of 10; 7/10, I had it in my mind to give this 3 out of 10 as I initially considered it a weak ep but actually upon rewatching it's a lot better than I remember . One thing that rather spoils it is Epitaph One, we all know that Echo and co must survive and that they must escape the Attic
     
  8. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    THE ATTIC
     
    The good;
    Quite effective episode which explains a lot in terms of exposition but the best part of all is the bait and switch at the end, hell of a Keyser Soze, worthy of 'Enemies' and 'Not Fade Away'.
    The bad;
    Considering how omniscient Rossum are supposed to be it seems incredible that Adele is able to assemble her troops without them knowing. But maybe they do? Clyde might as well be called 'Basil Exposition'.

    Best line;
    Echo; "My real name's Echo" (so what about Caroline?)
    Packing heat; everyone fielding H&K MP5Ks and M4's. Ballards takes Boyd's revolver for his confrontation with Adele and she has acquired a Walther PPK in case Alpha plans another visit.
    Echo;12
    Boyd; 10
    Dominic; 10
    Sierra; 7
    Victor; 7
    Ballard; 11
    November; 1

    Echo kissage; 4

    Kinky dinky;
    "Rigor mortis is the new viagra" That doesn't even bear thinking about! Adele says that the Dollhouse need's a 'strapping new Victor'.
    Capt subtext;
    When Topher claims to have tried homo and hetertopic cures for Ballard Adele puns on the words and asks who hasn't? Note Echo describes Terry Karen's family as 'hateful', her opinion of them obviously influenced by his memories. Adele states what we all thought, that Boyd is like a father to Echo. Clyde 1.0's fears are essentially what we see realised in Epitaph 1. If Adele is considering Ballard for the new Victor perhaps she wants him to play Roger from now on?

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; Sierra and Victor get it on but it's not real
    Echo; 6 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Victor; 1
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 1
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    Not only needles but Echo stabbing the Rossum tech in the forehead with them! Slit throats, severed legs, cannabalism and self-cannabalism! Jeez!

    This weeks fantasy;


    What do we think of the client?


    Total number personalitites;
    Echo; 41
    Sierra; 13
    Victor; 11
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls; .
    9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

    Addy is a bit British;

     
    Topher is a bit geeky;
    Has no idea about Ivy's sports analogy. He's wrong though, Darth Vader kills Captains, not Lieutenants.

    Subverting the Hollywood cliche;


    Bondage;
    Sierra tied up; 2
    Ballard; 2
    Echo; 4
    Victor; 2

    Knocked out;
    Echo; 7
    November; 1
    Sierra; 2
    Victor; 3
    Topher; 3
    Ballard; 1

    Kills;
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 3
    November;1

    Dolls injured;


    Happy hookers;
    .

    Know the face? Greg Collins also played one of the thugs in the Angel ep 'Rm w/a vu'
    16-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse) Glenn Morshower-2(Buffy/Dollhouse), Greg Collins-2(Angel/Dollhouse)

    Guantanamo;


    Fanfic;


    Missing scenes;.


    Reminds me of;
    The whole thing is very reminiscent of the Buffy ep 'Restless', right down to the monster pursuing the characters from dreamscape to dreamscape not to mention the Angel ep 'Hellbound'. .
    The twisty tree reminds me of Tom Burton's gothic masterpiece Sleepy Hollow. I don't get the Highlander reference, I don't remember Connor pursuing anyone obsessively across the centuries? Need I mention The Matrix?

    Whedon cliches;
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children. Corporate politics literally played with deadly seriousness. Monty Python quoting villains. Offices full of zombies. Strawberries.
     
    Breaking the programming;
    Echo can now overcome even the Attic and leads the others to safety.

    Questions and observations;
    Note the shortened title sequence, obviously too much to fit in otherwise. Topher now calls Ballard, Paul. Boyd has 'stuff going on at home'? Presumably the little girl mourning her sickly horse is Margeret from Haunted who was a keen equestrian. Echo never was a kid so presumably we're looking at little Caroline (interesting if you compare her to the girl who played little Tru in Tru Calling and young Eliza in This Boy's Life and True Lies). We also see the thug who terrorised Eleanor Penn again. Dominic very much dressing down in the attic, not a suit in sight. Adele knows about Kinnard.
    Marks out of 10; 7/10, we're getting to the heart of the conspiracy at last.
     
  9. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    GETTING CLOSER

    The good;
    Wait a second, Boyd's the bad guy! Wow, didn't see THAT coming! Not to mention Dr Saunders(?) blowing Bennett's head off! Talk about 2 jawdropping moments in the same episode. That's off course if Caroline's memories are to be trusted and she's not just putting Boyd's face onto the person in her memory (as Dana did with Spike in the Angel ep 'Damage')

    The bad;
    If Caroline wants to destroy the labs beneath her why does she put the bombs on the roof of the service shaft? Why doesn't she put them on the bottom? Dominic and Adele just send terrorist Caroline up to meet the Rossum head honchos and don't even frisk her, what if she'd pulled out a gun and blown them both away? When Adele, Ballard and Echo play pass-the-pistol they each cock it, emptying the magazine of rounds.

    Best line;
    Ballard; (hearing the explosions of Rossum's force entering the Dollhouse) "We're breached"
    Echo; "That's one word for it"

    Packing heat; Adele/Ballard/Echo trade the same pistol
    Echo;13
    Boyd; 10
    Dominic; 10
    Sierra; 7
    Victor; 7
    Ballard; 12
    November; 1
    Adele; 2

    Echo kissage; 4

    Kinky dinky;
    Caroline uses her feminine wiles to get access to Adele's office. Topher remarks to Bennett 'You show me yours, I'll show you mine'. At least they have the chance to get kissy with one another before you know what happens.

    Capt subtext;
    Caroline's relationship with Bennett is akin to seduction but Bennett is happy to be 'used'. Bennet remarks that Caroline is the first person to 'Take an interest' in her whilst Caroline asks her to 'Buy me dinner first'. Does Paul rescue Mellie because Topher removes his obsession with Echo? Boyd and Echo finally hug. Topher confesses he had a crush on Bennett even when he thought she was a guy. Adele refers to Echo as 'darling'. Topher makes sure that Ivy escapes. Because he LOVES her.....

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost;
    Echo; 6 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Victor; 1
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 1
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    Bennett's brain matter splattered all over the lab AND Topher!

    Total number personalitites;
    Echo; 41
    Sierra; 13
    Victor; 11
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls; we meet Apollo and Cassandra, Dolls in the DC house (Cassandra foretells disaster?)
    9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

    Addy is a bit British;
    She loathes Arizona (too dry for her?). When a bullet shatters the window in front of her she comments 'Damn, I just had that replaced' in true Churchillian style. By contrast Caroline hates tea, she's obviously evil, let's keep Echo instead.

    Bondage; Caroline cuffs the security guard. Echo is tied down by Ballard
    Sierra tied up; 2
    Ballard; 2
    Echo; 5
    Victor; 2

    Knocked out; Topher by Rossum goon
    Echo; 7
    November; 1
    Sierra; 2
    Victor; 3
    Topher; 4
    Ballard; 1

    Kills; Boyd kills the Rossum head honcho and 3 of his goons
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 3
    November;1
    Boyd; 4

    Happy hookers;
    Echo comments that people still look at her as though she's 'Doing tricks'

    Know the face? Mike Massa was of course David Boreanaz's stunt double in both Angel and Buffy
    17-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse) Glenn Morshower-2(Buffy/Dollhouse). Greg Collins-2(Angel/Dollhouse) Mike Massa-3(Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse)

    Guantanamo;
    Dominic tortures the poor security guard. Adele shows her ruthlessness, wanting to return Dominic to the Attic to save his life.

    Reminds me of;
    Carrie at the prom is referenced as is The Wizard of Oz. Bennett is very Willow and her meeting with Caroline akin to Buffy's historic first conversation with Willow in the Sunnydale High courtyard. Tron and The Matrix also mentioned. The lab is very similar to the Angel ep 'Dead End'. Rossum's office is very Blade Runner. The scene where Boyd(?) strokes Carolines face is reminiscent of the Shadowmen in the Buffy ep 'Get it done', doing the same even after enslaving Buffy and having her knocked up by their pet demon.

    Whedon cliches; sleeper agents
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children. Corporate politics literally played with deadly seriousness. Monty Python quoting villains. Offices full of zombies. Strawberries. Sleeper agents.
     
    Breaking the programming;
    Bennett speculates that Echo has merged her personalities into a 'superego', made up of all her collective minds but not dominated by any of them.

    Questions and observations;
    Interesting that Bennett and Caroline can have a different memory of the same event (although it may just be that they're both deaf from the explosions and can't hear what one another are saying). Adele says that the Rossum bigwig will undoubtedly have downloaded himself into several different bodies. That may be true but he's still dying when they kill him, his consciousness ends there, the others are just his clones. We discover Clyde is dead but we now meet Clyde 2.0 (or one of them)
    Apparently in the scene at the end of the The Attic the cast and crew get the word that the series had been cancelled. This means that Joss has 3 eps to finish off the entire storyline AND address all the issues raised in Epitaph One. For that reason they obviously have to cram an awful lot into 120 minutes of airtime and it sends your brain pretty much into overload.
    Marks out of 10; 8/10, certainly zips along at a fair pace
     
  10. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    THE HOLLOW MEN

    The good;
    Once again we have Victor/Topher and it's brilliant although how we get it, this seems a little bit contrived. Couldn't Topher just leave a note with the Topher-wedge saying "Victor/Sierra, I think one of us is a traitor, please follow us to Tuscon and try to find out who it is". The rest is a thrilling ride but frankly Miller's Crossing was easier to understand first time around (but worth it).

    The bad;
    The machine that can be blown up to make everything ok seems a little contrite (think They Live) but they didn't have much time to work with (3 eps of Dollhouse after cancellation compared with 10 for Angel). Although we know that Topher is a genius it seems awfully convenient that he can be lured to Rossum headquarters and solve a problem that has perplexed their experts in about 10 minutes. Truth be told there's WAAAYYYYYY too much Duex et Machina in this ep, I've watched it several times and in honesty still cannot figure out Boyd's motivations, the whole thing makes exactly zero sense. More redundant cocking of pistols.

    Best line;
    Mellie; (declining Ballard's offer of a rifle)"I don't think so, I'm afraid"
    Ballard; (placing it in her hand) "So am I, that's why we have guns" (Words to cheer the heart of Sarah Palin/The National Rifle Association)
    plus
    Ballard; (as Boyd turns on him) "What did I miss?" Frankly Paul you're only as lost as the rest of us.

    Packing heat; Sierra and Victor pick up the Sig and MP5 from the dead hitmen at the Dollhouse, Adele also packing an M4, everyone swaps guns at some point. By the end of the ep Ballard has traded up to some serious firepower with the M249 SAW (Squad Automactic Weapon) beltfed machinegun. Also see best line.
    Echo;14
    Boyd; 11
    Dominic; 10
    Sierra; 8
    Victor; 8
    Ballard; 13
    November; 2
    Adele; 3

    Echo kissage; 4

    Kinky dinky;
    Victor/Anthony gives Sierra/Priya permission to shoot him if he turns evil but tells her to 'avoid the junk'. When Sierra tells Adele that Victor has had some 'enhancements' she says 'Really?' in a very suggestive manner.

    Capt subtext;
    When someone questions whether Bennett fixed the wedge Topher immediately springs to her defence. Adele comforts Topher over his loss of Bennett, pets Echo in a very maternal manner and Whiskey does the same to her in a far from maternal manner. Topher refers to Boyd as his 'best man friend'. Boyd jealous of Ballard, perhaps seeing him as taking over his role in the group? He also disapproves of Adele pimping Echo out in a very paternal manner.

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost;
    Echo; 6 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 1
    Victor; 1
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 1
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    I'm really going to be happy when there's no more needles (shudder), the scene where they drain her spinal fluid especially wince inducing. Also someone showered with brains from their beloved who's just been shot in the head for the second time in 2 eps.

    Total number personalitites; note that it's Mellie in this ep, Paul's next door neighbour and not Madeline, the girl we saw testifying in The Public Eye.
    Echo; 41
    Sierra; 13
    Victor; 11
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls;
    9-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo

    Addy is a bit British;
    She remarks "Look lively".
     
    Topher is a bit geeky;
    He thinks that gun-toting Sierra is super sexy in a 'Ripley' sort of way (Joss of course having written Alien 4).


    Bondage; Echo tied to the surgery table
    Sierra tied up; 2
    Ballard; 2
    Echo; 6
    Victor; 2

    Knocked out; doped Echox2
    Echo; 9
    November; 1
    Sierra; 2
    Victor; 3
    Topher; 4
    Ballard; 1

    Kills; Victor kills at least 2 of Rossum's hitmen and Echo sends active Boyd to his death.
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 4
    November;1
    Victor; 2
    Boyd; 4


    Happy hookers;
    Boyd refers to Echo bedding 'half of LA'. It's a very dominating concept, Caroline who was the righteous crusader against Rossum surrendering to them and becoming their willing slave whom they pimp out as they please.

    Know the face?
    17-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse) Glenn Morshower-2(Buffy/Dollhouse). Greg Collins-2(Angel/Dollhouse) Mike Massa-3(Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse)

    Guantanamo;
    This time it's Ballard who says they can't wait (because Topher removed his love for Echo?)but Adele who insists on staying for the others.


    Reminds me of;
    Besuited Whiskey is reminiscent of Demi Moore's famous cover shoot from the 80s. The Wizard of Oz again, something much quoted in The Sarah Connor Chronicles, another series with Summer Glau.

    Whedon cliches; again we see that with it's cutting edge medical Rossum is actually quite benevolent in many ways (like the Alliance in Firefly). As was the point made in Buffy/Angel, humans rule because they evolve and demons don't, Boyd making the same argument here. It's not necessarily those who are stronger and smarter who survive but those who adapt and evolve best, fire, TV and opposable thumbs. Boyd refers to the Dollhouse crew as a family, much like the Scoobs, AI and the Serenity crew. We're told that Echo is 'The Key', like Dawn and River Tam. Another big girly fight that isn't girly at all.
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children. Corporate politics literally played with deadly seriousness. Monty Python quoting villains. Offices full of zombies. Strawberries. Sleeper agents.

    Breaking the programming;
    All the Dolls can now break their imprinting to a greater and lesser degree, Sierra and Victor feel their love for one another whatever they're imprinted and Mellie now kills herself rather than hurt Paul.

    Questions and observations;
    So, they always had the idea of Caroline being special, it was clear to them from the start. Her physiology holds the secret to being able to resist being forcibly imprinted. Who killed the Rossum hitmen at the Dollhouse? One could see the dangers of the Dollhouse tech as an analogy for nuclear proliferation, that even if every nuke were destroyed it wouldn't matter because once the knowledge of how to create them exists it can never be de-invented. Adele refers to Nero fiddling whilst Rome burnt. Actually he didn't, his actions during the fire were quite heroic but that story was spread afterwards by his enemies when he tried to raise taxes. Victor quotes the Ranger creed 'Leave no man behind'.
    Marks out of 10; 8/10, enjoyable despite the bafflement
     
  11. saturn5

    saturn5 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2010
    EPITAPH 2; The return

    The good;
    Very, very good ep, lovely way to round out the series and a great send off for the characters. Many, many nice little features including Harding and his allergy to shellfish again and Victor still having Ernesto the Acrobat in his memories.

    The bad;
    Joss WHY NO COMMENTARY? You didn't do one for the last ep of Angel either. Or are you saving it for Special Edition DVDs to fund your new project? That said the dinner party is a nice touch.When Adele leads the Dolls into the streets outside where have all the butchers gone? The idea that Victor, Echo and Sierra have to hide underground for a year to escape Topher's pulse is just silly.

    Best line;
    Alpha; "We're not freak shows. Well ok I am. And Echo. But Adele's a class act all the way"
    and
    Adele; "I'm glad you didn't clean up"
    Alpha; "It spoke to the schizophrenic in me. Well, both of them actually"

    Packing heat; everyone armed to the teeth. For a guy who says he doesn't like guns Joss puts a heck of a lot of them in his shows.
    Echo;15
    Boyd; 11
    Dominic; 10
    Sierra; 9
    Victor; 9
    Ballard; 14
    November; 2
    Adele; 4

    Echo kissage; 5
    In the missing scenes we see that Echo/Rebecca got all kissy with Joel in the back of the van at the end of The Love Supreme

    Kinky dinky;
    Naked musclemen in chains. Say what you like about Joss he gives us cheesecake but for boys AND girls of all tastes and persuasions.

    Capt subtext;
    Note the tender way Adele feeds Topher whom she refers to as 'darling'. She offers to die with him but he wants her to live. Mag seems to have the hots for Kilo and vice versa, Zone commenting that she now has the option to 'go down'. Adele and Echo finally embrace. The butchers are now wearing suits, do they represent the network executives that cancelled the show?

    Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; Paul and Echo appear to have become occasional sexual partners but not romantic lovers. Victor/Anthony and Sierra/Priya are lovers and have a son.
    Echo; 7 definite, 2 possible
    November; 1
    Ballard; 2
    Victor; 2
    Adele; 1
    Sierra 2
    Topher; 1 possible

    How'd they get away with that?
    Paul is dead...(hmmm? Have I heard that somewhere before?). Once again shot in the head with his brains all over another character, in this case poor Mag.

    Total number personalitites; note 'mini-me' refers to herself as Caroline? But in every other way she's Echo, able to access all the memories in her head. Ballard refers to 100 people in Echo's head. 101 including him. Suprisingly the series doesn't end with Caroline getting her body back, she's just one of the personalities in Echo's head.
    Echo; 101
    Sierra; 13
    Victor; 11
    November; 3

    Total LA dolls; Kilo again, for a second I thought it might be Ivy. We also have Romeo and Yankee
    11-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey, Kilo, Romeo, Yankee

    Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
    Psycho killer Alpha pops up in his usual sinister fashion....and get's a great big hug from everyone!

    Bondage; Paul and Echo in chains
    Sierra tied up; 2
    Ballard; 3
    Echo; 7
    Victor; 2

    Knocked out;
    Echo; 9
    November; 1
    Sierra; 2
    Victor; 3
    Topher; 4
    Ballard; 1

    Kills; Echo kills the Rossum honcho for the last time. Once they get into the fight with the Reavers...sorry butchers, you just lose track.
    Sierra; 3 kills
    Echo; 5
    November;1
    Victor; 2
    Boyd; 4

    Happy hookers;
    Zone refers to Echo as a 'magically delicious superwhore'.

    Know the face? Nate Dushku, Eliza's brother plays one of the Clive Ambrose's, he was also in the Angel ep 'Orpheus' as the armed robber in the doughnut shop.
    18-Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Amy Acker-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), walking action figure-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Eliza Dushku-3 (Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Jim Piddock-2 (Angel/Dollhouse), Gregg Henry-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Alan Tudyk-2 (Dollhouse/Firefly), Felicia Day-2(Dollhouse/Buffy), Alexis Denisoff-3 (Buffy, Angel and Dollhouse), Kristoffer Pohala-2 (Dollhouse/Angel), Stacey Scowley-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse) Clyde Katulas-2 (Buffy/Dollhouse), Maurissa Tanchon-2(Dollhouse/Dr Horrible), Summer Glau-3(Angel/Firefly/Dollhouse) Glenn Morshower-2(Buffy/Dollhouse). Greg Collins-2(Angel/Dollhouse) Mike Massa-3(Buffy/Angel/Dollhouse), Nate Dushku-2(Dollhouse/Angel)


    Missing scenes;.
    The deleted scene from this ep is reminiscent of the ending to The Tripods, Zone, Mag and mini-me stumbling across a deserted camp but ready to start again. You can't help but feel bad for Adele when she tries to pick up Victor in the bar in Stop Loss, he actually offers to take her home but she knows she's not the girl he's waiting for.

    Reminds me of;
    Wizard of Oz again, the 'great and terrible' Caroline. The method by which Rossum force Topher to work for them is similar to how Lorne is forced to work in Vegas in the Angel ep 'The House Always Wins'. Sierra/Priya appears to be auditioning for the remake of Little House on the Prarie. In contrast we have Mad Max Victor.

    Whedon cliches; strawberries again! Also in Alpha we have the series greatest villain becoming the series greatest hero (Spike, Angel, Illyria, the agent in Serenity;the movie)
    Maimed characters. Rich and powerful famillies who cover up the evil deeds of their wayward sons. Top security installations which aren't secure at all. Loving self-sacrificing mothers who risk all for their children. Corporate politics literally played with deadly seriousness. Monty Python quoting villains. Offices full of zombies. Strawberries. Sleeper agents. One girl who holds the secret to everything. Villains who become heroes.

    Breaking the programming;
    Note the butchers are now using guns, they're evolving too.

    Questions and observations;
    So what happened between the events of The Hollow Men and Epitaph 2? An awful lot it seems! Presumably everyone makes their way back to the Dollhouse once the world starts going to hell. What happens between Adele and Echo so that Echo is on the point of killing her in Epitaph One? Presumably the vaccine that makes everyone immune to imprinting is derived from Echo's spinal fluid as we saw in the previous ep? Does Alpha have the same ability and is that how he created safe haven? What does Topher go 'huh' for at the very last moment when he looks at the 'Remember' wall? Love Adele's new family, her, Zone and mini-me ex-Caroline, she can start again, ever the Shepherd leading them into the light (we've seen how good she is with kids from her relationship with Victor/Sierra's son). Alpha finds it amusing that Romeo refers to him as a 'luddite' (groups of disgruntled workers who opposed the industrial revolution). Nice that they could work Summer Glau into the final ep through Topher's vid.
    So what happened to Ivy, Dominic, Alpha, Perrin, Whiskey etc? I guess we have to leave it to the fanfic? Who kept sending Ballard all the clues to the Dollhouse, was it Alpha? I like Joss' idea of Echo and co as the post apocalyptic A-team, I'd watch that.

    Marks out of 10; 10/10

    So that's Dollhouse. Good series and enjoyed it a lot. If I were to rate Joss's series I would score them as;
    Buffy; 10/10-best TV show of all time
    Angel; 10/10 (only beaten by Buffy because we had more Buffy eps)
    Dollhouse; 8/10
    Firefly; 7/10
    For all you Browncoats who now want to lynch me maybe I'd like Firefly better if there'd been more eps but it only had 16 compared to 27 for Dollhouse, if Firefly had been given a greater chance it might have done better. I think Firefly's problem is that as a space show it was quite expensive in terms of special effects, costumes, sets, makeup etc whilst Dollhouse could be filmed just on an ordinary street. Looking back over the eps I'd say Epitaph 1&2 are my favourites with A Love Supreme and Man on the Street coming up behind them, Spy in the House of Love also in the top 5 and I have a soft spot for Haunted. I think Dollhouse had less of a sense of fun than Buffy or Angel although Topher was a funny character, it was all more grown up. The Dolls didn't grow on you in their dazed state and the other characters weren't sympathectic or charismactic enough. Certainly glad I watched it though, enjoyed it immensely. Apart from Eliza in sexy outfits the standout for me was Enver as Victor who really showed some amazing range and talent in his various Doll characters

    Dollhouse assignment's I would have like to have seen;

    1. Definitely a musical, it would be great if you were splitting up with you partner and you could start singing 'Take another little piece of my heart now baby' in a restraunt with all the other diners joining in the singing and dancing (think Glee for real).

    2. Something with superheroes/supeheroines, either the client being rescued by them, acting the superhero and triumphing over the Supervillain dolls or playing the villain and defeating the superhero Dolls.

    3. Some sort of historical drama (surprised they didn't do that in the show) where an enthusiast get's them to recreate the gunfight at the Ok Corral or Custer's Last Stand etc

    4. Get the Dolls to act out famous comedy sketches for real (as Sierra suggested in one ep). The Class sketch would be my first pick.

    5. A rich sci-fi geek hires the Doll's to be the crew of his starship on a movie set (and when he calls for evasive manouvres they all pitch from one side to the other as they did on the series).

    6. A victim of homophobia getting his/her revenge on their tormentors who suddenly find themselves in a world where EVRYONE is gay and they're the freaks.

    7. A military wannabe hiring a squad of Dolls to re-enact a battle and give him a real taste of what genuine combat is like.

    8. A victim of wrongful imprisonment re-enacts their trial to attempt to understand how the jury convicted him.

    9. The writer of a prematurely cancelled TV show hires the Dolls to act out the final season storylines they really wanted to write (I think you know where I'm going here).

    10. The prodigal son reassembles his dead family using the Dolls to tell them he's sorry for not making things up with them when they were alive.

    11. A chess obsessive hires the Dolls out to enact a full-sized game.

    12. A famous author suffers from writers block and hires some Dolls to act out the various plot ideas of his latest book to try and break the impasse.

    13. A rabid right-winger who hires the Dolls to act as hippies whom he persuades of his arguments.

    14. A rabid left-winger who hires the Dolls to act as yuppies who are persuaded by his arguments.