DOLLHOUSE 2x11-Getting Closer Review,Commentary,Grade,SPOILERS

[Ptrope]

I liked the scene where Caroline found out about Bennett and her genius, and quoted her saying, "I can kill you with my brain."

[StarshipDefiant]

I'm still reeling in from this episode, and wish we didn't have to wait another week for the second part.

Boyd's line of being very tall (in a conversation with Claire Saunders) holds a new light now, doesn't it? Makes me wonder just what the hell is goal is here.

[Michael Chris]

WHOA!! I was half paying attention with the scene with Saunders and Bennet and then I decided to stop what I was doing and watch because it seemed really heartwarming. That was about three seconds before Summer's head went boom. I screamed like a little girl in shock. Dang it I let my guard down. I can't do that on a Joss show. Happy=dead.

[omegaone]

Really liked what I saw, grr why do shows allways get cancelled when they get good at least its getting a proper ending.

[Dac]

WTF JUST HAPPENED?!?!?!

Seriously, that was the first time since Adama getting shot at the end of S1 of BSG that I screamed at the TV. Just...wow.

[DarthPipes]

I'm starting to understand now why Echo doesn't want to bring back Caroline.

Caroline the terorist is a lot more interesting than Caroline the activist.

[Captain Craig]

I'm so late back to my own party, what a night!!

EXCELLENT-EXCELLENT-EXCELLENT-EXCELLENT-EXCELLENT

This episode causes one to do some serious reevaluating on nearly everything.

I wasn't surprised to see Madeline/Millie/November being held in D.C. as one of their Dolls. That I could've predicted had I cared to I just knew she wasn't going to be allowed to go her own way when last we saw her at the airport with Ballard. Wonder what her D.C. Doll codename was, but I digress.

When Saunders/Whiskey came into the room with Bennet and started talking in that eeiree calm manner I knew something would happen. I was thinking she was going to smash the in process reconstruction of the Caroline Memory Wedge beyond belief. Maybe also say something mean and spiteful as it related to Topher when he came into the room.
I did not see Saunders going with the clean one tap to Bennet's head!! I've been watching Dollhouse with two other friends this whole season and at that moment all three of us did a verbal *gasp* and fell back into our seats. Our female friend uttered OMG, OMG, OMG till it went to commercial. I agree with another that said that was the most "catch me off guard" kill moment since Adama at the end of BSG S1. The difference is Bennet is done for.

Loved Topher encouraging Ivy to go run, be better, do better, just don't be him. The downside is he unknowingly places her in greater harm once the scenario's of Epitaph 1 unfold. She likely will get remotely wiped and inadvertantly killed. She may still have gotten killed had she stayed but she wouldn't have been wiped randomly one day while listening to the radio.

Adelle's double take on Saunders being there was comical in just the right place and without breaking the pace or mood of what was going on.

I really hope we see more of Tony/Victor & Priya/Sierra. Like Ivy, Echo has unknowingly done them more harm than good if they should choose to take her up on the offer "if you forget how to come back here that's fine also". So much happened in this episode its easy to overlook the possible exit of these two characters. Maybe Joss did that on purpose, wouldn't surprise me.

Dominic is a character we weren't supposed to like in S1. He was the infiltrator trying to bring the DH down. I know I was skewered on my opinion of Dominic but in reality he is one of the good guys. He is NSA and unlike Ballard was undercover with his agency's blessing and not being mocked by collegues like Ballard at the FBI. No wonder shoe and underwear bombers get on planes but I digress. I hope we've not seen the last of Dominic but with two episodes to go who knows.

Then there is Boyd Langton. BOYD, BOYD, BOYD---just Wow! Backing up a minute to the point where, in the flashback, Caroline gets off the elevator and meets Clyde version 2 or maybe 5(he can't recall they swap bodies so much). This is I'm guessing the same Clyde we met in the episode of "The Attic", the Clyde who was being stalked by an assailant inside the Attic(the real power of Rossum). He said his partner put him there in the 90's, right? Says his partner has no doubt swapped bodies a few times. So if Clyde was in the attic then who is the 'Clyde' that Caroline meets? Now back to Boyd.
So Boyd is the real brains of the operation. Who is Boyd? Boyd is obviously just an alias, who is that brain? I can't recall if "attic Clyde" gave the name of his partner. That would be who is in the Boyd body. It also begs then who was Boyd before he bacame a shell for the current inhabitant?

So much to rethink. Can't do it all now.
I do hope, but don't expect, a reappearnce of Alpha. Having him with you would be tricky but if you could manipulate him for long enough he'd make a great ally for your assault on Rossum.

Now let me get to Caroline. In S1 she was portrayed as an idealist who just didn't want animals experimented upon. Now she is all Tim Mcvey and blowing up buildings. Chalk it up to compression of the story but wow Caroline went from "let a few dogs and mice go to blow up a building". Which begs this question, how did Caroline get charges of military grade? You don't just find a dealer like that in the Yellow Pages. How corrupt did Caroline go? Her journey down the rabbit hole was deep. The redeeming thing would be, I suppose, is she wanted to abort once people were found. Caroline wanted to hurt Rossum property, tech etc and not people. Still, I think I like Echo better now actually.

StarshipDefiant wrote:

---

BTW? Where are you getting the pictures, I saw a couple in there I haven't seen...

From a site called DaemonsTV.com, I left out two pics of the 8 they had. One was Bennet and Topher kissing. I felt that was a tad too spoilerish so I left that one out.

Now knowing what happens mere moments after this kiss I'm glad I left it out. Made both events that much more impactful to everyone it seems.

DarthPipes wrote:

---

Loved that bit too with the Doll that had just arrived last Tuesday.

Did you catch WHO that cameo was? It took me about 3 seconds. That was Rick Fox, ex-NBA player, Eliza's real life current boyfriend!!


Sorry for the long post hope it gets read.

[Plain Simple]

Great episode. It even made me come back to this bbs since a long time to see what the chatter on this one was.

How does Joss do it? We know that every time we see a happy couple on one of his shows someone will drop dead soon, but still it comes as a surprise every time.

I didn't see the Boyd reveal coming either. I was suspecting it to be the original doctor Saunders. Goes to show how much I know.

Terrorist!Caroline felt like a natural extension from what we saw in season 1. Iirc already back then we saw her breaking into labs and trying to set animals free. To get to that point you must already have crossed one line, I can see how some people might cross another one after that. I'm not saying everyone who crosses the first line, crosses the second, but we only need one person. If there were more, the show would have too many leads.

So, the Boyd reveal... retcon or carefully set up?

[AvBaur]

Plain Simple wrote:

---

So, the Boyd reveal... retcon or carefully set up?

Actually, a couple of minutes before that reveal I was thinking about how we still didn't know anything about Boyd's past and wondering if we're ever going to find out in the remaining episodes. It was always clear to me that there was some kind of secret in his past, which is why I would assume they set this up intentionally.


as for my rating of the episode: Excellent! Maybe the best one yet.

[Captain Craig]

Ah, the random drive by "I didn't watch it" POOR voter strikes again. Whatever it takes to get ones jollies I suppose.
That's a discounted vote right there.

[StarshipDefiant]

I still say it was a great episode, this leaves a few questions for Epitaph One (the flashbacks) which will probably be answered in "The Hollow Men" and "Epitaph Two: Return". It was a great moment between Topher and Ivy, and clearly the two were finally showing something of affection for one another. Ivy didn't want to leave Topher. You could see it in her eyes, she didn't care about the Dollhouse, it was Topher.

I don't think I could coherently comment on this episode ><

[Snaploud]

Captain Craig wrote:

---

This is I'm guessing the same Clyde we met in the episode of "The Attic", the Clyde who was being stalked by an assailant inside the Attic(the real power of Rossum). He said his partner put him there in the 90's, right? Says his partner has no doubt swapped bodies a few times. So if Clyde was in the attic then who is the 'Clyde' that Caroline meets?

I assume Boyd made alterations to the imprint for Clyde's copies. Clyde 2.0 (or 5.0) is probably 100% loyal to Boyd.

[Bacl]

Excellent episode...but I am disapointed about Boyd. I guess he was the one we'd least suspect, but I always liked who we thought his character was.

Also, does the one black character ALWAYS have to be the traitor/evil person? le sigh. Nothing scarier than an black man in a suit.

[Snaploud]

Eh. I always thought Boyd's motivations were weak, so I'm happy they're giving his character a little more depth.

[Plain Simple]

Bacl wrote:

---

Excellent episode...but I am disapointed about Boyd. I guess he was the one we'd least suspect, but I always liked who we thought his character was.

Also, does the one black character ALWAYS have to be the traitor/evil person? le sigh. Nothing scarier than an black man in a suit.

We could still be mistaken in thinking Boyd is the evil guy. All the information we have about his/Rossum's supposed motives comes from others. Others who are morally ambiguous themselves to say the least. Perhaps they're setting us up for a final 180 degrees in the last episode(s).