Dollhouse 2x4 Belonging Grade-Discuss-Commentary **SPOILERS**

[Captain Craig]

After a week off for MLB Dollhouse returns this week. Even though we had a week off news was a plenty. We had plenty to discuss about Dollhouse. If you missed the threads catch up here and here. So, soak this up and use November as that one last ditch effort to convert people to this show. Maybe, just maybe the gods of genre TV will smile upon us come Dec.4 when Dollhouse returns.

BELONGING episode 4 of Season 2

Sierra is forced to face her past as her connection to the Rossum Corporation leads to obsession and murder in the “Belonging” episode of DOLLHOUSE airing Friday, Oct. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Cast:
Eliza Dushku as Echo
Tahmoh Penikett as Paul Ballard
Olivia Williams as Adelle DeWitt
Harry Lennix as Boyd Langton
Fran Kranz as Topher Brink
Enver Gjokaj as Victor
Dichen Lachman as Sierra

Guest Cast:
Keith Carradine as Matthew Harding
Vincent Ventresca as Nolan Kinnard
Clyde Kusatsu as Dr. Makido
Carlease Burke as Pam

Remember to set those TIVO/DVR's cause those first week viewing after initial air are a large part of why we get to finish out the 13 episode order.

Enjoy the show and I look forward to discussion later tonight!

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Well, that was fucking brilliant.

And if they'd gotten to this story any sooner, it wouldn't have been nearly as good. It resonates throughout the series.

I will really, really miss this show.

 

[DarthPipes]

Outstanding. Distrubing, creepy, compelling, and incredibly well-acted by all the actors. Great character interaction too. The speech by the Rossum head about the nature of the Dollhouse was pitch perfect. Topher finally have a moral crisis was well worth the wait.

I certainly hope they're going to avoid giving Sierra anymore of these "romantic" engagements.

I'm definitely going to miss this show when it's gone.

 

[mimic]

^Ha, I just read your TwoP post.

Best episode to date. As others have said, I will miss this show.

 

[DarthPipes]

Er...that's my secret identity. Don't tell anyone.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

So, Topher is kind of in love with Sierra. This is not a total surprise.

The line about him taking good care of his toys was marvelous.

 

[DarthPipes]

Don't forget, he did chose her to be his "friend" for the day last season.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Oh, I didn't - that's one of the reasons that the very long set-up for an episode like this makes so much difference.

 

[Captain Craig]

Talk Soup is over, here I am and I see we are all on the same page as of now.
My first: EXCELLENT

This episode was top notch!!
Everything from Topher to Boyd and all in between made this not only the best episode of season two but maybe the best episode(aired) to date. It plays on the backstory built up over a number of eps in season one. Character interactions and developments.

Even Echos limited role this episode resonated with the growth her character has been showing(ie remembering). Not to put too fine a point on it cause I know some are not Eliza fans but the best episode(imo) has been the one that didn't prominently feature her and I'm not anti-Eliza.

I did notice that Ballard was nowhere to be seen this episode. I suppose because since he is Echo's handler and she didn't go on an engagement we didn't see her.

At least we are going on hiatus with a strong episode. Argh, if things go as they seem I'm so going to miss this show. Knowing that there are 13eps and when word came down it could be a series finale for 2x13 they were filming 2x8 that really only leaves 5 episodes to craft a type of resolution. Seems like with so much we know can possible happen that its a very limited space to craft a largely satisfactory conclusion.

Keep pushing this show folks!!!! Maybe, just maybe....maybe!!!

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I don't really want a resolution.

In practice, resolving shows that are being rushed to their ends rarely brings satisfaction.

In this case, a real resolution within a dozen episodes would mean wrapping up something which is very involved and has many facets in too tidy a package, ignoring too much and compressing too much.

You can call whatever they'd do in a few episodes "resolved" but it would necessarily require either ignoring too much about each of these people or oversimplifying things.

I'd rather that the series continue to unfold as it has, and never know how it ends, rather than have a resolution for the sake of neatness.

 

[Snaploud]

This is my second favorite episode (just behind Epitaph One). It was definitely well done from all sides.

 

[firehawk12]

I don't get why this is any worse than any of the other "engagements". Because he's creepy raper dude? So what? The other times, they just going on "dates" and not being whored out?

I find it funny that they tried to make Topher somewhat sympathetic as well. If anything, he's worse than the raper dude. Oh well.

 

[watermelony2k]

I don't really want a resolution.

In practice, resolving shows that are being rushed to their ends rarely brings satisfaction.

In this case, a real resolution within a dozen episodes would mean wrapping up something which is very involved and has many facets in too tidy a package, ignoring too much and compressing too much.

You can call whatever they'd do in a few episodes "resolved" but it would necessarily require either ignoring too much about each of these people or oversimplifying things.

I'd rather that the series continue to unfold as it has, and never know how it ends, rather than have a resolution for the sake of neatness.

I wouldn't even mind if the show ended on a cliffhanger -- as long as its a last episode that ignites our imagination of the stuff to happen by Epitaph One.

 

[Delta1]

I don't get why this is any worse than any of the other "engagements". Because he's creepy raper dude? So what? The other times, they just going on "dates" and not being whored out?

It's not the raping, it's the procurement. He altered her mind with drugs, misrepresented her as a schizophrenic, and gave her to the Dollhouse for the sole purpose of having a rapetoy. He tricked them into thinking she was irrevocably damaged and unable to live with dignity or happiness. Say what you want about how the Dollhouse treats actives, they do seem to prefer recruiting volunteers and lost causes vs. snatching people off the street.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I don't get why this is any worse than any of the other "engagements". Because he's creepy raper dude? So what? The other times, they just going on "dates" and not being whored out?

It's not the raping, it's the procurement. He altered her mind with drugs, misrepresented her as a schizophrenic, and gave her to the Dollhouse for the sole purpose of having a rapetoy. He tricked them into thinking she was irrevocably damaged and unable to live with dignity or happiness. Say what you want about how the Dollhouse treats actives, they do seem to prefer recruiting volunteers and lost causes vs. snatching people off the street.

At least this branch of the Dollhouse.

 

[Taran'atar]

It's funny, for this show the quality of an episode is inversely proportional to the amount of screen time Eliza Dushku has.

This episode was also written by the same people that wrote "Epitaph One", which would explain why it was so good.

 

[dru]

Well directed by Jonathan Frakes.

 

[BenRoethig]

If we don't see better things ahead for Dichen Lachman, I'd be very surprised. This show is also coming into its own, though it might be too late. Too bad the network screwed with it to begin with. You definitely see a major difference in quality at the point where Joss and crew and given free reign. Is it too much to hope that SciFi picks it up?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

If we don't see better things ahead for Dichen Lachman, I'd be very surprised. This show is also coming into its own, though it might be too late. Too bad the network screwed with it to begin with. You definitely see a major difference in quality at the point where Joss and crew and given free reign. Is it too much to hope that SciFi picks it up?

I don't think they could, it was made because of a production deal Eliza has with Fox.

 

[Warp Coil]

Amazing episode. I wish we had more like this. I'm hoping that the remainder of the season will deliver material of this high quality.