A theory about Dollhouse

[Theonethatis]

I have been pondering Dollhouse since it first went on the air. At first I didn't really like the show. I thought it was a step down from Whedons other shows. But after watching Stage fright I think I know what this is all about.

I think Dollhouse is a metaphor for the hollywood system. A system which takes people and dehumanizes them. Turning them into simple props to make money. The Dollhouse is the studio, it doesn't care what happens to it's actives as long as they make money. The actives are the actors, they can be anything that the director wants them too. But they don't really get to control their own lives. Topher is the writer, he creates the roles the actives take.

I had a friend who was an actress in hollywood, I got to see first hand how the system objectified her. It kind of made me sick to my stomach.She was just a body to them and no one cared who she truly was.
I wonder if Joss is fighting back in the only way he can. Since we all know Joss is all about feminism, I wonder if he is making a statement on what Hollywood does to these girls.
Anyhow this is my theory, let me know what you think.

 

[EnterpriseF]

Interesting but if you watched 2 weeks ago, Dollhouse indeeed does care about the actives. I think it's a covert gov't operation to create the ultimate soldier.

 

[Bacl]

Well, Dollhouse cares in that having these "dolls" is a precious commodity. They are dealing a weird kind of human traffic, and I don't think it is easy for them to find someone that they can make vanish from society without any questions being asked.

 

[Captain Craig]

I finally went to a friends house last night and watched the first two episodes back-to-back. Must say I liked what I saw. I would've watched the third but time was getting on. That and her boyfriend could likely have shown up and we didn't want that scenario unfolding. Next week I'll watch episodes 3&4 back to back and be caught up on this show.

I hopefully it can rebound via iTunes or word of mouth, maybe both. Be curious to see what Carolines life was like before she signed off on becoming Echo. Also, with all the high tech why didn't Amy Ackers doctor get plastic surgery to alleviate the scars. I have to think there is a psychological answer there to be explored. I like the possibilites laid out in just the first two episodes and can't wait to see more.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

what's the difference between a Handler and a Watcher?

 

[Hermiod]

^Watchers didn't have vans full of cool gadgets and they didn't typically carry guns.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I think Dollhouse is a metaphor for the hollywood system. A system which takes people and dehumanizes them.

You may be onto something - in an earlier thread I was trying to figure out what profession the dollhouse-brainwashing would actually be useful for to a lucrative enough degree that it could justify the probable expense and the most obvious profession was acting.

Forget talent, just find any good-looking idiot and brainwash them to believe they really are the role they are playing. Then wipe them clean and brainwash them over again for the next role.

But just as I have no sympathy for the poor widdle lambs being "dehumanized" by Hollywood - what, were they dragged there kicking and screaming? - I can't have any sympathy for the "victims" of the Dollhouse. They got themselves into that mess, they can get themselves out of it, or not, I'm happy either way.

Which leaves me with no motive to watch.

I had a friend who was an actress in hollywood, I got to see first hand how the system objectified her

She couldn't possibly have been naive enough to expect anything else when she decided to embark on a profession where she would be judged largely on her looks.

She was just a body to them and no one cared who she truly was.

Oh please, name me a profession where anyone cares "who you truly are." You get paid to do a job, whether you are a plumber or the President. Nobody is going to care who you are beyond your ability to be effective and accomplish what you are there to do (which usually comes down to your ability to generate cold hard cash in some way or another).

Your friend wanted to be an actress. Well, so do thousands of hopefuls who go to Hollywood every year and find out they are not good-looking and talented enough to make it. Too bad, happens a lot. One actress more or less won't matter a whit in the world.

Since we all know Joss is all about feminism, I wonder if he is making a statement on what Hollywood does to these girls.

Joss is a revolting hypocrite. Dollhouse exploits women in a futile effort to attract an audience to drool over Eliza Dushku dancing around in a dress the size of a hanky. And she's a wonderful example of how Hollywood promotes looks over talent, because I have no idea how someone as completely untalented as her would survive in the acting business without her looks.

If you want to be bitter about something on behalf of your friend, be bitter about that - your friend probably was more talented than Dushku (not a high hurdle) but a whole lot less good looking, so she gets the boot and Dushku gets the show. That's Hollywood.

 

[Captain Craig]

what's the difference between a Handler and a Watcher?

Vampires

My friend made that parallel as well!

 

[Hermiod]

Joss is a revolting hypocrite. Dollhouse exploits women in a futile effort to attract an audience to drool over Eliza Dushku dancing around in a dress the size of a hanky.

We get an hour a week. You get an entire network of "oops, my shirt has fallen off" TV.

You want to call Joss a hypocrite ? Did you ever watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer ? The male characters were portrayed hideously and that only got worse on Angel. People take the piss out of Shatner for having his shirt get torn all the time, he had nothing on Boreanaz.

So yeah, Eliza Dushku wore a short skirt. Boo frakking hoo.

 

[Theonethatis]

I think Dollhouse is a metaphor for the hollywood system. A system which takes people and dehumanizes them.

You may be onto something - in an earlier thread I was trying to figure out what profession the dollhouse-brainwashing would actually be useful for to a lucrative enough degree that it could justify the probable expense and the most obvious profession was acting.

Forget talent, just find any good-looking idiot and brainwash them to believe they really are the role they are playing. Then wipe them clean and brainwash them over again for the next role.

But just as I have no sympathy for the poor widdle lambs being "dehumanized" by Hollywood - what, were they dragged there kicking and screaming? - I can't have any sympathy for the "victims" of the Dollhouse. They got themselves into that mess, they can get themselves out of it, or not, I'm happy either way.

Which leaves me with no motive to watch.

I had a friend who was an actress in hollywood, I got to see first hand how the system objectified her

She couldn't possibly have been naive enough to expect anything else when she decided to embark on a profession where she would be judged largely on her looks.

She was just a body to them and no one cared who she truly was.

Oh please, name me a profession where anyone cares "who you truly are." You get paid to do a job, whether you are a plumber or the President. Nobody is going to care who you are beyond your ability to be effective and accomplish what you are there to do (which usually comes down to your ability to generate cold hard cash in some way or another).

Your friend wanted to be an actress. Well, so do thousands of hopefuls who go to Hollywood every year and find out they are not good-looking and talented enough to make it. Too bad, happens a lot. One actress more or less won't matter a whit in the world.

Since we all know Joss is all about feminism, I wonder if he is making a statement on what Hollywood does to these girls.

Joss is a revolting hypocrite. Dollhouse exploits women in a futile effort to attract an audience to drool over Eliza Dushku dancing around in a dress the size of a hanky. And she's a wonderful example of how Hollywood promotes looks over talent, because I have no idea how someone as completely untalented as her would survive in the acting business without her looks.

If you want to be bitter about something on behalf of your friend, be bitter about that - your friend probably was more talented than Dushku (not a high hurdle) but a whole lot less good looking, so she gets the boot and Dushku gets the show. That's Hollywood.

I am not bitter, where did you get that idea? I am only advancing a theory that Dollhouse is a metaphor. My friends experiences happened a long time ago and she was fully a willing participant. But so are the actives in dollhouse fully willing participants. And hollywood is all about looks, its a shallow cesspool of boring parties and fake attitudes. Which also reminds of Dollhouse to some extent.