Dollhouse: "Echoes" (1x07)

[darthraidr]

Below Average.

I think i am done with the show now. I wasnt interested in anything that was going on... there are too many questions that are too absurd. and honestly, i dont care to stick around to learn the answers. there are far better shows out there if i want mystery, far better shows if i want action, far better shows if i just want to be entertained.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The basic premise itself is terrible. The client today paid millions for a prostitute to act naive and kinky, yet she walked out on him just like anyone else could have done. And if you're willing to pay millions for a prostitute, I damn well guarantee you can find a real one who does a better job in every category and who wouldn't be stupid enough to walk out. Glitch or not, it's stupid. I don't care if it's a common argument, it's a completely valid one.

Even without them "glitching" at every opportunity, the actives just aren't demonstrating the kind of incredible abilities that would justify the prices the Dollhouse must be charging in order to maintain their fancy facilities, not to mention all the security and bribes that must go into maintaining their secrecy. This should be a mind-bogglingly expensive operation but I see no revenue stream that could support it.

The only way to make the economics of this work is if the actives are being given superpowers like on Heroes. Imagine a hooker who is telepathic or telekinetic. All of a sudden that person really is worth far more than their competitors at even the most upscale and exclusive escort services. Or how about time travel? A hooker who can go back in time so that your nerdy, pathetic 14 year old self can get laid might actually be worth a million dollars. The only way you can charge that kind of money is if you literally have no competition.

And that would also justify the brainwashing - because if you give someone telepathy or time travel powers, you better not let them remember it afterwards - one disgruntled employee could wreak total havoc. Otherwise, why not just hire a bunch of people who have no qualms about murder or prostitution. They exist in large numbers and need no motivation other than a paycheck.

Dollhouse has finally slipped to T:SCC levels, and T:SCC is a goner. If Fox really wants to stay in Whedon's good graces, maybe they will relent but at this point, why would Fox care about staying in Whedon's good graces? In Hollywood, it's all about what have you done for me lately.

 

[Zod]

I thought this episode was average at best. Reminded me of the Trek Next Gen first season episode where they all got the sickness that made them act drunk. The acting was not all that interesting and I thought the overall story was weak.

 

[Lumen]

Better than the first five, worse than last week. Not extremely interesting, but there's enough going on that I'm still in.

 

[cbspock]

I thought this episode was average at best. Reminded me of the Trek Next Gen first season episode where they all got the sickness that made them act drunk. The acting was not all that interesting and I thought the overall story was weak.

TNG stole that idea from Star Trek, the episode was The Naked Time.


-Chris

 

[Mr Light]

Hey I actually liked this episode! That's two in a row! Dollhouse's recent ratings trend from new to old: 3.87 - 4.13 - 4.3 - 3.55. Notice that its ratings DROPPED after a) running against the BSG Series Finale and b) the miraculous game changing sixth episode. Ouch.

 

[Arrqh]

Even without them "glitching" at every opportunity, the actives just aren't demonstrating the kind of incredible abilities that would justify the prices the Dollhouse must be charging in order to maintain their fancy facilities, not to mention all the security and bribes that must go into maintaining their secrecy. This should be a mind-bogglingly expensive operation but I see no revenue stream that could support it.

This episode pretty heavily implied that it's the exact opposite... that the Dollhouses are using the existing tech of their corporate overlords to generate funding for something else which is Much Worse(tm).

The thing is that the glitches or whatever don't happen very often. Echo walking out on her client was pretty obviously not something that generally happens in their normal operation with any frequency. Their clientele is also very specific... they're not renting the dolls out as prostitutes to ordinary people, they're providing extremely specific things to very rich people. Most of what we've seen Echo do has not been just acting as a prostitute... she was a hostage negotiator, a bodyguard who didn't know she was a bodyguard (I imagine those are hard to find ), an unstoppable safecracker and a spy who didn't know she was a spy. Two of those might be possible, though very difficult, to find in the timeframes their clients needed and two of them (the sleeper personalities) would be nigh impossible. So of all the things in the show, I don't have any problem buying the fact that they're able to generate funding. Spoiled rich boys paying for sex don't represent the majority of their clients.

 

[Tomato]

I think with this show you need a suspension of disbelief more than usual. Echo as a PETA nutjub, sort of reminds me as a very hippy like thing to do for somebody in their mid 20s.

Curious to see where the arc is going to take us but wonder if Fox cancels it will we get a decent enough ending.

 

[Valin]

Nobody has mentioned how sexy Echo looked in what she wore in this episode.

And yes, this episode took elements from episodes of Star Trek, TNG, and Buffy, but it still was very entertaining.

 

[hyzmarca]

It was nice to finally see, after six episodes of basically nothing important happening, more than just one tidbit about what happened to these people and learn more about what we all knew the Dollhouse was: evil.

Dollhouse seems kind of soft, actually.

Caroline murders her boyfriend, and DeWitt agrees to sweep it under the rug in exchange for five years of service. DeWitt could have just turned her over to the authorities. Instead, assuming that DeWitt's word is good, she gets a second chance.

 

[Ayelbourne]

Instead, assuming that DeWitt's word is good, she gets a second chance.

Not sure about that. Wasn't this episodes coverup-story about Sam that he was killed?
If so, why would they release him after five years?

 

[Kelso]

This show is really fucking boring but the preview for next week always makes me want to tune back in.

I may have a sickness.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Topher and DeWitt so did it.

We'll find out all, about it in a couple episodes.

people this is a short run series, Joss has a 5 year plan and season one is only 13 episodes long (And perhaps every seaon is 13 episodes long and they plan on not doing so many shit standalone bottleneck episodes?) and they are not interested in doubling up the first season since episode 13 is actually called "Finale" according to wikipedia.

We have passed the halfway mark.

 

[SinglePurpose]

Caroline murders her boyfriend, and DeWitt agrees to sweep it under the rug in exchange for five years of service. DeWitt could have just turned her over to the authorities. Instead, assuming that DeWitt's word is good, she gets a second chance.

Caroline didn't murder he boyfriend, the security guards for the Rossum corporation did. Of course it was Caroline's fault that her boyfriend was there but still.

 

[hyzmarca]

Felony murder rule. If you break into a place and a security guard shoots your accomplice, or anyone else, you're guilty of murder just as if you'd pulled the trigger yourself.

 

[Roberto]

I didn't care for the story/plot at all.....but watching Echo run around in that little skirt and white stockings was entertaining enough.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Really? I found it condescending and hammerhandedly manipulative. I mean some idiot invented a fantasy supposedly, so it's excusable, but come on, out side of those women at conventions obsessed with becoming Anime characters because they want to nuzzle with the Overfiend, so dress the part accordingly, can you really see any women wearing that outfit if it wasn't a favour, a service or she was mocking how easy it was to manipulate men?

Seriously who hasn't thought about boning Alice in Wonderland?

 

[marplanauta]

pretty silly episode, but i liked the caroline backstory and have been enjoying the show so far

 

[Plain Simple]

and they are not interested in doubling up the first season since episode 13 is actually called "Finale" according to wikipedia.

Perhaps someone changed it on Wikipedia since you looked there, but now it says that episode 13 is called "Epitaph One". It is described as the season finale though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dollhouse_episodes

 

[tharpdevenport]

I thought IMDB had it listed as "Omega".