Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode.

[Bob The Skutter]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Is the UK going to get a Blu-Ray release and if not does anyone know if the American Blu-Ray is region free?

I had a panic attack, ordered it from the US, got stopped at customs, £12 fucking 50, they put the price up for stopping your shit? then when I opened it, it said Region A on the back... Got it home put the disc in and played fine.

I have paid a lot of those fees.

They really fuck me off.

Same here, but last time I had to pay it it was £8.50 for stuff the same price, but suddenly they added an extra £4 for basically slowing the delivery down by 2 weeks.

 

[Pindar]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Some of it is customs some of it is the thieving post office bastards.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Some of it is customs some of it is the thieving post office bastards.

Yeah £8 of it is post office charges for and £4.50 for VAT charges. Cos customs charges don't kick in till about £300 nowadays.

 

[WillsBabe]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Last thing I had stopped at customs was Firefly, I think. I feel your pain.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Last thing I had stopped at customs was Firefly, I think. I feel your pain.

Stupid thing is I know a site that usually avoids customs, but I ordered it from PlayUSA because it was £10 more on the other site... But that would have ended up being cheaper, how annoying.

 

[stonester1]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Just watched.

Dollhouse: The first four or so episodes, it was easy to spot the network meddling. Formula driven, relatively little characterization, etc etc. It was almost like Joss was trying to play ball with the network and be a good company guy, and trying to sell the show on it's gimmick and Dushku's looks. Fortunately, Joss got a handle on the ideas he wanted to explore, on issues like identity, the mind, the "soul", who are we and what makes us thus? Are individuals truly unique, that sort of thing. And about five, six eps in, he chucked the formula and then the show became recognizably a Joss Whedon show.

The unaired last ep, Epitaph One, was GREAT, and the unused pilot was VASTLY superior to the one used. It was like Trek's original pilot, "The Cage" being called "too cerebral" by the network, so we got "Where No Man Has Gone Before". However, Dollhouse's replacement was not nearly as good.

Fortunately, the rest of the show is.

Worth it, especially once you get passed the pedestrian first few eps.

The cast is good, even Dushku, though no thespianic chameleon, better than I thought she was going to be. Andy Tudyk shows up, and he's amazing.

 

[Can]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Just finished whole series including , aired season finale "Epitaph One" It is clear that Whedon was influenced with RDM's Battlestar Galactica quite a bit. We can see that especially with last episode....I should confess though after first a few mediocre episodes I am quite interested with whole series. Eliza Durskhu displays her potential. Rest of the cast Olivia Williams , Amy Acker , Fran Kranz , Enver Gjokaj Tahmoh Penikett ( "Helo" of Battlestar Galactica" ) are also quite good...I hope we continue to watch this lastest Whedon artwork for a few more seasons

 

[DarthPipes]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

I just finished watching the first season on DVD and I really enjoyed it. It started off slow and I wouldn't call it a great show but it picked up nicely over the second half and had some especially good episodes like "Needs" and "Spy in the House of Love." Epitaph One was a GREAT episode and fuck Fox for not airing it. I really hope they build on what was established in that one.

I agree the original pilot was much better and I don't think the standalone story in the second pilot was all that strong. Although I did like the slow burn of knowledge we would learn in the episodes to come. The original pilot also did a much better job at fleshing out Ballard's obsession with Caroline. On the show, he was obsessed with the Dollhouse and once he sees Caroline's picture, they made him retroactively obsessed with her. Dukau's performance was terrific and the actor who plays Topher was excellent in his scene with "The Phantom."

I'd say the strengths of this show are the intriguing premise and it's terrific cast and characters. It also reminds me of one of my favorite shows, Alias. Looking forward to all the new and familiar faces this season.

 

[DarthPipes]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Training doesn't over come physical restrictions. If Joss wants a realistic fight he's got to understand that if someone Tahmoh Penikett's size punches someone Eliza Dushku's size as hard as he can in the face, she'll be lucky if she doesn't end up in a coma.

Agreed, especially when he's portrayed the Ballard character as an absolute ass-kicking machine on the show. If he puts enough force into his punches, Echo isn't going to get up. Period.

I always found Kara going toe-to-toe with Lee in "Unfinished Business" to be ridiculous too. But Moore always had her doing anything, like beating an all-star player like Anders at his own game.

That's the other thing that bugged me. Joss referred to Miracle Laurie as "homely". I'm sorry, Miracle Laurie is one word beginning with H and it's not "homely". To give you another clue, it ends in "ot".

He had to have been joking. Because when she first turned up on Dollhouse, my first thought was "How the hell is Ballard not banging her already?"

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

^Epitaph One wasn't shown by Fox because it wasn't ordered by Fox, 20th Century Fox ordered it for DVD and international sales to flesh out the 13 episode package.

As I said, Joss always calls his actors "Homely" but this time he even says "I'm using my finger quotes here" as if to say "Only in Hollywood would she be called that".

 

[Too Much Fun]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Just saw the 'Unairred' pilot. I agree it was much better than what was actually broadcast. I can barely remember the real pilot (I think there was some silliness with motorcycle racing and hostage negotiation?), but I will remember this one for a long time.

There were maybe a bit too many conversations that were very complicated dealing with philosophical issues (probably what turned off the network so much), but overall it was an exponentially stronger episode than the real pilot. Topher calling Saunders "Phantom of the Opera" was funny, though a little cruel. I wish they'd kept that in the show. As a whole, the episode was much more exciting, thoughtful, and detailed than the real pilot. Very good dialog and acting all around, except for Victor's really bad accent.

 

[Can]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

Oh I have forgotten to mention....In "Epitaph One" the writers and producers pulled a "Babylon 5" didn't they....Teasing audience what was coming in a very clever way...

 

[DarthPipes]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

There were maybe a bit too many conversations that were very complicated dealing with philosophical issues (probably what turned off the network so much),

You know, I could see the issue that the main character, Echo, has a different personality every week and her main one, when not on missions, is a void. But I thought the character's personality emerged as the season went on. You know what I mean?

 

[Deckerd]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

I was debating buying these DVDs but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Forbin]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

I broke down and bought the set. I couldn't stand hearing about Epitaph One any more without seeing it.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

I was debating buying these DVDs but now I'm not so sure.

If you can get them cheap then they're worth it even as a blind buy. Personally I think episode 6 (Man on the Street) plays just as well, if not better, as the pilot than the pilot does.

 

[WillsBabe]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

I was debating buying these DVDs but now I'm not so sure.

What's making you change your mind?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

I was debating buying these DVDs but now I'm not so sure.

What's making you change your mind?

The fact that nearly half the episodes are considered, even by fans, as fairly eh would be my guess.

 

[Deckerd]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

They are cheap on Amazon. Oh indecision, thy name is Decks.

 

[WillsBabe]

Re: Dollhouse S1 recap thread, discussion, DVD set and unaired episode

I can't urge you to spend your money, Deckard, all I can say is that I'm so glad that I stuck with it. The initial meh episodes do have a good pay-off in the later episiodes. I feel that the later good episodes are better than the early episodes are poor, if that makes sense.