tv thoughts: Dollhouse s2 e5 and e6
Dec. 4th, 2009 10:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
orangerfulSpoilery thoughts on "The Public Eye" and "The Left Hand"
Yes, as suspected, as soon as Dollhouse gets cancelled, they start to air the episodes where things actually happen. HUZZAH! Well, I just hope that the "we're gonna get cancelled" vibe was strong enough that Joss & Co. were able to semi-wrap up the story by the final episode. I mean, Epitaph 1 can be the series finale, but it would be nice to have some new closure this season. They had to know. As soon as FOX bumped all the November episodes and said "Oh, we'll do back to back episodes in December - you know, that month when no one watches anything because they are out shopping?" ...that should have red flagged for them. So I hope they threw something together for that final episode...which I guess will air...???
Two very solid episodes, though there were some flaws in pacing. My theory was they tried to stretch out a few scenes a little too long because they knew where they wanted to end one episode and start the next. I think we got to see everyone except Sierra (but she had a lot of screentime in the previous episode, so maybe she was sleeping it off).
I kept laughing that Agent Ballard did such a good job spotting theCylon Doll, but then had a bad feeling that it would be the Senator. (the only problem with using all these actors I like is that I tend to forget their names so I kept saying "Helo is trying to stop Wesley!!!")
Hey, it's Mo as Kilo! I didn't know she was guesting. See, Joss tried to save on the budget by hiring friends and family. LOL
Eliza was in a skimpy outfit, so we can check that requirment off our list. It appears that lingerie in the first episode counted for the second episode. I think this was probably one of the bigger issues for this series - I think a lot of Joss fans are so used to seeing women being treated with some kind of respect that the amount of abuse that women suffer on Dollhouse makes it a bit harder to watch. Even Adelle gets verbally abused on a regular basis.
Topher and Topher/Victor? <3!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love both of those actors so hard. Victor has managed to save SO many episodes for me, either because of his imprint or because he's so adorable when he's Victor. I hope we see both of these actors again.
I thought Bennett(River/Summer) was an interesting addition, though I felt like it took a BIT too long to introduce her. That scene was really slow, though I guess they were hoping we would think she was a Doll...but haven't we had enough of the "OMG SHE'S A DOLL!" twists? Plus, she was rambling like River and all I could think was "Um, is she imprinted as River?" But she is the evil mad scientist that Topher was one step away from for a long time. She really has no moral dilemma anymore and she's allowed herself to be consumed by hatred. Was she not aware that Caroline had been turned into an active? I assume the flashback/memory that she gave her was from Caroline's initial attack on Rossum that lead to her becoming a Doll.
The flirtation between Bennett and Topher was great, especially when they double-crossed each other (but not as great as the flirtation between Topher and Victor/Topher - again, <3).
Dewitt's little spat withSatan the D.C. Dollhouse guy was amusing. But it almost seemed a bit too easy...like Wolfram & Hart had Vampire detectors, Rossum Corp. needs a Doll Detector because it seems like sending assassins between Dollhouses would be easy enough. All of these people were hired, as Dewitt told us last time, because of their loose morals.
Disappointed that they had the Senator get wiped, but what else can you do with him. Echo/Caroline was stronger than him since Echo is a whole new personality, vs. the Senator being a tweaked person. His ability to seperate from that mind would be a lot harder. But it's all coming down to Ballard & Echo - which is also the set up for Epitaph 1 so we're right on schedule.
I guess Bennett is going to turn Madeline into a Echo-Terminator ("Have you seen this Doll?")...I guess she'll have some expertise to pass on in that area.
Also, I am cursing myself for watching the previews for next week. Ugh, spoilers SUCK! Should have turned it off when I had the chance, but I was weak.
The more I watch, the more I think this would have been better as a mini-series or movie. I like the idea of the whole thing, but making it all gel seems to be rough. Adelle is a hardass one week, then really nice the next. They don't want the dolls doing anything beyond being innocent, yet they allow Sierra and Victor to hold hands. Echo displays all kinds of rebellious tendencies, things that Topher and Adelle have noticed, but she's not being wiped as much. I feel like they are letting things slip past just to create plot lines later on. If it was a movie or a planned 24 episode only show, they could have done a nice big arc and ended it all in one swoop. Now I'm worried we're gonna get left with a cliff hanger ala "Objects in Space" that sort of ends things but leaves all these loose threads dangling.
I don't think I'd describe my relationship with Dollhouse as one of love/hate...more along the lines of this is cool/this is boring. The bar was set pretty high after Buffy, Angel, and Firefly. It's not a bad show, but it doesn't excel the way the other ones did. The vision for the show wasn't as clear from the start. And, yes, the first seasons of Buffy and Angel were the clunkiest of the bunch, but Dollhouse didn't get the luxury to work out its kinks as much. It narrowly escaped cancellation (mostly because of FOX exec's fear of the fan backlash) and we were given this token second season which they had no intention of renewing.
I really did enjoy the last 3 episodes of the series. Echo has finally become her own character and they didn't frakkin' wipe her. Ballard is MIA but clearly on his way back to kick some Cylon ass. Boyd is rebelling in his own little way. Dewitt is starting to reveal her agenda. Topher has grown a LOT from where he started in season 1. Here's hoping it all goes out with a bang!
Yes, as suspected, as soon as Dollhouse gets cancelled, they start to air the episodes where things actually happen. HUZZAH! Well, I just hope that the "we're gonna get cancelled" vibe was strong enough that Joss & Co. were able to semi-wrap up the story by the final episode. I mean, Epitaph 1 can be the series finale, but it would be nice to have some new closure this season. They had to know. As soon as FOX bumped all the November episodes and said "Oh, we'll do back to back episodes in December - you know, that month when no one watches anything because they are out shopping?" ...that should have red flagged for them. So I hope they threw something together for that final episode...which I guess will air...???
Two very solid episodes, though there were some flaws in pacing. My theory was they tried to stretch out a few scenes a little too long because they knew where they wanted to end one episode and start the next. I think we got to see everyone except Sierra (but she had a lot of screentime in the previous episode, so maybe she was sleeping it off).
I kept laughing that Agent Ballard did such a good job spotting the
Hey, it's Mo as Kilo! I didn't know she was guesting. See, Joss tried to save on the budget by hiring friends and family. LOL
Eliza was in a skimpy outfit, so we can check that requirment off our list. It appears that lingerie in the first episode counted for the second episode. I think this was probably one of the bigger issues for this series - I think a lot of Joss fans are so used to seeing women being treated with some kind of respect that the amount of abuse that women suffer on Dollhouse makes it a bit harder to watch. Even Adelle gets verbally abused on a regular basis.
Topher and Topher/Victor? <3!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love both of those actors so hard. Victor has managed to save SO many episodes for me, either because of his imprint or because he's so adorable when he's Victor. I hope we see both of these actors again.
I thought Bennett(River/Summer) was an interesting addition, though I felt like it took a BIT too long to introduce her. That scene was really slow, though I guess they were hoping we would think she was a Doll...but haven't we had enough of the "OMG SHE'S A DOLL!" twists? Plus, she was rambling like River and all I could think was "Um, is she imprinted as River?" But she is the evil mad scientist that Topher was one step away from for a long time. She really has no moral dilemma anymore and she's allowed herself to be consumed by hatred. Was she not aware that Caroline had been turned into an active? I assume the flashback/memory that she gave her was from Caroline's initial attack on Rossum that lead to her becoming a Doll.
The flirtation between Bennett and Topher was great, especially when they double-crossed each other (but not as great as the flirtation between Topher and Victor/Topher - again, <3).
Dewitt's little spat with
Disappointed that they had the Senator get wiped, but what else can you do with him. Echo/Caroline was stronger than him since Echo is a whole new personality, vs. the Senator being a tweaked person. His ability to seperate from that mind would be a lot harder. But it's all coming down to Ballard & Echo - which is also the set up for Epitaph 1 so we're right on schedule.
I guess Bennett is going to turn Madeline into a Echo-Terminator ("Have you seen this Doll?")...I guess she'll have some expertise to pass on in that area.
Also, I am cursing myself for watching the previews for next week. Ugh, spoilers SUCK! Should have turned it off when I had the chance, but I was weak.
The more I watch, the more I think this would have been better as a mini-series or movie. I like the idea of the whole thing, but making it all gel seems to be rough. Adelle is a hardass one week, then really nice the next. They don't want the dolls doing anything beyond being innocent, yet they allow Sierra and Victor to hold hands. Echo displays all kinds of rebellious tendencies, things that Topher and Adelle have noticed, but she's not being wiped as much. I feel like they are letting things slip past just to create plot lines later on. If it was a movie or a planned 24 episode only show, they could have done a nice big arc and ended it all in one swoop. Now I'm worried we're gonna get left with a cliff hanger ala "Objects in Space" that sort of ends things but leaves all these loose threads dangling.
I don't think I'd describe my relationship with Dollhouse as one of love/hate...more along the lines of this is cool/this is boring. The bar was set pretty high after Buffy, Angel, and Firefly. It's not a bad show, but it doesn't excel the way the other ones did. The vision for the show wasn't as clear from the start. And, yes, the first seasons of Buffy and Angel were the clunkiest of the bunch, but Dollhouse didn't get the luxury to work out its kinks as much. It narrowly escaped cancellation (mostly because of FOX exec's fear of the fan backlash) and we were given this token second season which they had no intention of renewing.
I really did enjoy the last 3 episodes of the series. Echo has finally become her own character and they didn't frakkin' wipe her. Ballard is MIA but clearly on his way back to kick some Cylon ass. Boyd is rebelling in his own little way. Dewitt is starting to reveal her agenda. Topher has grown a LOT from where he started in season 1. Here's hoping it all goes out with a bang!
