Dollhouse star Eliza Dushku recently said she isn't worried about the show's Friday night death slot. Now, creator Joss Whedon is saying the same thing. Actually, Whedon took it a step further and told the L.A. Times that he would've put the show on Fridays too.Wha?
Whedon says he anticipated the Friday slot and, apparently, he agrees with the Fox execs who don't think Dollhouse will draw huge ratings when it premieres in February.
"The executives I'm dealing with are canny guys," he said. "They're bringing down expectations regarding how big of an audience they think it will bring in the beginning, and then as the show progresses. They need to do that."
Does that mean Fox will give Dollhouse the time it needs to catch on and build an audience? Probably not, judging by the network's history with low-rated high-concept shows, including Whedon's own Firefly. But, here's the bigger question: Why does everyone involved with this show, including the creator, think that no one will get it? Is it really that innovative and out there? Whedon seems to think so. He's already asking viewers to be patient with the show's storyline and saying that it might not be what most fans expect.
"We're trying to create something that's more than the sum of its parts. And not just in an 'Oooh, we're heavy with mythology' way. Dare I say we're reaching for something more philosophical?," he said.
I'm still certain this thing won't last more than one season, but I can't wait to see it. Whedon is an amazing talent. Every sci-fi/fantasy show on the air now pales in comparison to Buffy's best moments, Angel's last season and the entire run of Firefly. I know the network has made Whedon retool the show from his original vision, but his comments are giving me hope that Dollhouse will be something different and, maybe, something special. Or, it could just end up being a big incomprehensible mess of a thing. We'll see.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-11-2008 @ 9:35PM
Woohoo! said...
I'm looking forward to this show...I was fortunate enough to meet Whedon at Comicon this summer and even though I haven't followed his stuff very well (Yes, I slipped off the face of the earth)I plan on starting now...Wow...that's a good new year's resolution....To become an official Whedonite...it's either that or eat more wheat bran.mmmmm...
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12-11-2008 @ 10:33PM
Argus said...
"Every sci-fi/fantasy show on the air now pales in comparison to Buffy's best moments, Angel's last season and the entire run of Firefly."
The idea that BSG pales in comparison to any of the above is ludicrous. The second half of Angel's last season was great storytelling and I was sad to see it go. Buffy was certainly proficient from seasons 2-5 at eloquently advancing a materialist/feminist/objectivist philosophy before the agonizing death of season 7. Firefly was great high action.
Despite this, none of them hold a candle to the intricacies and passion of Battlestar Galactica. The reason Buffy is so read by philosophers wasn't because of the deep philosophy or the new philosophy but because it was advanced within the context of a new format (an oversimplification.) The depth to the ideas and philosophy of BSG is far greater and much more complex issues are explored than Whedon has managed to touch.
I predict Dollhouse will portray Dushku as a Zarathustra styled ubermensch, but Whedon says that this isn't what we're expecting and I hope he's right. While I don't hold him in the same esteem as others I certainly respect his abilities.
On a side note, any chance that Dollhouse is a reference to Ibsen, who wrote the first feminist play?
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12-12-2008 @ 11:18AM
Jason said...
As much as I love Whedon's work, I have to agree. Modern BSG is at the top of the list, bar none.
12-13-2008 @ 12:53AM
Rob said...
I don't know, I've been watching BSG from the beginning, and I think it's way more uneven than any of Whedon's shows ever were... Some terrific episodes, but quite a few really bad ones.
And Whedon got me to care a lot more for his characters than any of the ones on BSG.
12-12-2008 @ 10:26AM
Kensington said...
Does anyone know how many episodes FOX ordered?
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12-12-2008 @ 9:49AM
Kat said...
Why does everyone seem so sure this is going to be canceled immediately? I mean, yes, Firefly was a disaster (the handling of it, not the show itself which rocked). But last I heard Fox has had some management changeovers since then, and the fact that they gave Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles a full season 2 order even after season 2 premiered with really crappy ratings shows that they aren't pulling the trigger as fast. I understand being worried, but every piece of press this show has been getting lately is about how this will probably not last. That's not helping guys. You're just contributing to scaring people off before the show's even started. Just a little optimism would be nice.
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12-12-2008 @ 12:03PM
Midnight13 said...
As a fan of complex I look forward to "Dollhouse". As a fan of complex I fear for "DollHouse". So can we expect a show that takes its cues in terms of depth and charcter from say "Lost"? A successful sci-fi series that people seem to like. That would be great if people can call this the new "Lost" when it gets reveiwed. How about fans call "DolHouse" the next "Lost"? Hey, that's thier whole ad campagin right there. "DollHouse"-The Next "Lost". That way when "Lost" ends its run in another 2 seasons or so, they can all say, "Well, at least we still have "DollHouse" for our complex sci-fi fix.
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12-12-2008 @ 12:13PM
Mike Moody said...
Sneaky. I think i like it.
12-13-2008 @ 12:01PM
Doug Nelson said...
He just knows his fans are the same demo that DVR everything, so when it actually airs is irrelevant. But that also makes him unnattractive to advertisers (and therefore, Fox).
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1-14-2009 @ 11:33PM
DoughnutHole said...
Fox had better take care of Joss. I'm not impressed by Fox, generally, and it's unfortunate that Dollhouse couldn't be on a better station. FX maybe, which has seen a generally good success rate with shows. Im going to give DH more credit than what it seems to be getting. It has a promising plot, a fabulous cast, and Whedon's amazing mind behind it. And even if it does only last one season, or little more, i'll add it to my Joss collection :-D regardless. Hopefully the Dr. Horrible buz will make people take notice!
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