(S01E08) For a second ... for just a second ... I thought Ballard's dream was actually happening. Is that what Ballard actually wants? To do the nasty with Echo or Caroline or whomever? If the situation with Victor and Sierra is proof that true love circumvents the programming of the Actives, then maybe Ballard is Alpha and the reason he escaped was because he fell in love with Echo.The show is gaining a sense of urgency. Once Joss took reign and the network backed off from their "Echo episode of the week," I suddenly feel as if something bad will imminently happen to the Dollhouse. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is anybody's guess. From what has been shown, the season is leading to a final confrontation with Ballard and/or Alpha with the fate of the Dollhouse at stake. Based on experience with Joss Whedon's style, that's probably the last thing that will happen.
At least Joss' sense of humor was obvious in this episode: "I like pancakes." "We're all going to die."
I wasn't certain where tonight's episode was going while watching it. It was pretty obvious from the relative lack of security that the Scooby Gang was still in a controlled environment. The interesting part was learning why it was done and how the Dollhouse was going to get them back (because it was pretty obvious even after they drove the SUV out of the building that they weren't going to escape). And for all we've learned about Echo, Sierra, Victor and November, we still don't know anything about their true selves. Not even their real names (except for Caroline's).
Okay, we know that November joined because her daughter died. After something like that, it's no wonder she'd want her memory erased. How Eternal Sunshine.
They never properly explained why Mike was included in the group. Were they having problems with him, as well, or was he just to serve as an example to the rest about the situation they were in?
This episode had a lot of talking heads explaining the philosophies behind the show. The characters were pontificating so much, I was confusing them for a Bond villain.
Echo, in her natural personality, is a hell of a fighter. She can take out a handler all by herself.
Anybody catch the callback to a previous episode with Sierra's phrase "deranged millionaire serial killer"?
With Victor's situation, are the writers saying that love is instinctive and goes beyond memory? Food for thought.
Can the Dollhouse even restore an Active's memories once their contract is up? And why should they? It's not like the Active would even remember signing anything. Why not treat them like any slave and work them to death? Given the behavior of Adelle, I'm going to guess that they honor their contracts. It's tough to prove, however, when you consider that the organization is illegal to begin with.
With tonight's enjoyable episode, the series is getting better. Particularly since it has become more of an ensemble show rather than just about Echo. Do I think it'll go past the first season? No. I think Fox is going to go all Genghis Khan and burn down its Friday night lineup like it was a peasant village. But I think Joss has planned accordingly and will give the fans a good sendoff.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-04-2009 @ 2:35AM
Andy Grey said...
BALLARD IS NOT ALPHA! For Adelle and TPTB at the Dollhouse, getting Alpha detained is their No.1 priority. They've allowed Ballard to live freely. Their positions towards Alpha and Ballard are so extremely contradictory that they can't be reconciled. Furthermore, Alpha is marked by the ability to access multiple personalities, Ballard has shown no hint at all of this. He's not alpha, I don't know why this rumor persists.
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4-04-2009 @ 2:44AM
Greg said...
While I do think that Ballard's connection to the Dollhouse is more than meets the eye I don't think he's Alpha. The way he's able to fight and ignore pain he's more than just an FBI agent.
I like the scenes we've been getting with Topher the last few weeks. We learn more about his character and he still provides the laughs.
I was wondering the same thing about the Dollhouse honoring contracts.
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4-04-2009 @ 2:50AM
Wii60 said...
Ok, this was the tipping point for me. The show has won me over.
If they keep up with the stories about the Dollhouse, then awesome. The biggest problem this show has is the main character. While Dushku has actually surprised me by playing the different parts well, I just don't care about Echo at all. Her backstory is just lame.
If this was more like Lost and every episode focused on 1 character and the whole story, I'd be sold right now. As is, it will be a very disappointing cancellation, but it won't be Fox's fault entirely, Whedon took way to long to make it interesting. 8 episodes of your 11 episode order to get it right is far too long. Fox may have shuffled the order, but this is mostly on him.
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4-04-2009 @ 3:53AM
Suntzu said...
Anyone else thinl that maybe after Firefly Joss would go back into business with FOX without some kind of guarantee. I mean really a man who preaches the dishonesty of conglomerates ( i.e Wolfram and Heart, The Dollhouse) A guy who by the way is as devoted to his fans as they are to him. Do you think he would set himself up to be shut down by narrow minded TV execs who hate his stuff for no other reason than they most likely don't understand it. I predict a longer run for Dollhouse at least 2 seasons. If I'm wrong I'm wrong but I don't think I am
4-05-2009 @ 7:22PM
Usama said...
But wasn't FOX the reason why Joss had to take this long to start making interesting episodes? I thought it was established they wanted certain kinds of episodes the first few weeks and so it was somewhat limiting his vision for the show? Or are you upset that Joss would agree to it in the first place?
4-04-2009 @ 3:53AM
TotallyNormal said...
I've been on the fence, but really enjoyed tonight's episode. Pancake line was gold. Of course, it could be the three cocktails talking.
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4-04-2009 @ 4:44AM
bruce said...
After tonight's TSCC (fantastic episode) there was nothing else on so I kept watching for Dollhouse. It seemed like I was watching a show that's already been cancelled... it felt like a rerun of Dark Angel of something like that.
I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that somehow Fox will allow TSCC to survive for another season - especially after tonight's episode. Dollhouse is utterly non-interesting. And it makes even less sense if some of the actives are there against their will (i.e. they didn't sign up voluntarily) because of the altruistic missions the actives typically perform, with the dollhouse being a highly illegal secret underground criminal enterprise. Unless the actives are assassinating people, kidnapping children to be sex slaves, running guns, drugs, and flesh, committing violent robberies and other such crimes, there is no point to any of this, and there's no way legitimate people would be able to easily call up the dollhouse on a whim (to hire a security guard or camping buddy) while the FBI cannot even get a lead on whether or not the place really exists, let alone where it is.
I need a certain amount of internal logic to TV shows. With sci-fi I can suspend everything except the need for rational actions by rational players. Dollhouse utterly fails in that respect.
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4-04-2009 @ 1:28PM
Alicia R. said...
And it is very obvious that you have not watched the show.
4-05-2009 @ 7:28PM
Usama said...
Perhaps you owe it to the show to watch the episodes before tonight's? It's hard to comment on a story's established situation without knowing the whole story! :-)
But in short, the dolls are not programmed for altruistic behaviors, they're programmed to do whatever the client wants.
The clients are, or actually have to be, very rich and connected people because only the rich could afford to hire actives. They've even had a senator as a client, I believe.
I'm not completely surprised by the fact that the FBI doesn't know about this organization. However as is established in next week's episode, it seems that perhaps the NSA does? Hasn't a show like The X-Files also done something like this? Shown that different organizations have different need-to-know levels of information? Heck in Stargate the Air Force knew stuff the FBI didn't.
4-07-2009 @ 1:34PM
McD said...
judging from nearly everything you said in your 2nd paragraph, i think it's clear that you don't watch the show.
4-04-2009 @ 10:51AM
Leroy said...
I think there have been plenty of hints that this is not the only Dollhouse and that Adelle has a personal agenda that does not coincide with that of the people behind the whole chain. In other words, it's no longer possible to take anything she does at face value because she's playing two sides at once.
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4-04-2009 @ 12:08PM
La-Di-Dah said...
I am thinking computer genius dude may be the mole. (He's just so quirky-odd, and he plays his role programming the dolls perfectly, but is it too perfect?)
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4-04-2009 @ 12:28PM
KaeDee said...
Since Fox removed their interfering hands from the series, the show is certainly taking better shape. The last couple of episodes have been much more intriguing. I hope the network gives the show a chance to find its legs and pick up steam.
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4-04-2009 @ 12:46PM
Karen said...
Has anyone else heard the "Caroline/Echo is Ballard's little sister" bit? Sometimes that seems plausible, other eps it doesn't.
4-05-2009 @ 2:14AM
Jen said...
Karen:
I'd hope it wasn't his little sister after his fantasy about making out with her...
4-04-2009 @ 1:15PM
Age-K said...
I was thinking Mike was there because there are five actives in a room and they all needed to feel threatened together. If they woke up and the four of them were confused but person number five was spaced-out dude, they would probably have at least a slightly different reaction to their situation. They might not talk freely, thinking he was a "plant," nevermind how out of it he seems. They needed to feel like they were all in the same situation so that they'd pull together to accomplish their goals and the episode probably would've needed to be twice as long.
You know, I hadn't read the "little sister" theory anywhere, but I had thought about it myself. Of all the different relationship possibilities, it doesn't necessarily have to be a romantic one. Especially considering the stories that were not told with Firefly--the big, scary company holding the little sister, etc. Of course, this episode seemed to reinforce the romantic relationship.
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4-04-2009 @ 1:30PM
Jimmy said...
This series just keeps getting better; I can only hope we'll get another season, but considering the ratings I doubt it. What this episode did was really drive home just how insidious this group behind the Dollhouses really is. Actives are to be treated like pets (and they wonder why someone wouldn't see a problem with raping one of the actives) and Sierra is forced to have sex with the man who put her there because she would sleep with him originally (basically, let her be raped over and over again). Excellent episode.
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4-04-2009 @ 1:31PM
Alicia R. said...
I swore to myself that I was not going to get emotionaly involved with this show.
Too Late.
This epiosode did it for me, I want this show to continue, and I hope that Fox can and will give this show another season.
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4-04-2009 @ 3:18PM
Chi said...
ugh, don't say that! I'm really loving Dollhouse and I want to believe they wont actually cancel a good thing! FOR ONCE! :(
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4-06-2009 @ 10:24AM
mdisloki said...
I'm with you. Friday night is one of the best nights of TV right now, and it would be a huge mistake for Fox to pull the trigger on either show.