First Impressions: Dollhouse 1.2

[jdotmi]

Due to crazy busy weekend, I didn't get to blabber about Dollhouse this weekend.

If you were worried that this show couldn't kick ass after the pilot (which was not the best pilot ever), this episode should turn that thought around. This episode, which could function as a second pilot although there were a couple of continuity things brought from the first episode, was made of awesome.

Having watched the pilot a few times I can see what they're doing with these episodes. Each stands on it's own, but when you watch them together you get these different layers pulled away to give you a more complete picture.

Excellent excellent episode.

Comments

[winterlady.livejournal.com]

It's interesting - I hope they go somewhere with the Dollhouse. I'm a little creeped out by the whole undertone of prostituting these people out to be what the "client" needs. This episode in particular bothered me.

I can see where they're starting to build something. If they can keep it out of the sleezy factor - they'll have a winner.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

Well, the entire point is that you are supposed to be creeped out by it. They've said that in all the interviews. Of course, this is a Joss show, so you will not only be creeped out by it but hopefully you will be compelled to watch more. It seems to be one of his primary operating modes.

[mat-t.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I'm still on the fence about this show. It's interesting, but with the characters either being very morally gray (the Dollhouse staff, FBI Agent Agathon) or not really having a personality (the Actives...at least yet), I don't have much to catch my interest. There's a reason I don't watch procedurals...I prefer character, not standalone episodic plots.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

So far, the thread about what Alpha is doing has been enough for me to go "hmm". As well as the small flashes into the past we see in each episode. I prefer arcs, too, but I tend to stop watching a show if it's all arc and there's no possibility of just diving in and watching an episode. I just wait until DVD at that point, because otherwise it'll just piss me off.

[mat-t.livejournal.com]

What gets me too is that part of what I enjoy about typical Joss shows are the quirky characters and quippy dialogue....Dollhouse pretty much doesn't do either.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

I think he's got the quriky characters, it's just that it's not EVERYONE. The andrew/warren-esque scientist dude is minorly quirky. And there's some promise for Agent Ballard, at least in the off his rocker sense. I do miss the banter, but he has said he's trying to stay away from the quip-a-minute style of writing that people claim is the only thing he knows how to write. There were a few moments of it in this episode, though. Hoping for more of that.

[mat-t.livejournal.com]

I suppose for me, the issue with the characters is that they're all much darker than what I personally prefer. It's not a condemnation of the show itself, just that I'm not sure it's really to my taste. And yeah, the scientist guy is a Warren...and I never liked or enjoyed Warren (even pre-Tara killing). Everybody (with the exception of the Agent) is more skewed to the villain side of every other Joss show in the moral sense.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

Eh. The only character I see that is really on the dark side of grey are the chief of security. The Johndrewen geek is pretty much smack in the middle of grey. Doctor Fred is on the light side of grey. The Handler is definitely on the white knight side, and Lilah3.0 edges more towards light grey then her Jossverse predecessors.

Really this reminds me more of the final season of Angel than any of the rest of Joss' work.

[mat-t.livejournal.com]

Yeah but see, I didn't actually like the final season of Angel. ;)

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

Just because you have no taste... ;)

I liked parts of the final season. I woulda liked more story arc, though.

[mat-t.livejournal.com]

You know, there's something else I wonder. We know that the Actives seem to sign up / volunteer for duty, as we did with Caroline (though Agent Agathon seems to think they get kidnapped and slaved into it). What I wonder is, before they do the initial memory wipe, do they download/record the original personality of the Active? If there's some term of contract, maybe after X number of years, the original personality is restored and the Active gets retired.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

I am curious about that too. That would explain Sierra's first treatment being as intense as it was.

[mat-t.livejournal.com]

Well, they also made some comment about her first treatment involving boosting her physical abilities. No good impressing Echo with memories of being able to white water raft and rock climb if she doesn't have the physical strength to back it up...

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

I think that was them mapping her muscle tissue so they would know how to write the imprint to work with her muscles/nerves. They did later show her having a sports-bra supported jogging moment on a treadmill.

[margaras.livejournal.com]

I certainly enjoyed the 2nd episode more than the pilot. It's still not great, but I'm watching it. I'm also watching the short-lived My Own Worst Enemy (Christian Slater actually doing something good again) and Fringe, cuz it's nice and weird.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

The pilot wasn't that great. This was much better. Hopefully, it still has upward momentum. I've heard that the fourth episode is a bit of a clunker, though.

[roane.livejournal.com]

On my friend page, this entry is preceded by a "Dollhouse, grr!" entry, and I find that intriguing. I'm still pretty uncertain about this show. There's a lot of squick factor in the very notion of the Dollhouse, so I'm very much in a "wait and see" mode. But I am still watching.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

The squick factor is part of the fun, though! This is a Joss Whedon show, after all.

[dianak.livejournal.com]

I liked that episode more than the first episode too. The first episode is usually so much back info for people to get the gist of the story, it's hard to really really go into a plot too much, it has to be simpler.

I have a theory about Echo, but I need to watch a few more episodes before I fully flesh it out. I also need to re-watch the episodes, too, in order to make sure I'm right... but yeah. I like it.

Hopefully, I'll continue to watch it. Fridays are a crapshoot, 1/3 the time I'm forcing zach to take me out to dinner, and 1/3 the time I'm collapsed snoring on the couch, the other 1/3 is up for grabs.

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

It's also up on Hulu.com so you can see complete episodes there, too. I re-watched the pilot last night. After watching the second episode, the pilot definitely feels a lot weaker.

[themaskedbeast.livejournal.com]

I'm still onboard for this series. I think the writing and production quality have earned my attention at least through the presentation of the (last I heard) eleven shows that are "in the can".

And as far as I'm concerned, the Hulu commercial featuring Eliza was more than worth it.

Damn. Why are all the hot ones evil brain-slurping aliens? Human women should be so interesting.

...TheMaskedBeast!

[jdotmi.livejournal.com]

I thought they'd completed 13 episodes, a full midseason replacement show. Much like season 1 of Buffy.

And, yes, the Hulu commercial was hysterical. Although I'm sure my enjoyment was totally different than yours. :-p