So, like any good Whedon fan, I have faithfully watched every episode of Dollhouse, and am pleased to announce that at this halfway point the series has snagged me...to a point. I almost ditched it from my dwindling leisure schedule after the pilot aired.
I was wondering whether the series was "Train Jobbed" by FOX, or whether Joss just wanted the first episode to be a tasting menu or appetizer sampler to be fleshed out over the life of the series. I read on dollverse that the original pilot has been completely scrapped.
The first aired episode was trying to do too much, I think, in the way of exposition, which resulted in my losing interest in the whole thing. I didn't care about the characters nor what happened to them. But I heeded Joss's call to give it time.
I thought the second episode was better than the first, but I got a real 1970's vibe from that one. Bionic Woman anyone? (Fembots!) The hunting humans plotline seemed dated, but I got a little bit more invested in these people and actually started to care. And we finally got to chew on a little bit of what the show's "mythology" would be, as well as the introduction to the mysteries to be explored.
The third episode was silly. Some of the dialog that pop star had to recite as the plot was being wound up was just horrible and not worthy of a Joss show. I couldn't believe I was hearing it.
The fourth episode was mostly a stand alone filler ep. Art heist. Blah.
The fifth? Stand alone, ripped from the headlines crazy cult plot, but we got a few more morsels of character and an idea that there is much more to be revealed about the Dollhouse.
The sixth ep was by far the best so far and almost worthy of Joss & Co., although I did see the "surprise" at the end coming a mile away. In a weird way, though, I was grateful, almost proud, to see it happen. The bigger surprise was Echo's turn as a kind of double agent as she (or the mole who imprinted her) revealed enough to Ballard to make him even more interested and involved. Echo: "That's [the Dollhouses'] business, but not its purpose..." I'm intrigued now, and will definitely watch the rest of these...especially now that BSG is over.
~KeyPete
Edit: A final thought. I don't mean to blaspheme, but I should mention that I wish both Ms. Dushku and Mr. Penikett had slightly better acting chops. Yes, they're both beautiful people, but I think both of them are not open enough to their own souls. There's going through the motions of emotion, and there's emotion. Sometimes I find myself saying, "I don't believe you," when watching them. As every actor knows, you gotta commit to make it work.
Just my opinion.
Dont' flame me!
Dollhouse: Not quite there, but getting better
Re: Dollhouse: Not quite there, but getting better
Flame you?! Why, sir, I applaud you!KeyPete wrote:I wish both Ms. Dushku and Mr. Penikett had slightly better acting chops. Yes, they're both beautiful people, but I think both of them are not open enough to their own souls. There's going through the motions of emotion, and there's emotion. Sometimes I find myself saying, "I don't believe you," when watching them. As every actor knows, you gotta commit to make it work. . . .
Dont' flame me!
Re: Dollhouse: Not quite there, but getting better
How did you find the last one?
*spoilers*
I skipped watching the eps between the first and 7th one. I found the 7th one to be much better than the first, which was extremely creepy (it gave me the feeling that despite all Joss' talk on feminism, his views on women's issues are more like Warren's in BTVS than Simone de Beauvoir's.) At least in the 7th episode, Joss made it clearer that a show with such a disturbing premise shouldn't be a lighthearted romp. Despite the darker tone, I also liked that he introduced a sort of black humour absurdity into the show.
I still think Joss needs to add more dimensions to his minority characters. The portrayal of the science student was very one note. I know it was only a one episode role, but I feel that Joss seemed to suggest the possibility of complex motivations for the guy at the beginning before turning him into a stock villain. I don't remember more depth in minority portrayals in BTVS or Angel.
*spoilers*
I skipped watching the eps between the first and 7th one. I found the 7th one to be much better than the first, which was extremely creepy (it gave me the feeling that despite all Joss' talk on feminism, his views on women's issues are more like Warren's in BTVS than Simone de Beauvoir's.) At least in the 7th episode, Joss made it clearer that a show with such a disturbing premise shouldn't be a lighthearted romp. Despite the darker tone, I also liked that he introduced a sort of black humour absurdity into the show.
I still think Joss needs to add more dimensions to his minority characters. The portrayal of the science student was very one note. I know it was only a one episode role, but I feel that Joss seemed to suggest the possibility of complex motivations for the guy at the beginning before turning him into a stock villain. I don't remember more depth in minority portrayals in BTVS or Angel.
Re: Dollhouse: Not quite there, but getting better
I disliked the latest episode, mainly, I think, because Dushku was required to act "Caroline" and did it very badly. I also couldn't help thinking of the band candy episode of Buffy when everyone started behaving foolishly, so that aspect of the story struck me as unoriginal (unfair of me, I know). And I continue to have trouble with how awkwardly Whedon's humor is injected into the story. I didn't have this problem with Angel, even though it was a more humorless show than Buffy where the humor could conceivably have jarred.
Curse my sense of loyalty. If I had any sense, I'd stop watching this.
Curse my sense of loyalty. If I had any sense, I'd stop watching this.