I didn't think it was the best episode. It had a nearly solid foundation in its backstory but the A plot was uninteresting at best. As far as the whole episode goes, it was very underdeveloped and felt more like a placeholder for "The Awakening" next week. That, though, looks amazing.
Score: B[A bit flawed, but otherwise very good. There's a lot of intelligence, character relevance, and/or fun here, but a few nagging problems keep it from rising higher. ]
Originally posted by Walker.I
I didn't think it was the best episode. It had a nearly solid foundation in its backstory but the A plot was uninteresting at best. As far as the whole episode goes, it was very underdeveloped and felt more like a placeholder for "The Awakening" next week. That, though, looks amazing.Score: B[A bit flawed, but otherwise very good. There's a lot of intelligence, character relevance, and/or fun here, but a few nagging problems keep it from rising higher. ]
no it wasn't but still good enough
So far there doesn't seem to be any point or overall storyline, sure some stuff has been hinted at (Alpha), but eight episodes in and there really isn't a mission statement. Am I supposed to want the Dolls to escape? Well... if they escape then they'd just be regular people, so that seems unlikely. Am I supposed want them to remain where they are and hope the status quo remains the same until their contracts are up? There series doesn't really seem to have an goals. The only part that makes sense and is the least be compelling is Paul's mission to shut down the Dollhouse but that is relegated to the back burners and seems to be of little importance.
I don't care about Echo, she is a different person every week, which makes rooting for her hard (and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to even be rooting for) and I flat out dislike the character of Caroline, I have no sympathy for her whatsoever. The entire episode of "Needs," I was thinking "What the hell... you all signed up for this you dumb *****!" The series would work much, much better if Paul was the main character and Echo had more of a River Tam type roll.
Horrible, horrible series. Firefly and Buffy where so great that I'm willing to take Dollhouse's awfulness on the chin for now so Whedon can get a paycheck but I don't know how long I can subject myself to it. 🙁
I thought it was a solid episode last night. Second best of all of them so far. My favorite part was when the actives were all walking out, it was so palpable.
A(A sharply written episode consisting of zero major mistakes. Usually develops characters in a meaningful manner and is a joy to watch on repeat viewings. Near perfect, but not quite there.)
Originally posted by Walker.I
I thought it was a solid episode last night. Second best of all of them so far. My favorite part was when the actives were all walking out, it was so palpable.A(A sharply written episode consisting of zero major mistakes. Usually develops characters in a meaningful manner and is a joy to watch on repeat viewings. Near perfect, but not quite there.)
I agree. Well, I'd probably give the episode a B, because I'm a tough grader. But I think it was solid, and enjoyable, if a bit predictable. The show still gives the impression of waiting for something to happen, and I agree that it lacks some kind of definitive direction. Halfway through the ep I was assuming Echo would go back in "undercover" and pretend to be a doll, and try to work from the inside, and that would be the overarching plot. But apparently not... I guess we'll see.
I thought this was a great episode. The best so far, it's better than "Man on the Street" because it was paced excellently where in areas MOtS was rather slow and it is better than "Needs" because it wasn't a "gimmick" of sorts. Sure the "Needs" "gimmick" had motovations behind it, but it almost wrongfully toyed with viewer expectations. Anyway, I feel the biggest problem of the episode was the off tone during the "Lonely Heart" scenes(not including the breakdown, it gives Adelle humanity, which was much needed in her case).
On the other hand, unless I missed something, Dominic can't be the only spy because it woudn't be logical for him to tamper with imprints if he was in charge of making sure the Dollhouse didn't screw up for the other company or something. Either way, if he did that, he'd burn bridges with both of his employers. Please inform me if I missed something.
Score: A[A sharply written episode consisting of zero major mistakes. Usually develops characters in a meaningful manner and is a joy to watch on repeat viewings. Near perfect, but not quite there.]
As for two weeks from now, it looks like an interesting stand alone, but those haven't been the shows strong points thus far. This far in the story and the chance of getting a second season isn't all too likely, I think the last thing this show needs is another "Stage Fright" or an uneven plot like "Echoes", let alone an episode that isn't relevant to the season arc. Fortunately, Adelle information seems like it'll pop up ,which could possibly make it worth attention.
I'm definitely rewatching this episode on Hulu tomorrow.
I thought this was the best episode so far as well. It was just fantastic. It's amazing to me how fast Joss Whedon is willing to spend his character capital -- things that, in Buffy, would've taken all season to come to light (Ballard finding out about Mellie/November, for example) happen in a matter of episodes. It shows he has faith that he can build up capital as fast as he can spend it.
Well, or he's worried about having only one season. ><
[Well that was a hell of a thing. Every once in a while we get to see an episode where we see the same day over in over from different perspectives. Lots of shows do it. this was Dollhouse's version of that gives us lots of answers.
For instance. Dewitt is using company property for her own devices namely Victor and Mr. Dominique is a spy from the NSA. That I never saw coming.
The Dollhouse really needs a better screening process. First Sierra's Handler Rapes her. Then the head of one of the houses is hiring one of the dolls for her sexual pleasure and then one the head of the security for that house turns out to be a spy with destructive inclinations.]
Okay so I was reading tvguide.coms synopisises for the next couple of weeks worth of Doll House episodes and it turns out that
Spoiler:
Alan Tudyck is not Alpha but is instead the creater of the Dollhouse. Unless tv guide is intentionally misleading us I am confused. I though Tudyck as Alpha was confirmed
Originally posted by saintsauceyWe don't really know whether Dewitt payed for it, and if she did, I don't see a problem from the Dollhouse's perspective. It was a really strong episode anyways, I thought. Enjoyed it. The ideas it explores are interesting and I like that it is hard to read characters. For example Mr. Dominique seemed like an *******, but his talk with Echo towards the end of the episode made his character more layered. I wonder where they will go with it.
[Well that was a hell of a thing. Every once in a while we get to see an episode where we see the same day over in over from different perspectives. Lots of shows do it. this was Dollhouse's version of that gives us lots of answers.For instance. Dewitt is using company property for her own devices namely Victor and Mr. Dominique is a spy from the NSA. That I never saw coming.
The Dollhouse really needs a better screening process. First Sierra's Handler Rapes her. Then the head of one of the houses is hiring one of the dolls for her sexual pleasure and then one the head of the security for that house turns out to be a spy with destructive inclinations.]
Nice, very nice. This is very much like when Brubaker leaked that Foggy Nelson was killed in Daredevil only to reveal in the last issue of his first arc that he wasn't.
Whedon let word get out that Tuduk was Alpha only to tell us last week that he wasn't so we wouldn't suspect it. Tuduk played the simpering wuss so perfectly that when he attacked Victor it was intensely creepy. Infact it kind of reminded me of when Beaver Cassablancas turned on Veronica in the episode "Not Pictured" I love how masterfully he manipulated Paul Ballard.
So he didn't put Caroline in Caroline's body but instead he put her in Ashley Johnson who ever she plays next week.
So I wonder who is actually in Caroline's body and why he just didn't put whoever she really is in her own body. I really can't wait till next week.
Originally posted by saintsaucey
Nice, very nice. This is very much like when Brubaker leaked that Foggy Nelson was killed in Daredevil only to reveal in the last issue of his first arc that he wasn't.Whedon let word get out that Tuduk was Alpha only to tell us last week that he wasn't so we wouldn't suspect it. Tuduk played the simpering wuss so perfectly that when he attacked Victor it was intensely creepy. Infact it kind of reminded me of when Beaver Cassablancas turned on Veronica in the episode "Not Pictured" I love how masterfully he manipulated Paul Ballard.
Man. Even though I already knew Alan Tudyk was Alpha, Whedon managed to make me second guess myself for a while there. Even already knowing Whedon's red herring shenanigans (any Buffy fans remember when he countered the rumor that Spike dies at the end by saying he'd be joining the cast of Angel... only to have him die anyway).
Thought this episode was fantastic. Though it made me so sad to hear "season finale" in the preview for next week... so worried it'll be the series finale too. 😕