Dollhouse #5: True Believer/Season 1/2009

[gill_smoke]

I'm also tired of Olivia Williams' constant monologues. Her character is so over the top loquacious that I wouldn't be surprised to see her turn out to be an imprint too.

I called that in the first episode, her affect is a little too flat, and at times strained. I also think Lawrence's black ops guys are dolls too.

The FBI agent plot is just plodding- let's drop a hint here or there, but immediately pull the football out before he kicks it. Hee, hee. (That just gets old, real quick). I'm curious though- I think we were told that Alpha was a male, but has it been explicitly stated that was the case? Because FBI Agent's neighbor has "Dollhouse" written all over her.

Not directly in dialog but a naked guy sending Ballard a picture of Caroline [aka Echo] with three dead guys cut the same way as the dolls and Samuelson in the shower is pretty conclusive.

I'm digging the show, but this weeks main plot points were kind of off the mark, but the undertones were worth it. For instance, man reactions, and Lawrence taking the jet to take care of Echo.

I like Topher, mostly for his annoying traits. I want to see more of his assistant/grad student. What the hell is a Spandrel anyway?

 

[TwistedBishop]

Most blind people can still discern some degree of light, and thus motion tracking wouldn't be all that rare.

But the explanation for turning Echo into a human camera was that her sight would be completely rerouted. While I could see the value in a certain variety of performance, this feels like Dushku or the director being sloppy.

The FBI subplot is hard to get behind because of how ultimately futile it has to be. He'll never bring down the Dollhouse and save Echo. Not unless Whedon really plans to pull the rug out from under the structure of the series.

I feel very adrift with the show in general. The dolls are starting to retain memory and/or generate independent emotion again, but to what end? Are they going to stage an escape? Is there anyway they can change and keep the series going? Ultimately this feels like a sexed-up version of The Prisoner. Good in concept, lacking in longevity.

 

[Richards]

I like Topher as well. "Or worse, sneezures!"

Johnathan

 

[Krug]

Looks like things heat up in Ep 8: (Source)
[sblock]
When Echo, Sierra and Victor awaken in the Dollhouse with most of their original personalities and memories intact, Echo leads the charge to free the Actives from their apparent captivity and escape the Dollhouse forever. Meanwhile, Ballard discovers the Dollhouse is closer than he thinks.
[/sblock]

 

[Remus Lupin]

Ok, on the basis of that, I'm now positive that lasagna-making neighbor is a doll.

 

[Amellia]

I actually really liked Dushku's performance as a blind woman. One of my coworkers at my old job was blind, and I was struck by how she didn't look anything like the blind people in movies. Her eyes looked perfectly normal, they moved side to side naturally, no blank staring or anything. I was struck by the delicacy and truth of Dushku's performance, and for the first time really went "Hey... she can actually pull this off." I was unconvinced by the first few episodes.