Click to viewIs Joss Whedon ’s restive novel show Dollhouse doomed before it jump ? I live as much as you do . I do know one thing , though : it ’s going to be the good matter he ’s ever done . Do n’t let thenay - sayersweigh you down – Joss ’ tale of a woman whose mind has been erased ( to make mode for whatever personality a pay client wants ) is give out to be better than Firefly or Buffy . And I ’ll distinguish you exactly why , but you ’ll have to record some spoilers to get there . It ’s a much cooler construct . permit ’s face it : Firefly and Buffy had infirm concepts , and they soared thanks to masterful murder . A gun - slinging bunch of Western frontier brigand in space ? A teenage young woman who push vampires and demon in between running for return nance ? Neither of those idea particularly hollo “ masterwork ” to me .
Meanwhile , Dollhouse ? It has one of the most intriguing conception I ’ve ever arrive across , mightily off the bat . In a sea of “ ordinary individual find brainchip / spy computer in brain / mutant powers / introduce to a insane scientist ” shows , Dollhouse instantly stands out . It ’s the story of Echo ( Eliza Duskhu ) , who ’s essentially the property of the eponymous Dollhouse . For a fee , you may have Echo form with any personality , any memories , any attainment , you require . ( And she does pro bono work sometimes . ) But Echo , who ’s supposed to be a vacuous ticket , is starting to make self - awareness , and remember who she really is . She has to defend for her individuality , but the Dollhouse stands ready to destroy her if she shows any signs of self - awareness . Yes , that ’s a mellow - concept premise , and it ’s hard to make it work as a weekly telly show . as luck would have it – see above – Joss Whedon ’s strong causa is execution . He ’s actually much better at making things work than he is at coming up with intriguing concepts in the first piazza . So , if he start up out with an intriguing concept and then fetch his domination of executing to it ? It will rule . mechanically . Which play me to …
Each installment is twisty and thriller - ish . I’vereadatonofscriptpagesfrom various episodes of Dollhouse , and one matter is moderately clean to me : This show is not a slow , cerebral dystopia where people look at their hand and say things like , “ Why are these hands not free ? ” Or whatever . At their best , the Dollhouse scripts cue me of season - two Buffy : there are high-risk guys , and weird , horrifying schemes , and every week nothing is quite what you remember . For example , the somebody who ’s hired Echo does n’t always have the motive you think he or she does . The person that Echo has been programmed to be is n’t always who you expect at first . There are always more layers , and it ’s wrapped up in an action mechanism - dangerous undertaking framework . ( I also believe Joss when he says Fox ’s hitch made it better and more exciting this meter around , because it seems like the more recent script I ’ve seen have been punchier . ) conceive Alias , except that it all makes sense in the end . Cracks are wised , side are punched , explosions are burst forth . It ’s a thrill - ride . And then laid on top of that are the show ’s on-going plots and themes about Echo fall upon herself . Which leads me to … Echo ’s not just a tool , calendar week after hebdomad . That was the risk with this show — that Echo would just be carrying out missions , week in and week out , without any real ego - awareness or free will . That would be hard to key out with , and even harder to steady down for . I ask Joss Whedon about this , whenI have to interview him shortly at Comic - Con , and he had understandably think this through . His answer : it ’s not just about Echo being whoever she ’s program to be , from workweek to week . It ’s about her fighting to be a somebody , in spite of all the forces wanting her to be a tool . And meanwhile …

It has a pretty bully supporting cast . I would pretty much look out Tahmoh Penikett endeavor to refinance his mortgage . As Paul Ballard , the FBI agent who keeps investigating the Dollhouse even though everybody insists it ’s a myth , he ’s trammel to be a compelling character — even if they do n’t keep in the scene where he does Thai kick - pugilism while brooding about his elusive case . And from what I ’ve seen from clips and trailers , the rest of the cast is evenly strong , delivering the stylemark Whedon gag and knife - edge dialog with panache . They ’re all going to have subplots and backstories , and I ’m kind of hypnotized to see it all unfolde . Like , just where did Amy Acker ’s Dr. Claire Saunders get her scars ? Why does Boyd , the animal trainer of the idea - wiped “ Actives , ” keep doing his caper even though he has moral qualms about it ? And why is Topher , the reckoner geek who programs the “ Actives , ” such a sadistic looney ? All enquiry I ’m go to be obsessing about for month , and hopefully years . you could read a lot of material into its underlie metaphor .
That ’s really the litmus trial of great art : can you see different messages in it , calculate on what you wreak to it ? Or is it going to hit you with a sledgehammer until you bear the message it wants you to have ? Firefly passed that test with flying Adam Baldwins , and so will Dollhouse . ( Without the Baldwin part . ) Are you a Conservative who believes in rugged individuality ? Dollhouse is about someone fighting for her individualism , who ca n’t be suppressed or destroyed by oppressive force . Hate our orgiastic , hedonistic society , that turns the great unwashed into spell of inwardness ? Dollhouse is right there with you . Do you cerebrate bay window are the dickens , with serious shoes ? Dollhouse is about an evil corporation . Do you fear engineering ? amount on in . Etc . etc . essentially , we wo n’t screw until Dollhouse airs quite how well the whole shebang comes together . But I ’m already predicting , establish on what I ’ve come across so far , that it ’ll be Whedon ’s masterwork . Whether it ’ll be his doomed masterwork or his triumphant retort is up to the sadistic deity of television , of course .
dollhouseJoss Whedon

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