TV Lowdown » Dollhouse

Dollhouse to go on month-long hiatus

thetvlowdown — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:12:30 +0000

Dollhouse is leaving our screens. Yes, only for a month, but it’s probably just a taste of a much longer absence. Like, forever.

Fox have announced that following tomorrow nights episode, the apparently Sierra-centric 2×04, no more new episodes of Dollhouse will air during November sweeps, with repeats of House expected to take its place.

Instead, Dollhouse will return in December where it will be shown in double episode slots. Yep, looks like they’re rushing out the remaining episodes to honour their commitment, and then washing their hands of the show.

It’s a real shame; S2 just hasn’t yet followed through on the promise of late S1, and I wish Joss and Co. had taken a few more risks when they had the chance. Of course, I could be speaking prematurely, but I have a feeling I’m not…

Joss Whedon to guest-direct Glee

thetvlowdown — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:57:16 +0000

I have to admit, I’m ambivalent about this one (given my somewhat troubled relationship with Glee) but word has spread that Joss Whedon will be guest-directing an episode. I’ll let Mr. Whedon explain…

Hey kids and parents of kids and super-old, like ancestor-old-but-not-dead-yet-type people, just poking my oversized head in to say that the rumors are true… unless something very odd happens in the next few months, I will have the privilege of shooting an episode of GLEE. Why GLEE? Because I love cops, serial killers and gritty urban drama (I haven’t seen the show yet). Why me? Because they’re struggling and can’t afford real directors. And to head off a few queries:

No, this doesn’t mean Dollhouse definitely won’t get a back nine. Our numbers mean that! But I kid. Okay, we’re not exactly saving all the good stuff for 14-22, but nobody’s closed the door. If D’House suddenly busts wide, huzzah, we’ll still bring it, and I’ll still go and direct an episode of Glee, because of my love of cops. These realities can co-exist. And possibly cross over, at least in fiction that I have wri – read. About.

What can we expect from a ‘Joss Whedon’ epsiode of Glee? An episode of Glee. God willin’ and the crik don’t rise, a good one. A television director’s job is, on some level, to be anonymous; to find the most compelling way to present a story without calling attention to himself. I had a wonderful time doing just that on The Office, and hope to again. A guest director can bring a huge amount to the party (we’ve had CRAZY talent on Dollhouse), but the party isn’t his. I just want to work with good people on a show that I like enough to have watched every episode several times. (I lied: I HAVE watched the show. And seriously, when do the cops show up?)

Whom will I kill? When will that go away? Is death really the only thing I’m known for? I’d hope not. You know how many people in the world actually die? ALL OF THEM. You know how many I’ve killed? Statistically, somewhat fewer. Can’t we focus on another element of my work? Having said that, probably Principal Figgins. (No! I kid! God.)

Anyway, I hope that clears things up. I’m going to do my best, and more importantly, I’m going to do my best not to gush like a fanboy for eight straight days on set. Don’t worry. I practiced with Bamber. I’m a pro.

Happy Monday. Especially for me. -j.

Dollhouse guaranteed 13 episode run – but beyond that…?

thetvlowdown — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:54:15 +0000

Dollhouse viewers can rest slightly easier today with the assurance that all of the 13 episodes currently ordered for Season 2 will indeed be aired. For the last few weeks rumours have been floating around that, due to the rather less than impressive ratings the first few episodes of the second season received, Fox may yank the show off the air completely.

Luckily, that won’t be the case. Preston Beckman, head honcho of scheduling at Fox, said: “We’re going to run all the episodes. We’re not saying we’re happy with those numbers, or accept them, but we don’t have to overreact. During [November] sweeps we might have to jack up the numbers a little [with other programming], but we plan on completing the order for this show.”

Hmm. “Completing the order for this show” does seem to suggest that a full-length second season probably isn’t on the cards, and that the show will draw to a close after just 26 episodes. Even Joss Whedon himself seems slightly resigned to the fact that they may have to wrap up the show shortly:

“We’ll definitely have closure, but will leave some doors open,” said Whedon, who’s currently shooting the eighth episode. “When we got our first numbers, which were bad, the first thing [Fox president of entertainment] Kevin Reilly said was, ‘You’ll have all 13,’ which was great. They’re not going to pull the rug out from under us.”

Still, at least this does mean that the writers have an opportunity to resolve some issues. I’m going to try and stay optimistic, but I think Dollhouse fans may have to begin preparing themselves for bad news.

Monday poll; Should more Whedonverse actors appear in Dollhouse?

thetvlowdown — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Dollhouse is crammed full of Joss’ former actors; Eliza Dushku, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Felicia Day, Mark Sheppard and Alan Tudyk all appeared in either Buffy, Angel or Firefly.

With three strong TV casts behind him should Joss Whedon once again draft in some old friends to appear in Dollhouse or does the Whedon stable of actors need fresh blood? If you’d like to see some old faces pop up, tell us who in the comments below.

Should more Whedonverse actors appear in Dollhouse?(polling)

Dollhouse 2×01 – “Vows” Review

thetvlowdown — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:52:37 +0000

Fresh from their “hilariously unexpected non-cancellation”, as Joss Whedon describes it, Dollhouse returned with a bang on Friday and pretty much fulfilled all the changes I wanted to see in the show. More use of the ensemble cast? Certainly, and damn fine use it was too, with some scenes between Saunders and Topher that were in equal parts funny, touching, tragic and disturbing. More wider ramifications of the Dollhouse’s existence? Definitely, if the introduction of Senator Perrin is anything to go by. A new haircut for Adelle? Well, that wasn’t on the wish list, but it’s a nice addition…

I’d been eagerly anticipating the return of Dollhouse, but it was only when I sat down to watch the episode that I felt a slight pang of nerves. The last half of the first season was fantastic; ditching the standalone episodes and delving deeper into the grim realities of the Dollhouse, alongside the development of the non-Dushku cast members, was the making of the show. They’d finally found their feet, and then blew me off mine with the spectacular “Epitaph One”. My trepidation came from the fear that Joss et al may have forgotten those lessons over the summer break and reverted to Echo-as-hostage-negotiator mediocrity.

Thankfully they didn’t; though the story picks up 3 months on from last seasons “Omega” the writing style is just as sharp, with the second season premiere both written and directed by Joss Whedon. Whilst the A-plot of the episode was a relatively straightforward affair, with Echo sent to seduce/marry/dig dirt on an arms dealer, the real meat of the episode was all based in the Dollhouse.

The most fascinating development in this first episode was the exploration of the relationship between Topher and Saunders, the latter now painfully aware that she is in reality an Active imprinted with the expertise of the former Dollhouse doctor who fell prey to Alpha. Whilst Saunders was never the bubbliest character, and rightly so, it seems that she’s taken a turn for the worse over the last few months and is now taking some sick satisfaction in psychologically torturing Topher, playing with his mind just as he played with hers. Saunders tactics are a little more varied than imprinting, however; feeding footage onto Topher’s consoles and hiding rats in his cupboards is more her style.

Perhaps the strongest scene in the episode comes when a bitter, confused Saunders tries to play into her own self-image as a Doll by trying to be Topher’s sexual plaything. This is the real tragedy of Saunders’ character; she knows she isn’t a real person, so she’s swinging wildly between different personas (of her own volition). After all, they’re just as real as each other. Topher fights off her advances, insisting that she’s better than that, and seems deeply upset and disturbed at how Whisky is turning out.

You almost get the impression that the Saunders persona was an imprint that Topher was particularly proud of; he explains unlike other Actives, who are designed to be relatively predictable and thus reliable for engagements, he deliberately made Saunders different. She’s crammed full of variables and unpredictability in order to be a dissenting voice to Topher, to ensure that the Actives are receiving the best possible care. Saunders is quite possibly the most human imprint we’ve seen on the show (with the exception of real people such as Dominic) and, unfortunately for her, her choices are her own. Topher suggests that Adelle may be willing to restore Whisky’s original personality, but of course, even that is unacceptable to Saunders; as much as she hates what she is, she’s very much aware that she is simply a parasite inhabiting a body, and restoring that body’s personality would mean her death. We can also maybe infer that on some deeply subconscious level Saunders refused to have her scars removed because she knew she would be sent back into service as a Doll. It’s become increasingly clear why long-term engagements are avoided by the Dollhouse. Now that Saunders is fully self-aware she’s facing massive self-doubt and guilt over her existence, which is to be expected from someone who presumably has a very strong set of medical ethics.

It’s such a shame that Amy Acker will only be appearing in 3 episodes this season (as she’s busy playing a regular character on another show). Saunders was always an interesting supporting character in the first season but since we’ve learned the truth about her she’s become absolutely compelling; fingers crossed she can make more appearances further down the line. And hey, at least we know she won’t be killed off any time soon, considering she’s still haunting the Dollhouse in ten years time…

So, as one former Angel cast-member begins to disappear from the show, another emerges. Alexis Denisof made his first appearance as Senator Perrin in this episode, vowing to investigate the Rossum Corporation (the head honchos behind the Dollhouse) for withholding medical innovations from the public. Whilst his appearance was only brief, it was intriguing; whose side is Perrin on? Could he be connected to the anti-Dollhouse movement that imprinted Echo and November last season? Adelle seems to think someone tipped him off, with Boyd and Ballard each pointing the figure at the other; their rivalry could be an interesting development this season, with former handler Boyd seemingly still strongly connected to Echo and new handler Ballard still demonstrating his obsessive attachment to her.

Ballard’s relationship with Echo does yield results, however, with Echo finally gaining a basic understanding of what the Dollhouse is; the conclusion to the episode features Echo telling Ballard that she remembers being made into “many people” but that none of them are really her. Ballard vows to help her rediscover Caroline, whatever it takes.

A very strong start to the season has left me very optimistic, even though the less than stellar ratings are a minor cause for concern. What did you make of the episode? Rate it below!

Joss Whedon talks Dollhouse Season 2 and a Dr. Horrible sequel

thetvlowdown — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:52:00 +0000

Good news for us rabid Whedonites.

Joss Whedon speak to SciFi Wire earlier this week fresh from winning the Emmy for Dr. Horrible and confirmed that the writers are already working on a sequel to the internet-based comedy-musical, though Whedon was seemingly slightly evasive as to whether the sequel would be online or in cinemas.

The best news for Dollhouse fans, however, came in the form of reassurance that the network have loosened the reins a great deal. It’s generally understood that the first half of Dollhouse’s inaugural season was largely dictated by the network, and not coincidentally, it was only after the network relaxed that the show really hit it’s stride.

As for season 2, Joss says: “We still get notes, and sometimes they’re enormously helpful, because that’s what a collaboration is supposed to be like. The problem with last year was there was a question about what the show was. That doesn’t exist anymore. Now we go episode by episode, but what are we trying to accomplish? So it’s still a collaboration, but in terms of “Oh, let’s try and mold this show to what we thought it was going to be.” that’s over. So in that sense, yes, they have left us alone.”

Hopefully, now that Dollhouse can be the show it actually set out to be, the second season will show the same marked improvement that Buffy the Vampire Slayer did when it moved into it’s second year. Fingers crossed.

Ray Wise joins Dollhouse

thetvlowdown — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:39:20 +0000

News that is 17 different kinds of cool this morning, folks. Ray Wise has been cast in the possibly recurring role of Howard, “an intelligent higher-up in the Dollhouse who has huge presence and humor” for Dollhouse’s second season.

Most recently Wise played the Devil in the CW’s Reaper, a show which I have to admit to never watching; the thing I know Wise from is Twin Peaks where he played the pivotal role of Leland Palmer, the father of Laura Palmer, whose murder kicks off the entire series of bizarre events in the show.

It’s no surprise that Whedon would be keen to have Wise on the show, as he’s always been a fan of Twin Peaks. Dollhouse S2 really is building up quite an impressive guest star roster; Ray Wise, Alexis Denisof, Summer Glau, Jamie Bamber, Michael Hogan, Keith Carradine… who’s next? More importantly, who would you love to see as a guest star?

New Dollhouse Season 2 promo

thetvlowdown — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:48:38 +0000

A promo for the second season of Dollhouse aired yesterday and some helpful person recorded it for YouTube. The quality isn’t great, but it’s a nice little taste of what’s to come.

Seems like Ballard could be blackmailing Adelle, from the sounds of things. Interesting.

Dollhouse is back on September 25th – remember, if you love the show, get as many people as you can watching it. Ratings are everything.

Monday Poll; who’s the funniest character in a drama?

thetvlowdown — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:18:34 +0000

EDIT: And the winner is… Dr. Gregory House, with 33% of the vote!

The comic relief character is one of those old staples of TV drama; a figure the camera can cut to for a quick quip or a comedy pratfall to brighten up a dark moment. Sometimes these characters can represent the audience and say what we’re all thinking (Lost’s Hurley) and other times they’re just dumb as a sack of spanners (True Blood’s Jason), but they can inevitably squeeze a chuckle out of us.

But who provides the best comic relief in dramatic shows? The poll below has a handful of answers suggested by our good readers, but if you have a favourite who isn’t in the list, leave a comment with your vote! Just remember – this is limited to shows currently on TV. Read on for the poll…

Dates for your diary; start dates for new and returning shows

tvlowdown — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:45:20 +0000

Google is my friend, and has (along with its well-intentioned but occasionally pesky friend Wikipedia) helped me put together this rambling spasm of info for you on when your favourite shows (or most-anticipated newbies) make their debuts this season. Enjoy!

24 – January 17th

30 Rock – October 15th

American Dad – September 27th

The Beautiful Life – September 16th

The Big Bang Theory- September 21st

Bones – September 17th

Brothers – September 25th

Brothers & Sisters- September 27th

Californication- September 27th

Chuck – March 2010 (TBC)

The Cleveland Show- September 27th

CSI – September 24th

CSI: Miami – September 21st

Cougar Town – September 23rd

Criminal Minds- September 23rd

CSI: NY- September 23rd

Curb Your Enthusiasm – September 20th

Desperate Housewives- September 27th

Dexter- September 27th

Dollhouse- September 25th

Eastwick- September 23rd

Family Guy- September 27th

FlashForward- September 24th

The Forgotten- September 22nd

Fringe- September 17th

Ghost Whisperer- September 25th

Glee – September 9th

Gossip Girl – September 14th

Grey’s Anatomy- September 24th

Heroes- September 21st

House- September 21st

How I Met Your Mother- September 21st

Human Target – January 20th

Law & Order- September 25th

Lie To Me – September 28th

Lost – January 2010 (TBC)

Medium- September 25th

The Mentalist- September 24th

Modern Family- September 23rd

NCIS – September 22nd

NCIS: Los Angeles- September 22nd

Numb3rs- September 25th

The Office- September 17th

One Tree Hill – September 14th

Private Practice – October 1st

The Simpsons- September 27th

Smallville- September 25th

Southland – October 23rd

Stargate Universe – October 2nd

Supernatural – September 10th

Three Rivers – October 4th

Ugly Betty – October 9th

V – November 3rd

Vampire Diaries – September 10th