A fairly well-structured but (IMO) predictable story in which Echo is imprinted as an infant’s mother, and her artificially-enhanced maternal instincts cause things to go somewhat awry. Kind of a throwback to the Season One’s “engagement of the week” episodes, but again IMO, some of Dushku’s strongest acting to date. Hated the cliche scene-setting of the climax, however (“it was a dark and stormy night…”).
No sign of Harry Lennix or Enver Ghokaj in this one. Miracle Laurie turns up but doesn’t seem to do much except look gooooood. The subplot involving Alexis Denisof as the muckraking senator advances ever so slightly (inevitably, are we to think his girlfriend/wife/whatever is maybe an Active?)
Sorry, kind of meh for me, due mainly to a distinct lack of unexpected plot developments.
I liked it. It did further set up Echo’s evolution toward what we see in Epitaph One. Plus, there was a meditation on negative emotions and identity - is it better to artificially extinguish grief or keep it as a building block of your personality?
I also must admit, I liked the pro-breastfeeding undertones. Echo breastfeeds “her” baby (Eliza Dushku said that was a little weird - not that she was really nursing, but even pretending like that is pretty intimate!), and The Power of Lactation forges a bond with the baby that technology can’t overcome. Then the dad comments on formula smelling gross (plus he was using a Medela bottle - a company that makes breastfeeding gear, not formula). I think I detect a lactivist on the *Dollhouse *staff!
I know. My wife and I always comment on it, pointing out how fake his American accent sounds. I swear it almost sounds like he’s going to slip into his “Wesley” accent at any moment.
Once again I thought the engagement was the worst part of the episode. It was good to see November again. Really interesting that she remembers her daughter dying, but she doesn’t feel anything about it. I’m betting her head injury is going to cause trouble in the future.
Miracle Laurie’s appearance was a neat mislead. I thought for a few minutes they would introduce her the Kristoffer Polaha character as a new substitute mom, in exchange for her not testifying to Denisof’s character.
Also, now would be a good time to start a pre-emptive “Save Dollhouse” campaign. Ratings to a new low of 2.1 mil as was the least watched show on Friday, excluding a rerun of Next Top Model on the CW.
I thought this episode was pretty weak and November’s real person was kind of a bitch. Bring back Mellie! And Denisof was definitely slipping into his Wesley accent from time to time.
I think that’s just Denisof’s regular accent. He did live in England for several years, so it’s not a surprise that there’s still a hint of an English accent there. I think when he played Wesley he just emphasized what already existed.
I’m sad about the poor ratings. Hopefully FOX will at least agree all 13 episodes they ordered. I only started watching because I knew Denisof would be in a few episodes, and then I went and got hooked on the S1 DVDs (rather stupidly since I knew all of this would only end in tears one way or the other).
I have high hopes for next week’s episode since Tim Minear wrote it.
While I enjoyed the season opener, I thought this one was quite disappointing. Was a trifle irritated at having spent my time watching it just to get the the rather brief payoff there on the bench at the end. Other than a few snappy lines early–Topher’s genius remarks stand out–it didn’t do much of anything for me. Still, they can’t all be great, I suppose.
How is it doing in internet downloads? That’s what kept it alive for a second season. I hope it’s doing really well. I’m getting tried of network executives railroading one of the best TV writers that ever lived. My dream is that he somehow gets a show on AMC. The writers of “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” have total creative freedom over their shows.
This week was pretty dull. Put me in the camp that the engagement was the worst part of the episode. I fast forwarded through most of it. I am going to be in the minority here and say that if it doesn’t get better, I won’t miss it when it goes. I do like the hot women though.
I just watched it, so am late to this party. I’ve been terribly confused this season. I thought we ended last season with Echo escaping with Alpha. Then last week (the premiere, right?) was lots of flashing back and forward in time (I think), and now this episode refers to an arrangement to take down the Dollhouse.
Yes, you missed Episode 13: Epitaph One. It wasn’t shown along with the rest of the series for complicated contract reasons, and is on the DVD. Without going into spoilers, it flashes forward to Dollhouse’s ultimate denouement ten years from now, and although it shouldn’t be necessary to watch it in order to understand the aired episodes, it does shed a little light on Ballard and Echo’s arrangement, and also establishes the use of the flashback/forward.
You should definitely watch it, because it’s one of the most awesome episodes of anything ever, and demonstrates how much potential this show has. You can get it from the DVD or… other sources.
Sounds like you missed the season finale. The upshot was Alpha got away, Echo went back to the Dollhouse (though possibly with some weird brain aftereffects because Alpha forced composite consciousness on her), and Ballard agreed to work for the Dollhouse in exchange for them releasing November early.
Now, why Ballard, who was so crazed over how they’re using Caroline, decided to use his remaining leverage with them to sign her up for a sting that involved her not only humping but marrying the bad guy (season 2 opener), is never really explained. It’s intimated that he is still going to try to take down the Dollhouse eventually, but it’s a little puzzling.
