The female handler: was that the woman who played Murphy on The Dresden Files?
One thing that puzzles me: When November was communicating with Ballard, she told him “Our person on the inside has been captured. We’ll find another way to communicate with you” (or something very close to that – I watched it twice).
But that encounter seemed to take place early, long before Dominic had been unmasked. If she wasn’t talking about him, who was she referring to? Has anyone else been “captured”? And if she was talking about Dominic, then why would the NSA be secretly helping a rogue FBI agent?
I actually think the messages to Ballard are just to keep him “this close” to believing stuff, control of info, etc… I no longer believe they are from an actual mole.
Okay, rewatching the scene.
“The dollhouse has likely discovered that we’ve been placing messages in their imprints, and this was the only way we could get the message to you.”
And later on:
“IF our person inside has been captured, this is the last time you’ll hear from us through a Doll.”
She did say ‘we will find other ways to contact you’, but that IF is critical. The mole wasn’t captured yet, but he (or she?) is scared.
I’m not really sure at this point if Dominic was the same mole who arranged for the messages to Ballard, or if that’s someone else - someone who was worried that they might get found out in the Spy hunt.
If Adele DeWitt is the mole, she was conveniently out of the office when Echo the Spyhunter was activated. Her chip would have been able to override Victor’s engagement to meet her for a clandestine rendezvous without anyone in the Dollhouse knowing. (That occurred before Topher discovered it) After DeWitt found out the chip was discovered and removed, she acted moody and seemed to make the decision not to use Victor’s services anymore.
Something that bothered me from the beginning that Reed Diamond was listed as a guest star in the opening credits, even though he appeared to be a regular. Now, we know why. Amy Acker is also a guest star, so something may be up with her character too.
In the escape episode, the “escapees” seemed sure that they were being held underground – no natural light, etc. They take the elevator up, to the top, and get into a parking garage, which is still a short uphill walk to street level.
In this episode, Ballard talks about how he know believes that the Dollhouse is literally underground, somewhere underneath Los Angeles.
But then the scene in DeWitt’s office, when Echo dangles Dominick out of the window, they are many stories above ground.
Which is “reality”? Is this intentional, or a continuity error?
I’m guessing that the majority of the Dollhouse, i.e. where the dolls are kept, etc. is actually underground. Above ground is probably a regular building where all the management gets to futz around.
I hate myself for doing it, but I’m fully invested in this show now so I think I’m going to be disappointed if it gets canceled. The whole “not showing the last episode” thing is worrying me. On the other hand, I read a pretty competent review that noted that despite Dollhouse’s overall mediocre ratings, it’s retaining it’s viewers regularly and has a pretty stable base. Plus apparently it’s not a high-production cost show either. I’m crossing my fingers Fox gives it a second season at least.
DeWitt’s office has always been above-ground, if that’s what you’re asking. Clients can meet her there without ever entering the actual dollhouse.
Seems to me that it’s probably in whatever building is on top of where the dollhouse is.
You have to take an elevator to get to Dewitt’s office. The elevator opens straight into her office. It has always been above ground.
Miracle Laurie also has guest star status.
I had difficulty making that out at well. Eventually, I figured out that she said, “Twenty seconds ago, you unclasped your holster.”
IIRC, Miracle wasn’t on the show from the first episode and Amy and Reed were.
But Amy Acker has also not appeared in every episode. Mr. Dominick, up until this point, has been in every episode.
Sometimes actors are contracted per episode instead of per season, even if they’re going to be in every one. It’s just a matter of how the deal is negotiated. In this case they’ll usually get a guest star credit and won’t be in the main titles.
Apparently so: Valerie Cruz. Thanks; I’d been trying to figure out where I’d seen her.
I’ve scanned the thread a bit so forgive me if this point has been raised. I noticed a few people questioning the attic and one person pointed out they can just re-implant attic people if needed. Another point I’ve considered is the added horror of it. The handlers are tough men and women that are willing to take a bullet for what they believe in. If they wanted to betray the Dollhouse they would probably be ok with being killed if caught. The attic though turns them into drooling puppets that can be turned into triple agents. That surely is a fate worse then death for them.
It also helps me fanwank away the scene where they were dragging him in and tying him up instead of just giving him a sedative right away. They wanted the other handlers there in the room forcing him into the chair so they too can see what happens to people that cross the dollhouse. No doubt many of them were seeing themselves as they forced him into the chair.
Thanks for responding. Sometimes I wonder if *everyone *has me on ignore! 
Valerie Cruz is hot. When she grins I go weak inside.
Overall, good episode. A lot of stuff happened that actually advances our understanding of the show (maybe).
Mostly, it was Whedon’s good stuff, with only a little of his annoying stuff (like characters pausing, in what should be a serious fight, for expositional dialogue).
(On the other hand, the fight scenes in this show have been way better than in, say, Buffy. Direct and brutal.)
The best bit of dialogue was this:
*DeWitt to Victor (who is implanted with his “In Praise of Older Women” persona): Ironically, you’re the most real person I know.
Victor: That’s not ironic. Nobody gets that right.*
Say, have they ever established the overall setting for the show? It’s either set in the near future, or in an alternate world with a lot of technology we don’t have. Adele DeWitt apparently moved from a job with a company using technology that doesn’t exist (growing replacement organs from stem cells) to another company using technology that doesn’t exist (Rossum).
Just occurred to me – is “Rossum” an in-joke reference to R.U.R.?