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For episode 11 I found the first half a bit slow-moving quite honestly. I got pretty bored with the scenes with Ballard, and found the guy Alpa was pretending to be very irritating to watch. I did think that the framing device of sleeping beauty was nicely done (especially as this episode made Ballard and his wish to be Caroline's white knight really obnoxious and single-minded when he just bypasses November in his heroic rescue attempt), but I wasn't all that invested in the plot with the little girl tbh. It felt kind of superfluous so I'd have preferred if they'd found some way to include the voice-overs without that whole plot. The Victor actor did an awesome job as Dominic though, I loved that scene!
But overall the episode didn't start getting good for me until Ballard got inside the Dollhouse. Really the episode was all about those last 10 minutes when Alpha appeared. His first appearance was unbelievably scary, I was totally cringing when poor Victor got his face slashed aww. Don't hurt Victor! And his scenes questioning Dr. Saunder's about examining him were sooooo creepy.
LOVED 12. All the background on Alpha's creation inside the dollhouse was creeeepy. His "do you understand hell now" as he ripped out the eyes eeek!
The reveal of Whiskey was handled well, and the idea of her and and Alpha being the serial killers on a crime spree unaware that they were actually dolls acting out a Natural Born Killers fantasy was awesome. In fact I loved all of the scenes with Amy Acker, and her final line "I know who I am" when she refuses to look up her original personality. They did a good job of humanising Topher as well, and he seemed to be personally affected by Dr.Saunders in some way/upset that she wouldn't look up who she originally was? I wondered why they weren't honouring the original contract there actually, perhaps they don't like to release the dolls when they've been damaged like she was as the original personality wouldn't be too impressed to wake up in that condition after the promises Adelle made
Was I the only one hoping that they would lose Caroline's computer disk though? I preferred her as Echo with all of the various imprints to make her stronger and better. It would be cooler if they had shattered the computer disk, and we then see Caroline emerging organically from Echo in future seasons with the whole idea of you can't wipe away a soul.
And it was a nice twist that Paul saved Mellie, although I still feel that plot was a little rushed. I just never brought that he cared about Mellie all that much compared to Caroline (whom he had never even met when he became so fixated on her, so if I'm supposed to ship them? I don't). If he really fallen in love with Mellie that would have made it a lot more poignant. But maybe rushing that was an inevitable consequence of only getting 13 episodes
And then episode 13 BLEW MY MIND! Fox must have been insane not to air that episode. It was the best of the season!!!
I really hope that Joss makes good use of every single episode in season 2 (apparently there will be 13) to start building to that future
The scene with Adelle and Topher broke my heart OMG! She seemed so motherly and concerned when she was trying to comfort him during his breakdown, and the way he was all "did I think of that" *dies* It makes me look at a lot of their past scenes again with a new light too (for instance when Adelle is watching Topher on the camera as he celebrates his birthday) as I never see them as all that close before, but now I'm really interested in seeing that develop
And squee at Dominic returning! And my Adelle love is not ending anytime soon! "Did I miss anything?" "Just the vodka thank god" I think that I kinda ship those two *sheepish*, even though there's not much chance of that happening with him being in the attic and all *g*
And Whiskey! Her first appearance was so haunting, and then it all ended up breaking my heart with her having lost her mind and repeating that she had to wait
And Ballard and Caroline working together in the future! I was really pleased that he was made her handler actually as when I first started watching I assumed that would be his role, the FBI hunt always felt kind of dull to me. I'm much more excited about getting to see him working alongside Echo from the inside
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 04:13 pm (UTC)I'm really looking forward to the new season. I haven't heard anything plot-wise, but I've been really pleased and intrigued by what I've heard regarding casting.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 04:18 pm (UTC)I've got pretty high hopes for season 2 being fantastic from start to finish as Joss generally does well once he's got past the first season hurdles. Plus only 13 episodes will hopefully they will go into it with a really focused plan, and no filler episodes
I've been thinking of getting the DVD actually, but I can't find any info on whether the UK set includes extras or not :/
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 05:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 04:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 04:20 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 04:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 09:12 pm (UTC)13 eps means they got a half-season renewal. Some of the cable channels are now doing more like British tv and not going with rigid full 22-episode seasons, but since FOX is a traditional network, that means that if Dollhouse picks up in the ratings, they'll presumably get the final 9 greenlighted. But I'm not holding my breath. ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-17 10:09 pm (UTC)And I'm surprised that Fox even agreed to one more season honestly, but then they have a contract with Eliza to have a show I believe, so perhaps they just figured it was cheaper to stick with Dollhouse now that the main sets are build now
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-18 04:06 am (UTC)I just rewatched the last episode, and I had almost forgotten how depressing it was. I can't wait for new episodes.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-18 04:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-18 06:02 pm (UTC)Some people seem to be complaining that Joss's shows shouldn't be fucked around by networks because he's JOSS. But Joss is not god. He's just a tv creator. He doesn't deserve special treatment. A lot of tv shows get screwed around. People acted like it was an outrage that Firefly got screwed around, but it wasn't this great marvellous show some people think it was. It was a smart-alec show too busy being hip, "clever" and cool to bother making a serious heartfelt connection. And this Dollhouse, I just don't see anything extraordinary about it. And it's not helped by having Dushku at the center. Dushku can do a reasonably good performance when she has the right material (as in Tru Calling) but in general I think there's something rather limited about her acting. She's nothing like SMG, who really connects deep and makes you feel her characters' feelings really MATTER. And I don't think Joss is going to do anything great ever again unless he gets SMG to take the central role.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-18 06:41 pm (UTC)I never saw Firefly, but from what people have said the problem there was Fox airing the episodes out of order, and then canceling after just 13 episodes.
And I would like to see Joss and Sarah work together again :)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-18 10:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-18 10:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-08-18 10:44 pm (UTC)