Dollhouse

[vervet_monkey]

Dollhouse! Watched it this morning, tried to avoid posting until my head had stopped squeeing and might actually be able to form full sentances. But I'm still not promising anything!

Firstly I am going to go back and re-watch. I think I missed quite alot and think that things will make alot more sence if I watch again in a slightly less excitable state. I was also determined not to think of this ep as the best just coz it was supposed to be. And I don't nessecarily think that it was (although that may change with the aforementioned re-watch) but it is definatly up there.

So, I would like to appologise for my doubting of Elizas ability to fill this role. I haven't been overly impressed with her throughout the series tbh, but she was AMAZING. There was a huge distinction between Alphas imprint, Echo and Echo with all her imprints. I thought her portrayal of Echo+imprints was so beautifully done, you could almost see all the cogs turning as they all shifted inside her.

Those scenes also put such a new and orginal spin on the whole concept of the Dollhouse. I hadn't really been thinking of Echo as a person previously, but this kind of, woke her up maybe? So that Echo and Caroline were seperate entities, and it was almost like Echo was looking after Caroline... in a strange kind of way. And the fact that Caroline was still willing to fullfil her contract, even though things obivosly weren't going entirely to plan. I think maybe it would have worked better if we had seen more flashbacks of Caroline previously, so that we could see her way of talking and moving etc. letting you recognise it in a new body. I really had no care about Caroline, just Echo. Which may be slightly illogical in my head...

Alan as Alpha! Don't know whether I can do anything other than squee over that. I liked him in Firefly but haven't acutally seen him in anything else (I don't think) but OMG. Beautifully done. And the complete differance of him as a doll. I would love to see more of him pre-insane doll. And 'watch you step' was possibly the cutest thing ever! I do wonder why they allowed him to become so aware though... it seems like they should have noticed something wasn't quite right.

Whiskey. I am so wanting to know her backstory. And what relationship she has/had to Topher. I've seen referance to her possibly being the birthday imprint... I don't know. Think there must be some connection there. And if so why is she a doll? And does that have anything to do with why Topher is working for the dollhouse? Is he serving his time too? Also raises some interesting points that she now knows she is a doll, but didn't freak out over it. But then, as far as she knows she is Claire... so would you be killing Claire to bring Whiskey back? Is she consenting to continue being a doll? Does she have the right to consent to being a doll, its not technically her body after all? What happens when Whiskeys contract ends, do they just tell Claire its time for her treatment and she'll come or does that fact that she knows what a treatment is mean she'll try to resist? is it OK to wipe Claire for Whiskey or is that as bad as wiping Whiskey in the first place? Obivously that part raised more questions than it answered!!

Ballard... I still don't know. The turn round to suddenly release November seems a little odd. I know I was moaning about his lack of caring for November, but why ignore her for so long, then release her? doesn't quite gel in my head. And why would he come work for the dollhouse? I know he can bring it down from inside or whatever, but he was so single minded that it really doesn't feel like he would. Even for November...

This ep did make one thing clear at least. We NEED a second season!

Comments

[nabba.livejournal.com]

Alan Tudyk was also in A Knight's Tale, 28 Days and Death at a Funeral, if you're so inclined to check them out. I really liked him in this role, seeing him take on the darker and twisted side of humanity. And he does it with such flair.

About Whisky/Sanders.... I think that even before Alpha came back that she knew she was a doll. I can't recall any specific times but I remember at the beginning of the show thinking that she was, just something that Amy did with her mannerisms. Doc Sanders is already dead, Alpha killed him. Would it be killing Claire if they decided to use Whisky for another assignment? Eh, I don't think so.

I agree, a second season is needed

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

In that case I have seen him in other things, but obivously didn't make the connection! Although I may now have to re-watch to fully appericiate his acting talents.

[sunnytyler001.livejournal.com]

Aaaaahhhh!!! This episode sounds SO awesome!!
I wish I could see it!
*hates living in Belgium*

[lone-child.livejournal.com]

You've never watched DODGEBALL? Alan Tudyk was STEVE THE PIRATE. It was awesome.

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

LOL, no, sorry. I'm not good with films, I get bored and wander off half way through...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_stolendreams_/]

*flails*
I watched it this morning too. I had to restrain myself from texting you in excitement because I didn't know if you'd have seen it yet :P

Yes! Yes! And Yes!
Agreed on Eliza's ability to fill the role. I've always thought she was the weakest of the cast when it came to portraying the dolls without their imprints. But her switches between the three different characters in this ep were amazing.

Have you seen I-Robot? Alan is the robot in that I believe... well okay, it's his voice but still, close enough! 'Watch your step' had me giggling and awwing all at the same time.

Whiskey! I was right! (thank god for that, if it was another of those numbers in BtVS S6 kind of thing I was gonna be annoyed :P)
So so many questions about her and Topher and their backstory. There is something there, there must be something there.

I don't want this to be the last we see of November (she says, assuming we're even getting a second season - which we'd better be!) I loved her. :( Even so, I was pleased in a way that he released her but also a little confused. Why did he choose to leave Echo there? (aside from the obvious fact that Eliza is the star of the show and therefore can't just leave...).

Second season now please!

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

I know. It was actually the first thing I did saturday morning, after fetching museli and tea!

I think I have more questions than answers now... damn Joss

[akameji.livejournal.com]

I'm not quite sure what to make of Ballard releasing November, either. On the one hand, I could give him the benefit of the doubt, but on the other...Well, he seemed really, really uncomfortable with her being around as a doll. The cynical half of me says that he wants her to not be around when he's doing his contractual work (whatever that entails). But I'm not entirely sure I believe that.

[mica-chan.livejournal.com]

My opinion is that he released November because he is too unconfortable with her around. He may say that's because he is saving her, but I trully think it was more for his own peace of mind and not about saving the girl imprisioned.

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, maybe... I don't know, Ballard intrigued me to begin with but he never really fullfilled it, so I'm still not sure at all.

[eggsaladstain.livejournal.com]

I saw the Ballard choosing to let November go as fulfilling the Briar Rose story with the prince saving the princess and whatnot.

Instead of trying to save his ideal princess, Caroline, he showed remarkable restraint and actually thought about the real people in his life, i.e. November/Mellie. I thought it was actually really sweet that he chose to save her and it really redeemed him for me from his self-righteousness last episode.

I think there's also a certain level of guilt involved. He was still in a relationship and having sex with he after he found out she was a doll and I think he wants to redeem himself by doing this for her.

[akameji.livejournal.com]

I really, really like that take on it. I think that's how I'll think of it, because I wasn't quite sure which way to take his actions (obviously).

[eggsaladstain.livejournal.com]

Hopefully we'll get a second season so we can see exactly what his place will be at the Dollhouse (handler, perhaps?) and how Madeline/Mellie/November transitions to life outside the Dollhouse. I think the latter would be especially interesting. How exactly do you go back to a life that you left for five years? There have to be some ramifications and I'd really love to see if/how they explore that.

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

I think that will be interesting to see, although from her point of veiw she hasn't been gone that long at all. But I'd like to know where she came from, and whether she will carry on where she left off. Quite alot can change in 5 years ofter all!

Maybe Ballard will develop more next (always hopeful) season. I certainly like your way of looking at it, it beats my 'huh?' face at the screen...

[eggsaladstain.livejournal.com]

I think that's definitely the point, that it doesn't seem like five years to her. I think, in a way, that could even make it more difficult for her to adjust because it's been five years. I also wonder how much they compensate the volunteers; she'll obviously need to find a place to live (I find it hard to believe that she would've been able to pay for an empty apartment for five years) and a source of income.

I would definitely love to see Ballard develop more too! I think, at his core, he is a very good (albeit misdirected) person who really does want to do the right thing. I hope he moves past his self-righteousness and becomes more like Boyd who understands that the Dollhouse is perhaps a necessary evil.

Gah. I don't know what to do now that it's over!! I think I'm going to have to rewatch the entire season and see if anything new clicks.

[vervet-monkey.livejournal.com]

It hadn't even ocured to me that she wouldn't have a job or housing and things. No referances for 5 years! That does make me wonder if they kind of, invent those 5 years for them? To make re-intigration possible? Then again this is a kinda evil co-operation, so maybe that doesn't bother them too much...

Ballard seems like he wants to care about something, he's just not sure what yet? Bringing down the Dollhouse was something to obcess about, so it makes me wonder how he will live with working there. Will is become an obcession from a differant angle?

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

I find it hard to believe that she would've been able to pay for an empty apartment for five years

Remember when Adelle is giving the recruitment speech to the biochemist in the final scene of 'Echoes' - she says that she knows the guy's mother is having difficulties paying for her house, so while he's an Active the Dollhouse will secretly provide money to pay her mortgage... and when his contract is over, he'll have enough money that she'll never have to worry about housing ever again.

I'm guessing most Dolls don't have many ties in the real world, otherwise they wouldn't be willing to disappear for five years... but for those that do, the Dollhouse seems to be willing to provide for them.

[eggsaladstain.livejournal.com]

Oooo, great point! I had completely forgotten about Sam! I wonder (if he does become an Active) how he's going to explain that to his mother.

Also, I wonder what excuse Caroline would have given her friends (the other two that were shown in the flashbacks) for leaving for five years . . . would they have been told that she was thrown in jail or something? Damn this show for opening more questions than answering them!