Dollhouse 1x01

[timepiececlock]

It's time. Whedon's back on tv, we can all snuggle up with a brownie and a mug of tea and complain about how he hates minorities and women while we fall in love with his casting choices.

It was interesting. It definitely felt like a pilot.

Amy Acker: I was surprised to see her. How creepy was SHE?

The programmer... eh. He's like Andrew, but not as cute. And he's kind of amoral creepy. But in amoral Warren way, not amoral Spike way.

I am in love with the FBI guy. That actor. I heart him. He's the reason I'm planning to watch season 4 of BSG soon. I noticed, in this show, that his character was introduced with a context of heavy violence. His rap sheet, the boxing, and the gun in the bathroom. Interesting. I also noticed that the show made the immediate jump to human trafficking. They named it in the pilot, which I expected they would try to avoid.

Echo was introduced in a context of victimhood, then sex, then intellectualism, then a victim conquering her fear.

Some of the dialogue felt weird to me. When Echo said "She hurts," that was kinda pretentious. Having their personalities replaced doesn't mean they speak weirdly. Though it would be a surprise they can speak between wipes at all, if a brainwipe is so total as to include implanted childhood memories.

It was less quippy than BtVS, AtS, or Firefly. I felt like this show was definitely going for a more mainstream audience, and it cost Joss some of his witty style. I noticed they didn't market it with Firefly or Buffy as references at all. Instead they chose a weird and somewhat offensive sexual objectification campaign with Terminator: tSCC. That show is good, though, so I'm hoping the two help each other in ratings.

This reminded me of all the stuff I read about La Femme Nikita, though I never watched it.


From what I've seen, I think issues of agency, motivation, and freedom are going to be The Big Point of the show, so I'm not bothered by how the main character is starting from a relatively passive position. She's going to take time to discover the need to fight for herself, and then the fight will be a long and painful one.

My opinion: it's too soon to tell. Definitely has some good points, but it will be hard to keep this original. If Joss sticks to solid character development of his main cast, which is what he's known for, then we should be in for something entertaining at least.

Comments

[slayerkate.livejournal.com]

Whenever I saw Summer and Eliza together, I kept expecting a 900 number to appear at the bottom of the screen.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[quaggy]

Your opinion seems to be general consensus. Personally, I'm half wondering if I should just wait for the DVDs.

Though it would be a surprise they can speak between wipes at all, if a brainwipe is so total as to include implanted childhood memories.

Okay, granted it's sadly been over a decade since I took AP Psych, but I remember something about people who have damaged short term memories can still learn skills, so chances are, if all that's been erased is her memories, Echo would still have all of her skills, including. Maybe.

This reminded me of all the stuff I read about La Femme Nikita, though I never watched it.

I did watch the television show (though I never saw the movie) and, despite the obvious differences, there were a lot of things that reminded me of the show, starting with the opening scene. I wouldn't be surprised if La Femme Nikita was among Joss's source material.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Okay, granted it's sadly been over a decade since I took AP Psych, but I remember something about people who have damaged short term memories can still learn skills, so chances are, if all that's been erased is her memories, Echo would still have all of her skills, including. Maybe.

It's pretty vague. Ep 2 clarifies a little, but only in a not-really-clarifying way.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

The programmer gave me the creeps. I wanted him to die painfully. I hope he does.

I missed the rap sheet, but I did think it was very, very interesting that he was introduced with the boxing, especially since that didn't tie into anything else. I wonder if that will play in later.

I noticed they didn't market it with Firefly or Buffy as references at all.

I thought the Edward James Olmos reference was a BSG reference, personally. ^_^

If Joss sticks to solid character development of his main cast, which is what he's known for, then we should be in for something entertaining at least.

I've got my fingers crossed.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I missed the rap sheet, but I did think it was very, very interesting that he was introduced with the boxing, especially since that didn't tie into anything else. I wonder if that will play in later.

The FBI said something about him rudely interrogating a Senator and other non-kosher behavior for an agent. Which makes him more of a Mulder than a Booth.

I think it would be cool if one random episode he'd have a boxing flashback and Caroline/Echo would just be standing in the doorway watching. And then there's NO EXPLANATION for like ten episodes.

This show is a mixed bag for me right now...it's hitting a lot of my kinks as far as tortured people who fight their oppressors (though we're in the early stages so there's no fighting yet), but it's also hitting all my squicks. The real test will be if the story writing improves (and the dialogue) enough to tip the balance permanently one way or another.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I think it would be cool if one random episode he'd have a boxing flashback and Caroline/Echo would just be standing in the doorway watching. And then there's NO EXPLANATION for like ten episodes.

That would be AWESOME.