Dollhouse: Galactica?

August 7th, 2009 | by | battlestar galactica, dollhouse

Aug
07

It was rather shocking to most, not least of all Joss Whedon, when Fox picked Dollhouse up for a second season.

Dollhouse

It never really got the ratings needed to get picked up. They weren’t soooo far off, however, so it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that it wouldn’t be picked up. It’s just that shows in this situation usually don’t. I think Fox was being penitent for having killed Firefly years ago.

We hadn’t watched it from the start, but had six or eight episodes already on our DVR by the time we started watching.

We plowed through them, and I was glad we watched it that way.

The first couple of episodes had a lot of background to lay down. Instead of having to wait weeks to start picking up the pace, we got there in a couple of nights.

Part of what started getting really good was Tahmoh Penikett’s character, the FBI agent, whose obsession with The Dollhouse began to ruin his career. He didn’t have the support of his co-workers and superiors, and he, eventually, is suspended.

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Penikett is a personal favorite of mine, having portrayed Helo on the late lamented Battlestar Galactica. So imagine how pleased I was when I found out through an article by my friend, Jennifer Wagner, that not one, but two other BSG veterans would be making appearances on Dollhouse in its surprise second season.

Jamie Bamber (Lee “Apollo” Adama) and Michael Hogan (Col. Saul Tigh) will have guest spots this season.

Joss Whedon had this interview with Access Hollywood to talk, in part about Bamber’s stint on the show. Apparently, it was the mutual admiration society.

As well it should be.

I’m loving the DNA mixing between my favorite shows. This can only result in great things.

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Dollhouse: How can a pretty decent show that features hot women with little clothing do poorly in the ratings?

May 10th, 2009 | by | dollhouse, joss whedon

May
10

Liking Dollhouse was predetermined for me. From the brain of Joss Whedon (Firefly, Buffy), a sci-fi look at a shadowy organization that keeps a cadre of men and women in a “tabula rasa” state until they’re needed for any one of various missions for “clients” and then programmed with the necessary personality and skills.

Dollhouse

It also co-stars Tahmoh Penikett, late of Battlestar Galactica, as the FBI agent who is trying to find the so-called Dollhouse to rescue all these poor innocents who’ve been forced into what he believes to be a life of prostitution.

After watching a few episodes (bless the inventor of the DVR!), I do like it, but I’m sad to report that Agent Paul Ballard wasn’t that far off when he feared the Dolls were unwilling prostitutes.

First off, we know that when one Doll managed to overcome his “programming,” he went all ninja on the staff and Dolls and killed many. He does not appear to have even tried to hurt Echo (played by show star Eliza Dushku), however. The little bit I’ve seen so far seems to make it apparent that Alpha is trying to push Echo to break out of the mold and escape the tabula rasa state.

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