The Penultimate Episode: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 12 “The Hollow Men” (B+)

Last week was the big episode for surprises, but this one’s pretty good too. There is still a very fatalistic sense of things, and an indication, confirmed by the time jump at the end of the episode, that this is the last time we’re going to see normal in this universe. His is our final chance to see Victor as Topher 2.0. This is the last we’ll see of November/Mellie, a character who actually turned out far better than she could have, and ultimately sacrificed herself after Adele’s voice command activated the sleeper agent in her and she had to choose between ending her own life or Paul’s. And, most significantly, this is the last we’ll see of Boyd. Often when loyal characters are revealed as traitors in the eleventh hour, they suddenly lose their carefully-perfected composure and seem incapable of assuming it again. For Boyd, being discovered means he can show an unexpected sense of humor and also describe his affection for his “family,” minus that one relative, Paul. There’s nothing quite as strong in the whole episode, however, as that haunting parting shot of the completely clueless Boyd declaring, like the other actives, that he always tries to be his best, waiting with his finger on the trigger with a bomb strapped to his body. Boyd’s sacrifice is hardly in vain, but it looks like the team was unable to prevent their dreaded vision of the future. While this certainly isn’t good news for, well, this whole world, hopefully it means the return of Felicia Day next week and a series finale worthy of the incredible season one capper, “Epitaph One.”

Note: The series finale will now air Friday, January 29th at 8pm due to FOX' s airing of the "Hope for Haiti" special.