What I’m Watching: Dollhouse (Series Finale)

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 13 “Epitaph Two: The Return” (B+)

This show has now come to its end, and while it was certainly a good episode, it wasn’t nearly as awesome as the two installments that came before it. Given the circumstances of this show’s untimely early cancellation, I think it’s an especially impressive conclusion to a show that should have gone on much longer. Some things worked very well without any sort of buildup, like Tony and Priya rediscovering their affection for each other and bonding over their son. However, other things were more disappointing because we didn’t have the chance to see how they happened. I’m speaking specifically about Alpha and how spectacular it was to see him getting along so well with Echo and all the other people who, when last seen, considered him a psychotic and dangerous enemy. That’s the cool thing about the end of the world – under dire circumstances, even the greatest of enemies can become friends. It would have been so great to see how they went from one polar opposite to the other, but I suppose this is the best we can do. Seeing everyone for the last time was fantastic, and it’s nice that things ultimately turned out pretty well. The death of Paul was a good shocking moment that happened really quickly, but Echo putting his impression in her head was a solid tribute to their mostly unseen relationship. Another chance to see Felicia Day on this show was lovely, even though this future was quite bleak. Victor and his merry band of imprint-switchers was an intriguing concept, as was the utopian farm that Sierra and Adelle were living on. Topher’s final act of sacrifice, and his haunting final moment where he saw the “to remember” wall and said “huh” right before being blown to pieces was a fitting departure for a character (and actor) who become truly terrific this season. This show could have had much more life in it, but at least this season was a bit stronger than the first, and has that one spectacular episode, “Getting Closer,” to immortalize it. Can’t wait for Joss Whedon’s next project; let’s just hope it’s not with FOX.

Season grade: B+
Series grade: B
Season MVP: Summer Glau
Series MVP: Amy Acker

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.

The Beginning of the End: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 11 “Getting Closer” (A-)

So it’s certainly awful that this show got cancelled, but wow. I’m so ridiculously excited for the next two episodes, and this installment just showed me that there’s real reason to be excited. This show is plummeting towards its end, and things are getting crazy, which is absolutely spectacular and so incredibly thrilling. This episode was fantastically melodramatic in the same way that “Twin Peaks” was, adding to its intensity by being utterly over-the-top in its depiction of sentimentality and the fate of the world. This episode is great for the ground it covers but also drops two major bombs in terms of shocking, entirely unexpected revelations. We’ll get to those. First, the story of Caroline and Bennett is wonderful to know, and it’s great that Bennett was so deeply and crucially incorporated into everything though she was only introduced a few episodes ago. A moment of silence is required for Bennett Halverson, expertly portrayed by the most reliable of Joss Whedon regulars who delivered, in my opinion, her best performance yet in this episode. River Tam was amazing, sure, but this was even better. Now on the other two twists. Before another Whedon brunette came and stole the show, Amy Acker was the best part of this series. Having Whisky back was a great thing, and her betrayal and execution of Bennett only seconds after she and Topher finally had a moment was stunning and completely shocking. It’s just like a similar twist at the end of the first season of another sci-fi series, only this one really came out of nowhere. It makes much more sense once the second twist was revealed, which is that Boyd is the man at the top of Rossum. That’s pretty hard to believe considering he was the one truly good, nice guy through all of this, and having him be in charge of everything doesn’t really compute. Still, I’m so intrigued that I just have to know what happens. I can’t possibly wait until Friday to find out.

Top Ten New Shows of 2009: #9

My annual TV Awards, the AFT Television Awards, are given out during the summer. But this year, during both the spring and the fall, produced many impressive new television series. As 2009 closes out and 2010 begins, here’s a look back at the best new shows of the year.

#9: Dollhouse
Joss Whedon’s new series couldn’t possibly be as exciting as “Firefly,” but at times it came close. Any scenes with Amy Acker were far and away the most compelling, and the show recently raised fascinating questions of identity. It’s only now reaching its most thrilling, and unfortunately FOX has deemed it worthy of only three more episodes. At least the show produced the terrific installment “Epitaph One.”

Best Episode: “Epitaph One”
Pilot Review | Episode Reviews

What I’m Watching: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 9 & 10 “Stop-Loss” & “The Attic” (B+/B)

I had intended to review these two episodes separately, but once I saw the second just after the first, I knew there was no way I could tackle “Stop-Loss” without fully acknowledging the awesome surprise at the end of the second episode. Before we get to that, the first episode was cool as a way to see that Rossum really is a formidable foe, and their attempts to create a group consciousness are even more fearsome than the concept of the programmable dolls. Echo’s ability to infiltrate and defeat the group consciousness was pretty remarkable, and she really is becoming a good lead for the show, now that she’s no longer defective but instead hyperactive in her ability to access her personalities and get quite a bit done. The second episode wasn’t quite that strong because the within-the-mind realities it created were a bit forced, and it all felt like a less thrilling version of Sydney’s search to discover her missing two years during the third season of “Alias.” It was fun to see Reed Diamond back as Dominic, though when Echo thought she saw Whisky, I got very excited and was considerably let down when it wasn’t her. The decision of Clyde and Dominic to remain into the Attic seemed a bit convenient, but I suppose it will be helpful for everyone on the outside once they figure out a way to bring it down. Adelle seemed to be becoming genuinely evil during both these episodes, which of course didn’t make much sense given her status in “Epitaph One.” The revelation of her tasking Echo to find out what secrets of Rossum are hidden in the Attic was fantastic in terms of the setup it provides for the coming episodes, but the secrecy with which she proceeded seems a bit much. Sending Sierra and Victor there also seems quite dangerous but I guess everyone’s okay now. That closing shot of the whole team, including a newly revived and Doll-form Paul and more prominent Ivy, assembled and ready to take down the Dollhouse, was pretty damn exciting. I don’t care as much about finding Caroline, but the next few episodes are going to be spectacularly intense. They’re rolling out one by one on Friday nights starting January 8th, and I so wish there were more than three episodes to go in this show now that it’s finally gotten really good.

What I’m Watching: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episodes 7 & 8 “Meet Jane Doe” & “A Love Supreme” (B)

These double episodes are a lot of fun, and it certainly progresses the story quite a bit. I didn’t love this batch as much as last week’s, but they’re nothing if not exciting. Seeing Echo manage all of her many personalities and just call up imprints every moment is pretty impressive, though I have trouble with the fact that there always has to be some sort of malfunction that makes her missions go awry. This newfound relationship between Echo and Paul is really intriguing, and I love that they’re secretly working with Boyd. The first episode seemed to indicate that Adele might also be someone they could trust, but her presentation of Topher’s device to Harding and her brutal, unforgiving treatment of Echo shows that she’s really one of the bad guys. We do know, of course, that they’ll Adele and Topher will end up being quite close and even romantically involved, and seeing Topher reveal that he constructed the device he thought Harding was trying to build was haunting. I’m becoming much more impressed with Topher as this show goes on, after everything with Bennett and Victor imprinted as him, and “Meet Jane Doe” is especially poignant because of what we know will come to be by the time of “Epitaph One,” though the premature cancellation of this show may prevent us from ever reaching that narrative point. Alpha’s return in “A Love Supreme” was cool because Alan Tudyk really does a terrific job of playing this wicked villain, and Echo allowing him to escape means he should be back soon for revenge again. I can’t imagine that Paul is really dead, but at least Boyd knows what’s actually going on with Echo and can be there as her ally. These two episodes were mostly jarring to me due to the use of actives as technicians and doctors in the imprinting process, which seems like it’s putting them at great risk of realizing that they’re not themselves.

What I’m Watching: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episodes 5 & 6 “The Public Eye” & “The Left Hand” (B+)

Another one of Joss Whedon’s beloved cult series has been cancelled, and of course this is when it really starts to get interesting. These two episodes are particularly well-paired together because they really kick off and also close off the Senator Perrin arc as well as to introduce the incredibly intriguing character of Bennett Halverson. Up until now, Perrin’s investigation into the Dollhouse and attempts to expose it has been sidelined in favor of the temperamental Echo malfunctioning and trying to go against her programming, and all of a sudden it’s front and center. November testifying seems a bit naïve since she’s aware of the broad scope and influence of the Dollhouse and that her plan would never quite work. Ballard’s speedy conclusion that Perrin’s wife was a doll was very intriguing, and the surprise reveal that it was Perrin rather than his wife who was a doll was absolutely fantastic. The fact that Perrin was a doll version of himself was even more interesting, and his contemplation of his life and his identity with Echo was great. His shouting of “I know who I am” is a particularly spectacular tagline for this now defunct show. It was good to get to know Perrin, but disappointing to see that he was so quickly brainwashed by the Dollhouse and forced to discredit November and make her out to be a crazy person. It’s all because of the influence of Bennett, one of the best characters this show has ever seen. Summer Glau is a stellar actress who first made her mark as the incomparably unique River Tam on Whedon’s “Firefly” and then starred on the recently-axed “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” This is a perfect role for her, and she plays it incredibly well. Her plan for personal revenge on Echo/Caroline really seemed to mess things up, but she’s utterly fascinating in every moment. Seeing her interact with Topher was fun, and this is the first time besides “Epitaph One” that I’ve truly enjoyed Topher. This was also the best impression for Victor, whose impression of Topher was brilliant, as well as his conversations with himself. I’m confused about why Echo disappeared and went on the run, and I’d rather she would have taken Perrin with her. Now the show isn’t about the grander scheme of things but only about Echo, and I think it would be far better if it took a more big-picture look at the Dollhouse. I also hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Senator Perrin, since Alexis Denisof did an extremely impressive job of playing him. Let’s hope for more Glau as well. Two episodes of this show air each Friday for the next two weeks, and the final three spool out in January. Stay tuned – this is going to be a thrilling ride.

What I'm Watching: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 4 "Belonging" (B-)

This episode provided an interesting glimpse into the life of a fan favorite character, Sierra. The out-of-order way in which her history was unveiled and presented made it a bit confusing, though I suppose the intended effect was to illustrate Topher's connection to her and the fact that Adele was wrong about his lack of morals. It was obvious that Topher wouldn't go through with the intented permanent imprint of Sierra, and the fact that Boyd suspected what he was doing resulted in a fun interaction between the two. With a certain former FBI agent missing in action this episode, Boyd really stepped it up as he kept tabs on Sierra and confronted Echo about her sleeping pod scribblings. Harry Lennix was one of the most talented actors coming in to this show, and he's still impressing now. I'd like to see more interactions between Boyd and Paul since they're both very alike in their no-funny-business attitude supplemented by witty retorts. Sierra's back story isn't quite as exciting or informative as perhaps it could have been, mostly because it didn't shed too much light on her greatest relevance for the future of the Dolhouse. There is something to be said for featuring the supporting cast extensively and delving into what made them the way they are. It's also nice to have an episode that doesn't focus on Echo and her frequent hardwire malfunctions the whole time, and seeing her as a supporting character didn't feel wrong. Wouldn't it be great if the show was reorganized and Echo was second fiddle to the new main character, Whisky? Now that would be a great show. Hopefully this series will see more of the dearly missed Amy Acker since it's really doing horribly in the ratings and may not live past this first half of its second season. The guest stars continue to be top-notch, and Keith Carradine's appearance was terrific, just as brilliantly subdued as his character on "Dexter" but imbued with a considerably edgier attitude which fit him nicely.

What I’m Watching: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 3 “Belle Chose” (B-)

How many times is Echo going to malfunction? I realize that the show is now focused almost exclusively on Topher trying too many technological enhancements (in this case, the very risky remote wipe), but it would be nice if Echo could actually complete one of her assignments successfully. Before realizing that Echo and Victor’s imprints had been swapped, I was furious to see Echo stab the professor instead of sleeping with him as she was supposed to do. The Dollhouse must be earning a terrible reputation, and Echo, were she not the star of the series, would certainly have been taken off active duty, and at the very least kept far away from the more dangerous missions. But the show could really be much more lively, exciting, and most importantly, fulfilling, if Echo was actually getting something accomplished on her assignments, rather than just shopping for clothes and (not) sleeping with men. The casting of a grizzled Matt Winston as the fashion guy is an inspired choice, and he provides some nice comic relief to go with Paul’s distaste for waiting around while Echo creates a new wardrobe. Victor’s dancing isn’t anything great, and he’s a very skilled dramatic actor who should be used more for situations like the ones in the first season, like the escape from the Dollhouse and the release of the laughing toxin. The most regrettable misstep in this episode is the misuse of Michael Hogan (“Battlestar Galactica” and recently seen on “Warehouse 13”). He doesn’t even have a good line, let alone a good scene. Why bother to cast such an iconic sci-fi actor if he’s not even going to get to do anything?

What I’m Watching: Dollhouse

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 2 “Instinct” (B-)

After a strong start to the season last week, this episode is a more formulaic Echo-malfunctions-on-an-assignment installment. It’s still relevant to the long-term storyline of the show, demonstrating that Echo isn’t like other actives and that Topher messing around with Echo’s brain functions is getting closer to the ultimate event leading up to “Epitaph One.” Two episodes in a row with Echo married isn’t terrific, and while the maternal instinct is supposed to be strong, this episode feels like too much and it’s not really worth taking up the whole hour. Perhaps I’m missing something, but shouldn’t Paul have said “do you trust me” the moment he saw Echo and everything would have been alright? Echo’s been pretty volatile lately, and it’s likely they’d put her into the attic rather than keep sending her out on dangerous assignments. It would be nice to see more of the other actives, especially because Sierra can do more than just play the soccer mom best friend. There should definitely be more conversations between Topher and Paul. They serve as a nice break from all the seriousness and moral superiority of the Dollhouse. Senator Perrin’s quest to take down the Dollhouse took a big leap this episode, and he really needs to get in contact with one of the actives (or Ballard) soon to move the plotline along more. His lines were fairly predictable – “prostitution…human trafficking” – and his wife isn’t as good of a sounding board as she should be. It was nice to see November again, and to realize how she still has tracings of the same relationship with Paul in her natural state. Let’s see more of Victor and Whisky next week!

What I’m Watching: Dollhouse (Season Premiere)

Dollhouse: Season 2, Episode 1 “Vows” (B+)

After giving up on this show four episodes in last year, I caught up speedily on the rest of the season. Now I think I’m an official fan, and the most important reason for that was the spectacular season-ending episode “Epitaph One” included only on the DVD. The notion that all events on the show at this point are headed to that inevitable conclusion is a very intriguing one, though one this episode hardly addresses. Nonetheless, it’s a compelling reintroduction to the show, which continues to explore the presence and highly awakened state of Caroline within Echo’s subconscious. I still prefer when Echo’s assignment is played out from the beginning rather than introduced far in purely for shock value. Jamie Bamber’s guest appearance is notable less for the actual performance he gives (I prefer him with his fake American accent) than for the awesomeness of having a “Battlestar Galactica” alum on the show, and to top it off, sharing scenes with Tahmoh Penikett, also of BSG. Along with other casting news for this upcoming season that I won’t spoil for those who don’t yet know, this show is fast becoming a reliable, stellar reunion point for Joss Whedon actors and other sci-fi fixtures. Fortunately, the show itself is pretty good too. Paul’s newfound proximity to the Dollhouse and simultaneous reluctance to get too deeply involved provides a nice way of looking into the Dollhouse with a cautious eye. It’s clear that Echo really is a great character, especially in the way that both Paul and Boyd are so fascinated by her. The other newly fantastic active is Whisky, who’s absolutely stunning in her interactions with Topher. Fans of Amy Acker have been waiting all this time to see her given a bigger part, and I think what she has here is fascinating, and it also enhances the character of Topher and makes him far more relevant. This is a good glimpse back inside the Dollhouse, and I’m looking forward to this show really getting started again and utilizing all its actives together.

Spring Pilot Reviews: Part Two

This spring included a flurry of pilots, some of which faded immediately and others that soared with impressive ratings. To play catch-up, I’m going to forego my usual pilot reviews and offer brief thoughts on all of the pilots in three segments. I’ll try to group them by my general feelings towards their quality and enduring possibility.

For my second pass, I’d like to analyze those pilots that just didn’t quite work for me. I actually kept watching several of these shows to try to get a better grasp on them. Two shows didn’t interest me right from the start, partially because they weren’t what I expected. Showtime’s The United States of Tara was a wacky comedy-drama with a fun premise that I knew would be difficult to execute. Toni Collette, a very gifted actress, plays multiple roles as a woman with multiple personalities. The show just doesn’t have a proper tone, and all the skills Collette possesses can’t make her part any more balanced or focused. A show centered around multiple personalities is almost guaranteed to have multiple personalities of its own, but the way it jumps around so unsubtly makes it impossible to get into, even for its first half hour. The unhelpful John Corbett and the talented Rosemarie DeWitt round out the cast, adding a little here and there, but it’s a show that doesn’t seem to know where it’s headed. Another show that didn’t do it for me is ABC’s The Unusuals. From the advertisements, I expected a serious drama akin to FOX’s brief summer show “The Inside” from a few years ago, with a very dramatic tone and a real-life gritty feel. This show is nothing like that, and while expectations shouldn’t dictate reality, the end result isn’t terribly impressive. Amber Tamblyn, an expert at playing moody, is the lead woman among a cast of mostly men goofing around. Having Adam Goldberg as a series regular recommends the show strongly as a comedy, but I had trouble understanding what exactly was so “unusual” about these cops, other than being somewhat less than effective at their job and bickering a lot. It looks like “The Unusuals” has had just as hard a time finding an audience and a timeslot as it has finding a tone, and it likely won’t be renewed for next year.

Every year, I always keep watching a few shows after not really loving the pilot episodes, and usually drop most of them somewhere along the way. This spring, I made it only to the third installments for three shows I wanted to explore. NBC’s Kings was, hands down, the most gallant, far-reaching, epic drama that was a mismatch with its network from the start. The incredibly intimidating Ian McShane, of “Deadwood” fame, chews a bit too much scenery as the ruler of a certain kingdom, and the David-Goliath parallels are a bit too blatant. NBC, more so that other networks, has tried gambles like this before, with shows like “Book of Daniel,” where a grand, sweeping premise fails to create enough actionable plots that aren’t too grandiose or manageable. It didn’t seem like there was anywhere to go after episode three, and clearly NBC agreed, banishing it quickly to Saturday nights, and then the summer. TNT had a failed venture that got axed at the end of his 13-episode run that was hardly as ambitious but just as starved for direction. Trust Me starred Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and Tom Cavanagh (Ed) as advertising agents. They’re best friends whose back-and-forth is like a nonstop audition for “The West Wing.” The banter is amusing, but it’s also extremely obnoxious, and the presence of supporting actress Monica Potter, quite annoying by herself, doesn’t help matters. The show’s advertising gimmick and the tied-in glimpse into McCormack’s character’s life in the pilot is cool, but the show just isn’t interesting or engaging enough. Even the presence of Sarah Clarke (Nina from “24”) doesn’t make any of its elements wholly engaging. Both McCormack and Cavanagh are great actors, but the show around them just isn’t completely terrific. The show with the most promise, and the most potential to grow because of its recent renewal for a second season, is FOX’s Dollhouse. I’ve become a big fan of creator Joss Whedon in the past year due to “Firefly” and “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” and wanted to give “Dollhouse,” which genre-wise is my ideal kind of show, a chance. The pilot was very intriguing, to be sure, but it wasn’t quite right. It was far more focused and compelling than “Fringe,” but I didn’t have a good sense of where it was headed. Eliza Dushku is not a good actress, and having her pretend to be someone every episode isn’t the best use of her limited acting talents. The supporting cast includes great actors like Tahmoh Penikett, Harry Lennix, and Amy Acker, and them being used more instead of the annoying Fran Kranz would certainly help set this show straight. What made me stop watching the show just a few minutes into the fourth episode was seeing Dushku’s Echo delivering a baby. The show was very interesting, but mostly in the way it utilized its ensemble and progressed its episode-to-episode plot. Getting a kick out of all Echo can do only goes so far, and its repetitiveness is made less bearable by the ineffectiveness of Dushku as an actress. I just can’t believe that she’d be all these people, and while a sci-fi show like this calls for a lot of suspension of disbelief, this works to cancel out the impressive fantasy elements of the series. I have heard that the sixth episode is pretty great, and I know that the show getting renewed is a good sign and that clearly the fan base is behind it, so I haven’t completely ruled out picking the show back up again. I’m thinking that perhaps I should skip episodes four and five and just start back up with number six. Any suggestions?

Coming up tomorrow: the pilots that just didn’t interest me, like Cupid and Southland.