tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post5050037843430845660..comments2024-03-18T13:50:45.615-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: Dollhouse, "Man on the Street": Here's where the strings come inAlan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-89383337868083234912009-03-24T22:25:00.000-04:002009-03-24T22:25:00.000-04:00great episode. i believe there is a mole. i see 2 ...great episode. i believe there is a mole. i see 2 possiblities: 1) topher is the mole. 2) boyd and ivy are the moles. boyd did a nice job of distracting topher while ivy snuck back in and modified the imprint. anyway, i'm hooked. i hope joss keeps the story moving.mkrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13708112890602091765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-37435100907873960582009-03-24T10:32:00.000-04:002009-03-24T10:32:00.000-04:00Ballard's interest didn't come out of nowhere- Pat...<I>Ballard's interest didn't come out of nowhere- Patton Oswald called him out on his obsession with Echo and his lack of real life, and so his reaction to that was to make the moves Lasagna Girl. This was his way to prove, if only to himself, that he had any sexual interest in Caroline. The reason you don't see chemistry between Ballard and Mellie is because there isn't supposed to be. He's not attracted to her, he's attracted to a thinner, more complex version of her, which is to say: Echo/Caroline.</I><BR/><BR/>Sometimes I really do need to have things the most obvious things explained to me. I'll blame my obtuseness on still being in a post-BSG fog. :) Thanks, Michelle.<BR/>That makes sense.<BR/><BR/><I>To me the good/badness of the Dollhouse all hinges on their "hiring practices." Are the dolls fully free and fully informed to consent to what they undergo beforehand? It doesn't appear to be so and that's where I'd really have most issue with it. Once free informed consent is given...well the handler is no more raping her than any client. He just got caught trying to cheat the company out of money and damaging its assets. No actual rape occurred.</I><BR/><BR/>Considering Dewitt's reaction, I think it's fair to assume that informed consent doesn't mean the handlers get to have sex with their charges whenever they want to. In their unprogrammed state, the dolls are less capable of making a decision than my cat is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-5039398159369248012009-03-24T04:50:00.000-04:002009-03-24T04:50:00.000-04:00This episode was a huge improvement over previous ...This episode was a huge improvement over previous ones, but its payoff (the reveals, the confrontation between Echo and Ballard) drew much clout from the prolonged drought we had been subjected to.<BR/><BR/>I am somewhat pleased that the Dollhouse is a more extensive organisation; having just the one in LA made the scope of the show seem too limited.<BR/><BR/>As for the fight, yes it is possible for a skilled martial artist of Echo's size to throw someone like Ballard. He was stunned, she spun her whole body mass to create the torque to throw him. <BR/><BR/>Styles such as Judo, Aikido and various kung fu styles employ similar principles to either appropriate an opponents momentum or capitalise on one's full body mass. When force is applied on a joint to take it in a direction its not normally designed to go the rest of the body will move to preserve the natural degrees of motion, or else you end up with a broken joint. Observe this with a wrist lock or bending someone's pinky back.<BR/><BR/>Still, that Echo didn't evidence broken ribs after being kneed by someone of Ballard's brawn and Muay Thai training did beggar belief. However, lets give it to them that Ballard was holding back and connected far fewer blows than Echo did.<BR/><BR/>It is a plus for the show to have someone like Tahmoh given that he is a trained martial artist and more than capable of being convincing in a fight. But if he keeps on getting whupped by Dolls its not going to be credible. Note that unlike most fights in Buffy the Echo-Ballard fight scene didn't appear to use any fight doubles, which we should give them props for.<BR/><BR/>Here's hoping that the quality of the show is on the up from hereon, cause we don't have Battlestar anymore...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-11503084770768891102009-03-23T21:32:00.000-04:002009-03-23T21:32:00.000-04:00Definitely an improvement.My issue: I can't wrap m...Definitely an improvement.<BR/><BR/>My issue: I can't wrap my brain around why it's soo hard for others to wrap their brain around why someone would hire a "doll". You receive a good reason from the Oswalt character. I said a *good* reason, not that it was right. Some people with money/power will do whatever they will/can get away with. So, I'm not disgusted by what they want, because I'm not surprised by it.<BR/><BR/>My only issue is do they (the dolls) do this by choice or are they kidnapped, forced, etc.<BR/><BR/>N.Nekkelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01748935235824942117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-3569587246766422822009-03-23T14:13:00.000-04:002009-03-23T14:13:00.000-04:00FAIL! Just think, this was written by the "God of ...FAIL! Just think, this was written by the "God of TV Whedon" LOL. And still not very good. What's going to happen when the crappy staff writers pick up an episode. It's not like Whedon can write every episode himself, and if he could, they would still suck because, let's be honest, he's lost his touch - big time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-40186934321683558982009-03-23T13:34:00.001-04:002009-03-23T13:34:00.001-04:00Rob- I noticed the same thing about the woman but ...Rob- I noticed the same thing about the woman but came to no conclusion.<BR/><BR/>-EmeraldLizAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-26407812467662489062009-03-23T13:34:00.000-04:002009-03-23T13:34:00.000-04:00To me the good/badness of the Dollhouse all hinges...To me the good/badness of the Dollhouse all hinges on their "hiring practices." Are the dolls fully free and fully informed to consent to what they undergo beforehand? It doesn't appear to be so and that's where I'd really have most issue with it. Once free informed consent is given...well the handler is no more raping her than any client. He just got caught trying to cheat the company out of money and damaging its assets. No actual rape occurred. <BR/><BR/>I still hope Topher dies soon.<BR/><BR/>-EmeraldLizAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-46043670667495831362009-03-23T08:40:00.000-04:002009-03-23T08:40:00.000-04:00Excellent comments. I'll stick around a bit longe...Excellent comments. I'll stick around a bit longer, and YES- BEING ABLE TO PUNCH AND KICK DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN KEEP TAKING THAT KNEE IN YOUR GUT WITHOUT EFFECT! <BR/><BR/>A good big man beats a good little man everytime- them is just facts!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-11474137035239452972009-03-22T22:46:00.000-04:002009-03-22T22:46:00.000-04:00Maybe it was my imagination, but... Right before S...Maybe it was my imagination, but... <BR/><BR/>Right before Sierra ends up getting accosted by her handler, she's walking down the hallway with several actives, one of whom is a blond woman. Just a few minutes earlier, was that same woman one of the ones being interviewed for the TV program, saying that she thought the concept of the dollhouse could be "OK" or "even beautiful"?Rob Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17446903261816405382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-62178952117726767562009-03-22T20:55:00.000-04:002009-03-22T20:55:00.000-04:00That might make it better. Right now, he seems lik...<I>That might make it better. Right now, he seems like a bad imitation of Warren from "Buffy".</I><BR/><BR/>If he is a Warren analog, there's a possibility he'll get flayed at some point, right? That would keep me watching.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-20387603653605617572009-03-22T15:15:00.000-04:002009-03-22T15:15:00.000-04:00@maura - Ballard's interest didn't come out of now...@maura - Ballard's interest didn't come out of nowhere- Patton Oswald called him out on his obsession with Echo and his lack of real life, and so his reaction to that was to make the moves Lasagna Girl. This was his way to prove, if only to himself, that he had any sexual interest in Caroline. The reason you don't see chemistry between Ballard and Mellie is because there isn't supposed to be. He's not attracted to her, he's attracted to a thinner, more complex version of her, which is to say: Echo/Caroline.<BR/><BR/>As to why a FBI agent would discuss details of his ongoing case? I got nothing, other than that no one else in the bureau will listen to him so he's desperate to talk things out.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02039023614954972295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-16354215794725823632009-03-22T10:19:00.000-04:002009-03-22T10:19:00.000-04:00On the fight scene:It's not that there aren't scen...On the fight scene:<BR/><BR/>It's not that there aren't scenarios where somebody Dushku's size couldn't fight someone Peniket's size plausibly - there are.<BR/><BR/>But Ballard, as a character, is an almost superhumanly good fighter. A man with a still healing bullet wound is able to shrug off being tasered and then beat up half a dozen large goons? That's action movie and comic book reality.<BR/><BR/>There's no real way for Echo to be able ot last against someone that good. Usually.<BR/><BR/>They did give themselves a plausibility out here - Ballard is presumably holding back. Echo even mentions she is counting on it, so I think we can probably safely assume that he was fighting with restraint.Justinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12806373510709724947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-4258797322154879642009-03-22T09:46:00.000-04:002009-03-22T09:46:00.000-04:00would it redeem topher in your eyes if he were rev...<I>would it redeem topher in your eyes if he were revealed to be the mole?</I><BR/><BR/>That might make it better. Right now, he seems like a bad imitation of Warren from "Buffy".<BR/><BR/>Pretty much the entire episode had a different feel to it. I've been more positive than negative about Dollhouse so far, maybe because I want it to be better, but I'm fully aware of its flaws. This week, it showed some real promise. It seems like a show with an actual story now.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't say Miracle Laurie is a bad actress, but her characterization has been inconsistent. In earlier episodes, she came across like an Amish girl who's been forced to go on Rumspringa. Then suddenly she's funny and sexy. Who knew she had a personality? <BR/><BR/>Ballard's interest in her came out of nowhere. And why <I>would</I> he discuss a case with someone he barely knows? I was waiting for a reason, but none came.<BR/><BR/>This episode wasn't the equivalent of a trip to Lourdes, but it kicked the show into another category. So that's good.<BR/><BR/>It was all Tahmoh all the time on Friday. Not a bad way to start the weekend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-44174369856344137292009-03-22T05:41:00.000-04:002009-03-22T05:41:00.000-04:00A step in the right direction but there is still b...A step in the right direction but there is still big issues.<BR/><BR/>And why kill the rapist handler with a sleeper doll. If he was more effective in what he was doing or that the remote start didn't work they would sacrifice months of setup work for the lasagna girl neighbour roll and still kill the handler in the end.<BR/><BR/>The mole on the inside must have great tech skills to be able to change the imprints. Also think that the mole was the one that made alpha break out. It would be great if he kidnaps echo so she could play one character and the other dolls could do the case of the week thing. he two of them should then work to bring the house down.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-30623345780082206352009-03-22T02:44:00.000-04:002009-03-22T02:44:00.000-04:00I remember commenting back after episode 2 that th...I remember commenting back after episode 2 that the Dollhouse was probably a set-up for future military/intelligence uses, but I loved that this episode, through the scientist, suggested a pitch-black scenario in which the technology is used not just for that or a conspiracy to brainwash key political leaders, but to possibly use it on everyone, effectively ending all of our lives. The man-on-the-street interviews were worth it for that alone.<BR/><BR/>I liked that they not only were clearer about the intent of the people running the place, but also the hideous implications of the concept itself. I imagine what happened to Sierra has happened to others before.<BR/><BR/>I liked getting Ballard's investigation getting somewhere, and the Manchurian Active reveal was great (I half-wish DeWitt on the phone had said "why don't you pass the time with a game of solitaire?"), but his part of the story is still not being handled very well. How long has the Dollhouse had her in position? They're willing to devote two Actives to manipulating him, but it would be too hard to kill him and make it look like an accident? Aren't there better ways to get her involved in the story without pretending it's believable an FBI agent would enlist his next door neighbor in the sensitive details of an investigation?<BR/><BR/>To answer Melanie's question, I think Miracle Laurie's acting is fine (as is most of the supporting cast...Fran Kranz and actor playing Victor being the weak links), it's just that they overplayed her characterization in the first few episodes to set up why she would get involved with the case like this. Dachen Lichman is very compelling as Sierra but I don't know that she would necessarily be better than Eliza Dushku in the lead role. The funny thing is, as many have already pointed out, the perfect actress for Echo is playing a killer robot one hour earlier on the same channel.<BR/><BR/>This was definitely the kick they needed to get going. Looking forward to the next episodes now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-40106458242019934422009-03-22T00:24:00.000-04:002009-03-22T00:24:00.000-04:00So, 54 comments in and not one word from anyone ab...So, 54 comments in and not one word from anyone about Miracle Laurie's acting. Am I the only one who thinks that Mellie is being played ineptly? I'm just not buying the character (before or after I knew she was a doll) and don't feel any chemistry between her and Ballard. And I agree that it just seemed wrong that the dedicated (ok,obsessed) FBI agent would so openly discuss his case with a civilian he has been shown to barely know before now.<BR/><BR/>Loved the fight scene, which brought back memories of many slayer smackdowns.<BR/><BR/>And as someone named Melanie, I feel qualified to express my extreme dislike for the name "Mellie".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-38228352085802685492009-03-21T22:39:00.000-04:002009-03-21T22:39:00.000-04:00I'm not comparing Whedon to Abrams or Dollhouse to...I'm not comparing Whedon to Abrams or Dollhouse to Alias (Alias was not the first TV show about a conspiracy and evil groups). I was just commenting that the "reveal" of the larger organization seemed familiar.<BR/><BR/>I'm not accusing them of ripping of this particular plot point, as I'm sure it's been done before (that's the cue for someone to point out an early 90's episode of The Simpsons.)Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15001530336692435773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-28982673597983147452009-03-21T22:28:00.000-04:002009-03-21T22:28:00.000-04:00would it redeem topher in your eyes if he were rev...would it redeem topher in your eyes if he were revealed to be the mole?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-47512183326596635402009-03-21T22:04:00.000-04:002009-03-21T22:04:00.000-04:00Re: comparisons to "Alias," let's not all go kneel...Re: comparisons to "Alias," let's not all go kneeling at the altar of JJ just yet. Say what you will about Joss, and about this show's problems, but he generally plans things out much better long-term than "Alias" ever did. So even if this is just his version of that show, I imagine it'll make sense in the end if it gets to be around a while.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-33103259726917940712009-03-21T22:01:00.000-04:002009-03-21T22:01:00.000-04:00I just got a chance to watch the episode tonight a...I just got a chance to watch the episode tonight and my first thought when hearing about the other Dollhouses was the big map reveal in "Alias". But I see that tj sondermann got there first.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15001530336692435773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-9303672032682053452009-03-21T20:55:00.000-04:002009-03-21T20:55:00.000-04:00Also, instead of having Duskua as the major charac...Also, instead of having Duskua as the major character they should branch out and have episodes were there's only one Doll as the focus.<BR/><BR/>Additionally, they could easily do lots of episodes on major back stories for each character.Tyro.k.yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05357669429570794640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-36042645230273764832009-03-21T20:51:00.000-04:002009-03-21T20:51:00.000-04:00First episode I completely enjoyed. I thought Top...First episode I completely enjoyed. <BR/><BR/>I thought Topher was amusing in this episode. <BR/><BR/>Dushku wasn't bad. Maybe the other directors need more time to shape her abilities to screen.<BR/><BR/>That fight scene was badass. Great use of the environment to beat the hell out of each other.<BR/><BR/>And, did I not call some of the major plot lines in the past couple of weeks? Kind of predictable but it's about execution and this was enjoyable. Need more like this.Tyro.k.yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05357669429570794640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-70594402367280394432009-03-21T20:46:00.000-04:002009-03-21T20:46:00.000-04:00Although this episode had more of the Whedon touch...Although this episode had more of the Whedon touch (I especially liked the man-in-the-street who talked about the possibility of strings-free homoerotic experimentation, while his girlfriend laughed awkwardly), I don't know--it still isn't thrilling me. <BR/><BR/>I don't understand how an FBI agent believes it OK to talk in depth about a case with a civilian, including giving names of prominent but unindicted people.<BR/><BR/>I don't understand how the Dollhouse is this widely known urban legend, one that the actually wealthy can apparently find without any trouble, but the FBI still thinks it's one odd agent's stupid obsession. Also, didn't the reporter at one point say that the urban legend's details changed over the decades? So how long has this been going on? In this format? With this technology? And, if there are 20 of them around the world (also, say, for decades), who invented the technology? Topher's not old enough. Is he just one expert? I had gotten the impression this was his deal.<BR/><BR/>More implausible to me than the Echo-Ballard fight (since he's also recovering from injuries) was Mellie's ability to go from being choked to bad-assing Hearn, a professional bad ass himself. Although, on the Echo-Ballard fight, I confess to cracking up when the camera drew back to reveal Echo in her skin-tight white pants. I am beginning to suspect that the entire show exists to showcase Dushku's body.<BR/><BR/>Now that the premise has been...explained, or broadened, or whatever it's been, I'm still not 100% sure that this is a premise that is of interest to me.<BR/><BR/>But I am so besotted with Joss that I will continue to watch. Who's the idiot here?Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01288100796201737845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-59260450397637024772009-03-21T20:29:00.000-04:002009-03-21T20:29:00.000-04:00damn, you better erase the talk about Alan Tudyk, ...damn, you better erase the talk about Alan Tudyk, it spoiled it for me... :-(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-63581414002237214782009-03-21T20:22:00.000-04:002009-03-21T20:22:00.000-04:00Isn't the point of the fight scene that he's not g...Isn't the point of the fight scene that he's not going to want to hurt or kill her, just stop her - and she's been programmed to hurt and kill him. Bit of a handicap for him there. <BR/><BR/>I'd also presume that in a show universe where you can manipulate neural pathways, you can tone down the pain receptors. Then back to the Dollhouse for recuperation and sports massage.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com