Dollhouse - Episode 1x07: Echoes

[Rebecca]

Favorite character: Adelle, Topher, and Lawrence were hilarious.
Least favorite character: Either Mellie or Alice. Mellie seemed like she couldn't deal with the whole Ballard thing. Alice wasn't awesome.
Favorite scene: When Adelle and Topher were coming down from their high around snack food discussing philosophy HAHAHA
Least favorite scene: I think where Boyd was playing the piano over the phone to Adelle and Topher, seemed almost squeezed in.
Biggest surprise: Adelle recruiting Sam.
Thing you saw coming a mile away: Rossum experimenting on fetuses. Disturbing, but not surprising.
Thoughts on Echo's personality: She seemed a lot more confused than the last time we saw Alice. In "Ghost", she was a heck of a lot more confident than what Dushku exhibited this episode. Could be her confusion from the seemingly implanted memories, but honestly she just looked lost the entire episode.
Question you want answered most: What is Rossum's end goal? Adelle mentioned that she believed in their work. (Oh also, what is the good story about Victor that Adelle wanted to share?? )
Did you enjoy this episode more than the prior one?:

"Go check."
"I AM YOUR SUPERIOR!"
"In every way... >< Go check."

I liked it in many ways, but it was not quite as thrilling as "Man on the Street". I loved the exposition on dolls brain chemistry, doll recruitment, Rossum, Caroline, and even a peek at Victor's previous life. The writing and acting was exquisite, with perhaps the weakest being Boyd and 'Alice'. Mellie and Ballard were just confusing, I understand why she would be upset but not necessarily traumatized, as was assumed in the episode. Not sure what is going on there, or where they will go with it. Also not sure what to make of Lawrence apologizing to Caroline, as AndrewCrossett said. It still doesn't rule him out as Alpha's accomplice, but it makes me more inclined to think not.

Other thoughts: If the Attic is indeed where all dolls eventually go instead of being released back to society with a large sum of money, why is that? I think it may have to do with why the dolls reacted to the drug differently, that their hypothalamus (memory center) functions differently than normal people. Perhaps during the "dolling" process they fundamentally change the memory centers of the brain, an irreversible process.

[wenxina]

Methinks it's the hippocampus that deals with with memory and such. The hypothalamus is mostly an endocrine control center, and monitors temperature, circadian rhythms and such.

[Rebecca]

oh yeah that's right i get those confused ALL THE TIME!

[henzINNIT]

Another great episode. Was a lil' familiar; every Joss so seems to have the funny "they've all gone crazy" episode, but the greatness of this one is the layers of lies and mind wipes. It makes for many interesting exchanges. I'm starting to fear for the show's future now

[Spiked]

Favorite character: Adelle!
Least favorite character: Alice and Caroline. Echo was not at the top of her game in this episode.
Favorite scene: Every scene with high Adelle and Topher! SO hilarious!
Least favorite scene: All of the Echo scenes bored me.
Biggest surprise: Adelle recruiting Sam.
Thing you saw coming a mile away: Eh, I don't really know. There weren't that many huge surprises in this episode.
Thoughts on Echo's personality: I wasn't a fan. At all. Alice didn't seem to have a clear personality, and Caroline was just really boring, not to mention the stereotypical activist girl.
Question you want answered most: Same as last week...who messed with Echo's imprint?
Did you enjoy this episode more than the prior one?: No way. Last week's episode was mind-blowingly excellent. This week's was just good. I also didn't like how they went back to the "mission of the week" formula...hopefully, next week's episode will remedy that.

[Mayor Of F♥ckville]

meh it was kind of lame.

[wenxina]

Mar 28, 2009 20:07:39 GMT -5 Mayor Of F♥ckville said:

meh it was kind of lame.

Mike, you bought the Twilight DVD. At Target. You don't get to talk anymore, unless you wear a tiara and a Hannah Montana t-shirt with Stitch fuzzy slippers.

[Skeptic]

I thought it was pretty good, but less good than last week's, which was only slightly better than week before lasts and... I need a graph or something to plot this out. Anyway, basically, the show still isn't hitting real high on my "it gives me a buzz"-o-meter (har har, pun), but I find it entertaining and wouldn't throw it outta bed at this point for leaving crumbs.

Right now, for me, two of the best things about this show are Paul and Boyd. Boyd is just awesome the way he swoops in at the end and punches somebody, and saves Echo. And Paul, poor Paul. Not in love with the sexy mama next door, and feels bad about it, and will probably feel weird/mad/mad/freaked out/mad when he realizes the Dollhouse owns her.

I'm starting to kind of see Scott Thompson from Kids In the Hall every time Laurence Dominic pops up. Anyone, anyone? Just me then? lol

I'm hanging on. I want the show to improve and survive and be the underdog that ends up coming up from behind and finishing the race in 1st place when nobody expects it to. Unfortunately I don't see how this show will last unless it picks up really soon. I mean, picks up outside of the Whedonverse. I think most of its woes, including its most lame eps, are Fox-related more than Joss-related. If he leaves TV after this, I'll be happy because it just means he'll be making quality "TV" again.

[theend]

I liked this episode. I thought it wasn't special, but it was watchable and enjoyable. And I liked that Sam was from Desperate Housewives!

[Marcos]

It was a pretty solid episode. The story was compelling, the storytelling was fast-pacing and man, wasn't it delightful to see some Buffyness in there. Gosh, there's many Whedonisms that I was missing in Dollhouse. Many of them was delivered in Man on the Street, and now we get the funny. And with DeWitt! I mean, Topher is always funny but putting the most serious/scary/dark bitch around to act like that, well, It's a Joss' thing for sure.

Also, it was pretty good to see how Caroline ended up in the Dollhouse.

But what I'm REALLY counting days down is for the next episode. holly crap...

[Mayor Of F♥ckville]

Mar 28, 2009 20:46:04 GMT -5 wenxina said:

Mar 28, 2009 20:07:39 GMT -5 Mayor Of F♥ckville said:

meh it was kind of lame.

Mike, you bought the Twilight DVD. At Target. You don't get to talk anymore, unless you wear a tiara and a Hannah Montana t-shirt with Stitch fuzzy slippers.

Asshole.

[Tyler Austin "tiewashere"]

Mike, I thought you didn't watch Dollhouse??



Favorite character: Adelle.

Least favorite character: Echo/Caroline. Awful. Just awful.

Favorite scene:Whichever had the scene with Adelle saying "I could eat that word" in it.

Least favorite scene:Anything with Echo was completely boring and cliche.

Biggest surprise:How cliche Caroline's story was.

Thoughts on Echo's personality: Boring.

Question you want answered most:Why wasn't Amy Acker high in this episode? Was it because she's the mole and would have blabbed? WHAT WAS THE STORY ABOUT VICTOR!?!

Did you enjoy this episode more than the prior one?: Yes. But I enjoyed the last ten minutes of Man on the Street more than this.

[Mayor Of F♥ckville]

Mar 29, 2009 19:27:02 GMT -5 Tyler Austin "tiewashere" said:

Mike, I thought you didn't watch Dollhouse??

I gave it a chance.

and also since I'm constantly trying to seduce you I figured I have to start liking the same things as you.. right?

[Iceeh★]

Mar 28, 2009 20:46:04 GMT -5 wenxina said:

Mar 28, 2009 20:07:39 GMT -5 Mayor Of F♥ckville said:

meh it was kind of lame.

Mike, you bought the Twilight DVD. At Target. You don't get to talk anymore, unless you wear a tiara and a Hannah Montana t-shirt with Stitch fuzzy slippers.

Aww Xi, you just made my day. <3 Although he claims to only have bought it cause it was shiny with 3 discs... but who knows?

[deathisyourgift]

Since a lot has already been discussed I'm just going to add that this episode was hilarious because of DeWitt and Topher, and I regrettably have to admit that Eliza's acting was a bit rough in this ep.

[Krescan]

It was ok, but when just about everybody had caught it I thought "uh oh they're going to have to bring in someone new to save the day" or at least amy acker to fix stuff (though i would've liked to see her acting crazy more than most of the others"

my point is it felt like a cop out that the stuff just wore off

and i think they should've killed a doll, not one of the main ones but just any of the others to show there was some seriousness to the whole thing that i thought it was missing

[Secret Scoobie]

Well I loved this episode.


Laurence: *holding out the gun* "Oh man, this thing is so heavy, makes my arm tired."'

Adele: "I find lentils, completely incomprehensible"

^ My point.

I love crazy people *sigh*

[spuffyfan4life]

Favorite character: Adelle, Topher, and Dominic.
Least favorite character: Alice I guess, but I think she was supposed to be annoying, I thought she was okay when Caroline started kicking in.
Favorite scene: Anything with Adelle and Topher was hilarious.
Least favorite scene: The stuff with Alice and the guy before she shows up on campus, kind of funny, but I more just wanted her to get into it.
Biggest surprise: Adelle recruiting Sam.
Thing you saw coming a mile away: Everyone getting high, I just couldn't wait for it, Joss likes to make people high though, lol
Thoughts on Echo's personality: Well it was a different personality than the first with that guy, and I think I liked the first one better. She was kind of meek, but I guess thats how it goes
Question you want answered most: What the dollhouse's 'purpose' is.
Did you enjoy this episode more than the prior one?: probably, but I'm loving them all right now

"Go check."
"I AM YOUR SUPERIOR!"
"In every way...Go check."

"I tried to burn you alive, who does that?"

I thought this episode was awesome. It's really funny, but still moves along the plot and lets you get to know Caroline better which I thought was great. Also everyone acting silly? What's better than that?

[xanderholic]

Did anyone else get a latent sexual tension vibe from what was going on between Topher and Dewitt or was it just me and my twisted mind?

Langton's spontanteous giggling also brought a smile to my face, lol

[joxerlives]

ECHOES

The good;
So we find out how Echo came to the Dollhouse. Hilarious to watch Dominic bossed around by Victor and the other dolls and lovely scenes between Adele and Topher.

The bad;
Why do they use the NSA as cover? Surely they're involved in intercepting communications, not stuff like this?

Best line;
Toper (of Dominic) "He didn't take any, no way would Dominic have any fun"
plus
Again "Nothing is what it appears to be"

Packing heat; Dominic with his Glock (personally I always found them a bit light for my taste?) Sierra and Victor also get one whilst we also see Victor with an M16 in his flashback.
Echo;4
Boyd; 6
Dominic; 6
Sierra; 3
Victor; 2

Kinky dinky;
Echo's knee socks, high heels and micro-mini dress are spectacular, especially when she's on the bike (but is that ED?). Check out her stumble when she chases Sam from the lab. She engages in bondage sex with her returning client.

Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; none unless Echo goes back to finish her engagement. Why are Topher's trousers off? What did he and Adele get up to? He says she's his 'Superior in every way"?
Echo; 3
November; 1
Ballard; 1

How'd they get away with that?
The poor kid headbutting the glass, yeeesh! Tophers ode to drugs is also pretty near the knuckle.

This weeks fantasy;
Echo returns to her biker-party-girl persona which we see in Ghost, Victor is a federal agent and Sierra a goverment scientist

Total number personalitites;
Echo; 14
Sierra; 5
Victor; 2
November; 1

Total dolls;4, but we hear of another Doll, Foxtrot? Sam becomes an active at the end but do we ever see him again?
Echo, Sierra, November and Victor

Addy is a bit British;
"Sarcastic? Unfeeling? British?" She uses the British term crisp. Brown sauce is actually a mix of fruit and spices. Topher also refers to his machines that go 'Ping!' which is a reference to Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

Topher is a bit geeky;
Topher is so excited to meet the Rostrum head guy he might throw up. He quotes Mighty Mouse 'Here I come to save the day'.

Subverting the Hollywood cliche;

Bondage; no but Echo ties up her client
Sierra tied up; 1

Knocked out;

Kills;
Sierra; 2 kills
Echo; 1
November;1

Dolls injured;

Capt subtext;
Adele's interview of Caroline is reminiscent of seduction. Paul wants to take care of Mellie, just like he wants to save Caroline, always the white knight. Topher and Adele begin to share. Adele says she has a good story about Victor. Dominic hints that there's more to him than just a professional heavy, namely his suits, is he hinting that he's gay?

Happy hookers

Know the face?
5 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock

Guantanamo;
The press are fed a cover story of a student prank gone wrong

Fanfic;
One theory explored in fanfic is that Caroline is actually Adele's daughter?

Missing scenes;

Reminds me off;
Very reminiscent of the classic 3rd season Buffy ep Band Candy, Adele in particular similar to the wonderful Joyce.

Breaking the programming;
In this ep all the Dolls glitch but Echo starts before she even get's the drug. She actually says 'No' to her treatment.

Questions and observations;
Adele refers to her and Caroline playing this game for 2 years? First return client, the same guy from Ghost. Caroline is an anti-war protester and animal rights activist. My personal theory was that Leo, her boyfriend who was shot was actually Alpha. Boyd plays the piano pretty well. We learn Caroline's full name, Caroline Farrell and Dominic's, Lawerance Dominic.
We find hints of the Dolls previous lives, Victor was a soldier, November is mourning someone

Marks out of 10; 7/10 again, enjoyed this more than I thought