charmingslayer
How've you been...RAT
Funny how in the promo Mellie says "Vase" the way Adelle said it 😛 and maybe Mellie is acutally just Mellie but she was getting close and they wiped her memory on the Dollhouse.
Episode Discussion 1.06 "Man On The Street" - Aired 3/20/09 (FOX-USA)
- Thread starter Lou
- Start date
This episode was amazing - sorry to just agree with everyone else! I thought the last 2 were awesome as well but 'Man on the Street' topped the lot!
Enuf3 - I totally agree about the ending, you kind of feel sorry for the guy cos his story is really sad, but at the same time, you know you shouldn't!
Randy Giles - The fights were Alias worthy, I agree.
I have so many questions running round my head now and I really want what the internet mogul said Paul's fantasy was, to actually happen! - God, I hate the fact I can be SUCH a girl sometimes 😀
The only thing I did find strange was the Paul/Mellie relationship! When he kissed her I thought what she did, and that he was all 'Echo' but then when they were bed I was like WHAT?! I always got the impression he thought she was bit strange...in that 'I've got left overs' crazy way!
Enuf3 - I totally agree about the ending, you kind of feel sorry for the guy cos his story is really sad, but at the same time, you know you shouldn't!
Randy Giles - The fights were Alias worthy, I agree.
I have so many questions running round my head now and I really want what the internet mogul said Paul's fantasy was, to actually happen! - God, I hate the fact I can be SUCH a girl sometimes 😀
The only thing I did find strange was the Paul/Mellie relationship! When he kissed her I thought what she did, and that he was all 'Echo' but then when they were bed I was like WHAT?! I always got the impression he thought she was bit strange...in that 'I've got left overs' crazy way!
Airam
ditto, i was just as shocked when he all of a sudden started coming on to her, its like it came out of nowhere.
Loved the episode...did anybody else think it felt like a completely different show? Even the characters were different...Ballard had much more of a swagger about him, he seemed more human even. Dewitt and Dominick the same. It is actually uncanny how definite a line divides the quality of what the netowrk wanted and what Joss wanted.
It really felt like a Whedon show, this ep was all about the moral conflict...for every character, from Dewitt right down to the ordinary Joe on the street. The narative and motif's were clear and outlined throughout the episode, it always knew where it was going, what it wanted to achieve. In short Dollhouse became a real show last night.
If it gets renewed and Whedon retains control...then we could have a real interesting addition to the Whedonverse. Before the ep I didn't know where it could go with this storyline so early...but I can see now there is bucketloads to explore...the other Dollhouses, the active's stories, Pauls story, Dewitt, Boyd...and so on.
Loved it.
It really felt like a Whedon show, this ep was all about the moral conflict...for every character, from Dewitt right down to the ordinary Joe on the street. The narative and motif's were clear and outlined throughout the episode, it always knew where it was going, what it wanted to achieve. In short Dollhouse became a real show last night.
If it gets renewed and Whedon retains control...then we could have a real interesting addition to the Whedonverse. Before the ep I didn't know where it could go with this storyline so early...but I can see now there is bucketloads to explore...the other Dollhouses, the active's stories, Pauls story, Dewitt, Boyd...and so on.
Loved it.
C
charmingslayer
[No message]
Um Joss Whedon is officially in the building (the fox building that is)!!! I have been watching everyweek and enjoyed the show thus far but was worried that the premise of the show might doom it to a more episodic(?) format a la "monster of the week" instead of deep twisting arcs which is where joss strives. But now the show jsut got its legs, i agree with what everyone has been saying. I'm gald i wasn't the only one who yell "Joss!" durring the "porn" part.
The whole mellie thing i thoght was going to be a Giles Jenny Calendar situation and i was like that sux, but nope! why do that whne you can maker a sleep active!! genius!!!! did not see that coming.
The imprint for echo was probaly the best part of the episode. When they show Topher going back to get the HD after leaving it i said out loud "someone messed with the imprint!" but then i forgot about lol.
Yet even tho i thought the imprint was hacked i was not thinking it was going to turn out the way it did. that was jsut great writing right there.
as for the mole Boyd is def an obvious choice but he was the one distracting, Topher possibly unintentionally.
My guess jsut cuz i want it to be.......Amy Acker's character. She jsut seems so uncomfortable there and like she knows its wrong.
anyway i hope this ep gives the show the boost it needs it would be a shame to not renew it if this is any indication of how the rest of the show will play out. Def my new must watch live shows!
The whole mellie thing i thoght was going to be a Giles Jenny Calendar situation and i was like that sux, but nope! why do that whne you can maker a sleep active!! genius!!!! did not see that coming.
The imprint for echo was probaly the best part of the episode. When they show Topher going back to get the HD after leaving it i said out loud "someone messed with the imprint!" but then i forgot about lol.
Yet even tho i thought the imprint was hacked i was not thinking it was going to turn out the way it did. that was jsut great writing right there.
as for the mole Boyd is def an obvious choice but he was the one distracting, Topher possibly unintentionally.
My guess jsut cuz i want it to be.......Amy Acker's character. She jsut seems so uncomfortable there and like she knows its wrong.
anyway i hope this ep gives the show the boost it needs it would be a shame to not renew it if this is any indication of how the rest of the show will play out. Def my new must watch live shows!
A
atticus
Guest
Just finished watching this episode. A very good episode. Some very nice twists. And the most important part for me, finally a connection with Echo.
The final scene where she is hugging the man, and so happy that they have a new house together, generally made me feel real pity for her. That they can make her feel so much, be so human, and then suddenly she is a young girl painting a picture. It's sad, and actually pretty horrifying. Which is the point of the show I guess, and the point of her character. I care about Echo as a character now. Took a while. Funny how one scene can add so much.
The final scene where she is hugging the man, and so happy that they have a new house together, generally made me feel real pity for her. That they can make her feel so much, be so human, and then suddenly she is a young girl painting a picture. It's sad, and actually pretty horrifying. Which is the point of the show I guess, and the point of her character. I care about Echo as a character now. Took a while. Funny how one scene can add so much.
This episode was very good and very exciting. The ending was very nice and when Echo as that guys wife made the omg-this-is-really-our-house-I'm-about-to-cry-face I was like AWW. Oh and about that whole someone on the inside that contacted Ballard, I don't think there is anyone, I think she was programmed to say that whoooolllle thing.
B
Blondie Bear
That was the impression I got, too.
fly on the wall
you have but-face.
Amazing episode!!
- GAH, I always hated Sierra's handler, and this...how absolutely revolting. Like raping a child. Ugh. I did like how Adelle reacted, though. She seemed to really care about Sierra as a person, not just as a tool or a job. Maybe it was her caring about the sanctity of her business, I'm not sure..I also didn't detest Dominic, for a change, when he hit Sierra's handler and called him disgusting.
- How cute is Viktor? 🙂
Viktor: "I did something bad."
Echo: "What did you do?"
Viktor: "They won't tell me."
and
Saunders: "How do you feel [when you're with Sierra..]?"
Viktor: "Better."
Adorable. Plus at the end when he's sitting cross-legged next to Sierra, looking at the picture book. Blank Dolls really are like children, it's sweet.
- Mellie!!! I've been teetering between thinking "She's a Doll! No, she's just kinda creepy. She's a Doll!" I'll admit, this episode, I wasn't sure. When she and Paul had sex and then Jerkface attacked, I thought for sure Joss's habit of brutally ending a relationship as soon as it became happy would come into play, and Mellie would be killed. Lo and behold, she's...a Doll? Or is she? Does she only become a Doll when triggered, and the rest of the time she's normal? Or is she constantly in a Doll state, and the trigger only makes her have super powers? That confused me a little.
- I loved the humor of this episode. Also, as with the very first episode, I love the second-chance aspect. It's probably my favorite theme of the show...people who are dead and gone can get a new chance through a Doll. Chubby guy renting a Doll to play Wife with was creepy and gross, no doubt, but kind of sweet. And I adore how Echo wanted to finish it for him. For her.
Can I just say....next episode looks incredible.
I love this show so much.
- GAH, I always hated Sierra's handler, and this...how absolutely revolting. Like raping a child. Ugh. I did like how Adelle reacted, though. She seemed to really care about Sierra as a person, not just as a tool or a job. Maybe it was her caring about the sanctity of her business, I'm not sure..I also didn't detest Dominic, for a change, when he hit Sierra's handler and called him disgusting.
- How cute is Viktor? 🙂
Viktor: "I did something bad."
Echo: "What did you do?"
Viktor: "They won't tell me."
and
Saunders: "How do you feel [when you're with Sierra..]?"
Viktor: "Better."
Adorable. Plus at the end when he's sitting cross-legged next to Sierra, looking at the picture book. Blank Dolls really are like children, it's sweet.
- Mellie!!! I've been teetering between thinking "She's a Doll! No, she's just kinda creepy. She's a Doll!" I'll admit, this episode, I wasn't sure. When she and Paul had sex and then Jerkface attacked, I thought for sure Joss's habit of brutally ending a relationship as soon as it became happy would come into play, and Mellie would be killed. Lo and behold, she's...a Doll? Or is she? Does she only become a Doll when triggered, and the rest of the time she's normal? Or is she constantly in a Doll state, and the trigger only makes her have super powers? That confused me a little.
- I loved the humor of this episode. Also, as with the very first episode, I love the second-chance aspect. It's probably my favorite theme of the show...people who are dead and gone can get a new chance through a Doll. Chubby guy renting a Doll to play Wife with was creepy and gross, no doubt, but kind of sweet. And I adore how Echo wanted to finish it for him. For her.
Can I just say....next episode looks incredible.
I love this show so much.
C
charmingslayer
Oh my god I just understanded that "it's not finished" scene so is that why Adelle made Echo go again?
W
WhiteHat
Guest
Great way to put it! My impression is that in being composites Actives are mixed parts of dead people, not a deceased person's entire persona. Do I have that correctly?
Blair Waldorf-Bass
je suis prest
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2008
- Messages
- 876
- Age
- 37
Can you say wow? This episode was amazing, and I'm sure that if anyone who didn't previously watch Dollhouse or any of Joss's other works saw this, they would be immediately sucked into the show. This has become my new favorite episode.
There are so many things in it that were good and showed how many twist and turns that the plot had.
Firstly, Joel. His story was just so sad and tragic, and I was smiling in the end when Echo asked Adelle to let her finish the job and go back to the house. He's definitely my favorite client so far, because his reasons for using an Active are something that don't warrant an eye-roll or a reason to snort in disgust. I felt really bad for him when he told Paul that story about his wife. I kept on thinking that he was going to poison Ballard, but once you heard his story you knew that he wasn't doing anything of the like.
Characters that I didn't like before earned a lot of respect from me this episode. The whole Sierra and the handler arc in this episode was disturbing. We were lead to believe that Victor was the one who raped her, but then found out that it was her handler. It was really sick and made me want to hurl. I knew there was a reason I didn't like him in episode three. That arc made me like Adelle and Dominic a lot more. Before, I didn't like Dominic at all. I thought that he was a pretentious a**hat who, although he had the best interests of the Dollhouse at heart, was a jerk. But seeing him and Adelle getting very worked up about Sierra showed that he truly cared. It was great seeing him punch that guy and for being very concerned. And Adelle! Before I was sort of teetering between like and dislike for her, but this episode really showed that she is a good person at heart. Her reaction to the rape of Sierra showed that she was someone who wouldn't tolerate any of this (because honestly, who would, though?). The way that she dealt with him was brilliant, and Mellie killing him was as very fit end for him to be killed by a potential victim. When she ordered Dominic to tell the other Dollhouses to be informed of Sierra's rape and how he told her that she was risking her reputation for this way and how she responded that they needed to know because it could never happen again - she won over me completely then.
Which leads to Mellie! All of my friends were convinced that she was a Doll, but I wasn't sure. I didn't see it coming, and I thought that the twist was brilliant. I like how she's a sleeper agent kind of like River was in Firefly. I found her very irritating at first, but after she killed Sierra's handler, I thought that she was awesome for showing that she wasn't some wimpy girl and I thought that it was great of Joss to incorporate women power into her.
Paul and Echo's first meeting was great! It was anxious and it was funny. I liked how she kept on asking "is this porn?" to her husband, and when Boyd dragged her away and she pointed at the bed and shouted "porn!", it was hilarious.
Their fight in the kitchen and the alleyway was great, and when Echo started talking about how someone had messed with the programming to convey a message to him, it was absolute genius. I'm starting to think that it may be Adelle, especially since she approached Echo when she was drawing the picture of Joel's house.
And Claire and Topher's interaction in this episode was short but filled with a few amusing moments when they interrogated Victor. I'm pretty sure that when Topher talked about beautiful women and looked at Claire and smiled that he was referring to her.
Absolutely brilliant. This was the best episode of television that I have ever seen from any show.
There are so many things in it that were good and showed how many twist and turns that the plot had.
Firstly, Joel. His story was just so sad and tragic, and I was smiling in the end when Echo asked Adelle to let her finish the job and go back to the house. He's definitely my favorite client so far, because his reasons for using an Active are something that don't warrant an eye-roll or a reason to snort in disgust. I felt really bad for him when he told Paul that story about his wife. I kept on thinking that he was going to poison Ballard, but once you heard his story you knew that he wasn't doing anything of the like.
Characters that I didn't like before earned a lot of respect from me this episode. The whole Sierra and the handler arc in this episode was disturbing. We were lead to believe that Victor was the one who raped her, but then found out that it was her handler. It was really sick and made me want to hurl. I knew there was a reason I didn't like him in episode three. That arc made me like Adelle and Dominic a lot more. Before, I didn't like Dominic at all. I thought that he was a pretentious a**hat who, although he had the best interests of the Dollhouse at heart, was a jerk. But seeing him and Adelle getting very worked up about Sierra showed that he truly cared. It was great seeing him punch that guy and for being very concerned. And Adelle! Before I was sort of teetering between like and dislike for her, but this episode really showed that she is a good person at heart. Her reaction to the rape of Sierra showed that she was someone who wouldn't tolerate any of this (because honestly, who would, though?). The way that she dealt with him was brilliant, and Mellie killing him was as very fit end for him to be killed by a potential victim. When she ordered Dominic to tell the other Dollhouses to be informed of Sierra's rape and how he told her that she was risking her reputation for this way and how she responded that they needed to know because it could never happen again - she won over me completely then.
Which leads to Mellie! All of my friends were convinced that she was a Doll, but I wasn't sure. I didn't see it coming, and I thought that the twist was brilliant. I like how she's a sleeper agent kind of like River was in Firefly. I found her very irritating at first, but after she killed Sierra's handler, I thought that she was awesome for showing that she wasn't some wimpy girl and I thought that it was great of Joss to incorporate women power into her.
Paul and Echo's first meeting was great! It was anxious and it was funny. I liked how she kept on asking "is this porn?" to her husband, and when Boyd dragged her away and she pointed at the bed and shouted "porn!", it was hilarious.
Their fight in the kitchen and the alleyway was great, and when Echo started talking about how someone had messed with the programming to convey a message to him, it was absolute genius. I'm starting to think that it may be Adelle, especially since she approached Echo when she was drawing the picture of Joel's house.
And Claire and Topher's interaction in this episode was short but filled with a few amusing moments when they interrogated Victor. I'm pretty sure that when Topher talked about beautiful women and looked at Claire and smiled that he was referring to her.
Absolutely brilliant. This was the best episode of television that I have ever seen from any show.
M
marukisu2
Guest
Wow! I wasnt in a rush to watch it this week as I was starting to lose interest a bit, but Im glad I watched it! Defo liked Paul better after seeing this ep. I agree with you Harm, I thought she was programmed to say it all aswell, I think the tampering thing was a misdirection. LMAO at the "Porn!" bits, great to see the Joss humor again. Eliza did a great job with the acting too. You can definatly tell that Joss has taken the reins now compared with the earlier episodes. I've gotta rewatch some time when my head doesnt hurt so much and Im completely sober to get my head around some of it.
Sweetescape
Is that the Porn man!? lol
nerd4hire
Certified Uncloneable
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2002
- Messages
- 9,102
Except later Adelle says there actually are multiple Dollhouses. The mole in Echo told Paul that dangerous information. Now why would Adelle feed Ballard truthful information, through Echo, which she knows could endanger the whole multi-national Dollhouse corporation? She knows Ballard is going to keep coming after them. She told Dominic to keep Mellie active, because "a man like Ballard doesn't take himself out of the game just because of this. (his suspension)"
Flannen
I agree, and the whole thing with Topher being called away mid-process
Sweetescape
Eyeballs to entrails, my sweet.
Friendly Lurker
Scooby
I thought the handler dude had a good point when he said that they're not any better. 😛 They just don't do the raping personally.
Aly Fan
MeowCluck!
Wow wow wow!!! I loved that episode!! IMO one of the best fight scenes yet, definately reminded me of faith 😀
I loved the whole trigger concept, "There are three flowers in a vase, the third is green." It's added a whole new dimension to the show, in the sense that there could be hundreds or thousands of people with this trigger like effect that the Dollhouse can activate when it choses...awesome!!
I loved the whole trigger concept, "There are three flowers in a vase, the third is green." It's added a whole new dimension to the show, in the sense that there could be hundreds or thousands of people with this trigger like effect that the Dollhouse can activate when it choses...awesome!!
This episode was just awesome. The scene between Ballard and Echo was very good. Probably the best fight scene in the show so far. At first I was a bt worried that this episode was going to be completely Ballard centred, but fact of the matter is, I'm now beginning to like him more. Plus, he's got a good body 😉
On who planted the thing in Echos imprint, I'm not too sure about that. It could be true that there's someone on the inside, but I think it might very well be possible that it was part of some plan we don't entirely understand yet. On the other hand, why would they? I think I'm getting a bit paranoid 😉
Also, I think we talked after the first or second episode about how many dolls there would be. This trigger concept makes it a lot more likely that there are many more outside the Dollhouse.
On who planted the thing in Echos imprint, I'm not too sure about that. It could be true that there's someone on the inside, but I think it might very well be possible that it was part of some plan we don't entirely understand yet. On the other hand, why would they? I think I'm getting a bit paranoid 😉
Also, I think we talked after the first or second episode about how many dolls there would be. This trigger concept makes it a lot more likely that there are many more outside the Dollhouse.
AndrewCrossett
Satsu Otaku
I agree that the "inside man" is probably a lie that Echo was told to tell Ballard. The purpose is to convince him that she's a trustworthy informant and not just telling him what the Dollhouse people want him to hear.
Adelle now has three different Actives assigned to deal with Ballard. If all she wanted was to throw him off the trail, she could have just had November kill him a long time ago. Sexy Boss Lady has an agenda of her own, and I think it involves leverage against the Dollhouse higher-ups... that "exit strategy" Dominic mentioned.
Adelle now has three different Actives assigned to deal with Ballard. If all she wanted was to throw him off the trail, she could have just had November kill him a long time ago. Sexy Boss Lady has an agenda of her own, and I think it involves leverage against the Dollhouse higher-ups... that "exit strategy" Dominic mentioned.
I hope that's not the case personally. The leverage scenario makes a kind of sense, but I like the scope and mystery of what the mole (or fake mole) presented to Ballard.
Kean
[No message]
Black Eye Guy
Taking over the World!
This episode was amazing, In one episode it has gone from being watchable to can't wait till next friday!!!
I didn't see the bit with the neighbor being a doll coming, I had thought of it, but I thought ti was a bit to obvious so dismissed it, so when it actually happened it was actually a surprise!
I loved the Sierra storyline, it was really interesting, the whole time the internet dude was explaining why he wanted to hire the doll, I was like shut up and get back to Sierra!
The the imprint with Echo was just Awesome. I definitely still think there was some connection between DeWitt and Caroline, DeWitt has way to much of a personal connection to her, and all that stuff we saw they talking about in the pilot!
I didn't see the bit with the neighbor being a doll coming, I had thought of it, but I thought ti was a bit to obvious so dismissed it, so when it actually happened it was actually a surprise!
I loved the Sierra storyline, it was really interesting, the whole time the internet dude was explaining why he wanted to hire the doll, I was like shut up and get back to Sierra!
The the imprint with Echo was just Awesome. I definitely still think there was some connection between DeWitt and Caroline, DeWitt has way to much of a personal connection to her, and all that stuff we saw they talking about in the pilot!