charmingslayer
How've you been...RAT
Is it me or was Whiskey in the flashbacks SORTA aware cause in 102 we heard the dolls didn't fight back but in this ep Whiskey resisted. I think i'm nitpicking now lol.
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Episode Discussion 1.12 "Omega" - Aired 5/8/09 - (FOX-USA)
- Thread starter Lou
- Start date
Buffyverse Fan
* The 28th *
^not sure on that specifically, but the Doll-programming was revised after the Alpha incident and probably generally upgraded regularly.
fly on the wall
you have but-face.
Yep, I agree with those saying why Topher imprinted hatred of himself into Claire. I didn't elaborate but yeah, that were my thoughts on the matter too.
I don't think she's in denial, either. She very much knows and accepts that she USED to be someone else...but that's just it. She knows who she is NOW, it doesn't matter who she USED to be. I think that's a very brave, strong, aware thing to do.Can someone told me what Whiskey mean't when she said "I know who I am"? cause I don't know if she means she remembers her life or she mean's she's just Claire?
C
charmingslayer
I agree that is brave and also kinda sad.
Kanazaka
Potential
I think Claire is also angry that Topher imprinted her with the personality of the previous Dr. Saunders, or at least that the Dollhouse gave her that identity/role. She wants to define herself as who she believes herself to be, as opposed to who others think she is supposed to be. As to the theory about why Topher may have imprinted Claire's hatred of him, he may have felt guilty about imprinting Whiskey with this new personality, and this is his way of living with that guilt.
I, too, liked how Paul freed Madeleine, and thought it was a nice change of pace that he (the "hero") let her go rather than allow himself to have a possible future relationship with her. That makes sense, since he was in love with Mellie, who is not and cannot be the same person as Madeleine. I'm also confused as to why he's decided to stay in the Dollhouse for the time being. On the one hand, he has no choice, because he knows too much. On the other hand, he's put himself at risk of betraying his principles by working with the people he swore to bring to justice. I think he's decided--for the time being--that he's of greater use to the Dollhouse as some sort of advisor, and the Dollhouse probably thinks that, too, or else they would have killed him or sent him to the Attic. I also think that he decided not to free Caroline because he knows that Echo is the Dollhouse's best Active, and has the best chance of capturing Alpha. And I think that he decided to free Madeleine because the Mellie imprint was becoming more and more unhappy in her difficult relationship with Paul. He possibly wanted to see her happy as her true self rather than unhappy as an imprint, even if it meant that he could have a relationship with her. However, it wouldn't be a true relationship, because it would be a relationship at least partly overseen by Topher, Adele, and the rest of the Dollhouse (because Mellie was only an imprint).
I, too, liked how Paul freed Madeleine, and thought it was a nice change of pace that he (the "hero") let her go rather than allow himself to have a possible future relationship with her. That makes sense, since he was in love with Mellie, who is not and cannot be the same person as Madeleine. I'm also confused as to why he's decided to stay in the Dollhouse for the time being. On the one hand, he has no choice, because he knows too much. On the other hand, he's put himself at risk of betraying his principles by working with the people he swore to bring to justice. I think he's decided--for the time being--that he's of greater use to the Dollhouse as some sort of advisor, and the Dollhouse probably thinks that, too, or else they would have killed him or sent him to the Attic. I also think that he decided not to free Caroline because he knows that Echo is the Dollhouse's best Active, and has the best chance of capturing Alpha. And I think that he decided to free Madeleine because the Mellie imprint was becoming more and more unhappy in her difficult relationship with Paul. He possibly wanted to see her happy as her true self rather than unhappy as an imprint, even if it meant that he could have a relationship with her. However, it wouldn't be a true relationship, because it would be a relationship at least partly overseen by Topher, Adele, and the rest of the Dollhouse (because Mellie was only an imprint).
OMEGA
The good;
Got to say I didn't see the Whiskey twist (is that a drink?) coming at all. Utterly brilliant, this storyline lifts the series up and helps it go off on a high. Such a dumb gag but it always makes me laugh out loud when Alpha 'watches his step'.
The bad;
How stupid must the Dollhouse be to use criminals as Dolls? Although wouldn't it be wonderful if we could reprogramme paedophiles and psychopaths so they were no longer either?
Best line;
Packing heat; both Boyd and Ballard (the latter switching to a Colt 45 for some reason) plus November and Sierra
Echo;6
Boyd; 8
Dominic; 8
Sierra; 4
Victor; 2
Ballard; 9
November; 1
Echo kissage;2
Kinky dinky;
Lovely though she is I never really thought of Amy Acker as turn-your-head-gorgeous in the same way as Eliza Dushku, Charisma Carpenter, Sarah Michelle Gellar, (they tried to make her into AI's glamourpuss in season 5 but it didn't really work which is why we got more Mercedes McNab as Harmony who IS turn your head gorgeous),but here she is a revelation, I was firmly convinced that it was Eliza doing the slinky dance to Roy Orbison's dreams but WOW! Also Echo's push up bra and Daisy Duke denim short-shorts as part of her white trash princess look. Bounty hunter Sierra seems to have an instant attraction for Ballard.
Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost;
Echo; 3 definite, 1 possible
November; 1
Ballard; 1
Victor; 1
Adele; 1
Sierra 1 possible
Topher; 1 possible
How'd they get away with that?
Killing the girl implanted with Caroline's memories is hideous. Alpha's idea of kidnapping a string of girls, implanting them with Carolines' memories and then killing her over and over again is too horrifying for words. Meeting 'Alpha's' first victim is also very disturbing but not half as much as his bloody rampage in the Dollhouse, especially how he kills his handler. He also refers to Crystal being a 'woman at 13'.
This weeks fantasy;
Sierra and November are bounty hunters, Echo is Crystal and her composite personalities
Total number personalitites;
Echo; 21
Sierra; 10
Victor; 6
November; 3
Total dolls; add some Whiskey to the mix!
8-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey
Addy is a bit British;
Topher is a bit geeky;
He refers to Solyent Green (Angel also a Charlton Heston fan)
Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
Bondage;
Sierra tied up; 1
Ballard; 1
Knocked out;
Echo; 2
November; 1
Sierra; 1
Victor; 1
Topher; 1
Kills; poor Wendy is killed by Alpha
Sierra; 2 kills
Echo; 1
November;1
Dolls injured;
Echo winged by Alpha's bullet.
Capt subtext;
We finally learn November's real name and she is released from her contract (love Adele's very genuine hug for her). I guess whatever was between her and Ballard was quite real for him to pick her over Caroline? The heartbreaking scene where Dr Saunders tells Victor he's broken and no one will want him any more hardly needs explaining (thankfully the lollipop scene makes up for it). Why did Topher programme Dr Saunders to hate him? Perhaps because of his own self-loathing? Or did the original Saunders already hate him?
Happy hookers
Know the face?
7 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock, Gregg Henry, Alan Tudyk
Guantanamo;
Fanfic;
Missing scenes;.
Very important, if you have the DVDs be sure to watch them to find out what happened to bounty hunters Sierra and November and how Alpha got away.
Reminds me off;
Echo/Crystal and Alpha/Bobby on the run are very Badlands/True Romance/Bonnie and Clyde. But above all they remind me of Spike and Dru whom Angel once described as "Bonnie and Clyde if they had 100 years to get it right" The idea of violent prisoners being 'cured' by brainwashing sounds a bit 'A Clockwork Orange'? Ponder the fact that this series has a character called Ballard (and indeed Dawn was reading 'Empire of the Sun' for school in the later seasons of Buffy). Alpha digs out the tracker on the back of Echo's neck much like Dark Angel. Caroline refers to Return of the Living dead as Xander did in Buffy. Topher talks of souls in jars which may be an Angel ref. Alpha's madness is similar to Glory whilst the way he kills his handler is reminiscent of Buffy killing Gnarl in season 7. The track 'Dreams' which Whiskey dances to is also used to good effect in Blue Velvet.
Breaking the programming;
Echo as a conglomerate of her personalities breaks away from Alpha's crackers plan, possibly because most of her imprints (Margaret from Haunted, the Dominatrix, Esther from True Believer etc) were good people mixed with her base personality of Caroline. By contrast most of Alpha's imprints were bad people mixed with his underlying personality of a psychopath.
Questions and observations;
Ballard's plan to get rid of the bomb squad is truly inspired. Interestingly despite the bad blood between them Tanaka doesn't arrest him. Great double bluff, we think that Caroline is being let go but actually it's November whose real name is Madeline Costly. More episodes like this and Dollhouse would be a far superior series to what it was.
Marks out of 10; 9/10 really good
The good;
Got to say I didn't see the Whiskey twist (is that a drink?) coming at all. Utterly brilliant, this storyline lifts the series up and helps it go off on a high. Such a dumb gag but it always makes me laugh out loud when Alpha 'watches his step'.
The bad;
How stupid must the Dollhouse be to use criminals as Dolls? Although wouldn't it be wonderful if we could reprogramme paedophiles and psychopaths so they were no longer either?
Best line;
Packing heat; both Boyd and Ballard (the latter switching to a Colt 45 for some reason) plus November and Sierra
Echo;6
Boyd; 8
Dominic; 8
Sierra; 4
Victor; 2
Ballard; 9
November; 1
Echo kissage;2
Kinky dinky;
Lovely though she is I never really thought of Amy Acker as turn-your-head-gorgeous in the same way as Eliza Dushku, Charisma Carpenter, Sarah Michelle Gellar, (they tried to make her into AI's glamourpuss in season 5 but it didn't really work which is why we got more Mercedes McNab as Harmony who IS turn your head gorgeous),but here she is a revelation, I was firmly convinced that it was Eliza doing the slinky dance to Roy Orbison's dreams but WOW! Also Echo's push up bra and Daisy Duke denim short-shorts as part of her white trash princess look. Bounty hunter Sierra seems to have an instant attraction for Ballard.
Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost;
Echo; 3 definite, 1 possible
November; 1
Ballard; 1
Victor; 1
Adele; 1
Sierra 1 possible
Topher; 1 possible
How'd they get away with that?
Killing the girl implanted with Caroline's memories is hideous. Alpha's idea of kidnapping a string of girls, implanting them with Carolines' memories and then killing her over and over again is too horrifying for words. Meeting 'Alpha's' first victim is also very disturbing but not half as much as his bloody rampage in the Dollhouse, especially how he kills his handler. He also refers to Crystal being a 'woman at 13'.
This weeks fantasy;
Sierra and November are bounty hunters, Echo is Crystal and her composite personalities
Total number personalitites;
Echo; 21
Sierra; 10
Victor; 6
November; 3
Total dolls; add some Whiskey to the mix!
8-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey
Addy is a bit British;
Topher is a bit geeky;
He refers to Solyent Green (Angel also a Charlton Heston fan)
Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
Bondage;
Sierra tied up; 1
Ballard; 1
Knocked out;
Echo; 2
November; 1
Sierra; 1
Victor; 1
Topher; 1
Kills; poor Wendy is killed by Alpha
Sierra; 2 kills
Echo; 1
November;1
Dolls injured;
Echo winged by Alpha's bullet.
Capt subtext;
We finally learn November's real name and she is released from her contract (love Adele's very genuine hug for her). I guess whatever was between her and Ballard was quite real for him to pick her over Caroline? The heartbreaking scene where Dr Saunders tells Victor he's broken and no one will want him any more hardly needs explaining (thankfully the lollipop scene makes up for it). Why did Topher programme Dr Saunders to hate him? Perhaps because of his own self-loathing? Or did the original Saunders already hate him?
Happy hookers
Know the face?
7 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock, Gregg Henry, Alan Tudyk
Guantanamo;
Fanfic;
Missing scenes;.
Very important, if you have the DVDs be sure to watch them to find out what happened to bounty hunters Sierra and November and how Alpha got away.
Reminds me off;
Echo/Crystal and Alpha/Bobby on the run are very Badlands/True Romance/Bonnie and Clyde. But above all they remind me of Spike and Dru whom Angel once described as "Bonnie and Clyde if they had 100 years to get it right" The idea of violent prisoners being 'cured' by brainwashing sounds a bit 'A Clockwork Orange'? Ponder the fact that this series has a character called Ballard (and indeed Dawn was reading 'Empire of the Sun' for school in the later seasons of Buffy). Alpha digs out the tracker on the back of Echo's neck much like Dark Angel. Caroline refers to Return of the Living dead as Xander did in Buffy. Topher talks of souls in jars which may be an Angel ref. Alpha's madness is similar to Glory whilst the way he kills his handler is reminiscent of Buffy killing Gnarl in season 7. The track 'Dreams' which Whiskey dances to is also used to good effect in Blue Velvet.
Breaking the programming;
Echo as a conglomerate of her personalities breaks away from Alpha's crackers plan, possibly because most of her imprints (Margaret from Haunted, the Dominatrix, Esther from True Believer etc) were good people mixed with her base personality of Caroline. By contrast most of Alpha's imprints were bad people mixed with his underlying personality of a psychopath.
Questions and observations;
Ballard's plan to get rid of the bomb squad is truly inspired. Interestingly despite the bad blood between them Tanaka doesn't arrest him. Great double bluff, we think that Caroline is being let go but actually it's November whose real name is Madeline Costly. More episodes like this and Dollhouse would be a far superior series to what it was.
Marks out of 10; 9/10 really good