Dollhouse rewatch: "Echo" (unaired pilot)

[Taake]

Ok is I kind of think this episode is tons and tons of times greater than the one that aired. Why? Becasue I leave it feeling overwhelmed rather than underwhelmed, I feel that they showcased something strong, understandable and intriguing, and it made me curious for what's to come (even though I just finished the first season this ep made me want more of these characters!)

1) I don't necessarily like all the engagements but they give a good picture of what Actives can be used for
2) Echo's self awareness allows me to already perceive (and like) her as a person! This is a huge shift,
3) The exposition is a lot better from Adele and Mr.Ambrose to Topher and Boyd and Dr, Saunders and her pro bono explanation. Sheer brilliance.
4) Having the "bison" conversation so soon, brilliant, it's not only an insight to the Dollhouse but it also gives us a very real and lovely relationship between Topher and Boyd early on
5) Same goes for Paul and Viktor at the party. Paul also comes across as more likeable/understandable in this episode. Had this been their meet I would have understood his obsession with Caroline more and it would have had less creepy white knight and sexual undertones,
6) Eliza is so much better in this episode, I loved her as Shauna, she was very believable as the vulnerable girl and the sociopath.

The only, and I really mean the only, thing I likes better in the episode that aired was seeing Sierra arrive for the first time, that's it.

This was Joss to me and I hate that the network didn't believe in it or the audience.

Some favorite lines;
Viktor: So what if the technology exists? It doesn't mean it's being used on people
Paul: It does. (This would have been a great place btw to explain something personal between Paul and the DH, a connection of some sort that would explain why he believes.)

Topher: You don't get to have conspiracy theories if you're under the employ of the conspiracy!

Topher: Morality is programmable too.

Dr. Saunders: I'm compiling a report
Topher: I'm making a paper clip Eiffel Tower...

And great of a small chuckle was this;
Paul: Is it house trained?
Female FBI agent: That's a complicated question
Paul: No it's not!


All in all, I wish this would have been the real pilot.

 

[thetopher]

Agreed.
This was by far the stronger episode. It was a lot clearer on a) what an Active is and what they do. 2) Echo's burgeoning self-awareness and 3) The whole Dollhouse thing through Adele's sales pitch.

This episode feels more daring because it lays a lot more out there.
I like all of Eliza's engangements, all unique in their own way they make an impression

- 'He was crying. Did you see him crying like a tiny woman?' That line reading is just so funny. 😀
Plus the anger in this scene, and all the talking/reasoning with the abused girl- so good. 'There are a lot worse things to be that a waitress. And you're already most of 'em.' Ouch. True, but ouch.

We got that great 'bison' scene earlier, establishing the basic concept of the show- the dolls and self-awareness/instinct. lots of 'Man-friend' Heh.

-'Morality is programable too.' Great line- humans are socially programmed to an extent.
Was this kept in the show? I don't think so, but its so good and illustrates perfectly Topher's POV and self-justification.

We get a great original Topher/Dr. Saunders scene, expliaining the function of the 'pro bono' cases. I think this is vital to the show as a whole, and this scene needed to be included to answer so many questions.
Also here I do get a strange sense of Topher's relationship with Dr. Saunders. He thinks she's creepy, but I also get an awkward attraction vibe coming from him. Saunders seems more different though, a less forthright in her interactions (until she gets talking about the morality stuff, where she becomes more confident)

Ballard was a lot better this episode, his introductory scene with Viktor was a lot softer in this context, less antagonistic.
Plus in his dialogue with Shauna we get a little back story about the state of his life. The few words he says about his ex-wife (plus the state of his apartment) made me feel so sorry for the guy straight away.
And then he gets shot! For me, that explains the rest of his motivation- finished. Somebody tries to kill you, you try and kill them right back. (So to speak- revenge/payback is a classic motivator for a reason)

Love, love Shauna. Eliza's reading of vulnerable and desperate and then turning to cold-blooded sociopath is just fantastic. Would've liked to see more of that particular doll (and that particlar outfit...but I 'll stay focused 😀)
And we get some hints of Echo's self-awareness, (seeing her picture at Boyd's place, and then the hospital scene) plus Topher's and Boyd' s awareness of that self-awareness (and their own little conspiricy) that sets up the premise of the show very nicely.

The only thin that worked better in the original was the unveiling of Viktor as a better twist later on, and Sierra's first' treatment'- getting turned into a doll.

*Sigh* Overall the networks should've trusted Joss's intial vision, it was clearer, more intense, and grabbed you from the get-go. 🙂
Then we could've had a bit more of Caroline's story in Ep.2 maybe, and the Alpha arc as well.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

So I think we agree that this had a lot better things going on then 'Ghost' did.
This answers one of my questions I had. The dolls are programmed to return for their treatments after the engagement is fulfilled. Didn't we just see that scene with Adele and that guy in the flashback in Epitaph 1? They cut it down from this, but this was a better introduction and exposition about the Dollhouse.

Lubov! I love Lubov but I thought this was a bad, out of placed introduction to Paul. Just seemed like a random scene.
Why is Dr. Saunders sending actives on altruistic missions pro bono? Is that what actives are doing when there aren't paid engagements? It's always nice seeing the actives do more than romantic engagements.

Topher's almost disappointment, 'we're not friends?' was great. I liked his explanation about how everyone has biological responses even if were not conscious about it.
I love the scene with Topher and Dr. Saunders and their different views on the Dollhouse and taking care of actives.

One thing I really liked was them directly stating that Paul was divorced, cause I think it was just too subtle and I had no idea the first time I watched the series until I watched this. It's good to know that his obsession with the Dollhouse is what caused his divorce. I also like how they tricked him into opening up about what he knows about the Dollhouse. I really wish they would have kept that scene because it would explain away all the problems we've been having with the Paul Ballard character.

"I'm not nobody" just like "I'm not broken" I liked that.
I thought Eliza did a great job as Shauna I wish we could have seen more of that imprint. I didn't really like the opening scene in the bar. It felt like an over the top, terrible version of Faith. It's probably just me.

 

[sk]

Well, I can only agree with what everyone is already saying.
This episode is so much better pilot than 'Ghost'. I have no idea why they didn't broadcast this one.

The beginning is great showing Echo doing all sort of stuff right of the bat.

I really prefer the way we get introduced to all the main actives right away.
Not sure why since Viktor is the only difference (I think) but I never liked how it felt so slow to get to learn who was an active and not in the aired serie.
This way we could get only one 'shocking' reveal that Mellie also is an active.

Having Ballard meet and get shot by Echo is also a big improvement.
Now you can understand much better why he is searching for Caroline so specific.
That is one of the biggest problems with the show as it is now imho.

Topher is the only one that doesn't benefits from this version I think.
He did not quite come off as the great character he is here.

/SK