Dollhouse ReWatch: "Needs" (1.8)

[VisionGirl]

Echo, Sierra, Victor and November awake with most of their original personalities intact, and Echo attempts to escape from the Dollhouse with her fellow Actives, reclaiming bits and pieces of their past as they do so. Sierra discovers that she was forced to become a Doll after turning down sexual advances from a well-connected scientist named Nolan Kinnard; Victor is finally able to act on his attraction to her; November ("Mellie") grieves over her dead infant daughter, Katie; and Echo, after guaranteeing the other three have escaped, re-enters to the Dollhouse and forces DeWitt, at gunpoint, to release all remaining Actives. Thereafter all four "escapees" fall asleep due to subliminal programming; the entire process is revealed to have been masterminded by DeWitt and Dr. Saunders, allowing their Actives to achieve closure on their personal issues before putting them back to work.

Source

Dollhouse Wikia says that Tango's engagement is as Sally Bowles from Cabaret. (http://dollhouse.wikia.com/wiki/Needs) What is she saying in French?

My thoughts: I really like this episode, probably as much as Man On The Street. I love seeing the actives as their original personalities, it kind of starts to put the pieces together as far as who they are.

Randoms:
-that first scene- I did NOT remember that, very sexy!
-Sierra is comforted by Victor's presence.
-At first I thought that this was Dr. Saunders' plan. I think it was a characteristic Whedon mislead.
-I love Mellie's comfort/confidence with her body!

Sierra: Co-ed showers? I don't believe it. Echo: But we have to do it. November: So, no big deal.

So why does Whedon et al dress her in the ugliest clothes?! Sure, she stands out (someone who's not a stick figure on a Whedon show, gasp!), but it's not as if she's ugly/homely/obese. That annoys me.
-"Freedom must be earned." No Adelle, you are so screwed up. But I kinda love you anyway. 😉
-Hmm, Topher is afraid of the dark.
-Was Pryia a prostitute? I can't remember now, but it sure seems that way.
-"Give them what they need"
-"I'm just the science guy". Topher, trying to be amoral.
-"Your unbearable truth, lady? That you're not as important as you think you are". Adelle bristles at this, too close to home.
-Great ending with the message to Paul.
-I don't particularly like the song playing in this episode.

So my big question is: even when the exercise is over and they go back to the House, why don't they separate them? Obviously the 4 of them have a connection, and all have shown instances of cognisance and memory. I suppose that the staff trust too much in the tech, that this exercise plus "scrubbing" them will take care of the problem.

---------- Post added at 11:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 PM ----------

Oh, I meant to add that as a mother, watching the scenes with November at her daughter's grave is really, really hard. As soon as she saw the baby carriage I got choked up!

 

[Washburne]

I hate Dominic calling the dolls pets. His explanation fits though.

Waking up in the pods, seemingly back to their old selves but with no memory. Can you say interesting?

"I want to know what they look like.
Not sure I do."

"We got banana pancakes.
I like pancakes.
We're going to die."

The look on Echos face when Mike says mayonnaise. 😀

Ah Victor. What engagements have you been on. 😉

So... The soldier/doll in the garage saw a man die. Real or fantasy? How big are the chanses of getting out after 5 years. Looks like you'll be dead, put in the attic or in best case scenario get injured.

Caroline going back in the dollhouse to save the rest. Calling for help doesn't seem to be her thing.

Topher being afraid of the dark fits perfectly.

Caroline sure can be bad ass when she wants to. Determined as well.

Nolan. Big time jerk if there ever was one. At this point it sounds strange that they accepted Priya as an active. There's no way she's be a voulenteer. "Nothing is what it appears to be..." The security seem to be slow if they got a call when Priya/Victor were in the elevator.

Poor, poor Mellie. 🙁

Topher trying to justify what they do. Do he believe it himself? The connection to animal testing has been clear for a long time but sometimes it shows more clearly than others.

This place in the mountains that Caroline wants to go to. What is it and why do she feel safe there.

Why is Saunders walking out together with the actives?

-I love Mellie's comfort/confidence with her body! So why does Whedon et al dress her in the ugliest clothes?! Sure, she stands out (someone who's not a stick figure on a Whedon show, gasp!), but it's not as if she's ugly/homely/obese. That annoys me.

Until she has sex with Paul she seem very insecure but after that she seem very confident, at least about her body.

-Was Pryia a prostitute? I can't remember now, but it sure seems that way.

Short answer.

Spoiler

No she wasn't.

Otherwise you have to wait to

Spoiler

S02E04, Belonging.

-I don't particularly like the song playing in this episode.

You mean Lonely Ghosts, by O+S that's playing in the end? I like that one a lot. 😛

 

[VisionGirl]

Until she has sex with Paul she seem very insecure but after that she seem very confident, at least about her body.

I think that Madeline Costley was probably very confident, but as Mellie she was imprinted to be a bit more dependent. Probably purposely, to get Paul's interest and feeling of protectiveness.

And I'm realizing that we don't have near enough Dollhouse avatars!

 

[Washburne]

I think that Madeline Costley was probably very confident, but as Mellie she was imprinted to be a bit more dependent. Probably purposely, to get Paul's interest and feeling of protectiveness.

Oh, I'm sure of it. I meant just as Mellie so I'm not counting the shower scene. Before she felt needy and shy and would do anything to get Pauls attention. Not getting as confident as Madeleine but still a big difference.

And I'm realizing that we don't have near enough Dollhouse avatars!

New mission. Upload Dollhouse pics to the gallery. For those not knowing they get a chance of becoming avatars in the future. I've "got" quite a few Firely, Dr Horrible, Felicia Day and Alan Tudyk ones uploaded. One just need to have patience.

 

[VisionGirl]

New mission. Upload Dollhouse pics to the gallery. For those not knowing they get a chance of becoming avatars in the future. I've "got" quite a few Firely, Dr Horrible, Felicia Day and Alan Tudyk ones uploaded. One just need to have patience.

Oh gosh, I just realized that I didn't mean avatars (although more of those would be cool too!), but the icons we can put at the top of the thread/post.

 

[Washburne]

Oh gosh, I just realized that I didn't mean avatars (although more of those would be cool too!), but the icons we can put at the top of the thread/post.

He. I was wondering if you didn't think 124 was enough. Which it turns out it isn't for me. More Victor ones is needed. To start with. I'll be uploading pics at some point for sure.

 

[Vamp Jenny]

Paul's dream at the beginning was... disturbing...

The aliens theory? Nice, but a bit too X-files... (lol)

"I like pancakes."
"We're all gonna die."

Gotta love Joss' humor 😀

Mellie all relaxed about the showers. Is she the only one who went to college? 😛

It's sweet how Victor remembers Sierra.

Dollhouse Wikia says that Tango's engagement is as Sally Bowles from Cabaret. (http://dollhouse.wikia.com/wiki/Needs) What is she saying in French?

Chaque mot que vous dîtes c'est comme un porc grognon à  mes oreilles. Les villes comme ça c'est dégoà»tant. Je ne sais pas pourquoi je continue d'employer ce service de voitures dans Los Angeles.

Which can be translated in: "Every word you say sounds like a growling pork to my ears. Cities like this are disgusting. I don't know why I keep using this car service in Los Angeles."

Echo going back in to "try and make a difference"... Anyone feels like an Angel déjà  vu?

I know Echo had to win the fight, but isn't a handler supposed to be trained as a good fighter??? It must be in the job description, right?

Poor Topher, he had reasons to be afraid of the dark... Except it wasn't a monster who surprised him.

Nolan is such a jerk... I'd gladly unleash hellhounds or somethign on him... (oops, wrong show 😛)

Damn, I could almost feel Topher being scared. Poor little thing *hug computer screen*

Mellie on her daughter's grave 🙁

The scene when Echo got everyone out was beautyfully shot. And the song was perfect with it 🙂

Nice cliffhanger, with the voicemail. At least now Paul knows for sure they're underground.

 

[Valjavertjinn]

I love this episode - it's my favorite one. Doctor Saunders is my favorite character, and I really love her here. She's such a deep character, especially for one that didn't get much screen time.

 

[Taake]

Firstly, I think I have a small crush on Viktor now. Just something about him I guess.

I love this episode - it's my favorite one. Doctor Saunders is my favorite character, and I really love her here. She's such a deep character, especially for one that didn't get much screen time.

Agreed, not about the favorite episode thing but about Dr. Saunders. She is this great, deep character who kind of appears in the peripheral view for the most time but there is so clearly much more there....

Though, when I watch her this time around...

Spoiler

I can't help but wonder if their imprinting of Whiskey to become Dr. Saunders was flawed.

A. How much of the 'real' Dr. Saunders is part of her personality?

B. Why does Whiskey seem oddly aware that she's... I don't know, not aware that she's something else but she seems to feel uncomfortable in her own skin. As if somewhere deep inside she knowns that she isn't truly Dr. Saunders, though not in such spelled out forms.

C. There's something I can't put my finger on about her, it's compelling but it certainly brings up a lot of questions of who she is and how she ticks, even when knowing what's going to happen...

 

[Jules]

I loved the opening scene, even if it was only a dream. I also really liked watching Sierra's connection to Victor after she started to remember her traumatic event. It was really sweet.

Sierra's condition brings up an interesting point. Some people after a traumatic event will shut out the memory. Its as if it never happened and its the bodies way of coping. Topher tried to force that memory from Sierra and its clearly not worked. Her mind needed to deal with the problem not shut it out. I also think that Sierra's storyline with Nolan shows how flawed the Dollhouse program is.

Spoiler

As we learn in the finale, rich people can do anything they want, including buying imortality. So making one girl enter a program just because she says no to him is just the tip of the iceberg

I enjoyed meeting everyone. Victor is my favorite. He's funny and protective and sweet. Finding out a little about everyones past was really interesting.

I guess I shouldnt have been surprised at how manipulative the Dollhouse was bit I was even more shocked that it was Dr Sauder's idea. It rememinded me a bit of Angel and him being in W&H, that the longer they were there the more they were corrupted and lost sight of the mission.