Dollhouse ReWatch: "Omega" (1.12)

[VisionGirl]

Alpha, with Echo's help, kidnaps a girl named Wendy and takes both of them back to his lab; meanwhile, Dr. Saunders tends to Victor, Ballard assists the Dollhouse staff in tracking down Alpha, and a series of flashbacks depict Alpha's time at the Dollhouse, revealing that he has a long-standing crush on Echo and that Dr. Saunders is herself an Active, codenamed Whiskey, who was imprinted with the "Dr. Saunders" personality after Alpha killed the original one during his escape; Saunders becomes aware of this during the episode. Alpha imprints Wendy with Echo's original personality, Caroline Farrell; he then initiates a "composite event" on Echo, uploading multiple imprints into her at once, creating a hybrid consciousness named "Omega" whom he expects to kill Wendy/Caroline as part of her ascension to àœbermensch. Instead, Echo turns on Alpha himself. Alpha escapes by killing Wendy and then putting the "wedge" containing Caroline at risk, but DeWitt remains confident that they can catch him"”especially with the help of their new security consultant, Paul Ballard. Amongst Ballard's hiring conditions are that November, A.K.A. Madeline Costley, be released from her contract as though she had fulfilled it.

Source

I'll be back with trivia and my impressions in a minute- wanted to get this posted, as I am of course, late again!

---------- Post added at 01:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 AM ----------

Ashley Johnson who played Wendy/Caroline in this episode also portrayed Hayden Leeds in the pilot "Ghost". [very strange to me that Joss would cast the same actress as different characters in the same series, but not the first time he has done that] She was the prominent (unnamed) waitress in Whedon's Marvel's The Avengers.

Alan Tudyk being cast as Alpha marks the fourth time Joss Whedon has used members of the core cast of Firefly as villains for his other shows. Previously he did the same with Nathan Fillion on the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gina Torres on the fourth season of Angel and Adam Baldwin in the 5th season of Angel (1999)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1385113/trivia

Filming started on January 21st 2009. Since it was the last episode of Fox's 13-episode order (which included the unairable original pilot "Echo"), it was effectively treated as a season finale, both by the producers in that it resolves most season-long plot developments, and by Fox who advertised it as such. However, the status as the season finale is weakened by the fact that 20th Century Fox Television produced a 13th episode, "Epitaph One", for international broadcasts and the Dollhouse Season One DVD. "Omega" was shot at the same time as "Epitaph One".

http://dollhouse.wikia.com/wiki/Omega

My impressions:
-I can't believe this is the first time we know that Saunders is an Active.
-Oh, Victor's face! 🙁
-48 personalities, wow.
-Soylent Green- I haven't seen the movie, so the reference is lost on me.
-Alpha injuring his handler- very Caleb-like. Plus the mention of a reglious idea, hell.
-"You can't erase a soul" - that's the whole bottom-line issue in this series. In fact, that was stated in one of the first series' promos.
-The "self shelf" made me giggle.
-"Good luck with the whole 'God thing'."
-"She will ascend, & she will kill you". The whole ascension thing reminds me a lot of Buffy season 8: Willow says "they are the best of their kind" in reference to Buffy & Angel, and that they are ascending to something even higher. Also reminds me of the latest Fringe storyline- ascending beyond human.
-"They had to make room for it. They hollowed me out. There is no me, I'm just a container". Reminds me of Hawkeye's quote in The Avengers: "Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out... and stuff something else in? You know what it's like to be unmade?"
-"I'm ready to rinse and spit"- awesome line!

Amazing, amazing episode. They really brought it the 2nd half of this season. I was a tiny bit disappointed with the ending though. How did they get Echo back to the Dollhouse? Did she go willingly? And how did Alpha get away?

---------- Post added at 01:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:01 AM ----------

Oh, and I forgot about Paul and Mellie- waaah!! "I'm nobody". Off to change my banner!

 

[Valjavertjinn]

Did anybody else notice Wendy at the theaters? Also, I swear I saw Enver Gjokaj as a police officer.
Aaand I just checked IMBD, and he was! My mind is blown!
I was so amazed when Saunders turned out to be an active. And I think that it just shows that Imprinted Dolls are also people, even of they don't have their own face to wear.

 

[Washburne]

Lars is a client. What exactly was his fantasy? We ´know that crime isn't a problem for assignments but with these kind of people? "Are you having fun Lars?"

Saunders is a doll. Or was. Did every one see that coming the first time around?

Caroline getting a tour of the dollhouse. I like that she gets to see it before deciding if she's going to accept the offer or not. Still wouldn't call it voulunteering.

"Why is there a tall, morally-judgmental man in my imprint-room? Besides him?" *Points to Boyd*

Alpha showing feelings for Echo and the handler keep it quiet. Bad handler. "Just watch your step." 😀 More or less the opposite behavior to Dominic that saw the dolls as more or less brain dead.

"Whiskey, let Echo be number one." Oh oh. Trouble is surely here.

So Echo gets all her imprints. The difference to Alpha as far as we know, not a psycho among them. Could make a huge difference don't you think?

One thing that bugs me a little. Up to this episode Alpha may have been acting crazy but he's been incredibly smart and done everything right. After getting Echo his personalities flip out. He doesn't seem to be able to control it very well.

Alpha threatening to destroy the wedge. Anyone seen Con air and think of a certain scene? Probably just me and my awesome brain. 😛

"We're not bluffing.
I'm bluffing.
But the rest of us, we mean business."
[MENTION=9799]Taake[/MENTION]: A possible banner? Please.

All of a sudden Alpha is a lousy shot.

Paul catching the wedge. "You saved her." So he finally saved the girl. In a way.

How about Whiskeys contract. What happens when her five years are through? Realease her offering surgery to get rid of the scars?

The end. Heartbreaking. It'll be interesting to see Paul working for the dollhouse.

I get that there wasn't time but I'd liked to see Sierra and November as bounty hunters.

Did anybody else notice Wendy at the theaters? Also, I swear I saw Enver Gjokaj as a police officer.
Aaand I just checked IMBD, and he was! My mind is blown!

Totally missed that. :blush: Thanks for sharing that.

---------- Post added at 09:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 PM ----------

Ashley Johnson who played Wendy/Caroline in this episode also portrayed Hayden Leeds in the pilot "Ghost". [very strange to me that Joss would cast the same actress as different characters in the same series, but not the first time he has done that] She was the prominent (unnamed) waitress in Whedon's Marvel's The Avengers.

Since the pilot got scratched I don't see it as strange. Just means Joss liked her. Which her also being in Much ado about nothing show. As I mentioned in the Echo thread.

 

[Taake]

”We're not bluffing.
I'm bluffing.
But the rest of us, we mean business.”
Taake: A possible banner? Please.

Hihihi, totally! That might just be my favorite Alpha line, lol, I absolutely adore it 😀 Good idea!

(will be back with more thoughts etc tomorrow. Not home right now 🙂)

 

[Vamp Jenny]

Here are my random thoughts:

-Mark Sheppard in the guest starring list YAY!!!!!
-Alpha questionning the guy in the flashback kinda reminds me of Angelus torturing Giles. Well, if Angelus drank while torturing his victims...
-Saunders(Whiskey) being revealed as an active... 😱 *jaw drops to the floor*
-Seriously, what kind of person would like that engagement??? Being kidnapped and tortured as a fantasy? He needs to see a psychiatrist ASAP!
-Seeing Mark Sheppard YAY!!!!!
-Adele's smile when Paul makes the bomb squad leave, she likes him already!! 😀
-Topher is adorable, even when he's acting like a child who doesn't want to share.
-Poor Paul, being next to Mellie like that when she's not imprinted.
-I know he's just making sure nobody gets suspicious, but Alpha making fun of Echo's handler (in the flashback) is just hilarious XD
-Alpha arguing with himself is kind of creepy...
-I like the implication of Echo's new name. Omega, the last greek letter, the ultimate letter... Knowing Joss, I'm sure he chose that name for a(that) reason... *let me live in my dream please😛*
-Funny how now that Echo has become Omega, she's more intelligent than Alpha, who's just a sociopath...
-Alpha/Omega fight!!!!
-I like how they always manage to hint that USA now have a black president. Obama rocks!
-Echo whispering "Caroline" right at the end, perfect.

Loved this episode 😀

 

[VisionGirl]

Saunders is a doll. Or was. Did every one see that coming the first time around?

I did not see it coming the first time, but I am sooooo glad they made that role bigger! Amy is fantastic!

So Echo gets all her imprints. The difference to Alpha as far as we know, not a psycho among them. Could make a huge difference don't you think?

Alpha's original personality was a dangerous violent sociopath. While what Caroline did was legally wrong, her intentions were good. I think this goes back to Paul's point that "You can't erase a soul". The Dollhouse is trying to play God- it seems that they were trying to rehabilitate Alpha in a way. But can you wwe truly get rid of what makes that person an individual?

Since the pilot got scratched I don't see it as strange. Just means Joss liked her. Which her also being in Much ado about nothing show. As I mentioned in the Echo thread.

I think I got my pilots confused- so she was in the unaired pilot? Yes it makes more sense now.

 

[Washburne]

Alpha's original personality was a dangerous violent sociopath. While what Caroline did was legally wrong, her intentions were good.

A good point of course. Not one I paid much thought into actually. Which I should have. I meant the imprints they've been given.

I think this goes back to Paul's point that "You can't erase a soul". The Dollhouse is trying to play God- it seems that they were trying to rehabilitate Alpha in a way. But can you we truly get rid of what makes that person an individual?

Ah, the soul. That discussion kind of deserves it's own thread. What do we put into the word soul, do we really have one can it be changed/taken away etc. Besides Angels soul we also have the episode I've got you under my skin just to take some examples from the Whedonverse.

Personally I don't think anyone can be completely evil. Even if it can seem like it at times. If one is doing, really, bad things does it mean that they an evil soul? I can't see it that way. Probably much more complicated than that.

 

[VisionGirl]

And how did Alpha get away?

I just watched the deleted scenes and it answered my question. The November/Sierra scenes were awesome and too bad they cut them. Plus it explains how Alpha got away (Sierra & November are closing in on Alpha and Alpha tries to use November's trigger phrase to wake up her sleeper state. She points the gun at Sierra, Boyd interferes by Asking both of them if they need treatments, & Alpha gets away). Nivember smacking Paul after he tells her that she needs "therapy" (rather than a treatment) is hilarious!

 

[Taake]

-Funny how now that Echo has become Omega, she's more intelligent than Alpha, who's just a sociopath...

I think it's because Echo at the bottom of everything is Caroline, a strong idealist with the need of 'saving' people, or rather having causes, whereas Alpha at the bottom of everything is a psychopath. He was an inmate before he was at the Dollhouse, well on his way to become a murderer, so what's driving him on - his ultimate needs - are like a perverse twist of the things that drives Echo on.


Okay, so to thie amazing episode... which is love to me, love it!

- Eliza's acting is really good, I think she does clueless very well, and there's something very bewitching about her outfit. It's kind of trashy but I don't know, the purple and all, she looks great!

- Again Dr. Saunders!! She knows or she's aware, some kind of aware at least, I cannot stop being convinced of this. The look she gives Topher when she tells him Alpha asked her if she had always wanted to be a doctor...

- Aw, poor Viktor. "How can I be my best now?"

- giggles at Alpha "watching his steps". Every scene he's in is gold.

- Boyd: "Topher says it's like childbirth, I think it's like watching someone die" when watching November being imprinted. At this point I feel like I have him figured out, he's the moral center more or less of the show but

Spoiler

considering what we know about him in season 2 this line takes on a whole new level that makes him an even more complex character

- Caroline facing Echo... can you say creeepy?? Wow, imagine that scenario... that's just horrifying. Looking at your own Body and not being in it...

- Alpha arguing with himself - gold again 🙂 Perfection, no one could have done it like Alan Tudyk.

Seriously... if this show had been cancelled after one season I would have been crying tears of blood, this episode if anything shows the potential and strenght of this show and it's characters... so thank you to whomever forgot to cancel it 🙂

 

[Jules]

This is a very dark episode. The opening scene with Alpha and Whisky torturing that guy was very disturbing. Some people's fantasies are very sick. Watching Alpha's split personalities arguing with each other was amazing.

This episode brings some interesting security faults to light. If Victor was showing the same interest in Sierra as Alpha was in Echo they should have taken more control of Victor. The same with Echo, she was showing signs of becoming Alpha. With that kind of threat they should have done what Dominic had said and put them in the Attic, not waited to see how it played out. The only difference between Alpha and Echo is that he was a killer before he joined the Dollhouse. That brings an interesting point to light, because their ''personalities'' were meant to be wiped when they joined the Dollhouse, each doll should start with a clean slate. So did Alpha go crazy because of his imprints or because it was ingrained in him?

Also watching Paul help the Dollhouse. He's joining the dark side much like Angel did with W&H. No matter how noble his intentions. It was a shock that after all this time Paul saves November and not Echo. Another interesting thing is that November actually thanks Adelle for everything. I suppose what you dont know cant hurt you.

Ashley Johnson played two parts in the unaired pilot. The first was the girl in the bar. Then they wanted to change the storyline so they had her play Hayden. A girl who needs a friend (Echo/Max) to help her come to terms with her mothers cancer. So she's played 3 characters on this show. I'm glad they used her in this episode.

The Sierra and November scenes that were cut from this episode were quite good. Its a shame they weren't put in.