Fox to not air Ep 13 of Dollhouse

It's kinda funny, I just saw a load of updates on twitter and it looks like people though Dollhouse was canceled (Which is hasn't been) thats gonna cause allot of crapyness!
 
It's because Episode 13 is actually a Family Guy take on Dollhouse.

"Hey Brian, remember the time I hired Echo to be my date for my highschool reunion prom?"
"You think that's bad, what about the time i had my memory wiped while i was on my way to Cleveland's"
 
It's the blessing or curse of social networking and information sites that a simple piece of information can be posted, swirl through the conversational meat grinder and come out meaning a totally different thing within mere minutes.

Take, for example, the alleged cancellation of FOX's "Dollhouse," which occurred today when "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" star Felicia Day tweeted, "Man, day getting worse and worse. Found out my Dollhouse ep, #13 isn't gonna air. Only on DVD. Such a great part too. Thx Fox. 🙁"

That was the frowny-face that shook the Twitterverse this afternoon, as a 140 character comment became a poorly sourced confirmation that "Dollhouse" was dead at FOX.

I have a little bit more information on the situation, facts that may not necessarily set Joss Whedon's devoted (and quick-to-panic) fans at ease, but which might at least explain the situation such as it is.

[Information after the break...]

Day's tweet actually came roughly 24 hours after FOX announced its plans for May Sweeps, plans with included the scheduled airing of "Omega" on May 8 as the "Dollhouse" *season* finale. But there's a catch: Sites like Wikipedia and EpGuides list "Omega" as Episode 12, which is technically accurate as it will, in fact, be the show's 12th episode to air. Said sites also, however, list an Episode 13, titled "Epitaph One." It's not a hypothetical or imaginary episode, mind you. It's not a figment of the Internet's imagination. It exists. It was shot. And it does, indeed, feature Felicia Day.

So the online panic goes like this: FOX isn't airing the season finale of "Dollhouse"! Therefore, the show must be cancelled and the last episode is obviously being withheld as an inducement for goosing DVD sales.

Here's the different explanation that I got from a network source: FOX ordered 13 episodes of "Dollhouse." This has been well-reported and is true. That number, though, included the original pilot episode, which was shot and then reconceived and never aired.

The "Omega" episode is the 13th episode of that original order. It is the second part of a heavily-arced two-part closure to the season and it was written, produced and directed as the season finale. It brings the slow-developing Alpha storyline to a climax and answers a number of questions about the Dollhouse and its inhabitants. It also raises possible questions setting up a possible Season Two, but it isn't a shocking cliffhanger.

More importantly, the questions raised at the end of "Omega" aren't questions answered quickly in "Epitaph One." I'm told that "Epitaph One" was ordered by 20th Century Fox TV, the show's production company, but not by the network and the network had no commitment to air that episode. It's Hour 14 for the season.

It's not like FOX had "Epitaph One" scheduled for May 15 and pulled it. The series finale of "Prison Break" will air that night, a two-hour episode that will, if we're all being perfectly honest, almost certainly draw a bigger audience than a hypothetical "Dollhouse" episode would have. That's an important point, because May 15 is the last Friday of May Sweeps and of the official Nielsen-slated TV season.

The source tells me "Dollhouse" has not been cancelled. Granted, what else would they tell me, but still... The long and short is that the network isn't airing an episode they never said they were going to air, although some people are reporting that FOX did say it was going to air that episode, even though you'd be hard press to find any official record of that.

[Given the literal meanings of "Omega" and "Epitaph," maybe fans shouldn't be surprised that one is airing as the finale and maybe they shouldn't be so broken up that the other is not airing.]

Will "Dollhouse" eventually be cancelled? I can't tell you that today. I can tell you to look at the show's ratings. If you just look at overnight and Fast National figures, that will probably tell you that hopes are bleak for a second "Dollhouse" season. If you look at DVR and iTunes and other ancillary numbers, it might offer hope. Either way, though, a decision has not been made. Or a decision has not been made officially. Or nothing that happened yesterday or today constitutes a formal pronouncement of any kind. It constitutes a twitter from a guest star and a piece of scheduling that wasn't really supposed to be noteworthy.

What I'm saying is that "Dollhouse" hasn't been cancelled until it has, but it currently hasn't been. So feel free to express your enthusiasm for FOX to renew the show, but don't jump to outrage just yet.
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http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-the-fien-print/posts/2009-4-9-dollhouse-hasn-t-actually-been-cancelled

He He, seems the reason people though it was caceled was because of Felicia Day, lol! The Fox twitter page had to announce it was not!
 
I don't really mind to be honest. Sounds like a good marketing move. DVD sales tend to bring shows back from the brink. Family Guy canceled twice - good dvd sales it comes back. Firefly - DVD sales equals Serenity. Futurama- DVD sales equals animated movies.
Loyal Joss fans will buy the dvd, an extra episode will give them more incentive, and a show with an average audience size, and very little critical acclaim, will have some money behind it, and maybe a reason to give it a second season.
 
Tim Minear said:
Okay. So maybe I can help clarify this somewhat. Because we scrapped the original pilot -- and in fact cannibalized some of its parts for other eps -- we really ended up with 12 episodes. But the studio makes DVD and other deals based on the original 13 number. So we created a standalone kind of coda episode. Which is the mythical new episode 13. The network had already paid for 13 episodes, and this included the one they agreed to let us scrap for parts. It does not include the one we made to bring the number back up to 13 for the studio side and its obligations. We always knew it would be for the DVD for sure, but we also think Fox should air it because it's awesome.
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OK, so let me see if I get this from the breakdown.
When Tim says 'we' does he mean the guys making the show (Tim, Joss et al) or 'we' as in the studio - but that last one doesn't make sense because he's not part of the studio - so we take 'we' to mean Joss et al.

So Joss and Tim created a pilot episode that, post production, they scrapped and used up - even though the Studio has paid for it.

The episode, Epitaph One, is the end of season episode BUT the studio have already paid for 13 episodes that have been made, but one of them was scrapped, dissected and used in other episodes, but those episodes still need paying for, so somehow a 14th episode is paid for and made.

Now, I am assuming that Joss didn't pay for this out of his own pocket, so the studio stumps up the money again, even though they've piad money and it was a 'we' decision to scrap the episode.

On top of that, they (Joss and Tim) "always knew it would be for the DVD for sure" and not for TV, but just neglected to tell the fans and the actors (obviously being Felicia was unaware) this bit of information.

So, the studio did, in fact, bend over backwards to help the show but for whatever reason (that will make more business sense than any of you guys seem to be willing to acknowledge) the "13th" won't, they are to blame for this whole thing.

God you guys really do have blinkered vision don't ya!
 
Damn you Fox! Damn you! It's typical of them, whenever I love a show to cancel it. It happened with John Doe & Tru Calling.. and now they're after my Dollhouse 🙁
 
The network had already paid for 13 episodes, and this included the one they agreed to let us scrap for parts. It does not include the one we made to bring the number back up to 13 for the studio side and its obligations.
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That sentence makes it seem like Fox didn't pay for it, it would actually make sense that Fox wouldn't pay for it, as they probably wouldn't pay for 14 episodes.

I would presume that it wouldn't be to expensive to make an extra episode, all the sets are paid for. It's not bringing in huge paid guest stars with Felicia.

Also I would presume they wouldn't announce that there would be one episode on the DVD, as that may guarantee it only goes on the DVD, whereas by not mentioning it, it may get on TV.
 
I still think fox putting it on the DVD is a way of getting some money back, that Joss et all squandered. They made a so-so pilot, fox paid for that. Made a new pilot, fox paid for that.
And I doubt Joss is paying for this. I don't think Fox is in the wrong here. They are right to try and get some money back through DVD, if Joss had made a decent pilot in the beginning, this wouldn't have happened.
 
Black Eye Guy said:
That sentence makes it seem like Fox didn't pay for it, it would actually make sense that Fox wouldn't pay for it, as they probably wouldn't pay for 14 episodes.

I would presume that it wouldn't be to expensive to make an extra episode, all the sets are paid for. It's not bringing in huge paid guest stars with Felicia.

Also I would presume they wouldn't announce that there would be one episode on the DVD, as that may guarantee it only goes on the DVD, whereas by not mentioning it, it may get on TV.
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To create an entire episode, even if Joss and Tim don't take a wage (which will be quite hefty) the 'stars' don't take a wage (which in American TV you get paid by the episode, not by the season, thats how its budgeted for and will be considerable) and the guest stars don't get much, you still have every single other person, who are all generally classed as self employed in the industry, plus equipment use, plus set modification and location costs (as I doubt the episode will be entirely in a one room set of the 'Dollhouse'), plus post production and all that jazz, I think you'll find thats a fair bit of money that someone has to come up with - and like I say, if Joss was paying for it out of his own money, we'd know about it - so I think its safe to say that Joss and co went back, cap in hand, and asked for more money, which the studio must have given.

Seems to me, the people that do the scheduling, the studios, were clear to Joss and Tim, that this episode wasn't going to be on TV.

Lets look at that line again - "We always knew it would be for the DVD for sure, but we also think Fox should air it because it’s awesome"

This line indicates that Fox made it clear what was happening, that while it would be on the DVD, it wouldn't be on TV - Tim thinks Fox should air it, but doesn't say that it was up for discussion whether or not it should air - which seems to me he would have said had that been the case.


Again - blinkered!
 
This line indicates that Fox made it clear what was happening, that while it would be on the DVD, it wouldn't be on TV - Tim thinks Fox should air it, but doesn't say that it was up for discussion whether or not it should air - which seems to me he would have said had that been the case.
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Let me say here that even though I understand all the marketing moves that FOX can make to get their money back and all of the budget explanations that you wanna give, I think it awful and kind of unethical & disrespectful towards the fans not show the entire season on air and go for the DVDs. Because to honest, even though there might be fans that would die and run t the stores whenever their shows are released not all of them like this or have the possibility to do so, therefore I find it completely unthoughtful!
 
entropy said:
Let me say here that even though I understand all the marketing moves that FOX can make to get their money back and all of the budget explanations that you wanna give, I think it awful and kind of unethical & disrespectful towards the fans not show the entire season on air and go for the DVDs. Because to honest, even though there might be fans that would die and run t the stores whenever their shows are released not all of them like this or have the possibility to do so, therefore I find it completely unthoughtful!
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So, Fox made it clear from the outset that this episode was going to be an extra for the DVD and its their fault that Joss and Co didn't tell anyone?

They've made the schedules and let people know about it - Joss should have been clear from the beginning what was happening.

Honestly, all you guys are sounding like pissy spoilt brats that will find any reason to curse out the network rather than your sainted Joss because he obviously walks on water and shits gold, so he can do no wrong.

I might have a dislike for him which may make me blinkered, but from what I can see the studios have been more than fair to him, and indeed you.

The only reason this episode has been made is because Joss scrapped an entire episodes after it had been made, knowing full well that the DVD would require 13 episodes because of 'other deals' they had made.

The studio may not have done this out of the kindness of their hearts, but they did it nonetheless.
 
E
entropy
God Edmund I know I should dislike you but I can't You're too good to be true :D Love ya!
Besides, as much as people are making this out to be, this isn't a move unique to FOX. Tons of shows don't air the entire seasons when their ratings aren't great.
 
Alright...

Let me do some explaining here.

Al, you're right and you're wrong. Fox didn't pay for it. In a sense. But neither did Joss.

There are TWO Foxes out there. There is FOX the television network. That is what ordered the 13 episodes and paid for them, including the scrapped pilot.

Then there is FOX the studio. This FOX paid for the "fourteenth" episode, now Episode 13. They did this because the studio has their own deals... namely a 13 episode DVD and contracts with international broadcasters... also 13 episodes. If less than 13 episodes are produced, FOX will lose money as the international broadcasters get a fair sum returned of the price they paid originally.

What this means is that internationally, you will no doubt get to see Episode 13 air. The US will get it on the DVD.

In the end... luck non-American bastards get to see Felicia Day on TV. The rest of us are screwed. 😉

FOX the network did not, it would seem, outright state that Episode 13 (or 14, whichever way you want it) would or would not air. So I blame FOX for poor PR.

However, this does not necessarily bode ill for the show. FOX the network is not reneging on their contract. We may not be happy, but that's how it is in the entertainment industry. Life's a b*tch.

Joss and Tim et al. knew the episode was definitely going to be on the DVD. It was made to complete the quota for the DVD. They hoped it would be aired, however, which implies they didn't know for sure that it wouldn't be.

FOX the network did not really lose any money. They paid for 13 episodes, including the squandered pilot. We are getting the 12 episodes that didn't fail. It's not something to recoup lost money. It's just what it is.

Hopefully this'll help people understand things better. 🙂 Just remember that differentiating between FOX network and FOX studio makes all the difference in the world. 😉
 
yellowcrayon said:
What this means is that internationally, you will no doubt get to see Episode 13 air. The US will get it on the DVD.

In the end... luck non-American bastards get to see Felicia Day on TV. The rest of us are screwed. 😉
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As I recall, UK viewers got to see all the unaired episodes of "Firefly" while Americans had to wait for the DVD.

Looks like BitTorrent is going to have a summer hit on its hands.
 
yellowcrayon said:
Alright...

Let me do some explaining here.

Al, you're right and you're wrong. Fox didn't pay for it. In a sense. But neither did Joss.

There are TWO Foxes out there. There is FOX the television network. That is what ordered the 13 episodes and paid for them, including the scrapped pilot.

...

What this means is that internationally, you will no doubt get to see Episode 13 air. The US will get it on the DVD.


FOX the network did not, it would seem, outright state that Episode 13 (or 14, whichever way you want it) would or would not air. So I blame FOX for poor PR.

Joss and Tim et al. knew the episode was definitely going to be on the DVD. It was made to complete the quota for the DVD. They hoped it would be aired, however, which implies they didn't know for sure that it wouldn't be.
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All the FOX's are companies within the News Corporation. They might ALL have seperate agendas but they are all connected - there was a funny case a few years ago, involving the Simpsons, where one arm of Fox wanted to sue another because of a joke, when the company stepped in and said "we're all part of the same group" - so either way, Fox still stepped up and gave the money for this extra episode.

That is not up for debate, thats just as it has to be.

Now, the "14th" episodes placement, thats where the discussion is.
You are suggesting that it was "hoped' that the show would be on TV and there was a chance of this, based on what people have said.
Now, I haven't read all the articles BUT I have read what Tim Minear has said, lets refresh.
"We always knew it would be for the DVD for sure, but we also think Fox should air it because it's awesome."

"We always knew it would be for the DVD for sure" is a very interesting line. It leaves little to no doubt that Tim always knew that this episode was made for the DVD. Why would he say this if it was for TV?
I mean, the rest of them will be for DVD too, so why make a point of this.

The next line, also indicates that Fox had no intention of showing it, but Tim et al "think" Fox should air it.

Fox are not to blame for any of this, they have done everything they should have done and even seem to have bent over for the show even though it will cost them more.

BUT anyway, this is my last post on this topic because as always God, I mean Joss, can never be in the wrong.
 
i saw this from Tim

Okay. So maybe I can help clarify this somewhat. Because we scrapped the original pilot -- and in fact cannibalized some of its parts for other eps -- we really ended up with 12 episodes. But the studio makes DVD and other deals based on the original 13 number. So we created a standalone kind of coda episode. Which is the mythical new episode 13. The network had already paid for 13 episodes, and this included the one they agreed to let us scrap for parts. It does not include the one we made to bring the number back up to 13 for the studio side and its obligations. We always knew it would be for the DVD for sure, but we also think Fox should air it because it's awesome.

Tim Minear | April 09, 21:47 CET
Whedonesque : Comments on 19822 : Fox paid for 13 Dollhouse episodes, 20th Century Fox made 14.


i understand now but i still hate fox
 
E
Edmund Blackadder
Look up - maybe even read the thread
I just would have rather had the original pilot as the 13th episode for the DVD... even with them reusing parts for other episodes.
 
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