New Episode 1 for Dollhouse

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goldenboy

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Rutherford D. Actualperson: Joss. You are a legend in the industry, and your forehead is a normal size proportionate to your face. Tell me about the idea behind doing a new first episode. Didn't you already shoot one?

Joss: Yes, Ruhthie, I did. And it was grand, simply grand.

R.D.A: Then why shoot another? Also, your teeth are whitish.

Joss: I said it was grand, I didn't say it was comprehensible. I showed some scenes to David Lynch and he's all, "whuh?" Bad sign. But I kid.

The fact is, I'm very proud of the ep we shot and the series is making me crazy with the excitement. But I tend to come at things sideways, and there were a few clarity issues for some viewers. There were also some slight issues with tone "“ I was in a dark, noir kind of place (where, as many of you know, I make my home), and didn't bring the visceral pop the network had expected from the script. The network was cool about it, but not sure how to come out of the gate with the ep.

R.D.A.: So they made you do another. It's Firefly all over again! Run! For the love of God, HE'S CALLING FROM THE HOUSE!!!

Joss: Wow. Good panic.

R.D.A.: I try. But I am genuinely concerned. Also your smooth skin and elegant hands are making me bi-curious.

Joss: Well, the idea to do a new first episode wasn't the network's. It was mine. I understood their consternation, and saw the gap between my style and their expectations, and I suggested I shoot a new ep and make the one I'd shot the second. It isn't going to be buried, like the pilot of Firefly. It's simply coming after another, slightly cleaner ep. And because unlike Firefly, it isn't a two hour epic which introduces everyone to each other, the onus isn't on the new ep to explain a million things.

The fact is, Fox ordered the series before we shot a frame and then, after the strike, I had literally two months to write and prep the whole thing. Which means simply that the network has to figure out what they might want to tweak AFTER it was shot, unlike a pilot. Buffy didn't make the fall sched, Angel got shut down when they saw the second ep outline"¦ it's birth pangs. The network truly gets the premise (this is a whole new crew, as you know), loves the cast, is excited about the show "“ but they're also specific about how they want to bring people to the show and I not only respect that, I kinda have to slap my forehead that I didn't tailor my tone and structure to the network's needs, since that's something I pride myself on.
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Whedonesque : Comments on 17005 : Welcome (back) to the Dollhouse.
 
"Also your smooth skin and elegant hands are making me bi-curious."

LOL and im glad its not going to be like how firefly was aired (but at least the dvd got it right)
 
I'm glad he's stressing it was his idea.

And also, this could be a good thing. Two episodes which are both basically pilots for the series means viewers have two chances to try it out...people who miss the first one can catch the second episode.

I *really* wish FOX would consider giving this a two-night premiere, with BOTH episodes airing after American Idol.
 
OK, spoilery spoilers ahead. I don't know why I even read this stuff. Can't resist. Spoiler TV apparently got ahold of casting sides for the new pilot ep (apparently called "Ghost". io9 reviews it here and gives a link to the source.

This sounds so weird (and perplexing) and full of so much potential. I hope this show can find a big enough audience.
 
Yeah, it doesn't sound that mainstream at all to me and I think it's gonna be in for a struggle, hopefully they can squeeze out a few seasons.
 
Does sound pretty dark, as a series opener, doesn't it? I'm not sure an ep about how Echo got to be Echo wouldn't have been better...

I digress. The way Joss makes it sound, the new pilot was done to kind of make it more accessible to the casual viewer. Which, y'know, is fine, but I'd have to be living under a rock to think that Fox didn't have anything to do with it. I'm not sure that what I'm reading sounds very accessible, though...

But, despite that, I'm gonna still withhold judgment until the show's on. I know I've read shooting scripts for Buffy in the past and they seemed so different once on the screen. It's clear that he thrives on the direction and actors to really bring the stories to life, so while the subject matter may not jump at me off of the page, I'm trusting in his talent for imagination to breathe life into the story on the screen. So, I guess we'll see in January, eh?
 
If FOX had forced him to do it, why would he lie about it? Wasn't he pretty vocal about Firefly's situation when IT was on the air?
 
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