Just working my way through season 1. What occurs to me;
1. Clearly see the influence of Buffy/Angel. Adele is very Lilah, Topher is very Knox, Reed Diamond's character very Hamilton, even the set reminds me of WR&H (and the sleep chambers VERY Alien). Some storylines the same too, adults reduced to acting like children (Band Candy), everyone loses their memory (Spin the Bottle), psycho hunter pursues girl through the woods (Homecoming), little girl traumatised by being kidnapped and abused by serial killer (Damage) etc. Nice to spot the cameos too, the guy who plays the Valet in The Trial in the Beyonce episode for instance. Helo's sparring partner is the 'walking action figure' Spike fights to get his soul back. They even use the phrase Tabula Rusa in one ep ('blank slate')
2. A lot of people think it's stupid that the Dolls are all volunteers (or were at least blackmailed into signing on). I don't because it adds moral ambiguity, if they were slaves then the Dollhouse would be out and out evil. As it is we feel sympathy with the workers, Adele and Topher showing their vulnerability and loneliness, Adele hiring Victor to romance her, Topher programming Sierra as his perfect, beautiful geek girlfriend for his birthday. You also understand why November signed on, the death of her daughter too much to bear (did she kill her?) and Victor having committed some form of war crime. Anyone want to bet me that Alpha is Caroline's boyfriend we see shot during their break in at the science lab?
3. Quite shocked that the prostitution aspect is so blatant. I mean I expected it to feature but like the Holodeck in Star Trek I thought they'd leave it ambiguous as to whether people used it to have sex. But no, it's right out there. A common feature of adult fanfic is any and all of the Buffy/Angel girls turning to prostitution at some stage, normally when Buffy needs to support herself in LA btween seasons 2/3 or when she and Dawn are strapped for cash in season 6 or Kate Lochley after she get's fired by the LAPD ("Buffy the Streetwalking Hooker"
Birthdate Verification Page if you're over 18 and VERY open minded) I always thought Joss would be shocked by such stories but judging by this probably not. At least though it's not sexist, both males and females equally.
4. Eliza Dushku as a whip-cracking dominatrix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bet they aired THAT scene in the advertisements for the show during sweeps week! You just wonder about writers sitting around thinking "What sexy outfit can we put Echo into this week?". Anyone want to bet me that we see her as naughty nurse/sexy stewardess/hot cop/nubile Girl Scout/'Britney' style schoolgirl through the course of the series? Harmless enough titillation but what's a little more disturbing is Ballard discovering November is a doll then engaging in some extremely violent and forceful sex with her, bordering on rape (like Angel and Darla at the end of season 2 of Angel). Afterwards she tells him she really enjoyed herself but doesn't want it to be this way between them all the time. Jeez, even the heroes are pretty dark in this series! Another thing i find creepy is when the Dolls don't have there personalities implanted, they just act like stoned children or something
5. So what is the Dollhouse's hidden agenda? I figure it's to take over the world but not in a Bond villain way, I figure they want to use mind control to erradicate evil etc much like Jasmine in Angel season 4. Of course this can't end well
I like this series and hope it continues. What it lacks for me however is the great dialogue we've come to expect from Joss' shows and that sense of family and teamwork we got from the Sunnydale Scoobs and Angel Investigations. Needs more humour too although I do like the 'PORN!' line and the dominatrix jokes. Really it's a case of 'Shows great potential but must do better'.
