Word of Advice for People thinking of Watching this show

[Sullivan]

Firstly yes watch this show. Its entertaining even if you're not a big Joss Whedon fan.

Secondly DON'T WATCH Episode 13: Epitah - Part 1, AT THE END OF SEASON 1! It will completely ruin the rest of the show for you since they spoil how the dollhouse project ends. I made that mistake whilst watching it with my wife and we're both pretty bored with Season 2 now since there's no longer any suspense since we know how it ends.

Don't get me wrong its a fantastic episode, but once the big spoilers are revealed there's no longer any mystery and you're just watching everyone go through the motions. Save that episode folks until you hit the final episode of season 2 that way Epitah Part 1&2 will flow nicely into each other. I just wish I had known about this sooner😡

 

[Jodast]

I haven't seen season 2 yet, but based on what I have seen, I am inclined to agree wth this. The episode itself is brillaint, if something of a shock to the system as it is so vastly different to the rest of what precedes it, but it does seem to give quite a lot away. I can only assume that either Joss and the producers expected to be cancelled at the end of the first season or that they were going to do an epitaph episode at the end of each season for as long as the show ran, building up a kind of mini-series. As I say, I haven't seen season 2 so Epitaph 2 may just debunk this theory completely.

 

[Robb Stark]

I watched this episode at the end of S1 (I haven't seen the second season yet either) and I didn't really interpret it as a definitive ending. Hell, I might have been wrong, that might be where Dollhouse is ultimately heading, but I kind of took it as an alternate, possible future. It was definitely a shell-shocker. For the first ten minutes or so I had no idea what in the hell was going on, but by the end I was really into it.

If I'd known in advance...I think I probably would have held off and watched it after the completion of the series. That being said though, I don't think it really spoils or ruins the enjoyment of the rest of the show.

 

[Taake]

That being said though, I don't think it really spoils or ruins the enjoyment of the rest of the show.

Agreed. (though I wouldn't have waited with watching it, I think it sets up for s2 brilliantly)
And it's an excellent lead in to the second Epitath episode.

So for me, I'd say "watch it, you'll love it" but that's just me.

🙂

 

[Aimee]

Haven't seen Dollhouse yet. I'm not really a big fan of Eliza's acting (even though she's great to look at) and none of my Joss-inclined friends have liked. How do you bond with characters when their personality changes every episode? Did you find that a problem?

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I watched this episode at the end of S1 (I haven't seen the second season yet either) and I didn't really interpret it as a definitive ending. Hell, I might have been wrong, that might be where Dollhouse is ultimately heading, but I kind of took it as an alternate, possible future. It was definitely a shell-shocker. For the first ten minutes or so I had no idea what in the hell was going on, but by the end I was really into it.

If I'd known in advance...I think I probably would have held off and watched it after the completion of the series. That being said though, I don't think it really spoils or ruins the enjoyment of the rest of the show.

It seemed pretty clear that it was were the show was going nothing about it really said it was an alternate universe.


I agree with you, Sullivan, though, I'd save it to the end of season 2 just to watch part 1 and 2 together.

But I was so glad for it when the show was on air, I was so bored by the end of season 1 I wasn't gonna keep watching, part 1 showed me the show was heading in a direction that was intresting, so i kept watching but since you know it's only 2 seasons I'd prob enjoy waiting them together.

 

[RogueDemonHunter]

Haven't seen Dollhouse yet. I'm not really a big fan of Eliza's acting (even though she's great to look at) and none of my Joss-inclined friends have liked. How do you bond with characters when their personality changes every episode? Did you find that a problem?

Ohhh its easier than you know to bond with teh charatcer of Echo. I love Dollhouse, you oughtta give it a shot.

 

[Washburne]

I thought the second part of season one was way better than the first half and then came this episode. It confused me. Don't get me wrong. I like it a lot. It's just so different. I was happy that swedish tv showed the episode. American tv didn't. It got me curious. I'll have to admit though, at this point none thought that the show was getting a second season so it felt like the ending. Showing where the show could have gone. Now they got another 13 episodes to rush through it. Still, I'm happy I watched the episode then I did. To me it didn't ruin season 2. I guess it's a matter of taste and sadly you won't know which one you've prefered until you've watched it, as well as the second season.

Haven't seen Dollhouse yet. I'm not really a big fan of Eliza's acting (even though she's great to look at) and none of my Joss-inclined friends have liked. How do you bond with characters when their personality changes every episode? Did you find that a problem?

1. Not all characters have their personality change each episode.
2. The first episodes make it a bit difficult I admit but once the show get going as it should (first episodes are made to be introductions wether you've seen the previous episodes or not) you'll most likely get attached. I know I did.
3. If by the end of the show haven't bonded with any character there's probably something wrong with you. Just joking. Kind of.

Also, the biggest mistake they did with the show in my mind was to try and make it "The Eliza Dushku show". It's the cast that make it great. Give it a chance, and a real one. The first episodes doesn't give you a fair view of the show. --> Leading to the show losing viewers. In my mind definitely worth sticking by.

 

[VisionGirl]

I respectfully disagree. It did not ruin season 2 at all for me. It was such a freaky, weird episode to put right there, but set up a lot of questions and made me anticipate season 2 even more.

Haven't seen Dollhouse yet. I'm not really a big fan of Eliza's acting (even though she's great to look at) and none of my Joss-inclined friends have liked. How do you bond with characters when their personality changes every episode? Did you find that a problem?

The whole premise of the show is "Can you really erase a soul?". I won't say more as not to spoil you, but I bonded emotionally to these characters maybe more than any other Whedon show. Give it a shot, if you don't like it, fine. 🙂

 

[Zeppelin92]

I watched it on Netflix in the regular order and enjoyed it. The only thing I don't like is that the ending had to be rushed because it got cancelled. There was a lot of potential for the series.

 

[Lyri]

Don't get me wrong its a fantastic episode, but once the big spoilers are revealed there's no longer any mystery and you're just watching everyone go through the motions.

I disagree. For me, watching Epitaph 1 at the end of S1 just made me want to know more. There was still SO many unanswered questions at the end of that episode that I just couldn't wait for S2 to start so that I could see what would happen. Even now, when I rewatch, I STILL watch in the order the eps aired, because there's just such a lovely feeling of suspense going into S2 and knowing how everything was going to play out.

I say, to anyone watching for the first time, watch in the order they aired on TV. It's such a great feeling of suspense and surprise.

 

[Still a Scoobie]

I just finished my rewatch last night and by coincidence this time I did it in the way Sullivan suggested in this thread, S1 eps 1-12, S2 eps 1-12, (comic), epitaphs 1+2. It didn't make a huge difference to me. Of course, I couldn't come at it with totally fresh eyes but I don't think it would have changed much for me if I'd watched it this way the first time.

 

[thetopher]

I'm in the 'Epitaph doesn't spoil it intrigues' camp- and since Season 2 is so much better than season 1 I get caught up in the actual modern day storyline and not the post-apocolyptic stuff.
I agree season 1 takes a little while to get going, but Season 2 is great stuff- Eliza is fantastic as Echo (the character actually becomes a character and not a slow mystery that the viewer had to solve) and every other cast member really gives it their all.

Plus, the ending, imo, is more moving than either the end of Buffy or Angel.

 

[Xin Rong]

I enjoyed it, it was a completely different episode that had a definitive shock factor, and it helped season 2 develop, but it didn't tell us what happened, just showed us a part, and the rest of the season developed that, so I would counter you advice and watch it... it establishes that the show is not as episodic as it first seems, it is building towards something

 

[Bluebird]

Firstly yes watch this show. Its entertaining even if you're not a big Joss Whedon fan.

Secondly DON'T WATCH Episode 13: Epitah - Part 1, AT THE END OF SEASON 1! It will completely ruin the rest of the show for you since they spoil how the dollhouse project ends. I made that mistake whilst watching it with my wife and we're both pretty bored with Season 2 now since there's no longer any suspense since we know how it ends.

Don't get me wrong its a fantastic episode, but once the big spoilers are revealed there's no longer any mystery and you're just watching everyone go through the motions. Save that episode folks until you hit the final episode of season 2 that way Epitah Part 1&2 will flow nicely into each other. I just wish I had known about this sooner😡

I have to disagree with this. I'd recommend people watch it before season 2. I liked the idea of memories being revealed through the chair, which were subjective to whoever's memory it was we were seeing - eg the scene with Paul as Echo's Watcher (or handler 😛) is shown from a different angle in the second season. I don't think it spoils the enjoyment of seeing how it'll play out. And I don't think it was the series was really about the grand storyline and coming apocalypse - that's just the natural conclusion to these immoral technologies. I thought the show was a fantastically entertaining framework to explore some philosophical themes. That's more than you usually get out of network tv.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

Season 1 looked like it was episodic and not leading to anything more than the successive contracts that the dolls were working on. Episode 13 changes all that - it looked like the series was moving towards something big that would retain your attention. I watched it in serial order and it was better that way.