Weekly Dollhouse Ruminations: Episode 8

Okay, so it's basically a Reset Button episode, a fake run-through of "Dollhouse Doomsday" by the PTB. The idea has merit and there were several cool twists and aspects, but overall, I came away thinking something was off with the story.

First, the good stuff:

1) character background.
Yay, we now have some back stories so we could cheer for the main characters. Can I say Victor, whom I didn't like in the first couple of episodes, has grown into my favorite character? Definitely an interesting idea to give the "actives" their basic personalities back without their memories. Victor, again, was the standout and most interesting. I'm thinking he "volunteered" because he suffered from PTSD. Mellie of the Melons obviously did out of the pain of losing a child (maybe she wanted to forget?). Caroline, in the two years after her boyfriend's death, has grown tougher because she sure didn't know how to fight like that in the lab chase in college, which tells that something more happened than mere running. Sierra's character is the darkest, much to my surprise, and it cast a very horrifying light about the Dollhouse.

2) overall arc
The mythos is very clear--the Dollhouse will do and can do whatever necessary to keep going/making money. For whom, it isn't quite clear yet and Alpha was underutilized in this episode. Contrasting their personalities with the dolls walking around was good too, e.g., Victor's muttering of baseball in an effort to not look around in the community bath. The scenes showing outside of the Dollhouse main area was interesting too--the giant clothes room (also very disturbing but with one funny moment showing Victor quickly putting back his thongs) and the

The Bad.
Sierra's background story with the douchebag who sold her and then the Dollhouse RENTING HER BACK TO HIM for more abuse? That was a WTF moment for me. Could be a major dealbreaker for me if not addressed sometime soon. This episode emphasized closure for the characters to sort of shut off that memory valve in their brains, but how the hell is this closure for Sierra?!

Also, wtf again with the Dollhouse doing that to Sierra? They had one of the Handlers killed off for raping her, but they allowed her to be rape via rental? Gag. Joss Whedon, no. Take that back. Nolan must die soon.

Really did NOT like Echo's original mind, Caroline. Gag. Hate that kind of PETA-Savior complex. I was amused, though, by Adele's observation that Caroline wasn't exactly smart. Because YES the woman is stupid. Instead of going to the cops and perhaps having a chance of going against people with guns, she put on a one-woman Save-The-World operation on her own. She was going to release the dolls the same way she was going to with the lab monkeys in her earlier life. Dumbass.

Anyway, the test run was meant to normalize the growing doll glitches. The doctor (forever Fred in my mind) was also a neat surprise. I can't decide whether she is for or against the dolls. She doesn't approved of looking at them as "pets," yet she was the one who initiated this retooling and reset idea.

Joss's very dark aspect of Sierra's chilling fate really underlined that the Dollhouse is evil, no matter how kick-ass Adele is or how amusing and smartmouth Topher is. It's an emphasis on the same disturbing theme of human trafficking from the first episode, only this time, it's even more personal for us because we've gotten to know Sierra through several episodes.

One more quickie thought--what the heck was the opening scene?! Yeah, Shirtless (now ex-)Agent Ballard was nice but having a nightmare-seduction dream with Caroline? With Mellie as the voice of conscience? So obviously ploy of meaninglessness eye-candy. I mean, Shallow Jenn thank you for Shirtless Ballard, but I know visual bribery when I see it. Bad boy fantasy. Yes, looking at you, Joss.

Oh, final words. Nolan. Must. Die.

Your thoughts?

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