Joss Whedon's Dollhouse is probably his least known and by far his least popular show. The premise is excellent and the main problem with the first season is that it doesn't live up to it. The first half of the season succumbs to one-off filler episodes with little or no serialisation or worthwhile mythology. Sure they're watchable, but with such a strong concept and such a strong character writer at the helm, it seems a real waste of talent. The show finally starts to find it's footing towards the end of season 1 with the excellent episode "Epitaph One", which is the first real glimpse of what this show could be capable of being. A post apocalyptic episode set in the future where the Dollhouse mind-wiping technology has become more widespread and a small group of rebels must fight for their lives. By mid season 2 it turns into some of the best work Whedon has been a part of. The stakes get higher and the characters finally start developing some depth in a string of clever episodes that deliver high octane and exciting sci-fi where the dolls are forced to confront their own moral complicity. Many people criticise Eliza Dushku as unable to carry a show as a lead, but by the end of season 2 she starts to improve. As does her co-cast, especially Frank Franz who becomes much more interesting when he starts to question the morality of his work. The final episode of the series continues not longer after "Epitaph One" in the future where the attempts to destroy the mind-wiping technologies have not been successful and Kranz's Topher must try and restore the world's original personalities. It's another excellent episode that proves that if the show was allowed to go on for more seasons would've gone on to be something terrific in the genre. A show that definitely improved with age.
Joe is a television junkie. A film fanatic. A pop culture know-it-all. An interactive media masters student, and a bass player.
22 years old and Irish. Thinks Netflix is a Godsend.
