Dollhouse's Epitaph

Last night, Dollhouse got to do what few cancelled shows are able to: air a series finale. And not a season finale that maybe sorta not really can function as a series finale, or a pseudo series finale that clearly leaves room for another season, but an actual end. And while, much like most of this season, the final hour felt like it could have used a whole lot more episodes to tell the story (at the very least two hours would have been nice), it still gave closure for all of us fans still watching.

Picking up where the DVD-only Epitaph One ended, Epitaph Two began in 2020 with Epitaph One survivors Felicia Day, Zone, and little-girl-imprinted-as-Caroline making their way to Safe Haven in a postapocalyptic world where tech has gotten so out of control that most of the world has either been imprinted or lives in the blankslate mode of unimprinted dolls (if you can follow that sentence, you're definitely a fan). Thankfully, they quickly meet up with the rest of the gang, so unlike Epitaph One we get to experience the finale through all of our main characters (well, minus Boyd and Whiskey).

So where are they ten years in the future? Well, it seems Boyd's vaccine survived even if Rossum headquarters didn't, and they were able to protect themselves from imprint-palooza. Echo and Ballard roam the world shooting down various incarnations of Harding and Clyde (guess Boyd was the only Rossum bigshot not to back himself up), Priya/Sierra had a kid, and Tony/Victor got so obsessed with mental upgrades Priya wouldn't even tell the kid Tony's his dad. Topher got the darkest future, driven crazy while forced to work for the Rossum survivors on a way to imprint the rest of the world.

I'm still not sure I understand why Rossum wanted to create an apocalypse in the first place. I think Boyd thought it was inevitable so just wanted to survive it, but that doesn't explain the rest. Anyway, the plot begins when Echo and Ballard find Topher, who believes he can make the world right again, as long as he can return to the Dollhouse. So return to LA they do, where the zombie-like Butchers stand guarding the entrance and holy shit shoot Ballard in the head. And Echo doesn't even react, just moves on. Crazy.

More surprises await inside the Dollhouse, where Alpha is waiting....to greet them? Yes, somewhere in the past ten years he became a good guy, and sane. This was one of the places where we really did miss seeing what happened in those ten years, since Alpha as a good guy just isn't as fun as bad Alpha. And forgive me if I'm forgetting, but wasn't Whiskey still in the Dollhouse when Felicia Day left at the end of Epitaph One? How come she couldn't show up in the finale (other than a commitment to an ABC show that may never actually air)?

Thanks to a video of Bennett (nice touch), Topher figured out how to make his pulse bomb, but had to be there to release it himself, giving the typically heroic death to a complicated character. While the rest of the world woke up (did they fall asleep?), our gang was forced to remain in the Dollhouse so they wouldn't forget the past ten years, except for De Witt, who was assigned to lead the new world order. It was a little like the Buffy finale, when all the Potential Slayers were awoken and Giles restarted the Watchers Council to teach them what to do. And with a year to reconnect with Ballard, now imprinted into her increasingly crowded brain, Echo lay down in the pod to rest.

All in all, it was a satisfying finale that tied up most loose ends and left everyone in a secure place. But I wouldn't say it was a great series finale in the level that Buffy's was. With that ten year gap standing in the way, I couldn't help but feel that I didn't really know the characters as well (even if they certainly didn't look ten years older). Since they barely figured into Epitaph One, there's a lot of missing pieces in this story. And with so much plot happening so fast, it definitely felt a bit rushed (after ten years, Topher saves the world in like 30 seconds). Plus, after hiding it well all season, Dollhouse's low budget showed itself pretty clearly in the unconvincing apocalyptic world.

Still, the rush that was the second half of this season, filling each episode with so many crazy reveals and so much character growth, will surely help cement this as a cult classic-to-be on DVD. You can't fault Fox too much, as most networks wouldn't have granted the second season in the first place, and certainly not allowed it to air all its episodes without too long a break (remember what ABC did with Pushing Daisies' final 3 pisodes?). Dollhouse had plenty of flaws and was never going to be a mass-audience success, but it was surely one of the most original shows to ever make it on TV. I'm certainly glad I stuck with it, and if you didn't, check it out sometime.

TOP 10 TV SHOWS OF 2009

It may be 2010, but 2009, I'm not done with you yet. I've still got a few more movies to see before I can do my movie list, but here is my official list of the top 10 TV shows of 2009:

1. Glee

Not since Lost premiered in 2004 have I seen such instant devotion for a new series. From the extremely feel-good pilot last May to the immensely satisfying fall finale, Glee is easily the most enjoyable hour of TV in addition to the first successful musical program. I'd never claim it's objectively the best show on this list, with its myriad pregnancy issues and occasional cheesiness. But between the awesomeness that is Sue Sylvester and the joy of the musical numbers, I'm just having too much fun to care.

2. Dexter

It didn't seem like Dexter could ever top its first two seasons, but it at least came close this year with its most terrifying villain yet in John Lithgow's Trinity Killer. Dexter already had enough to deal with in his new marriage and newer baby while trying to remember where he stashed a recent kill. But Trinity made the drama all the sweeter, whether creating the most horrifying Thanksgiving dinner ever put to television or confronting Dexter eerily in his workplace. And in a year filled with big finales, Dexter wins for the most shocking and talked about ending.

3. Battlestar Galactica

I hope the Lost writers were taking notes, because this is how you end a show. BSG has disappointed me in the past by its regular midseason water treading, but this final season was just one big episode after another. Gaeta and Zarek's attempted coup made for two episodes of quality suspense, and the big cylon reveal episode downloaded a ton of information and answers into our brains without exploding them. But it was the pitch-perfect finale that cements its place on this list, giving the right amount of action, twists, answers, and closure we expect from a classic piece of sci-fi television. So say we all.

4. Lost

Lost's bump from the top isn't intended as a punishment, but it certainly did air its strangest season yet. The season's strongest episodes for me came at the beginning when the island jumped through time, giving glimpses of island history that put a lot of pieces together. But if the long sojourn in 1970s Dharmaville lacked the immediacy of other seasons, it did allow Sawyer to emerge as a hero and Juliet to provide him with the series' most believable romance. With the biggest clean slate of an ending the show's done yet, I don't know what the final year will bring, but I can't wait to find out.

5. Modern Family

At first glance, this so doesn't seem like a show I would watch. Why do I want to help bring back the family sitcom? Well, because it's the funniest thing on TV. With characters so instantly defined and developed, every gag's pay-off hits harder and the occasional "aww" moment works. The reason for all those Arrested Development comparisons isn't just for the dysfunctional family; it's cause that's the last time we laughed this hard.

6. Mad Men

Frustratingly and often infuriatingly, Mad Men loves the slow burn. It leaves you trudging through lame plots like Don's affair with the teacher and Betty's flirtation with the politician until you wonder why you're still watching. Then it slams you with three of the best episodes it's ever produced right at the end. From Don's emotional confession to Betty to the phenomenal JFK assassination episode to the massively entertaining caper of a finale, Mad Men earned its label as the best show on TV.

7. True Blood

I started watching True Blood over the summer, and it's easily the most fun thing to come out of HBO in a long time. Season 2 was where it went from cult fave to legitimate hit, through crazy storylines like a maenad who inspires orgies, a church that actively seeks to rid the world of vampires, and a 2000 year old vampire who looks like he's 13. The vampire craze may irritate me in almost every way imaginable, but this is one way I'm happy to indulge it.

8. Dollhouse

I'll admit upfront that Dollhouse is majorly uneven, to the point where even some hardcore Joss Whedon fans couldn't stick with it. They're missing out. Dollhouse not only has one of the coolest premises on TV, but a story that really kicked into gear with Alpha in season 1 and again with the fight against Rossum this season. With a cast that's finally starting to gel and a ridiculous amount of geek-friendly guest stars, it's a shame Dollhouse won't have the chance to become the great show it's proved more and more capable of being. But the accelerated finish sure makes these final episodes all the more riveting.

9. How I Met Your Mother

Having just hit its 100th episode in early 2010, HIMYM is showing some signs of aging, most notably with the not-so-satisfying handling of the brief Barney and Robin relationship. But the advantage of its experience is that the cast plays off each other so well that watching HIMYM really is like hanging out with your (cooler than real life) friends. I certainly wouldn't want the mother to stand in the way of my weekly trips to McLaren's.

10. Damages

In its second season, Damages got so complex that all these months later I couldn't try to tell you what happened. Something about a big company, GPS coordinates, shady FBI guys, and Darrell Hammond playing what seemed to be a gay Donald Trump. But no matter how crazy Damages gets, you can be sure of two things: Glenn Close will be fantastic, and the crazy plot twists will send your mind reeling and begging for more.

Honorable Mentions:

Better Off Ted - Which went from amusing to hilarious in its second season, and deserves a "Save This Show" campaign

30 Rock - Which may be uneven but continues to produce some very funny episodes

The Office - Which saw a huge quality comeback at the beginning of the season...only to sink back down again

Now for my TV awards:

Best Drama: Dexter

Runners-Up: Battlestar Galactica, Lost

Best Comedy: Glee

Runners-Up: Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother

Best New Show: Glee

Runners-Up: Modern Family, V

Best Actor, Drama: Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Runners-Up: Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Josh Holloway, Lost

Best Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, Damages

Runners-Up: January Jones, Mad Men; Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica

Best Supporting Actor, Drama: John Lithgow, Dexter

Runners-Up: John Slattery, Mad Men; Michael Emerson, Lost

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter

Runners-Up: Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Olivia Williams, Dollhouse

Best Actor, Comedy: Matthew Morrison, Glee

Runners-Up: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Danny McBride, Eastbound and Down

Best Actress, Comedy: Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Runners-Up: Toni Collette, The United States of Tara; Lea Michele, Glee

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother

Runners-Up: Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Jane Lynch, Glee

Runners-Up: Portia de Rossi, Better Off Ted; Julie Bowen, Modern Family

Suits and Dolls

Tonight, How I Met Your Mother celebrated its one hundredth episode, an accomplishment all the more impressive for those of us that remember the days when the producers had to cast Britney Spears (multiple times) just to stave off cancellation. It also meant an episode that had just about everything you could want from HIMYM: Barney being awesome, a big step forward in the story of the mother, a fun cameo, and, oh yeah, NPH singing.

First up, Ted. I know he's most fans' least favorite character, but this Barney&Robin-heavy season has proved how important it is to still keep him the center of the show. A lot of us started watching the show because of episodes like "The Pineapple Incident," "Mary the Paralegal," and the wedding episodes where he met Victoria. So it's only appropriate that the 100th episode devote some time to Ted's love life. Of course it would be too obvious if Rachel Bilson turned out to be the mother, but we got a whole lot more info about her: she plays bass in a band, likes T.C. Boyle, sings songs using breakfast foods, and makes paintings with robots playing sports. Yeah, sounds like the right woman for Ted. And not to defend Future Ted too much, but every viewing of the yellow umbrella is another step in the story.

Now on to Barney. Barney faced a crisis of conscience when he found out the new "hot bartender" he wanted wouldn't go for a guy in a suit. There's a couple of obvious plotholes here. In what universe would Barney have never slept with a bartender? That's where most lotharios begin! Is McLaren's literally the only bar he goes to? And secondly, I've gotta side with Marshall here - she's definitely not hot enough to get guys lining out the door and Barney to give up his suits.

Those quibbles aside, there was tons of good Barney action tonight. We got to see him unnaturally suit-less and pawing at Marshall's jacket. The secret compartment inside the McLaren's bathroom stall where a suit was waiting. Tim Gunn as his personal tailor. And in one of my favorite bits of the night: "Wait for it...." "We know you're going to say suit." "Suit." Between that and the suits eerily telling him to "suit up," season 1 catchphrases made a big comeback.

Still, the big moment came at the end, when Barney broke out into song on the joys of suits. The other cast members may have played a minor role, but that's just fine when NPH gets to use the voice we heard and loved in Dr. Horrible and all those award shows. And the music was surprisingly good as well. Maybe not Buffy musical calibre, but pretty damn enjoyable. 100 episodes in, it's nice to see the show is still this entertaining.

On the other side of the TV longevity scale, Dollhouse won't even get a fourth as far as HIMYM already has, but its cancellation has only made the show amp up the awesomeness. For the first time I can recall, we're witnessing what would happen if a show knew it had a certain number of episodes to wrap up an entire series. As the writers are trying to condense three or four seasons into 9 episodes, every episode now feels like 6-in-1. Which explains why this past Friday's episode was such a series of escalating "oh shit" moments.

Coming out of the excellent "attic" episode from before the break, Dollhouse upped the ante by bringing back a whole bunch of MVPs, starting with Dr. Saunders, who it turns out has been living with Boyd this whole time (oh shit moment #1). Hence his coming in late and referencing "personal stuff." Those writers sure are crafty. Since my biggest problem with this season has been the lack of Whiskey, her return was a very welcome surprise.

The other big return was Summer Glau's Bennett, aka female Topher, who we learned a lot more about through flashbacks of her history with Caroline. We also learned a whole lot more about Caroline. In Caroline's season one flashback, I remember thinking, "that's it?" They had built her up as some big mysterious character, then when we saw her she was just like "I want to save animals! Woo!" Kind of a let-down. But this episode showed she was doing a little more than that. She wasn't caught after a single break-in, but after a longer campaign against Rossum that involved befriending Bennett and using her to blow up Rossum's main building. And turns out Caroline wasn't running to save herself when she left Bennett behind, but to keep Bennett's cover.

In addition to the info overload, Bennett's return meant some quality awkwardness with Topher, who managed to make his previous encounter with her seem smooth. Between the painful kissing and the constantly referencing having punched her, you'd think he was ruining his chances except she totally went for it. Which was sweet. Until Whiskey SHOT HER IN THE HEAD (oh shit moment #2)!!! Who programmed her? What's the reason? Who knows!

Well, we do by the end of the episode, when Echo as Caroline remembers meeting the two men Clyde told her were in charge. After being called up the elevator to the Director's office, she saw Clyde 2.0 (or 5.0) in the flesh. And he looked....about what you'd expect, the most benign, least threatening individual imaginable. Hardly like he was the architect of the apocalypse. Because that role was left to the real man in charge, the one who betrayed original Clyde to run Rossum single-handedly....Boyd Langton (biggest oh shit moment of the series).

Yeah, didn't see that one coming. Boyd implanted Caroline within the Dollhouse, presumably with the ability to retain multiple personalities so she could become Echo, then placed himself inside as her handler so he could protect her and keep her in place. But for what? To ensure the apocalypse, or to try to stop it? Might Boyd still be a good guy after all? Or has leading De Witt to fight against Rossum been part of some other plan we know nothing about?

Well, it would have been nice to see Dollhouse play out in a more normal and leisurely fashion, but when the speeded-up version leads to episodes this good, it's hard to complain. Final two episodes are going to be huge.

TV Midseason Preview 2010

Hey everyone, happy New Year! I know we're already a few days into 2010, but for the first Zandervision post of the year I thought it would make sense to look ahead to all of the various TV show returns, season premieres, and new shows over the next few months. Many thanks to Entertainment Weekly for essentially already doing this, and if you're curious about a show I don't watch, go there.

Scrubs and Better Off Ted (January 5th, 8-10 PM, ABC)

These shows have been airing straight through the holidays, but starting Tuesday they begin doubling up to expedite the burning-off process. While Scrubs' likely cancellation may be for the best, Better Off Ted just keeps getting funnier. Maybe think about giving it a shot before it disappears for good?

Modern Family (January 6th, 9-9:30 PM, ABC)

The funniest new show of the season returns with Benjamin Bratt guest starring as Manny's father.

How I Met Your Mother (January 11th, 8-8:30 PM, CBS)

Not only is this the date that HIMYM returns, but it also marks its 100th episode with Rachel Bilson guest starring, the promise of actually seeing the mother, and best of all, a big musical number featuring the entire cast in suits.

30 Rock (January 14th, 9-10 PM, NBC)

30 Rock returns with two episodes in a row? I want to go to there.

Archer (January 14th, 10-10:30 PM, FX, NEW SHOW)

I missed the preview during the fall, but this animated comedy for adults from some Adult Swim writers is supposed to be well worth a look.

Project Runway (January 14th, 10-11 PM, Lifetime)

If it seems soon for another season of Project Runway, it's probably to wipe away our memories of last season's disaster. But since this time it's back in New York with all judges present, I'll give it at least a few episodes.

The Golden Globe Awards (January 17th, NBC)

The awards themselves don't mean much (if they gave Nine 5 nods they clearly don't watch the movies), but Ricky Gervais as host should make for an entertaining night.

Human Target (January 17th, 8-9 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)

A comic book based action show starring Mark Valley, Chi McBride, and Jackie Earle Haley. Sounds cool to me.

24 (January 17th & 18th, 9-11 PM & 8-10 PM, Fox)

Yes! Bauer is back, and this time in New York with a ton of new blood including Freddie Prinze Jr., Starbuck, Indian Regis Philbin from Slumdog Millionaire, and Bubba from Forrest Gump. Plus some old blood in Chloe, Renee, and President Taylor.

Life UneXpected (January 18th, 9-10 PM, The CW, NEW SHOW)

TV Guide Magazine calls it "Gilmore Girls meets Juno." Since it's about a teenager who becomes friends with her biological parents, if you like Gilmore Girls, you'll probably like this. Not my kind of show, but at least it's not yet another remake of something from the '90s

The Office (January 21st, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)

With the sale of Dunder Mifflin, maybe The Office will find yet another way to keep itself relevant in its 6th season. Just as long as they never do something like "Scott's Tots" ever again.

Dollhouse (January 22nd, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Not a return but an ending, as Dollhouse airs its series finale. Since the episode is titled "Epitaph 2," it looks like Echo and De Witt's fight against Rossum won't stop the eventual apocalypse, but we may find out what happens to everyone after tech takes over.

Caprica (January 22nd, 9-11 PM, SyFy, NEW SHOW)

If you want to get a headstart on this prequel series to Battlestar Galactica, you can catch the two-hour pilot on DVD. Having just watched it, I can say it's nowhere up to BSG quality yet and is a lot slower paced, but I still found enough cool and intriguing stuff here to want to check out the show. Seems appropriate to be premiering the night Dollhouse ends, since I could certainly use something to fill the sci-fi void.

Spartacus (January 22nd, 9-10 PM, Starz, NEW SHOW)

This attempt to essentially turn 300 into a TV show is probably far too silly for my taste, but if the idea of Lucy Lawless doing something somewhat back in the Xena realm sounds exciting, this is the show for you.

Damages (January 25th, 10-11 PM, FX)

Heading into its third season, Damages is looking to be just as complex and crazy as ever. This time the case centers on a Bernie Madoff like figure (played by original Sweeney Todd Len Cariou) and his wacky family, including wife Lily Tomlin, son Campbell Scott, and secret keeper Martin Short, in an attempt to go serious. If nothing else, Damages always wins for creative casting.

Lost (February 2nd, 9-11 PM, ABC)

Beginning its final season, Lost is easily my most anticipated return of all of 2010. Since the writers say even a single clip would give away everything, all I can say about season 6 is that Claire's back, a bunch of dead people guest star, and it's going to be awesome.

Parenthood (March 1st, 9-10 PM, NBC)

Originally slated for the fall, Parenthood intrigued me then and still does now that Lauren Graham's starring. Though does that mean I need to see the movie?

Gossip Girl (March 8th, 8-9 PM, The CW)

Why such a long break mid-season? Hopefully the writers are taking their time to come up with something good to close the season, because Dan's threesome and Tripp's bug-eyes certainly don't count. And no, neither does bringing Chuck's mom back from the dead.

V (March 30th, 10-11 PM, ABC)

It's looking like a massive ratings drop is inevitable given ABC's idiotic decision to take a long break after airing the initial four episodes. But if you keep watching, the mistake doesn't have to be fatal.

Glee (April 13th, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Another mind-bogglingly long mid-season wait, but the promise of Sue Sylvester singing and dancing makes it worthwhile. The bigger problem will be what to watch first now that Glee and Lost share a timeslot.

Dollhouse Tries to Be Its Best

Dollhouse came back with a bang last week, traveling to the DC Dollhouse for a two-parter bound to make any Dollhouse fan feel even sadder about its cancellation. Then this past week saw the return of Alan Tudyk's Alpha, whose "splash of color" cemented his place as one of the most memorable villains of the Whedonverse. Things are looking good for a strong end to the final season, but it does make me wish they had started with THESE four episodes instead of the ones they did.

First up, the DC two-parter, which was jampacked with twists. The anti-Dollhouse senator is a doll! His wife is really his handler! And he can fight better than Wesley Windham-Price ever could! But the real highlight of the DC episodes was Summer Glau's Bennett, a female Topher with a grudge against Caroline. Her awkward tech talk (and one-handed, no less) made her the perfect counterpoint to Topher, and every one of their scenes was hilarious. Well, until he discovered she's a bit psycho and used him to have the Senator whack Echo.

As excellent as the Topher/Bennett scenes were, the person even better matched for Topher was...Topher, as played by Victor. Turns out Victor does a mean Topher impression, nailing every twitch and high-pitched whine. It's in moments like these when Dollhouse reaches Buffy levels, and makes it clear the great potential that's here. It's also interesting how Topher has gone from my absolute least favorite character to one of the best on the show. He and De Witt have really shined this season. But more on her later. Toss in an appearance from Ray Wise of Twin Peaks fame, and I can safely say the DC mission was a success.

On to this past Friday's two-fer, which was a little more uneven but still with just as much awesome. Left out in the world after the DC escape, Echo spends the next three months training with Ballard to be ready to take out the Dollhouse from the inside. I found the time progression a bit confusing - how did she go from doll trance state in the store to fully integrated Echo in just one scene? But the end result is Echo is no longer her character-of-the-week, nor Caroline, but an actual character who may be capable of taking on a protagonist role she never could before. So dramatic faults or not, the episode at least seems necessary.

And the dramatic faults extended beyond the brief transition from "did I fall asleep?" to "let me access that personality for you." Using the immigrant she got locked up while in doll-mode as a test subject, the rest of the episode saw Echo trying to arrange her own prison break so she'd be ready to do it under De Witt's nose. The question throughout was what was so important about that one person, which was never answered outside of Echo felt like she owed her and needed to learn to break people out. And the guards were somewhat over-the-top, even when played by Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce (24 alums two weeks in a row!).

If the Echo/Ballard lovefest wasn't one of the show's finest stories, the De Witt/Harding battle back on the homefront was. As I said above, De Witt has gone from the cold, uncaring Brit boss lady to being one of the most compelling and sympathetic characters on the show this season. Which is why she needed to return to her bitch roots, stealing the (world-destroying) tech from Topher to get back her house from Keith Carradine's smug superior. A good two hours for De Witt, even if not for those in her employ.

On to the second hour, which saw the hotly anticipated return of Alpha. Dashing in his fancy suit and purple tie, he made like Sweeney Todd and went around slashing the throats of all of Echo's most significant clients. It all played like a super suspenseful serial killer movie, and even included a guy blowing up! But things just got crazier as Alpha entered the Dollhouse, using his (potentially world-destroying) tech to turn all dolls into angry warriors as he cornered Ballard in the chair. Ballard may have been left brain-dead, but I'm not too worried for him. With Ballard imprinted within Alpha, it just means Alpha will be coming back shortly.

These past two weeks may give the suggestion that the show can only thrive with high-profile recurring characters like Alpha and Bennett, but it was in the Alpha episode that I really felt the main cast bonding together stronger than ever before. Boyd and Ballard now have the buddy-cop dynamic that works best for their characters and thankfully puts Boyd back onscreen. Echo has a real character and her place in their plotting, and now Topher's in on it too while De Witt stands guard as the capable adversary-who's-sometimes-good. The only missing piece now is Dr. Saunders, who felt more missing than ever as Whiskey's name was mentioned. Biggest mistake the producers did was letting Amy Acker leave.

What's been clear these past few weeks is the Dollhouse writers are determined to get in as much of their story as possible in these final episodes, something we all doubted in the unfortunate crazy mommy episode earlier this season. The dystopian future foretold in Epitaph One seems closer than ever, now that Topher, De Witt, Harding, and Alpha all have the tech that can implant personalities remotely. Next week will go inside the attic, something that wouldn't have happened until season 3 or 4 on a longer runner show. And Echo is now completely past the doll stage and ready to kick ass. There may not be many of us still watching, but we are being rewarded.

Bad News for Dollhouse Fans

Well here's some disappointing news to start the day: according to Entertainment Weekly, Fox is taking Dollhouse off the schedule for November sweeps, not bringing it back til December for back-to-back Friday night episodes. So there's some doubly bad news: not only is Fox giving it the vote of no confidence by taking it off the air for a month, but in December the burning off process begins. All of which means what we probably knew all along: this second season will be Dollhouse's last.

So what went wrong? Why, after just three episodes this season has Dollhouse already been marked doomed? It's easy to just blame the network, but I think this case is a little more complicated than that. After all, most networks wouldn't have renewed Dollhouse at all. Or Fox could have gone the NBC route and renewed it and then canceled it before a single episode aired, Southland style. And finally, they could have actually canceled the show after these three episodes, but instead have promised to air all 13 episodes (even if some may end up being over the summer).

Next, as much as I hate to admit it, Joss Whedon and co. do have to take some of the blame. As I wrote after the second episode, the first two episodes this season just haven't been very good. The premiere was solid enough, but the second episode was just bad, and when every episode counts there's no room for duds. Now, the third episode was a huge improvement over the first two, with a plot about a creepy psycho on the loose in Victor's body who ends up swapping with Echo (leading to a very funny scene of Victor at a club with a party girl's personality). But even that episode was pure case-of-the-week, which most fans had hoped the show evolved out of last year.

But despite some creative missteps, I still believe the time slot was ultimately what doomed the show. There's an argument that Friday nights are a good place for struggling shows because the expectations are lower. But they're not. CBS continues to get blockbuster ratings for crappy supernatural procedurals like Ghost Whisperer and Medium, so the other networks think "I can do it too!" But here's the thing: only old people stay home and watch TV on a Friday night. Young people go out and catch the show on DVR sometime later. Which is why Dollhouse's ratings are 50% DVR. Cause only young people watch it. But it takes 17 days for those ratings to come in, at which point it feels like too little too late.

Even the death slot could have been survivable if Fox even tried to give the show a compatible lead-in, but instead it gave it probably the worst options in its line-up: Brothers and Til Death. Having never seen either, I can't really comment on their creative strength, although I can say that most critics named Brothers the worst new show of the season, and I honestly thought Til Death was canceled years ago until I just looked up Fox's schedule to see what Brothers is called. But even if both shows weren't even more in need of cancellation than Dollhouse, you still can't lead in to a challenging sci-fi show with unchallenging and unwatched comedies. Fringe would have made sense. Even a House or Bones repeat would have worked. Anything that would already have people watching the network.

Entertainment Weekly had a piece recently about how Tuesday is the worst TV night of the week, and shows like Dollhouse should be moved there where they'd stand a better chance. I couldn't agree more. I don't watch a single Tuesday night show, as the only options are reality, NCIS, and remakes of shows from the 1990s (literally the only shows that don't fit into these categories are The Good Wife, The Forgotten, and Leno). So if nothing else, maybe this whole incident will convince Fox that if their benchmark for a successful Friday night show is whether it can beat a repeat of House, maybe they should just air a repeat of House instead. Times have changed since the days The X-Files became a hit on Friday nights. And for Dollhouse fans, at least we'll get to see the final ten episodes sometime.

Dollhouse Wants to Stay Awake

It's only 2 episodes into the season, and already blogs are announcing Dollhouse's potential cancellation. As depressing as that prospect is, it does address something we all knew going into season 2: Dollhouse is lucky to have a second season, and we should enjoy it while it's on. Since Joss Whedon knows that as well as anyone, it makes it all the more curious why this season's first 2 episodes feel so much more like early season 1 than late season 1. To paraphrase Tony Soprano, every episode is a gift, but does it have to be a pair of socks?

That's being a bit overdramatic, since Dollhouse continues to be enjoyable week to week. I'm more referring to the decision to go back to the case-of-the-week format, and more specifically the lackluster nature of the first 2 cases. In the season premiere, Echo married BSG's Apollo, an arms dealer, to take him down. As fun as it is to see Apollo again, I spent the whole episode wondering how long this engagement lasted to get him to marry her, and why it was worth all the effort.

Still, if the procedural element wasn't up to Whedon standards, much of the rest of the episode was. Whiskey/Saunders, one of the show's best characters, had a great storyline as she dealt with the season 1 finale revelation that she's actually an Active. It makes you realize what season 2 will be lacking when Amy Acker has to go off and make Happy Town, which sight-unseen I still expect to last shorter than Dollhouse. So if the premiere wasn't finale-quality, it had enough good stuff to set up the season right.

But this past week's episode was all about the case of the week, and what a weak case it was. Echo's made into a mom, and goes baby crazy? Even by case-of-the-week standards, that's not very fun. No ass-kicking Echo, no out-smarting Echo, just sad Echo. Worst of all, Boyd, Saunders, and Victor were all completely MIA. If Ballard as Echo's handler means less Boyd, then I wish he was still at the FBI.

With hints about Echo's growing consciousness and Wesley/Sandy Rivers/Mr. Alyson Hannigan's quest to take down the Dollhouse, both episodes built a solid foundation for the season. Which would work out great if we knew there was going to be a rest of the season. With its future in jeopardy, Dollhouse needs to bring back the quality of the end of last season if it wants to stay on the air. The promo for next week showed a much more action-packed and interesting episode, so I'm encouraged. But as someone rooting strongly for the show to succeed, I'm still a bit disappointed.

Fall TV Preview

As enjoyable as summer TV could be, this week begins the process us TV junkies have been waiting for: Fall TV Season, when all of our favorite shows come back from their summer vacations to come entertain us once more. If you want to know when CSI and Grey's Anatomy come back, look elsewhere. If you want to know what I'll be watching, read on.

Glee (September 9th, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)

If you saw the pilot last May (and if you haven't, do it now), you know this is heading into the fall as frontrunner for best new show. As hard as that performance of "Don't Stop Believing" may be to top, the news that there will be 2 soundtracks in 2009 alone to cover all the songs leaves me very hopeful.

Gossip Girl (September 14th, 9-10 PM, The CW)

Will Gossip Girl avoid the college curse that's plagued every high school show ever? Since we never actually saw them in high school, and NYU barely counts as college, they stand as good a chance as anyone. Just as long as it's not another season of "omg Blair & Chuck 4eva omg."

The Office (September 17th, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)

Jim and Pam get married! Other than that, we'll really see the writers' creativity in keeping this show going into its sixth(!) season.

Community (September 17th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC, NEW SHOW)

A chance to see Joel McHale do something other than make fun of Speidi/Ryan Seacrest/Miley? I'm so there (as long as I can still get my weekly Soup fixings on Friday).

Curb Your Enthusiasm (September 20th, 9-9:30 PM, HBO)

This show's still on? After however many seasons, Larry David's found a surefire way to get people to watch: Seinfeld reunion! Guess he wins, cause I'll be watching.

Bored to Death (September 20th, 9:30-10 PM, HBO, NEW SHOW)

Sure, it's cool that the cast consists of Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson, and The Hangover's Zach Galifinokusableskiver (maybe someday I'll learn his name, but today is not that day). But the real reason I'm excited? The theme song. Wouldn't be the first time I watched a show just for its theme song (that would be Angel).

How I Met Your Mother (September 21st, 8-8:30 PM, CBS)

Barney & Robin! Ted's at Columbia! The mother's in his class! 100th episode musical spectacular! All of which suggests this season will be legen - wait for it...

Heroes (September 21st, 8-9 PM, NBC)

I know I wrote a whole post on how Heroes' fourth volume wasn't as bad as everyone said, but that doesn't mean I'm actually looking forward to the new season. It's go big or go home time for Heroes, cause I don't think anyone will put up with another year of coasting by.

...dary! Legendary!

The Good Wife (September 22nd, 10-11 PM, CBS, NEW SHOW)

This so doesn't seem like my kind of show, but critics seem to be enjoying it. And there's absolutely nothing else AT ALL on Tuesday nights. So maybe I'll check it out? We'll see.

Modern Family (September 23rd, 9-9:30 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

Count this as another one the critics (may or may not) have convinced me to watch. Sounds like a pretty standard family sitcom to me, but supposedly it's hilarious. Maybe I should actually watch a promo...

Cougar Town (September 23rd, 9:30-10 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

Ok, promos aren't going to help on this one, but it's Bill Lawrence! The Scrubs man himself! So I've got to at least give it a try.

Flash Forward (September 24th, 8-9 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

People keep calling it "the next Lost", thinking it will fool all of us die-hard Lost fans into watching. They're right. I can't wait. Whether it lasts past the pilot to become a great series or suffers The Nine syndrome (which many critics fear), at least it won't be an NCIS spin-off.

Dollhouse (September 25th, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Yes! After getting hooked this summer, this is one of my most anticipated returning shows. Adding to my excitement is their decision to go all-out geek this year, with guest/recurring roles by BSG's Apollo and Colonel Tigh, Summer Glau of Firefly fame, and Buffy and Angel's Alexis Denisof (aka Mr. Alyson Hannigan). Now we just need to get Amy Acker's show canceled so we can have our Whiskey back.

Saturday Night Live (September 26th, 11:30 PM-1 AM, NBC)

New girls were cast. Other girls were kicked off. Still nobody can do a decent Obama.

The Cleveland Show (September 27th, 8:30-9 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)

Even though I no longer regularly watch Family Guy, I'd still like to give the spin-off a look. Can't be as bad as American Dad, right?

Dexter (September 27th, 9-10 PM, Showtime)

Yes! My #1 most anticipated show of the fall. No matter what the storylines, I'm always happy to watch Dexter, Deb, Rita, and the rest. And with John Lithgow's Trinity Killer, the return of FBI Agent Lundy, and domesticated Dexter now married with a baby, this season should up the watercooler factor even further.

South Park (October 7th, 10-10:30 PM, Comedy Central)

South Park likes to alternate between smart, satirical humor and stupid, gross humor. While the former may be less than 25% of the show, it's good enough that I trudge through the rest.

30 Rock (October 15th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC)

Why does NBC keep holding 30 Rock back a month? If season 4 starts better than last year's guest star marathon, I'll forgive them.

V (November 3rd, 8-9 PM, ABC, NEW SHOW)

Juliet vs. aliens? What's not to love? It's like a preview to the Lost series finale (I'm kidding....I hope).

So that's what I'm looking forward to. How about you? What new shows are you most excited to try, what returning favorites have left you in suspense all summer, and what shows are finally getting kicked off your DVR? That's what the comments are for.

Dollhouse is My Safe Haven

Last time I wrote about Dollhouse was after the pilot, at a time where it had promise but wasn't there yet. It took me the summer to come back to it, but having marathoned the first season in just a few days, I can say that it had a hell of a lot more than promise by the time the season ended. Dollhouse is not only completely different than anything else I've seen on TV (just try explaining it to someone who doesn't watch), but it's also easily the best first season for any Joss Whedon show (Firefly included). And as with many great shows, each episode is better than the one before it.

Although I just said how difficult it is to explain the show, the premise goes something like this: in LA, there's a facility where this secret organization imprints personalities into hot young people for whatever their clients wish. One day, any given hot young person (known as "actives" or "dolls") may be designed to give a guy a perfect date. Another day, a hostage negotiator. Or a master thief. Or a bodyguard/back-up singer.

That concept right there supplies some good procedural fun for the first 5 episodes (and as far as "mission of the week" shows go, it does legitimately do it well), but things quickly get a lot, lot better. Cause there's a number of other different things going on. First off, there's an FBI agent (BSG's Helo) out to expose the Dollhouse. For another, there's an ex-active named Alpha with a sociopathic streak who's got his eye on our girl Echo (Eliza Dushku), who, by the way, is starting to remember things between engagements. Toss in a loyal handler for Echo, a tech geek I hated at first but gradually grew to sort of like, and a sympathetic doctor (Amy Acker, better known as Angel's Fred), and you've got an ensemble worthy of a Joss Whedon show.

For awhile I've been wanting to write about Dollhouse to highly, highly recommend you watch it, but I'm also writing now having just seen the famous unaired episode, "Epitaph One," available only on the DVD set (thanks netflix!) In many ways, my feelings about the episode mirrored my feelings towards the whole first season: at first I wasn't all that into it, and by the end I couldn't be more pumped for season 2 and thankful the show got renewed.

See, "Epitaph One" is anything but a typical episode of Dollhouse. Designed as a series finale in case the show was canceled, it takes place ten years in the future, in a post-apocalyptic world where the imprinting technology has gone berserk in ways the show barely started to hint at. The episode follows a group of survivors not featured on the show (including Dr. Horrible's Penny!) as they find the Dollhouse and figure out how to find a Safe Haven (hence the title of this post) from all the craziness.

Watching a bunch of people I didn't know wandering around what seemed like the set of the new Terminator movie wasn't super fun, but once they get inside they hook up the machine and start bringing on "memories" - scenes with the real cast showing the future of Dollhouse. Some of what we see is kind of spoilery for where the show will actually get to go. But for the most part the episode does a great job teasing what's ahead - showing the barebones of the story without giving away any specifics. By the end of the episode, all major characters' fates are still unknown, and there's a sense that even Penny's story doesn't end there.

Even with only one major character featured in the non-"flashback" sections (and Echo only in a few scenes at all), it manages to blow your mind while still being a wonderfully dramatic and self-contained episode. And Dollhouse is now officially one of my most anticipated season premieres this fall. Seriously, you gotta check it out.

Dollhouse Has Room to Grow

Grade: B

Dollhouse, the new sci-fi show from Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible), has been plagued with bad buzz from the start. There was the production shut-down, the scrapped original pilot, the Friday death-slot, and finally weak reviews upon its premiere. But there's something critics forget when they compare Dollhouse's pilot to Whedon's other work: Whedon shows never get good until the second season. I'm even counting Firefly, which you know would have gotten amazing had it been renewed. Season 1 is always too procedural, like Buffy's monster-of-the-week plots, and the good stuff never comes until later.

So the only way to judge a Whedon pilot is by its promise, and in that respect I think Dollhouse does pretty well. The show's about an illegal agency known as the Dollhouse that implants its agents, or "actives," with personalities tailored to specific assignments. In the pilot, we see protagonist Echo (Eliza Dushku) assigned to show a guy a good weekend, then negotiate a kidnapping ransom. It's all very high-concept, but so far there's little additional mythology. The procedural style will get old fast, but it's entertaining enough for now. That's mostly thanks to Dushku, who hasn't had a part worthy of her since Faith on Buffy/Angel. I'm sure her Echo will soon have an assignment Dushku can't handle, but for now she's the right mix of likable, badass, and hot to ground the rest of the show.

I wish I could say the same of the supporting cast. Most promising is BSG's Helo as an unorthodox FBI agent (is there any other kind?) deadset on discovering Dollhouse. So far his subplot seems out of place, but I'm sure his discovery of Echo means he'll join the action soon. I also have hopes for Echo's handler (Henry Lennix), who gives off a Giles/Wesley vibe as Echo's protector. Most disappointing is the Tech Guy (Franz Kranz). He seems set up to be the show's Xander/Doyle/Wash, but so far he's just annoying. Hopefully he'll chill out as time goes on. Too chilly though is Olivia Williams' Dollhouse leader, who shows little but her icy exterior. Whedon shows often live and die on the ensemble, so this group definitely needs some work.

Most of the other problems feel like opening night jitters. The pilot suffers some of Whedon's weakest dialogue, as characters feel the need to give stuffy, self-important speeches that would be more at home in the Matrix sequels. The pilot is also way too serious, showing none of the humor characteristic of Whedon's shows. It's still a vast improvement over Firefly's second-episode-as-pilot premiere. It just feels like Whedon was so determined to cram everything in to introduce the show, he didn't have time to make it fun. Once the show learns to relax and laugh a little, I believe a classic Whedon show will emerge, even if takes a season to happen. Let's just hope Fox gives it that time to find itself.

Midseason Preview

2009 may have just begun, but the TV midseason isn't wasting time, beginning on January 5th. I'll help you figure out when my favorite returning shows come back and what new shows may be worth considering.

Gossip Girl (January 5th, 8-9 PM, the CW)
When we last saw the Upper East Siders, Chuck was a mess over his father's death. This week introduces his Uncle Jack, played by Desmond Harrington (Quinn from Dexter). Elsewhere, Jenny finally goes back to school, but no word on whether she'll start looking human again.

Scrubs (January 6th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
Now on ABC, Scrubs is back for its (probably) final season, starting with two episodes. The season starts with Courtney Cox as the new Chief of Medicine and, judging by the promos, awkward facial hair for JD. There's also a Hawaiin wedding for Janitor later this season.

Nip/Tuck (January 6th, 10-11 PM, FX)
At the end of last season, Sean was stabbed by his crazy fake-publicist Colleen Rose and Julia was shot by her girlfriend's crazy daughter Eden and was left with amnesia. Eden should hopefully be gone, given that her portrayor (Annalynne McCord) is now on 90210, but Colleen is definitely back. No word on how long they'll continue the never-successful amnesia device, but don't expect a creative comeback anytime soon.

Top Chef (January 7th, 10-11 PM, Bravo)
Season 5 returns with new judge Toby Young (author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People), and two chefs will be eliminated.

Damages (January 7th, 10-11 PM, FX)
Damages tries to top season 1 with a boatload of top-tier new cast members like William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, and Timothy Olymphant. After settling the Frobisher (Ted Danson) case, Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) is moving on. When a whistle blower (Hurt) tells of her of shady practices coming from his company, it seems she's got her next case. Meanwhile, Ellen (Rose Byrne) works with the FBI to bring Patty down, and Frobisher survives his shooting to come back for more mischief.

30 Rock (January 8th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC)
30 Rock continues to become the next Will & Grace by having Salma Hayek and Peter Dinklage both guest star.

Grey's Anatomy (January 8th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
The surgeons have to work on a death row inmate, and it's not even a sweeps month? What are they saving up for February, an operation on Ghost Denny? Also, Jessica Capshaw joins the cast as a pediatric surgeon and a romantic interest for Callie (since she hasn't had enough this season).

24 (January 11th and 12th, 8-10 PM, Fox)
As it has the last two seasons, 24 will begin with a two-night, four hour premiere to kick things in motion. These year-old episodes see Jack on trial in DC for his actions after CTU has been shut down. But he gets off when the government needs him to stop Evil Back-From-the-Dead Tony Almeida from his terrorist activities. Also, there's a Lady Prez.

How I Met Your Mother (January 12th, 8:30-9 PM, CBS)
Reality stars taunt Marshall from a magazine, as they do to us all. Ted and Robin become friends with benefits. That should last about as long as it did for Jerry and Elaine.

The Office (January 15th, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)
I don't have an episode description, but expect fall-out over Phyllis telling the office about Dwight and Angela.

Battlestar Galactica (January 16th, 10-11 PM, Sci-Fi)
In the final season, Earth has been found, but now what? Will they try to live on that post-apocalyptic planet? Will the human/Cylon truce hold? And who is the last frakking Cylon?

Big Love (January 18th, 9-10 PM, HBO)
I still haven't seen season 2, so I got nothing on season 3. But this is when it premieres.

Flight of the Conchords (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, HBO)
You could wait until January 18th to see Bret and Jermaine's newest adventures. Or you could go to Funnyordie.com and watch it now.

The United States of Tara (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, Showtime, NEW SHOW)
Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) plays a woman with multiple personality disorder. John Corbett (Sex and the City, Lucky) plays her husband. Steven Spielberg's producing. Diablo Cody (Juno) wrote the pilot. With all those big names and Showtime's recent hot streak (Weeds, Dexter), this is certainly worth checking out. But it is paired with the ultra-dull Secret Diary of a Call Girl, so who knows.

Lost (January 21st, 9-11 PM, ABC)
After a year of waiting, it's finally here. Lost is back. Season 5 will find Jack and Ben getting the Oceanic Six back together to return to the island while we learn just what "bad things" happened to those who stayed on the island. Those who have already seen the premiere say the new time-jumping device makes flashforwards seem like child's play. They also say it's awesome.

Lie to Me (January 21st, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
Tim Roth (Pulp Fiction, The Incredible Hulk) plays a human lie detector that heads some special FBI agency. Is this just a lame procedural a la The Mentalist? Too early to tell, but it could be fun to see Tim Roth on TV.

Trust Me (January 26th, 10-11 PM, TNT, NEW SHOW)
If you've watched TNT at all in the last month, you've surely seen tons of ads for this new show in which Tom Cavanaugh (Ed) gets a new boss: his best friend, played by Eric McCormick (Will of Will & Grace). I have yet to get into TNT's other original shows (The Closer, Saving Grace), but the leads seem likable enough to make me want to give this one a try.

Heroes (February 2nd, 9-10 PM, NBC)
After season 3 got bogged down in too many characters and too little logic, why am I still watching this show? Well, cause season 4 looks kind of cool. After Nathan leaked word of the heroes to the government, the Hunter (Damages' Zeljko Ivanek) will start rounding them all up. Seems like a welcome break from the typical "stop big threat to save the world using lots of time traveling" formula. But the second it starts to lag, I'm out.

Dollhouse (February 13th, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
In this new show from Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly), Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy) plays Echo. She works at a secret agency (is there any other kind?) as a blank slate, with personalities put into her depending on what her mission calls for. The show has suffered some bad early buzz, due to conflicts between Whedon and Fox and some production issues. But the plot sounds badass, and it's Joss freaking Whedon. If given time to grow, it can definitely stand with his previous classics.