Point Dume

The man of a thousand personae, Enver Gjokaj, has taken a page from the book of his Dollhouse castmate, Felicia Day. That's right, he's launched his own web series. The show, Previously on Point Dume, is a parody of soap operas and has a bit of a Twin Peaks feel to it. Check it out.

The Mikies, Dollhouse Ed

(This post contains enormous spoilers for Dollhouse.)

Having recently seen the series finale of Joss Whedon's programmable-humans-for-rent series, Dollhouse, I believe another edition of The Mikies is due. That's right, it's time for the Michael Awards for Excellence in Whatever He Darn Well Feels Like, Dollhouse Edition.

• Best actor, regular: Enver Gjokaj. Gjokaj showed himself to be the most versatile actor on the show, and thus made Victor the most believable doll on the series. In particular, his portrayal of Victor-imprinted-with-Topher was uncannily accurate.
• Best actor, guest or recurring: Alan Tudyk. Tudyk has an amazing ability to follow creepiness or pathos almost instantly with hilarity. This skill is especially useful in Whedon's projects, which frequently juxtapose drama and comedy. Honorable mention goes to Amy Acker, whose Whiskey would have made a much more multi-faceted and convincing central character than Eliza Dusku's Echo.
• Creepiest villain: Alpha.
• Dollhouse discovery most likely to appear in 50% of Whedon's following projects: Enver Gjokaj.
• Most unexpected death: Bennett Halverson.
• Most surprising escape from seemingly certain death: Mellie.
• Most unexpected revelation of dollhood: November.
• Cheapest and least justified death: November/Mellie/Madeline.
• Funniest character: Topher Brink. Even when imprinted on Victor, Dr Brink had all the best lines.
• Recurring character whose story I would most like to see elaborated upon: Whiskey.
• Most sympathetic client: Joel Mynor.
• Battlestar Galactica cast member whose acting improved the most since Galactica: Tamoh Penikett. Maybe it was just that Karl Agathon was only called on to express one or two emotions, but I never found Helo that interesting. Paul Ballard, however, seemed to be at least a couple-fold more nuanced. Oh, and this category wasn't as much of a cake walk as you might think; 3 other Battlestar alumni also appeared in the show: Jamie Bamber, Michael Hogan, and Mark Sheppard.
• Total number of Whedon alumni in the cast: 8. (I'm counting Amy Acker, Felicia Day, Alexis Denisof, Eliza Dushku, Summer Glau, Mark Sheppard, Maurissa Tancheroen, and Alan Tudyk. Let me know if I missed any.) OK, this isn't an really award, but I thought I should point out that, once you work for Joss Whedon, you likely have a gig for life. (I'm only counting cast here, by the way, there was certainly a lot of re-use of crew as well.)
• Brilliant-but-insane character most like the brilliant-but-insane character played by the same actor in another Whedon series: Bennett Halverson. Between these two roles and Cameron in the Terminator series, I'm really starting to worry that Summer Glau must have a rather severe psychological disorder.
• Actor who has been beaten up by another actor in the cast in the largest number of Whedon series: Alexis Denisof (by Eliza Dushku).
• Best couple: Topher Brink and Bennet Halverson. Nope, I'm not going for the overly sappy choice of Victor and Sierra/Tony and Priya.
• Law offices most closely resembling the Dollhouse, architecturally: Wolfram & Hart.
• Skinniest character who was supposed to be fat: Mellie/November/Madeline. Seriously, she was described as "heavy" in the casting sheets.
• Best episode, aired: "Man on the Street." This was the episode that showed where Whedon and company were going to go with this concept. It was the first episode that really surprised me, and the episode that hooked me on the series.
• Best episode, unaired: "Epitaph One." This ep, tagged on at the end of Season One for contractual reasons, was designed to give the fans some closer in the very likely event that the series would not be renewed. It achieved its goal, and more, by showing how imprinting technology could bring about the thoughtpocalypse. Plus, it introduced Felicia Day to the series. (OK, there were only two unaired eps, this one and the pilot, wo there's no real justification for this category. However, I couldn't decide where I like this episode or MotS better, so I created categories that each of them could win.)
• Most interesting character: Topher Brink. Over the show's two seasons, Topher evolved from childish and amoral, to nascently ethical, to insane and remorseful. Plus, he somehow managed to be funny the whole time.
• Most attractive character: Mellie.

As always, I'm happy to hear your opinions on this extremely important topic. So set aside whatever productive, useful thing you were about to do, and opine in the comments.

Epitaph Two. No, Seriously.

It seems that the series finale of Dollhouse is to be called "Epitaph Two: The Return." It will feature Felicia Day and be written (in part) by the duo who penned "Epitaph One." Based on all that information, I can only assume it will show us the same post-imprinting-apocalypse we glimpsed in Season One's finale. My considered opinion on this news is as follows: squee.

In other D'house news, the show returns from its sweeps-induced hiatus this Friday. Two---count 'em---episodes will be broadcast. Be sure to watch them. There will be a quiz.

D'house End is Nigh

Just days after launching the official website of the Rossum Corporation as a attempt at viral marketing, Fox has announced that they will not be renewing Dollhouse. This move comes as no surprise.

The good news is that the network still plans to air the remaining episodes of Season 2 during December and January. Ep 13 of this season will serve as the series finale. My hope is that, since Episode 11 is being filmed now, Whedon and company will have time to write plenty of closure into the final ep. I also can't help wondering if the finale will take place during the time period of Epitaph One," in which case it really should be called "Epitaph Two."

There's one more nugget of good news for the Whedonites in the audience: Joss apparently already has his next project nearly lined up, since he expects to announce it before Dollhouse's run ends. And don't forget about Cabin in the Woods.

I agree with many that Dollhouse is not Whedon's most entertaining series, but I do think it may be the most challenging and thought-provoking fiction of TV.

Dollhouse Taking a Break, then Back with a Vengence

There's been a lot of scheduling news about Dollhouse lately:

• Joss Whedon's thought-provoking and deliciously creepy but ratings-challenged series will be off the air for the entirety of November's sweeps period. That means tonight's episode examining Sierra's backstory is the last you'll see for a month.
• By contrast, when the show returns in December, beginning with Summer Glau's first show, we'll be presented with two eps each Friday. At that rate, we'll be up to episode 10 by the end of the year, leaving only 3 eps of the 13-show order for 2010.

This news is clearly worrisome for anyone hoping the show will be renewed for a third season, or even that all of the second season will air. If Fox benches the series for a whole month, I wouldn't be surprised if they never put it back on air, despite their earlier claim that they will broadcast the entire season. And, even if Double-Duty December does happen, that scheduling makes it seem like the network is trying to burn through the eps it's already purchased in order to make room for new properties in the coming year. Sigh.

All 13, and Maybe Some Closure

In the wake of poor live ratings but comparatively strong DVR numbers for Dollhouse, Fox Broadcasting Company has announced that it will air all 13 episodes ordered for Season 2 of the erasable-minds series. Fox says they will make a decision about ordering the "back 9" for the season or a third season after the 13 air. By the time the last of those 13 is broadcast, production will have been shut down, and re-starting for fewer than 10 shows seems unlikely, so I wouldn't hold out hope of seeing eps 14-22 of S2; at this point, I feel lucky that we'll get to see the remaining 10 of the current order. But I am hoping fervently that the ratings pick up enough so that S3 is ordered. I could certainly be happy with this series lasting, say, 5 seasons, with each being 13 episodes. So, Dollhouse viewers and Rossum employees, spread the word.

By the way, the next 3 eps, which begin airing October 23, are alleged to be very good. In the next episode, we find out how Sierra came to the 'house, and Summer Glau guest stars in the following 2.

Return to the Dollhouse

The second season of Dollhouse, "television's next big science fiction epic," premiers tonight on Fox. I encourage you to check it out.

Let's Play Dollhouse

It looks like* several interesting alumni of Whedonverse shows and Battlestar Galactica will appear on Dollhouse in Season 2:

• Jamie Bamber, Lee "Apollo" Adama form Battlestar.
• Michael Hogan, Saul Tigh from Battlestar.
• Alexis Denisof, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce from Buffy and Angel.
• Summer Glau, River Tam from Firefly and Serenity.**

In addition, Amy Acker and Alan Tudyk will be reprising their roles on the show.

I'm quite excited about this development.

* There are minor spoilers on the linked-to page.

** Once the Sarah Conner Chronicals was cancelled,*** you had to know it was just a matter of time before this happened.

*** Say that three times quickly!

I Wish To Do More Violence

(This post contains major spoilers for Season 5 of Angel and Season 1 of Dollhouse.)

So, what spurred me to rewatch Fred's death and Illyria's occupation of her body was a conversation I had with Nick about Amy Acker's ability to potentially portray multiple imprinted personalities as an active on Dollhouse. As Nick said, when Fred is transformed into Illyria, the "change to her accent, inflection, expression, and body language [is] just striking." I'd love to see Amy Acker's Whiskey sent on various engagements, possibly as flashbacks. Sadly, since Acker's pilot, Happy Town,* was picked up for a full season, and since she will be a regular on that series, I doubt we'll see much of her in Dollhouse Season 2, and what we do see will probably be as Dr Saunders.

By the way, speaking of Whedon alumni on Dollhouse, it appears that Joss Whedon is actively trying to get Summer Glau into the 'House, though not as an an active. He figures she's too good at that kind of role, and needs a challenge.

* This show looks like Twin Peaks, minus the fun, David Lynch-y aspects.

Dollhouse Renewed. No, Seriously.

The official word won't come from Fox Broadcasting Company until its upfronts on Monday, but the company has ordered a second season of Joss Whedon's critically acclaimed but ratings-challenged human-bodies-as-hardware drama, Dollhouse.  I must say that I am stunned, but in a happy way.

It appears that the order is for 13 episodes, with an option for 9 more, presumably based on ratings or the need to replace a cancelled show.  The  renewal comes with some strings, I'm afraid.  The first condition is reduced costs.  That's not surprising, given that Dollhouse's first season was fairly expensive.  I'm guessing that the main set was quite costly to build, so simply not having to build it for S2 will cut costs not insignificantly.  Whedon has shown that he can produce high-quality entertainment on a lean budget, * so I'm not concerned about this requirement.  The second condition has been described as "a shift in creative direction."  That phase has me a little concerned, since it was Fox's creative input that lead to the meh episodes 1 through 5.  Still, I choose to be happy and optimistic at this time;  I'll worry later.

*  For example, consider Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog, recorded during the writer's strike, as well as "Epitaph One," the final, so-far-unaired episode of Dollhouse S1, which was shot for half the cost of the other eps.

Dollhouse Episode 9

Tonight's episode of Dollhouse, "A Spy in the House of Love," was another really strong entry.  It was deliciously creepy, held a couple of good surprises, and offered one really poignant moment.  I suggest you watch it, however you can.

So, let's review. Episodes 6, 8, and 9 were easily the best so far.  Eps 5 and 7 comprise the next tier down.  Eps 1 through 5, the ones Fox ordained would be mostly standalone, were the weakest, though still wholly watchable.  What this means to me is that the series is clearly trending upwards in terms of quality.  Fox would be foolish to cancel it now, in my opinion.  Of course, it's not my turn to run the network this week.

By the way, I can say without revealing any spoilers that I learned a little during the week about an upcoming character and his or her evolution.  On this particular topic, the most eloquent statement I can come up with is, "Squee!  OMG ponies!"

In other Dollhouse news, the first season of the show is now available to pre-order, in DvD or Blu-Ray format, from Amazon.  I've already placed Team Grondul's order.  I'm hoping DVD pre-sales will help convince Fox to order a second season of the series.

Needs

Tonights episode of Dollhouse was another good one.  If you missed it, check it out on Hulu.  And let's hope the series gets renewed.

Joss Whedon is My Master, Seriously

Tonight's episode of Dollhouse was awesome, as promised.  If you missed your chance to see it "live," be sure to watch it on Hulu.  If you are somehow reading this on the West Coast before it hits your airwaves, tune to Fox now.

As much as I enjoyed the ep, I'm frustrated that this particular show, which was by far the best to date, had to be scheduled against the first hour of Battlestar Galactica's series finale.  I'm sure Battlestar's final installment drew many of the viewers who would have watched Dollhouse otherwise, and some of them had Nielsen boxes.

Man on the Street

Joss Whedon and a few critics who've seen the episode in question claim that Friday's ep of Dollhouse, "Man on the Street," marks the point where the show really takes off. In my opinion, the series has improved almost monotonically over the first five episodes, so I'm inclined to expect great things.

More Dollhouse Tonight

Don't forget to watch, Nielsen families.

Dollhouse Tonight

Dollhouse premieres on Fox. Be sure to watch it. Especially if you are a Nielsen family.

Preview the Dollhouse

In light of Dollhouse's premiere tomorrow at 9:00 EST, you might be interested in this spoiler-free and positive (p)review of the first 3 eps of the the show.

Dollhouse is Coming. Dollhouse is Coming.

Regular readers and those who know me in meatspace are aware that I am a big fan of creator/writer/director/producer/composer/geek Joss Whedon.  What you may not realize is that I've never seen any new Whedon-created television.  By the time Nick introduced me to the wonder of Firefly, that series had already ended, as had Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.  Thus, I only know those shows through DVDs.  I have been privileged to see some of Whedon's work when it was first available;  I saw Serenity on opening weekend---and also later in its run---and I watched each of the 3 acts of Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog as it was made available on the interwebs.  Still, Mutant Enemy, Whedon's production company hasn't made anything for small screen, since I became a fan.

Until this Friday.

Friday night, at 9:00 PM Eastern Time, Whedon's new series, Dollhouse, premieres.  The show is airing on Fox, which has prematurely canceled some of my favorite shows,* so I'm not optimistic about a long run, but you can certainly guess where I'll be on Friday at 9.

* As well as numerous others. 

Dollhouse Trails Again

Another Dollhouse trailer is available for your viewing pleasure.  This one does a good job of explaining the premise in a subtle and interesting way.

Another Sign of Impending Cancelation

According to Joss Whedon himself, the former Fred, Amy Acker, has been cast in Whedon's upcoming series, Dollhouse. Now, the last time I got excited about a show featuring Ms. Acker before it even aired, the series in question was quickly canceled. I can only hope that doesn't happen this time. Even this little snippet of Whedonish in the comment tickled me to no end, so I'm really hoping this show outlives the initial 7-episode order:

All in all, pound for pound, soup to nuts, man vs beast, it's a pretty amazing ensemble. I'm not sure how I landed this troupe, but rest assured I'm gonna write bestest good word for talkacting to them yes! They're in good hands.