Joss Whedons "Dollhouse"

By Rappy
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Grand Master

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THR/Hibberd: This must have been a roller coaster for you these past few weeks.

I’ve been busy working on a movie in Canada and just sort of let it happen. I know everybody has been on tenderhooks, but I go to a very Zen place during times like this because what are you gonna do? I sort of assumed they were going to tell me I wasn’t going to do more. It looked pretty grim there. I prepped myself so well that when I heard I felt more like Zero Mostel in “The Producers” than anyone else -- “What?!”

How much was making that 13th episode on a shoestring budget part of the renewal?

We had talked about shooting on digital, shooting faster. We still want to make some classical looking “Dollhouse” pieces, but I think there’s ways to do that faster and cheaper and of course Fox had some other ways to make things cheaper -- but not exactly like Episode 13, which had a very specific, hand-held monochromatic look to it. I like that kind of challenge. As a producer I’ve never had enough money to put my shows on and I make them look as good as they could be. So it doesn’t frighten me. It will give us a nice energy.

Some fans will wonder, “Will we notice not as much money is going into the show?”

My hope is “No.” In the fifth year of “Angel” we cut our budget significantly, yet we built a completely new set, we had an episode set on a submarine in the ‘40s. Nobody felt like it was a cut back. Ultimately if the stories aren’t involving and somebody is going, [snobbish voice] “This doesn’t look as expensive as the last episode,” then the person has strange priorities.

You pitched season two as being more like the last few episodes of the season, can you talk about that?

The last few episodes we got to play "the man behind the curtain" a lot. We did less of, “And this week, she’s a neurosurgeon!” Which we’ll still do to an extent, it’s part of the fun. But we got into what makes the place tick, what makes it wrong. It was less, “Murder She Was Imprinted to Write.” The episodes were more satisfying and the network responded to that. And we also responded to their ideas about pacing and it being more of a thriller and a conspiracy so they were seeing what they were hoping for when we got the aspect we were looking for.

Isn’t that a little ironic though since Fox's initial desire was to be very episodic an stand-alone?

Mm-hmm. Every studio or network will always ask for more episodic because episodes rerun better. But some shows are not built that way. This one seemed like it was more than it actually was.

And given the flash forward of the 13th episode, how will that influence on how second season picks up?

My feeling is we will be paying that off around the – the flash-forward in the 13th episode took place long after where we are right now. So we can be moving toward some of those events which are unexplained. We have a few years where we can do anything we want before it would be weird if we didn’t start paying them off.

They’re returning "Dollhouse" to Fridays, lead in is the sitcom “Til Death.” We you hoping for a different time period? Do you think the show can still pop?

We’ve never had much luck with our lead ins. Obviously the “Til Death”/”Dollhouse” conflux has a huge fanbase. [dryly] There’s a lot of cross over between “Til Death” and “Dollhouse.” It couldn’t be a more perfect match, really.

In trumpeting Dollhouse's Season 2 pick-up, Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly called the decision "a bet on creativity" and "a bet on Joss" — as in series creator Joss Whedon. Immediately following Fox's upfronts presentation, TVGuide.com grabbed a few minutes with Dollhouse lead Eliza Dushku to celebrate the renewal as well as the show's fans.

TVGuide.com: How did you find out about the renewal? Who told you?

Eliza Dushku: I was in Uganda the past two weeks. I landed Friday night about midnight, and when I touched down the first message was a text from Joss saying, "We're back on, kid! Get ready to raise hell!" [Laughs] It was a nice homecoming.

TVGuide.com: Kevin Reilly has been out there saying that Dollhouse's renewal is testament to Joss' loyal fanbase.

Dushku: The fans, the fans, the fans, absolutely. We are so grateful and just bowled over by the support and the love and the loyalty. We are so excited to do the second season because it took us until the last six or so episodes to hit our stride; now we get to really have some fun.

TVGuide.com: Will the "missing" 13th episode, "Epitaph One," now serve as the Season 2 premiere? Or is it still DVD-only?

Dushku: You know, I dont know. I just got off the plane, so I dont know.

TVGuide.com: "Epitaph One," which was produced on the studio's own dime, was used to convince Fox that Dollhouse can be delivered on a smaller budget. Are there any differences the viewer might pick up on?

Dushku: No, our set is pretty solid and top dollar. I think the show will continue to be visually stunning.

TVGuide.com: So, as you filmed it, you didn't pick up on anything different?

Dushku: Well, it was faster — and that's always nice!

TVGuide.com: How will Echo be different going forward, considering the events of the season finale?

Dushku: Being downloaded with all the personalities, the build-up was about Echo becoming self-aware. It will give the audience a chance to connect with Echo more, because she's not just that blank slate. There's something behind her eyes creeping out. That's the center of the show — can you really erase someone's identity? The answer seems to be no.

TVGuide.com: That was nice what Paul Ballard did for Mellie, getting her released from her contract early.

Dushku: I know, right? He's a love. We have such an amazing cast... It's just such an honor to be a part of it. When Joss sent out that email, everyone one was just flipping out. We were really, really happy.

Grand Master

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Last night's UK Dollhouse premiere proved more popular than the Prison Break finale, according to early viewing figures.

Joss Whedon's latest project, starring Eliza Dushku, debuted on Sci Fi at 9pm to 263k (1.3%), with a further 76k (0.5%) tuning in on timeshift. It beat Sky1's screening of the two-hour Prison Break finale, which averaged 233k between 10pm and midnight.

The final two episodes of the Wentworth Miller-fronted drama scored the lowest ratings for the show's fourth season, which has averaged 323k over its 22-episode run since it began on September 2 last year.

As it should be :D :p

Grand Master

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Dushku 'made Whedon write 'Dollhouse''

Eliza Dushku has claimed that she made Joss Whedon write Dollhouse.

The actress, who plays Echo in the sci-fi series, says that she had a pep talk with the producer over lunch.

"I made him come to lunch with me for four hours and I told him that he had to write me a show, not just a show, but the best show that he's ever written and that that it had to be done and he accepted," she said.

Discussing the show, Dushku explained: "Dollhouse is sort of intended to be showing me in any and every different kind of skin because basically every week, I will be playing a different character with a different personality."

She added: "It's a little bit Alias, except that we're not spies because we actually believe that with every fibre of our being that we are the people that we are imprinted to be. There's a little Bourne Identity, a little bit Stepford Wives and it's a chance for me to play everything, anyone, someone wants me to be."

Dollhouse currently airs in the UK on Tuesdays on Sci Fi.

Grand Master

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Question: With Sarah Connor Chronicles canceled, please tell me there is a possibility of Summer Glau making an appearance on Dollhouse! --Jenn

Ausiello: The noise you're about to hear is the sound of the Whedonverse exploding. Joss confirms to me exclusively that, well, he's one step ahead of you. "If anybody thinks [bringing Summer onto Dollhouse] hasn't occurred to me already then they have not met me," he says. "I mentioned it to her before [sCC] was canceled. I was like, 'You know, we should get you in the 'house.' But first we have to come up with something that works." And casting her as a doll would not work, insists Whedon. "Summer would be perfect to play an active, but she's done that [type of role] a lot," he says. "I'd rather see her play someone who talks too much. The most fun I have is when I get somebody who's good and comfortable at doing something, and then I make them do something else. Summer said to me, 'I would like to play a normal girl before I die of extreme old age.'"

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kaotic

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Question: With Sarah Connor Chronicles canceled, please tell me there is a possibility of Summer Glau making an appearance on Dollhouse! --Jenn

Ausiello: The noise you're about to hear is the sound of the Whedonverse exploding. Joss confirms to me exclusively that, well, he's one step ahead of you. "If anybody thinks [bringing Summer onto Dollhouse] hasn't occurred to me already then they have not met me," he says. "I mentioned it to her before [sCC] was canceled. I was like, 'You know, we should get you in the 'house.' But first we have to come up with something that works." And casting her as a doll would not work, insists Whedon. "Summer would be perfect to play an active, but she's done that [type of role] a lot," he says. "I'd rather see her play someone who talks too much. The most fun I have is when I get somebody who's good and comfortable at doing something, and then I make them do something else. Summer said to me, 'I would like to play a normal girl before I die of extreme old age.'"

I saw this and I was a little hit happier this morning. lol

I wasn't sure if I was going to watch this fall, but hell if Summer is going to be in a couple episodes I'll most certainly watch those.

Grand Master

Xero

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:D I figured this was inevitable with their relationship but its nice to get some confirmation. She better have a reoccurring role, but I would like to see her as a Doll with the rest. On the same note I can understand why she wants a different kind of role.

No doll = no shower scene :angry: And Alpha better not cut her up or there will be hell to pay.

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Grand Master

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:D Granted I figured this was inevitable with their relationship but its not to get some confirmation. She better have a reoccurring role, but I would like to see her as a Doll with the rest. On the same note I can understand why she wants a different kind of role.

Yeah I would like to her....talk some more :shifty:

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kaotic

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:D Granted I figured this was inevitable with their relationship but its not to get some confirmation. She better have a reoccurring role, but I would like to see her as a Doll with the rest. On the same note I can understand why she wants a different kind of role.

I don't think she'll be on the show as a reoccurring role because she said that she wants to do movies. But to be honest I would love for her to be on the show a lot. Not only would I have a reason to watch it, but I miss not seeing her every week like in TSCC. lol

  • 1 month later...
Grand Master

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The long-awaited 13th episode of Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, the post-apocalyptic "Epitaph One," will debut July 24 at Comic-Con, then on the season 1 DVD and Blu-ray July 28. In the issue of EW out today, we have the first look at Caroline (Eliza Dushku), who, having escaped for some time, is seen in the photo below entering an abandoned Dollhouse in the year 2019 with Paul (Tahmoh Penikett).

4soh7a.jpg

We also have an EW.com exclusive photo of Whiskey (Amy Acker), who has been left behind in the Dollhouse in a "wiped" state. She is discovered by a group of rebels (including Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog's Felicia Day), which you see in the clip above.

Fox had declined to air "Epitaph One," which Whedon says was designed to either close out the series or to lead into the second season (which premieres Sept. 25). "So you will find out snippets of everything and all of nothing," Whedon tells EW. "Every flashback answers something about where people are heading but brings up a lot more questions about where they end up or how they got there." (Whedon says the season 2 opener he's writing and directing won't pick up right where the May season 1 finale left off, with "We've got to find Alpha!", but a little bit later.)

Though he would've loved to have seen "Epitaph One" air on TV, Whedon understands Fox's decision to save it for the DVD. "It has a very different structure and feel from what we do on Dollhouse, so it would have been ridiculously startling to have aired it the week after the season finale as just this insane coda," he says. "And it is a little bit insane, except that we sort of follow everything through to its logical conclusion. As always, it's logical to conclude that people are terrible and will try to destroy each other."

Grand Master

Yusuf M. Veteran

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Rappy is back!? /gasp :o

Thanks for the update! Haha. I've missed so many episodes of this show. I'll probably buy it on Blu-ray Disc or DVD (if it's dirt cheap).

By the way, I'm totally following you on Twitter. :p

Grand Master

Rappy Veteran

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Rappy is back!? /gasp :o

Thanks for the update! Haha. I've missed so many episodes of this show. I'll probably buy it on Blu-ray Disc or DVD (if it's dirt cheap).

By the way, I'm totally following you on Twitter. :p

haha yeah he is back :D

Yeah try and pick it up if you can it's a good show

Grand Master

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Yea that latest episode looks confusing, I seen all episodes but it makes me feel like I missed something.

This is the reason why they didn't air it because its set in the future but it does look good.

Grand Master

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Who let you back on the interwebs! Anyone know if Season 2 was supposed to take place after this lost episode or if it was just a surprise mind **** episode and back to where the last one ended with Alpha

my girlfriend she let me off the leash for the moment :p

I think Season 2 starts in the Season 1 timeframe this episode was just to show what happens in the future and I think because of that Fox just passed on it.

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