Joss Whedons "Dollhouse"

[Rappy Veteran]

Just watched it this morning too. Was awesome! Will make for an interesting second season, if that's where the story is gonna go.

It probably won't because the episode was rejected so it will just continue from the end of Season 1, shame though but maybe the story might lean towards the future.

[gigapixels Veteran]

Epitaph One takes place 13 years (I think they said) in the future, so even though it won't air, the story could still go in that direction.

[madskl]

Episode 13 takes place in 2019 (10 years). It was a really great episode. Not the direction i would have ever thought the show would go in, but it is kinda cool.

I'm glad that they decided to renew the show even though it has had the worst ratings and viewers in 2008. I really like Joss and Eliza. They bring something different to the table each time. To sad Amy Acker won't be returning though.

ABC took her pilot for a show called "Happy Town" (A thriller series) so see is going to get her hands full.

Last thing i heard was that the Episode 13 will actually be airing on July 28 with Episode 1 of season 2 airing September 25.

Edited July 19, 2009 by madskl

[Konstanov]

The Epitaph One storyline was a 100 times better than the current rehash of Eliza goes and does this, something bad happens, someone bails her out, Eliza finishes mission.

[Rappy Veteran]

The Epitaph One storyline was a 100 times better than the current rehash of Eliza goes and does this, something bad happens, someone bails her out, Eliza finishes mission.

Yeah I loved the story idea and the suspense of the house being empty except for whiskey

[Julius Caro]

I think they did the episode that way *just* in case the show was canceled so as to give it some sort of open ending

[qdave]

This was the most brilliant ep of dollhouse. a bit terminatoresque :p but really well done. It would totaly work following those 3 people. But alas :(

[The_Observer]

yea jsut watch the esp now, F**k that was great, one of the best esp i watched, if the show heads in that direction then ill watch it more! im lookin forward to seeing season 2.....i hope the storie continures from this esp!

[Got3n]

I totally love the unaired episode, very well done, and yes very terminator'esq but still very well done.

[Rappy Veteran]

A Guided Tour of Dollhouse Season 2

by Ileane Rudolph

Friday night sci-fi fans may have lost The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Battlestar Galactica, but Dollhouse is back for a second season (beginning September 25, 9/8c, Fox). The show?s creator Joss Whedon talked to TV Guide Magazine about what?s up with Echo (Eliza Dushku) and Paul Ballard (Tamoh Penikett) and the rest of the gang, as well as the possibility of a second edition of Dr. Horrible?s Sing-Along BCongratulations on Dollhouse?s renewal. Did Fox ask you to change the show in any significant way in an effort to get bigger ratings?ngs?

No, they really didn?t actually. The show as it came to be at the end of last season, pleased them very much. They pretty much just said, ?Can you make it So did you have to fire half your cast?your cast?

No, we didn?t have to do that, amazing enough. They cut the budget nominally. I respond very well to that kind of challenge. In fact, it?s made our stories bigger instead of smaller, now that we don?t have to spend our time thinking about little things like, ?What?s this show?? ?What?s it about?? and all those things that I was given last year. We can just concentrate on getting this donWill there still be the weekly story with the Dolls going out on assignment?s going out on assignment?

Yes, we?ll still walk the line between standalone engagements and more arcing stories. The Actives will go out on different engagements every week and take on different personalities and be in different situations. But at the same time, we?ll be ramping up the stuff that we were getting into towards the end about what the Dollhouse is for, and what it means. So it will have a healthy dose of personal relationships and conspiracy and all the stuff behind the engagements as welWhat?s your answer to those who are queasy with the idea that the Actives are basically prostitutes since they have no power over who they sleep with? power over who they sleep with?

I never thought of that! No, I did. I think it?s a little more complicated than that. But there is that element of they have sex with people sometimes. We always deal with what it does to them psychologically. What good can come of it and what terrible can come of it and how are the people who are manipulating them feeling about what they?re doing. You get into the area of sex at all in America and it?s a touchy subject. Our response is to come at it head on and so we?ll see a lot of the consequences of what?s been going Who feels the consequences? episodes.

Who feels the consequences? The Actives aren?t self-aware.

Well, Echo has been reaching toward a kind of awareness and we?re going to be sending her further along that journey. She?ll Will she hide that from her handlers?oing on.

Will she hSo what will happen as Echo starts to get her identity back? happen as Echo starts to get her identity back?

That?s just going to make her life harder. We?ll also get to see more of Victor and Sierra and where they came from. And we?ll discover what got everybody there. We know Boyd is a moral guy; he was a cop so his presence here is a little incongruous. We wantWhat is the former Fed Paul Ballard up to signing on to the Dollhouse?er Fed Paul Ballard up to signing on to the Dollhouse? He was a good guy last season.

He?s going to definitely be more intimately connected to the house butAre you implying that he?ll be so deep underground that he?ll start to identify with what he?s enmeshed in?round that Is Paul working with any entity or agency this season?mm-hmm.

Is Paul working with any entity or agency this season?

At the beginning he?s solo, but he?Will Echo get enough self awareness that she could be Ballard?s in-house ally.o get enough self awareness thy did Paul demand November?s freedom rather than Echo?s, since Echo, aka Carolyn, is his obsessive reason for bringing the Dollhouse down?<ho, aka Carolyn, is his obsessive reason for bringing the Dollhouse down?

That is an essential question that comes up as well. Was November the girl he wanted to free because he had had a relationship with her and he felt worse for her? Or was he just getting rid of her because her being there would make him feel guilty for his obsession with Echo? It?s either the noblest thing hhat?s happening with the resolutely amoral Topher?<ill come up early on.

What?s happening with the resolutely amoral Topher?

We?re going to put him through the wrinmong the several big shockers last season: Amy Acker?s character is not a Dollhouse doctor, she?s a Doll. Acker?s in a new show [ABC?s Happy Town]. Is she back at all?<doctor, she?s a Doll. Acker?s in a new show [ABC?s Happy Town]. Is she back at all?

Even though Happy Town only has a seven-episode order, we could only get her for three episodes. Networks cooperating with each other is not how that works. We do have some things in store to shake up her world a little bit. The question will come up, how dnd will your old buddy Alan Tudyk, who plays psycho killer Alpha, return?<little bit nuts.

And will your old buddy Alan Tudyk, who plays psycho killer Alpha, return?

We have plans to bring him back but not right away. We like Alpha as a looming presence. We?re going to be introducing a different kind of problem into the characters? lives, but Alpha?s always on the ill Reed Diamond be back or is his character Dominic staying in the ?attic??< loses his power.

Will Reed Diamond be back or is his character Dominic staying in the ?attic??

We?re committed to seeing him again, but we?re not going to pull him out of the attic right away. As is the case with a lot of other actors, they?re either busy or will we get to see that damned attic?<t. And we have a large cast tohat or who is this year?s evil presence?<b>Will we get to see that damned attic?

We may just have a visit.

What or who is this year?s evil presence?

I can?t explain too much other than that Paul?s agenda in finding out what the Dollhouse really is starts affecting everybody?s agenda a little bit because there is more at stake than just the lives of the people there. So we?re going to sort bring it into the larger world and we?re going to be dealing with some of the stuff that happens in Episode 13, the infamous unaired episode without making it impossible to watch for people will you be going beyond this particular Dollhouse?< the unaired episode, will be on the Dollhouse Season 1 DVD, on sale July 28. ]

Will you be going beyond this particular Dollhouse?

Yes, the picture is going to get bigger. It?s going to be less about the siorld domination! Can you give me a little more?<Ulterior motives and ultimate goals will start to rear their ugly heads.

Are there characters that we?ve seen who will turn out conspiracy?<hole organization?dele doesn?t run everything, does she?<e seen who will be coming back who are part of this.

A conspiracy?

A conspiracy, yes.

Adele doesn?t run everything, does she?

She may not be the boss of everyone but she?s definites she a Doll?<n in the room. Andre there new characters coming in either regulars or recurring?<ele. There?s a reason for that.

Is she a Doll?

I ain?t saying.

Are there new characters coming in either regulars or recurring?

There will be some rechat?s your frank opinion of the first season, since it was a pretty difficult season for you?< place as the fly in the Dollhouse?s ointment.

What?s your frank opinion of the first season, since it was a pretty difficult season for you?

I feel like we were trying to get to the show we wanted to make and while we were trying to figure it out we made a bunch of episodes that were diverting but not ultimately fulfilling for me. And then about halfway through, I felt that we found our footing and it felt like the network felt the same way and we all got on the same page. After that the show started to rehat do you think about being on Friday night?<uld feel it in the episodes. So that?s where we are now. The writers? room has never been happier.

What do you think about being on Friday night?

We don?t have the burden of being a hit. We?re not being overly scrutinized. There?s no fear that oill you be making interesting announcements at Comic-Con?<where I like to make TV. I like to be off the radar. So we?re all very comfortable with that time.

Will you be making interesting announcements at Comic-Con?

Yes, but mostly about my sexuality. [Laughs.] There?s no judLike what?<use. We are going to be showing the lost 13th episode at the panel. That?s going to be a big thing. I have a few things to say about upcoming stuff.

Like what?

I??ow about a musical episode of Dollhouse?<s, ? which we just wrapped, the Buffy comics, and whatever else I?m doing by the time the Con hits. There?s also something.

How about a musical episode of Dollhouse? It worked so ohn Barrowman of Torchwood, who also has a fabulous voice, he told me that the worlds of sci-fi and musicals are not that different. Both genres are larger than life. Do you agree?<John Barrowman of Torchwood, who also has a fabulous voice, he told me that the worlds of sci-fi and musicals are not that different. Both genres are lill there be more Doctor Horrible?<absolutely right. They?re bothnything we can announce?<ws you to get funky. That?s why I did Doctor Horrible, it?s those worlds.

Will there be more Doctor Horrible?

I believe, there will. Yes.

Anything we can announce?

Hmm, not yet, no. sadly. We have to make sure we writers have all ducks in a row, before we start quacking.

[tv guide magazine]

[Rappy Veteran]

:D

[Pretend]

Wow, Summer Glau! :woot: Rappy, I stopped watching this show about 3-4 episodes in as I wasn't interested/bored. Does it get better? :/

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah it gets amazing, they said the series turned after episode 6 which it did plus watched Epitaph 1 hands down the best episode ever of DH

[Pretend]

Though you would say that :/ I'll give it another try sometime. :)

[Rappy Veteran]

Though you would say that :/ I'll give it another try sometime. :)

haha epitaph 1 though if you watch any episode watch that one, it's when the dollhouses are all abandoned and the world is in chaos

[Rappy Veteran]

Comic-Con news alert: Dollhouse boss Joss Whedon just confirmed to me that Amy Acker has inked a deal to return for three episodes in season 2. There was some question whether Acker would be able to juggle Dollhouse with her full-time gig on ABC's new drama Happy Town. Check back later for my exclusive video interview with Whedon and Eliza Dushku.

[EW]

[Pretend]

More on new guests

Despite being mostly tight-lipped when it came to revealing many of the story developments of the second season of Dollhouse, Joss Whedon did hint at it having ?a couple of other faces you recognize.? As time wore on though, so did his penchant for secrecy. Whedon dropped two names: Alexis Denisof and Summer Glau. Now, any Buffy and Angel fans can attest to the greatness of Alexis Denisof, who played the bumbling ?watcher? Wesley who was originally sent to look after Faith (played by Eliza Dushku). Whedon fans will surely enjoy that bit of TV synergy, but Summer Glau is naturally the real draw here.

Whedon made sure to clarify that, at this point, Glau is still a ?maybe?. They?re still working out the details, but if everything goes as planned, she will indeed be on the show. I?m curious to see what part she ends up playing, because there?s a notable similarity between the blank-faced River (her character on Firefly) and the ?dolls? (or ?actives?) in Dollhouse. How interested would you guys be to see her play a ?doll? on the show?

[Pretend]

If you need a reason to love Comic-Con, you would need look no further than to experiences like today's Dollhouse panel.

First we got to watch the infamous lost episode of Dollhouse, "Epitaph One," on giant screens with an audience of fellow fans, and then Dollhouse boss Joss Whedon, who did not come to his reputation as a great storyteller by accident, sat down and talked to us about the future of his dark drama Dollhouse.

Comic-Con 2009 Franchise Brick

Joss was joined by star Eliza Dushku in a glittering gold dress, and the two faced down questions about how "Epitaph One" will change the show, how the cast is changing for season two (a fan favorite Buffy-Angel actor will be visiting!), and what he's really warning us about when he's talking about a zombie apocalypse...

Was any casting news for Dollhouse season two revealed?

According to Joss, Dollhouse season two cast will be comprised of "old friends...and maybe a couple of other faces you recognize." Joss later revealed some specifics: Buffy and Angel alum Alexis Denisof (aka Mr. Alyson Hannigan) is going to be a recurring character in season two. Yay! (Joss: "Eliza, you will take a blade to him at one point.") On a related note, "If the stars align we might also see a little [summer] Glau." Come on, stars!

Were there any surprise guests?

Dichen Lachmann, who plays Active Sierra, and Fran Kranz, who plays dangerously smart scientist Topher Brink, both joined the panel midsession. Dichen is so soft-spoken it was hard to hear her but what a beauty! She mentioned she loved the episode where she got to play with all the guns and the one where she was Topher's friend. For his part, Fran Kranz was all agog at the packed ballroom, saying, "Wow...this is very humbling. Thank you so much."

What happens in the first episode of Dollhouse season two?

The three main characters from "Epitaph One" (Felicia Day, the kid and the "funny and mean" redhead guy who is not Joss or Alan Tudyk) all briefly appear in the season premiere.

What impact will "Epitaph One" have on the rest of the show?

Joss implied that the leap forward was in part a consequence of their expectation that they would be canceled, so they are reeling some stuff back in, telling the crowd, "What we intend to do is honor what you've seen here today, but a lot of it were memories." And memory is famously fallible.

What happens to the people whose faces were sliced up by villain Alpha?

In season two of Dollhouse, Victor's (Enver Gjokaj) scars are healed, and Whiskey's (Amy Acker) discovery that she is not who she thought she was is explored.

Will the whole human bondage aspect of the Dollhouses be explored further in season two?

Joss: "As you can see from this lost episode, everything turns out fine." (Joss is being sarcastic. Actually everything burns down in "Epitaph One," but it looks cool.)

Did Joss have a wicked comment about another genre TV show?

When a fan asked if the writers were concerned that reworking the show drastically would cause general Dollhouse system failure, Joss said, "As long as we don't send anyone to feudal Japan, we should be fine." For those not clear on the matter, that was a Heroes slam.

Did Joss say anything crazy and profound about our lives today?

Why, yes, Joss did say something crazy and profound about our lives today. Someone wanted to know if Joss had a thing against giant corporations and Joss said, "Have you been in America? I like to consider myself a great documentarian. The entire structure is designed to mess with your minds, to combine selling you things with entertaining you to keep you in line to make you think that you need the things they want you to need and to stay away from the things that they want you to stay away from, to keep them in power, to share none of it. This is all happening. There are lights in the darkness. The art that we get to create because of our powerful patrons let us is one of them, but sometimes, yeah, it's like running the daycare on the Death Star. The truth is there is power and manipulation that is controlling almost all of our every thought, and that is why I love this show so much." So say we all...

[Rappy Veteran]

I can't wait now...so McK get on it catching up :p

[Pretend]

Will do, boss!

[Rappy Veteran]

haha :p

[coresx]

The unaired episode was great, better than any other one in the series. Would of missed not seeing this thread. :D

[Rappy Veteran]

I remember this thread being really quiet for such a long time and then it picked up :D

[Rappy Veteran]

[Rappy Veteran]