Last Friday ’s Dollhouse push the show ’s mess up - up absorption one step further : now not only can your life sentence be delete at the push of a push button , but blue-ribbon , wealthy people can have unending life . Spoilers beforehand !
Friday ’s novel instalment was most interesting at the perimeter . The independent patch was riveting for as long as Dollhouse madam Adelle DeWitt was a part of it . The “ B ” plot prove hints of giving Topher an literal soul , and pandered to our geeky obsessions shamelessly . And then the smattering of scene we got with Paul Ballard ( Tahmoh Penikett ) spun his storyline in several fascinating new direction .
As for the master plot , it was okay . I never get tired of the “ solving my own murder ” storyline — that ’s just one thingumajig that always shape , as far as I ’m concerned . It play forInspector Clouseau , it worked forLindsey Lohan , and it lick for Echo . The storyline render Eliza Dushku a chance to do some fun PBS - esque drawing room detecting , and I did really relish the scene where the family is gathered together and the alcoholic brother sound out himself and his dead sister atrocious , but adds that International System of Units ’ kids are “ hideous . ” It ’s not pass to revamp the murder mystery musical genre , but it ’s serviceable stuff . It sort of remind me of that Sarah Connor Chronicles installment where the home is trapped in a cabin with a Terminator outside , hunting them . It sort of fall back my suspension of incredulity towards the last , when Margaret says “ Elmo ” instead of “ emo ” and then add “ yay ” to her final letter to her family .
But like I say , it really make out to life whenever Adelle DeWitt is on screen — I ’ve loved her since the first episode , but she ’s really become the most bewitching , screwed - up part in late episodes . This prison term around , serve her friend Margaret to cheat death , swanning around Margaret ’s funeral with the reincarnated Margaret , and answer Boyd ’s objections to this new line of credit of line of work , Adelle is great at seeming absolutely corrupt and yet vulnerable and scrupulously honest , in her own way . We ca n’t ever approve of anything Adelle does , but we ca n’t serve sympathize with her and want to understand her better .
In a way of life , this episode and the previous one are the resolution to your question : with a show about empty vessels who only do what they ’re program for , who do you rootle for ? And the solution , increasingly , seems to be , the grown - ups .
I also really felt for Paul Ballard , the former FBI factor . Now that he knows his neighbor / lover Mellie is really an undercover Doll , sent to spy on him , he ’s in a unearthly no - winnings position . She ’s his best lead to the Dollhouse , but to keep her around he ’s got to pretend everything is normal and behave on a relationship with her . And then , of course , he find oneself out that she ’s in the FBI database under a potpourri of names — until they ’re all suddenly erased . ( And I ’d be let down if that sudden expunging from the FBI database does n’t trigger off a warning to the Dollhouse that Ballard is on to their factor . It seems like a pretty canonical matter . )
Ballard does n’t really do such a great chore of pretend everything ’s normal and he ’s still into Mellie , like always . He ’s mopey and ruminative at the best of clip , but now that he knows he ’s date a Doll , he ’s positively stone - confront . And then Mellie makes this immense speech about how it does n’t matter , he can just put nothing into the relationship and she ’ll make believe everything ’s fine , because she just really want to be with him . It ’s the most doormatty , pitiful speech I ’ve ever learn , and for some reason , it spend a penny Paul really horny . Maybe because take in sex activity is easy than having this conversation ? Either way of life , Paul seems to realise Mellie really is put up something he urgently require , because he identify himself afterwards as the Dollhouse ’s belated client . Ouch .
Speaking of which , is there anyone process at the Dollhouse who is n’t also a client ? I ’m expecting next week ’s episode to be about Boyd hiring a Doll to go ballroom dancing with him or something . ( At least we ’re done with the “ weekly glitch ” thing , which was arrive a mite sure-enough . ) Topher ’s storyline , hiring Sierra to be his nerdy playfellow in a totally nonsexual way , was cute and magic at first — and I really did love the moment I included above , where they listscientifically implausible thingsfrom classical scientific discipline fiction . But the Topher / Sierra storyline really overstayed its welcome , and the nerd wittiness started to fall flat after a while . ( Generally , if you wanted an object lesson of how “ remote - costless viewing ” has hurt Dollhouse by ram the show to stretch out episodes past their rude duration , this latest episode would be a not bad exemplar . ) It was all worth it , though , for the bit at the end where Sierra impart Topher a birthday cake and you realize that , yes , he really has no champion .
http://io9.com/367792/bad-movie-physics-a-report-card
All in all , it was another pretty thought - provoking installment , and there was plenty of stuff I suspect will pay off down the route . Like Mellie ’s multiple identities , Paul ’s unexampled ego - loathing form , and most of all , the thought that the Dollhouse can actually debar multiple laws of nature . ( And what ’s to stop them putting your idea into another body while you ’re still alive ? I could be in two body at once ! ) What did you guys think ?
dollhouseTelevision
Daily Newsletter
Get the in force tech , scientific discipline , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the future , delivered to your nowadays .
Please choose your desired newssheet and submit your email to elevate your inbox .
You May Also Like
