The conclusion of last week’s reveal of Alpha as Firefly’s Alan Tudyk led, this week, to the further revelation that Alpha was Carl William Craft, a violent convict who was one of the Dollhouse’s first actives, contracted by Adelle DeWitt from a prison. By accident, he got 48 personalities downloaded into him, and, as Topher phrased it, Alpha “snapped,” turning into a deadly carver. (There were numerous times here, I gotta say, when Fran Kranz as Topher delivered his sarcastic lines so caustically, I thought Joss Whedon and company were going to pull a switcheroo and have Topher be the series’ ultimate villain; didn’t you get that vibe a few times?)
This season conclusion had Alpha convincing an alternate-identitied Echo to run off with him, kidnapping an innocent woman, and pulling a Frankenstein homage by rigging up a home-made, zapping-electricity experimental device that would enable Alpha to do his own personality-implanting. Echo/Caroline had to overcome Alpha’s hold on her, and save herself.
The bottom-line theme for the season: Dollhouse was about identity, figuring your own out and dealing with it, because denying your identity or giving it up for someone else to define you, gets you in trouble.
The hour was full of Whedonesque lines (written, in this case, by director Tim Minear) such as, “I have 38 brains and not one of them thinks you can sign a contract to be a slave, especially now that we have a black President.” And Topher, speaking of souls: “We put ‘em in a jar with our fireflies.” Get it? Firefly? Sheesh. Less Whedonesque? References to Nietzsche, even when uttered by a freaky madman, and ex-FBI man Ballard making a passionate mini-speech about the sanctity of the soul. Frankly, I found the conclusion a bit of an anti-climax — that is, after the climax of a fine butt-kicking scene in which Echo thrashed Alpha in a fine, Buffy-ish fight scene.
But then, in part, I presume, to keep things open for a second season, Alpha had to escape. And Caroline went back to being Echo, more or less, in the Dollhouse, murmuring robotically, “Shall I go now?” My heart sank as the “dolls” once again sank into their little pod-beds. Even if, as they were sealed in tight for the night, Echo uttered the season’s final word — “Caroline,” demonstrating she remembers her true identity — I didn’t feel much forward momentum had been built for another season of Dollhouse-ing. I understand that Caroline’s contractual five years aren’t up, but…
I thought it was a bit of a let-down, overall. There were, of course, a number of good moments here, just as there were excellent moments throughout the season. (Favorite line this night: “The wrongness of this is so large.”)
So was this the kind of season-ender you wanted from Dollhouse? Do you want to see that tantalizingly unaired, DVD-promised episode, “Epitaph One,” for clues to what different directions Dollhouse might have taken? (Or might yet take?) Are you hoping Fox will renew it for a second season? (I actually am — I want to see Whedon and the gang go at this material again.) Or should those dolls just drift off to perpetual TV-sleep?
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This series just got better and better. The finale wasn’t as amazing as I’m used to from Whedon shows, however. I loved Amy Acker as “Whiskey.”
i want a second season if for no other reason than to give whedon and the boys time to flesh out the story. why the idiots in charge at fox think that a truncated will be enough to flesh out a whedon show? it didn’t work for firefly, its not working for dollhouse. you have to give it time to fully sink in. whedon works slowly. it took a whole season just to get angel and buffy in bed together. and we KNEW that was coming. GIVE IT MORE TIME!!! or at the very least, have scifi, I’m sorry, syfy, pick it up. and ttscc as well. shows like these were not made for network television. cable all the way!!!
I want that 2nd season. I think as fans we deserve it. I think Whedon and the gang deserve it. I’m not ready for the story to end.
I hope we get a second season……I just think there’s so much more to this whole story! I would hate it to end and just think of Echo living as a doll all the time………
I think FOX should bring this show back, and pair it with Fringe next season.
Fringe is now considered a hit. It doesn’t need it’s American Idol or House lead-in anymore. Let Fringe lead in Dollhouse…OUT OF FRIDAY.
But I really don’t think they’ll bring it back. Disappointing. Because it was a victim of bad scheduling (aka NBC syndrome).
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/05/09/tv-tonight-saturday-may-9th-2009/
I, for one, thought that the Dollhouse finale did everything it could to wrap the “Alpha” story and even give *some* closure with the Echo/Caroline identity crisis.
It seems like everyone, including Ballard apparently, are pretty content with Echo serving out the rest of her time as a vacant doll. While it was sad to see her back in her pod when she was so close to freedom with her old self in the blonde’s body, I guess there is no real happy ending.
As for the Alpha story, the whole thing was done brilliantly. The flashbacks filled in so much – I NEVER saw the Dr. Saunders/ Whiskey twist coming!! And I thought the Echo/ Alpha fight was epic.
Things I was confused about:
1) So WHO was communicating to Ballard from the inside? I was thinking Dr. Saunders but it seems she was pretty in the dark about the Whiskey thing until recently…
2) Why was November let out but not Sierra, who was FORCED in?? Grr
3) Does this mean what happened to Whiskey will happen to Victor?
Though the first five (Fox-meddled) episodes produced a slow start (and turned off many potential viewers), the rest of the truncated season was a *brilliant* mediation on the nature of identity and individuality. And the kick-butt action scenes didn’t hurt. Many were concerned about how people that change every episode could capture your interest (and heart) but Whedon (and in particular Dushku) managed that brilliantly. The initial conceit – that a human can be ‘wiped’ of the themselves and be overwritten by other (sometimes designed) personalities has so many fascinating aspects. Thirteen epsiodes is not enough! Sure, Dollhouse might best be served by a solid three year run, but these few episodes will produce the regret of the cancellation of the also brilliant Firefly if FOX decides not to bring Dollhouse back. That would be tragic.
In the tradition of Firefly, bring on Echo: The Movie (2012).
please! please! what an amazing finale, don’t let it be the series finale.
I still have doubts about Topher. His line about “Greatest Hits” struck me as odd, like he knew what he was doing to Alpha. Besides, the insider must know how to program the Actives. Hmmm.
I think Dollhouse is awesome. I really want to see what a second season would be like…fox keeps pulling the plug on Joss in the first seasons…hello can you say Firefly?…YO FOX!!! IT TAKES AWHILE FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO A SHOW….SHOWS EVOLVE…they already know Joss is awesome…they should give him a freakin chance…GGEEEEZZ
It didn’t really feel like a season finale (though I don’t blame them b/c of that un-aired episode), but I really hope FOX picks it up for another go.
I mean, besides Dark Angel, I don’t recall ANY FOX Friday show lasting at least one season.
I love the Dollhouse! I think it has the feel of Buffy combined with Firefly. Please save the Dollhouse!!!
I loved it. Really want to see “Epitaph One.” I think it has lots of room to go further and grow and stretch and I enjoyed it. (Also mentioning philosophers IS actually Whedonesque.) I hope that Fox will see the potential and the cult following, and give it a chance to grow further.
Two points:
1) Souls: “We put ‘em in a jar with our fireflies.” My mind immediately went to Angel’s soul when it was trapped in the ball and then the jar. Both looked like they were lit with fireflies.
2) I was surprised too when Caroline wasn’t released. Perhaps Ballard thought she’d be safer from Alpha than if she were released into the real world.
I’ve enjoyed the show and would like to see it get renewed.
I’m enjoying this show but it’s super preachy. I don’t agree with anything in the first 6 paragraphs. A show only successfully makes you think if they aren’t demanding you agree with them. Also the person Alpha called Omega was NOT Caroline, she was Echo. Just Echo with a brain. I hope Miracle Laurie comes back. She’s really the only reason I’ve watched the last three episodes.
I’d agree. I was a little disappointed with this end–too much exposition with the major moments coming too early in the episode.
However, the end–not with Echo whispering her name, which I thought was too convenient, but with Saunders, knowing who she IS, giving Victor a lollipop, and Ballard letting Mellie go, acknowledging HE was nobody, and Topher becoming choked up, dealing with his self-hate–was affecting. Not an overblown finale but a subtle cadence, wrapping up a topic that should make us somber.
I want to see next season. But, I don’t want the drive to garner viewers to interfere with the integrity of the show. Something that I feel the show is torn between.
The black president line was way beyond cheesy and dumb. The whole episode was a let down. I won’t miss it. Bring on the next Whedon show.
I don’t think you’re giving the finale nearly enough credit, Ken. Were you hoping Echo would be restored as Caroline again? That might be more of a show-ender than a season ender, and I don’t want things wrapped up tidily after just twelve episodes. Even without the promise of a season two, I’d rather this ending than a lot of answers crammed uncomfortably into an makeshift finale. Your heart broke for the dolls descending back into their pods? So did mine. It’s supposed to. As a multi-personalitied Echo said, she’s just a shell, they’re all just shells, though it’s clear to us by now that there’s more to human identity than a brain zap and some implanted memories and personality traits. A letdown? I thought it was mystifying and rather beautiful. I don’t understand why a lot of the same critics who have no trouble getting behind “Battlestar Galactica” and “Lost” show ambivalence for this one, which is just as soulful but as yet not nearly as dense. It’s the season’s best new series.
Well, as one sci-fi favorite dies, another is rebooted! Star Trek earned $26 million yesterday! SOURCE: http://theboxofficejunkie.com/2009/05/friday-estimates-star-trek-captures-25.html
Very good (if somewhat anti-climatic) finale. Didn’t see the doctor as being a doll (great twist there) I’m hoping for a second season but since it’s FOX it probably won’t be renewed in favour of “Who want’s to be a gold digging skank” or something equally revieting.
Really good finale… a good way to wrap up a *season*. But there is so much to unfold here. The second half of the season was very strong — and Whedon’s shows only get better as they go on. Still holding out hope that Fox will renew it.
This week was certainly anti-climactic when compared to episodes 11 and 6 of this season. Dollhouse has *SO* much potential, but I don’t understand what the hell is going on behind the scenes – it’s being terribly mishandled. Alpha seemed like some sort of extended afterthought to give the show a big bad. The vague nature of good vs. evil in the “Dollverse” makes the show extremely dissatisfying. It is so very un-Whedonesque. You can tell that they want to stretch out mysteries a la Lost, but they don’t have the deep character development required for such a format.
I do hope it gets a second season, just because the good parts of the show are really very good…also, has anybody re-watched that first season of Buffy lately? Woof…took awhile to reach its stride too. Makes you wonder what could have been with Firefly…
First, if they DO bring Dollhouse back, it should come back in January, not September, where it can be allowed to air episodes consectively. Now as for the episode ‘Omega,’ Alpha tried to re-create the accident that made him but instead created an amalgam of characters Echo had been and made her easily understand where she was and it helped her. I think that if Whedon had another season, he might produce a good year like Season Two of Buffy where he surprised everyone about Angel. What if Topher is the villian of the show and found a way to download Adelle’s memories? Adelle’s memories in Echo’s body or what if Claire goes insane and joins Alpha? Also, does Paul now become Echo’s handler since Boyd has moved on to head of Security? They could use the time to clear up some characters and steam pressed some better ideas into the show. Nothing is perfect, heck even Fringe could use a little more work.
I loved it! I so hope it comes back for a second season. Please Fox! I will beg, full on hands and knees beg!
but anyways, I wasn’t disappointed at all. I thought the awesome butt kicking between Eliza and Alan was amazingly awesome! But I think the actual end was subtle, understated, and left it open for another season. I’m glad that Echo wasn’t restored to Caroline, there’s too much story that can be played with her by keeping her a “doll” and the fact that at the end she said “Caroline” meaning she remembers who she really is, means she, like Alpha, is evolving and remembering more than she’s supposed to.
And I too loved the firefly line, but I think my favorite had to be from Alpha with the whole “one of my personalites happens to be a multiple personality” I was laughing so hard at that. Overall I am quite pleased with the finale, but I do want to see the other ending too!
Most definitely want Season 2. Whedon tends to do better the longer the show gets. BUFFY only got great from Season 2. Angel Season 3.
please, can Fox put the show in a decent time? I mean, if dollhouse could be in the same day with bones, the show would be stellar
I enjoyed this episode alot, however it seems it was the smaller…almost completely missed things for me that really made the episode.
The doctor is actually a doll and she *was* the first thing Alpha went after when he snapped…not his own ‘wedge’. Also the comment from one of Alpha’s personalities that the dolls “are screaming” in their blank slate state.
Sure, it ended rather anti-climatically, but like someone else said, it also showed that there’s still more going on with Echo that there should be. I also can’t wait to see what sort of psychological effects linger for Victor. I think he said it best himself; “I’m no longer my best.”
I think the tragedy here is, way back when, a show used to be allowed to grow and mature. First seasons were expected to be bumpy; second seasons were when the greats really came into their own. Sadly, in this era of 15 second sound bites and “Twitter,” you have TV exec’s that have the attention span of a toddler and sponsors with that of a fruit fly.
“Dollhouse” – expectedly -started slowly. Joss and the Mutant Enemy gang tend to craft their programs and nurture them into shows you follow forever with characters you come to think of as friends. But Fox is not a network that either gives a show that kind of time nor appreciates what that relational momentum can do.
Dollhouse should get another season to mature. However, I fear that is unlikely.
Next time Joss .. please! .. shop your show to SciFi or another cable network that appreciates well developed characters and gives a show time. Smart people have – woefully – little to watch these days. We need pithy banter like yours!
Alpha was interesting last episode, this episode he was just a run of the mill crazy serial killer, way to ruin an interesting multi-facet villain. So Alpha with the multiple imprints becomes crazy but Echo with 38 imprints in her happens to just turn into Faith, that was stupid, there wasn’t even a struggle for dominance with the multiple personalities, it was just five by five.
I think this show would have already been renewed if Fox “interfered” with all the episodes because from episode 6 where Whedon had full creative freedom, the ratings dropped like a rock. I know the hardcore fans liked how it turned out but the majority of normal viewers did not. Now it has zero chance of renewal with the second poorest ratings on Fox.
I thought most elements of the show were acceptable: plot, action, lightning, scene choices, etc…
But the writing/dialogue killed the show. Since dialogue is the backbone of even modern action-based television, I can see why Dollhouse is shedding viewership and facing possible cancellation.
The dialogue esp. between Alpha and Echo in his “secret lair” could stand significant improvement. Was it not blatantly hackneyed, cheesy, over the top, forced, and cringe worthy? I had to pause the episode several times, so that I could shake the wretched aftertaste of some of the lines.
I mean, “… especially now that we have a black president.” Wtf? Is that really relevant? As if before we had a black president “slavery” was legitimate. Talk about egregious non-sequiturs… This line among others completely breaks the scene. Almost all good sci-fi provides social commentary without direct reference, e.g., Battlestar Galactica. It asks “what if” without the cheese.