Fox Cancels Dollhouse

I wish I could say that this is a surprise, but it is not. Fox announced today that Dollhouse is canceled. Fortunately, the network will air all thirteen episodes that it ordered.

FOX says they will air all 13 episodes of Dollhouse

I don't plan to post a lot of links to other blogs, but this is news that I thought I'd pass on. It looks like Dollhouse will not air during November (valuable sweeps month) but at least we're promised all episodes will air. I suspect, given its low ratings, that those will be the last episodes we'll see.

FOX says they will air all 13 episodes of Dollhouse

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Dollhouse: Instinct

What happens when an Active's body is altered on a glandular level such that she has the instincts of a new mother, and can even breast feed? That's what happens in this episode, which explores not just the strength of a mother's love for her child, but also the feelings of an Active.

Nate Jordan is so devastated when his wife dies in childbirth that he cannot connect with his baby. Instead of hiring a nanny or seeking help from family and friends, Nate uses his vast financial resources to hire a Doll. Thanks to Topher's wizardry, Echo is transformed into a doting and lactating mother. But the glandular changes also increase her susceptibility to paranoia. Noticing Nate's discomfort around her and the baby, Echo reasons that her "husband" must be having an affair. Or involved in illegal schemes. One or the other. She breaks into Nate's home office and finds Nate's wedding pictures. His wife is not her.

Nate somehow talks Echo down, but then calls the Dollhouse to have Echo returned. Unfortunately, Echo overhears and misunderstands; she believes Nate is arranging for her murder. Although she "escapes" from the home with the baby, she is soon found, and Ballard takes her back to the Dollhouse to be wiped. But the device only wipes the brain, not the glandular changes. Echo knows that she has lost her baby, and believes that it is in danger, so she escapes the Dollhouse, and returns to Nate's home. Again, miraculously, Nate talks her down - the baby belongs to him and her feelings aren't real.

The episode ends with Ballard comforting Echo. Echo has revealed that she retains memories from her prior imprints, but knows that they are not her. In Instinct, Echo reveals that even if her relationship with the baby was not real, her feelings for him were. When offered an opportunity to be fully wiped, so as to lose her memories of the imprints, though, Echo declines.

I'm not quite clear on why Echo has retained the memories or impressions of her former imprints. I can only assume that these memories are a result of Alpha's downloading so much into her in last season's finale. She is choosing to keep the memories, despite the pain, in stark contrast with Madeline, the former November. Madeline agreed to become a Doll to escape the grief she felt following the death of her infant daughter. Of course, Madeline is no longer an Active, but she has found that the grief is gone, and she is grateful for it. Nor is Echo responding like Dr. Saunders, who fled the Dollhouse in the season premiere, unable to cope with the fact that she is an Active.

In the season premiere, Echo asked Ballard to help her find her true self. I am not convinced that Echo's true self is Caroline, though who else would she be? Caroline willingly gave up her body, leaving a Topher-created shell of child-like passivity. I hope that we are able to explore Echo's identity in more detail in future episodes. I also hope Dr. Saunders returns soon (Amy Acker has another series).

Buffyverse Fan Alert: Alexis Denisof, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, failed Watcher and rogue demon hunter, plays Senator Daniel Perrin, who is determined to bring down the Rossum Corporation, which funds the Dollhouse. It is very odd to hear Denisof speak, since he's using his regular, American accent, instead of Wesley's British accent. Denisof joins fellow Buffyverse alums, including Eliza Dushku (Faith) and Amy Acker (Dr. Saunders/Whiskey).

Returning Shows

What shows will I be looking forward to this Fall? Well, in no particular order:

Bones – as I noted before, I only watched Bones initially because it starred David Boreanaz of Buffy fame. But I found it to be an unusual show with charming characters, and have stuck with it since the beginning. Unlike many of its fans, I wasn’t bothered by the finale from last season. I thought it was cute and funny, a way to use the characters in a different way than we had seen before. Plus, I rarely demand that all finales be “big”. I’m just happy with a good episode. Besides, Bones is best when it doesn’t engage in serious arcs. I’ve found all of their attempts at arcs to be mildly disappointing, and rarely well thought out. I also was not bothered by the revolving door of lab assistants. I thought each one was well drawn out and each brought something to the cast. There were things that happened in the last season that I didn’t like, however, including the break up of Angela and Hodgins, which seemed forced and story-line driven, rather than character-based. I also thought that Cam’s reunion with her “stepdaughter” was a bit maudlin and predictable.

House –I believe this show is an acquired taste. You have to understand that the show is well-named – it is all about House. Even the “patient of the week” is designed to showcase a part of House’s complicated character. And I would never say he is lovable; House is far too prickly, selfish and mean-spirited to call lovable. Unlike most viewers, I didn’t mind the addition of the new doctors, with the mild exception of Thirteen, who I just found to be nearly unwatchable. However, Taub and Kutner were both great characters. The suicide of Kutner was unfortunately spoiled for me, but the episode was still extremely well done. Sometimes, there really is no sign that a person is suicidal. That we didn’t see Chase and Cameron didn’t disappoint me much. I also must say that I don’t care one way or another about Cuddy and the possibility of a romance between Cuddy and House. The show would be better off playing off the sexual tension between the two rather than in indulging in what would eventually be a disastrous affair for both. I would be very happy if the show brought back the detective, whose relationship with House was certainly unique. I am also a huge fan of Wilson and House. The show ended on a great note. House has not only lost his touch, he has also developed hallucinations. In other words , House’s Vicodin addiction finally bit him in the ass.

Fringe – I didn’t pay as much attention to this show as I should have when it started, despite the fact that it was from J.J. Abrams. However, as the season progressed, it became extremely fascinating, even without the obvious “reveal” of Leonard Nimoy in the final scene. I hope that Nimoy continues on the show. The biggest surprise was not that William Bell was in a different world than ours, but that Peter is not “our” Peter; that somehow Peter died and Walter (or someone else?) brought another Peter from another world to ours. Will another Walter try to find him? Unlike many, I actually liked Olivia, attributing her flatness of affect to grief over the death and possible betrayal by her boyfriend/partner. I like the way everything in the show, every seemingly unrelated case, was connected to the overarching mystery, or the Pattern. Walter Bishop is also one of my all-time favorite characters, and who isn’t happy to see Joshua Jackson in a role as intelligent as he appears to be?

Dollhouse – This is one show that I actually avoided watching when it first came on, even though it is from the same brilliant mind that produced Buffy and Angel. Once I started watching, I couldn’t stop. I have mixed feelings about the concept of a Dollhouse and the use of dolls by rich people for their every pleasure and need. It is also obvious that executives interfered with the show. I’ve heard that the unaired season finale that was shown at Comic Con was fabulous. Hopefully it will be part of the DVD. That this show was picked up for a second season is a miracle, and I am eagerly looking forward to it.

I am, of course, eagerly looking forward to the return of Chuck and Lost, but that is not until next year, literally. And did you notice that all the returning shows I’m most anticipating are on Fox?