Stage Fright (27 Feb. 2009)

Pop star Rayna is in need of protection due to death threats, so Echo is programmed as a backup singer/bodyguard for her. Sierra serves as additional protection. Paul's investigation into the Dollhouse might cost him his life.

Director:

David Solomon

Writers:

Joss Whedon (creator), Maurissa Tancharoen,

Stars:

Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Eliza Dushku	...	Echo / Jordan
Harry Lennix	...	Boyd Langton
Fran Kranz	...	Topher Brink
Tahmoh Penikett	...	Paul Ballard
Enver Gjokaj	...	Anton Lubov / Victor
Dichen Lachman	...	Sierra / Audra
Olivia Williams	...	Adelle DeWitt
Amy Acker	...	Dr. Claire Saunders
Reed Diamond	...	Laurence Dominic
Kevin Kilner	...	Joe Hearn
Jaime Lee Kirchner	...	Rayna Russell
Miracle Laurie	...	Mellie
Jim Piddock	...	Biz
Graham Norris	...	The Fan
Cloie Wyatt Taylor	...	Chantal

Storyline

Echo is programmed for her next assignment to be a backup singer to protect a wealthy pop star, Rayna Russell, from an obsessed fan out to kill her. Newcomer active Sierra is also programmed to be the Australian winner of the "Number One Fan Contest" to assist Echo to flush out the stalker. Meanwhile, Agent Ballard's investigation to find Caroline/Echo in order to link her to Dollhouse takes a turn for the worse when his Russian contact, Lubov, turns out to be an active for the Dollhouse and sets him up to be killed by Russian thugs of no relation to the matter he is investigating.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 February 2009 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

49 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The stalker smuggles a rifle into the concert hidden in a crutch. This is the same manner as titular character in The Day of the Jackal.

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Quotes

Dr. Claire Saunders: You sent Echo out on a high-risk engagement?
Topher Brink: [sighs] Dr. Saunders, hey, so good of you to annoy me.

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: Episode #26.118 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Superstar (Smash It)"
(uncredited)
by Kimberly Cole
Performed by Jaime Lee Kirchner

User Reviews

"You think you know people....Hello, Victor"

"Stage Fright" has its moments, but it also has the same problem as the previous episode, "Target": the real juice is on the side stuff, not on the center stuff. The revelation of Lubov as a Dollhouse Active (so that's what Adelle meant in "Target" when she said that the appropriate measures concerning Paul Ballard have been taken!), or the fact that Echo and Sierra seem to be developing some sort of friendship that goes beyond their programming, are more interesting to watch than an unoriginal "bodyguard to a pop star" story and the clichéd "psycho-stalker-No. 1 fan" figure (at least we get to hear Eliza Dushku sing - and she doesn't sound bad at all). Jaime Lee Kirchner gives a pretty good performance as the pop star, but her story is really nothing more than a vehicle to prove a point about Echo's unusually creative mind that extends beyond her given orders. *** out of 4.