This entire episode is the kind of audacious experiment that only people confident in their abilities would even attempt. The Dollhouse staff and actives come into contact with a hallucinogenic drug that removes natural inhibitions and digs into hidden memories; while trying to contain the infection, Adelle, Topher, Boyd and Dominic are affected in the first way; Victor, Sierra and November (Mellie) in the second. The actors who play the first 4 roles, especially Olivia Williams and Fran Kranz, really get to let loose and act like complete fools, and my guess is they all must have had a ball filming this episode. At the same time, the way the Dolls are affected is quite disturbing. And where is Echo in the midst of all this? Nearly her entire backstory (as Caroline) is revealed, giving us useful insight into how she got to be in the Dollhouse, and into their recruitment processes in general (which were only hinted at in the pilot of the show). My favorite out of the first 7 episodes - certainly the most entertaining. *** out of 4.
5 Reviews
How Caroline became Echo and everybody gets drugged
Tweekums9 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
After a student at a university kills himself in a research lab funded by the Rossum Corporation the Dollhouse is asked to help. It turns out he took an experimental drug which acts on the brains memory inhibitors and other people on campus are showing signs of being affected. All available actives are sent to the campus; it is believed that they will be unaffected due to their treatment but the same can't be said of their handlers. Their job will be to find a second vial of the drug and treat those affected Echo is already in an assignment but after seeing a news report on the events at the university she suddenly feels that she must go there to rescue somebody.
This was a really solid episode; the main story is interesting and provided some surprisingly amusing moments; most notable when Victor orders the officious Laurence Dominic around and later when Laurence is affected by the drug when Adelle and Topher get affected it is pretty funny as well. The way the events triggered memories in Echo provided a good reason to show flashbacks which ultimately explain what Caroline did to ultimately end up in the Dollhouse. I was a little unsure how the story would be wrapped up when there was a lot unexplained with only about ten minutes to go but thankfully a solid ending was provided; an ending that left Echo's future in doubt. The cast did a solid job; I particularly liked Reed Diamond's performance as the drugged Laurence and Olivia Williams and Fran Kranz as Adelle and Topher when they start getting silly, also when drugged. Overall this was a fine blend of drama and humour the series really seems to have found its stride.
This was a really solid episode; the main story is interesting and provided some surprisingly amusing moments; most notable when Victor orders the officious Laurence Dominic around and later when Laurence is affected by the drug when Adelle and Topher get affected it is pretty funny as well. The way the events triggered memories in Echo provided a good reason to show flashbacks which ultimately explain what Caroline did to ultimately end up in the Dollhouse. I was a little unsure how the story would be wrapped up when there was a lot unexplained with only about ten minutes to go but thankfully a solid ending was provided; an ending that left Echo's future in doubt. The cast did a solid job; I particularly liked Reed Diamond's performance as the drugged Laurence and Olivia Williams and Fran Kranz as Adelle and Topher when they start getting silly, also when drugged. Overall this was a fine blend of drama and humour the series really seems to have found its stride.
Echoes
Joxerlives3 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The good; So we find out how Echo came to the Dollhouse. Hilarious to watch Dominic bossed around by Victor and the other dolls and lovely scenes between Adele and Topher.
The bad; Why do they use the NSA as cover? Surely they're involved in intercepting communications, not stuff like this?
Best line; Toper (of Dominic) "He didn't take any, no way would Dominic have any fun" plus again "Nothing is what it appears to be"
Packing heat; Dominic with his Glock (personally I always found them a bit light for my taste?) Sierra and Victor also get one whilst we also see Victor with an M16 in his flashback. Echo;4 Boyd; 6 Dominic; 6 Sierra; 3 Victor; 2
Kinky dinky; Echo's knee socks, high heels and micro-mini dress are spectacular, especially when she's on the bike (but is that ED?). Check out her stumble when she chases Sam from the lab. She engages in bondage sex with her returning client/trick.
Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; none unless Echo goes back to finish her engagement. Why are Topher's trousers off? What did he and Adele get up to? He says she's his 'Superior in every way"? Echo; 3 November; 1 Ballard; 1
How'd they get away with that? The poor kid headbutting the glass, yeeesh! Tophers ode to drugs is also pretty near the knuckle.
This weeks fantasy; Echo returns to her biker-party-girl persona which we see in Ghost, Victor is a federal agent and Sierra a government scientist
Total number personalities; Echo; 14 Sierra; 5 Victor; 2 November; 1
Total dolls;4, but we hear of another Doll, Foxtrot? Sam becomes an active at the end but do we ever see him again? Echo, Sierra, November and Victor
Addy is a bit British; "Sarcastic? Unfeeling? British?" She uses the British term crisp. Brown sauce is actually a mix of fruit and spices. Topher also refers to his machines that go 'Ping!' which is a reference to Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
Topher is a bit geeky; Topher is so excited to meet the Rostrum head guy he might throw up. He quotes Mighty Mouse 'Here I come to save the day'.
Bondage; no but Echo ties up her client Sierra tied up; 1
Kills; Sierra; 2 kills Echo; 1 November;1
Capt subtext; Adele's interview of Caroline is reminiscent of seduction. Paul wants to take care of Mellie, just like he wants to save Caroline, always the white knight. Topher and Adele begin to share. Adele says she has a good story about Victor. Dominic hints that there's more to him than just a professional heavy, namely his suits, is he hinting that he's gay?
Know the face? 5 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock
Guantanamo; The press are fed a cover story of a student prank gone wrong
Fanfic; One theory explored in fanfic is that Caroline is actually Adele's daughter?
Reminds me off; Very reminiscent of the classic 3rd season Buffy ep Band Candy, Adele in particular similar to the wonderful teen Joyce.
Breaking the programming; In this ep all the Dolls glitch but Echo starts before she even get's the drug. She actually says 'No' to her treatment.
Questions and observations; Adele refers to her and Caroline playing this game for 2 years? First return client/trick, the same guy from Ghost. Caroline is an anti-war protester and animal rights activist. My personal theory was that Leo, her boyfriend who was shot was actually Alpha. Boyd plays the piano pretty well. We learn Caroline's full name, Caroline Farrell and Dominic's, Lawerance Dominic. We find hints of the Dolls previous lives, Victor was a soldier, November is mourning someone
Marks out of 10; 7/10 again, enjoyed this more than I thought
The bad; Why do they use the NSA as cover? Surely they're involved in intercepting communications, not stuff like this?
Best line; Toper (of Dominic) "He didn't take any, no way would Dominic have any fun" plus again "Nothing is what it appears to be"
Packing heat; Dominic with his Glock (personally I always found them a bit light for my taste?) Sierra and Victor also get one whilst we also see Victor with an M16 in his flashback. Echo;4 Boyd; 6 Dominic; 6 Sierra; 3 Victor; 2
Kinky dinky; Echo's knee socks, high heels and micro-mini dress are spectacular, especially when she's on the bike (but is that ED?). Check out her stumble when she chases Sam from the lab. She engages in bondage sex with her returning client/trick.
Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; none unless Echo goes back to finish her engagement. Why are Topher's trousers off? What did he and Adele get up to? He says she's his 'Superior in every way"? Echo; 3 November; 1 Ballard; 1
How'd they get away with that? The poor kid headbutting the glass, yeeesh! Tophers ode to drugs is also pretty near the knuckle.
This weeks fantasy; Echo returns to her biker-party-girl persona which we see in Ghost, Victor is a federal agent and Sierra a government scientist
Total number personalities; Echo; 14 Sierra; 5 Victor; 2 November; 1
Total dolls;4, but we hear of another Doll, Foxtrot? Sam becomes an active at the end but do we ever see him again? Echo, Sierra, November and Victor
Addy is a bit British; "Sarcastic? Unfeeling? British?" She uses the British term crisp. Brown sauce is actually a mix of fruit and spices. Topher also refers to his machines that go 'Ping!' which is a reference to Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
Topher is a bit geeky; Topher is so excited to meet the Rostrum head guy he might throw up. He quotes Mighty Mouse 'Here I come to save the day'.
Bondage; no but Echo ties up her client Sierra tied up; 1
Kills; Sierra; 2 kills Echo; 1 November;1
Capt subtext; Adele's interview of Caroline is reminiscent of seduction. Paul wants to take care of Mellie, just like he wants to save Caroline, always the white knight. Topher and Adele begin to share. Adele says she has a good story about Victor. Dominic hints that there's more to him than just a professional heavy, namely his suits, is he hinting that he's gay?
Know the face? 5 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock
Guantanamo; The press are fed a cover story of a student prank gone wrong
Fanfic; One theory explored in fanfic is that Caroline is actually Adele's daughter?
Reminds me off; Very reminiscent of the classic 3rd season Buffy ep Band Candy, Adele in particular similar to the wonderful teen Joyce.
Breaking the programming; In this ep all the Dolls glitch but Echo starts before she even get's the drug. She actually says 'No' to her treatment.
Questions and observations; Adele refers to her and Caroline playing this game for 2 years? First return client/trick, the same guy from Ghost. Caroline is an anti-war protester and animal rights activist. My personal theory was that Leo, her boyfriend who was shot was actually Alpha. Boyd plays the piano pretty well. We learn Caroline's full name, Caroline Farrell and Dominic's, Lawerance Dominic. We find hints of the Dolls previous lives, Victor was a soldier, November is mourning someone
Marks out of 10; 7/10 again, enjoyed this more than I thought
Now *this* is what I signed up for...
isaacwilkins27 March 2009
As Eliza Dushku said in her interview with the Onion AV Club, "Dollhouse" doesn't really become a true "Joss Whedon show" until episode 6, after which it just keeps getting better and better. With this episode it's becoming clear that she wasn't just blowing smoke.
After last week's brilliant, bitter-sweet show, this week delivers the heady mix of hilarity combined with real menace that marks Whedon and his collaborators at their best. Wonderfully creepy moments sneak up on us throughout this episode, giving us a jolt, a shiver and a laugh (not always in that order), all the while advancing the mythos of the "Dollhouse" and the development of our main characters, showing depths and humanity beyond their personal facades and biochemical programming.
Tell your friends to start watching now. This just became the show to beat.
After last week's brilliant, bitter-sweet show, this week delivers the heady mix of hilarity combined with real menace that marks Whedon and his collaborators at their best. Wonderfully creepy moments sneak up on us throughout this episode, giving us a jolt, a shiver and a laugh (not always in that order), all the while advancing the mythos of the "Dollhouse" and the development of our main characters, showing depths and humanity beyond their personal facades and biochemical programming.
Tell your friends to start watching now. This just became the show to beat.
Not Whedon's best
Gore_Won29 March 2009
"They don't care about souls, human OR animal." With dialogues like that, and ones more explicitly Godly, Joss Whedon has created a unique concept that is at the same time curiously non-atheist, unlike his previous series. Gone are the days when you find morality in Whedon's tales to be the results of thinking. Gone are the days when Whedon would say, "If nothing we do means anything, then the only thing that means anything is what we do." Or so it appears.
Anyone who does not harbor some rudimentary sense that cruelty is wrong is unlikely to learn that it is by reading. - Sam Harris, The End Of Faith
Anyone who does not harbor some rudimentary sense that cruelty is wrong is unlikely to learn that it is by reading. - Sam Harris, The End Of Faith
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