After catching a whiff of this on Warren Ellis’ Bad Signal e-mail list, Blog@Newsarama has done some digging around and found a number of rumors speculating that not only has Fox canceled Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, but in fact will not even air all 13 of the episodes already filmed.
Screen Rant is reporting that, amid sliding ratings, Fox has tapped the May 8th episode–the series’ twelfth–as the season finale. This coincides with a report from Warren Ellis, who had in turn attributed it to Felicia Day’s Twitter page. Screen Rant wonders if it might be a mistake given that Fox had previously committed to airing all filmed episodes of the show but Ellis and Whedonesque both had much more gloomy impressions of the news.
Meanwhile, E! Online is reporting that it’s a good deal more confusing than that. The story explains that there’s the matter of the never-aired original pilot, plus the matter of an unordered 14th episode that was filmed–leaving a total of 14 episodes shot, and only 12 that will ever be aired by Fox–but no change in what actually constitutes the finale. According to Fox, the network is still deciding whether to pick up Dollhouse for a second season.
Confused yet? Check out the links provided and hopefully those should help a little.
April 9th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
As dumb as Dollhouse is/was they still should air the full season.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Fox wouldn’t THINK of screwing fans of the show around like the subjects in the chair….would they? To Be Con…..Cancelled
BUMMER! =(
April 10th, 2009 at 5:41 am
I watched a preview of the first episode and it didn’t want me to even remotely invest time in watching the complete episode. From a business standpoint, if they’ve already filmed the episodes, they’ll probably still air the rest of the episodes to fill up the time slot.
At this point I’m wishing NBC would cancel Heroes already……
April 10th, 2009 at 5:51 am
It’s just a simple case of shooting the thirteenth episode to make up the full series, only for them to be told that because of the unaired pilot that was cut up and used throughout the run, they technically already had their 13. There’s no cancelation, no conspiracy, the pilot AND the 13th episode coda will be on the DVD release anyway. No doubt we’ll see series 2 soon enough, there’s aparently still a lot of story left to tell.
April 10th, 2009 at 6:03 am
Ah, Fox’s good ol’ ‘Firefly’ maneuver. Well, at least maybe we’ll get to see the ‘Echo’ feature movie to find out how it was all supposed to play out?…
(Hope they do air the finale (and pick it up again), as it’d suck for the viewers as well as those involved.)
April 10th, 2009 at 6:14 am
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Say it isn’t so… Dollhouse started off weak but got really cool by episode 4 or so. Would really like this show to go on
April 10th, 2009 at 6:26 am
I didn’t even know they even started airing episodes. And I was looking forward to this show, too.
April 10th, 2009 at 6:35 am
I have been dreading this news since the first episode ended, as I realized at once how unique and incredible the subject and storyline of the show was and how likely it was that the average viewer would be unable to grasp it. I hope that it isn’t really the end (and seeing as my other new favorite show, Kings, has already been axed after 4 episodes were aired), but my faith in TV networks to support their own products properly is not very high right now. Leave Terminator and other crap on the air, but pull the original shows before they can even find their audience. Sounds like a plan! A$$holes!
April 10th, 2009 at 7:04 am
I give FOX kudos for trying these shows out. No other network spends as much time and energy creating these weird tv shows. I think Fox advertised the hell out of it, and in this day and age of DVRs I dont care what day or time it comes on (so schedule placement isnt a big deal to me). I think its hard for a network to figure out if a show is really doing well. You cant trust the Neilsons anymore since so many people DVR their shows or watch them online. Heck, I love some HBO and SHO shows but for me its cheaper to Netflix them.
Maybe TV shows need to be like American Idol and fans need to call a special 1-800 number to let Networks know if they enjoy the show.
“If you have enjoyed this season of Dollhouse and would like Fox to greenlight a 2nd season please call … or go to our website and click….”
April 10th, 2009 at 7:17 am
WHAT!!!! NO!!! WTF!!!! I finally find a reason to watch FOX and those idiots pull this.
Why is brilliance never recognized when it’s in plain sight!
April 10th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Drew, the show airs every friday at 9 pm on FOX, except for next week. You can catch up on the already aired episodes on fox.com or hulu.com. The first few episodes weren’t that great, but with the exception of episode three it was continually improving and started getting great around episodes 5 and 6 (True Beliver and Man On The Street).
The Epitaph One situation is a total PR disaster for FOX. The mess started with a press release about the upcoming FOX TV schedule where Episode 12 was listed as the season finale. FOX didn’t answer to enquiries about the 13th (or 14th) episode then and a day later Felicia Day’s message led to all the rumors about the cancellation of the show. (Just to be clear, this is absolutely not Felicia’s fault.) The FOX PR department left it to Tim Minear and some journalist to clear up the confusion, but the damage was already done. I’m afraid the widespread perception that Dollhouse is cancelled will have a negative impact on the ratings for the final 4 episodes.
April 10th, 2009 at 7:54 am
good comment, I’m agree with you MichaelH
April 10th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I have not been able to get into Dollhouse at all, and quite frankly, don’t care for it. Out of pure respect for Whedon, I say just air the remaining filmed episodes.
Who knows, it might get better…
April 10th, 2009 at 8:16 am
I like Joss and his stuff, but I saw this coming, I tried watching it and there was nothing to keep me interested. Ask yourself if law and order had just the cases and none of the characters would you watch it? The problem is that between the cases you have nothing to bond with Echo becomes a walking vegatable again, give us a character to like give us someone to know.
If there was a show about the ultimate conartist who would take any job but between jobs we got to know her and she was interesting you’d have pretty much the same show except for the in between stuff. Basically you’ve given us all of the technical stuff but nothing to love. Quite frankly after us seeing Dushku as a slayer for years we should have seen her kick some ass rather than half her missions being a whore.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:38 am
No surprise…the show stunk. Whedon was a one trick pony…
April 10th, 2009 at 8:58 am
At NYCC, Joss said Fox had committed in writing prior to airing the pilot that all episodes would be run.
He also said the original un-aired pilot was re-written after the 6th or 7th episode because by then the show had really changed, and the pilot didn’t reflect what the show had become anymore. Joss and the network mutually decided to re-shoot the pilot, and then as DrLektor said, they used those scenes throughout the episodes that did air. It’s not the same as ‘Firefly.’
This is not some crazy Fox thing, other than mistaken advertising. While there may not be a 2nd season, the first season will be shown in its entirety, and a magical “14th episode” does not exist.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Both Heroes and Terminator have actually been really good lately. To each his own. I don’t get why people complain why shows THEY like must remain while others MUST be cancelled. If you don’t like a show don’t watch it. I doubt it’s causing anyone physical pain just by being there. It just amazes how, even when it comes to a simple hobby like watching TV, people can’t see that there are other valid opinions out there.
“If there was a show about the ultimate conartist who would take any job but between jobs we got to know her and she was interesting you’d have pretty much the same show except for the in between stuff.”
This isn’t exactly what’s happening, but we are learning more and more about Echo’s (Caroline’s) actual personality bit by bit as time goes on.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Gregory, Dollhouse stopped doing the “engagement-of-the-week”-format after episode 5. Especially last weeks show (Needs) was all about the background of the characters. You might want to give the show another chance.
StageBeauty, there are 14 episodes. It is just a matter of how you count them and that is the reason for the confusion. FOX (the production company) produced the original unaired pilot and 13 episodes. FOX (the network) bought 13 episodes and considers the unaired pilot part of that deal. The main story of the season ends in episode 12 (or 13 counting the original pilot). Episode 13 (or 14 counting the pilot) had to be produced for deals made with international buyers who bought 13 episodes the could air and is sort of an epilogue (like the final episode in the 4th season of Buffy).
April 10th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Dollhouse should have been an HBO or Showtime series where they could’ve expanded on the whole premise of the show, rather than lame shower scenes and toned down violence.
It’s Whedon’s own fault for sticking with FOX, who screwed him over once already.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I know there’s no swaying anyone into liking the show, but I also see a lot of people who assumed that there would be no characterization on the part of the Dolls/Actives, but that has been entirely untrue, and was no more evident than last episode, when I called what Caroline was going to do before she did it (I’m good at doing that because of my own writing and the ability to catch writing clues), something I could not have done without knowing the character and what is important to her. Also, the show has a great supporting cast, and what other show can vary subject matters so much? I saw this as a strong, unpredictable 22-24 episode recurring series, and hope that the rumors are unfounded and that the show will get renewed for another season.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Batman, I know there were hints of her coming through and we got flashbacks, it was still the same dull as mud stoned hippy character, and on top of that there were several of them all playing the exact same character. You know what’s a great example of what I’m talking about? Burn Notice, every mission is different and he plays a different character for every mission but we still get the character interaction in between and during. Also it doesn’t help that they have amy acker trying to be a fly on the wall in every episode.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Placing the show on Friday night was a strike against it from the start- unless maybe they were hoping to catch the Battlestar audience. I was interested, but not knowing when it was on at first kept me away. Maybe I’ll rent the DVD set, though.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Thank you, Drlektor. You summed up what I was going to say. There’s an explanation. Just because they aren’t going to air the bonus ep doesn’t mean the show is canceled. Sheesh.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
It was so boring anyway.
April 10th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I saw this coming. Fox has a habit of f**king Joss big time every time he does anything. I didn’t watch Dollhouse for this reason. I am a huge Joss Whedon fan, and it’s sad that Fox doesn’t see gold in front of them every time. They re-arrange episodes, cut episodes, leaving the show confusing as all hell. They missed it with Firefly, which Dollhouse is happening the exact same way. I think the people at Fox are literally craping out horrible shows and giving good shows no chance for survival. I have been boycotting Fox since Firefly, and will continue to do so until the get their heads out of their asses. Fox sucks.
April 10th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
…Of course, this isn’t the first time Fox - pronounced “Fucks” - has cancelled a show worth keeping around. They did this with Alien Nation and had to bring it back for five movies to finally shut the fans up. Of course, I doubt Dollhouse has that kind of a following, and if they keep it around instead of renewing the more logical choice - The Sarah Connor Chronicles aka A Boy and his Lovebot - then they’ll look even more retarded than they already do.
One honestly has to wonder if Bonnie “Bimbo” Hamner’s sister is running Fox these days…
April 10th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
I actually have a bit of a problem with Eliza Dushku. I was a big fan of hers as Faith on Buffy, and watched every episode of her Tru Calling series, so I like the actress. But like on Tru, she doesn’t seem to have a personality on Dollhouse. She seems very generic. I get no indication of a “drive” to help people, carry out her missions, or even care about what’s happening to her. Even in the better-than-typical “Needs” episode, the other characters were far more interesting than Echo. The guy trying to learn the Dollhouse’s secrets is the best thing about the show.
And I can’t believe I’m thinking that, as Eliza’s portrayal of Faith was truly awesome.
And some of Dollhouse is really stupid. When she was Ms. Price negotiating with hostage-takers, they would have just ignored her or took off or killed the hostage, not suddenly take orders from some unknown with a stern voice. And I still can’t see how it’s more effective for the Dollhouse and its clients to go through all this pre-programming of people instead of just using real people who have those skills. It has to be way more expensive to do all this programming. (And it always cracks me up when a show doesn’t catch on and its fans say that’s because people can’t understand it. Maybe. But maybe it’s just mediocre.)
April 10th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Sean, while FOX has a a well-deversed reputation for handling its shows badly, not watching a show is the best way to get it cancelled.
The Dr. Horrible team (meaning the writers of the episode FOX won’t air now) just put up a new message on Twitter. Should the show get renewed for another season, Epitaph One will be part of season two. They encourage everyone to watch Dollhouse LIVE instead of DVRing or watching on hulu. The live viewers are most important to the studio, so watching the show live will increase the chances of renewal.
April 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
OM you are not funny, and your sexism is pathetic.
April 10th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Good show on a bad night. Hopefully it will survive.
April 10th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I have really liked the show, but never really expected it to get to Season 2. You have to remember that this is the same country where we had an entire county of people who couldn’t figure out how to draw a line between their voting choices on a Presidential ballot. The same country where Epic Movie makes a profit. Did you really expect them to grasp a show built around high concepts and subtle nuances?
And I’m not going to say that some of the above critiques aren’t valid. Caroline would be much more interesting if she wasn’t some “save the animals” modern day hippie. Perhaps a good way to go if they do get a 2nd season is to kill off Echo. It would definitely be a bold choice, and Eliza could still appear in flashbacks or something.
Still, the networks really need to find a better way to determine the number of viewers watching these shows. The Nielson ratings system is horribly out of date, and there’s got to be a better way out there.
April 10th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
This shouldn’t surprise anybody. The show was practically cancelled before Joss finished filming the pilot. It never had a chance. Never.
April 10th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Apparently, Dollhouse hasn’t been cancelled so what’s with the implication on the front page that it has been? That’s lousy journalism- I know that entertainment writers like to be as negative as possible but you still have some responsibility to print what’s actually happening.
April 10th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
@BOP Fan:
You can be as inflammatory as you want, BUT:
1) The front page headline is a question. The question is “Is Dollhouse cancelled?”. It’s not a statement.
2) The rest of the copy on the front page reads: “Has Fox given Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse the axe? Rumors are flying, and facts are few, but signs are pointing towards ‘yes’.” That begins with a SECOND question, followed by an assertion that “rumors are flying” and “facts are few”.
3) While no announcement has been made, the fact that Fox decided not to pick up and run the last-produced episode would not be considered a good sign.
4) Russell checked out the story and provided FOUR SOURCES above that figure into the discussion. That’s very good journalsim.
So we had a front page bit with two questions, two assertions regarding rumor and lack of facts, and one line of speculation that leads into a piece with four sources.
What exactly was done wrong here?
April 10th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
For What It’s Worth. I believe conventional wisdom in the TV industry is that networks stopped officially “canceling” shows years ago. Fox will either eventually order more episodes for next season, or they won’t.
If it is canceled, the only announcement you’ll probably hear either that the production company has been informed that the network does not intend to order more episodes or certain critical events for next season have occurred and they don’t include any more Dollhouse.
For what it’s worth, I’m a big Wheadon fan, but I watched the aired “pilot” on Hulu and decided to pass on the rest.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Hopefully Dollhouse isn’t gone for good. It definitely deserves a second season. The plot twists are great and each episode is better than the last. It just wasn’t given a fair shot in a Friday timeslot.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Troy-Fox says the show hasn’t been cancelled and the whole “not airing the last episode” thing is explained in the course of the article. One can interpret that any way one wants-good or bad. To interpret it one way-the negative way-is an opinion and that has no place in a straight journalistic story. That’s for an opinion piece. A straight article merely reports what happens-it doesn’t try to interpret it
April 11th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Troy Brownfield, I agree with BOP Fan that the headline and the rest of the frontpage copy need to be changed. The actual article is called “Dollhouse finale confusion”, which is completely accurate. In the article it is even mentioned that FOX has not yet decided if the show will get picked up for another season or not. The frontpage copy is not an accurate description of the article it leads to. The headline is not exactly wrong, but it is very easy to get the impression that the show has actually been canceled. The front page copa states that signs suggest the show has been canceled, which is simply not true.
Tim Levine, I can kind of see why you decided not to continue watching the show after the aired pilot, but the show did get much better (after getting worse with episode 3). Unfortunately all Whedon shows seem to need some episodes to get really great. If you have the time, maybe you should give the show another chance. The last few episodes were really amazing.
April 11th, 2009 at 8:07 am
oh no! another crappy josh whedon project goes under! the guy really shouldn’t be allowed to make shows.
April 11th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Hey Tim Levine, the show gets better after episode 3, and better and better after each one. And MichaelH, I would even go so far as to say episode 3 starts out awful, but the ending is great, and starts the show on the path to better things.
Also, as seen by what NBC did with Kings, they totally can cancel a show, by pulling it from its time slot and tucking it in a dead space with no viewers anyway to air the rest of the eps they already paid for so they can make some profit on it. What’s worse, they didn’t advertise it for shit, I knew about it because of the article here, but otherwise had heard nothing about it and no one else I knew did either. Fox luckily hasn’t done that (yet), but they have given this show the impression of being dead before it started, which could even be worse, especially since it seems like a portion of the Whedon fanbase didn’t even tune in because of it.
April 11th, 2009 at 11:09 am
MichaelH, I have been confused for YEARS about that final episode of Buffy Season 4. (I caught the season on DVD as opposed to TV.) It was great but seemed so out of place. Thanks for clearing that up - it explains this whole episode 13 dilemma perfectly.
April 11th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Fox has done that with many of shows I have watched. Pacific Palisades, Malibu Shores, And others….. I was mad… in so many ways.. but ratings is what gives the show more time..
April 11th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Stephanie, I think he was likening “Epitaph One” and “Restless” (the last ep of Buffy season four) only in that they’re both epilogues, not that both were produced because of international buyers.
April 11th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
ackmena, that is correct. With Restless Joss just liked doing something different.
April 11th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
I watched the first two episodes and just couldn’t muster up the motivation to watch any more. The premise was interesting and some of the characters were kinda cool, so I could see that it had potential but I didn’t like the main character. I couldn’t even make it through the ep where she was a backup singer; just…stupid. Then again, I felt the same way about “Terminator: TSCC” but I WANTED to like it so I endured. I think I have a few eps on DVR so maybe I’ll try to catch up online or something.
April 12th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Everytime I turn on the tv, I see remakes of the same shows over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. The same DOCTOR, LAWYER, COP, SNOBBY RICH KIDS, DRY VERY DRY COMEDY, TALK, SOAP OPERA, GAME, AND REALITY SHOWS are on EVERY CHANNEL NOW! When something different comes along, then the plug is pulled. Joss Whedon should make the series for Firefly and Dollhouse straight to dvd. Forget about broadcasting it on lame tv. Instead of making episodes for tv, he should make them for dvd, so we can buy them instead just like we do for anime. We are borrowing from over seas so much that we are lacking in creativity. Yet, when someone comes along with a great show like Whedon, he gets the boot. When we borrow from over seas, we do not borrow the right ideas. We should make soap operas that last for 26 episodes like in South Korea, but we make them last forever with the same boring story lines. Sometimes I hope that someone backs me with money, so my ideas would come to light. These people have so much money, but not one of them can create life that breathes more life. TV is old and outdated when it tries to put seasoned actors in the same roles as DOCTOR, LAWYER, COP, SNOBBY RICH KIDS, DRY VERY DRY COMEDY, TALK, SOAP OPERA, GAME, AND REALITY SHOWS. Full House with Rain is an example of great tv. Joss, I was watching the Dollhouse wondering how you were going to make it last, and I knew how. I wanted to see it through to the end and see if you were going to shock me. Too bad! I am very disappointed though in you b/c you are better than tv administrators that are around you. You should be calling the shots and not the other way around. Firefly was great, and I am still waiting on the 2nd season. Dollhouse is great, and I am waiting for more. I am glad to see the Dollhouse b/c that is what we are subjected to if we watch the same crap shows. We become like dolls, but it is good to see us break out! If you ever need help, call me!
April 12th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Dollhouse really kicked into high gear with “Man on the Street”. I know some people are turned off by the premise, but if you watch the series it is clear that the show is trying to show a status quo that is wrong and the narrative is about changing that status quo. Not liking Dollhouse because of the premise is akin to not liking Raiders of the Lost Ark because you hate Nazis.
April 13th, 2009 at 1:50 am
I love how a show is automatically ’screwed over’ if it isn’t renewed for a second season.
It’s a decent show on a poor night. Just because Joss wrote it doesn’t make it ‘must see’ in my opinion. The storyline drags, the lead characters alternate between dull and ill-fitting,and the secondary characters aren’t anything to grab my attention either. All three of Joss’ revered shows (Firefly,Buffy,and Angel) had stronger showings then the bulk of this series has aired.
If you don’t like the choices FOX media provides, don’t watch fox media. Don’t buy fox media. Don’t get emotionally attached to property owned by Fox media. Avoid elevated expectations and buyers remorse.
April 13th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Dhaise, I agree that the show isn’t automatically “must-see” just because Joss wrote it. It was an okay show when it started that vastly improved.
But, and I think this is really important, how many of those great episodes you remember in Buffy and Angel happened during the first season of either show ? None. I liked Buffy well enough to watch it every week, but it only grabbed me as something I didn’t want to miss in season two. And the greatest episodes (Hush, Restless, The Body) happened even later. I think the best episodes of Dollhouse so far (Man On The Streets, Needs and Spy In The House Of Love) are better than every episode in the first seasons of Buffy and Angel and close to the best Firefly episodes.
What Dollhouse “lacks” in comparison with the other Whedon shows are instantly likeable characters. In his other shows you knew who the good guys and the bad guys were instantly. There are no good or bad guys in Dollhouse. There are just varying shades of grey. In the long run (if there is a long run) this will be very interesting, but it is not the easiest way to get viewers hooked on a show.
And just a reminder, Dollhouse is on a long planned hiatus next friday and will return on the 24th.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Daryll:
Don’t be so sure about Fox’s intentions. I can think of another Eliza Dushku show “Tru Calling” that finished it’s season (2nd) without airing in it’s entirety. Those of us who were fans had to rent/buy the DVD’s just to see the last two filmed episodes, which incidentally STILL didn’t tie up the story line. For that I had to do some serious internet searching for the unflimed scripts, just to satisfy my curiosity about how the plot would have played out. Very disappointing.
Heck, one of thier own shows (Family Guy) even lampooned the number of Fox cancelled shows when it first came back on the air after it’s cancellation and subsequent re-instatement. See season Four episode One: “North by North Quahog”
April 13th, 2009 at 8:59 am
“Not liking Dollhouse because of the premise is akin to not liking Raiders of the Lost Ark because you hate Nazis”
I understand exactly what Dollhouse is trying to do, and that we’re meant to disapprove of the Dollhouse.
The problem is that it’s sort of a metaphor for human trafficking and sex slavery and being forced to take on roles you don’t want to … but it’s rubbish at it, and the SF stuff distracts rather than enlightens. Even Joss Whedon as disowned the writing in the ‘cult’ episode.
So it’s just a show in which skimpily-clad women are hypnotized, raped and punched every week.
April 13th, 2009 at 9:48 am
It’s what the Whedon wanted anyway… Now back to Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.
April 13th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I agree with FreeOnlineKeno. You tell it!
April 13th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I HOPE AND PRAY THAT DOLLHOUSE WILL BE RENEWAL. MAYBE I WILL GET LUCKY THAT THE FIRST SEASON OF DOLLHOUSE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR DVD SALES. THE DVD FORMAT WILL ALLOWED THE DOLLHOUSE CREATOR TO SHOW WHAT KIND OF DOLLHOUSE SERIES THAT HE WANTED TO BE SEE. THE DOLLHOUSE SERIES CAUSED MORE QUESTION THAT IT ANSWER. I WISH JOSS WHELDON ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD. YOUR TRULY CHARLES DAVID HASKELL
April 13th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Dollhouse isn’t dumb. It’s a great show.
April 13th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Charles David Haskell, Season One is already available for pre-order on amazon (both DVD and Blu-ray). And (at least as of now) it says “Season One” and not “The Complete Series”.
April 13th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Steve Atone wrote:
“So it’s just a show in which skimpily-clad women are hypnotized, raped and punched every week.”
No, it really isn’t that. For starters not only women are used as actives. While Whedon had to abandon his original vision that persons of all shapes and ages would be used as actives, there are men and women. And at least one of the dolls - while still really gorgeous - isn’t the typical skinny girl Hollywood insists on selling as the only acceptable form of beautiful women.
As far as rape is concerned, one of the characters on the show did get raped. It was disgusting to watch - as it should be. But it happened once and not every week. And it wasn’t done in a gratuitous manner and ignored after it happened. Obviously the actives are sent on engagements and some of those are sexual in nature. That doesn’t constitute rape, however. And the engagements stopped being the focus of the show after episode 5 anyway.
April 14th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Basically Joss got Fox’ed again. The show has an interesting premise, but Sci-Fi channel or HBO would’ve been the better home for it.
April 14th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I really like the show but I have to agree that after the first few episodes I was wondering if Echo was going to have a mission that didn’t include having sex with someone.
I think it’s realistic to think that if Dollhouse actually existed that sex would be part of many clients’ requests; but it is still kind of creepy. More so maybe because Joss is a master of creating strong, powerful, female characters and the female dolls certainly have little to no power- although that appears to be changing.
It might be interesting, to me anyway, to know if anyone felt that active male dolls being hired to have sex with their male clients would be looked upon as rape/abuse or as just par for the course for the life of a doll.
April 16th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Dollhouse isn’t “dumb” - to respond to the less intelligent comments. However, it has been badly handled. Whedon may know where the story arc is going, but we don’t and he isn’t giving us anything to hang on to in the meantime. Even Lost managed that.
April 18th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I LOVE Dollhouse! I like the way it has evolved and really begun to have a hidden storyline. I think it would be a shame to cancel it now. Find a better way to find out how many fans a show truly has. Maybe use a phone number or email, something. Too many good shows that started out mediocre and got better are lost this way.
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 am
One word people: Firefly. Joss’ last show was cancelled early due to lack of ratings and what happened? It became a cult phenomenon with millions of fans. Fans were so angry at its cancellation that they continually petitioned until it finally got its own feature film. Surely fox won’t foolishly cancel another Whedon show before it has a chance to get into its groove. and remember, Buffy had a rocky start too.
May 1st, 2009 at 3:59 am
If Dollhouse is cancelled I will cut off my cable again…last time I cut off my cable was at the end of Buffy…nothing filled the void of Buffy for me…not Angel (I think David is doing better with Bones), not Firefly, and DEFINITELY not Heroes (whoever that person was that told me it’s a “Whedon-esque” show was an idiot). Then I finally here that Joss Whedon is at it again this time with Eliza Dushku as the lead “female” character, and as soon as I get into it and it gets good you read these douche-bags on the web posts talking about how there was no character development in the first three episodes…IT’S ONLY 3 EPISODES!!!!!!!
May 8th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I agree. Dollhouse definitely starts to get really good. I just started watching last week, and I love it now. I’m sad I probably won’t get an answer to all these questions.
May 9th, 2009 at 6:45 am
I was previously a big fan of “Dollhouse”. I automatically record every show in case I am not able to watch. My husband and I were just watching the latest episode which aired 05/08/09 at 9pm. I was very offended by an unnecessary racial comment that was made during the episode. Caroline is sitting in the chair and Echo states “since when can you sign a contract to be a slave…especially since we have a black president”. Caroline then says “we have a black president?! I’m missing everything!”. African Americans were not the only race that were enslaved if we study our history books. Furthermore, mentioning slavery in correlation with Barack Obama was uncalled for, distasteful, and detrimental to the intergrity of the show. The writers of this show should be ashamed of themselves. That comment was not funny. It was not entertaining. As a matter of fact, I was shocked and extremely offended. I immediately turned off the show and deleted future recordings. I will no longer watch “Dollhouse” nor any other Fox programming. I am disappointed in the lack of consideration and proof-reading that went into this particular script. A network as big as FOX should know the importance and consequences you can face when you are not politically correct. For future reference, please consider the fact that the Fox network appeals to a wide audience, that includes a variety of ages, gender, and race.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Sabrina,
Have you also decided to stop watching every news channel that mentioned how times have changed between when slavery of black people was legal and when the first black president took office?
A comment on racism is not the same as a racist comment.
May 15th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I really can’t see a problem with the talk about slavery. All she said was “slavery is bad and the country has come a long way since slavery was legal”.
In more important news, prospects for a second season are looking good according to the Hollywood Reporter:http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/05/dollhouse-second-season.html