Any dolls out there looking to have a “treatment” anytime soon had better make haste – that, or risk being stuck with a Swedish accent and the ability to put together an Erector Set blindfolded. Why? FOX has decided to pull Dollhouse off the schedule and put it in the attic. For the month of November anyway.
Sources in the know have stated that the month-long removal is because of November sweeps. The show will return to its Friday night time slot in December with back-to-back episodes.
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This does not bode well for the fledgling series as FOX executive Preston Beckman, recently stated that while they’re committed to airing all 13 episodes of the second season, they’ll wait until the complete run is over before they decide on its fate. From the sounds of this, it doesn’t look that good for the show.
In the same statement, Beckman stated, “During [November] sweeps we might have to jack up the numbers a little [with other programming], but we plan on completing the order for this show.” When I had first read that statement, I figured they would move things around to give Dollhouse a better time slot or a big lead-in, but with the recent announcement everything is clear… and I’m not happy.
Sure, it’s great we’re going to be able to see all the episodes this season, but I wouldn’t really consider giving the show a chance when you pull it off for sweeps just to bring it back and dump all of the remaining episodes in one month.
It’s an empty gesture and you know it, FOX. Dollhouse never had a chance in the Friday night time slot. Everyone knows that CBS rules that night and has for many years.
I’m just going to shake my head at you FOX… and get my lump of coal ready for your Christmas stocking. (Yeah, that’s right FOX. I know Santa. You better watch out.)
Catch the last Dollhouse episode until December this Friday 9PM on FOX.
Source: The Ausiello Files
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15 Comments
Maybe SGU is stealing its viewers…
Yeah, this is really kind of stupid. I mean, seriously, why not keep it for a week in November at least and pair it with a rerun of Fringe or something? See how it does with that. And if it gets a ratings jump because of that then great. And if not, then take it off. But they shouldn’t just give up on the show like it’s nothing. Give it a shot. One week is not a good enough chance for people to start watching it. Horrible decision for the show.
I’m going to start saying my goodbyes now. It was nice knowing you, Dollhouse.
lets just let this show die, no moping around years later that it got cancelled like Firefly, and maybe if that happens people will stop going on about Joss Whedon!!!!!!! An under talented hack, who made one and a half decent television shows, yet somehow is reveered as a geek god!
The only reason Fox is still airing Doll-House is because they’re trying to appease Wheedon after Fire-Fly, little do they know that investing in Wheedon is a bit of a hit or miss investment.
I figured something was up when there was no episode last week. Oh well, time to say our goodbyes.
This is exactly why I stopped watching anything on FOX till its atleast in its 4th+ season. FOX love’s to cancel good shows out of the blue for no reason or simply because someone there didnt get hot coffee this am. I gave FOX a shot again after a long ‘Ban’ with Dollhouse but looks like they are going it again. Fool me once FOX Shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me.
Im done with FOX, i’ll say my good bye’s to them and not the show!
Dollhouse is a disappointment, IMO. Nothing when compared to Firefly or even Buffy. Frankly, for killing Sarah Connor this show needs to die.
*heavy sigh*
I didn’t want to blame FOX but… every move they’ve made — no matter how much they protest that it’s different this time, no matter how much even Joss protests it (and sounds like a battered housewife saying so) — I do blame FOX. For the most part.
I do think Firefly is the stronger program, and I mourn all the ways in which it could have developed over time. In contrast, Dollhouse is not without its narrative issues.
However, it’s really starting to get interesting: I’m loving the moral evolution of Topher (a character I could not STAND in the first few episodes); I think actor Enver Gjokaj is an amazing talent and I am fascinated by every personality he takes on; I was originally intrigued by Boyd’s character and still have hopes of learning more about him and how a character of his seemingly steadfast moral standing came to work for the Dollhouse; I loved the ‘there are three flowers in a vase’ codeword twist that turned sweet Mellie into ruthless killer November; and I’m really looking forward to insights into Sierra’s past (the reviews for tonight’s episode have been raves for the wonderful actress Dichen Lachman).
Sadly, both Firefly and Dollhouse seem to have received the same treatment from FOX, and for that, I blame FOX (and Joss, for believing and trusting them again instead of going elsewhere with his idea).
FOX interfered with the pilot of Firefly and forced a complete rewrite. In hindsight, I still think the original pilot was a better start for the show than “The Train Job.” I found it a much more well-rounded, understandable, and riveting introduction to the show and its characters. Here with Dollhouse, FOX again insisted on a new pilot. I have not seen what Joss had originally planned, but I bet it was far more interesting, no matter how ‘confusing’ network executives thought it may have been (which, incidentally, is what they said about the original Firefly pilot, while fans including myself found it made plenty of sense). But FOX often seems to underestimate the intelligence of its audience, which is really insulting.
Dollhouse has a potentially confusing premise and its first few episodes definitely had some complications and contradictions needing clean-up; however, I wonder if some of that could have been worked out and avoided before episodes even got filmed… if FOX hadn’t tampered with the creation of the show in the first place and insisted on a change in approach to the entire program.
FOX said it was committed to Joss’s work (as it should be to any showrunner whose work they pick up, if they’re going to bother spending their money on it in the first place) and wanted to give Dollhouse every chance. Then why immediately put it in a dead-end slot on Friday nights (just like they did with Firefly)? Why not give it a shot on a night with a strong lead-in when people — those other than Joss’s regular fanbase — might actually check it out and give it a chance? These days there are plenty of shows with unusual premises (Fringe, Lost, Flash Forward, even Glee) that people seem willing to explore; why not give audiences an opportunity to see Dollhouse on a night where they’re more inclined to tune in? Sticking it on Friday nights seems like they’re giving up on the show before it’s even begun.
And now to hold it back during sweeps just when it’s getting really good and the reviews are finally starting to rave? Bad plan.
Case in point, Maureen Ryan from Chicago Tribune just wrote an article this week about how fantastic she thinks the next two episodes of Dollhouse are. That got me really revved up and looking forward to seeing what would happen. But now we’re not going to be able to see those episodes until December? And that’s if FOX executives don’t change their minds again and decide not to air them at all, or wait until spring or some other ridiculous timeframe (like they did with Drive’s final episodes, which they promised to air in spring, then in summer, and then they decided not to air them at all).
It just ticks me off. I’m tired of being jerked around as viewer by network executives whose only interest is the ratings game, not whether or not a show is (or has the potential to be) good. Perhaps the way shows are created and presented needs to change, or else all the writers and show creators will turn to cable or alternative means (like Joss did with Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog) in order to present their work. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, especially if conventional public television networks continue to muck up the works.
The only thing FOX is to blame for is picking up this horrible series in the first place.
Is this anything new JW fans? Leaving a show he’s produced. First Buffy then Firefly.
I’ve read he’s doing work on Glee,,,
Dollhouse is doomed.
Sherry:
“But FOX often seems to underestimate the intelligence of its audience, which is really insulting.”
I think the real issue here is that you are overestimating the intelligence of Fox network executives. The other issue was Joss trusting Fox, after what it did to Firefly, and Drive, by Firefly and Angel alumnus, and Dollhouse co-Producer, Tim Minear. No Whedon show should ever appear on Fox ever again, if they want it to actually succeed. Fox is to good programming what Freddy Kruger is to happy teenagers.
Steve:
“Fox is to good programming what Freddy Kruger is to happy teenagers.”
Heeee. Very well said. As is the rest of your post, which is indisputable, in my opinion.
By the way…
“I think the real issue here is that you are overestimating the intelligence of Fox network executives.”
Yeahhh, I don’t know why I do that. You’d think I’d have learned well enough by now.
If FOX can find two more reality shows as successflu as Dancing with the stars and American Idol, Dollhouse and Fringe are gone,,,
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