A main character to root for.

Being a bit of a writer and a student of various means and methods for telling a story myself…I’ve had those ideas for stories that go like Dollhouse. “Hey what about a main character who changes with every episode. No. She’s not pretending to be someone else. She is someone else.”

In theory it sounds great. It’s only when you see it played out that you realize the fundamental flaw. The viewer needs someone to identify with. They need a surrogate for themselves. It might seem like a main character who is just a blank canvas to map the architecture on would serve that end ideally but the viewer doesn’t want to have their sense of self wiped away to become someone else. They want to be themselves in that other life.

Now we have Echo. A self aware Echo with her own wants and plans and whatnot. Now see…there is something to be said for showing Echo as the blank slate first. Establishing her as just one of many dolls before having her break out of the pack. But, I think it took too long. We needed some earlier clues of her spark of individuality and it needed to move more quickly.

All that being said…with Echo having emerged now, I see lots of new potential in the show. It would really rock to see Dollhouse get the “Serenity” treatment at this point.

The only reason I brought up asking if you’re still watching is because I do happen to think most of the actors have been terrific this season, so if you haven’t seen that because you’re no longer watching the program, then you don’t have all the data to fully judge anymore. The episodes you’ve seen, absolutely, if you think they’re not good in those episodes, I can’t argue with that. I can disagree with you, but like you said, it’s subjective, so… we’ll have to agree to disagree.

But if you’re basing their talent on the only episodes you’ve seen, when there is now strong evidence to the contrary, all I’m saying is, you might be pleasantly surprised with the acting. I’m not saying the show itself isn’t without its major flaws and likely what you find problematic with the program is still there, no matter what; I’m just saying that in regard to the acting, I think there has been a vast improvement and you’re missing out on that particular aspect.

As for the concept… all I can say to that is, I don’t disagree that this show could have done better with a stronger, more cohesive structure right off the bat. It definitely didn’t reach its full potential, but I do think it had the potential to be very interesting — it wasn’t a dumb or boring idea (and some episodes have managed to touch on that thought-provoking potential). However, I am curious: if you found the concept idiotic in the first place, why did you watch the show at all?

Apologies, Daniel F. I read the above statement by you, and I thought you were basing their talent (or lack of it) on their looks.

However, I still disagree with you. You seem to be talking in blanket statements instead of backing up your comments with actual examples. Are you still watching the program? Have you seen any of their work in the unaired episode “Epitaph One” or in any of the episodes from season two?

Olivia, Enver, Dichen, Fran… they’re all in that cast photo, and yes, they’re attractive people, but from my view they’ve brought talent to the table along with their looks. More and more with each episode, in my opinion. I’ve also enjoyed Harry Lennix’s role (Boyd), though I think the writers haven’t given him enough to do. He started out strong in the pilot and then they completely backed off from his character. It’s a shame. It’s tough to show range when you aren’t given the story.

The only ‘pretty’ actors that I think have struggled with the material have been Eliza and Tahmoh. I loved Eliza as Faith, on both Buffy and Angel shows, but I think she has had trouble assimilating some of the characters they’ve given her to play on Dollhouse. If you stack up her acting against Enver’s — and I’m making that comparison because I think they’ve both played quite a few different characters as Actives taking on assignments — I think you’ll see how much more versatile he is, how deeply he gets into the characters he’s given on the show (the serial killer, the ditzy college girl, Topher). I think Eliza has had some great moments (the bank vault episode, Epitaph One, last week’s episodes), but in an overall sense she’s not been able to immerse herself into every single character (every ‘Active’ assignment), not so that I don’t see her acting, if you know what I mean. It’s unfortunate, because she was extraordinarily exciting as Faith. But sometimes I think she has trouble when *not* playing a troubled, bad-ass chick.

And Tahmoh… I’ve never seen him in anything else so it’s tough for me to judge what he can or can’t do, but I don’t think they’ve utilized him well. The role of Ballard is more than a bit boring to me; he’s my least favorite character, partially because of how the role is written and partially because of how the role is played. Personally, I think the role needed to be played by someone more intense, or they needed to write it differently. The one thing I do think Tahmoh seems to excel at is dry-witted humor; he’s been surprisingly very funny at odd times, when his character gets in a particularly sarcastic line. I don’t think they use that enough. I like his comic timing but for the rest of his portrayal I haven’t seen much depth.

At any rate, I think this show’s writing and presentation has its issues, but if you’re judging the cast’s acting on the early episodes of season 1, I think you’re writing them off before you’ve actually seen some of them do some terrific work.

Television Without Pity just named him one of 2009′s Most Valuable Players (those that aren’t in the lead roles but manage to stand out and enhance the quality of their programs):

“It’s hard to believe that every single episode of Dollhouse (aside from a few stragglers at the end) aired in 2009, but it makes it easy to say why we think Gjokaj is the MVP. While Eliza Dushku and Dichen Lachman get to play both tough and timid as dolls Echo and Sierra, it’s Gjokaj’s Victor who gets the funniest (and often meatiest) programming. Hell, we didn’t even know he was a doll at first — he was just some Russian informant! — but then we saw him get his treatment, and our minds were blown. And thank God he was a doll, because while his federal agent and British romantic characters are good, it was when they put that serial killer’s mind in his body that his skills really shone, and he topped himself later in that same episode by playing a ditzy female college student who just wants to dance. The best of all, though, was when nerdy Topher had to go to D.C., and left his best man in charge in L.A. — Victor with Topher’s brain. Gjokaj’s Topher impersonation was spot-on and hysterical, and their phone conversations were amazing and eerie.”

Damn straight.

If you haven’t seen Enver play these roles, you haven’t seen the best of Dollhouse. And while that may seem easily skippable, I’m telling you right now, he deserves to be seen. He’s that good. I hope he gets something really interesting and challenging to play after this series is complete.

Darthrosenberg9 says: “I don’t think it’s fair to say that something is bad simply because there’s something better out there”

Well if you don’t mind the mediocrity, but I bet
you don’t use the same yardstick when looking for
a car, appliance, or a house? “A lot of potential”
just doesn’t equal masterpiece. It’s like buying a
cloned appliance that’s made with inferior parts.

All the novels I mentioned have similar plot
device/themes as “Dollhouse.” The irony here is that the clone actually becomes more popular than the original, which is a tragedy! The consumers don’t care enough to learn about the specific differences between the real masterpiece and the clone. They consume them both with equal aplomb,
making no distinction by being choosy. The best sinks into the ocean of trash, the stigma of science fiction links them irrevocably to that sea. What stigma you ask? The stigma that it aspires to be something better, despite being born
in a whorehouse.

I actually forgot about Amy Acker who is amazing she is better than Eliza. I don’t think Eliza is amazing but she is decent and I find most of the actors in Dollhouse to be pretty bad. They were cast for their model like looks. The original posters and images for the show looked like a model catalog with the exception of trashy rocker Eliza.

I don’t think it’s fair to say that something is bad simply because there’s something better out there (especially in other formats). I mean, Dollhouse got off to a very rocky start. I will completely agree with that—but I think it had/has a lot of potential and it is going to live up to some of that potential with the rest of this season. I’m not going to try to force you to like it. I have no problem with you (or anybody) having issues with it—but I don’t think you can claim that it is entirely without merit. I think that it has important things to say.

@Daniel F

I think it’s interesting that you think Eliza was one of the better actors on the show. I defend her performances pretty often—because most people would disagree with you. However, I think Olivia Williams, Miracle Laurie and Fran Kranz are FANTASTIC. Also, I would have to say that Enver Gjokai is by far the best actor in the show—with Amy Acker a close second. Enver’s portrayals of Dominic, Kiki and Topher have sold me on his impressive talent. Also, it is a fairly uncommon opinion (in my travels) that Angel Season One was any good at all. Most people claim it had too little arc and too much dependence on Buffy. I liked it for what it was, but it is still probably my least favorite season. And yes, Season Seven of Buffy was pretty sloppy…..but not altogether bad. I think it still had more high points than the transitional Season Four.

However I agree with you that Joss doesn’t just abandon his projects. He didn’t abandon Buffy he was right there working on season 6 and 7 hell he wrote the best episodes of season 6. He never abandoned Firefly or Angel either. I also agree that season 6 was great I think it was probably the second best season. However season 7 was kind of crappy.

In what way? Can you compare “Dollhouse” to “The Last Question,” or “This Is Reality,” or even “Hopscotch?”

Plus the guy is a hippie,!!! I hate hippies!!!

I think you are being unfair. Other than the Noxon-run sixth (and half of the seventh) season of Buffy, when has Joss ever abandoned a project? And when has the project suffered for that? You have made a bold statement with very little to back it up. To be quite honest, I LOVE the sixth season of Buffy and I think that people who didn’t like it or said it was too “adult” couldn’t accept that their favorite characters had grown up. I think Whedon’s works are all masterpieces in their own right–Dollhouse included. I eagerly await the next seven episodes and trust that Joss and his team will not let us down.

In my opinion, Dollhouse failed because people held Joss to ridiculous standards. People expected quality on par with Buffy and Angel in their prime—but they forgot that it was Dollhouse’s FIRST SEASON. When compared to Buffy’s or Angel’s first season—is Dollhouse really as awful as people paint it as? I still thought it was better than most things on TV. Take a step back–and maybe re-watch things. Season Two is fascinating from an “Epitaph One” perspective. I love Dollhouse and always will—but if the rest of this season continues to be as good as episodes 3-6, I think two seasons will be enough….especially since they had enough time to wrap up the season/series with “Epitaph Two.”

I like ELiza Dushku just fine but Dichen Lachman in “Belonging” was amazing (the Sierra backstory). I was really hoping we would get to see a Victor backstory episode, but I doubt time was taken to explore that this late in the series. Enver Gjokaj was hilarious as Topher.

The episode with Fran Kranz and Amy Acker talking about her past as Whiskey made me start to tolerate Topher as a character. I adore him now.

I’m not too worried about ends remaining loose. This is Joss Whedon we’re talking about and he knows the end of the arcs… where the characters will end up. I just hope he shows us.