We waited, patiently and politely … OK, maybe not so patiently or politely, but we waited anxiously and fervently for Joss Whedon to return to television. And return he did, with a powerful new tale of the Dollhouse, where conspiracies abound. We mourned the loss of Dollhouse before it even began, because, alas, it would be on FOX.
Now here we are, at the end of it’s short season, waiting again, this time to see if this on the bubble show will be renewed for a second season. We don’t need to have faith in FOX to know that Dollhouse should be renewed. Here’s why:
Joss Whedon
Um, it’s Joss — he’s back! His artistry and vision are as good as they ever were. We’ve got sci-fi, drama, conspiracy, great characterization (how he can do this with mostly a cast of clean slates is a miracle in itself) and surprising reveals at every turn. Celebrate — it’s Joss!
It blew the hatch with its sixth episode.
I’m still not so crazy about FOX’s six mini-pilots they decided to run, but once Dollhouse made it to the sixth episode, this series changed. One huge reveal — that there was a mole inside the Dollhouse — changed the entire premise of the show. We moved from a mission-of-the-week format to a serial with plot twists that build upon one another. The rest of the cast became utilized in fascinating ways. It went from meh TV to riveting.
It’s become an ensemble, not the Eliza Dushku hour.
I loved Faith, the slayer with the questionable morals, as much as the next Buffy fan, but I’m not sure I’m on board the Eliza Dushku fan train. Brett loves her boobs, and he might just have something there, but there are more talented actors out there. She may not be able to carry a show, but she doesn’t have to. The rest of Dollhouse‘s cast is excellent, and since it’s become an ensemble, it’s a stronger show. I particularly enjoyed Enver Gjokaj’s performance when he was imprinted with Dominic’s brain — good stuff.
The guest casting is excellent.
We loved Alan Tudyk in Firefly, but who knew he could play 48 parts at the same time? His performance defies words. I also enjoyed seeing comedian Patton Oswalt as Joel in “Man on the Street,” and Amy Acker and Miracle Laurie in their recurring roles were excellent. It takes a whole cast to make a show, and Dollhouse has got this one in spades.
Jane Espenson.
She wrote some of my favorite Buffy episodes (“A New Man”), and it was great to see her contributing her talents to Dollhouse, with writing credits on “Briar Rose.” This is nothing short of a spectacular move on Joss’s part.
It’s got a new game set up for season two.
If you saw the Dollhouse finale, then you know yet another game change is planned. Ballard’s new mission, to work for the Dollhouse and get Alpha, is a good one that makes sense for who he is and where the show needs to go. This game change came about in an organic way, through good writing and not a reinvention of itself because something was wrong with the show. Just like when Angel’s lair blew up and he moved in to the hotel, it works.
If FOX doesn’t see fit to renew it, perhaps TPTB over at The CW are reading this. If you are, oh wise and powerful ones, take a walk down memory lane with me, to a time when WB dumped Buffy and UPN saved her slayer ass for another two seasons. Don’t tell me that deal wasn’t worth it’s weight in syndication alone. Since both those networks have combined and are now The CW (that’s you!), wouldn’t it be fitting?
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on May 14, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
Full Ack
100% agreed.
+1
What she said.
I mean if Dollhouse AND FNL get renewed in the same TV season I’ll really have to phone the devil and ask for a cold one. But one can still hope I guess.
While I agree with everything you said Deb, I will quibble with the title of the post. Perhaps, “Why we’d all like Dollhouse to be renewed” would be more apt.
The sad reality is that the show probably shouldn’t be renewed. There are a lot of stones being thrown at the network for the way the season started, and for the Friday night slot, but the numbers are pretty hard to ignore. Even after the big moment in episode six, where everyone seems to agree that the show found itself, it just kept bleeding viewers.
Another popular refrain is “Look at the X-Files”. Yes, it didn’t do well in its first season, on Friday night. But the glaring difference there is the way it ended its first season. If you go back to the ratings, and remember, it’s all about the ratings, the X-Files had its highest numbers at the end of the season. Dollhouse, unfortunately, finished the season with the lowest numbers yet. If it had built even the tiniest bit from episode six to the finale, there would be an argument to be made.
My question, and I would guess the network’s as well, would be, “Where are the viewers going to come from?” If that many people gave up on the show after it got good, is there really a reason to think they are going to come back? And if the already too small core isn’t coming back, what are the chances of success for another season?
That’s not to say I’m against networks doing the charitable work of renewing shows that by all indicators should be canceled. Should FOX see fit to do that, I’ll be thrilled to watch the result. But if it goes the other way, and the show is another one-and-done, it will be a perfectly understandable reaction by the network. This one’s on the viewers.
And yes, I do love her boobs!
*POST AUTHOR*
Aw Brett, always with the reality check! ;-) I’m not sure if this data is available or not, but how do the ratings compare to the first season of Buffy?
Some data is available. I don’t have it handy, but I have seen comparisons of the Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse first seasons. It was using the household number, not the adult demo, but comparisons can still be drawn. Of the four, Dollhouse was the lowest rated. Angel tops the list, followed by Firefly, and then Buffy.