Dollhouse Season 1 (2009)

Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog) returns to the small screen with his much anticipated new series. Especially anticipated because it stars the popular and spunky Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy).

The secret Dollhouse organisation programs dolls (male and female) and hires them out to wealthy clients to do with what they will. The dolls (including Dushku as Echo) return and have their brains wiped until the next mission. The season starts without much focus and mostly seems like an excuse to put Eliza in a variety of provocative clothing, until episode 6 when the story starts going somewhere.

FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett from Battlestar Galactica) is obsessed with finding the Dollhouse and rescuing Dushku, but all he has is a photo and rumours. Penikett is the real star of the show, because his is the only character that has a goal. Dushku has a new persona each week, which is not very engaging, and the Dollhouse staff are fairly one dimensional. Alpha, a doll who caused trouble in the past, is a more interesting character and the cause of much concern in the organization. It’s a Whedon program, so you know there are motives and complex back stories but they aren’t obvious or explored in Season 1. It’s also a bit annoying being told how outrageously beautiful Dushku is. She’s good, but not that good.

The Pretender used a similar scenario (secret organisation with people who could change character) but had a more coherent story and relatable characters. Dollhouse lacks an angle to grab the attention, and normally Whedon is extremely good at creating a novel angle. Dollhouse is still better than a lot of what is on television, but the bar has been raised for dramas with the complex moral and social dilemmas and back stories in shows like Battlestar Galactica, Dexter, The Shield, etc. Hopefully Season 2 will change the direction for the best.

Episode 13 was filmed especially for the DVD release and/or overseas market. It takes place after the events of season 1 and is set in the near future where the Dollhouse technology is widespread and has lead to worldwide panic and fighting. It is an interesting scenario. Maybe more interesting than the series.