Dollhouse Doubles: “The Attic”

And so we come to the episode I have been looking forward to the most (with the exception of Epitaph Two, but that’s really a series in its own right), episode 10: The Attic.

Written by Jed and Maurissa who have so far given us Belonging and Meet Jane Doe, how could I expect anything other than excellence? Well, when the Attic starts it really does feel like the weaker of the duo’s Trio of episode for the season, but by the time it concludes, it is possibly the strongest.

The Attic runs that fine line between being nothing more than an irrelevant dream sequence, done just play with the format and being a mythology defining episode that will change EVERYTHING! This episode is the moment before the Epitaph, the events that unfold in this episode spell out the future for all mankind…

Have I built it up enough yet? Have I built it high enough that no matter how good it is you wont be able to enjoy it? Oh well…

So unlike previous weeks I’m going to split the episode into two parts because that will make everything simpler.

The Attic

The episode begins with Echo waking up in the Attic, wrapped in a sheet of clingfilm, breaking free, knocking out (and killing) some Rossum employees, freeing Victor and Sierra, only for them to be gunned down while Echo watches helplessly. Only, we know Victor and Sierra survive to Epitaph One (although I’m pretty sure Jed and Maurissa will kill Sierra off in Epitaph Two, explaining why she doesn’t feature in the final two flashbacks with everyone else.) Of course, knowing they survive didn’t stop me jumping up with shock and yelling at the TV, but I digress.

Quickly (although I’m not sure how much time passes) Echo realises that she is living in a loop where her nightmare of her friends dying repeats over and over and realising that she can do nothing to stop it, she leaves them behind, escaping into a surreal version of the Dollhouse, covered with snow with a white tree growing at its centre.

After some Faith-esque agonising and self torture a black skinned monster appears to kill Echo, it calls itself Arcane. This whole sequence is very in-keeping with the Whedon family’s love of comic books, but it seriously breaks the illusion of reality that Dollhouse has managed to retain despite the sci-fi-esque subject matter. Arcane was a really “Oh dear…” moment for me, but its ok, I grow to love the episode by the end…

Echo then teams up with Mr. Dominic (Reed Diamond) who had been sent to the Attic by DeWitt a year or so ago. Since then Mr. Dominic has learnt the true nature of the Attic. It seems that the people in the Attic are connected and Lawrence can move from one mind to another. In this way he has chased Arcane as the monster tries to kill everyone in the Attic.

Figuring out that Arcane uses each individual’s worst fear to travel from one mind to the next Echo faces her own fear (the Chair) and jumps into the next mind, with Lawrence right behind her. After asking a couple of questions Echo quickly realises that not only are all the minds in the Attic connected, but that all the Attics are networked together.

Unfortunately Echo and Lawrence couldn’t stop Arcane and they quickly exit into Victor’s mind before the one they were in shuts down. They chase off Arcane and Victor joins their merry band. Victor’s nightmare was to kill himself over and over, I guess that is why he suffered from post traumatic stress, because he couldn’t tell what separated himself from the supposedly ‘evil’ enemy.

All that remains now is to rescue Priya/Sierra and escape. She is trapped with the corpse of Nolan Kinnard (who she killed in Belonging) only he has been reanimated as a Zombie and is trying to kill her. Only problem is, Nolan isn’t the only one trying to kill her… Arcane is there too.

After a quick scuffle with Arcane Echo and the others tumble through a window and into another mind. This time it’s the mind of Rossum co-founder Clyde a.k.a Arcane. “So this is your nightmare Clyde?” Echo asks. “This isn’t a nightmare, this is the shape of things to come.” And naturally the camera zooms out to show us the apocalypse in full swing.

Unimpressed with the devastation Echo turns on Clyde and demands to know why he was trying to kill them. “I was trying to take down Rossum’s mainframe.” He explains. It turns out that the networked brains in the networked Attics are one giant computer. “I was trying to take out Rossum’s number of CPU’s to prevent this.” Indicating the Epitaph One madness happening all around them. “How do you know this is real?” Echo asks. “Because it was my idea!”

“I’m one of the original founders of Rossum. Me and my best mate at university. I had discovered ECC, Encephalic Communication Encoding (that’s ECE btw…). He was the one who had a plan for it, I hadn’t even begun to imagine all the possible applications for the technology. We thought we were making history, we weren’t wrong.”

It turns out that the first test subject was Clyde 2.0, a modified version of Clyde with all his knowledge but none of his ambition, someone who would follow orders without questioning them. “Your friend betrayed you.” Echo states, making the obvious leaps to propel the story onwards. Clyde explains that he was the first person in the Attic, the founding member if you like. “That was 1993” he sighs. 1993? Isn’t that the year the internet went online? Co-incidence?

“My nightmare, my loop, has been to run statistical analysis as to where the technology might lead, all but 3% of them include the end of civilisation.”

“What year is it?” Clyde asks. “2010? Is that all? Then we still might be able to stop them. The first thing they will try and do is install an imprinted person in the government.”

“They did that.” Echo explains. “Then they’re way ahead of most schedules.” Clyde theories that if they could eliminate Clyde 2.0 and the other founder of Rossum then they may be able to turn back the tide of the apocalypse. However Rossum cleaned his head out and erased the name and face of his friend. Priya however doesn't think it will make a difference.

“But there’s no way out of here… is there?” She asks. “No.” Clyde replies. “But there has been talk amongst the security personnel that they mistakenly let a woman in, she saw them, she could indentify them, but apparently they got to her too, they scrubbed her clean.”

“Caroline” It was a statement not a question from Echo. “Yes!” Clyde replies overjoyed with the response. “We need to find a way out of the Attic.” Victor states almost angrily. Echo hears him, they are pinned down now by a man with an assault rifle, so calmly Echo stands up and lets herself get shot. “Echo! What are you doing?” The others scream. “I know a way out.” She replies.

Echo plans to flatline in order to disengage from the Attic Mainframe, in the hope that she can wake up again on the other side. Victor and Sierra vow to go with her, as long as she goes first and revives them in the real world. Clyde and Lawrence determine to stay and help those still trapped in the Attic.

After a sad music montage we return to the House…  

The House

Much of this week’s non-Attic action is about restoring function to Paul’s damaged brain. Topher is at the end of the line. He admits to DeWitt that there is no way to restore Paul without introducing Active Architecture, to which DeWitt responds “We are in the market for a strapping new Victor are we not?”

Topher has all but given up when Ivy accidentally suggests something which sends a spark to Topher creative genius. Effectively Topher thinks he may be able to rewire Paul’s brain, to assign new functions to undamaged parts.

However, only seconds after she inadvertently fixes the problem Ivy is called up to see DeWitt. Topher’s final words of support to his underappreciated assistant are  “Don’t worry, Darth Vader kills Lieutenants not Stormtroopers”. Wow Topher, way to scare the girl!

When Ivy returns Topher tries to ask her about DeWitt and Ivy flinches away from him, saying in a cold, dead tone “Don’t speak to me.” Perturbed by this turn of events Topher goes to DeWitt for an explanation. “I simply prepared her for the possibility of taking over your position here.” DeWitt explained. Going on to point out that the Corporation has big plans for Topher.

Next DeWitt drags Boyd into her office to reprimand him for his tardiness. Since Echo went into the Attic Boyd has been spending a lot of time “at home” and I suspect with Whiskey, although that has not yet been revealed. When the conversation turns to Echo, Boyd become rather defensive, like a father protecting his daughter, but DeWitt doesn’t think Boyd has the right to take the righteous path.

“You knew where she was heading. You encouraged her. You put her in that Attic as much as anyone else. You didn’t come to the Dollhouse because of Echo, you came because you had nowhere else to go.” Boyd starts to walk away. “You work for Rossum and that means your options tend to slim to three. Carry out Rossum’s work without question, the Attic or Death. You must decided if that life is to be put to good use or laid to waste. I have seen the future Mr. Langton and it is not for the weak.”

Ok, so far DeWitt has tried to recruit Boyd, Topher and Ivy and each time there are parts of the conversation missing, deliberately left unshot to keep us in suspense…  

“Does that take away the fear?” Topher asks, walking in on Boyd sipping from his hip flask after his big conversation with DeWitt. “That’s what we’re going to do to Paul, you know, take something away.” Topher explains, his science and his genius finally tempered with conscience. “That’s going to make him more pissed off than he usually is.” Boyd jokes. Boyd tosses his flask to Topher, who takes a sip and then looks back at Boyd, so sincerely it hurts and he whispers. “That woman is going to drag us straight to hell!”

Despite how literally that sentence may have been interpreted in both Buffy and Angel, damnation has never felt more real than it does in Dolhouse.

Up in the chair room Paul comes to, prefaced by Topher’s comment “He’s not going to take this well” and he doesn’t. Paul stumbles from the chair, unable to stand or talk, yelling out random phrases, his face contorted with pain. “His brain is completely reorganised.” Ivy explains. “It will take a moment for him to adjust.”

But the moment he does he launches himself at Topher. “What the hell did you do to me?” Boyd tries to calm Paul. “Alpha damaged your brain, we did it to save your life.” Paul stops struggling and the colour drains from his face. “Did what?” No-one says a word. “You made me a doll? Then why do I feel like myself?” Topher is scared of answering him. “You are… but it’s an imprint.”

“I’m sorry.” Topher offers. “It was an order and we don't have many friends left.” When Boyd explains that Echo, Victor and Sierra have been sent to the Attic Ballard takes Boyd’s gun and the head of security makes no attempt to stop him. After he has gone Boyd turns to Topher and warns him “At some point he’s gonna figure out what we took away from him.”

Of course, nobody tells us what that might be, but I’m guessing it has something to do with his free will, but I’m only guessing.

Ballard storms into DeWitt’s office, gun in hand. “I’m not afraid to lose my life taking you down.” He grunts at her. “I don’t want to die.” She replies coldly. “Then only one of us is going to be disappointed. Any last words?”

Presumably she had last words, the same words she gave to Ivy and to Topher and to Boyd, because the next time we see DeWitt Echo has returned and everyone is together, ready to overthrow Rossum.

“We got it. The information we were looking for, maybe more. I know how to get at the heart of Rossum, your plan worked” DeWitt has but two words for Echo “Thank you.” and you can tell by the look in her eyes that she meant every syllable. “And everyone else?” Echo asks. “I think I’ve impressed upon them the dangers we’ll be facing.” DeWitt replies “We’re ready.”

“No, we’re one soldier shy.” Echo replies. “It’s time for me to meet Caroline. It’s time to win her war!”

Doof!

See… I told you it was good…

Last time I suggested that this whole season has been about Adelle DeWitt? Everything that has transpired since she lost control of the House in Meet Jane Doe has been about getting to this moment, it has been about destroying Rossum. A part of me wonders if Epitaph One will actually occur or if it is simply a divergent timeline, a clever way to knock us off guard. Whatever the case, tonight's episode will be awesome and the finale next week, even better!

This has been My Two Cents… 

Dollhouse Doubles: “Stop Loss”

I’m back! As promised before Christmas the new format for the blog will start on Sunday, but until then (and until the end of the season) the full Dollhouse posts will continue, so strap in and get  ready for episode 9 “Stop Loss”

P.s. This post makes several references to Epitaph One, each hyperlink is keyed to the relevant flashback to save me repeating myself.

When I settled down to watch this episode I knew we were in for a Victor-centric episode, however by the end of episode 10 “The Attic” I had discovered the truth and that is that this whole season has really been about Adelle DeWitt, but I’ll get to that later!

The episode begins with Adelle taking Victor out for one last “ride” (innuendo intended). Last year we discovered that Adelle was a Dollhouse client herself called Miss Lonely-Hearts, now that Victor’s contract is up she wants to ensure she gets to be with him one final time. Victor, however, tries to break up with Adelle, he tells her he is in love with another woman (Sierra).

Meanwhile back at the Dollhouse Topher has worrying news. He and Boyd are standing around a scan of Paul Ballard’s brain and Boyd confesses “I don’t see anything…” Topher explains that there is nothing to see, that Alpha emptied out Ballard’s head and just left him as a shell. Of course, we eagle eyed Epitaph viewers saw Ballard walking and talking with the best of them so we KNOW Topher can fix him… The interesting part will be how!

Annoyed and humiliated Adelle thinks Topher has reprogrammed Victor on purpose as payback for her selling him out. After she confronts him Topher quickly realises the true identity of Miss Lonely-Hearts and then he explains the situation with Victor and Sierra. This is really just reiteration for those of us who have been asleep for the past twenty episodes, we know from episodes like Belonging that Victor and Sierra’s love for each other extends beyond imprints, even affecting their original selves in Epitaph One.

Meanwhile Boyd catches Echo trying to use the all-access pass he gave her back at the start of season 2 to see Ballard. Boyd assures her that Topher will find a way to bring Paul back, but he warns her that Victor’s contract is up and that she should say goodbye. “I thought you’d be pleased” he offers. “I was going to use him to help me get the others out.” Echo replies “He’s already been used for five years.” Boyd points out, possibly foreshadowing how Echo will later treat people in her war against the wireless tech (the same way Caroline treated Bennett; see The Left Hand) 

Later Boyd petitions DeWitt to let Echo see Ballard, but she has no intention of doing so. Boyd’s impassioned plea that the separation is killing Echo only pleases DeWitt, as if she were testing Echo, deliberately pushing her to see how she might react. Changing the subject DeWitt asks Boyd to see to Victor’s release, explaining that Victor was assigned to the House and that she did not recruit him. The relevance of that becomes clear later.

So Anthony is finally returned to his original body and Victor is gone for good (well… not for good…) and the first question out of his mouth? “And the war?” Topher sighs… “Still going on.” Nice social comment… very subtle! Boyd checks Victor out, giving him the usual spiel. I liked the cross series reference with the “We’ve reserved a suite at the Hyperion until you find something more permanent.” They shake hands and Boyd finishes with “Congratulations, you’re a free man…” but as we know from Madeleine nobody is ever truly free of the Dollhouse.

What follows is a really nicely put together sequence where Victor tries to adjust to the idea of waking up with five years of his life just gone. Eventually he crawls into the bath to sleep and we find ourselves visually reminded of the pods in the House. It’s all very evocative and its one of those many moments in the show that remind us just how horrific the Dollhouse and its practises really are.

Back at the House Echo sneaks out of her pod to go and see Paul, who it turns out isn't there. Not content with that security violation Echo promptly hops into DeWitt’s private elevator and demands to know what has happened to Ballard. DeWitt informs Echo that Ballard has been moved. She knows about Echo’s keycard and I suspect there is very little of what has supposedly transpired in secret that she doesn’t know about.

After a little posturing Echo offers DeWitt an ultimatum “You can be on my side or on Rossum’s but the time for playing both is over…” I have always believe that in the end DeWitt will come down on the side of good, if not due to her conscience then due to her fear, but the final flashback from Epitaph One shows that even ten years in the future she had not chosen a side. That said, I suspect DeWitt may well answer Echo’s ultimatum before the series concludes!

Back at the Hyperion, Victor’s gentle bath time slumbers are rudely disturbed by a group of black clad soldiers. After Victor politely smacks their heads together a little, he is knocked unconscious and dragged to the commandos secret underground lair. (Sound familiar?)

Back at the House Victor’s vitals spike in a “fighting for your life” kind of a way, before dropping off entirely, quickly alerting Topher to the need to act. He calls in Boyd, who, of course, then recruits Echo and the terrible twosome head out to the Hotel.

After establishing Victor isn’t there Boyd and Echo start to look for evidence that may point to where he went. “So, how does this work?” Boyd asks, a question that has been burning a hole in him for weeks. “I used to have to make an effort to switch between imprints but now I can slip back and forth without even thinking.” Echo explains. “So, who am I talking to now?” Boyd asks the obvious question. “Echo, you’re always talking to Echo.”

Getting back to the case Boyd quickly surmises that Victor’s disappearance must be an inside job, based on the timescale and the technological know how to disable his GPS and Biolinks. And sure enough he is right. The men who have taken Victor/Anthony are quickly revealed to be ex-members of Victor’s old rangers unit, all of whom were placed under the care of the Dollhouse for the last five years. That is why Victor was transferred to the L.A House rather than recruited.

Backtracing a hack into the Dollhouse databank Boyd discovers that it is most likely Rossum who has Victor. Using her other personalities Echo hacks Rossum server, discovering that Rossum’s military wing Scytheon is the one with an interest in Victor. 

Meanwhile Victor jumps at the chance to be a part of his old unit again, even going as far as to allow the commandos to strap him down and implant foreign technology in his brain. A piece of technology Rossum is calling Group Mind. This allows all those with the implant to think as one. Just imagine the Borg but instead of cyborgs they are U.S Rangers.

Knowing where Victor is and what Project Mind Whisper is planning to do with him Boyd goes to see DeWitt, who now in a constant state of inebriation. DeWitt however is not keen on crossing paths with Rossum again after she betrayed the man (she will eventually) loves to regain control of her House the last time. Boyd ignores her orders and sends Echo and Sierra to the secret base anyway. 

Imprinted with her original self Priya and Echo set off to save Victor/Anthony before he is absorbed into the group mind and lost forever. Once inside Victor quickly finds Sierra, while Echo dispatches the other Rangers. “Anthony, I’m so glad it’s you.” Pryia breathes, but Victor grabs her throat and shoves a rifle in her gut. “Anthony’s gone.” Pryia pleads with Victor to remember. “They don’t want me to remember, they want me to kill you!” But he doesn’t. Echo knocks Victor unconscious so that his connection to the group mind wont give away her position. 

Back at the House DeWitt awakens from her drunken slumber to a phone call from Mr. Harding informing her of Echo and Sierra’s location. She is not pleased with this information! “You sent Echo and Sierra to retrieve Victor?! I ORDERED YOU TO LEAVE IT ALONE!” Boyd explains that he took actions because the DeWitt he knew and respected no longer exists. The woman who put the House and Actives first. “What happened to that woman?” He asks. “She’s standing in front of you.” And she is, only Boyd can’t see the bigger picture because Adelle doesn’t want him to.

“You’re going to lose control of this House and I’m going to be the one knocking down your door.” Boyd explains, which fits perfectly with my theory about how Boyd got injured in flashback 4 of Epitaph One. 

Back at the Bunker Echo jacks herself into the Group Mind while Victor leads Sierra to safety. Once inside it is only a matter of time until Echo dominates the group mind, her forty-odd personalities overpowering the soldiers.

As soon as they escape Echo gives Anthony and Pryia the order to leave, to escape the clutches of the Dollhouse, to go and be together far away from all of this. However, no sooner has she finished convincing Pryia to go does the option cease to exist. The Dolls are targeted (through their biolinks presumably) with Topher’s disruptor.

Moments later DeWitt appears, Vader-like, with evil apocalyptic music swelling beneath her, she stands over Echo and explains that “You leave a wake of destruction wherever you go. There is only one place for a Doll as irreparably damaged as you.”

The Attic…

And so the episode closes with Echo, Sierra and Victor in the attic, Ballard still in a coma and Boyd under House arrest. Awesome… Tune in again by Friday to find out what happens next. Until then, this has been My Two Cents…

Dollhouse Doubles: “A Love Supreme”

Hands up everyone who thought the first five episodes of season 1 would remain irrelevant… That’s right, most of us. Well this week’s Dollhouse Doubles episodes “Meet Jane Doe” and “A Love Supreme” set out to make them very relevant.

After Echo discovered last week that she can access old imprints, this week those old imprints are used against her by non-other than Alpha.

The episode opens with Alpha slicing open one of Echo ex-engagement’s throat. A man who blew every last penny he had on Echo, because he loved her as much as she was programmed to love him. “And that’s my sad story.” The man sighs. “You want to know the saddest part?” Alpha asks, pulling a knife from his suit pocket. “It’s the ending.” Blood splatters across the side of the trailer and Alpha simply watches the man die. “Looks like love wasn’t enough.”

And that’s the motto for this episode. Alpha had once been in love with Echo, he cut up Whiskey’s face for her, but his love hadn’t been enough and now something has snapped in his twisted mind and Alpha is out for blood.

Back in the Dollhouse Victor has been imprinted as a specialist and tasked with analysing Echo, who is now in incredible pain from the headaches. Both Boyd and Ballard hate DeWitt for torturing Echo this way, but Boyd is holding it together much better than Paul who is on the verge of telling DeWitt what she wants to know.

After Victor gets nothing out of Echo, DeWitt turns to Topher and the genius simply lies to her face. He tells DeWitt that there is nothing wrong with Echo, that she is perfectly normal. Cut to a while later and he is telling Boyd and Ballard the truth. “These are the craziest scans I’ve ever seen.” Topher explains. “I know a conspiracy when I desperately try and avoid seeing one, so why don’t you two crack open your little chamber pot of secrets and tell me what’s going on!”

“Echo’s not a blank slate, she’s a person.” Boyd explains. “Everything you’ve imprinted her with for the last six months, it’s still there.” “More…” Paul explains “She’s got everyone Alpha dumped into her as well. The wipes just push everything down but it all surfaces again and now she can control where and when.”

“She can control?” Topher says disbelievingly. “What does that make her?” Topher doesn’t really handle the transition of Echo from plaything into person very well, but Fran Kranz portrays it fantastically, I’m seriously going to miss Topher when he’s gone… I’m going to miss Dollhouse… But I digress.

DeWitt decides it’s time to put Echo back on the engagement list and Ballard takes her out. Echo doesn’t need imprinting as Susan as she has her “filed away”. It would seem that once Echo accesses an imprint the headaches go away, it is only during those moments when she is truly “Echo” that the headaches return.

However when Echo arrives at Frank’s house she finds his cold dead body, displayed for her by Alpha and it doesn’t take Echo long to figure that out. Boyd and Ballard report back to DeWitt who jumps to the conclusion that Echo and Alpha are in cahoots. “Echo was missing for three months, it stands to reason that someone was helping her, if it wasn’t Alpha, who was it?” Ballard says nothing and DeWitt orders Echo placed in solitary.

Going through Echo’s repeat romantic engagements Boyd and Ballard discover a startling truth, that there have been more than an average number of fatalities. However it is only important to know about two of those that are still around the first is Matt, a motorcyclist from “Ghost”, the second is Joel Mynor from “Man on the Street”.

However it seems like Matt’s number is up when Sierra returns from an engagement with a message from Alpha. While DeWitt puts all the Dolls through the chair, Boyd and Ballard head out to catch up on old times with Alpha. They find him on a roof, poor old Matt strapped to a chair, explosives tied to his chest and a mad man holding the trigger.

Boyd tries to talk Alpha down, “Alpha, do not do this, there is a part of you that knows this is wrong.” “There are many parts of me that know this is wrong.” Alpha replies. “None that care and six that just find it funny.” Alpha continues with his spiel “They are just wasting her, so I’m going to waste them.” He turns his attention then to Matt. “Tell them what you told me.”

And then Matt says those fateful words. “It was a blast!” And sure enough it was with not enough of Matt left to even identify and Alpha nowhere to be seen. A brilliant moment that just doesn’t happen all that often, very Joker-like and much better than Dark Knight.

So Boyd and Ballard use Echo to track down Joel Mynor and bring him back to the Dollhouse to protect him… Unfortunately Alpha is already inside the Dollhouse, in fact, he’s in DeWitt’s office! Turns out Alpha has some pictures for DeWitt, pictures of Ballard and Echo that prove Paul has been lying to her and that the two of them are training for something.

So Alpha and DeWitt take a trip down to see Joel in Topher’s office, of course eagle eyed Ballard spots them on the monitor and alerts security, but that really isn’t a problem for Alpha. Seems he used Sierra not only to carry a message but a virus, transmitted by the chair into every active in the House and at the touch of a button he turns them all into mindless Zombies.

Tough man that he is Ballard makes it through the angry horde of actives and up to Topher’s office to rescue Joel. Unfortunately it wasn’t Joel Alpha was after, it was Ballard, the one man Echo was never programmed to love but did anyway. Alpha needs to learn Ballard’s secret, of course there isn’t a secret to learn but Alpha can’t understand that. He slaps Ballard in the chair and copies his personality.

Meanwhile Echo breaks out of her cell and teams up with DeWitt, Topher, Boyd and Joel. When Echo learns that Alpha has Ballard she leaves the others to defend themselves, reminding Boyd “Try not to hurt them , they’re people!”

Upstairs Ballard is crying out in pain, but Alpha is focused on the monitor. “There is something going on here.” He remarks looking at Ballard’s brain scan. “But nothing more than the average bear, so why do you get to be her honey?” Turning back to Ballard who is now lying very still. “Huh? When did you die?”

WAIT A MINUTE… Die? Now we all know Ballard never died, he’s perfectly well alive in Epitaph One so you can just stop trying to trick us right now.

It’s at this moment that Topher remembers that he still has his remote wipe in the manufacturing room.

Back to Alpha in the Chair room, he casts Paul’s lifeless body to the floor and drops in a wedge, sitting himself down he imprints himself with Paul’s personality. Echo bursts in just as he finishes, she sees Paul dead (he’s not dead…) on the floor. “Boyfriends dead…” (not dead… I promise) “Wanna snuggle?” Ahhh Alan, how much do we want to punch you in your smug face? I love how Alan Tudyk makes this role his own, so different from the lovable Wash in Firefly.

“You killed him.” Echo sobs “He’s dead?” “Well… Brain Dead.” Alpha explains… See, I told you he wasn’t dead :P

Then Echo and Alpha go at it, the resulting fight sends the two tumbling through Topher’s big ass window. After a severe beating Ballard’s personality surfaces and begs Echo to kill him, but she just can’t do it. I’m betting though that that personality will come back to bite Alpha in the ass, because now he has a personality in him that “does care.”

When Echo stops hitting him Alpha flees. Boyd and Topher finish wiping the zombie actives and everything goes back to normal, with the episode finishing on Echo sitting by Ballard’s bedside a life support machine keeps his body functioning, presumably long enough for Topher to fix him.

And there we have it. Two more episodes down and only two more to go in the Doubles series, with the final three episodes to air weekly in January. Next week we have a Victor-centric episode, followed by an episode I’m very excited to see “The Attic”. Until then, this has been My Two Cents…

The Wheel Never Stops Turning…

Dollhouse Doubles: “Meet Jane Doe”

Another awesome week for Dollhouse this week, two great episodes that bring us ever closer to the post-apocalyptic future of Epitaph One. The first of this week’s two episodes focuses on a 3 month period after Echo frees herself from the Dollhouse (a moment I wish had been underscored with Rage Against the Machine… lol…) written by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen who brought us not only Epitaph One, but the excellent Belonging too.

The episode opens merely days after “The Left Arm” finishes. Boyd is looking (probably not very hard) for Echo and Ballard, while Mr. Harding is piling the pressure on DeWitt to get her House in order. Meanwhile Echo is lost and alone, unable to reconcile the world she knows of spas and treatments with the real world of hate and violence. After she steals some food from a store the sheriffs come after her (and an illegal immigrant called  Galena).

It is at this point that Echo discovers she can access her old imprints, or at least the skills they possess, in this case, the martial combat skills. This is a process she will hone to a fine art over the next three months. She kicks the crap out of the sheriffs and escapes, Galena isn’t so lucky.

Three Months Later

Harding has now taken control of the L.A Dollhouse, reducing DeWitt to little more than a secretary responsible for booking in  clients.

Meanwhile Echo is working at a Hospital now, as a seemingly well adjusted nurse. Through a little deviousness Echo bags herself the Jail run, giving flu vaccines (or some such) to the inmates, including Galena, to whom Echo feels she owes a debt. Continuing the run of “guest stars I recognise” Glenn Morshower makes his Dollhouse debut as Sheriff Rand. A jackass and a rather stereotypical bully, something very different from the mild mannered Aaron Pierce.

Meanwhile Topher and several Actives, including Victor and Sierra are working round the clock on orders from Harding. Interestingly Topher seems to have integrated the mask that Bennett used for imprinting into his own chair design.

After slipping a pill to Galena, Echo returns home, to where Ballard is waiting for her. It seems he he came to her not long after she escaped from the House. They have been training together. Paul has been putting her through her paces, physically, as well helping her through the pain of accessing her imprints and the subsequent headaches that result.

As we quickly discover Paul and Echo are planning to return to the Dollhouse, to presumably free all those still trapped there. Getting Galena out of prison is the final stage of Echo’s training. 

So, over a candlelit dinner Paul and Echo deliver a little exposition just to clue us all in. “So why then? Why not right after Alpha dumped all the engagement personas in you?” Mr. Ballard makes a valid point… “I think it was because of Bennett” Echo explains. “She showed me something Alpha didn’t, Caroline.” Echo believes that after she experienced Caroline from an outside viewpoint it trigger something within her. Something that made her feel as if Caroline wasn’t worthy of the body Echo now inhabited. Of course, we know at some point Caroline will be allowed to return into Echo’s body, but we don't know the terms of that return.

Right after that Echo tries to hit on Paul, in a scene that forces us all to look at the true nature of the horrors being committed by the Dollhouse. It is an uncomfortable moment for all concerned and it is a moment that really defines what the show is about. The  Whedons allow us to grow comfortable with the Dollhouse, encourage it even, but they never let us forget it is the enemy!

Meanwhile back at the Dollhouse DeWitt comes to see Topher, to get him to sign off on an engagement. She doesn’t however expect to run into Harding, who belittles her in front of Topher. On the verge of sticking out her bottom lip DeWitt leaves and heads off to see how Boyd is getting on with finding Echo. 

“Topher’s finally showing his true colours.” DeWitt fumes, it would seem that Topher’s desire to impress his new master somehow makes him disloyal. Boyd however is busy on the phone to Ballard, talking in code so that DeWitt wont realise they are in contact. “Tell me where you are.” But Ballard refuses “I’ll let you know when it’s time.” Echo gets out of the shower. “Who was that?” Ballard gives her one of his patented lost-little-boy looks, “Boyd, he’s ready when we are.”

So I was right then that Boyd will attempt to help Paul and Echo in what I would guess will be the season finale, breaking the Dolls out of the House.

Back at the prison Galena takes the pill Echo gave her which causes her to look as if she is having a seizure. Naturally Echo is called in to help her. However instead she gives her a shot to make it appear as if she has died, the effects however only last for four minutes, not long enough for Echo to get Galena out and the two girls end up being caught.

Back at the House Harding calls a meeting of the Northern Division. Present apart from Boyd, Topher and Harding is Mr. Ambrose, a man who will soon come to DeWitt with an offer she has no choice but to refuse. Harding has asked DeWitt to come to the meeting to introduce her to the head of a new House in Dubai. Apparently Harding intends to transfer some actives from L.A, possibly all of them. 

DeWitt nods and smiles meekly before heading to the elevator with Boyd. “You need to take this House back.” Boyd states simply. “And how am I supposed to do that?” DeWitt snaps. “The Adelle I knew would never ask me that question.” Unwittingly though, Boyd sets in motion a chain of events that will lead to the apocalypse… Oooops!

Accessing an old imprint (Taffy from “Gray Hour”) Echo busts open the lock and her and Galena make their escape, aided by Ballard who offers to arrest anyone who tries to follow the girls for prison inmate abuse.

Back in the House Topher is demonstrating his new Remote Wipe Gun. The gun completely wipes an active back to “A perfect Doll State” or so claims Topher, but he’s been wrong before. “Well done” Harding congratulates Topher. “I’ll give you the specs for the other Houses.” Topher says. I found it odd that he would just hand over this important tech without much in the way of recognition, but as it turns out he is being more than compliant to hide a far more important discovery.  

“Are they grouping?” Harding asks, indicating Victor and Sierra. “Happens all the time, it’s very common and easily dealt with. Split them up, put them in different Houses.” Somehow I think what Victor and Sierra share is very different from what might occur in other Houses, as no matter what personality they are imprinted with, including their  original selves, they still find themselves drawn to one another.

Topher drags DeWitt up into his office and then down one of the back passages we’ve seen before, the kind of place that is off limits to other Dollhouse residents. “I’ve been hearing about your device all day, but with the resources at your disposal now I’m surprised it took you this long…” DeWitt sneers. “It didn’t.” Topher says, looking rather uncomfortable, a moral dilemma pressing down on his shoulders.

“I finished it two months ago, I spent the rest of time trying to come up with another way to do it… A stupider way, a parlour trick. That wouldn’t lead to anything else… anything bad.” DeWitt  asks the question, but we already know the answer “What bad?”

“There are 22 Houses right?” Topher asks. “23 now.” DeWitt replies. “Each working on their own, relatively harmless technology. So I got to thinking…” “It’s a component.” DeWitt finishes his sentence. “I think they are trying to build a portable device that will be able to imprint anyone.” Topher explains. “That’s unnerving” DeWitt says in that typically understated British way. “No,” Topher replies. “What’s unnerving is I figured out how to do it.“

Topher shows DeWitt the plans (and where they are kept) but that’s ok, because we’ve seen Epitaph One, we know that Topher can trust DeWitt, we know they fall in love. Err… WRONG!

Echo and Ballard say goodbye to Galena, they have saved her and set her free. “One down.” Echo remarks, but Paul is less optimistic. “Things are going to be a lot harder when we go back to the Dollhouse.” Boyd shows up not long after that and takes Echo back with him.

DeWitt hands over Topher’s designs to Harding, she is as cold as  ice, all the signs we’ve seen this season of her softening are gone now. “You did the right thing Adelle, I imagine you only did it in the hopes that I would give you your House back, but I don't much mind.” Adelle replies “I did it because I understand how it works now, how much Rossum has at stake. I accept the situation, I did believe the power we have could be used to help people, but in the end power is always used to get more power and if Rossum has this much I have very little interest in being on the other team…”

There really is only one word for Adelle… BITCH! All season we’ve been lulled into a false sense of security, the Adelle we see in Epitaph One making us feel we can trust her, that she is, at heart, one of the good guys makes her betrayal cut all the deeper… Love it!

“Are you out of your British mind?” Topher screams. “You gave Rossum the deadliest tech I’ve ever heard of.” “Which you designed.” Adelle points out, Topher tries to defend that decision but he knows he has some of the guilt to bear. “You were fascinated, you were playing.” Adelle sneers. “Don’t put this on me. I trusted you. You are the coldest bitch on this planet.”   Topher curses, moments before he is slapped across the face.

Echo, Boyd and Ballard return, coming before DeWitt for a debrief. DeWitt is more than sceptical and her recent loss of power makes her all the more determined to hold onto her position and she knows that her biggest threat comes from these three (and their new found ally Topher Brink). “She’s having headaches.” Ballard explains. “I’ll see what I can do.” Topher replies, everyone but DeWitt seemingly eager to get Echo back in the chair. “Or we’ll see just how much more she can bear. Place her in isolation. She’s lasted through these last three months, a few more days wont hurt.” Adelle looks around at the faces filled with scorn. “Come on.” She smiled, almost jests, “We all know that Echo’s special, lets see what she’s capable of.” 

Doof!

In our next instalment Alan Tudyk returns as the ever popular Alpha, while Boyd, Ballard, Echo and Topher plan to overthrow DeWitt and the whole Rossum Corporation… Stay tuned very soon for another Dollhouse Double.

Dollhouse Doubles: “The Left Hand”

So, episode 6 of Dollhouse is a direct continuation of “The Public Eye” and it brings us several massive strides closer to the future we see in Epitaph One.

The episode opens with Bennett Halverson (Summer Glau) torturing Echo. Bennett is cold and indifferent to Echo’s pain, and while we accept it as part of her evil nature (evil as the audience perceives the show at least) it is interesting to note that it is a trait that our own beloved Topher shares.

Bennett notes that Echo does not call out to God. That she does not pray or even curse. “We take God from you too.” An interesting concept and a possibly commentary on the existence of soul… “You can’t even pass out.” Bennett notes, a possible hint for a later episode, that pain is almost ineffective on Dolls?

Meanwhile Cindy is effectively taunting Daniel, telling him the entire plan because in moments he wont remember a thing. “We spent three years building up your credibility and when you finally exonerate Rossum at the senate hearings today no one will question you.” She goes on to tell him how disgusting she feels being intimate with him, she is a truly hateful individual, hopefully she’ll get her comeuppance soon enough.

Cut to Topher and DeWitt in a limousine dashing through D.C towards the Dollhouse. Topher is giddy with excitement and fear and DeWitt feels the need to remind him of exactly what it is she expects from him. “Your soul purpose here is to hack into the D.C mainframe and acquire Senator Perrin’s imprint. Our one and only hope of discovering Rossum’s plan is to pull it from the Senator’s brain scan.”

Once inside the D.C Dollhouse they are greeted by none other than Ray Wise, the very Devil himself, masquerading as one Stuart Lipman. Lipman throws red tape at Adelle and she nods and smiles in a deceptively submissive way, while ensuring that Topher is allowed access to Echo and by extension Perrin.

“Business must be slow in L.A if you’re here. Who’ve you got minding the shop?” Wise remarks. “The only person in the world I trust.” Topher replies as the camera cuts back to L.A to reveal none other than an imprinted Victor in the process of calling Boyd “Man Friend”.

I have to give credit where it is due Enver Gjokaj does a superb Fran Kranz impression, it’s almost uncanny. I loved every minute of it.

When Topher and Bennett meet for the first time it is like (how I would imagine… not that I have any experience in this…) two geeky internet pen pals meeting the flesh for the very first time. And of course, like the nerd that he is, Topher suffers from verbal diarrhoea and he simply blurts out “What’s up with your arm?” In a rather insensitive way that will surely keep him from ever getting into bed with Bennett. “Dead.” she replies. “Nerves severed.” before quickly changing the subject back to Echo.

“She’s been Tranq-ed”  Topher notes. “Probably one of the Handlers” Bennett lies, beginning the dance of deceit that will run throughout the episode. Bennett cleverly manoeuvres Topher away from Echo by getting him to talk about the Disruptor. Knowing Topher’s weakness is his narcissistic nature she not only lowers his guard with praise, but she gets to learn about his tech too. Together they modify the device to be omnidirectional which then Topher then uses on Bennett to confirm his fear that she is in fact a Doll… She is not.

Topher then tries to explain why, telling Bennett about Whiskey and explaining that he thought that maybe the “real” Bennett might be using an Active as a double or a decoy. Bennett replies “That’s idiotic, Actives are beautiful.” When she realises what Topher is trying to say, she gets that giddy look of a school girl, before something clicks in her brain that makes her feel uncomfortable with the concept.

After Stuart phones Bennett and orders Echo’s release, she leaves and Topher phones himself back in L.A. for an hilariously geeky conversation about how hot Bennett is. It is genius. But he also manages to set up a link to steal Perrin’s imprint.

All of a sudden Perrin awakens and escapes, taking with him Echo, who has been imprinted with Bennett’s memory of losing her arm, while Bennett smashes her head into a glass pane to fool Topher into thinking Echo escaped violently. Lost and alone the Dolls seek out a coffee shop where they use the bathroom to cut out their GPS tracking strips.

Echo is having flashes of what happened to Bennett. Bennett is trapped beneath a concrete pillar with Caroline standing over her. “Don’t leave me…” Bennett cries. “Sorry sister, I stay, we both get nabbed.” I found this tiny sequence particularly interesting. I always felt that Caroline’s supposed reasons for joining the Dollhouse as shown to us in episode 7 “Echoes” was a little lame. Now we know that after her fiancé was killed in the Rossum building, Caroline continued the campaign, getting Bennett injured in the process.

Stuart dispatches Cindy to track down Echo and Perrin. Perrin is convinced that someone on the inside is helping them, they put the knowledge of how to escape in his head. It seems to me that it could only be Bennett or her assistant, but we’ll find out soon enough I guess.

Unable to track the Dolls any longer Topher and Bennett put their heads together and come up with a solution. Remember in my last post I said it was important that the GPS and Biolinks were separate… Topher plans to use the biolinks (which must be broadcasting a signal, which would surely be traceable but never mind) in conjunction with his disruptor, to target specifically Echo and Perrin’s brains and put them to sleep… The first giant step towards wireless tech.

Bennett brings up Daniel’s imprint so that Topher can target him (and so that Victor/Topher can download it). Daniel’s brain has not been wiped clean and had a new personality implanted but it has been augmented instead with new “bits” added or taken away. “It’s amazing you didn’t end up with a schizophrenic” Topher exclaims. “I have a theory” Bennett explains “That the human brain can hold multiple imprints and still function.” Something I think we’ll probably see implemented before this season is out.

Topher begins work on adapting the Disruptor while Bennett reprograms the signal to send an assassinate order to Perrin, effectively turning him into a terminator. This is obviously the second major step towards wireless tech.

At the Perrin mansion Daniel finally realises the truth, he’s better off now. “Even if I could, I dont know if I wanna be the man I was before.” He explains. “They’ve created someone who can bring them down, and that’s what I’m going to do.” Of course, only seconds later Topher fires his “magic bullets” and accidentally reprograms Daniel to kill everyone around him, starting with Echo.

Echo tries to teach Daniel to overcome his programming, proving that it is possible by using her left arm which Bennett had programmed her to believe was dead. Daniel however is not listening.

Topher phones himself for an honest opinion of what is happening and Victor tells him the truth. Bennett seems displeased. “You hacked into my system.” Topher gets angry “You tried to kill Echo.” it looks like the romance is dead. “So, we’re even?” Bennett smiles. “Not even, not even close. Shut him down now.” Bennett laughs.

“Do you know who Echo really is?” Without thinking Topher blurts out “She’s a friend” It odd that in these last two episodes Echo has been more publically “aware” than she has ever been before and not one person, not Topher or DeWitt has suggest wiping her, they all seem to have accepted that she is going to be more useful to them this way and for Topher to call her a friend, well that’s just the icing on the cake.

“I was her friend, her best friend” Bennett protests “And this is what I got for it.” She indicates her arm. “Shut Perrin down.” Topher demands, but Bennett is too bent on revenge. “It’s for the best.” And then, shock horror, Topher knocks her unconscious, before teaming up with himself to try and flip Perrin’s switch to off.

Meanwhile Cindy and her goons show up at the house and Daniel turns his attentions to his “wife” who may have really pissed him off when she told him he was disgusting earlier. Before Topher can turn off his killer instincts Daniel strangles Cindy. Moments later Topher reprograms Daniel but it’s too late. “She’s broken.” Echo explains. After a little agonising Echo and Daniel flee.

After the ad break we return to the senate hearings, where Daniel explains to the gathered press that his wife is dead. Killed by a consortium of companies that are trying to overthrow Rossum. He explains that he learned the truth about the consortium and they tried to have him killed, planting a bomb in his car and killing Cindy. Then Daniel turns on Madeleine and categorically states there is no Dollhouse and that she is a mental patient. Leaving the press hungry for more Perrin abandons the stage, his task finished.

So the episode closes with Echo finally free of the Dollhouse, November in the evil clutches of Bennett and Topher with a full Senator’s brain to analyse. Plus I finally managed to get this second post up before the set of Dollhouse Doubles airs, check it out, tonight on FOX.              

Dollhouse Doubles: “The Public Eye”

With Heroes, Flash Forward and Supernatural all on hiatus until after Christmas I will no longer be doing daily posts. The Tv Nibbles series will continue up until January with sporadic updates, however 2010 will see a new feature added to the blog which will replace the Nibbles, more on that in the new year.

But right now we have the first of the Dollhouse Doubles posts. Each episode will be in a separate post clearly labelled with the episode title. This post is for episode 5: The Public Eye.

This week sees Dollhouse get right down into the Mythology of the show, no more messing about with one offs and mini-pilots. It sees the return of Alexis Denisof as Senator Daniel Perrin, campaigning against the Dollhouse with the help of none other than Madeleine Costley, or as we know her better November.

With this second attack from Perrin on the Dollhouse DeWitt feels that action must be taken. Forming a brain trust; Topher, Boyd and Ballard begin to look at Perrin, but it takes Echo to point out that it is his wife that’s “Not Right”.

After a little more digging Ballard discovers that in fact almost everything about Cindy Perrin is fake, leading them to the obvious conclusion that she is in fact a Doll.

DeWitt and the others knew that someone was feeding Perrin information about the Dollhouse, but for his wife to be a doll makes no sense, right? Unless, like November, she is a sleeper agent, who could be triggered to “kill” Perrin’s investigation. Working under the assumption that Harding (big boss man from Rossum) isn’t stupid enough to trigger an active to kill a US Senator, DeWitt makes the logical leap that Cindy will be triggered to kill Madeleine.

In the Lab Topher is working on his “Disruptor” based on the tech he used to attempt to remote wipe Echo (the tech he attempted to copy from Alpha). He demonstrates how it works on Kilo, a tiny Asian Active. Essentially it sends a feedback loop to the biolinks implant. Now, for narrative reasons we HAVE to assume that the biolinks implant and gps tracking strip are different implants, the former presumably buried deep inside the active’s brain where it cannot be easily removed. Whatever the case he activates the device and knocks out Kilo… and every other Doll in the House.

The Disruptor does not wipe a Doll, it messes up the imprint and prevents it from functioning correctly, as we’ll see later. Topher, however does point out that the device will also affect Madeleine, because she still has Dollhouse architecture in her head. When Paul asks why, he gets no response. “No one ever really leaves here do they?” DeWitt and Topher simply stand silently, looking awkwardly away to avoid having to look Paul in the eye.

While Ballard takes the Disruptor and heads after Cindy, intending to bring her down before she can get to Madeleine, Boyd sends Echo out on an assignment. To do what? Drug and sleep with Daniel Perrin. That plan, however, quickly backfires after Daniel wakes up and, sort of, kidnaps his would be mistress. He explains to Echo that she is a Doll and offers to take her to see his wife, who he thinks may be able to help her, as well as use her as evidence against the Dollhouse.

As Daniel and Echo are speeding towards his location Ballard breaks into the safe house and tries to rescue Madeleine, however Cindy has shown her pictures of her and Paul and Madeleine believes he effectively raped her, breaking down any trust she had in him. She breaks away from Paul and runs screaming, Cindy appears and Ballard triggers the Disruptor, just as Echo and Daniel arrive. Cindy, however, is not a Doll, but to our surprise (or mine at least) Daniel is…

Now a couple of months ago I suggested that when Daniel Perrin discovered the full truth about the Dollhouse, Rossum would make him a deal, to put him in the Whitehouse, in exchange for allowing the Dollhouse to continue to exist. However, now that he is a Doll that theory seems unlikely, Daniel has effectively no power over the Dollhouse, because they can simply wipe him, any time they please.

However, why set a Doll on the Dollhouse in the first place? DeWitt suggests that maybe the political attack is not against the organisation but her House in particular, although to what benefit I’m not sure.

While Ballard is taken hostage, Echo and Daniel take off in the senator’s car. Both of them quickly realise they are in fact Dolls, although Daniel takes more convincing than Echo does.

Back at the safehouse Cindy gives her goons orders to execute Ballard, however the goons did not count on Tahmoh’s martial arts training and he whoops them good ‘n’ proper.

Cindy shows up and tries to convince Daniel to go with her but Echo kicks her ass while getting flashes from her previous imprints (a part of me really wanted a Faith flashback just for fun) and the two Dolls run off but without much success.

Cindy’s security staff drive Madeleine to the airport where Ballard catches up to her to warn her that she is being used, that the Dollhouse wants her to testify. When she asks why she should trust him he tries to explain that he sold his soul to the Dolhouse in return for her freedom. She seems less than grateful and ignores his advice.

Back at the Dollhouse DeWitt believes she’s figured it out. “With Perrin under his power, Harding controls how far the damage goes. The senate sub-committee will clear Rossum of any contact with us and Perrin will be hailed as a conquering hero who has rescued all these poor souls. He’ll have the politic power to pass all the laws and regulations Rossum has programmed him to”

But destroying the Dollhouses would lose Rossum a massive chunk of capital surely? Unless they believe they could continue to operate after coming clean?

Boyd asks what DeWitt plans to do… She replies simply… “Stop them.”

The last quarter of the episode takes place entirely within the Washington D.C branch of the Dollhouse, where the captured Echo and Daniel are brought. Chief techie Bennett Halverson is non-other Joss’ favourite diminutive little actress Summer Glau… 

Once again Summer plays a creepy, oddly intelligent, vaguely crazy person. Something she does well but… There is just something I don’t quite like about the character…

All the Dolls in the D.C house are named after Greek gods, is that narcissistic or just coincidence or are the D.C Dolls simply gods amongst Actives? Also is the Greek connection relevant? Greek letters, Greek gods?

The tech Bennett uses seems less advanced than Topher’s. Although that could just be that she favours function over aesthetics. Bennett spots Echo and immediately dismisses her assistant.

Cindy arrives and hands over the Disruptor to Bennett who immediately recognises it as being Topher Brink’s handiwork, although as far as we can tell the two have never met. Cindy tries to hurry Bennett along. “The hearing starts in 10 hours and if Perrin isn’t there the plan is blown and we’re demoted to being dead.” Clearly the boss at the D.C. branch is a bit of a Devil… :P

Bennett uses her OCD to drive Cindy from the lab and then sets to work on Echo… or as Bennett calls her… Caroline!

It seems that Bennett knew Echo before she became a Doll and clearly things did not end well. “Caroline, you always promised you’d come back to me…” Bennett whispers. “Let’s play…” She smiles wryly, before zapping Echo with electricity.

Doof!

To be Continued…