In preparation for next week’s second Epitaph I thought I would repost this. Below this short discussion on the first Epitaph you will find links to each of the expanded flashback posts.
I just finished watching episode 13 of series one of Dollhouse and 
seriously, we’ve seen Joss being ambitious before, but this is on a scale we’ve never seen!
10 years on and the imprinting technology has gone wireless. The entire population of the world can switch bodies whenever they want, become who they want, what they want. That was the motto of the Dollhouse, giving people what they wanted, what they needed, children, playing with matches, burnt down the house…
At first I was a little sceptical as it appeared Felicia Day would be spearheading the episode and although I loved Dr. Horrible, she, in my mind, was the weak link. Then we had a flashback and I felt cheated, I couldn’t believe that Joss was daring to do a clip 
episode, but then again, this is Joss and he doesn’t do things the same way normal people do…
The story follows Mag, (Felicia) and her team. They are actuals, people who are still themselves. Since the imprinting technology went wireless no one can really know who they are. Actuals tattoo themselves with their names so that they will know if they forget who they are. Mag’s team have dedicated themselves to resisting the new order and saving as many as they can in the process. They eschew technology and fear it.
The team has liberated a small girl and her father, although her father is a vacant shell who the team intend to put down. They quickly hole up in an underground bunker that we recognise as the Dollhouse. After finding the chair they imprint the little girl’s father with a series of memories that tell the story of what 
happened to the world, of how it all began in the Dollhouse with a scientist called Topher.
The list of memories appears to have been specifically compiled by someone, maybe Topher, Dewitt or Caroline, so that anyone who comes after may learn the truth. As we enjoy these cleverly crafted flashbacks (which give us a sneak peak into where the show is going without giving us a timeline to reference it by)
Mag’s team are picked off, one by one, by none other than the little girl, who it turns out was a spy, sent to kill those who resisted. However, Zone, another member of the team, is too quick for her, slamming her tiny child-like body into the 
imprinting chair and downloading a copy of Caroline’s personality into the little girl.
After a quick skirmish the team leaves with Caroline, heading to a place know only as “Safe Haven”. Doof… Joss Whedon…
That in and of itself makes Epitaph One a very interesting episode, but it’s the flashbacks that ultimately make this episode mind-blowing in the scope of its ambition. The title itself tells us more than maybe we realise at first. Epitaph, is defined as “A brief literary piece commemorating a deceased person.” In this case it’s not a person but the show itself. This episode is a hint about 
where Dollhouse would have gone if it had not been cancelled. (It hasn’t been cancelled yet but it looks doubtful that it will last to the point at which Epitaph One is set in 2019) A kind of commemorative statement about Joss’s vision for the show, a vision which seems to be constantly under fire from fans and critics alike. The second half of the title, One, seems to suggest that that season 2 will end with Epitaph Two, meaning part 2, because Epitaph One is only part of a larger story arc.
So this episode tries to be what Serenity is to Firefly, the conclusion that we will ultimately never see because of the fickle, capitalistic nature of television, and like Serenity, Epitaph One leaves the story open enough to continue, while offering enough answers to satisfy the fans. It is an amazingly clever mix of conclusion and intrigue that only Mr. Whedon knows how to achieve. It would be a dire blow to the future of intelligent 
television if we lose Joss’ talent and if we do not continue to cherish his genius, we will!
Now you may notice that I didn’t mention any of the flashbacks, well, that’s because I wish to talk about those in my daily nibbles, which will actually give me more space to give them the analysis they deserve.
So for now, this has been My Two Cents, make sure to pick up your copy of Dollhouse season 1 for your chance to witness the brilliance of Epitaph One for yourself.
You can check out the Epitaph One flashbacks here:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9
So the news that the 13th episode of Dollhouse will not air comes as little surprise to Whedon Fans. Apparently Dr. Horrible actress Felicia Day guest stars in what is being called episode 13 of the series… of course we know the truth… its really episode 14. 
with a message from within the Dollhouse. “Our person inside has been captured.” But at this point we don't know who that is, although we are led to believe there are any number of suspects including Topher’s assistant Ivy and Echoes handler Boyd. I’m also interested in the use of the word “we”, who is we? We implies plural and I wonder if there is more than one mole inside the Dollhouse(s). Finally Mellie echoes Echo’s words from episode 6 “The Dollhouse deals in fantasy but that is not their purpose.” just in case we missed the significance last time…
The second segment follows Sierra as she breaks into the NSA, who it appears have a reasonable lax security system, after all the guard seems to know the woman Sierra impersonates pretty well “You know the drill.”, you’d think he’d notice that her face had changed shape? Anyhow, improbability aside, Sierra breaks into the NSA and uncovers their mole inside the Dollhouse, intel we wont get until segment four.
r seems pre-programmed with the knowledge of their prior engagements. Is it therefore possible to store an imprint on pause? Re-imprinting the doll with all the knowledge it gained the last time it used the imprint? And how accessible is the information contained within an imprint?) However by the end of their encounter she realises that there is no happy ending for her, she has sold her soul and she has to live with it. 
Dominic the Security Chief agrees to let Echo do her thing until Sierra gets back with the intel. However Echo doesn’t conclude her investigation before Sierra gets back and lays the blame on Ivy. Of course Echo deduces that Ivy is innocent and blames Mr. Dominic, who turns out to be an NSA spy.
Admittedly sucking peoples brains out and leaving them zombified is fairly atrocious (Mr. Dominic’s fate…) but its just not as scary as the “The Attic.”, it’s somewhat akin to the Smoke Monster in Lost, we want to know what it is, but at the same time it’s always going to better not knowing.
cheering for the wrong side. After all, this episode paints Dominic as the bad guy, he does try to kill Echo, but if Echo we really Caroline who’s side would she be fighting on? Also I really liked the end of the episode that dealt with Echo’s self-awareness, the fact that DeWitt knows about it and is actively encouraging it is definitely intriguing. 