Weekly Round-Up: 17/01/10

We’ve got a lot to cover this week with 3 episodes of Chuck, plus Dollhouse, Heroes and How I Met Your Mother with its musical 100th episode, so let’s get right down to it…

 

 

Chuck – Vs. The Pink Slip, Vs. The Three Words & Vs. The Angel de la Muerte

Yes, that’s right, 3 episodes of Chuck this week because one just isn’t enough. When we last left Chuck he had just turned super nerd, uttering those immortal words “I know Kung Fu.” and even I have to admit that I was worried about how season 3 would pan out.

But as it turns out, I had no need to fret. Yes Chuck knows Kung Fu, but he is still as inept and as funny as before. The first episode really focuses primarily on getting us back into the action and letting us know some of what Chuck can do. The real major plot developments are Chuck and Morgan’s return to the Buy More, the loss of Anna (she left Morgan and hasn’t returned) and the apparent death of Tony Hale’s Emmett. I say apparent because his death was not confirmed to the audience after he was shot and in Chuck people have been known to rise from the dead… ala Bryce.

The second of this week’s episodes continues that streak of unlikely guest stars that Chuck is becoming weirdly famous for as Vinnie Jones takes on the role of a hapless weapons dealer. Once again, the actual mission has little of interest, its just a backdrop for the character development, particularly Chuck and Sarah’s relationship. The episode had a lot of laughs and some really nice moments, especially during Chuck and Sarah’s sparring match.

The third and final episode of the week follows the same format of every other episode, although Devon’s knowledge of what Chuck does helps add some comedy and some nice interplay between two characters who don’t really get to play together often. But as the episode closed out I was ready to write that Chuck is on the verge of Power Rangers style storytelling, by which I mean, each episode Chuck can’t flash when he needs to, but then, right in the nick of time he can and saves the day, he might as well just morph into a megazoid.

I was about to write that down and suggest that Chuck needs to fail in at least one episode for us to start to feel the realism, to feel the threat and then what happens? The bad guys only go and get Devon! Now the writers have deliberately set it up to make us think Devon’s dead, but honestly, I can’t see it… Whatever the case, I got that funny tummy churning feeling I get whenever I fear the worst and my faith in Fedak and Schwarz was restored.

YOU CAN’T KILL AWESOME!!!

How I Met Your Mother – Girls Vs. Suits

I don't think I have ever known a show to get away with teasing us as much as H.I.M.Y.M… It’s been 5 seasons and still we haven’t met her. This week Ted is actually in his wife-to-be’s apartment and all we see is a foot! However, at this moment, Ted is more interested in her roommate, star of the O.C, Rachel Bilson (Although I know her better as the Deli Girl from Chuck). However, as he nearly always does, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) steals the show and makes it his own. Neil’s long await musical return closes out this episode, sure, it’s not Dr. Horrible… but it’s still pretty good.

Heroes – Close to You

Well… I got my wish. Last week I suggested that we should have a Claire/Sylar free episode and we did. In fact the infamous cheerleader only appeared briefly in the doorway of her dorm room to chat with Noah. I wonder if this week we will see that same conversation from the other side of the door, with Sylar holding her hostage?

Other significant things? Hiro, Ando and Mohinder escape the asylum and Ando’s red lightening conveniently cures Hiro’s scrambled mind. Peter takes his mother’s ability to dream the future and subsequently smashes Emma’s cello to stop her killing thousands of people. Meanwhile Parkman and Noah track down Vanessa, Samuel’s old flame, in the hopes of using her to capture Samuel. They fail and Samuel takes her hostage.

When Noah gets back Lauren finds him and they admit how they feel about each other, before being rudely interrupted by Hiro, Ando and Mohnider. An ok episode but ultimately it did nothing to further the story, it just brought a few people together for the fast approaching finale.

Overall Redemption has lacked some of the energy and imagination and character of Fugitives. It’s not been all bad, but there has been too much filler. 3 episodes left… I wonder who will be left alive at the end of it?

Dollhouse – Hollow Men

It may just be that I was expecting too much, but I was kind of disappointed by this weeks Dollhouse. Sure, the story was there, but the character development was not. It all felt a little off. Of all the series finales on all Joss Whedon shows, this ranks only a small amount above Objects in Space and way behind Chosen or Not Fade Away. I just don't understand why newcomers Michele Fazekas & Tara Butters were allowed anywhere near this script, especially after their rather dull first episode Instinct. I know Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen were working on Epitaph Two but surely Joss could have found the time to write the season finale?!

Ok… so it wasn’t terrible, it just wasn’t everything I felt it could have been. Of course, I’m still spotlighting it this week and I can’t wait for Epitaph Two next week… It’s going to be awesome.

Coming Next Week

Another episode of Chuck where we will find out Awesome’s fate. The second and final Epitaph of Dollhouse, it’s going to be great, I just know it. But possibly even more important, next week sees the beginning of the end as Supernatural returns for the countdown to that final climatic battle between Good and Evil as Sam and Dean try to take down the Devil himself.

Spotlight: Dollhouse - “Getting Closer”

So, we have arrived at the penultimate episode and what an  episode it was. I’ll admit, when it began, I suspected that this episode would be little more than a filler piece to fill the gap between the “It’s time for me to meet Caroline. It’s time to win her war!” ending of “The Attic” and the season finale “Hollow Men”, especially after one of the first things we learn is that Caroline’s wedge is missing… But, boy, was I wrong.

The episode begins “3 Years Ago” Caroline has managed to seduce a Rossum security guard to gain access to DeWitt’s office, although it seems this was long before she knew about the Dollhouse. After she handcuffs the guard to the wall she begins to rifle through DeWitt’s desk. She finds a file marked Priority with a photo of Bennett Halverson (the D.C Programmer). “What’s in Tucson?” Echo asks. (Only the freakin’ HQ for Rossum, that’s what)

Then Echo notices the monitors and she sees the goings on in the Dollhouse below. Interesting point, she sees the Chair in full operation, that means Topher is already working there, which places flashback 2 from Epitaph One at least 2 years prior to the pilot.

Moments later we are returned to the present day. “We need to know what she knows.” Echo explains, continuing the conversation from last week. “Clyde said there was one person who had seen his partner face to face, that was Caroline. We have to cut the head off the snake!” Echo states. “And Caroline is the only one who has met that snake.” Boyd repeats.

Ivy goes on to point out that while Echo is impressive they don’t know what will happen if they try to add Caroline to her already overcrowded brain. This point will become mute rather soon, but am I the only one thinking, there is a whole house full of Dolls, imprint one of them with Caroline instead?

While Topher, literally, straps Echo into the Chair, Ivy goes off to the vault to fetch Caroline. Only Caroline’s wedge is missing. Ok, so I have four possibilities here. The first is that the wedge was there and Ivy took it. The second, more likely option, is that while Alpha was in the house during “A Love Supreme” he stole the wedge. A third option would be that Harding took it while he was running the Dollhouse. The fourth option is that the Head of Rossum him/herself managed to somehow get to the wedge… 

After the opening credits roll we return to the past and Summer Glau begins the episode’s long list of guest stars. The scene shows how Caroline engineered a meeting with Bennett and how the two became friends.

Back in the 2010 Topher is rigging the Chair to enable him to perform a wireless imprint, the way he and Bennett did in The Left Hand. “We’re in,” Ivy says. “Ghost chair has just been engaged.” As one of the D.C. Dolls is lowered into the chair, Topher hijacks the imprint and programs the Doll to be a sleeper. Bennett realises what is going on but not fast enough. Topher’s imprinted Doll grabs her by the throat, moments before Ballard and Anthony/Victor burst out of the elevator. “She’s here, we got her.” Ballard explains to Topher on the other end of the phone.

Anthony takes Bennett and deactivates the Doll holding her. Paul however has noticed Madeleine on the monitors. “We’re not leaving yet.” He grunts gruffly.

Bennett is returned to the House, where she is handed over to Topher. It seems that Bennett has the ability to restore damaged imprints. Topher wants her to restore the Caroline imprint that Alpha destroyed in “Omega”.

Paul hands Madeleine over to the House, she is back to being November, back in a Doll-state. “You did a good thing.” Echo tries to comfort Paul. “We’ll fix it, we’ll make her right.” But Paul is not convinced. “Once they’ve done this to you, can you ever be right again?” Of course, he is talking about himself, rather than November.

Back in his lab Topher is flirting with Bennett whilst trying to get her to restore Caroline, not that she knows that’s who she is working on. “Why do you need this one restored?” Bennett asks. “Would it sound OTT if I said this could help prevent the end of civilisation as we know it?” Topher replies. “I would need to understand the context.” Bennett replies in a wonderfully River-like way. Tim Minear is brilliant at writing these awkward but witty scenes and Fran Kranz and Summer Glau are really a gift to his words.

Bennett tells Topher she can fix it. “How much data loss would we suffer?” He asks. “None.” is the reply… phew… that was lucky. Topher leans in for a kiss but something just dawned on Bennett. “Who’s on that wedge?” Topher realises he’s been caught out. “It doesn’t matter.” He replies, trying to get back to the almost kissing part. “It might.” Bennett says, knowing she is right and that Topher is trying to bring back the person who left her for dead. The next time we see Topher, his face is not so pretty!

Meanwhile my prediction about Boyd living with Whiskey comes true. Because DeWitt has ordered a full lockdown of the Dollhouse Boyd decides it is time for Dr. Saunders to return to the House. The two are clearly romantically engaged. Boyd asks her “Are you scared?” She smiles at him and replies “Not any more.”

Quick analysis, what would she be scared of? What is it that Boyd wants her to do? The point of the line completely bypassed me on the first pass, why would Boyd think she’d be scared…? Nervous to be returning to the House, but scared?

Back at the House Topher is in Dr. Saunders’ lab looking for something to mend his split lip when Echo walks in and starts asking about Ballard. “What did you do to him?” Topher struggles with the answer, his conscience tugging at his mind. “I gave him his life back. He’s still Paul.” Topher insists. “No, he’s not the same, he’s different.” Echo replies. “Half his brain tissue was scarred, I had to do major rewiring. Which required healthy brain tissue, there were two pieces of real estate big enough  for the job, the motor cortex or the cingulate gyrus (Wiki Quote: It functions as an integral part of the limbic system, which is involved with emotion formation and processing, learning, and memory.) So, either he could live his life trapped in a paralysed body, or I could take away something else…”

“Me.” Echo answers her own question. “Our connection.” Topher looks sad and replies. “I think so.” Echo has little else to say to Topher, so simply points out “You’re still bleeding.” At which point Dr. Saunders and Boyd walk in. As Whiskey sets to fixing Topher’s lip DeWitt appears in the doorway. “Topher, that troublesome one-armed creature where is she?” “I had to lock her up.” Topher replies. “Couldn’t leave her in the lab unattended.”

Not long after that we flashback to three months after Caroline broke into DeWitt’s office. Mr Dominic has just discovered that one of his men had deleted the footage and confessed to allowing Caroline Farrell access to the office. He also tells her that two of her files are missing, Caroline’s and Bennett’s. “Who else knows about this?” DeWitt asks. “Just us.” Lawrence replies. “Keep it that way. We need to get to Tucson.”

Back in their dorm room Bennett awaits Caroline’s return, she found the file and she’s pissed, but not for the reason Caroline thought she might be. “You’re not pissed because I used you?” Caroline asks, not really able to believe it. “I’m hurt that you wont.”

Back at the House Bennett is under lock and key. Boyd gives Echo a pep talk and then after a touching hug moment he tells her its time to put the House on lockdown. But Echo has one more thing to do before he does. She leads Anthony and Priya out of the House. “Guys, if you somehow forget the way back here… that’s ok too.” She says as she waves them goodbye. Of course we know that they do return in the Epitaph, but I’m not sure if they will play at part in the season finale.

As Echo turns back into the stairwell yet another guest star appears, this time Reed Diamond. Mr. Dominic can barely remain upright. “Clyde’s dead.” He manages, “Rossum is onto you.”

But wait… Lawrence doesn’t get out the Attic until after the apocalypse.

Armed with the information that Rossum is coming DeWitt orders the House evacuated. She orders every active to have their original imprint restored and for them to be released. “I’m not leaving behind a House full of helpless creatures.” See, I told you she was one of the good guys. “Behind?” Topher asks. “Where are we going?” DeWitt gives him a withering look. “Tucson, obviously.”

And we’re back in flashback land. Bennett and Caroline are preparing to blow up the Rossum building. However, while crawling around in the vents Caroline notices a lab that’s not on the schematic. Bennett warns her to get out of there but Caroline ignores her. When she discovers there are people in the lab, experiments of Rossum’s, Caroline changes her mind about blowing up the lab, but its too late. She orders Bennett to run, the timer hits Zero and BOOM!

Back in the House Mr. Dominic is going into shock. Dr. Saunders wants to move him to a hospital but DeWitt points out that isn’t possible, the House is on lockdown… Plus, she really doesn’t like him. “Put him back in the Attic, it’s his best hope.” She orders. “I’d rather die.” Lawrence manages. “I’d rather you didn’t.” Adelle replies.

Ballard wants to take Lawrence to the hospital but DeWitt’s mind is made up. “She’s right.” Echo points out. “And we could use someone on the inside when we hit the mainframe.” Once again Echo is planning to use people, just like Caroline did with Bennett. Moments later November comes down the stairs, imprinted with the Mellie personality, Ballard’s ex-lover. “You insisted she comes along.” DeWitt explains. “I insist she be someone who trusts you entirely.” What possible purpose Mellie can serve is unclear right now. The only thing I can think of is that the writers need someone to kill off next episode who isn’t in the Epitaph but that the audience will care about…

Boyd pulls DeWitt away and leads her upstairs where Mr. Ambrose awaits. Yes, the same Mr. Ambrose from flashback 5. He informs DeWitt that he is taking over the House and liquidating it’s assets. “Nobody comes out of the Attic Adelle. You’re done!” However Boyd has other ideas, shooting Ambrose and the two goons with him. Of course, we know from the before mentioned flashback that Ambrose’s personality is safe and sound and he will later recapture Victor and use him to deliver an ultimatum to DeWitt and Topher.

However, in the confusion Boyd has been shot, leading us right to the conversation in Flashback 4 of the Epitaph. I predicted Boyd would be shot helping Echo and Ballard liberate the Dollhouse, I was almost right…

Back to the flashbacks… Caroline survived the explosion in the lab, but Bennett wasn’t so lucky. Caroline tries to free Bennett but when she can’t she mutters those immortal words from “The Left Hand.” “If I stay we both get nabbed.” and as she leaves she finishes the thought “And I’m going to make sure it’s just me.”

That line annoyed me… I preferred to think of Caroline as a user of people, the death of her boyfriend in “Echoes” didn’t stop her crusade, why should she care about one more body?

Back in the House Echo confronts Bennett, ordering her to fix the wedge and bring back Caroline. She makes her an offer, if Bennett resurrects Caroline, she can do whatever she wants to her, she can have her revenge.

“When he finds out you’ve killed him you’ll be a target.” Adelle explains to Boyd. “How will he find out.” Boyd asks. “I’m going to tell him.” Adelle intends for Boyd to run and draw Rossum’s attentions in at least two directions and buy them the time they need to bring back Caroline.

Boyd and Claire have their conversation. (Click the link)

Up in his lab Topher is working on the wedge with Bennett, unfortunately things were going too well with six minutes of the episode left. Ivy left the room and, already suspecting that she had stolen Caroline’s wedge, I thought she might reappear and kill Bennett, turning out to be a Rossum spy after all…

… but she didn’t. After a little more awkward conversation Topher and Bennett finally kiss. One thing I’ll say about all Joss’ shows, whenever there is an apocalypse looming, people always find the time to make out…

“More of that if we prevent the end of the world?” Topher asks (or promises depending on just how large you think his ego is.) Topher leaves the room and good old Dr. Saunders enters, her hands clasped behind her back. “Is that Caroline?” The Doc asks. “Do you really think you’re going to be able to get her back?” “I’m confident of it.” Bennett replies. Seconds later Claire blows Bennett’s head off, splattering Topher with the remnants of her brain.

Even though I thought it was coming this is possible the most shocking death on a Joss show to date… Wash doesn’t count, that was a film.

Back to the flashback… Caroline has left Bennett trapped and walks straight into DeWitt and Mr. Dominic. However, Caroline is not yet destine for L.A. with DeWitt, first she has to go upstairs and meet the director. “You weren't invited?” Echo mocks. “No hard feelings, darling. A trip to see our director is generally one-way.”

And as the lift door closes we’re back in the present day. Topher is catatonic and the gang is speculating on why Dr. Saunders would shoot Bennett, suggesting that while she was AWOL Rossum got to her and reprogrammed her as a sleeper. Adelle brings Topher back and gets him to finish Caroline’s wedge. The blood splattered monitors prompt him to dismiss Ivy and she takes the opportunity like there will be no tomorrow.

Seconds later the House is breached and the bullets begin to fly. Topher finishes the wedge and sits Echo down in the chair. Topher demands that Adelle leaves and she takes Mellie with her. Echo goes down in the Chair and it flares to life… A black ops soldier appears and knocks out Topher, but the imprint is already up and running. Boyd appears silently behind the guy and snaps his neck.

Final flashback… Echo steps out of the elevator and is greeted by Clyde 2.0. “My partner and I have been quite eager to meet you.” And Caroline asks the obvious question. “Why me?” and then freakin’ Boyd steps out of the darkness. “Because you’re very special, you’re going to help us in ways you can’t understand.”

“Not likely.” Caroline replies. “You don't have a lot of options.” Clyde points out. “So, I’m going to be one of your zombies? Open up my brain like the rest of them?” Boyd half smiles. “You’ll never be like the rest of them. You wont be harmed in any way. You’re far too valuable.” Boyd explains. “And I’m just going to trust you?” Caroline asks and in true corny Tim Minear style, Boyd replies. “With your life.”

Doof

Cliffhanger and a half no? After that revelation I did spend quite some time going “Boyd, really, no serious, it can’t be…” but I’m sure Joss has an explanation. It certainly would explain why Boyd’s character has been sidelined for most of the season, make him seem less important so the smack stings so much more when it hits us in the face.

As for, what the hell is Boyd talking about at the end, I suspect that Rossum made Caroline. As for why Boyd would wish to destroy his own company through Caroline/Echo I have no idea. But there is one thing we can be sure of, if he can order the execution of Bennett through his girlfriend and empty his best friend’s head out and stuff him the Attic, then Boyd is no longer batting for our team!

Weekly Round-Up: 10/01/10

So as I promised, a new format for a new year. Despite the fact that I enjoyed the daily posts, it was difficult for people to keep up with everything as posts would disappear quickly from the front page. So until the end of this season I will be doing a weekly round-up of the shows I watch every Sunday with a Spotlight post on my favourite show of the week.

Obviously, until Dollhouse finishes its run the Weekly Spotlight will focus on my favourite show of 2009.

So what’s been going on this week…?

Clone Wars –Grievous Intrigue & The Deserter

Cartoon Network’s superb Star Wars spinoff returned on New Year’s Day with a double bill of episodes.

Both of this week’s episodes focused on the Jedi Council’s attempts to capture General Grievous. In his continuing mission to wipe out the entire Jedi Order, Grievous captured Master Koth. Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ada go after him and while Anakin and Ada chase down Koth, Grievous goes after Obi-Wan. Other than some pretty cool fight sequences, all this episode really does is set up for the next two (possibly more) episodes. Just before the Jedi destroy Grievous’ ship he escapes to Saleucami (the nearby planet).

Down on the surface of the Planet Grievous and his troops set out in search of a functioning communication device to call for a taxi home. Meanwhile an injured Rex is taken care of by a local Twi’Lek farmer and her husband… A Clone Deserter. An interesting point is made here that the Clones have free will (and therefore were partly to blame for the Rise of the Empire.) I’m pretty sure that this fact will come to play a big part in later episodes for Rex and Cody. Obviously, in the end, Cody sides with the empire… but what about Rex?

Although neither episode really did much to further the plot they weren’t bad episodes. However the fact that both were focused on the capture of Grievous with no success made them feel a bit like filler episodes.   

Heroes – Upon this Rock & Let It Bleed

Monday saw Heroes return too with two of the remaining six episodes.

The first of this week’s episodes focused almost entirely on the circus. We discovered, finally, what purpose Kring had in mind for Emma, the hero with the seemingly useless power to see sound. Turns out she is in fact the Pied Piper, able to express emotion through music and specifically for Samuel’s purpose, she is able to summon specific individuals by concentrating on them as she plays.

Specifically Samuel was seeking a Hero with the power to give life to the barren earth. Claire, who was growing increasingly suspicious of Samuel’s intentions, is somewhat placated when he shows her why he has been gathering Heroes to him… He is building them a new home. Then before her eyes Ian, the green fingered hero, causes the barren valley to blossom. Although Claire declines to stay with Samuel, she can at least see some good in him.

Hiro also returned this week, convincing Ando to go with him to free Mohinder from the insane asylum where Hiro put him to be out of the way while he did Samuel’s dirty work (in order to save Charlie). Unfortunately Hiro’s run in with Samuel has left his brain all screwed up and he can only communicate through riddles.

The second episode focuses on the faking of Nathan’s death (in a plane crash) and the aftermath of that conspiracy. Less interesting than the previous episode, Let it Bleed sees the return of Sylar. After a lot of posturing and not much else Sylar leaves and heads after Claire (Samuel’s magic ink informing him of his path.)

Noah and Lauren capture Edgar and eventually get him to help them. Unfortunately Noah and Edgar don’t see eye to eye on what should happen the to Carnival after they take down Samuel and Edgar takes off, stealing Noah’s files into the bargain.

After burying Nathan, Peter goes out looking to get himself killed because he feels guilty about not being able to save Nathan. Claire shows up and saves him the nick of time and Peter takes her ability.

Not that great a start to the second half of the season, it certainly feels as if Heroes is dragging its heels a bit now. Although I like the rather Magneto-esque brotherhood Samuel is forming, it just seems to be slowing the whole story down. I feel like 12 episodes would have been better than 18, more condensed and fast paced storylines like we had in seasons 2 & 3. I’m hoping that the last four episodes will be a bit more action packed, with stories from Hiro and Mohinder, rather than Claire and Sylar, but we’ll see…

Dollhouse – Getting Closer

Quite possibly the best episode of the season, really edge of your seat stuff. In what, at the start, felt like a filler episode to stave off the finale, we learnt more than we’ve learnt in the last two seasons. Special guests Summer Glau, Amy Acker and Reed Diamond  all returned for an explosive episode. Tune in again soon to My Two Cents for a spotlight on this episode.   

Next Week

Tonight in fact will see the return of everyone’s favourite spy Chuck and Friday will see the finale of Dollhouse *uncontrollable sobbing* Can’t wait!

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.