Dollhouse - new Whedon series

[SpookyFrank]

Didn't they refer to him as being British or something though? I remember watching it and thinking 'huh'? What's his background supposed to be?

House called him British once, to which he protested that he was actually Australian. House replied; "you put the Queen on your money, you're British."

Ye gods but I have a ridiculous memory for useless crap

 

[rhod]

This looks interesting. I loved Firefly (and Serenity). Downloading now

You might want to download a new US crime series "Castle" which stars the guy who plays Mal in Firefly.

The repartee between the 2 main characters reminds me a bit of Moonlighting.

First episode was great, 2nd a bit more formulaic - but I'll probably follow it (until it gets cancelled!!)

 

[Mr Smin]

I found I couldn't suspend my disbelief for the central premise of being able to shift memories and personalities from brain to HDD and back.

 

[Melinda]

Saw the pilot and it was deep piles of steaming festering shiiiiiiit.

 

[lostexpectation]

ah no gets better round ep 6 which explains a lot watch that and then go back and watch the rest

 

[scifisam]

The first episode was decent TV, worth watching, but I'm worried that Duschku simply isn't a strong enough actor to carry the show - and the Andrew-a-like scientist guy is pathetic. I think it'll get better, though, as more gets explained (it might become more believable then too).

 

[pboi]

it gets better, give it 6 eps

 

[The Octagon]

Just watched episode 5, Dushku's acting really does get a lot better for this episode.

It's steadily improved every week, can't wait to watch episode 6 (seems like everyone's raving about it).

 

[The Groke]

I love Buffy and Angel and Firefly and Whedon.

I still have the first episode downloaded and unwatched on my HD. Should I bother?

Does it have any characters as good as those in the aforementioned shows? Teh same "Whedonesque" dialogue?

 

[Melinda]

Just watched episode 5, Dushku's acting really does get a lot better for this episode.

It's steadily improved every week, can't wait to watch episode 6 (seems like everyone's raving about it).

I generally like Ms Dushku, it was the material she was working with in this instance that offended me.

The writing was so wrong, just cliched and painful. It was like watching a parody.

I mentioned its similarity to La Femme Nikita on another thread, but at least LFN didnt market itself as different and edgy.

Im surprised in the cut throat world of US network TV, that a show gets the chance to wait till ep 6 to be any good.

 

[The Octagon]

I generally like Ms Dushku, it was the material she was working with in this instance that offended me.

The writing was so wrong, just cliched and painful. It was like watching a parody.

I mentioned its similarity to La Femme Nikita on another thread, but at least LFN didnt market itself as different and edgy.

Im surprised in the cut throat world of US network TV, that a show gets the chance to wait till ep 6 to be any good.

The irony being apparently, that Episode 6 is the first time Whedon was able to shape an episode / plot exactly how he wanted without interference, something that marred the first few episodes.

Fox is a really shitty network to start your life on as a show.

 

[The Octagon]

Episode 6 was good stuff, a real leap forward from previous eps.

One of the best fight scenes I've seen on TV for a while, not to mention some genuinely well-acted character moments.

More of this please.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Does it have any characters as good as those in the aforementioned shows? Teh same "Whedonesque" dialogue?

The scientist bloke is the closest thing to a classic Whedon-type character in the show IMO, and the dialogue has it's moments (without ever quite approaching firefly's levels of deadpan brilliance). The main problem is that Dushku's character doesn't actually have a personality, although it looks as if they're heading towards making her into something more like an actual person.

Episode seven has some very funny moments, but some epic plot holes to go with them

 

[Melinda]

Well Lost Expectation / Octagon, I trusted youse and last night saw ep six with the intention of working my way back just to see what I was missing.

Now Im going to be gentle because when folk say ignorant things about Mad Men and The Wire I tend to disregard anything else they ever say . First the good points- It featured Miss Jeanette and her bald head from True Blood, plus Helo from BSG in a towel.
Oh and I was in hysterics at the hot lumpen Canadian kicking the ass of 5 bad guys despite having been tazed! Very good things.

And that's about it; I still really didnt like it. I thought the production and writing were awful and cliched, and in parts the intentions behind it all were downright ugly. (The extended scenes of the brutal faux rape SET TO MUSIC- just ugh.)

There was WAAAY too much clunky exposition leading to cringey, over long explanatory conversations. It made Bones and CSI (shows I despise for this very reason) look nuanced.

The over use of the vox-pop device stunk- I hated it. Every demographic got to have their say! The best being the hyperbolic professor at the end trying to talk up the significance of the show- 'Imagine if it was someone you knew...as a species we would cease to matter'- Oh really?!! I was genuinely embarrassed for the writers at that point!

Oh and The Stern English Madam- why not just give it to Alberta Watson and have done with it! She played the exact same dubious hard ass role in La Femme Nikita and in 24.

So yeah, not for me I think.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

 

[lostexpectation]

whedon is known as womens writer put a lot of the content does seem dodge, i guess you have to go with the idea hes exploring human trafficking and these things happen.

i didn't say good just better

 

[The Octagon]

Well Lost Expectation / Octagon, I trusted youse and last night saw ep six with the intention of working my way back just to see what I was missing.

Now Im going to be gentle because when folk say ignorant things about Mad Men and The Wire I tend to disregard anything else they ever say . First the good points- It featured Miss Jeanette and her bald head from True Blood, plus Helo from BSG in a towel.
Oh and I was in hysterics at the hot lumpen Canadian kicking the ass of 5 bad guys despite having been tazed! Very good things.

And that's about it; I still really didnt like it. I thought the production and writing were awful and cliched, and in parts the intentions behind it all were downright ugly. (The extended scenes of the brutal faux rape SET TO MUSIC- just ugh.)

There was WAAAY too much clunky exposition leading to cringey, over long explanatory conversations. It made Bones and CSI (shows I despise for this very reason) look nuanced.

The over use of the vox-pop device stunk- I hated it. Every demographic got to have their say! The best being the hyperbolic professor at the end trying to talk up the significance of the show- 'Imagine if it was someone you knew...as a species we would cease to matter'- Oh really?!! I was genuinely embarrassed for the writers at that point!

Oh and The Stern English Madam- why not just give it to Alberta Watson and have done with it! She played the exact same dubious hard ass role in La Femme Nikita and in 24.

So yeah, not for me I think.

Fair enough, I know people who loved Buffy and Angel but hated Firefly (I subtlely cut them out of my life though).

I don't really follow your point regarding exposition, it's definitely not spoon-feeding the audience IMO (although I agree they've explained the technology enough times now!).

I also didn't like the Vox-Pop device in Episode 6, but more because it ruined some of the pacing of the episode, rather than the things the subjects were saying (come on, the bloke talking about experimenting with another guy whilst his girlfriend looked on with increasing terror was pretty funny, especially their little smiles at the end).

I'd suggest watching Episode 7 (as I have just done last night), as it's probably the first episode that had me sniggering and laughing out loud at points, but you may have to have some sort of attachment to the characters (which I do with some of them) to really enjoy it.

"I tried to burn you to death. Who does that?"

 

[Iguana]

Oh and I was in hysterics at the hot lumpen Canadian kicking the ass of 5 bad guys despite having been tazed! Very good things.

Yeah you are right, she had been ineffectually scratching at his face (as many rape victims do) before the phone message came. Once it did she should have just reached out and pushed her thumbs through his eyeballs, then taken her time breaking his neck or strangling him. It would have been realistic as it wouldn't take much physical effort, just the removal of the mental block which stops victims doing just that in RL situations. It would have tied in better with the premise that the dolls have training imprinted in their brains rather than suddenly acquiring super-strength.

 

[The Groke]

Fair enough, I know people who loved Buffy and Angel but hated Firefly

Wuh?

Who are these people?

Not sure how one could be a fan of Buffangel and not love Firefly. In many ways it was the natural evolution of his style into something more epic*, more gritty and more amusing.


*Until of course the network cut it down in it's prime and then fucked it's still bleeding corpse.

 

[The Octagon]

Yeah you are right, she had been ineffectually scratching at his face (as many rape victims do) before the phone message came. Once it did she should have just reached out and pushed her thumbs through his eyeballs, then taken her time breaking his neck or strangling him. It would have been realistic as it wouldn't take much physical effort, just the removal of the mental block which stops victims doing just that in RL situations. It would have tied in better with the premise that the dolls have training imprinted in their brains rather than suddenly acquiring super-strength.

I think Melinda is referring to Agent Ballard dispensing with the bodyguards in Episode 6, rather than Mellie's attempted murder, but your point is fair.

 

[Iguana]

I think Melinda is referring to Agent Ballard dispensing with the bodyguards in Episode 6, rather than Mellie's attempted murder, but your point is fair.

Aah! My bad.

Then if it's Ballard the tazer would have just aroused him. Think of all the electrical shocks he would have gotten every time his cylon wife got in the mood.

 

[Balbi]

You might want to download a new US crime series "Castle" which stars the guy who plays Mal in Firefly.

The repartee between the 2 main characters reminds me a bit of Moonlighting.

First episode was great, 2nd a bit more formulaic - but I'll probably follow it (until it gets cancelled!!)

I approve of this television. Not especially clever, but watchable and has the lady who played Hana Gitelman from Heroes Series 1 in the lead female role. And putting criticism aside, PHWOAR at both of the leads. PHWOAR PHWOAR.

 

[DotCommunist]

The whole thing is morally bankrupt, indicative of Whedons virgin/whore attitude to women and strangely compelling

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Firefly was brilliant. Treated like a red-headed stepchild / episodes shown out of order and still managed to gain a fanbase.
.

I concur completely.

I never watched Buffy as I just assumed it was a bogstandard '6 o clock programme for teenage schoolgirls', but have since been informed it was much better than that.

 

[DotCommunist]

I actually want to punch scientist imprinter bloke, punch him fucking hard in the balls.

And scarface medical woman? yeah OK whedon I'm backing away slowly now that the only non passive female is scarred in the face badly..

 

[DaRealSpoon]

I read the thread title and thought "Whedon's doing a series based around the British unemployment benefit system... Nah, can't be"

*facepalms self*

 

[pboi]

it finished strongly...I suggest you watch it and you might find a few things change

very Whedon tho

 

[rhod]

I read the thread title and thought "Whedon's doing a series based around the British unemployment benefit system... Nah, can't be"

*facepalms self*

Actually, I think that concept has a lot of potential !

 

[Iguana]

Anyone seen the unaired final episode Epitaph One yet, it's downloadable now? It's was really bloody good. Really brings the whole show into a fantastic direction and should lead to an interesting direction in S2.

 

[pboi]

cant find it on TPB