Dollhouse 1x08 and 1x09
The show continues to pick up steam from a storytelling perspective. I really enjoyed 1x08 from a "where the show is going" point of view-- it was a very definitive step forshadowing the path the dolls will take to gain agency and freedom. Still find it interesting that of all the dolls, I find Echo/Caroline the least interesting. Caroline is very preachy-Buffy, which is pretty much my least favorite flavor of Buffy. As for the rest, Sierra/Victor is quickly becoming my show OTP because of their unusual circumstances. Mellie/Paul just got a whole lot more complicated and I'm looking forward to how Paul deals with it (both on a character and meta-level). And I like that Adelle is getting backstory/character development.
Does anybody else think Topher might be a doll? I mean, he could be legitimately a genius, but then again he could be a composite of a BUNCH of geniuses. He could be a sleeper agent, programming the messages to Paul in his alter-state. On the other hand, Topher is SUCH a creepy skeezey example of just what is WRONG with the Dollhouse that I'd almost be sad to find out he's a doll. So... the only other two people I can figure might be sending Paul the messages are Ivy (the assistant, who seems to be dressing a bit nicer these days and is offering us good meta on "I'm a girl, is that why I get Topher snacks?") or maybe Dr. Saunders. What is her backstory, anyhow? I get the feeling that she's blood related to one of the Dolls. This might come out in the next series of background checks.
On a meta level, I've heard a lot of talk about people who just aren't interested in the show and have serious problems with the implied rape that happens to the dolls. Sure, Dollhouse brass says that they "volunteered." But we've seen at least three cases of pressure/coercion (which, imo, invalidates consent) and also that Victor in his real!persona form seemed shocked at his skanky panties. I've heard "I don't need Joss Whedon to tell me that rape is bad." (And sometimes they do it quite humorously.)
And for some people, I totally get it. I'm tired of seeing staunch Whedonites try to invalidate that with "you're just not paying attention" or "the rape is supposed to be disturbing." So, let me get this straight... the rape is SUPPOSED to be disturbing and offensive, and yet people are getting butthurt because some don't want to watch because they find the rape, as prettily packaged as it is, disturbing and offensive? Seriously? It's sort of the same thing I saw when I had the audacity to say I didn't really like Watchmen because I already understood that the world is borked and didn't need to pay $10 to sit in a theater and see a ridiculously violent movie all about how the world is borked. It didn't teach me anything new, and furthermore, it just wasn't my thing. If one of the major points of Dollhouse is that rape and objectification is problematic, there will be people who won't feel compelled to watch that every week, because dude... duh. If that alone makes you feel like you need to grab your flag to vigorously defend Whedon & Co., here, have some industrial-strength Preparation H for your butthurt.
As you can tell, I'm enjoying the meta discussions about Dollhouse just as much, if not more, than the show itself. I'm still watching because I still see things that spark my interest (the Adelle thing subverting expectations, shirtless Helo, the feeling that Joss will, albeit problematically, probably succeed in challenging some stereotypes, shirtless Helo, Harry Lennox is awesome, shirtless Helo). But I ain't mad at those who don't feel that need. I like that the show has a lot of gray areas and I think a lot of the earlier episodes (which were deeply, deeply problematic for me) may have been set up to deliberately contrast with what's coming. (Note: this is my own optimism and may well be proven wrong.) I like that Joss will probably get things dead wrong because that will generate awesome conversations. I mean, I think his heart is in the right place, but hello, this is the guy who wrote a "heroine" who asked her would-be rapist to babysit her kid sister about 24 hours after the attempted rape. I might like parts of his storytelling, but Flawless Feminist he ain't. But then again, it's not his job to create a feminist utopia. It's his job to put out entertainment, and it's our job, as intelligent fans, to watch and think and critique and call bullshit as necessary.
Anyhow, that's my tl;dr on these eps. I'm still watchin', but I ain't blind.
*First person to demonstrate their own reading comprehension failures when replying to this entry will be given a complimentary tube of Preparation H of their very own!
Does anybody else think Topher might be a doll? I mean, he could be legitimately a genius, but then again he could be a composite of a BUNCH of geniuses. He could be a sleeper agent, programming the messages to Paul in his alter-state. On the other hand, Topher is SUCH a creepy skeezey example of just what is WRONG with the Dollhouse that I'd almost be sad to find out he's a doll. So... the only other two people I can figure might be sending Paul the messages are Ivy (the assistant, who seems to be dressing a bit nicer these days and is offering us good meta on "I'm a girl, is that why I get Topher snacks?") or maybe Dr. Saunders. What is her backstory, anyhow? I get the feeling that she's blood related to one of the Dolls. This might come out in the next series of background checks.
On a meta level, I've heard a lot of talk about people who just aren't interested in the show and have serious problems with the implied rape that happens to the dolls. Sure, Dollhouse brass says that they "volunteered." But we've seen at least three cases of pressure/coercion (which, imo, invalidates consent) and also that Victor in his real!persona form seemed shocked at his skanky panties. I've heard "I don't need Joss Whedon to tell me that rape is bad." (And sometimes they do it quite humorously.)
And for some people, I totally get it. I'm tired of seeing staunch Whedonites try to invalidate that with "you're just not paying attention" or "the rape is supposed to be disturbing." So, let me get this straight... the rape is SUPPOSED to be disturbing and offensive, and yet people are getting butthurt because some don't want to watch because they find the rape, as prettily packaged as it is, disturbing and offensive? Seriously? It's sort of the same thing I saw when I had the audacity to say I didn't really like Watchmen because I already understood that the world is borked and didn't need to pay $10 to sit in a theater and see a ridiculously violent movie all about how the world is borked. It didn't teach me anything new, and furthermore, it just wasn't my thing. If one of the major points of Dollhouse is that rape and objectification is problematic, there will be people who won't feel compelled to watch that every week, because dude... duh. If that alone makes you feel like you need to grab your flag to vigorously defend Whedon & Co., here, have some industrial-strength Preparation H for your butthurt.
As you can tell, I'm enjoying the meta discussions about Dollhouse just as much, if not more, than the show itself. I'm still watching because I still see things that spark my interest (the Adelle thing subverting expectations, shirtless Helo, the feeling that Joss will, albeit problematically, probably succeed in challenging some stereotypes, shirtless Helo, Harry Lennox is awesome, shirtless Helo). But I ain't mad at those who don't feel that need. I like that the show has a lot of gray areas and I think a lot of the earlier episodes (which were deeply, deeply problematic for me) may have been set up to deliberately contrast with what's coming. (Note: this is my own optimism and may well be proven wrong.) I like that Joss will probably get things dead wrong because that will generate awesome conversations. I mean, I think his heart is in the right place, but hello, this is the guy who wrote a "heroine" who asked her would-be rapist to babysit her kid sister about 24 hours after the attempted rape. I might like parts of his storytelling, but Flawless Feminist he ain't. But then again, it's not his job to create a feminist utopia. It's his job to put out entertainment, and it's our job, as intelligent fans, to watch and think and critique and call bullshit as necessary.
Anyhow, that's my tl;dr on these eps. I'm still watchin', but I ain't blind.
*First person to demonstrate their own reading comprehension failures when replying to this entry will be given a complimentary tube of Preparation H of their very own!