Dollhouse "Instinct"
No snazzy number because apparently there's some confusion. Anyway, this is the ep. that aired on October 2nd, I'm just slow on the uptake in writing about it. Which is a shame, because color me surprised, I LIKED THIS ONE!! A lot. By the numbers, I should have hated this episode: Echo-centric, formulaic mission-gone-wrong, not really seeming to advance any kind of plot or offer explanation of the deeper workings/history/purpose of the Dollhouse. But for some reason, it just really clicked with me, and went a _long_ way toward allaying my disappointment from Vows.
Yes, it's Echo-centric, and though I'm usually one of the first to start screaming, "enough Echo, already!!" I actually didn't realize it until well after the fact, because Eliza really brought her game to this one. _Finally_ something that gives me a bit of faith (heh) in her acting skills. The police station scene actually got to me, instead of making me wince at her overacting. So, YES. If she keeps on improving like this I will happily stop with the unkind comparisons to the high school diva I mentioned in my last review. I _believed_ her when she was talking with her friend (Sierra) and doubting whether her husband even liked her or the baby. I actually felt for her. And when she thought her husband was going to kill her and/or the baby and what the heck does one _do_ in a situation like that? That part didn't at all seem off-program to me. That's maternal instinct, pure and simple. Okay, maybe I am perhaps a little too easy to please when it comes to maternal schmoop, but even if I weren't I would still be cheering for there finally being a _reason_ for things going wrong other than just "it's Echo and she's Super-Speshul." Bleh. At last, in a show so seemingly concerned with consciousness and the soul and what can and cannot be wiped and the ramifications of doing so, we actually _see_ it. YES, Joss, yes.
I liked Sierra's presence on the engagement. Man, that guy must be loaded, to hire _two_ dolls. I didn't realize this until later, but hiring a best friend for his "wife" was probably necessary, or at least easier than getting his real wife's best friend to play along. How sad and desperate that poor guy must be. Look at that, I even felt for the _client_ this episode!
Oh, and Madeline (November). Great to see her again, anyway, and especially her life post-Dollhouse (though what a difference from the frumpy supposed-Madeline we met in Needs last season), but I really liked how her story related to the overall theme of the episode, her reaction to losing her child. And Paul's reaction to her telling him. Just all over his face, his difficulty reconciling Madeline with his memories of Mellie (and I'm so glad that he seems to be more concerned about her than Adelle implied in Vows. Maybe he's human after all), and his shock at the idea of having the memory of losing a child taken away. I gotta say, though, it isn't that shocking to me. If something ever happened to Morgan, I can tell you right now I would go _batshit_ and probably need some hefty sedation (and/or memory wiping) not to do myself and anyone around me serious harm.
And still re: Paul, this episode I didn't hate him! OMG. His talk with Echo at the end (really kind of a reprise of their final scene in Vows) was the first time in this whole series when he didn't just make me groan and roll my eyes. Maybe he has new insight after talking with Madeline? Whatever the reason, good growth for him. Looks like I might not have to throw things at my tv this season.
Topher, I love your flawed genius. He absolutely thinks he's being helpful, though perhaps he doesn't think it through quite enough. Of course you can't just give Echo a normal wipe when the imprint was not normal. "Live and learn," eh? I think that complacency will come back to haunt you. One day you'll go too far.
Where the heck was Boyd? Off chasing Whiskey/Claire? Maybe we'll find out next week. Well, apparently next week's episode was actually supposed to be the second one, and this the third, so perhaps not. Didn't Fox learn anything about messing with the episode order? In this case it was maybe a good thing, because I'm so much more excited about Dollhouse again. I have faith in the series and am looking forward to next week. And not just because it looks to be Victor-centric, though that certainly helps. ;)
"Instinct" on Hulu and Fox
Yes, it's Echo-centric, and though I'm usually one of the first to start screaming, "enough Echo, already!!" I actually didn't realize it until well after the fact, because Eliza really brought her game to this one. _Finally_ something that gives me a bit of faith (heh) in her acting skills. The police station scene actually got to me, instead of making me wince at her overacting. So, YES. If she keeps on improving like this I will happily stop with the unkind comparisons to the high school diva I mentioned in my last review. I _believed_ her when she was talking with her friend (Sierra) and doubting whether her husband even liked her or the baby. I actually felt for her. And when she thought her husband was going to kill her and/or the baby and what the heck does one _do_ in a situation like that? That part didn't at all seem off-program to me. That's maternal instinct, pure and simple. Okay, maybe I am perhaps a little too easy to please when it comes to maternal schmoop, but even if I weren't I would still be cheering for there finally being a _reason_ for things going wrong other than just "it's Echo and she's Super-Speshul." Bleh. At last, in a show so seemingly concerned with consciousness and the soul and what can and cannot be wiped and the ramifications of doing so, we actually _see_ it. YES, Joss, yes.
I liked Sierra's presence on the engagement. Man, that guy must be loaded, to hire _two_ dolls. I didn't realize this until later, but hiring a best friend for his "wife" was probably necessary, or at least easier than getting his real wife's best friend to play along. How sad and desperate that poor guy must be. Look at that, I even felt for the _client_ this episode!
Oh, and Madeline (November). Great to see her again, anyway, and especially her life post-Dollhouse (though what a difference from the frumpy supposed-Madeline we met in Needs last season), but I really liked how her story related to the overall theme of the episode, her reaction to losing her child. And Paul's reaction to her telling him. Just all over his face, his difficulty reconciling Madeline with his memories of Mellie (and I'm so glad that he seems to be more concerned about her than Adelle implied in Vows. Maybe he's human after all), and his shock at the idea of having the memory of losing a child taken away. I gotta say, though, it isn't that shocking to me. If something ever happened to Morgan, I can tell you right now I would go _batshit_ and probably need some hefty sedation (and/or memory wiping) not to do myself and anyone around me serious harm.
And still re: Paul, this episode I didn't hate him! OMG. His talk with Echo at the end (really kind of a reprise of their final scene in Vows) was the first time in this whole series when he didn't just make me groan and roll my eyes. Maybe he has new insight after talking with Madeline? Whatever the reason, good growth for him. Looks like I might not have to throw things at my tv this season.
Topher, I love your flawed genius. He absolutely thinks he's being helpful, though perhaps he doesn't think it through quite enough. Of course you can't just give Echo a normal wipe when the imprint was not normal. "Live and learn," eh? I think that complacency will come back to haunt you. One day you'll go too far.
Where the heck was Boyd? Off chasing Whiskey/Claire? Maybe we'll find out next week. Well, apparently next week's episode was actually supposed to be the second one, and this the third, so perhaps not. Didn't Fox learn anything about messing with the episode order? In this case it was maybe a good thing, because I'm so much more excited about Dollhouse again. I have faith in the series and am looking forward to next week. And not just because it looks to be Victor-centric, though that certainly helps. ;)
"Instinct" on Hulu and Fox