Hercules Declares Fox’s DOLLHOUSE The Season’s Most Improved Series!!

I remember barely bothering to tune into Joss Whedon’s “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” during its first season on The WB. By the third episode of its second season it became my favorite show.

Whedon’s “Dollhouse” isn’t my favorite show, but tonight’s installment makes me judge it (for the moment) the season’s most improved.

Titled “Vow,” the second season premiere of “Dollhouse” is funny, suspenseful, sexy and willing to kick around more than a few Very Big Ideas. Combined with the series’ terrific “lost” episode, “Vow” roughly triples my investment in this series’ fate.

Hints of what awaits:

* Three months have elapsed between 1.12 and 2.1. Not as much time as between 1.12 and “Epitaph One.” But still.

* This season’s Big Bad may or may not be one Sen. David Perrin (Alexis Denisof, who played Wesley Wyndham-Pryce on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”). Perrin also may or may not be the season’s Big Good. 2.1 fails to specify Sen. Perrin’s party affiliation. We don’t see much of him this week, which tells me he’ll be around for a while.

* Claire Saunders' existential crisis (turns out she’s FAKE!) means a BIG Amy Acker episode tonight before she wanders off to her role on ABC’s midseason ensemble drama “Happy Town.” (My understanding is Acker will recur twice more on “Dollhouse” this season even as she stars on the other series.)

* 2.1's teaser and first act likely contain the series’ funniest 12 minutes to date.

* Sierra is a fleeting highlight, looking for a few moments like she just wandered off the “Mad Men” set.

* There’s a lot more to Adelle and Paul’s first-season-ending “arrangement” than a lot of viewers may suspect.

* Tahmoh Penikett’s “Battlestar Galactica” co-star Jamie Bamber (who’s only half-American) uses his Brit accent. The two former CAGs share a big scene near episode’s end.

* “Epitaph One” vet Felicia Day does not turn up in 2.1, but Whedon says he hopes to bring her back later in the season. Day shot a sequence set in 2019 (or thereabout) that was to open season two, but it was scrapped; Whedon felt the footage may have overcomplicated an already complex episode.

Source

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Leave a Comment

mindofthebeheld 25th-Sep-2009 08:13 pm (UTC)

Well, good. People seem to really believe in this show.

drusilla 25th-Sep-2009 08:14 pm (UTC)

I CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH THIS TONIGHT!!!

sorryteacups 25th-Sep-2009 08:29 pm (UTC)

awww your icon :)

oh7 25th-Sep-2009 08:14 pm (UTC)

That title reminded me of "Young Hercules" with Ryan Gosling. Ahh. I miss that show.

starrhi6 25th-Sep-2009 08:27 pm (UTC)

omg I loved that show.

dissention_1 25th-Sep-2009 08:16 pm (UTC)

lol as if it won't be canceled soon, anyway.

duchello 25th-Sep-2009 08:25 pm (UTC)

yea but at least we can get some quality episodes out of it. like I wish firefly lasted longer, but that season was so kick ass that I'm more than satisfied.

myrasis 25th-Sep-2009 08:16 pm (UTC)

Well that's promising. I still haven't really gotten into it, just watch it when I'm bored.

hardparade89 25th-Sep-2009 08:18 pm (UTC)

Can't see it lasting more than the 13 episodes ordered. Love to be wrong tho.

_whispergoodbye 25th-Sep-2009 08:19 pm (UTC)

I'm so excited to watch tonight! :-)

polaroidmoment 25th-Sep-2009 08:20 pm (UTC)

OMG I'm so excited. Is it on at 8 or 9?

candiesandlaces 25th-Sep-2009 08:20 pm (UTC)

I'm really looking forward to watching it tonight!

colleeeeeeeeeen 25th-Sep-2009 08:22 pm (UTC)

Yay, I love this show. Why don't they put it on sometime other than Friday night? That's practically a death sentence even if it's great.

chrislola 25th-Sep-2009 08:24 pm (UTC)

eep! can't wait!

heathus_saves 25th-Sep-2009 08:25 pm (UTC)

show still sucks.

that chick is fug to the max

colossusx 25th-Sep-2009 08:26 pm (UTC)

does she remember things from episode to episode? that's my major problem with the series, i can't get attached to a lead character that literally changes everyday.

candiesandlaces 25th-Sep-2009 08:33 pm (UTC)

She does. Not everything, but a few things 'remain' - it's what makes her different from the other dolls.

vanillakokakola 25th-Sep-2009 09:55 pm (UTC)

and the big "reveal" at the end of s1 (don't read if you don't want to be spoiled, obvs) is that it seemed like she remembered who she was, or at least her "old" name.

salacious_pop 26th-Sep-2009 05:10 am (UTC)

The season 2 premier establishes that the Echo persona is self aware and knowingly takes a little piece of each assignment with her, and is aware of what it all means.

She's still docile and medicated but she has her own agenda now, which she communicates to someone at the end of the episode.