Dollhouse - season 2 (1 Viewer)

[Will_B]

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt

It definitely seemed like a regression back to the season one stand-alone model. I was a little sad to see the "Tara Butters/Michele Fazekas" writing credit, because their decision to jump ship from their own show to "Reaper" was the final nail in that show's coffin.

Not entirely stand-alone. A lot of long-arc info was conveyed. It is starting to explain what makes Echo unique in her ability to remember (or at least have some sort of feeling memory) about her assignments, whereas none of the other dolls do -- they're starting to suggest that the brain may not be the seat of the soul, so to speak (at least not for Echo). And it's teasing us with the possibilities of who the informer is. Ballard also stated plainly that he is trying to bring down the Dollhouse, whereas before it was iffy whether he took the job and just accepted that the most he could do was try to be a good influence. And Echo is getting more personality even when she's wiped. (I liked her command to the car to "go").

I didn't know the show had begun again, but I found out just in time last week. All I'm expecting is 13 episodes. Whether they're aired, or simply produced and sold on DVD, looks like an open question with these kinds of ratings.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Originally Posted by Will_B

All I'm expecting is 13 episodes. Whether they're aired, or simply produced and sold on DVD, looks like an open question with these kinds of ratings.

Did Fox order and agree to pay for 13 episodes?

 

[TravisR]

^ Even if Fox ordered 13 episodes, I'd be surprised if they can't pull the plug whenever they want.

 

[Will_B]

I believe Eliza tweeted that they've shot 8 episodes already, so they probably did pay for 13. They'd probably still have to pay everyone even if they didn't actually make them, so they may as well make them. I hope.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Pull the plug on airing whenever they want? Sure. But pull the plug on paying for what they've ordered? I'm not the authority, but I doubt strongly it's that easy. If they've aired 2 episodes, but the producers have filmed 8, someone has to pay for those additional 6? The talent did the work (writing, acting, directing, etc.) so they get paid. Are the producers expected to eat that? The talent? No. The only reason they'd have filmed those 8 is because Fox ordered them. So Fox has to pay for them.
Now, if Fox today went and said, "We don't want the ones you haven't filmed yet," that's an even more complex issue. The writers are undoubtedly ahead of episode 8 if #2x08 has already been filmed. They'd get paid, right?

Like I said, I don't know the details of how the contracts are set up. Without knowing the contracts, I see no guarantee that if Fox cancelled the series tomorrow, we'd still get all 13 episodes on DVD.

As someone else said in one of these threads, if Fox were to cancel Dollhouse, do they have something else that'll get more ratings to put in that slot? If not, they may as well just continue airing Dollhouse.

Anyway, it's nice to know that 8 are in the bag. That's at least 6 more to see on DVD even if they aren't aired.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by Will_B

Not entirely stand-alone. A lot of long-arc info was conveyed. It is starting to explain what makes Echo unique in her ability to remember (or at least have some sort of feeling memory) about her assignments, whereas none of the other dolls do -- they're starting to suggest that the brain may not be the seat of the soul, so to speak (at least not for Echo). And it's teasing us with the possibilities of who the informer is. Ballard also stated plainly that he is trying to bring down the Dollhouse, whereas before it was iffy whether he took the job and just accepted that the most he could do was try to be a good influence. And Echo is getting more personality even when she's wiped. (I liked her command to the car to "go").

None of this was really new information though. We know Echo's ability to "remember" is a result of her composite event under Alpha's custody. We also know there was more limited interaction between her identities before the composite event. That the soul is different from the identity was made clear in the final episodes of last season, when Alpha reverted to sociopathic tendencies even after his original sociopath identity had been wiped. Echo is not violent, even in the face of the composite event, because Caroline was not violent. The idea of influencing the unconcious parts of the mind to release the hormones necessary for lactation raises interesting questions, but I'm not sure they were interesting enough to build an episode around.

Which leaves the storyline with the Senator. They're just dipping their toe into the water for that one.

I didn't know the show had begun again, but I found out just in time last week. All I'm expecting is 13 episodes. Whether they're aired, or simply produced and sold on DVD, looks like an open question with these kinds of ratings.

I have to agree with you here. The network's already ordered the 13 episodes, so we'll definitely get those. I wouldn't expect a pick-up for the back nine, however.

 

[mattCR]

The writers have already pointed out on Twitter they are very aware of low ratings. Several fans are at least encouraging them to write up a good "closure" if all they have left is 4 unfilmed eps (they are apparently in the mid of filming 9, with 8 basically finished)

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Its a tough row to hoe for any series when the weakest link is with the main star. This last episode illustrated Dushku's limitations as an actress perfectly. Her scene with the baby being taken away was wasted. Dollhouse is at its best when the show focuses on the characters around Echo.

I keep thinking of how great this show could be with someone like Yvonne Strahovski as Echo.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt

The idea of influencing the unconcious parts of the mind to release the hormones necessary for lactation raises interesting questions, but I'm not sure they were interesting enough to build an episode around.

I think it was, but not that episode.

I have to agree with you here. The network's already ordered the 13 episodes, so we'll definitely get those. I wouldn't expect a pick-up for the back nine, however.

Well that was my question. I didn't know how many they ordered, and I didn't know what happens in the case where an order is cancelled before work on episodes (which are part of that order) has started.

Slight diversion. I don't think Drive ever made it to DVD.

 

[pitchman]

Actually, and unfortunately for Dollhouse, even underwhelming reality fare like "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader" performed considerably better when Fox had it plugged into the same timeslot. If/when Fox pulls the plug on Dollhouse, you can be sure the hour will not be filled with a new first-run scripted drama. I expect to see a cheap-to-make reality entry or they may re-purpouse an episode of House, Bones or Glee from earlier in the week. Friday night has become a vast wasteland for all of the the networks (Medium was the most watched TV program on Friday night with a paltry 7.7 million viewers, compared to the over 20 million who saw NCIS on Tuesday) but historically, Fox in particular, really struggles on the night. In terms of total viewers, both Smallville and even Stargate Universe on SyFy beat Dollhouse.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikah Cerucco

As someone else said in one of these threads, if Fox were to cancel Dollhouse, do they have something else that'll get more ratings to put in that slot? If not, they may as well just continue airing Dollhouse.

 

[pitchman]

Here's an interesting story that details how Fox can still turn a profit off Dollhouse even if it only gets a .8 rating. The bigger question is whether it is profitable enough.

 

[Joe_H]

The other thing though about the profitability of House reruns vs airing new episodes of Dollhouse - they'd be competing against USA that way, which already airs reruns of House on Fridays (later in the night though), but it could be possible that the USA contract precludes that or something.

Now, that's probably not the case, but on a purely curious basis, I wonder how well any other show besides House would do in the slot with reruns. Not nearly as well, that's for sure.

 

[mattCR]

It's done.
There is a known break on Oct. 16, but Dollhouse now no longer appears on the updated advertising schedule. So, I assume this Friday is it unless numbers are incredible. It will either get burned off in strange times or just hold for DVD.

Damn.

 

[TravisR]

They might put them up on fox.com as well. Of course, it might make people want a DVD set more if there's 5 or 6 never-before-seen episodes on it rather than putting the remaining episodes online or random airings.

 

[Will_B]

What is this Advertising Schedule that you speak of?

 

[Joe_H]

Don't know, but when a writer and one of the actresses are already tweeting about saving Dollhouse, it's not a good sign.

http://twitter.com/MoTancharoen/status/4658049763
http://twitter.com/Dichenlachman/status/4659725433

 

[pitchman]

Originally Posted by Will_B ">[/url]

What is this Advertising Schedule that you speak of?[/QUOTE]I think the information in

 

[TravisR]

According to the schedule on my cable box, Dollhouse is still scheduled to run on October 23 (I think October 16 has a baseball playoff game shceduled). I'm sure that can change at any time but as of now, it looks like they haven't officially pulled the plug yet.

 

[Diallo B]

after what i have seen in these first two eps they need to pull the plug. i was going to give tonights ep one last shot.

i fell asleep on both of the previous eps and i really liked the first season.

i am not surprised at the terrible ratings at all.

 

[mattCR]

I love the concept. I think this is a great concept, I think the writing is interesting.


But I've got to admit: Eliza Dushku is TERRIBLE in this, if this show were helmed by a different actress, it could be so much better But it isn't, and she just doesn't have the acting chops to pull this off.