Dollhouse: Season One [Blu-ray]

The Series: 3.5/5

FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) is hunting for the Dollhouse, a supposed human trafficking operation that most of his colleagues think is an urban legend. But Ballard's instincts tell him otherwise and he has a sliver of a lead through a missing persons case for a young woman named Caroline (Eliza Dushku). Trapped in the Dollhouse, Caroline has had her personality and memories taken away in order to be imprinted with other identities and abilities, a new set for every assignment her masters give her. Though a Dollhouse job could be as benevolent as a hostage rescue, it could also be as questionable as an intimate evening with a lonely millionaire. Regardless of the cause, there's an ethical line that is always blurry if not outright obliterated. And as Ballard slowly works his way closer to the operation he'll learn that simply shutting it down is naive at best. It's obvious he won't be able to do anything without some help from the inside.

When writer-creator Joss Whedon announced he was working on a new television show, rabid fans and casual observers alike took notice. Whedon's previous TV effort was the prematurely cancelled series "Firefly," which had such strong fan support that it helped Whedon continue the story in the feature film "Serenity." So with that kind of response to "Firefly" and the relative success of the "Buffy" and "Angel" series, you'd think Whedon would have plenty of creative room to maneuver for "Dollhouse."

However early reports indicated the studio wanted several revisions to the pilot and that Whedon was capitulating. He eventually explained the pilot reshoot was his idea, after realizing he'd failed to make it both accessible to viewers and suitable for the network's marketing interests. Though fan reaction to the news was mixed, the full order of episodes ultimately aired to completion and the series was renewed for a second season.

That's not to say the false start didn't adversely affect the show. The first batch of episodes is notably static and dull compared to the second, though one could argue it's the usual "try to establish an audience" agenda that defines many series' early chapters. However the change in quality starting with the sixth episode is quite dramatic. It features not only one of the most exciting fight sequences I've seen in a TV show but such a sudden focus and direction that it feels like a car abruptly popping into gear. Though it's hard to say what's to blame (or credit) for the sudden shift, it shows that once Whedon has a vision, viewers won't be disappointed. Despite some inherent problems - most notably a lead actress who doesn't have the range to pull off the myriad of characters from week-to-week - compelling ideas about the human soul, Whedon's typically clever dialogue, and a solid supporting cast (my favorites being Harry Lennix as Boyd Langton and Amy Acker as Dr. Saunders) make it an entertaining and highly promising new series. As the Fall 2009 season approaches, here's hoping the new episodes maintain the same level of quality and the viewership to justify another complete run.

"Dollhouse: Season One" on Blu-ray includes the 12 episodes that aired on the Fox Network as well as an unaired 13th episode titled "Epitaph One." The original pilot "Echo" is also included as one of the special features.

 

Video Quality: 4/5

The film is correctly framed at 1.78:1 and presented in 1080p with the AVC codec. The transfer features solid and inky black levels and fine shadow detail. Cinematography can be stylized, depending on the episode, changing color rendition and contrast, though overall those areas show good depth and range. Fine object detail in fabrics and skin textures can be little variable - some shots can appear a bit too smooth (usually close-ups of the female actors) and scenes in higher contrast environments reveal some edge haloing. Overall it's a very good looking transfer with only a few notable issues.

 

Audio Quality: 4/5

Primary surround activity in the DTS-HD Master Audio track is in support of the show's score. To a lesser extent, there are directional and ambient effects for the various action sequences and visual effects (e.g. Echo's ubiquitous mind wipe). Generally, it seemed like the score was mixed in too heavily, making it a little distracting during dialogue exchanges, though the directional and ambient effects seem appropriately balanced. LFE appears for the occasional explosion, but is activated mostly by the score and proves to be both deep and clean. Dialogue is consistently clear and intelligible, details like Lennix's gravelly voice coming through beautifully.

 

Special Features: 4.5/5

The major highlight of the special features package is the inclusion of two unaired episodes - the original pilot and the 13th episode, "Epitaph One." Commentary tracks and featurettes offer solid behind-the-scenes information, though as a fan of musician Jonatha Brooke, who performed and co-wrote the theme with Eric Bazilian, I would have enjoyed inclusion of the full version of the song. Promotional spots and a photo gallery also would have been good additions.

All video pieces are presented in high definition.

Commentary with Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku on Episode One: "Ghost": Fans of Whedon and Dushku will enjoy this "hang out" style of commentary, but anyone looking for more in-depth information should look to Whedon's solo commentary or the video featurettes.

Commentary with Joss Whedon on Episode Six: "Man on the Street": As usual, Whedon offers an information-filled track that includes background and compelling insight on this pivotal episode.

Commentary with Writers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen on Episode Thirteen "Epitaph One": Whedon and Tancharoen (Joss's brother and sister-in-law, in case you were wondering) can be a bit too jokey at times but manage to sandwich some interesting anecdotes and trivia between their marital chemistry.

Original Unaired Pilot "Echo" (45:47): Viewers will notice parts and ideas from the original pilot have been redistributed across the season's regular episodes. Even so, the whole is more than the sum of its parts as the treatment has a noticeably different tone and direction, certainly compared to the season's first five episodes but even to the remaining, more focused, seven. I'm doubtful whether its dark and measured quality would have held the series back, though it's certainly interesting to compare what came before to what eventually saw the light of day. Presented in high definition and stereo audio.

Unaired Episode "Epitaph One" (45:47): Though grouped with the regular season episodes, it's hard not to see this excellent, kind of mind blowing, stand-alone episode as a bonus. Created to fill out the 13-episode order for international markets and written as a possible capper to the series should it be cancelled, the episode is set in a post-apocalyptic future where the Dollhouse is discovered by a band of freedom fighters. Felicia Day ("Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog") guest stars.

Deleted Scenes (29:46): Scenes from the original pilot make up over half the total run time, with a total of 23 scenes from 10 different episodes.

Making Dollhouse (20:48): Polished documentary covers the requisite topics like pre-production, casting, and assembly of the writing department, but also addresses the scrapping of the original pilot and the impetus behind the unaired 13th episode. Whedon and Dushku provide the majority of talking head interviews, but most of the other cast members also make an appearance.

Coming Home (7:11): Assembling the writing and production crew; how everyone gets along on set (hint: very well).

Finding Echo (5:07): How the show came to be; the wonders of Dushku and her role as a producer.

Designing the Perfect Dollhouse (5:59): A tour of the impressively expansive Dollhouse set, with Whedon as guide.

A Private Engagement (5:47): Cast and crew ponder what they would choose if the Dollhouse and Actives were for real.

 

Recap

The Series: 3.5/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 4/5
Special Features: 4.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 4/5
 

A promising TV series from Joss Whedon gets very good technical treatment and a great set of special features.