Dollhouse #1.8 "Needs"

[Hopefulsuicide]

So how was it? :)

[Vergon6]

It just started :p. I guess I am the only one here again.

[Hopefulsuicide]

I'm here... but yet again unable to comment :(

[Vergon6]

I'm here... but yet again unable to comment :(
I know. How is it that there are less people here even though the episodes are getting better?

[dru-zod2501]

So I'm curious if at the end they'll choose to become dolls again, I've been imagining that scenario all week

[Vergon6]

So I'm curious if at the end they'll choose to become dolls again, I've been imagining that scenario all week
Yeah I am not sure. This scenario reminds me of the episodes of Buffy and Angel where everyone lost their memories.

[Hopefulsuicide]

I know. How is it that there are less people here even though the episodes are getting better?

I know, i don't get it either... but then K-site has never had a huge Joss Whedon crowd

----- Added 41 Seconds later -----


Yeah I am not sure. This scenario reminds me of the episodes of Buffy and Angel where everyone lost their memories.

I always loved episodes like that :)

[Vergon6]

It's such a stark contrast to see them pretend to be dolls when they aren't.

Dr. Saunders must be part of it.

----- Added 5 Minutes later -----

So they actually wanted this to happen.

[wooosmallville]

Hi! I'm new to the forums but I'm here! So this whole thing is planned by that woman?

[Vergon6]

Hi! I'm new to the forums but I'm here! So this whole thing is planned by that woman?
By DeWitt, yeah I think so. Some way of testing her employees or something. Welcome to the forums by the way :).

[wooosmallville]

Thanks! So are these all imprints or they actually have memories back? I don't know why I'm confused

[dru-zod2501]

I don't know how anyone puts up with topher. He's good only in the smallest doses

[wooosmallville]

I actually like Topher. His quirkyness is amusing.

[Vergon6]

Thanks! So are these all imprints or they actually have memories back? I don't know why I'm confused
It's their original personalities.

[wooosmallville]

I guess I'm wondering how they got them back though? I guess I don't understand what Dewitt's plan is.

----- Added 1 Minutes later -----

Oh nevermind. Topher just explained it

[Vergon6]

He was going to just wipe her, and I'm guessing she picked up on that.

[wooosmallville]

This is a great episode. I can get used to these short commercial breaks. If only SV's breaks were so short.

[Vergon6]

Her daughter is dead isn't she.

[wooosmallville]

Poor November

[Vergon6]

This is a great episode. I can get used to these short commercial breaks. If only SV's breaks were so short.
I know what you mean.

[wooosmallville]

Great episode. Really cool how they just "shut off" when they got closure

[Vergon6]

Great episode. Really cool how they just "shut off" when they got closure
Yeah it was. A sedative released when they reach closure, can that even be done? lol. Well I guess a lot of this can't. It was cool nonetheless.

The next episode looks interesting.

[dru-zod2501]

Damn I got played I'm suprised

[wooosmallville]

LOL, most of it can't be. Hats off to Whedon. Fantastic start to a series so far.

[dru-zod2501]

What if sierra had passed out before victor got her? Would they have had to send him to the attic? But his glitch was fairly benign

[Vergon6]

What if sierra had passed out before victor got her? Would they have had to send him to the attic? But his glitch was fairly benign
That's a good question. But yeah it was pretty benign.

[weemanwise]

Really good episode, one of my favorites so far. Dollhouse has definitely intensified since the first five episodes. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Loved the part with Echo forcing Topher into the chair, also the behind the scenes look at how things work (i.e. the clothing, chair, handler's room), plus a look into Mellie's (who we now know is November) past.

10/10

[KSiteTV]

I liked the episode... however, I was hoping it'd be the start of a new direction where they kept their personalities and memories. I liked it a lot - especially Victor and Sierra.

I still wish Echo had shot Topher. I can't stand that guy.

Either way, the show IS getting a lot better, especially improved over those early episodes.

[Vergon6]

I liked the episode... however, I was hoping it'd be the start of a new direction where they kept their personalities and memories. I liked it a lot - especially Victor and Sierra.

I still wish Echo had shot Topher. I can't stand that guy.

Either way, the show IS getting a lot better, especially improved over those early episodes.
Yeah that would have been interesting. Especially since they billed it as 'the awakening'.

Topher is certainly something isn't he lol. Sometimes I like the guy, sometimes I am annoyed by him lol

[Hopefulsuicide]

I've got this feeling of niceness... like it was just such a nice episode :lol:

I adore Victor/Sierra (Vierra? Sictor?... hmmm i like Vierra), i think their chemistry being constistent no matter what imprint or memories they have is the best thing on the show so far :)

So far i still find Caroline the most boring of all the people. Sierra's backstory is intriguing and entirely sympathetic. Victor seems like such a good guy, and he's so sweet, yet macho and manly too (okay, i admit it, im developing a crush :lol:)

Mellie's little story was sweet, i wonder what happened to her kid :(

I enjoyed the scene with Topher and Echo... he really doesn't see what he is doing is wrong at all, and i like that conviction. I'm hoping that if he knew that one of the actives (as the story seemed to suggest Sierra) wasn't there of their own will he might feel differently though.

DeWitt still super cool. Dominic still appropriately annoying.

I think there is more to tell of Echoe's back story because i'm not sure what she wanted to forget. So far we know her boyfriend got shot when they stumbled across some info about the rossom corporation, then she hid out for 2 years with DeWitt trying to get to her and finally something made her give in... what is that something?

I give the eppie a 9/10 again. Still waiting for that 10 though :)

[Pamela]

Yeah that would have been interesting. Especially since they billed it as 'the awakening'.

Topher is certainly something isn't he lol. Sometimes I like the guy, sometimes I am annoyed by him lol

About Topher, me too. But every Whedon show has a wise-cracking, super smart geek.

I thought November's "real" self was a lot like Mellie. Maybe it's just the actress. Her voice is very soft and sweet sounding.

[Xanderman]

Ok episode I guess, not one of my favorites. Not nearly as good as its trailer/promo made it look like it was going to be, imo. But c'est la vie.

After seeing the promo I knew there was a possibility that the escape would end up being orchestrated by the Dollhouse (like as some sort of test) but my preference would have been if it were more real, instigated by the inside man/woman or Alpha to mess with the DH people--but at least what they did was unexpected. That being, purposely allowing the "glitchy" dolls to escape so that they would seek out "closure" for what's been troubling them. But shouldn't Echo's "need" return? They're all prisoners again afterall, aren't they? lol

We got another clue that Dewitt is a doll herself this ep, with Caroline's remark: "You're not as important as you think you are." lol So that makes Nowhere Man (Ballard), Dewitt, and hopefully Dominic so far on my list. I also wouldn't mind Dr. Saunders being one , especially since her character (as portrayed by Amy Acker) is my least favorite one on the show by far--so anything that will make her different or change her is more than welcomed.

Overly sweet/always terrified/pity-inducing November ("Mellie") is an annoying character for me, so hopefully she joins her daughter in that cemetery soon. lol j/k But seriously she needs to die. heh

Caroline turning into a white-faced corpse in Ballard's nightmare at the start was a bit too "Buffy" for me and out of place for this series, IMO. Too cheesy.

Topher: "I don't usually do the sales pitch." :lol: Funny. The character has been steadily growing on me since the pilot. Funny character and actor, as long as they don't stuff too many "Whedony" barf-inducing lines in his mouth. Like when they had Caroline say "Definitely feeling kind of lab ratty here". Ugh. lol (I don't know what it is about this show, but cheeky/cute dialogue is not really at home in it to me. It's probably the more realistic setting/universe as I talked about before with Becky.)

6/10




I've got this feeling of niceness... like it was just such a nice episodeLol.


Mellie's little story was sweet, i wonder what happened to her kidThat's the problem....it's all a little bit TOO sweet, wouldn't you say? lol Just like that movie...Sweet November... I guess now we know where she got her name. j/k But seriously, I'm all for sweetness, I just don't like being beaten over the head with it. :lol:

[Hopefulsuicide]

Yeah it was definitely full of the most sweetness so far in the season... but i love sweetness :lol:

As for Topher, he's growing on you? Wow i wasn't expecting that :D

[CallMeClark]

Loved this episode!

They all have such different back stories. I have to say, I really enjoy when the dolls work together. I felt that finding out about November and Sierra's reasons for entering the Dollhouse was quite interesting. Poor Novemeber though. :( I find myself really liking that actress.

And Sierra/Victor are frakking adorable. I am rooting for these two. There are sooooo engaging.

Is it just be or is Caroline more boring than Echo? :lol:

Again, DeWitt is a huge master manipulator. I love her.

Joss was so smart not to put a date on Katie's tombstone because then speculation about Mellie's contract to the Dollhouse would pop up. :lol:

No Alpha stuff this week... They must be leading up to a reveal...

[Hopefulsuicide]

Is it just be or is Caroline more boring than Echo? :lol:

No, it's not just you :lol: I said the same thing last week... i simply find her a bit bland. I love whoever Victor and Sierra are (did that guy call her Bria?)... their personalities are quite cool, and I just so adore their chemistry...

In fact every single character is more interesting than Caroline, but i can deal with that. I mean i spent the whole of season 7 of smallville finding Clark dull! :lol:

[Fat Elvis 007]

Yeah, Caroline isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Though she is still kind of a tool. :p

[jsith99]

I watched the first 2 episodes of this then droped it for some other shows I liked better It started off kinda boring for me
that said last sunday I was stuck at home bored and decided to catch up with episodes from the Fox site Looks like I might start watching again

[Hopefulsuicide]

Yay! DO IT! It is worth it... with Whedon, no matter how bad it starts, you know the pay off, the finale... it's gonna be amazing!

[Shadowlord367]

My favorite episode so far.

Did what the show has been attempting to do for seven episodes straight, challenge the questions of morality, ethics, humanity etc. set in place by the show's premise.

This is the first episode where I felt invested in each character. Doc Saunders grew on me alot in this episode, and Adelle proved to be a great character as well. I still really like Boyd and Topher.

Interesting getting to see each of the principal actives and their original identities, minus the memories. November's story was sad, I'm still not sure exactly what's going on with Sierra, and I also really liked Victor's storyline.

I really, really like the Victor/Sierra pairing. Very cool.

Favorite bits: Topher cringing at Caroline shooting his computer, Echo going back into the Dollhouse, Victor/Sierra's chemistry, the montage of each active getting closure, Echo confronting Topher, and the final conversation between Boyd and Doc Saunders.

[Brakiss]

I kinda feel like the show lost all progress with this episode (storywise progress not "getting better and better" progress cause it still gets better)

The dolls were kinda starting to get beyond only being empty shelves but now they are exactly that again and i find that a bit frustrating.

[Hopefulsuicide]

well it's only episode 8... you can't have expected them to get their memories back yet! i mean i hope at least one of them gets their memory back at the seasons end, moving into a second season that's more about escapees, the attic and trying to bring down the dollhouse... but episode 8? Nah, i knew that one wasn't going to stick :lol:

[Who]

This episode was the first time watching the show. I really enjoyed it. Of course I didn't really know some of what was going on.

[Brakiss]

well it's only episode 8... you can't have expected them to get their memories back yet! i mean i hope at least one of them gets their memory back at the seasons end, moving into a second season that's more about escapees, the attic and trying to bring down the dollhouse... but episode 8? Nah, i knew that one wasn't going to stick :lol:

thats true, but still we now have ZERO progress and are already at the 8th episode.
At the moment it seems like they will never even have a chance of getting there memories back since the company will always notice it anyway and do something about it. So the only real progress is with the outside dude trying to find them.

[Hopefulsuicide]

I don't think it's zero progress... Ballard has certainly made progress, he has actually had contact with the Dollhouse!

Each of the actives are showing signs of the wiping not working as well as they'd hope. And while Adelle seems to think this 'closure' will curb those problems, I still think we will be seeing a lot more of them.

And while the dolls themselves may not have progressed, our knowledge of their backstory has. And i think it's important to slowly have us growing attached to them and their story before the 'big escape' so that we are really rooting for them and understanding their motives :)