1.13 - Epitaph One

[cousteau]

I saw it last night, and wow. Just. Wow. Awesome. Some of the best writing and directing to come from Joss since Titan AE

[Hopefulsuicide]

Okay, now i'm excited! I'll get back to you when i've finally seen it :)

[jr23tw]

Why wasn't this the Season Finale?

The episode was epic all around. I didn't expect most of what happened there. Was I the only one who felt like they were watching Terminator post Judgement Day? Except for Terminators you had programmed people but the same craziness, chaos and total destruction. And the few unprogrammed people are kind of the Resistance, trying to avoid the programming.

Funny thing is you don't know where any of the main cast are 10 years in the future. They only appear in flashbacks via the chair. The exception is Whiskey/Dr. Saunders. Could her story be any more tragic? For very few of the other ones we got very few hints as to what happened to them. With most of them we have no idea.

It was frightening to see the programmed little girl shooting people. This is worse than Terminators because these are actual people, not machines.

[cousteau]

if that had been the finale that would have been it - the end, it was so dystopic, so bleak I don't see how they could have continued dollhouse within the same vein as the first season.

[LogicalDisorder]

Adair Tishler was awesome as Isis, and as Caroline as well. It just shows you Heroes should have had her DO more than sit and point, then vanish into thin air.

[Syn]

if that had been the finale that would have been it - the end, it was so dystopic, so bleak I don't see how they could have continued dollhouse within the same vein as the first season.

It wasn't aired, but it's definitely canon so we're slowly heading there anyhow; personally I can't wait.

[Shadowlord367]

Actually, I don't believe this episode was canon.

Season two won't pick up after this episode, it will pick up after episode twelve. How can they expect the audience, only a single-digit percentage of which will have seen this episode, to understand it?

This episode was used by Whedon as a demonstration to the network what he could do a shoe-string budget.

And while I hope they give him a little more money to work with, it was definitely impressive.

[darkphoenix21]

I just saw the episode last night. I felt like I was watching a T:SCC episode...replace the actors w/ the T:SCC cast and you get this episode. It would not had made any sense as a season finale. It was an extreme episode. It seemed like an episode where the characters were already established/defined...3-4 seasons ahead.

[Syn]

Actually, I don't believe this episode was canon.

Season two won't pick up after this episode, it will pick up after episode twelve. How can they expect the audience, only a single-digit percentage of which will have seen this episode, to understand it?

This episode was used by Whedon as a demonstration to the network what he could do a shoe-string budget.

And while I hope they give him a little more money to work with, it was definitely impressive.

Well of course it's going to continue on from episode 12, but seeing a glimpse of the future shows us where things could be headed, Heroes style. I honestly don't see the problem with it being canon.

[A Flawed Fashion]

Well of course it's going to continue on from episode 12, but seeing a glimpse of the future shows us where things could be headed, Heroes style. I honestly don't see the problem with it being canon.

As far as I know, the plans are for them to work towards some sort of future like this. Some things may change, but this should be the future that we get if the show goes on long enough.

Epitaph one is a fantastic episode and if it is any indication where the show is going, I'm excited for the next season. With all the negative reactions to the rest of the first season and the positive reactions to this episode, I really think that they have figured out what they need to do to make this show work.

[Xanderman]

Wow I must be the only one who totally hated this. I just saw it and thought it was awful. No wonder they didn't air it. I can't believe this garbage won out over TSCC. Well I guess you get what you pay for.

The story/writing was completely lame. And surprise surprise, it was written by none other than the worst writing duo in tv history--Jed Whedon and wife Maurissa Tancharoen. Just ugh.

Worst episode of the series by far. And since this was the future, and there is no time travel happening in this series, this means we know the eventual fate of the story and it can't be changed. Which sucks (both the knowing ahead of time of the ultimate direction, and what the actual direction is). Apparently they made this because they weren't sure if the show would get renewed or not, per wiki. I hope this isn't canon like Shadowlord said. Otherwise talk about ruining an already weak series. I hope they scrap any plans they may have to actually go this route.



This episode was used by Whedon as a demonstration to the network what he could do a shoe-string budget.And the answer is, not much. It was also a demonstration of what unbridled/unchecked nepotism could accomplish--and again, the answer is not much.

And as per wiki, the picture collage at the end was apparently made up of cast and crew members along with their friends and family. Ugh. Thanks for the nepotism I mean memories, Joss. Wow, I think I hate Joss Whedon everybody. Nah, I'm sure of it.:cool: :lol:

[kernel_thai]

I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the structure, how they thru u right in without explaining anything. If it had been on tv people would have been flicking their remotes thinking they were on another show.

The problem is Im not sure where they go. Sure its bold as one ep but do u want the show to be zombies in the future? Maybe they can have lots of flashbacks to the current time stream recounting how Topher destroyed civilization. :D (God I hate that character)

If I were JW Id have a ep set in the future featuring Thomas Dekker as John Connor. He could be standing alone mumbling to himself "This is not the future my mother warned me about." Well I think it would be a hoot.

[nicmar]

I honestly think that this episode is a was meant as a defacto series finale. and it still works best that way. If you look at were the show is now it seems like this would be the 5th season finale. All of our main players besides Whiskey have all reached what ever destination they are meant for. If we look at this show in regards to were the show is now, Season 2 could be the Senator getting his hands on Dollhouse tech the 3rd would be the lead up to the event that ends the world, the 4th the resistance like we see with the Dollhouse being a bunker the 5th is Caroline and who ever is left setting up their safe zone.

As you say it is bold direction but with the current pacing I don't know how Dollhouse will ever get to that point

[kernel_thai]

Supposedly, JW wants to revisit the Epitaph One time in the later eps for this season. If Epitaph one never airs they r going to have to do a cliff notes version to bring people up to speed. Boy wont that suck.

[nicmar]

It will be the Train Job all over again. People never saw the real pilot for Firefly so that show was all exposition same thing here.

[kernel_thai]

It will be the Train Job all over again. People never saw the real pilot for Firefly so that show was all exposition same thing here.

Train job was my thought exactly. They were forced to replace one of my fav eps with my least fav. The only thing I liked in train Job was sending the guy thru the engine.

[lorenzovanmatterhorn]

EPITAPH ONE

The good;
All of it, just terrific stuff. Gritty opening title rather than the normal dreamlike sequence. Whiskey's appearance is especially good, the scene where Adele confronts an imprinted Victor is awesome (lovely touch that he's enjoying shellfish whilst in Victor because he's allergic in his own body).

The bad;
Couldn't we have Joss doing the commentary and not his brother? How does the little girl reach high enough up to attack the girl in the shower?

Best line;
Topher; "Children with matches!"
but also like
Echo imprinted little girl "Great, puberty all over again"

Packing heat; everybody is armed to the teeth (even Adele for the first time apparently at the request of the actress). Weird to see this little girl running around with guns considering how anti-gun Joss seemed in Buffy?
Echo;7
Boyd; 8
Dominic; 9
Sierra; 4
Victor; 3
Ballard; 10
November; 1

Echo kissage;2

Kinky dinky;
.
Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost;
Echo; 3 definite, 1 possible
November; 1
Ballard; 1
Victor; 1
Adele; 1
Sierra 1 possible
Topher; 1 possible

How'd they get away with that?
All of the stuff with the little girl.

This weeks fantasy;
Victor is the Rossum head honcho, Echo is a Russian immigrant

Total number personalitites;
Echo; 22
Sierra; 10
Victor; 7
November; 3

Total dolls; another Doll, Juliet is mentioned but we don't know which one she is. Also November is mentioned but Victor asks 'Which one?" implying that there was the replacement from the girl who played Mellie in season 1.
8-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey

Addy is a bit British;

Topher is a bit geeky;
The survivors describe Topher's rumpus room as a nursery. Topher from 2 years back is reminiscent of Michael J Fox.

Subverting the Hollywood cliche;
When Zone teases Mag about regretting killing an imprinted person she replies "I wish it could have been you"

Bondage;
Sierra tied up; 1
Ballard; 1

Knocked out;
Echo; 2
November; 1
Sierra; 1
Victor; 1
Topher; 1

Kills;
Sierra; 2 kills
Echo; 1
November;1

Dolls injured;

Capt subtext;
The first thing Dominic notices when he's freed from the attic is that suits have three buttons again. The commentary also seems to hint he might be gay? Adele and Topher almost seem to be like a mother and son.

Happy hookers
Zone comments that the Dollhouse is a brothel built to make better hookers. Apparently the network gave instructions to avoid prostitution in the series. I wonder what went wrong?

Know the face? Hooray! Hooray! It's Felicia, Felicia Day! Whedon veteran from Buffy and Dr Horrible plus The Guild. Zone remind anyone else of Patrick Swayze crossed with Corey Feldman?
8 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock, Gregg Henry, Alan Tudyk, Felicia Day

Guantanamo;
The imprinted little girl describes Mag and Zone as bigots because they killed anyone imrprinted.

Fanfic; more fic than you can shake a stick at to tide you over until the season 2 DVDs come out
Dollhouse FanFiction Archive - FanFiction.Net (http://www.fanfiction.net/tv/Dollhouse/)

Missing scenes;.
I like the idea of the scene with the bear in the lift, I wonder if it's the same one from the Angel ep Soul Purpose? Anyone know where I can find that clip on the internet? Do they ask it to press the floor button and then it get's frustrated because it's paws are too big?

Reminds me off;
We have an apocalypse in LA just as we saw in Angel season 6. The evil little girl is reminiscent of the annointed in Buffy. Topher's idea of the cyber-attack via the phone is a feature of the Stephen King novel 'Cell'
Topher's rambling like Wes in season 5 of Angel. The photo wall is very BSG. The commentators are Dr Who fans to judge by their 'Don't blink' remark. The butchers resemble the reavers from Firefly who were also the result of well intentioned technology gone wrong.

Breaking the programming;
Echo can now maintain her own personality (pure Caroline or the composite of her imprints?) whilst she's imprinted but still have all the knowledge of her imprint. She seems to have headaches as a result as does Sierra.

Questions and observations;
Great ep, truly, truly great, the first 10 out of 10 for the series. Kepler certainly does nice work, his Dollhouse has survived a remarkably long time. The tension between Topher and Dominic is evident right from the start. Dominic actually warns Adele of the consequences of letting the tech run riot. Whiskey's scars are healed as are Victor's. Is the argument in the kitchen the moment Adele turns against Rossum? Is the life after death idea a transfer of consciousness from one body to another or just a Haunted style imprint? If so, it's not really life after death, it's just making clones of yourself. Sierra's real name is Priva Testrene (Tibetan apparently). Adele strikes you as a very good leader, hope Caroline doesn't kill her. Interesting to see that Victor seems to lead the Dollhouse defence force (which is why Paul is talking to him whilst Dr Saunders is fixing Echo up?). So Dr Saunders blanked herself into Whiskey to avoid the madness of being alone for 2 years?
So, does Whiskey kill everyone and herself with poison gas? Or as the commentary suggests it's just knockout gas, she imprints all the unconscious butcher's with Echo's wedge and creates countless guides to safe haven?

Marks out of 10; 10/10 excellent, they saved the best until last, I wish the whole series could have been this good, can't wait for season 2