Ask anyone who follows science-fiction and fantasy TV about Joss Whedon and the answer you’ll receive usually begins with Buffy and ends with Vampire Slayer. Casual fans may not be able to name Whedon by name, mainly because that vampire slaying show wasn’t on one of the major networks. After Buffy went off the air, Whedon created the program Dollhouse. With a rocky first season it was on the bubble of getting another season or being cancelled. The show did get a second season after all, but nothing more. It’s cancellation either tells us that audiences were expecting another Buffy and didn’t get it, or it just wasn’t a good series overall. Let’s find out.
The series involves a secret organization headed by the powerful Rossum Corporation called “The Dollhouse.” Throughout the world, they hold young men and women (dolls as they are called), who have had their memories wiped cleaned, and can be programmed with the complete personalities and skills of whatever a rich client wants. These dolls are known as Actives, and they truly believe that they are what characters they are imprinted with. They are overseen by handlers and when the job is done, their memories are wipes clean again.
The central focus of the series is on Echo (Eliza Dushku) a.k.a. Caroline, who has been forced into becoming a Doll for five years. She took on a variety of jobs alongside fellow Dolls Victor (Enver Gjokaj) and Sierra (Dichen Lachman). The Dollhouse is overseen by Adelle DeWitt (Olivia Williams), aided by security chief Boyd Langton (Harry Lennix) and Topher Brink (Fran Kranz), the genius who created the imprint process. The first season revolved around Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett), an FBI agent investigating the Dollhouse, who ended up falling in love with November (Miracle Laurie), a neighbor who was actually a Doll sent to spy on him. At the end of season one, the Dollhouse came under attack from Alpha (Alan Tudyk), a psychotic Active who’d managed to control his personalities. I addition, Ballard eventually agreed to work with the Dollhouse in return for November to be released from her contract and live as her original persona, Madeline. Even if that meant she no longer remembered Ballard.
At the start of season two, Echo is starting to remember pieces of her other personas and able to work with them. Ballard knows this and is using it to try and help Echo escape her fate. Meanwhile, the Dollhouse is being targeted by a Senator (Alexis Desinof) who wants to bring it down, causing concern for Rossum. Saunders, unable to cope with being a programmed person, leaves the House. Meanwhile, Victor and Sierra find themselves falling in love, despite all of their memory wipes, which points to an issue with the imprint process. Eventually, all the dolls work together to try to takedown the owner and funders of the Dollhouse.
The series is a mixture of science-fiction, action, and drama. There is really no room for any comedy, except for the occasional funny line here or there. It is at its best when it’s exploring the moral implications and ethics of what the Rossum Corporaton is doing, and why they are doing it. But in season two it’s really hard to keep track of things, since the first half of the season starts off slow, while the second half takes off out of nowhere and speeds to the end. The main reason for that is because the show was cancelled halfway through this season, and the writers needed to wrap things up quickly. So there is a lot more going on during this season, which makes it overall more interesting than the first season with its many repetitive episodic storylines.
Dollhouse had a unique concept, but that can only take you so far. Eliza Dushku was a likable lead, but the majority of the characters weren’t given enough time to shine. But this second season is slightly better than season one, if only because they have to wrap things up so quickly.
Episodes:
Disc One:
Episode 1 – Vows
As part of the Dollhouse’s deal with Ballard, Echo becomes the ultimate double agent. Believing that she is Paul’s former FBI partner, she goes deep undercover investigating weapons broker Martin Klar. But before she can get the information they need, this investigation is going to lead Echo into Klar’s heart, and even down the aisle… Meanwhile Dr. Saunders has to deal with her anger towards Topher and her anxiety about her own past.
Episode 2 – Instinct
For her latest assignment, Echo is imprinted as a new mother, and the mental changes are so profound that they affect her body on a glandular level. But when she believes that someone may want to harm her “son”, her reactions are more intense than anyone could have predicted. Meanwhile, Senator Perrin steps up his investigation, and Adelle pays November a visit.
Episode 3 – Belle Chose
At the request of a Dollhouse shareholder, Victor is imprinted with the mind of the man’s nephew. The man’s unstable, psychotic, homicidal nephew. Now, just as Ballard is starting to adjust to his new role, he must call upon all of his FBI training when Victor escapes the Dollhouse to wander the streets with a killer in his head.
Episode 4 – Belonging
We learn more about Sierra’s connection to Rossum and the twisted trail of deception, obsession, and murder that led her to the Dollhouse.
Episode 5 – The Public Eye
Senator Daniel Perrin is on a mission to expose secrets of the Dollhouse and Echo is sent to put an end to his plan. Adelle realizes that someone is trying to eliminate the LA Dollhouse and is using Perrin to do so. Meanwhile, Paul makes contact with Perrin’s surprise witness and attempts to derail the senator’s plans.
Episode 6 – The Left Hand
Echo meets Bennett Halverson in Washington and both of them receive a shock. Adelle must deal with her DC counterpart, Stewart Lipman. Topher recruits Victor, and Senator Perrin finds unexpected help in his quest to reveal the activities of the Rossum Corporation.
Episode 7 – Meet Jane Doe
Echo is left adrift in the world after her experiences at the DC Dollhouse, and her multiple personalities struggle against each other… and Echo. Meanwhile, Boyd receives a call and Harding makes his move against Adelle.
Episode 8 – A Love Supreme
Alpha returns and goes after Echo’s past romantic clients, killing them one by one.
Episode 9 – Stop-Loss
Victor’s contract lapses and he goes back out into the real world… but his past life may threaten his future with Sierra.
Episode 10 – The Attic
Adelle finally decides that Echo is too much of a threat to her house. Now Echo must face the very personal horrors of the Attic.
Episode 11 – Getting Closer
Adelle realizes that Echo’s suppressed memories and personality hold the key to saving mankind, but Echo’s past connection to Bennett Halverson puts Topher’s efforts at risk. Meanwhile, the leader of Rossum is revealed.
Episode 12 – The Hollow Men
Echo and her team travel to Arizona in order to destroy the Rossum Corporation’s mainframe.
Episode 13 – Epitaph 2: Return
In the year 2020, Echo and the few surviving Dollhouse staff struggle to restore mankind after the devastating events seen in the unaired first season episode, “Epitaph.”
The video is given in anamorphic widescreen color with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, which is enhanced for 16×9 TVs. The transfer is great with colors generally looking bright and vivid details everywhere. No major or minor problems at all here, and on par with the first season.
The audio included is in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound. There are subtitles available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French as well. The dialogue and music come out loud and clear. No major problems here either, and the same good quality as last season.
Mini Comic Book – Included inside the DVD case is a 21 page mini-comic book that bridges the time gap of the series. It was written by regular series contributors Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharden. It basically serves as a prologue to the “Epitaphs” episodes that end each season as it picks up the day after the imprint technology went crazy and leads up until the downfall of society. It’s short, so there really isn’t much time to put in a lot of story, but it does what it is supposed to do.
Audio Commentaries – There are three audio commentaries for three separate episodes this season. Creator, Joss Whedon comments on the “Vows” episode. Whedon is then joined by writer/co producer Maurissa Tancharoen to comment on the “Belonging” episode. They are both fairly informative and insightful, but not that entertaining. Definitely would have liked to see more cast involved.
“Defining Moments” Featurette – This runs 13 minutes and it’s your standard “behind-the-scenes” featurette. Joss Whedon and the rest of the main cast and crew talk about almost every aspect of filming season two.
“Looking Back” Featurette – This runs 16 minutes and it has Joss Whedon and the cast, including Eliza Dushku (Echo), Alan Tudyk (Alpha), Fran Kranz (Topher), Enver Gjokaj (Victor), Olivia Williams (Adelle Dewitt), Miracle Laurie (Madeline Costley), and Dichen Lachman (Sierra), reuniting at a restaurant to share memories of the series. This is by far the most entertaining “extra”, and worth checking out for sure.
Deleted Scenes – There are 10 scenes that didn’t make the final cut of this season and they total 10 minutes. There are a couple worth checking out, but overall not really needed.
Gag Reel – There is 5 minutes worth of the usual goofiness and mistakes from filming this season. Again, not that funny.
Season two is a step up from season one. But since this is a science-fiction based series, you really need to watch season one first. If you don’t like science-fiction, this isn’t a series you would probably be interested in unless you just like to watch Eliza Dushku. With the limited number of extras, this DVD set is really only worth owning for Joss Whedon fans, Eliza Dushku fans, and those that liked the first season of Dollhouse.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment presents Dollhouse: Season 2. Created by Joss Whedon. Starring Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz, Tahmoh Penikett, Enver Gjokaj, Dichen Lachman, Olivia Williams, Miracle Laurie, Amy Acker, and Reed Diamond. Running time: 645 minutes. Rated: NOT RATED. Released on DVD and Blu-ray: October 12, 2010.
