Well

[cactuswatcher]

Dollhouse was not too bad. ED can actually act, Amy Acker looks like she has an interesting character, and the FOX execs are probably right about the shooting and screaming. If the Sarah Connor crowd will sit still and watch it, I think it can make it.

Comments

[atpo-onm.livejournal.com]

As soon as I edit the ep to get rid of the commercials, I want to watch it again, but I thought it was pretty damn respectable for a series opener-- especially considering it was a complete remake of the original pilot.

I wasn't surprised that ELiza did a decent job with the acting work, because I remember the end of the first season of Tru Calling, the ones where the writing team was reorganized and got one hell of a lot better. (And of course, the show was canceled shortly after). ELiza strikes me as someone who can do good work if she's given a good script and/or a good director. She's not one of those actors who can take a crappy script and somehow make lemonade out of it, which to be fair is a rare gift.

I got a kick out of the little shout-outs to Whedon's other shows, and several of his faves by other people, including the BSG and Matrix homages.

My only real (minor) complaint about the ep was that it was just a little on the "slick" side, but ironically I suspect that's exactly what the FOX suits didn't like about the original opener-- not slick enough. And hell, if that gets a wider audience watching-- and by some miracle the show makes money-- Whedon may get a chance to make it into the show he wants.

Nevertheless, I was impressed by what Whedon did manage to get in, particularly how even in this very first introduction to the Echo character, we get to feel a real sense of loss not only about who she might have been pre-Dollhouse, but how the FBI person whose memories she was living out performed an incredibly brave and selfless act, only to have all memory of that act wiped away.

It's hard not to identify with just how often that effectively happens in real life, everywhere, on a daily basis.

I deliberately avoided reading advance reviews of the show to stay as spoiler-free as possible, but I understand that most of them have been mixed to negative, which does baffle me. Just what were they expecting? Even Joss's greatest work, BtVS, was only so-so in it's first season compared to the ones that came after. The general public may be one thing, wanting to be wowed and blown away from show one, but have professional critics no patience?

OK, don't answer that.

Speaking of which, T:SCC was absolutely primo again tonight, and I'm pretty sure the scene with John Henry and the transformer dolls was a big ol' Whedon shout-out.

I've always wanted to ask (the hypothetical) God that same general question too, BTW.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

I was sufficiently impressed to want to watch the next episode. It wasn't prime Joss, but there's definite potential..although no potentials, I hope. ;)
T:SCC was incredible.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

No potentials, just cookie dough. ;o)

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

I haven't really seen any reviews; I didn't look for them. But I can imagine the problems the critics had were with stretching believability. I don't really see a problem with that yet, because it feels like good science fiction, even if it's not presented as such. I always felt like Joss was in over his head with Firefly. He didn't know enough about westerns to make that work and his understanding of the space genre was dodgy enough, that was a bit weak, too. All of that went toward detracting from the story he wanted to tell. In the movie Serenity it all came together, with the help of a lot of special effects, shooting, fighting and martial arts, but by then it was way too late. This time the sci-fi element isn't too far out, and presuming his recent tantrum about the details of the show isn't for good, Joss can do well with it. I also have to say that if he has left for good, it may well do okay without him.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

I was pretty meh on Dollhouse but since I can watch it between T:SCC and BSG I'll keep with it to have the ultimate sci-fi sandwich night.