Dollhouse episodes 1 & 2

[seriousfic]

I’m going to take off the feminism hat for this one, for two reasons. One, feminism is subjective. And it’s very hard to separate personal squick from capital-F feminism. It’s even harder to separate art from artist. There are as many people who think that Joss Whedon can do no wrong as there are those who think he’s not nearly as feminist as he claims. So reviewing the show on its own merits, especially from a feminist standpoint… maybe I’ll tackle it in another post, but I think the major perspectives have already been tagged by prozacpark and resolute and man, I don’t even have an opinion.

And second, it’s hard to tell from two episodes where they’re going with it. They’ve just barely established the premise. So I, personally, am not ready to fault Joss or praise him just yet.

But what really surprises me about both episodes is how vanilla they are. I feel like you could take the premise to Michael Bay or any semi-talented hack and they’d give you much the same product. After hearing the premise, I thought it’d be almost an anthology series, with each week having a new genre, but with an overarcing story and metaphor. Joss does hostage drama! Joss does slasher movie! But all the quirky characters and quotable dialogue and subversions of cliché are MIA.

Even when he has his thumb jammed down on the tragedy button, Joss’s works are at least fun to read. But here we’ve gone from stuff like Spike MSTing one of Angel’s rescues to an FBI agent being told to back down, then it cuts to a boxing match when he gets up from the mat and wins. Whose high school writing assignment did that metaphor come from?

I think the real problem is that none of the characters have that distinctive Whedon personality. Echo’s a blank slate, Adelle’s British, Claire’s hideously scarred (which must be fun for the Angel fans in the audience), Boyd and Ballard are stiffs, and Topher’s creepy, but not in a way that’s fun to watch. The crew of the NX-01 Enterprise were better company.

Coming around to the feminism thing… Supernatural is misogynistic, but it’s entertaining. And while Eliza Dushku is nearly as pretty as Jensen Ackles, her show, sexist or feminist, so far isn’t worth the time it takes to watch it.

Comments

[potatoko.livejournal.com]

Hmmm . . . i agree with what you're saying, but at this point I'm still inclined to chalk up the show's faults to executive meddling. Joss Whedon has said he had to compromise viciously with the Fox bosses with episodes 1-6 (the current pilot being a total rewrite, as the higher ups felt the original was "not accessible"), but that in 7 the show came into its own. It's Joss, so I'll stick with it till then at least.

But yeah, that boxing thing was weeeeak.

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

Well, the good things about Joss shows is they're canceled so quickly you can stick through to the bitter end and it's, what, a lost weekend? Now, something like Heroes, that's a time-sink.

[distractedone.livejournal.com]

I'm more interested in the controversy of Dollhouse than the actual Dollhouse show. The actual show is boring and completely obvious as to where it's going to go.

The controversy, however, is much more entertaining and stimulating for the brain.

Of course, the controversy is now going to make me want and watch MOAR of the show...yes...because that's just how life works.

Anyways, I'm split down the middle with this issue. I think both users pose great arguments, but, like you said, it's too early to tell.

The Dollhouse'rs looking all "hot and bothered" are disturbing because a lot of viewers find them hot (WHEN THEY ARE VICTIMS).

Meanwhile, Joss Whedon might be trying to make a point that the victims gain power through tough experiences (as stated by resolute).

It's almost a win-win situation for the viewers. Viewer A gets turned on by hot!victims while Viewer B awes at Echo finding her true self.

Or Viewer C is completely turned off and finds it unethical that the so-called-feminist Joss Whedon is pleasing both audiences.

Tough call...if what I just actually makes any sense.

One, feminism is subjective.

And basically, that's the problem and that's why everyone is arguing.

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

But what really surprises me about both episodes is how vanilla they are.

Yeah, my issues with the show are more network related because, obviously, the show FOX wants (as judged by the 'pop-up's' with a half-naked Dushku gazing seductively into the camera - I mean, really, would they sell 24 and Jack Bauer like that?) and the story Joss wants to tell are, apparently, mutually exclusive. So, Joss has been forced to pull his punches with a premise that shouldn't be held back. I understand he did this as a favor to Dushku, who's production company is producing it, but, honestly, wish he'd said 'no' and tried to find another network looking for something a bit more than 'Hot Girls With Guns'.

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

as judged by the 'pop-up's' with a half-naked Dushku gazing seductively into the camera - I mean, really, would they sell 24 and Jack Bauer like that?

Well, I do recall an advert showing the male leads of Prison Break giving the camera Blue Steel looks with the caption "So Wanted," but that doesn't hold a candle to the commercial book-ends for the series premiere with Summer Glau and Eliza Dushku doing commentary so openly patronizing that I'm surprised the theme wasn't them having a sleepover. "Hey TV fans, hope you liked that episode of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Now I'm going to give Eliza a hot oil massage, while you stay tuned for Dollhouse. So Memorable, So Fox!"

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

Oh God, that was just.. cringe worthy. Look guys! Hot robots and sexy prostitutes! Hope you have your lotion ready!

I think I remember those PB ads. And I think those ads were more about selling machismo and any homo-eroticism was probably coincidental. Still, I want Jack Bauer lying half-naked on a bear-skin rub gazing seductively into the camera or, even better, House! C'mon FOX, be the equal opportunity exploitation network we all know you wanna be!

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't think there's a straight man alive who could hear about Jack Bauer and Gregory House exerting their manly wiles on the camera and not say 'I gotta see this!'

"It's not lupus."

"Damnit."

HAWT.

[rann.livejournal.com]

I'm... not sure why it has to be homoeroticism? I mean, y'know, I presume some women also tend to find attractive men doing their "I am an attractive man giving you a manly look" thing hot.

[jlbarnett.livejournal.com]

what Dollhouse is is a bad idea