Watched Lately: Dollhouse

• The mythical sixth episode of Dollhouse that would make everyone fall in love with the show finally came out in Friday. Since I was already enjoying the show, this episode essentially proved my belief that it is building toward, you know, something. This must be what if feels like to be vindicated. (Yay, me!)


• From here on out, I'm jumping feet first into Spoilerland. The way is treacherous for those of you who are not prepared (i.e. haven't watched the episode). Feel free to turn away now, this post will still be here when you're done. Anyway, there were a lot of things about the episode I particularly liked.


• So there's someone on the inside? That's really cool. And it's not Alpha? That's cool, too. Twenty Dollhouses in the world is cool, if mind blowing. Actually, everything about this sequence was cool. Eliza Dushku and Tahmoh Penikett completely sell their fight. It's probably one of the best in recent memory. I loved having the girl Ballard wants to save trying to kill him. And the big reveal about the tampering with Echo's imprint caught me by surprise. I almost didn't know it what was happening until she was halfway through her speech.


• I think we all suspected that Ballard's cute but strange neighbor was a doll, but Joss really had me wondering there for a second. For just a moment when the scene started, I really thought she was going to die. Which probably would have been horrible and cool and sad. But then she kicked major ass and it was even better. Actually, thinking back, I knew she was a doll the moment DeWitt showed the picture of the target. Joss would have hid the picture if he wanted us to think Ballard was the target. At least, that's what I would have done in that case.


• Finally, Patton Oswalt was awesome in his role. The sad sit down with Agent Ballard, telling his story, actually made you feel bad for a guy, even if he's paying to use a person for sex. Creepy and touching all at the same time. I understand why the Dollhouse subject matter makes people uncomfortable. I think making people uncomfortable might be a larger point to this show. I'm looking forward to seeing where the show goes from here.