The Echo Chamber
We are a bit surprised that you are already starting a campaign to save a show before it’s even begun. But then again, we are idiots if we underestimate the Whedon fanbase. It’s not like you guys have any reason to think the worst of us.
So, c’mon! Join the surging Brown Coats on Facebook. Now that you can’t collapse mini-feeds, you can spread the love of Dollhouse even easier.
Sidenote: There are some show spoilers here.
“…Beads!?”
So. FOX Upfronts. By now you’ve probably heard that we’ve got a few tiny shows by some little known TV show creators. Some guy named Ahems and some dude named Whesdon? Wheredon? Whedon?
Aaah, you know who I’m talking about. J.J. “Entertainment Thunder” Abrams and Joss “Entertainment Lightning” Whedon. When the gates opened after our Upfronts on Thursday afternoon, the internet went cray-zay. Crazy to the point of breach of contract.
First, let’s not overlook the FOX line-ups for 2008 and 2009. We’re bringing you nine new shows, and several of them from the best minds in the industry (read: Seth MacFarlane’s The Cleveland Show, and Mitch Hurwitz’s Sit Down Shut Up). Take a look at our 2008/09 Upfronts page to see trailers for the new shows and see which of your favorite shows are coming back.
“Bees!”
Fringe and Dollhouse are going to be amazing. I’ve never seen so many fansites light up so quickly once the news and details of these two shows arrived. Video clips for both shows are out in the webiverse now, so go get yourself some Thunder and Lighting pie and tell us what you think.
And then add that our network captain, Peter Liguori, wants to give you Dollhouse and Fringe with FEWER commercials.
There’s so much to say, and so much more to come. I don’t want to burn you out just yet.
Our friends at Dollverse have been manning the phones (and emails) to investigate what the real premiere date of Dollhouse will be. Are they right or does the HR have it? Fall or mid-season?
One more week and we’ll all have confirmation, people!
Fox announces its pickups and new schedule on Thursday, May 15th at 4pm EST.
We’ll point you to the official Fox schedule and show previews once we’ve got the webpage ready.
IGN TV: With Joss Whedon coming to FOX with Dollhouse, is there a little part of you that thinks he’s coming to take Summer Glau back?
Josh Friedman, EP of Terminator: (laughs) Yes! I will say that some of my more uncomfortable moments as executive producer of this show involve me, Joss Whedon, and Summer Glau at Comic-Con standing together. I felt like I’d gotten into the middle of a very intense relationship that I shouldn’t be a part of. So I just had to walk away.
And referring to the other guys with new potential shows at Fox (Whedon, JJ Abrams, Ron Moore, Shawn Ryan):
Josh Friedman: Those guys, certainly more than I do, have a brand that brings with it a group of fans. I only hope that a year from now we will all be grouped together on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Though I’ll be the guy in the back bringing coffee. “Not Pictured: Josh Friedman.”
Joss started directing Dollhouse this morning. While the cool-ass sets are housed on the Fox lot, today they are shooting in downtown Los Angeles.
Harry Lennix is an ex-cop who is Echo’s “handler” and bodyguard.
Amy Acker is “Dr. Claire Saunders,” a doctor at the Dollhouse.
Miracle Laurie is “November,” a character who will be recurring but does not appear in the pilot.
In an interview with E!’s Watch With Kristin, Joss provides his own description of Dollhouse:
The idea is those with the money or connections can access this secret highly illegal facility where they can basically fulfill their greatest fantasies. Most people assume that means sex - and on an occasion it does, because that is a lot of people’s fantasies - but it’s basically scenarios. They can basically reenact scenarios of romance, adventure or anything perfectly, because they become the person that you want them to be — they become that person. They don’t act like that person, they are not a robot pretending, they become that person, and then they forget all about it. The problem is the character of Echo, Eliza Dushku’s character, stops forgetting. She doesn’t completely remember, but she does realize she is a person, and that she might have been a person before she did this, and she doesn’t know what that is.
Just a quick rundown of the show. It’s from Joss Whedon – the mastermind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This show already received an order of seven episodes, so it’s likely to air.
Summary
A group of young men and women called “Dolls” are imprinted with different personalities and talents for assignments. This state is considered “active.” They are housed in a complex called the Dollhouse where their minds are wiped clean, which is when they are considered “inactive.” The Dolls have no independent consciousness of their own and no memories of their previous lives. A Doll named Echo begins to try to find out who she really was.
Actors and Characters
Eliza Dushku is “Echo,” the Doll who begins to have memories of her previous life.
Olivia Williams is “Adelle DeWitt,” the ruthless and protective woman who runs the Dollhouse.
Tahmoh Penikett is “Paul Smith,” an FBI field agent obsessed with the urban myth of Dollhouse and a twisted romantic foil for Echo.
Fran Kranz is “Topher Brink,” a twenty-something genius programmer responsible for imprinting the Dolls.
Dichen Lachman is “Sierra,” a Doll like Echo and her friend, who has every personality in the world but her own.
Enver Gjokaj is “Victor,” also a Doll and a friend of Echo’s. He is childlike when he’s inactive, and everything from Errol Flynn to young DeNiro when he’s active.
Fan sites already up and running!
The Dollhouse
Dollrific!
Dollhouse TV Forum
