Dollhouse (TV Series) Epitaph One (2009) User Reviews

Its feels good to have your faith rewarded

[darth_brad82 · 10/10 · 28 July 2009]

Dollhouse, the latest brainchild from Joss Whedon, was in danger of joining his other masterpiece, Firefly, among the ranks of shows that were never allowed to reach their full potential. Admitedly, Dollhouse didn't have a strong start. It was clear that the writers were trying to find its footing and establish what the show was, and thus the Suits at the network were considering axing the show and giving its timeslot to their next piece of "reality" drivel. Buffy, one of the most creative and critically acclaimed shows of my generation, started out exactly the same way in its first season. Like the loyal Whedonite that I am I trusted that given the chance Dollhouse would emerge equally well.

Today my faith was rewarded with the season finale "Epitaph One". Fear not, I'm not going to spoil it for you. Straying completely from the "who is Echo this week" formula, it fast forwards to the not-so-distant future and we are left chomping at the bit to know how things got to this point. I can't wait for season 2. Dollhouse is no longer a show I like to see, its one that I need.

"Did I think of that?"

[benmcfee · 10/10 · 28 September 2009]

How to get viewers to renew their interest in a show? It is a challenge that can be the bane of a TV producer's existence. Solving this particular problem has come in many different forms over the years. There are shows that do this by having a solid beginning, a strong middle, a strong middle, a not-so-strong middle, a jump the shark middle, and then people get fed up and tune out. Others craft an interesting story arc that gets resolved at the end of the first season, with just enough left unexplained so as to rope people in for the next season premiere. This latter case has been Joss Whedon's tactic on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and more recently on Dollhouse.

But Dollhouse tried something that I've never seen before. They committed the sin of the spoiler. Not by leaking anything online, but by filming an episode that shows you how the series concludes. The tactic is, as far as I know, unprecedented in television. Shows like How I Met Your Mother, and the L Word have done things similar, but never to the extent that writers Jed Whedon and Melissa Tancheroen did in "Epitaph One". This was done partly to satisfy the network's mandate of thirteen episodes, and to serve as effectively a series finale, should Dollhouse meet the same fate as Firefly. The effect is brilliant.

I won't spoil a thing, because the conclusion and the performances are best seen to be believed (Topher's heart-wrenching scene with DeWitt is only one of many moments that fit this bill). I will only say that the episode takes place ten years after season one, in a world where imprinting technology has toppled civilization.

The writers of this episode walked a fine line. They risked revealing too much and spoiling any chance of interest in later shows. But here, they only tell you enough to show you where all the characters we know are in the future, but not how they got there, nor how things will end for them. After seeing the season two premiere, and seeing how they are, even now, suggesting how things may end up like the hell-world depicted in Epitaph One, for me the series transformed. At first, it was interesting-but- flawed. Now, it's become as addictive as Firefly. If only they could have achieved this from the start.

On a final note, a comic book series called "Epitaphs" was launched to tell the story of what happened when Topher's "ThoughtPocalypse" wrecked the world. In my humble opinion, it would probably make a better series than Dollhouse itself.

Up there with any Whedon

[bt-wells99-1 · 10/10 · 17 November 2009]

This really is stunning, by far the best episode of Dollhouse. Well, it isn't even really an episode of Dollhouse and should really have been the 'Serenity' to the series' 'Firefly'. It is cinema quality and a worthy story of full movie treatment. I only hope it is pursued at some point. I thought Dollhouse was a great first season, with a terrific finale, but this has surpassed the show by a long way, and its really a crime that it received a low-level release. I urge all Whedon fans to buy or get hold of the series and watch this 'epitaph' last. How the series goes on from here (i wont spoil it by even hinting what happens) is anyone's guess, but I cannot wait to see the second season now. Joss Rocks!!

Ambitious, challenging and spectacular season finale

[gridoon2024 · 9/10 · 17 October 2010]

After my recent disappointment with the "LOST" finale and all the plot threads it left dangling, one of my main concerns about serialized TV shows has become: do the creators really have a long-term plan about the course of the series, or just a general idea (if that) and they're simply making the rest of the stuff up as they go along? With the very ambitious, post-apocalyptic (set in L.A 2019) "Epitaph One", Joss Whedon and the rest of the "Dollhouse" crew commit themselves to a carefully pre-planned destination, and the course to it; this episode is packed with little clues here and there ("November? Which one?", "Nobody has been imprinted there. We have Alpha to thank for that", Dr. Saunders' facial scars removed, Topher going insane, Dominic returning from the Attic, etc.) which raise questions that Whedon and co. are now obligated to answer. But because everything must lead to this specific future we see in this episode, a viewer feels a lot more confident that these questions have already been thought out and will be answered. This is a challenging episode that must be viewed at least twice to catch everything it has to offer. The new cast members adjust to the setting admirably, particularly Felicia Day (I'm already looking forward to seeing her again in "Epitaph Two"!) and the little girl, Adair Tishler, who is really a remarkable actress for her age, and is involved in a shock that will leave even the most jaded viewer with his jaw hanging open. Also outstanding are Amy Acker and Enver Gjokaj, particularly when he gets to play a high-ranking member of the Rossum corporation. All in all, "Epitaph One" takes the crown from "Spy In The House Of Love" as the best "Dollhouse" episode of the first season. ***1/2 out of 4.

Great stuff!

[Joxerlives · 10/10 · 11 January 2012]

EPITAPH ONE

The good; All of it, just terrific stuff. Gritty opening title rather than the normal dreamlike sequence. Whiskey's appearance is especially good, the scene where Adele confronts an imprinted Victor is awesome (lovely touch that he's enjoying shellfish whilst in Victor because he's allergic in his own body).

The bad; Couldn't we have Joss doing the commentary and not his brother? How does the little girl reach high enough up to attack the girl in the shower?

Best line; Topher; "Children with matches!" but also like the Echo imprinted little girl "Great, puberty all over again"

Packing heat; everybody is armed to the teeth (even Adele for the first time apparently at the request of the actress). Weird to see this little girl running around with guns considering how anti-gun Joss seemed in Buffy? Echo;7 Boyd; 8 Dominic; 9 Sierra; 4 Victor; 3 Ballard; 10 November; 1

Echo kissage;2

Notches on the Dollhouse bedpost; Echo; 3 definite, 1 possible November; 1 Ballard; 1 Victor; 1 Adele; 1 Sierra 1 possible Topher; 1 possible

How'd they get away with that? All of the stuff with the little girl.

This weeks fantasy; Victor is the Rossum head honcho, Echo is a Russian immigrant

Total number personalities; Echo; 22 Sierra; 10 Victor; 7 November; 3

Total dolls; another Doll, Juliet is mentioned but we don't know which one she is. Also November is mentioned but Victor asks 'Which one?" implying that there was the replacement from the girl who played Mellie in season 1. 8-Echo, Sierra, November, Victor, Mike, Tango, Alpha, Whiskey

Topher is a bit geeky; The survivors describe Topher's rumpus room as a nursery. Topher from 2 years back is reminiscent of Michael J Fox.

Subverting the Hollywood cliché; When Zone teases Mag about regretting killing an imprinted person she replies "I wish it could have been you"

Bondage; Sierra tied up; 1 Ballard; 1

Knocked out; Echo; 2 November; 1 Sierra; 1 Victor; 1 Topher; 1

Kills; Sierra; 2 kills Echo; 1 November;1

Capt subtext; The first thing Dominic notices when he's freed from the attic is that suits have three buttons again. The commentary also seems to hint he might be gay? Adele and Topher almost seem to be like a mother and son.

Happy hookers: Zone comments that the Dollhouse is a brothel built to make better hookers. Apparently the network gave instructions to avoid prostitution in the series. I wonder what went wrong?

Know the face? Hooray! Hooray! It's Felicia, Felicia Day! Whedon veteran from Buffy and Dr Horrible plus The Guild. Zone remind anyone else of Patrick Swayze crossed with Corey Feldman? 8 Whedon alumni-Mark Shepherd, Amy Acker, walking action figure, Eliza Dushku, Jim Piddock, Gregg Henry, Alan Tudyk, Felicia Day

Guantanamo; The imprinted little girl describes Mag and Zone as bigots because they killed anyone imprinted.

Fanfic; more fic than you can shake a stick at to tide you over until the season 2 DVDs come out

Missing scenes;. I like the idea of the scene with the bear in the lift, I wonder if it's the same one from the Angel ep Soul Purpose? Anyone know where I can find that clip on the internet? Do they ask it to press the floor button and then it get's frustrated because it's paws are too big?

Reminds me off; We have an apocalypse in LA just as we saw in Angel season 6. The evil little girl is reminiscent of The Anointed in Buffy. Topher's idea of the cyber-attack via the phone is a feature of the Stephen King novel 'Cell' Topher's rambling like Wes in season 5 of Angel. The photo wall is very BSG. The commentators are Dr Who fans to judge by their 'Don't blink' remark. The butchers resemble the reavers from Firefly who were also the result of well intentioned technology gone wrong.

Breaking the programming; Echo can now maintain her own personality (pure Caroline or the composite of her imprints?) whilst she's imprinted but still have all the knowledge of her imprint. She seems to have headaches as a result as does Sierra.

Questions and observations; Great ep, truly, truly great, the first 10 out of 10 for the series. Kepler certainly does nice work, his Dollhouse has survived a remarkably long time. The tension between Topher and Dominic is evident right from the start. Dominic actually warns Adele of the consequences of letting the tech run riot. Whiskey's scars are healed as are Victor's. Is the argument in the kitchen the moment Adele turns against Rossum? Is the life after death idea a transfer of consciousness from one body to another or just a Haunted style imprint? If so, it's not really life after death, it's just making clones of yourself. Sierra's real name is Priva Testrene (Tibetan apparently). Adele strikes you as a very good leader, hope Caroline doesn't kill her. Interesting to see that Victor seems to lead the Dollhouse defence force (which is why Paul is talking to him whilst Dr Saunders is fixing Echo up?). So Dr Saunders blanked herself into Whiskey to avoid the madness of being alone for 2 years? Does Whiskey kill everyone and herself with poison gas? Or as the commentary suggests it's just knockout gas, she imprints all the unconscious butcher's with Echo's wedge and creates countless guides to safe haven?

Marks out of 10; 10/10 excellent, they saved the best until last, I wish the whole series could have been this good, can't wait for season 2

A bleak future

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 29 October 2017]

It is 2019 and imprinting technology appears to have been used on the general population; those who have been imprinted are killing those who haven't and survivors trying to find safety. One such group, which includes a girl and her mind-wiped father stumbles upon the apparently abandoned LA Dollhouse. Here they find the chair and imprint the father with various memories; this serves to tell us what happened; this includes the involvement of the Rossum Corporation and their sinister plan to take the world for their select few. One of the group is killed; clearly they are not alone. Shortly afterwards Whiskey appears and tells them that she can help them find 'Safe Haven'. They initially suspect her but it soon becomes clear that the real threat is closer to home.

This in interesting conclusion to the first series; I must admit that at first I wasn't too keen on a story were none of the protagonists were regular characters but then it started to grow on me and by the end I wanted to know what happened next. The way we gradually discover what happened was handled well and there were some great surprises… I certainly didn't guess the killer's identity. The cast do an impressive job; it was fun seeing Reed Diamond return as Laurence Dominic and Fran Kranz and Olivia Williams had a great scene together as Topher and Adelle as the former ponders their responsibilities for what happened. Young Adair Tishler was really impressing as the child Iris Miller; a character who I'd initially feared would be the 'annoyingly precocious child' but turned out to be a genuinely interesting character. Overall this was an intriguing episode that left me wanting to see more of these characters.