What I'd Like To See In Dollhouse Season Two

Now that we fans have gotten what we only dreamed was possible - a second season of Dollhouse - I'm sure that each and every one of us are anxiously wondering "what's going to happen next?"

Apparently, one of the main factors in the show's renewal was that Joss proved he can make a show on a lower budget (with Epitaph One.)

I personally think that the lower budget will help the show, and I'm hoping that this will result in less "location filming," which usually takes place on the engagements. I like the engagements - don't get me wrong - but I think that the show would benefit from more time inside the Dollhouse. And here's why.

Joss Whedon has always explored the idea of family, especially found family. But here he has the chance to really explore the problematic aspects of family - in this case a found family standing in for the nuclear family. Using the Dollhouse as a metaphor for the family house would be a clever step, and I'd like to see these family dynamics explored in greater detail.

Let's face it - the most fascinating characters in the show are working in the Dollhouse. Adelle, Topher, Boyd, and Dr. Claire Saunders/Whiskey all have mysterious pasts, and we aren't sure just how much one knows about the other. I personally love Eliza Dushku, but I think that it would be wise to move Dollhouse in the direction of being an ensemble show, especially now that our other characters are becoming so interesting.

Adelle, in particular, has interested me from the start. I'd really like to find out why she runs the Dollhouse - how she got there, and what her personal life has been like. There's definitely a lot of vulnerability beneath the tough exterior, and we saw a bit of that in Spy in the House of Love, but I want more. It was especially interesting to me how she was able to deal with being shot by Dominic without so much as a yelp of pain. It seems like she's been through a lot.

I'd also really, really like to know why Boyd is working for the Dollhouse. I'm guessing that the story behind that is somewhat similar to Ballard's story (apparently he now works for the Dollhouse.) There were so many comparisons made between these two men in the last few episodes of season one that it seems that Boyd may also be working to bring down the Dollhouse from the inside.

Last, but definitely not least, I am interested in Claire/Whiskey. I hope that Amy Acker (despite now having her own show) becomes a main character in season two.We've just scratched the surface as far as finding out about her past. I'd love to know about the relationship between her and Topher as well.

It would be wonderful to have some flashback episodes about these characters and their beginnings - even their lives before the Dollhouse, while also focusing on the actives inside the Dollhouse in the present. If cutting the budget means less motorcycle chases and disaffected pop singers and heists, I don't think I'll be too heartbroken ;)

Still Pining After All These Years: Morrissey's New Album

It's official. This man's voice never changes.

I became obsessed with The Smiths during my first year of college, and I've never fully recovered. It's like having a syringe full of delicious melancholy delivered straight to the veins. And while solo-Morrissey has never been able to fully capture the magic of The Smiths, he has come pretty damn close in the past with Bona Drag and Vauxhall and I, his last album, Ringleader of the Tormentors, was a bit underwhelming (though still pretty good...of course I'm judging on a scale that pertains to Morrissey's music, not all music.)

Years of Refusal marks a return to form for Morrissey, as far as I'm concerned. I actually heard "Throwing My Arms Around Paris" for the first time in an H&M dressing room, and immediately got that special tingly feeling in my brain that I associate with good Morrissey music. I immediately went and bought the album, and I'm pleased that I did.

The album start with "Something is Squeezing My Skull," one of the more rockin' tunes on the album, despite its somber lyrics. It's basically a lament over the loss of real love and friendship in modern life, complete with references to different anti-depressants.

The second and third tracks are so very "Morrissey," that you'll swear they are old favorites upon first listening. "Black Cloud," especially, gets to the root of that feeling of wanting something that you can never have - something that is more an ideal than reality - a theme that Morrissey has often sung about in the past.

"All You Need," is good fun musically - though the lyrics don't really live up to Moz' standards in my opinion. The awesome guitar on this track more than makes up for it though. "When Last I Spoke to Carol" starts off with Latin sounding guitar riffs and just gets better and better as it goes. It is quite possibly my favorite track on the album - and I wonder if the Latin sound is a nod to his large Hispanic fanbase. It's really a great song, with a ton of energy. It makes you want to dance. LOVE IT.

Honestly, there is not a bad song on this album. There are songs I love more than others, but overall, this is just a great album. I just listened to it while cleaning my apartment, and it made the job a LOT more fun.

House - My Thoughts on Season One

Warning: Spoilers for Season One

So, this is Part One in the "Better-Late-Than-Never-House-Season-Reviews."

I have been meaning to write this review for a while - but alas, carpal tunnel has not been kind to me. After taking a bit of a break from the computer, however, I seem to be doing better. So here goes!

Considering the fact that I am actually almost done with the second season now, I think it's safe to say that I am hooked on this show, which isn't an easy feat. I've become more and more picky the last few years when it comes to television. I'd honestly rather sit and write or read a good book than suffer through the banality of the average sitcom (unless, of course, it's a Seinfeld rerun.) And don't get me started on American Idol. I. Don't. Get. It.

And yes, that makes me a snob. I don't really care.

I think what makes this show work for me is the fact that the main character's personality traits are brought out in different ways by the supporting characters. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie - who I just found out is British! How lame am I?) is, at first glance, a straight-up asshat. In one of the earlier episodes he tells Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) that she must be "damaged" in some way, because for no other reason would a young, beautiful woman want to be a doctor. He also states that he hired her merely because of her looks.

However, it is Cameron that develops a crush on House during the course of season one, despite his earlier rude comments toward her. She sees that he is unhappy - that he is, in fact, broken. And he calls her out on this. During the season (I can't remember all the episode names) she reveals that she married when she was very young, to a young man that she knew was dying. When she finally coerces House into going on a date with her he states that the only reason she wants to be with him is because she thinks he needs her - that she is attracted to him because he is broken.

The relationship between House and Wilson is perhaps the most entertaining (and continues to be in season 2 - but I will get to that in my season 2 review) relationship in the series. House has no friends, except Wilson. At this point it's somewhat of a mystery why Wilson puts up with his antics, but I'm glad that he does. Otherwise House would be a more tragic figure.

Lisa Cuddy grew on me more toward the end of the season, though I didn't like her at first. She can often come off as the "bad mommy" character, which is annoying and kind of stereotypical, but she believes in what she does, and she does her job well, so that gives her bonus points.

No show can really succeed without a good antagonist, and the antagonist in this season is Voegler - a rich man who buys the hospital and starts a massive pissing contest with House. Because the hospital is indepted to his money bags, he tries to get House to fire one of his staff, and even threatens House's job at one point. Luckily Cuddy eventually tells him where he can stuff said money bags, and he gets lost.

The first season also introduces Stacy - a woman from House's past who is partially responsible for his crippled leg. Her character brings a bit of humanity to House, as we see him deal with his feelings toward her.

As far as first seasons go, this one is pretty stellar. I have even gotten used to (mostly) the gore and blood aspect of the show. If the characters and stories weren't as interesting as they are, I would have given up. I usually cannot deal with blood and guts on that level. I'm glad, however, that I stuck it out!

Abrams Boldly Goes Where Roddenberry’s Already Been – And Does a Pretty Damn Good Job

I finally saw Star Trek, and I liked it. It was entertaining, visually arresting, and I thought Zachary Quinto did an excellent job portraying my favorite Star Trek character, Spock. And though I have a few quibbles with Abram's version, I think that the film worked surprisingly well.

It all starts with - surprise! - a space ship in trouble, and a resourceful crew that includes Kirk’s father. After a band of time-warping Romulans capture the captain of the Kelvin, George Kirk is left at the helm, and manages to save hundreds of lives – including the lives of his son and wife – before losing his own. Because of this event, we know (well, the old Trekkies anyway) that events have changed. In the original series Kirk's father didn't die. Hello parrallel universe!

A couple of years pass, and we see Kirk as a child, driving a convertible down an Iowan road at high speed. Apparently the Beastie Boys are popular in the 24^th century, because we hear them blasting on the soundtrack as a cyborg policeman chases him. This scene is kind of redundant, but it does set up the character’s traits as reckless and impulsive. And besides, the part where Kirk’s car flies off the cliff is just awesome.

I really liked seeing Spock as a child. Of course, I’ve seen Spock as a child before, but there was a lot more howling and less talking (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.) It was interesting seeing him interact with other Vulcan children his age – and showing a weakness when it came to his human mother.

The scene where Kirk tries to pick up Uhura in a seedy Iowan bar was a bit out of character in my opinion. Sure, Shatner’s Kirk was a womanizer – but he played the role with such charm and oozing self-confidence that it seemed that the intergalactic babes were drawn to him like a moth to a flame. I doubt he’d have had to use any of the cheap pickup lines that Abram’s Kirk spouted out like some middle aged sleaze (current Shatner could have pulled that one off with aplomb. See Denny Crane in Boston Legal.)

But, as in the original series, the focus of the plot is never really on Kirk and his many conquests, but the relationship between him and Spock. It’s interesting to see how this relationship begins – though we can’t really say that it’s the way the relationship really began.

After all, this is a different universe. In the original version James T. Kirk grew up with a father. In this universe (altered by the Romulan’s time travel) he is without a father – and thus his character development can be seen as unique to this universe. Perhaps without a strong father figure in his life, he’d be more prone to cheap pickups? Cheating on the entrance exams to the Federation Academy? It’s entirely possible.

And that’s what is both genius and unsettling about this remake. Abrams has written over the history of this crew, changing the events that shape their beginnings. From this point on their story could go anywhere, without having to stay true to the original.

I hope that he uses this opportunity (if there is another film made) to add in some more compelling female characters. The actress who played Uhura was great – but she did little more than trot around in her short skirt and make googly eyes at Spock (which, um…I am so confused about by the way!) Don’t get me wrong, I’m way more of a Spock gal than a Kirk gal, so I get the attraction, but it could have been explained a little better. Maybe a flashback? Basically I’m confused how the altered universe could have led to that – considering that Spock’s destiny had not yet been altered. That happened when his mother was killed in this film (she was never killed in the original series – and was featured in a couple of the movies.) I also thought Winona Ryder was a strange choice to play Spock’s mother. Why not just get an actress of the proper age?

UPDATE: I went back and watched the first couple of episodes of the original series (not including the pilot, The Cage) and there are indeed hints that point to a possible Spock/Uhura relationship/infatuation. How could I have forgotten that?! Here's a scene from Charlie X where Uhura sings about Spock:

Simon Pegg was lovable as Scotty, which isn’t too surprising. He brought a nice element of comic relief. I also thought that Sulu and Bones were portrayed well. I was a little iffy on Checkov. The voice was spot-on, but as far as looks I didn’t see any resemblance to Walter Koenig.

The action scenes were amazing, and the visuals stunning. I loved the cameo by Leonard Nimoy, and the fact that they played the original music in the titles.

I’m curious about future movies, and which characters we will be seeing again. I’m hoping for Khan. Although I don’t think there are many actors in Hollywood who’ve got the man boobs for the job.

Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnn!!!!

Overall, despite a few flaws, I thought this film was very enjoyable. If you want to be entertained, then you shall be. If you are looking for something deeply philosophical, then you might be disappointed.

Dollhouse Officially Makes My Brain All Melty: My Season Finale Review

Warning: Spoilers for Omega, as well as previous episodes.

Ok, I am going to get this out of the way first, because - as stubborn as I am - if I am proven wrong I will admit it.

I was wrong about Paul Ballard.

As far as I'm concerned, he is (mostly) absolved for being so annoying and ridiculous in the last few episodes. I particularly enjoyed seeing him and Boyd work together, rather than fighting each other in some sort of machismo pissing contest - but I'll get to that in a bit.

Let's start at the beginning...with Alpha! Alan Tudyk continued to knock my socks off tonight. I'm officially smitten with the guy. Ladies and gentleman - we have an actor in the house! Now I don't want to belittle any of the other Whedon alumnus. I think that Joss has a special talent for choosing the right people, and overall I love the whole ensemble of this show. But Tudyk is something special - like Alexis Denisof (Wesley from Angel) special. His portrayal of a man with 48 distinct personalities was bone-chilling, and a little reminiscent of Jubal Early in the last episode of Firefly.

The homage to Blue Velvet (where Alpha and Whiskey torture some guy) was creepy and awesome - right down to the dancing silhouette on the same part of the same song - "In Dreams." Tim knows his Lynch. What I wasn't expecting was the silhouette belonging to Amy Acker!

Saunders is Whiskey! Yay! I called it.

And yet, despite this, I still see Saunders as her own person, and her realization that she isn't real is kind of heartbreaking. She also raised an interesting question: why would Topher program her to hate him? Is that just how he gets his rocks off? Or is there a deeper story there?

I thought Eliza did really well tonight. It was interesting to see "Echo" as a person separate from Caroline - which I had suspected. Echo is the guardian of the house (body) where Caroline dwells. And she protected that house with some serious booty kicking! The fight between Echo and Alpha was intense, scary, and awesome.

I am a little disappointed that we didn't get to see more Miracle/Dichen interaction. From the promo pics (one of which is pictured at right) I thought that there was going to be more of a B-plot with them as bounty hunters (who are dressed like they're going to a Flan Convention, I might add). According to some sources on Whedonesque there was quite a bit of Sierra/November footage that got cut from the final episode. Hopefully we will see this extra footage on the DVD.

Ballard "working" for the Dollhouse was an interesting twist. I liked seeing him interact with Boyd, and I feel like Boyd may be breaking down with regards to his reasoning for working for the Dollhouse. This is obviously a man with morals. He thinks that he is doing the right thing - but that's coming into question now even more than before.

I was relieved that I didn't find Ballard as obnoxious this time. I even chuckled when he finally "saved the girl" - a computer hard drive that contained Caroline's memories. And what a pleasant surprise when we find out that he helped the Dollhouse out in order to free November (Madeleine) from her contract!

However, there are still a lot of loose strings left in the series. Echo is sent back to the Dollhouse, though she seems to retain some memory of Caroline. Alpha is still on the loose. Victor has been deeply scarred and will be retired (but what will he do when he wakes up looking like that?) And Paul...well, what is he going to do now? Was part of the trade deal that he would become a doll himself? Is he going to walk away from the Dollhouse and let things be?

We need a season two!!!! And more Alan Tudyk!

Note: If you desperately want a second season, visit Watch Dollhouse to see what you can do to help save the show.

Revisiting A Sci-Fi Classic: Fritz Lang's Metropolis and the Threat of the Machine Woman

I've been thinking a lot about Sci-Fi recently: how it often depicts aspects of society and technology that rouse our fears about "otherness," slavery, and existing class systems. I had a bit of free time today, so I decided that I would watch an old classic -- a film that is not normally remembered as a Sci-Fi classic, but most definitely is. In fact, it may be the first Sci-Fi film ever.

Fritz Lang's 1927 film, Metropolis.

After all, before there were cylons, there was Maria the Robot.

In Lang's Metropolis, the future of human-kind is depicted as a co-existence between humans and machines. The film depicts this co-existence as utopian for the upper classes -- people who live above ground in the "pleasure gardens" -- and as dystopian for the under classes -- those who literally work under the city -- enslaved by machines, and who work under strenuous and cruel conditions. The reliance of man on machine (especially in the case of the workers) seems an ominous foretelling of a futurein which we may become enslaved by our own technology. Take that, Matrix!

Coupled with this fear of technology, the figure of the female robot seems to provoke another kind of fear -- the fear of femininity out of control. Think about it. Why depict a female robot? I believe that the machines and femininity both represent a kind of "otherness" in the film -- they both are initially under masculine control , but out of that control they pose a threat to the future of the patriarchal system. Of course, I may be reading too much into it, but it interests me nonetheless. I think I'm going to have to read A Cyborg Manifesto by Donna Harraway now.

By the way, since this is a silent film, you can add your own score! I recommend Radiohead's OK Computer as a great accompaniment!

Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man

I love Leonard Cohen. So when my friends said they'd netflix'd this film, I thought it would be worth watching. However, I definitely had some feelings of trepidation when I found out that it was comprised mostly of other bands doing covers of Leonard Cohen songs. While I am actually a big fan of the Jeff Buckley version of "Hallelujah," that's pretty much where the love ends.

Hearing Cohen talk about life, poetry, and his personal experiences (wait, that falls under life, doesn't it?) was heart-felt and charming, if not badly edited, but the poignancy was somewhat lost in the distracting, weird flashing red dots that kept floating across the screen at every single transition. Stylistically, it was cheesy and overdone.

To make matters worse, Bono and "The Edge," of U2 take up entirely too much screen time for my taste, and are as pretentious as ever.

A few good performances, but over all, pretty lackluster. The only good thing about it was seeing Leonard talk, though I don't feel like it was edited well. If you like the bands/singers that are featured (Rufus Wainwright, for example) then you might enjoy it. But if you are a not inclined towards song covers then you might want to skip this one and hold out for a documentary where Cohen sings.

No Prince Charming: Dollhouse Episode Eleven Review

Warning: Major Spoilers for Briar Rose, as well as previous episodes.

Last night's episode was -- hands down -- my favorite episode of the series thus far. In case anyone was in doubt that this is, indeed, a feminist show -- Briar Rose should set them at their ease.

The episode begins with Echo as a schoolteacher (or substitute, rather) who is reading the fairy tale "Briar Rose" to a group of young children. As she tells them of how the prince comes to save the sleeping princess, a student (Susan) becomes angry, claiming that the story is completely false. Despite my agreement with Susan regarding the bogus nature of this fairy tale, her reaction is rather...violent. We then learn that this child has been sexually abused. It's no wonder that this story would strike a nerve (man comes in the night to save the princess? Yeah right. Not in her experience.)

In an act of somewhat surprising benevolence, we find out that Topher has imprinted Echo with the little girl's own memories, so that she may see herself as an adult -- more particularly, as a fully-functioning adult who has dealt with her demons. Echo/Susan reveals to another teacher that she read the story on purpose, knowing the reaction it would cause. She confronts young Susan, and speaks of her own "experience" with abuse. From there she takes the opportunity of offering a different look at the sleeping beauty fairy tale -- she tells Susan to imagine the prince as an aspect of herself.

We cut from the picture of the prince kneeling down to kiss the sleeping beauty to Paul Ballard, who is packing up his belongings while a deeply upset Mellie looks on. He tells her that he is leaving, and that they are not good for each other. She cries, and its all a little pathetic really. But we have to remember that Mellie was programmed to love this man. Outside of him there is nothing else. Without her "prince," there is nothing left for her to live for. This is where we see just how damaging these sort of fairy tale beliefs can be for women. Mellie is a metaphor for the woman who places all her hope and dreams into this fairy tale, and who is crushed when she finds that it is a lie.

Paul is, after all, definitely not Prince Charming. In fact, he's quite the opposite. He uses Mellie's affections to further his own agenda of breaking into the Dollhouse. His obsession with saving Caroline is creepy, especially considering his complete disregard for Mellie as a victim as well. Why is Caroline worth saving, and not Mellie? Could it be because Mellie is, again, too attainable?

Caroline, on the other hand, is an abstraction. A blank slate onto which he projects his own desires. In this sense he is no better than a Dollhouse client. He no longer sees her as a person, but as a classic damsel in distress -- the sleeping beauty that can only be saved by him. In the game-changing episode, Man on the Street, Ballard is confronted by software billionaire Joel Myner (after Myner's "engagement" with Caroline is interrupted by Ballard) about his own desires. When Ballard mocks Myner's fantasy of "playing house" with Caroline, Myner retorts that Paul is no better -- that he has created a fantasy of his own:

And then the brave FBI man whisks her away from the cash-wielding losers...and she falls in love with him.

Myner had Ballard's number, alright.

The looks of awe that washes over Paul's face when he finally discovers Caroline in her sleeping pod is a stark contrast to the look of disgust that he bestows on a sleeping November (Mellie.) I hate to be harsh, but this scene catapulted the character of Paul Ballard into A-Hole territory as far as I'm concerned. How is Caroline more of an innocent victim than November? Why does she rouse his awe while November simply triggers his disdain?If I wanted to completely accuse him of chauvinism (which is tempting, and possibly true) I could argue that it's because he's already slept with November. He's "degraded" her. She is a fallen woman, while Caroline is the pure, "chaste" woman that he has not yet devalued. Perhaps he believes that saving her will restore the chunk of his soul that got lost when he screwed Mellie, knowing full well that she was a doll, and that it was (for all intents and purposes) rape.

The fact that this uglyness in Paul is dealt with (with such wonderful irony too) in this episode is what makes it a relief for me. From the beginning of the series his character has rubbed me the wrong way. There is something too angry, too beligerent...to obsessive about his pursuit of the Dollhouse. Now it doesn't really come as a surprise to me that his only real mission was to save Caroline -- who, by the way, isn't really Caroline to him, just a construct of his own fantasies and desires.

Thank you Jane Espenson. How I've missed thee!

Aside from Paul, a lot of things happened in this episode. We get to see Dominic in the body of Victor, for one. Enver's performance gave me chills. I could almost hear Reed's voice.

Major Spoilage Ahead:

The biggest reveal of the episode was, of course, Alpha. Alan Tudyk was delightful. I loved him as the fake-out pot grower/environmentalist:

Carrots! Medicinal carrots! Personal use...they were here when I got here!

When he turned evil on Dr. Saunders (who may or may not be an ex-doll named Whiskey) I was genuinely terrified. Then he got slice-happy with Victor's face and "terrified" got upgraded to "completely freaked out."

I find it extraordinarily amusing that while Boyd and Ballard are fighting it out, Alpha is able to get to Echo and whisk her away. This seems to be a recurrent theme with Whedon. One thinks back to Dr. Horrible and his nemesis Captain Hammer -- how Penny became merely a victim of their rivalry.

The whole Alpha/Echo thing opens up a huge can of worms that, unfortunately, may never get put on the fishing line, seeing as there is only one episode left of the season (hopefully we will get a second!) However, for what it's worth, their "reunion" was incredibly charged -- like, sexually. How hot was that kiss? Of course, nothing good can come of it (seeing how Alpha is a psychopath and all.)

As a Whedon fan, I wouldn't want it any other way.