Dollhouse

Move over Kevin Smith, there’s a new man who we’d like to see take his ridiculously entertaining schtick of self-depracation and hilarity on the road. His name: Joss Whedon. As you’ll quickly see from our recap of his Q&A direct from San Diego Comic Con 2009.

On the future of Victor

Joss Whedon: Spoiler Alert! Victor might get better, quickly.

On where the idea came to cast the hilarious Alan Tyduk as a villain?

I’ve met him. He’s an extraordinarily versatile actor and has actually got a fighting streak in him that you won’t see in Wash or in 28 days… no, which is the one without Sandra Bullock?

One what he’s reading for inspiration.

Wired Magazine is pretty much all I read and have time for. I’m reading Julie & Julia but haven’t come up with a lot for the show. We’ll save Eliza saying “bon appetite!” for sweeps.

On other writers in the writer’s room coming up with ideas that make you think… I haven’t had a thought in years! The staff are really there as stenographers! This is without a doubt the best first year staff I’ve ever worked with. A room full of brains… floating brains in jars. I really feel like this, more than any other show is a real roundtable. Everyone has made a contribution that I wish I thought of and was grateful not to have to.

On his creative community

Sometimes the people you work with actually help inspire. I can’t stress this enough. The way I talk about the writer’s room, being a round table, being a circle, this is how my creative life exists — because of a community. Everything I see from them informs everything I do. The show was created because I knew Eliza [Dusku] can be sophisticated, funny, vulnerable, blind. All these things she’s not going to get to play unless I get to play with her. At the same time, it was Felicia [Day] singing in her little Christmas episode of THE GUILD that made me want her to play penny in DR. HORRIBLE and the idea that had me use her in “Epitaph One” was when Sarah Fain [DOLLHOUSE Executive Producer] brought her up after considering her for a role in WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB. I was so embarrassed we hadn’t thought of it.

On his penchant for hiring familiar faces

This year, all bets are off. We had Eliza and Amy [Acker] so last year we didn’t want to seem like we were playing favorites. This year, I don’t care anymore. I do believe that we’ll be seeing a few episodes involving a young ingenue names Alexis Denisof and if the stars align we might also see a little [Summer] Glau.

On his penchant for killing of beloved characters

As a storyteller… I hate people… I want them to suffer and die! I kill people for (1) either the story or (2) because contractually I have to. I try to have as much integrity as a storyteller that I can but when somebody is going to disappear sometimes you have to think up something so that you cry when they do.

On the possibility of a second mole inside the dollhouse

No one can be trusted. Actually, there is one person who can be trusted, but I’m going to kill them.

On the similarities between musicals and sci fi

Sci Fi and musicals have a weird cross section. They’re both a step removed from reality, a little bit bigger than life and do tend to lend themselves to eachother unlike say musicals and I don’t know.. cops shows. Anytime you get some piece of fandom to another experience it’s the best feeling. One of the best things about the BUFFY comic is that a lot of people who weren’t reading comics started because of BUFFY. It was a gateway comic.

On when we’ll see another musical (read: DR. HORRIBLE 2)

Well all of the writer’s of DR. HORRIBLE are here today. Sometimes we get together and talk about just that thing. I can’t give you a date or any info at all because I’m me. But it’s very much on our minds. We love it far too much to let it go.

On his creative process

Apart from the stealing from friends, writers, artists and William Shakespeare. For a guy who notices very little I see everything. It all filters in. I have these weird genre filters in me and everything comes at me and I can’t stop. I can’t stop thinking of things that I want to say and different ways to say them. They don’t always work, are often re-written and not produced, but they keep coming and thank God they do. I don’t think of it as a creative process, it’s like blinking. It’s just the way I am. I’m not very good with actual people because I’m usually too busy with the little avatar world I live in.

On whether the audience will buy the show’s change in direction

I guess there are some shows like LOST that has done some stuff. I’ve never seen it. I’m busy. Okay fine, I’ll watch TV instead of making it for you. I’m such a prick. I do think that as long as we don’t send anyone to Feudal Japan, we’re pretty much okay.

On the similarities between FIREFLY and DOLLHOUSE

Told you, no new thoughts! Big evil corporations are my cup of tea in the morning. Yes, there are similarities, I’m not going to lie. But it’s not intentional or a shout out, but yes, this is very awkward.

On his fascination with large corporations and government messing with people’s minds

Have you been in America? I like to consider myself the great documentary film maker of our time. The entire structure is designed to mess with your minds, sell you things, entertain you, keep you in line, make you think you need things they want you to need, keep them in power, share none of it. But there are lights in the darkness, the art we get to create because the powerful patrons let us. But sometimes it’s like running the daycare on the death star. There is power and manipulation controlling almost all of our every thought, that is why I love this show so much.