Dollhouse

(S02E07) What we seem to have here is a case of sides being taken. Ballard and Langton, along with Echo, are taking the anti-Dollhouse side while Adelle is joining Mr. Harding in the pro-Dollhouse category.

The concept of skipping some time is always an interesting device to use in a drama. Who can forget the classic "one year later" on Battlestar Galactica? Adelle was demoted due to her loss of Echo while Echo trained with Ballard to eventually overthrow the Rossum by freeing a woman whose imprisonment she was responsible for in the first place. It seemed at the end as if "Lisa" was getting a new life much in the way that Actives get a new imprint.

Eliza Dushku did some good acting this episode, possibly the best yet in the series. Favorite line (or part of a line): "and, at least seven times, gay." Is that some sort of subtle political statement about homosexuality being psychological? Feel free to post theories in the comments.

Actually, the changes tonight for Ballard, Echo and Adelle were pretty intense.

Adelle has realized that in order to survive at a corporation like Rossum, you have to be cold and hard. The question is: what are her motives? She no longer seems so concerned about the welfare of the Actives and simply uses them as an asset now. She even betrays the trust of Topher. Is it to eventually bring down Harding and Rossum as a whole? Is it an attempt to keep power? It may even be both.

Do jails in Texas actually mistreat their prisoners like that? The program seemed a step away from accusing the penal system from being a Dollhouse of its own. I half-expected the guards to be prostituting the inmates like a 70’s sexploitation flick.

No matter how badly women are treated in the United States, it’s nothing compared to how badly they’re treated in Dubai. Topher must have felt an extra twinge of guilt upon learning that Sierra may be transferred there, particularly since he’s partially responsible for her unwilling participation at the Dollhouse. There was some mention of Madeline (a.k.a. November) going there, as well. Ballard ain’t gonna like that.

Obviously, Ballard, Langton and Echo are starting the resistance that we later see in "Epitaph One." There were quite a few sparks there between Echo and Ballard, which somewhat resonates with his stalking of Caroline in the first season. The show still hasn’t given a believable reason for his obsession with the girl last year. You’d think Ballard would have learned his lesson that relationships with Actives just don’t work.

This episode was a good one and certainly created a dramatic shift in the Dollhouse story. Situations like those shown in "Epitaph One" don’t happen instantly. They occur piece by piece over a period of time. In fact, had the show lasted longer, it might not even be at this stage yet. One can only hope that "Epitaph Two" is a satisfying finale.