Joss Whedon

Joss Whedon became a staple of sci-fi TV with his series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and “Firefly.” However, he said his highly anticipated “Dollhouse,” slated for a midseason debut on Fox, is a genre show mostly in its framework.

“There isn’t really a lot of sci-fi accoutrement,” he said. “It’s very much a deconstruction of human relationships. The genre element is really there just to let us examine the different ways that people can behave in these situations.”

The show, starring “Buffy” and “Angel” alum Eliza Dushku, is described as a drama about a group of special agents who are programmed with knowledge and abilities for a specific mission, only to have their memories wiped clean after they’re done.

“It’s only been a few years that [the] genre has even been taken seriously on the major networks,” Mr. Whedon says.

“I think that there is a perception that we’re making TV for young boys, and that’s part of where the network and I have come at things kind of differently,” Mr. Whedon said, alluding to recent discussions with executives over the creative direction of the series that led to a three-week break in production.

Production on “Dollhouse” resumed Thursday, and the show is still on schedule for an early 2009 premiere.

With respect to the Fox network, Mr. Whedon feels he is “definitely dealing with better people” who are “very clear, direct and honest,” which is creating a better environment than for his short-lived “Firefly.”

“My primary focus is making sure that ‘Dollhouse’ is the show it can and should be, and that feels like it’s on track,” he said.