AOQ Dollhouse Review 2-6: "The Left Hand"
Arbitrar Of Quality
review threads.
.
.
DOLLHOUSE
Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
(or "A few versions of Judas")
Writer: Tracey Bellomo
Director: Wendy Stanzler
"The Left Hand" starts with more female-on-female torture and a fairly
typical villain speech about the purity of pain from Bennett. (I wonder if
she's familiar with the writings of Shan Yu.) At least we get another
smile. But this is personal, thanks to the first of many perceived
betrayals we'll see over the course of these forty-five minutes. Right
away, we confirm what we may have suspected, that she knew Caroline before
any of this, and the titular left hand is a consequence.
Meanwhile, our anti-heroes arrive, one of whom - maybe not the one we'd
expect - will almost instantly transform TLH from typical to transcendent.
They meet their counterparts. I'm skimming through the first 15 minutes of
the episode here because I'm anxious to get to the good stuff, and there's
lots to type about it. Anyway, though there's an appearance by the D.C.'s
version of Adelle, Stuart Lipman, played by the Devil himself. But Ray Wise
is sadly yet another of those cool actors playing authority figures (like
Hogan and Carradine before him) who's just thrown in to the show without
much to do. I like seeing him be smarmy, and in theory I like seeing Adelle
take charge, but both the attempted seduction and the ball-grabbing are just
crude, and it's not a particularly good scene.
I had a sense that we might get some humanity from Bennett during a brief
moment in which she takes a second to bat at her hair before going out to
meet Topher. I wasn't expecting the strength of the almost instant
connection between the two characters, as she finds someone who'll tolerate
her bluntness and he finds someone who'll appreciate the way his mind works.
I've rarely been as charmed by a botched high-five as here, and was a little
disappointed to see them go back to talking business. Then the episode
finds ways to keep them on screen together for as long as possible, and they're
both all awkward and overjoyed to find a kindred spirit. it's *adorable*.
The discerning viewer is kept grinning the whole time.
This is the kind of thing Mutant Enemy shows have a history of doing well.
For instance, _Buffy_ fans will recall that some of that show's most moving
and heart-warming interactions were between the main villains of Season
Three. The same effect is in place here. I was rooting for them, able to
compartmentalize the fact that neither is a good person with the fact that
they're so impossibly cute together. Further, I will go on record calling
this far and away the best romantic chemistry between two actors in the
series to date.
And oh yeah, they're both plotting behind each others' backs. The other
nice thing about the whole sequence is that the show never quite lets us
forget that they both have an agenda - TLH takes care to throw in Bennett
saying something like "your active. 'Echo,' is it?" at regular intervals.
We can't totally let our guard down around Bennett, and neither should
Topher. There's a two-way betrayal of sorts going on before they even meet,
so the viewer may be very conscious that the whole thing is built on a shaky
foundation.
"The Left Hand" finds a way to keep the audience guessing about the details
our handi-capable Terminator's motivations the whole time as kind of a
background hum. She's working at her own non House authorized purposes when
she helps Echo and Daniel escape - probably not good ones, but I couldn't be
sure at first. This allows our actually sympathetic characters to go on the
run again, which also worked well dramatically in Part I. And they're
building a different kind of relationship, more of an action-movie one based
on mutual desperation. I wouldn't necessarily characterize this as
"romantic" in a sexual kind of way, despite how often they get to see each
other half-naked. Instead it's "romantic" in the sense of two people
bleeding and sweating together, having no one to draw strength from except
each other. Even in the garden when it's filmed as if they're about to
kiss, they're more in the mood to give speeches about freedom. Nothing
terribly original on this side of things, maybe, but the execution is good.
It's worth commenting that these two could not feel farther from Faith and
Wesley.
Back in L.A., future apocalypse architect Topher has left his best sidekick
in charge of the store. If you'll forgive me being too obvious with the
observations, I'm struck by how casually everyone treats dumping a copy of
oneself into a doll nowadays. Identity isn't sacred in this universe. That's
not something that I remember being part of the series from the beginning,
but then it became commonplace to turn Victor into other characters, and
then we found out with Whiskey that it had been happening all along....
When you see it in action rather than as some future possibility, it starts
to sell the idea that pretentious professor-guy from "Man On The Street" was
going for about the end of the human race.
Yeah, yeah, enough about that, how's the actual play of the dual-Topher
sequences? Well, there are times with the louder bits when Gjokaj seems
like he's copying the mannerisms but doing more of an imitation than a
convincing performance. (I thought of this recent clip from _Curb Your
Enthusiasm_ which. well, it's complicated, but to make a long story short,
Larry develops the idea that the actor is not always an essential component
of a role, and it doesn't take long to prove him very wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMTLOk9cK6E ). But in the quieter moments,
that barking hee-hee laugh, and a few particular scenes (especially after
Topher learns about the danger Echo's in) he's spot on. You can tell I'm
getting spoiled by quality because I'm ranking this on the sliding scale of
Gjokaj impersonations; his Topher is "merely" quite good whereas his Dominic
was uncanny. The conversations between the two Tophers are amusing enough,
but what really killed me was Victor/Topher's "the him-me did it! I rock!
We/he rock!" Also, although the last scene between them is a bit much, "it
wouldn't be a second opinion! It'd be the same opinion twice!"
The second half of the episode is mostly characterized by two things:
betrayal, and people getting sucker-punched, often at the same time. The
promised flashback eventually materializes, just a brief as it needs to be.
I'm extrapolating that Caroline had progressed by this point from hopeless
idealist to the darker version of the character who'd make brutal but
necessary decisions. Caroline was not a very good person to be friends
with, huh? As far as how Bennett got from possible sidekick to emotionally
scarred villain, we'll have to satisfy ourselves with her early line that
"this is what you did to me. Not just the arm, but me."
Bennett says with pride that "the original Daniel Perrin still exists. I
just made him better." We all know these writers consider that sort of
thing to be hubris. But the good senator does buy into it, to a degree,
leading to sort of a _Flowers For Algernon_ vibe. "Doesn't matter. She was
right. They made me into something better. . . Even if I could, I don't
know if I want to be the man I was before." Echo responds by explicit-izing
another ongoing plot point: "I'm afraid of Caroline. If she comes back,
where will I go?" Initially, the two characters come to the only conclusion
one really can, in such a situation - will just has to be more important
than realness. "We can be who *we* decide to be!" And it seems we finally
have our heroes.
But if it's notta one-a thing, it's another. Villains and complications pop
up and people start getting sucker-punched left and right. Yes, of course
Echo gets backhanded. Sometimes we do get a little repetitious, huh? Some
of the action setpieces are weaker (Hades/Daniel/Puppy!Assassin ambling
after Echo in tepid pursuit), while some are stronger (Echo's creative use
of greenhouse implements). I will single out Topher's punch as
legitimately surprising, because he's never done that before. It's sudden,
and comes after Kranz's devastated look when he realizes what his new friend
is up to, and that she can't be reasoned with. Based on her hopeful
expression on "now we're even?" the profound disappointment is mutual. They're
both feeling like the rug has been pulled out.
Daniel Perrin betrays a few people, obviously. While not himself, there's
Echo, Cindy, and of course Madeline. I have mixed feelings about the
congressional testimony scene, by the way - the gradual revelation of what's
going on is good, the proclamation of "There! Is! No! Dollhouse!" not so
much. But maybe the biggest disappointment is that he gives in at all. The
show leaves us on Echo asking him to trust her. If we take the ending at
face value - who the hell knows in this show, but I'll take it at face
value - then he couldn't do it, not after killing his wife/handler. If
anything, it's a bit of a betrayal of the hopes that Echo puts in him, that
he's not strong enough to be what he chooses rather than what other people
make him.
Stray observations:
1) Eliza Dushku is the most gorgeous human being who has ever existed.
Just thought that needed to be said.
2) Didn't get a chance to mention it last time, but Scowley's performance as
Cindy Perrin. well, it's mostly just fine, but whenever she shifts into her
patronizing/baby-talk voice, it makes we want to damage my TV.
3) So, what's everyone's favorite Topher/Bennett exchange? (Have I
mentioned how charming their scenes were? If I didn't, now would be a good
chance to say that.) I do have a fondness for [on Topher's suspicions that
she's a doll]: "that's idiotic. Actives are beautiful." "Yeah. . ." Awww.
But I think I'll ultimately have to go with the part where they're giggling
and trying to give each other credit for the targeted disruptor, since that's
sustained and infectious, and as an added bonus throws in Adelle's look of
pride as Topher smoothly (by his standards) gets them access to the Perrin
imprint.
4) Topher on the events of "Belonging:" "My last ethical quandary was. . .
unhelpful."
So we end up with Dollhouse L.A. no longer in apparent danger, but still
apparently considering crunching their data and investigating what their
corporate overlords are up to. They're after Echo ("utterly helpless?" You
should really know better, Adelle) but have given up on poor Madeline, who's
left to Bennett Haverson's tender mercies. Yeeesh. Once in a while there'll
be a character who just exists in order to get abused. But unlike every
other story so far, this two-parter does not get tied up in a neat bow -
specifically, it does not end with Echo going back to the Dollhouse.
It's tough to say exactly how capable our hero is or isn't, though she'll
probably be okay. She doesn't seem to have all the much of a plan, as of
yet. The final shot is a good one - out in the world, always taking in all
the information, always curious. My biggest overall criticism of "The Left
Hand" may actually be that I wanted to see more of that during the rest of
the escape, to get a sense of Echo as a person. So that'd be the biggest
change I'd make if I were in charge. More Echo, less Caroline. But credit
for the ending. I've been conditioned to expect a certain formula, even for
an ME show, and I was honestly not expecting this show to go there. We'll
see how long this arc will last, but for now, I'll just say that it's a
welcome new frontier.
Missing in action this episode: Penikett (2) and Lachman (3). The former at
least has a plot related reason for being gone. S2 of _Dollhouse_ is now
50% Sierra-free.
.
.
So.
One sentence summary: As one door closes, another opens.
AOQ rating: Excellent
.
.
[Season Two so far:
1) "Vows" - Good
2) "Instinct" - Good
3) "Belle Chose" - Decent
4) "Belonging" - Good
5) "The Public Eye" - Decent
6) "The Left Hand" - Excellent]
~_Dollhouse_ aired, uncancelled, for two hundred seventy-one days~
One Bit Shy
news:hfh09k$jb2$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> DOLLHOUSE
> Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
OK. I'll squeeze in a couple notes now. Then I've got stuff to do.
The title does refer to Bennett's arm, but I think it's also a reference to
the phrase, "The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing." It
seems like everybody's always acting on false assumptions this episode.
I agree with you on how wonderful the Topher/Bennett romance is. But most
of the reviews I've read so far seem to assume that they're both faking it
in order to pursue their plots. Amazing. But then I'm also seeing a fair
amount of reaction disliking the romance. I think some people are offended
at the notion of Summer Glau being attracted to Topher, or just refuse to
see it.
Meanwhile, you are the first person I've seen who has less than raved at the
brilliance of Gjokaj's performance. I'm right with you that at times it
comes across as imitation rather than natural. I also think his version is
too constantly played as excited or panicked. Topher doesn't actually run
at 100mph all the time. The excessive praise almost wants me to put down
the performance, but once the hyperbole is removed, it's still a very good
and entertaining episode element that provides quite a few genuine laughs.
OBS
Horace LaBadie
"One Bit Shy" <O...@nomail.sorry> wrote:
> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in message
> news:hfh09k$jb2$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>
> > DOLLHOUSE
> > Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
>
> OK. I'll squeeze in a couple notes now. Then I've got stuff to do.
>
>
> The title does refer to Bennett's arm, but I think it's also a reference to
> the phrase, "The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing." It
> seems like everybody's always acting on false assumptions this episode.
Ironical, as the Biblical quotation from Matthew is about charity, when
giving alms, do not allow the left to know what the right hand is doing.
There is also the wonderful Bogart movie called, "The Left Hand of God,"
based on a novel of the same name, about a soldier masquerading as a
priest in China during WWII.
Edward McArdle
<O...@nomail.sorry> wrote:
>"Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in message
>news:hfh09k$jb2$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>
>> DOLLHOUSE
>> Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
>
>OK. I'll squeeze in a couple notes now. Then I've got stuff to do.
>
>
>The title does refer to Bennett's arm, but I think it's also a reference to
>the phrase, "The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing." It
>seems like everybody's always acting on false assumptions this episode.
>
>I agree with you on how wonderful the Topher/Bennett romance is. But most
>of the reviews I've read so far seem to assume that they're both faking it
>in order to pursue their plots. Amazing. But then I'm also seeing a fair
>amount of reaction disliking the romance. I think some people are offended
>at the notion of Summer Glau being attracted to Topher, or just refuse to
>see it.
>
>Meanwhile, you are the first person I've seen who has less than raved at the
>brilliance of Gjokaj's performance. I'm right with you that at times it
>comes across as imitation rather than natural.
I think this is called "acting".
I see what you mean, but I think you ask too much.
(I haven't seen the episode. I am one of those idiots who reads reviews of
shows he won't see for months. It doesn't spoil it for me.)
--
Edward McArdle
One Bit Shy
news:mcardle-0712...@192.168.1.4...
I don't mean to be asking for anything. I enjoyed the performance and its
part in the episode quite a bit. I'm reacting to third party claims that
it's a dead on perfect impersonation - like you really can't tell them
apart, aside from the different bodies. I like the performance quite a bit.
I just don't think it's quite what a lot are claiming.
OBS
Arbitrar Of Quality
news:D8ednRnYj5UDp4HW...@supernews.com...
> Meanwhile, you are the first person I've seen who has less than raved at
> the brilliance of Gjokaj's performance. I'm right with you that at times
> it comes across as imitation rather than natural. I also think his
> version is too constantly played as excited or panicked. Topher doesn't
> actually run at 100mph all the time. The excessive praise almost wants me
> to put down the performance, but once the hyperbole is removed, it's still
> a very good and entertaining episode element that provides quite a few
> genuine laughs.
That's a well known phenomenon, in which you want to criticize something
that's good, but beloved just a little more than it deserves. I developed a
bit of resentment for all those early BTVS episodes that I ranked Good that
were "clearly" Excellent to the rest of the world.
-AOQ
~granted, I was wrong about half the time~
~~but only half~~
Ken from Chicago
"One Bit Shy" <O...@nomail.sorry> wrote in message
news:D8ednRnYj5UDp4HW...@supernews.com...
Hello, at least six hours earlier:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=31697684
-- Ken from Chicago (puzzled that Google groups is indeed hiding my original
posts but showing some of the replies)
Ken from Chicago
The problem is typical with great acting is that they make it look so easy.
It's like "invisible" fx (ala FORREST GUMP's ping pong ball, feather or leg
stumps) that are done so well that people don't fully appreciate them.
-- Ken from Chicago (who remembered all the hype in the news about Tom Hanks
being digitally inserted into archival footage and leaving the theater
wondering when Gary Sinise had an accident--and then was stunned to the core
at the REAL level of quality fx going on ... which finally got picked up by
the news six months later about the digital amputing of Sinise's legs, as
well as the fx he had missed, the ping pong ball and feather and the air
bombing)
Ken from Chicago
Backlash to overhype is a common phenomenon ala later audiences who finally
saw THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT had all these raised expectations due to the
hype of earlier audiences.
-- Ken from Chicago
scenario_dave
> A reminder: Please avoid spoilers/discussion of unaired episodes in these
> review threads.
> .
> .
> DOLLHOUSE
> Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
> (or "A few versions of Judas")
> Writer: Tracey Bellomo
> Director: Wendy Stanzler
>
>
>
> Echo, Cindy, and of course Madeline. I have mixed feelings about the
> congressional testimony scene, by the way - the gradual revelation of what's
> going on is good, the proclamation of "There! Is! No! Dollhouse!" not so
> much. But maybe the biggest disappointment is that he gives in at all. The
> show leaves us on Echo asking him to trust her. If we take the ending at
> face value - who the hell knows in this show, but I'll take it at face
> value - then he couldn't do it, not after killing his wife/handler. If
> anything, it's a bit of a betrayal of the hopes that Echo puts in him, that
> he's not strong enough to be what he chooses rather than what other people
> make him.
>
I don't take it that way. I think that Echo said trust me, then a
minute or two later the reinforcements arrive. Echos says lets go but
the Senator is still in shock from killing his wife three minutes
earlier and freezes. Echo runs and gets away but the Senator is
caught and programed. He didn't give in. He was in shock.
Opus the Penguin
> "The Left Hand" starts with more female-on-female torture and a
> fairly typical villain speech about the purity of pain from
> Bennett. (I wonder if she's familiar with the writings of Shan
> Yu.) At least we get another smile. But this is personal, thanks
> to the first of many perceived betrayals we'll see over the course
> of these forty-five minutes. Right away, we confirm what we may
> have suspected, that she knew Caroline before any of this, and the
> titular left hand is a consequence.
I'm such an idiot. I didn't even think about that as the source for the
title. I figured it was a reference to the idea of the right hand not
knowing what the left hand is doing.
--
Opus the Penguin
The best darn penguin in all of Usenet
Opus the Penguin
> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote:
>
>> DOLLHOUSE
>> Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
>
> OK. I'll squeeze in a couple notes now. Then I've got stuff to
> do.
>
>
> The title does refer to Bennett's arm, but I think it's also a
> reference to the phrase, "The left hand doesn't know what the
> right hand is doing." It seems like everybody's always acting on
> false assumptions this episode.
Ok, so I'm not crazy (or we both are). I just missed the obvious while
discerning the subtle.
One Bit Shy
news:sZidnZdoxqLvVYHW...@giganews.com...
That was less than a rave at his brilliance? I'm scared to imagine what
real praise from you would look like.
Speaking of which, I liked Callisto and really enjoyed the body switch, but
do you really think that's the acting standard for the device?
I suppose I shouldn't rain on enthusiasm. It can carry you through many
hard times.
OBS
One Bit Shy
news:Xns9CDA7FAAA665Eop...@85.214.113.135...
I don't think I'm crazy, but I fear I got the quote backwards.
OBS
clau...@webtv.net
programmed to be different from a regular "doll". That she had either
been programmed from an outside source before she joined the LA
Dollhouse or that Topher may have made her different either accidently
or on orders. Or that Alpha somehow insured that she would retain
memories through something in the downloading process.
This episode makes it seem like Bennet may have planted some glitch
in Caroline before she entered the LA Dollhouse and this is what makes
Echo different. So was Echo sent in to be a spy for Bennet and that
Dollhouse? Possibly.
One Bit Shy
Heh. As I recall, it took a lot of emotional adjustment from some to come
to terms with your ratings. After all, the party line was that the worst
Buffy episode was still better than the best of other TV shows.
I'm sure I never did anything like that to you.
OBS
himiko
wrote:
I was thinking "Left Hand of Darkness" which makes no sense
whatsoever, at least not in any plot related fashion.
himiko
Pete B
O...@nomail.sorry says...
> I don't mean to be asking for anything. I enjoyed the performance and its
> part in the episode quite a bit. I'm reacting to third party claims that
> it's a dead on perfect impersonation - like you really can't tell them
> apart, aside from the different bodies. I like the performance quite a bit.
> I just don't think it's quite what a lot are claiming.
True, it was better than the usual guy *g*
Pete B
kwicker1...@comcast.net says...
Aggression towards enthusiasm is a common phenomenon among the unhappy
humans.
Arbitrar Of Quality
news:MPG.2587c15dd...@news.usenetserver.com...
Don't be confusing disliking a character with criticism of an actor. Kranz
has been hitting it out of the park week after week for quite some time.
I'd argue since late S1.
-AOQ
Arbitrar Of Quality
"One Bit Shy" <O...@nomail.sorry> wrote in message
"School Hard" as some kind of masterpiece? Really, Internet?
The phenomenon still holds. The more I had to talk about "Belle Chose," the
more I disliked it, to the point where now I'd probably give it a Weak
rather than a low Decent just on principle. (Will watch it again, sometime,
before making a "final" judgment, though.)
-AOQ
Arbitrar Of Quality
news:15019-4B1...@storefull-3171.bay.webtv.net...
It's certainly not out of the question, but I don't see any evidence that
Bennett has seen Echo at all since before she signed up as a doll.
Oooh, didn't even try to ramble about what it means that she doesn't make a
distinction between Echo and Caroline.
-AOQ
Arbitrar Of Quality
"himiko" <himi...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:985e6e6f-4417-4992...@u18g2000pro.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 7, 8:15 am, Opus the Penguin <opusthepenguin+use...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Arbitrar Of Quality (tsm...@wildmail.com) wrote:
>
> >>Right away, we confirm what we may
> >> have suspected, that she knew Caroline before any of this, and the
> >> titular left hand is a consequence.
>
>> I'm such an idiot. I didn't even think about that as the source for the
>> title. I figured it was a reference to the idea of the right hand not
>> knowing what the left hand is doing.
As others have pointed out, no reason it can't be both.
> I was thinking "Left Hand of Darkness" which makes no sense
> whatsoever, at least not in any plot related fashion.
Well, the dolls do normally exist in a sexuality-free state and can be
programmed to be pretty much anyone, male or female...
-AOQ
himiko
> "himiko" <himiko...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> > I was thinking "Left Hand of Darkness" which makes no sense
> > whatsoever, at least not in any plot related fashion.
>
> Well, the dolls do normally exist in a sexuality-free state and can be
> programmed to be pretty much anyone, male or female...
True, but they didn't do it in this episode. I actually wish they'd
done a lot more with the gender bending possibilities.
himiko
Pete B
tsm...@wildmail.com says...
> "Pete B" <xxxh@_xsomeething.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.2587c15dd...@news.usenetserver.com...
> > In article <HbidnUi_DNC7w4HW...@supernews.com>,
> > O...@nomail.sorry says...
> >
> >
> >> I don't mean to be asking for anything. I enjoyed the performance and
> >> its
> >> part in the episode quite a bit. I'm reacting to third party claims that
> >> it's a dead on perfect impersonation - like you really can't tell them
> >> apart, aside from the different bodies. I like the performance quite a
> >> bit.
> >> I just don't think it's quite what a lot are claiming.
> >
> > True, it was better than the usual guy *g*
>
> Don't be confusing disliking a character with criticism of an actor.
Hm.... don't be confusing like of actor with like of character.
> Kranz
> has been hitting it out of the park week after week for quite some time.
> I'd argue since late S1.
Where as I'd argue he is a totally incompetent twit who has only be on
target for one or two lines of dialogue, and should nerve have been
hired for that show. In fact he'd be better suited for the line "Do you
want fries with that?"
Ben Morrow
Quoth Pete B <xxxh@_xsomeething.com>:
>
> Hm.... don't be confusing like of actor with like of character.
>
> > Kranz
> > has been hitting it out of the park week after week for quite some time.
> > I'd argue since late S1.
>
> Where as I'd argue he is a totally incompetent twit who has only be on
> target for one or two lines of dialogue, and should nerve have been
> hired for that show. In fact he'd be better suited for the line "Do you
> want fries with that?"
You couldn't be more wrong. He is *playing* an annoying, self-obsessed,
often hyperactive twerp, and he is doing so entirely convincingly.
Playing someone like that while still allowing them some measure of
depth, and making it clear that the character is not really as blase'
and sure of himself as he pretends to be, is not easy, and Kranz does
rather well. (At this point I'd say he makes a better showing than
Summer, but she's hardly had much of a chance yet.)
Ben
Ben Morrow
Quoth "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com>:
>
> > Heh. As I recall, it took a lot of emotional adjustment from some to come
> > to terms with your ratings. After all, the party line was that the worst
> > Buffy episode was still better than the best of other TV shows.
> >
> > I'm sure I never did anything like that to you.
>
> "School Hard" as some kind of masterpiece? Really, Internet?
You have to allow for the 'Squee!! Spike!!11!' factor.
> The phenomenon still holds. The more I had to talk about "Belle Chose," the
> more I disliked it, to the point where now I'd probably give it a Weak
> rather than a low Decent just on principle. (Will watch it again, sometime,
> before making a "final" judgment, though.)
Of course, it is well-established by this point that you have no sense
of humour... Victor!Kiki and Ballard are one of the highlights of the
show to date[0]. (Actually, that goes for most of the Victor/Ballard
scenes.)
Ben
[0] This is hyperbole, BTW. Just in case it wasn't clear.
One Bit Shy
news:hfh09k$jb2$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> DOLLHOUSE
> Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
> "The Left Hand" starts with more female-on-female torture and a fairly
> typical villain speech about the purity of pain from Bennett. (I wonder
> if she's familiar with the writings of Shan Yu.) At least we get another
> smile. But this is personal, thanks to the first of many perceived
> betrayals we'll see over the course of these forty-five minutes. Right
> away, we confirm what we may have suspected, that she knew Caroline before
> any of this, and the titular left hand is a consequence.
In the sense of the left hand not knowing what the right hand does, much of
this can be seen as betraying oneself, whether it be Rossum setting
Dollhouse against Dollhouse, or the fascinating existential torment of
Senator Perrin who can't adopt a version of himself without betraying the
other. Are Bennett's "migraines" a self-inflicted psychosis rather than one
more physical product of Caroline's "betrayal"? When she observed last
episode that Cindy's injuries were external while hers were internal, that
sure seemed to imply more than mere physical location. And surely the
connection between pain inflicted and pain endured goes beyond simple
vengeance.
But then the notions of betrayal and the left hand not knowing the right
hand's deeds go well beyond the lurid scheming of these last two episodes.
In the background is the steady unknowing walk to disaster as the tech to
enable everybody's scheming starts merging into the Epitaph One disaster.
We're watching the approaching train wreck and can't help but be fascinated
by the horror unfolding.
There are lots of cool moments this episode, but I'm going to pick on one as
perhaps the best summing of the episode. Topher's line, ""My last ethical
quandary was unhelpful." It was pretty funny at the moment, but there he is
with Adelle setting out on a mission to set things right, which ends up
quite likely making most everything far worse. And they still don't get it.
Unforeseen consequences come in many flavors. The other big accident of
the episode is an "awake" Echo set free into the world. One senses that the
big wild card of the story is about to start making her own moves.
> Meanwhile, our anti-heroes arrive, one of whom - maybe not the one we'd
> expect - will almost instantly transform TLH from typical to transcendent.
> They meet their counterparts. I'm skimming through the first 15 minutes
> of the episode here because I'm anxious to get to the good stuff, and
> there's lots to type about it. Anyway, though there's an appearance by
> the D.C.'s version of Adelle, Stuart Lipman, played by the Devil himself.
I've never seen that damned show and all the references to it that I keep
running into are driving me batty. I can't keep buying DVDs. In any case,
I'm reminded of Twin Peaks. And he's close enough to the Devil there that I
suppose it doesn't matter.
> But Ray Wise is sadly yet another of those cool actors playing authority
> figures (like Hogan and Carradine before him) who's just thrown in to the
> show without much to do. I like seeing him be smarmy, and in theory I
> like seeing Adelle take charge, but both the attempted seduction and the
> ball-grabbing are just crude, and it's not a particularly good scene.
There are a number of places this episode that play kind of flat IMO and
drag it down a little in spite of the episode's sporadic brilliance. This
is definitely one of them. The framework is fine. The plot goes where it
needs to go. But boy is this a scene crying out for clever repartee and
failing to deliver.
> I had a sense that we might get some humanity from Bennett during a brief
> moment in which she takes a second to bat at her hair before going out to
> meet Topher. I wasn't expecting the strength of the almost instant
> connection between the two characters, as she finds someone who'll
> tolerate her bluntness and he finds someone who'll appreciate the way his
> mind works. I've rarely been as charmed by a botched high-five as here,
> and was a little disappointed to see them go back to talking business.
> Then the episode finds ways to keep them on screen together for as long as
> possible, and they're both all awkward and overjoyed to find a kindred
> spirit. it's *adorable*. The discerning viewer is kept grinning the whole
> time.
No kidding. This is top notch comic flirting in a very refreshing context.
Everything about it is charming, exquisitely played, and surprisingly
intriguing as well. The situation is very out of character for them, but
played very true to character. Their timing with each other - both verbal
and physical - is amazing. It feels so spontaneous - a big part of what
makes it seem so fresh I think. And the complication of each working their
own hidden scheme around the other is hugely entertaining. After revelation
of the schemes, when Bennett hopefully asks if they can call it even, I
cracked up. Boy, I didn't want to see these scenes end.
> This is the kind of thing Mutant Enemy shows have a history of doing well.
> For instance, _Buffy_ fans will recall that some of that show's most
> moving and heart-warming interactions were between the main villains of
> Season Three.
That's an interesting comparison. The unexpectedness of Faith and Wilkins
connection also fits well. Yet it's a very different kind of relationship,
which got me thinking how varied Joss is with relationships -
especially romantic ones. More so than most aspects of his shows I think.
Wash & Zoe. Wesley & Lilah. Buffy & Angel. Xander & Anya. Inara & Mal.
Spike & Dru. Willow & Tara. And on and on. These are all over the map.
Wildly so at times. Joss isn't immune to building stories, themes and
characters from favored templates, but he does seem to have a knack for
finding fresh personal interactions. (At least when they're more developed
than Adelle and Stuart.)
> The same effect is in place here. I was rooting for them, able to
> compartmentalize the fact that neither is a good person with the fact that
> they're so impossibly cute together. Further, I will go on record calling
> this far and away the best romantic chemistry between two actors in the
> series to date.
Well, yeah, but since this didn't extend beyond an hour or two of flirting,
I think that says more about the lack of romance in this series than it does
the quality of this example. (Brilliant as it is.) Engagements are
prostitution heavy fakery that hardly count. So I can think of only 3
possible rivals. The low-chemistry Adelle/Victor pairing obviously loses.
I think the Sierra/Victor match could have the potential to rival this with
more than the few glimpses we've been permitted. But as is, it struggles to
get past sweet puppy love. The most developed was probably Mellie/Paul.
But that was severely compromised just as Paul was warming to it, leaving it
as a tragic connection that compares awkwardly to this.
> "The Left Hand" finds a way to keep the audience guessing about the
> details our handi-capable Terminator's motivations the whole time as kind
> of a background hum. She's working at her own non House authorized
> purposes when she helps Echo and Daniel escape - probably not good ones,
> but I couldn't be sure at first. This allows our actually sympathetic
> characters to go on the run again, which also worked well dramatically in
> Part I. And they're building a different kind of relationship, more of an
> action-movie one based on mutual desperation. I wouldn't necessarily
> characterize this as "romantic" in a sexual kind of way, despite how often
> they get to see each other half-naked. Instead it's "romantic" in the
> sense of two people bleeding and sweating together, having no one to draw
> strength from except each other. Even in the garden when it's filmed as
> if they're about to kiss, they're more in the mood to give speeches about
> freedom. Nothing terribly original on this side of things, maybe, but the
> execution is good. It's worth commenting that these two could not feel
> farther from Faith and Wesley.
Well, until Wesley slams Echo's head into a door anyway. I couldn't help
but think of payback to Faith then.
Their time on the run isn't terribly exciting, and it's a world away from
romantic. (I have no idea what you mean about being filmed as if they're
about to kiss. That never occurred to me.) But, then, that's the problem
with existential philosophy. It's just not a barn burning kind of subject.
I believe their time together is devised mainly to get them thinking and
talking and musing about the nature of their existence. Indeed, I think
it's intended as the heart of the entire episode. Yes, even ahead of geek
flirting, the Topher twins and a score of plot twists.
I think this is the most thorough self examination by aware actives that
we've seen in the series. And I suspect that it's some kind of turning
point for Echo.
Personally, I really enjoyed it, though they could have staged the action
sequences better. But my suspicion is that it illustrates one of the
biggest reasons for Dollhouse's poor ratings. This kind of introspection
doesn't sell tickets, no matter how much you pretty it up with sex and
violence. As best as I can tell from the limited audience commentary that
I've seen so far, most people seem to have liked The Public Eye better than
The Left Hand. Even with geek love and the Topher twins and fights and
torture and dead people and a score of plot twisting betrayals, I think this
episode tends to play dully to a lot of people. Even considering that the
few people left watching Dollhouse actually like the series.
I was recently reminded of the opening scene of the series - that we both
liked - when a broken down Caroline and a smug Adelle obliquely lay out the
premise of the series. I think you have to be in a certain state of mind to
appreciate the drama of the moment, which was filled with tension, but
terribly vague in content. A vagueness that ought to intrigue, but I
suspect was a bit off putting to most. How many people do you suppose saw
it as a drawn out exercise in serving tea?
I don't mean that as a slam against a stupid audience. Entertainment works
many different ways, serving many different functions. There's nothing
wrong with looking for what suits your own needs and desires. I've spent
plenty of hours drinking beers and watching sports myself.
It's just my version of the oft made observation that it's hard to make
something like Dollhouse as popular entertainment without turning it into a
story the writers don't want to tell and viewers like me can't see somewhere
else. Flash Forward is a clever piece of sci-fi entertainment that hints at
all kinds of deep things without actually challenging you to think anything
through. Sci-fi comfort food. This goes along with popular appreciation of
a direct (not necessarily simple) narrative and characters that one can
identify with and root for. Those are fine too. I often like them myself.
It's just that's not the only legitimate way to tell a good story, and it
gets kind of tiresome denying permission for anything else.
I'll probably have more to say on that subject at the end of the series, but
I've digressed too much now.
> Back in L.A., future apocalypse architect Topher has left his best
> sidekick in charge of the store. If you'll forgive me being too obvious
> with the observations, I'm struck by how casually everyone treats dumping
> a copy of oneself into a doll nowadays. Identity isn't sacred in this
> universe. That's not something that I remember being part of the series
> from the beginning, but then it became commonplace to turn Victor into
> other characters, and then we found out with Whiskey that it had been
> happening all along.... When you see it in action rather than as some
> future possibility, it starts to sell the idea that pretentious
> professor-guy from "Man On The Street" was going for about the end of the
> human race.
Just part of the progression, designed, I believe, to develop so gradually
that the people doing it are largely blind to the change. It also helps
that the limits are pushed in moments of stress and desperation when the
problem of the moment overwhelms other considerations. Topher said that he
left the only person he could trust in charge of the lab. As was pointed
out to me elsewhere, Topher #2 was reluctant to go back in the chair. That
was made light of as merely Topher being difficult as Topher is wont to be.
But lots of people are difficult. And many of them wouldn't be as pliant as
Topher. This is the illusion of control - Adelle's great weakness. She
really believes she can ride the tiger.
> The second half of the episode is mostly characterized by two things:
> betrayal, and people getting sucker-punched, often at the same time. The
> promised flashback eventually materializes, just a brief as it needs to
> be. I'm extrapolating that Caroline had progressed by this point from
> hopeless idealist to the darker version of the character who'd make brutal
> but necessary decisions. Caroline was not a very good person to be
> friends with, huh? As far as how Bennett got from possible sidekick to
> emotionally scarred villain, we'll have to satisfy ourselves with her
> early line that "this is what you did to me. Not just the arm, but me."
Just as brief as it needs to be? Heh. Well, it tells us why Bennett has
the vengeance thing going. Aside from that... phew, does it leave all
questions unanswered. I assume that happened before Caroline entered the
Dollhouse, but do we know that for a fact? I could imagine, for example,
that this is a snippet of how Bennett got recruited. More possible, I
think, is that Bennett already worked for Rossum and had been recruited as
mole by Caroline, who may have played on Bennett's loneliness to become her
best friend.
Of course the possibilities are essentially endless, starting with not
knowing what to believe from the little shown. This could be a grossly
distorted memory in the way that memories often are.
What we are shown, though, does appear on the face of it to display a nasty
quality to Caroline that we hadn't been shown before. (Let me emphasize,
"on the face of it." We don't know all that's behind it or how true it is.)
This ties into her plea to Topher to see the true evil in Caroline - which
she extends to Echo as well. Here she suggests more than mere bad behavior
and immoral character. She suggests a kind of power within Caroline to
mesmerize her victims.
Of course this could easily be nothing more than Bennett projecting her own
weaknesses. Maybe she fell to idolizing the gal who was nice to her once
and then twisted that into something Caroline did to her when things turned
sour.
But this is a Whedon show, where the bad guys are often the source of
illumination and wisdom. I'm not going to be so quick to downplay Bennett's
thoughts. I can't help but think that there's a story reason for those
words beyond merely making Bennett look pathetic.
Besides, there's a lot to what she said even from what we can see - a
genuinely interesting perspective. Echo, after all, really has had
remarkable success winning over, perhaps beguiling the people around her -
even those at the top. She's the active that gets away with walking in on
Dollhouse staff conversations and deeds, even contributing to them. Is
there another active that can climb into the chair on her own and tell
Topher that she needs an imprint? It really is kind of weird that Topher -
of all people - can refer to an active as his friend. Plus she has Ballard
and Boyd both pretty much eating out of her hand, while Adelle has become
convinced Echo is some kind of ally protecting the Dollhouse. Then there's
the way she seemed to be the magnet for her little cabal of dolls.
There are more examples - going back to Caroline. Since this isn't a
fantasy show, I assume we can rule out magic. But in retrospect, this girl
has been displaying an unnatural load of charisma. Finally recognizing this
I suspect is part of the final prelude to her stepping forth as a real
player.
> Bennett says with pride that "the original Daniel Perrin still exists. I
> just made him better." We all know these writers consider that sort of
> thing to be hubris. But the good senator does buy into it, to a degree,
> leading to sort of a _Flowers For Algernon_ vibe. "Doesn't matter. She
> was right. They made me into something better. . . Even if I could, I
> don't know if I want to be the man I was before." Echo responds by
> explicit-izing another ongoing plot point: "I'm afraid of Caroline. If
> she comes back, where will I go?"
Ongoing plot point? Hmmm. Kind of an unstated one then. My initial
reaction to the line was to shout out, "Finally they said it!" I think I've
been waiting for the series to concede that point for almost its whole run.
I've been fearful that the series was actually running away from the notion.
I've always been a little shocked at how much Omega's Echo (the most "awake"
Echo has been previously) perceived herself as an empty shell waiting for
Caroline's return. That Echo begged for Caroline to come home.
This feels significant to me, though I'm not sure where it leads. And I
suspect a hidden plot point. Perrin's own existential crisis parallel's
Echo's. Although he's constructed a little differently, he's also caught in
this divide between who he was and who he's been made to be. Is the
parallel there to show Perrin choosing differently? Perhaps. That's
certainly one way to tell a story.
But the thing is that their framing was not a choice between who they once
were and who they were made to be. Both would be moving backwards to them.
They were advocating moving forward as "awake" actives, benefitting from the
enhancements, but protected from the manipulation. Echo's final case to
Perrin was positively brutal. Go back to Dollhouse control and he's a
murderer, because it's the controlled doll that killed his wife. So, do you
trust Echo?
But they don't show what happened then - cutting ahead to the committee
hearing instead. So we don't really know. Maybe he turned Echo down, but I
can't help but suspect that he didn't, and that somehow Echo is working a
plan. I have not a clue what or how, though I suppose her side could use a
president too. It seems - I don't know - almost banal for Perrin to just
cave. Besides, we've got Bennett whispering in our ear that Echo has power
over people. Why wouldn't Perrin be under her spell too?
> But if it's notta one-a thing, it's another. Villains and complications
> pop up and people start getting sucker-punched left and right. Yes, of
> course Echo gets backhanded. Sometimes we do get a little repetitious,
> huh? Some of the action setpieces are weaker (Hades/Daniel/Puppy!Assassin
> ambling after Echo in tepid pursuit), while some are stronger (Echo's
> creative use of greenhouse implements).
I thought the greenhouse action was pretty bad all around. The low point
was when so Wesley easily snapped the neck of the one bodyguard. Not for
the move in itself, but for highlighting the ridiculousness of his ham
handed handling of Echo moments earlier. As much as I've enjoyed the story
telling and acting this season, I must say that I believe the production
values have substantially declined, with the exception of Belonging. Both
of this week's episodes seem especially dully filmed and staged.
> Stray observations:
> 1) Eliza Dushku is the most gorgeous human being who has ever existed.
> Just thought that needed to be said.
She's not to me, but she does look really good this episode. I like her
personality a lot this episode too. I can't express enough how much I've
come to appreciate the development of Echo the person over the course of the
series - the lack of which has been one of the most persistant criticisms of
the series by others. I've always been intrigued by that myself, but real
appreciation I think requires taking in the whole scope of the series run.
> 2) Didn't get a chance to mention it last time, but Scowley's performance
> as Cindy Perrin. well, it's mostly just fine, but whenever she shifts into
> her patronizing/baby-talk voice, it makes we want to damage my TV.
I felt dimly annoyed by her too, like a stone in my shoe or something. I
actually watched second time expecting it to be crappy acting. But it
really wasn't. Maybe it's just another one of the Dollhouse characters that
you're not supposed to like and they are maybe too successful at making it
so.
> The final shot is a good one - out in the world, always taking in
> all the information, always curious.
Yeah, I like that too. It almost makes me feel safe and warm - as
situationally absurd as that is. At the least it gives me confidence in
Echo on the run.
> My biggest overall criticism of "The
> Left Hand" may actually be that I wanted to see more of that during the
> rest of the escape, to get a sense of Echo as a person.
Don't you suppose that's next?
> AOQ rating: Excellent
There's a lot to like here, but there's some weak stuff too, and it's hardly
a visual feast. I can't push myself past Good.
In deed, I don't think that this season's episodes are really an improvement
on Season One as individual shows. In some ways not even as well put
together. But the overall story and coherency - and I think simply having
the first season as foundation - have me way more engaged in the series.
I'm really interested in where this is going and watching it get there.
I've come to quite like this series - much more so than episodic ratings can
indicate.
OBS
Pete B
says...
>
> Quoth Pete B <xxxh@_xsomeething.com>:
> > In article <hflk3i$ape$1...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> > tsm...@wildmail.com says...
> > >
> > > Don't be confusing disliking a character with criticism of an actor.
> >
> > Hm.... don't be confusing like of actor with like of character.
> >
> > > Kranz
> > > has been hitting it out of the park week after week for quite some time.
> > > I'd argue since late S1.
> >
> > Where as I'd argue he is a totally incompetent twit who has only be on
> > target for one or two lines of dialogue, and should nerve have been
> > hired for that show. In fact he'd be better suited for the line "Do you
> > want fries with that?"
>
> You couldn't be more wrong. He is *playing* an annoying, self-obsessed,
> often hyperactive twerp
badly, yes.
> At this point I'd say he makes a better showing than
> Summer, but she's hardly had much of a chance yet.)
I didn't find her that convincing no, and she seems to be channeling
River (whilst reading Shan Yu in her spare time)
phil k.
> Well, until Wesley slams Echo's head into a door anyway. I couldn't
> help but think of payback to Faith then.
>
> Their time on the run isn't terribly exciting, and it's a world away
> from romantic. (I have no idea what you mean about being filmed as if
> they're about to kiss. That never occurred to me.)
When they removed their GPS-devices from each other I for one was
expecting them to kiss and was kind of disappointed when it didn't
happen. The setting reminded me of that MattDamon/FrankaPotente kissing
scene of _The Bourne Identitiy_.
BTW: Does anybody know a good M-rated Faith/Wesley-fanfic? I am somehow
in the mood for exactly that :-)
One Bit Shy
I agree - and I'm someone who used to think Topher was the worst part of the
show.
This is really important too, because aside from Echo, I think he's the
series defining character. To a very large extent he's what the Dollhouse
story is about - ethics and morality in a modern world with wilder
possibilities every day able to seduce the worst in people. While Rossum
execs are hopelessly evil and the dolls are hopelessly innocent (Echo
aside), Topher stands in the center, enabling the worst with his own utterly
indifferent amorality. Which initially is an awful story pointing to the
worst of the coming apocalypse.
But his own painfully slow character growth - mirroring Echo's painfully
slow awakening - is essential to giving the series the glimpses of hope that
make the story and their struggle worth watching. Kranz's ability to
display that growth - well within the confines of the established
character - has become one of the joys of the series. I can only speak with
praise for his acting now.
Sidebar - I'm realizing now as I write this that Echo and Topher are real
allegorical figures in a way that I would expect from Whedon, but hadn't
really latched onto in this series. The unaware and those who refuse to
see. I think Topher is more than just an example of the amoral scientist.
I think he's kind of the embodiment of a way of being in a social world with
applications beyond the pseudo-science of this series. (Good lord. Is
Whedon questioning geekdom?)
OBS
Arbitrar Of Quality
> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in message
> news:hfh09k$jb2$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> In the sense of the left hand not knowing what the right hand does, much
> of
> this can be seen as betraying oneself, whether it be Rossum setting
> Dollhouse against Dollhouse, or the fascinating existential torment of
> Senator Perrin who can't adopt a version of himself without betraying the
> other. Are Bennett's "migraines" a self-inflicted psychosis rather than
> one
> more physical product of Caroline's "betrayal"? When she observed last
> episode that Cindy's injuries were external while hers were internal, that
> sure seemed to imply more than mere physical location. And surely the
> connection between pain inflicted and pain endured goes beyond simple
> vengeance.
Yeah, I didn't think to go that way with it, but self-betrayal is also in
the mix. Also since we're dealing with imprinted personalities, you have
situations like with Echo and Caroline, where the existence of one is
fundamentally a threat to the other (that just came to mind because Bennett
doesn't distinguish between them).
>> Anyway, though there's an appearance by
>> the D.C.'s version of Adelle, Stuart Lipman, played by the Devil himself.
>
> I've never seen that damned show and all the references to it that I keep
> running into are driving me batty. I can't keep buying DVDs. In any
> case,
> I'm reminded of Twin Peaks. And he's close enough to the Devil there that
> I
> suppose it doesn't matter.
I've never seen _Twin Peaks_, but apparently the role he played in _Reaper_
was basically taking his TP persona to its ultimate conclusion. [I see
_Reaper_ as more of a rental/online streamer than something to buy - most
episodes are the kind of fluff where you watch once, enjoy, and move on.
But mileage will vary.]
> No kidding. This is top notch comic flirting in a very refreshing
> context.
> Everything about it is charming, exquisitely played, and surprisingly
> intriguing as well. The situation is very out of character for them, but
> played very true to character. Their timing with each other - both verbal
> and physical - is amazing. It feels so spontaneous - a big part of what
> makes it seem so fresh I think. And the complication of each working
> their
> own hidden scheme around the other is hugely entertaining. After
> revelation
> of the schemes, when Bennett hopefully asks if they can call it even, I
> cracked up. Boy, I didn't want to see these scenes end.
The spontanity is a great part of it. The other thing I tried to articulate
is how well it mixes the genuine - professional admiration that quickly
develops into attraction - and the subterfuge. Neither element in any way
detracts from the other.
> Personally, I really enjoyed it, though they could have staged the action
> sequences better. But my suspicion is that it illustrates one of the
> biggest reasons for Dollhouse's poor ratings. This kind of introspection
> doesn't sell tickets, no matter how much you pretty it up with sex and
> violence. As best as I can tell from the limited audience commentary that
> I've seen so far, most people seem to have liked The Public Eye better
> than
> The Left Hand. Even with geek love and the Topher twins and fights and
> torture and dead people and a score of plot twisting betrayals, I think
> this
> episode tends to play dully to a lot of people. Even considering that the
> few people left watching Dollhouse actually like the series.
Well, the AV Club game TLH an A, so we're not alone. I actually haven't had
time to absorb what the groupthink on this one is, since many people treat
the two episodes as one entity, what with it being a two-parter whose parts
aired back to back.
> > As was pointed
> out to me elsewhere, Topher #2 was reluctant to go back in the chair.
> That was made light of as merely Topher being difficult as Topher is wont
> to be. But lots of people are difficult. And many of them wouldn't be as
> pliant as Topher. This is the illusion of control - Adelle's great
> weakness. She really believes she can ride the tiger.
Good point. As was also metnioned by someone else, I think this is the
first time we see a person use the system to be in two places at once. It's
the next step, after "Haunted."
>
>> The second half of the episode is mostly characterized by two things:
>> betrayal, and people getting sucker-punched, often at the same time. The
>> promised flashback eventually materializes, just a brief as it needs to
>> be. I'm extrapolating that Caroline had progressed by this point from
>> hopeless idealist to the darker version of the character who'd make
>> brutal
>> but necessary decisions. Caroline was not a very good person to be
>> friends with, huh? As far as how Bennett got from possible sidekick to
>> emotionally scarred villain, we'll have to satisfy ourselves with her
>> early line that "this is what you did to me. Not just the arm, but me."
>
> Just as brief as it needs to be? Heh. Well, it tells us why Bennett has
> the vengeance thing going. Aside from that... phew, does it leave all
> questions unanswered.
Thing is, I'm fine to leave it at that, although more detail could be fun.
I'm rememberng that Glau was originally signed on for the two episodes, so
I'm treating this as a closed story for the time being. Although they
certainly left themselve an opening to bring her back if they want to.
>> Echo responds by
>> explicit-izing another ongoing plot point: "I'm afraid of Caroline. If
>> she comes back, where will I go?"
>
> Ongoing plot point? Hmmm. Kind of an unstated one then. My initial
> reaction to the line was to shout out, "Finally they said it!" I think
> I've been waiting for the series to concede that point for almost its
> whole run. I've been fearful that the series was actually running away
> from the notion. I've always been a little shocked at how much Omega's
> Echo (the most "awake" Echo has been previously) perceived herself as an
> empty shell waiting for Caroline's return. That Echo begged for Caroline
> to come home.
I think she and Caroline were just being polite. "No, I couldn't possibly.
I *want* you to have the body."
As far as "ongoing," well, in that maddeningly circular discussion we had
about "Echo," I argued that the first season was in large part about
Caroline. S2 has been mostly about who Echo is becoming, independent of her
former self. The first couple episodes had Paul looking past Echo in favor
of Caroline, and increasing evidence that this couldn't be done anymore.
> I can't express enough how much I've come to appreciate the development of
> Echo the person over the course of the series - the lack of which has been
> one of the most persistant criticisms of the series by others. I've
> always been intrigued by that myself, but real appreciation I think
> requires taking in the whole scope of the series run.
I ocassionally go through an ocassional "why weren't we here (Echo's gradual
awakening and agency) a long time ago?" instead of having deferred that for
basically an entire season. Then I wonder if asking questions like that is
misunderstanding what the show is trying to do. In any case, now that we've
waited long enough to "earn" it, it's meaningful.
-AOQ
One Bit Shy
> "One Bit Shy" <O...@nomail.sorry> wrote in message
> news:9oKdnZJ_gd5dbYPW...@supernews.com...
>> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:hfh09k$jb2$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> Also since we're dealing with imprinted personalities, you have situations
> like with Echo and Caroline, where the existence of one is fundamentally a
> threat to the other (that just came to mind because Bennett doesn't
> distinguish between them).
I'm not sure what to think of Bennett doing that. On a surface level she
needs to think that way to hold onto her dreams of vengeance. If Echo isn't
Caroline, what's the point in hurting her? But I suspect a kind of insight
is intended too. The show may be emphasizing Echo's development so far this
season, but I don't think they've really abandoned the importance - and
persistence - of Caroline. When Perrin observed that Echo seemed
incomplete, and Echo shrugged it off with the rhetorical question of how can
you tell when you're complete, I couldn't help thinking, but what about
Caroline?
>>> Anyway, though there's an appearance by
>>> the D.C.'s version of Adelle, Stuart Lipman, played by the Devil
>>> himself.
>>
>> I've never seen that damned show and all the references to it that I keep
>> running into are driving me batty. I can't keep buying DVDs. In any
>> case,
>> I'm reminded of Twin Peaks. And he's close enough to the Devil there
>> that I
>> suppose it doesn't matter.
>
> I've never seen _Twin Peaks_, but apparently the role he played in
> _Reaper_ was basically taking his TP persona to its ultimate conclusion.
> [I see _Reaper_ as more of a rental/online streamer than something to
> buy - most episodes are the kind of fluff where you watch once, enjoy, and
> move on. But mileage will vary.]
Yeah, I've heard that. A lot actually. That's why I haven't run to watch
it. It's just that I keep bumping into it and it's making me feel
culturally incomplete or something.
>> No kidding. This is top notch comic flirting in a very refreshing
>> context.
>> Everything about it is charming, exquisitely played, and surprisingly
>> intriguing as well. The situation is very out of character for them, but
>> played very true to character. Their timing with each other - both
>> verbal
>> and physical - is amazing. It feels so spontaneous - a big part of what
>> makes it seem so fresh I think. And the complication of each working
>> their
>> own hidden scheme around the other is hugely entertaining. After
>> revelation
>> of the schemes, when Bennett hopefully asks if they can call it even, I
>> cracked up. Boy, I didn't want to see these scenes end.
>
> The spontanity is a great part of it. The other thing I tried to
> articulate is how well it mixes the genuine - professional admiration that
> quickly develops into attraction - and the subterfuge. Neither element in
> any way detracts from the other.
Angel and Darla expecting to be betrayed by each other and admiring a good
effort? Well, no, not quite that. But, yeah, they're attracted to each
other's brains first. Bennett so eager to look at Topher's tech. Topher
gazing at Perrin's scan and finding the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
When I first saw the latter, I thought Topher might have been referring to
Bennett herself, since she was standing right there, and used the brain scan
as way to disguise his real meaning. But, no, Topher 2 said exactly the
same without any visual of Bennett to prompt him. The show did a great job
of making the attraction see genuine.
>> Personally, I really enjoyed it, though they could have staged the action
>> sequences better. But my suspicion is that it illustrates one of the
>> biggest reasons for Dollhouse's poor ratings. This kind of introspection
>> doesn't sell tickets, no matter how much you pretty it up with sex and
>> violence. As best as I can tell from the limited audience commentary
>> that
>> I've seen so far, most people seem to have liked The Public Eye better
>> than
>> The Left Hand. Even with geek love and the Topher twins and fights and
>> torture and dead people and a score of plot twisting betrayals, I think
>> this
>> episode tends to play dully to a lot of people. Even considering that
>> the
>> few people left watching Dollhouse actually like the series.
>
> Well, the AV Club game TLH an A, so we're not alone. I actually haven't
> had time to absorb what the groupthink on this one is, since many people
> treat the two episodes as one entity, what with it being a two-parter
> whose parts aired back to back.
And, of course, anecdotal evidence is always suspect. I freely admit this
is an uncertain impression, however strong it may feel.
>> > As was pointed
>> out to me elsewhere, Topher #2 was reluctant to go back in the chair.
>> That was made light of as merely Topher being difficult as Topher is wont
>> to be. But lots of people are difficult. And many of them wouldn't be as
>> pliant as Topher. This is the illusion of control - Adelle's great
>> weakness. She really believes she can ride the tiger.
>
> Good point. As was also metnioned by someone else, I think this is the
> first time we see a person use the system to be in two places at once.
> It's the next step, after "Haunted."
I was thinking Belle Chose myself. There were two living Terry's then too.
Sure, one of them was comatose, but they were still discarding notions of
one body at a time. And Terry 2 was confronted with the live image of Terry
1 in the hospital bed. Haunted was sequential - the immortality game.
Actually, come to think of it, I guess they did much the same thing with
Dominic last season.
Well, whatever the precedent, this is certainly a step forward.
>> Just as brief as it needs to be? Heh. Well, it tells us why Bennett has
>> the vengeance thing going. Aside from that... phew, does it leave all
>> questions unanswered.
>
> Thing is, I'm fine to leave it at that, although more detail could be fun.
> I'm rememberng that Glau was originally signed on for the two episodes, so
> I'm treating this as a closed story for the time being. Although they
> certainly left themselve an opening to bring her back if they want to.
As far as Glau's part goes, I'm fine with that too. I'm not so sure about
all the other loose ends that might conceivably be left as final now. Will
we ever learn more about Caroline's missing two years? Is Perrin out of the
picture? Is that it for November? There's only so much left to the series
now and I don't think more is absolutely required of any of that. Surely
there are greater priorities. But I'd still be a little more comfortable
with further closure. Especially for November, however tragic that may
prove to be.
>>> Echo responds by
>>> explicit-izing another ongoing plot point: "I'm afraid of Caroline. If
>>> she comes back, where will I go?"
>>
>> Ongoing plot point? Hmmm. Kind of an unstated one then. My initial
>> reaction to the line was to shout out, "Finally they said it!" I think
>> I've been waiting for the series to concede that point for almost its
>> whole run. I've been fearful that the series was actually running away
>> from the notion. I've always been a little shocked at how much Omega's
>> Echo (the most "awake" Echo has been previously) perceived herself as an
>> empty shell waiting for Caroline's return. That Echo begged for Caroline
>> to come home.
>
> I think she and Caroline were just being polite. "No, I couldn't
> possibly. I *want* you to have the body."
Now that's funny. And they say you don't have a sense of humor.
> As far as "ongoing," well, in that maddeningly circular discussion we had
> about "Echo," I argued that the first season was in large part about
> Caroline. S2 has been mostly about who Echo is becoming, independent of
> her former self. The first couple episodes had Paul looking past Echo in
> favor of Caroline, and increasing evidence that this couldn't be done
> anymore.
Blissfully I don't recall the details of that discussion - and don't feel
like looking them up. Just something about my feeling that it was
complicated somehow by the wrapping of the scrapped pilot and un-aired
Epitaph One. In any case, I definitely felt it was about Caroline by the
end of the season. Not so sure about early on.
>> I can't express enough how much I've come to appreciate the development
>> of Echo the person over the course of the series - the lack of which has
>> been one of the most persistant criticisms of the series by others. I've
>> always been intrigued by that myself, but real appreciation I think
>> requires taking in the whole scope of the series run.
>
> I ocassionally go through an ocassional "why weren't we here (Echo's
> gradual awakening and agency) a long time ago?" instead of having deferred
> that for basically an entire season. Then I wonder if asking questions
> like that is misunderstanding what the show is trying to do. In any case,
> now that we've waited long enough to "earn" it, it's meaningful.
I struggled with that a lot mid S1, but I think I got past it as she started
insinuating herself more into what was going on at the Dollhouse. Spy in
the House of Love really changed my perspective.
I also became more suspicious of episode order (or order of concept when
episode content may just be muddled). Add the cannibalization of the
original pilot and the really weird swapping of episodes 2 & 3 this season,
and I'm not so sure anymore that there wasn't always a pretty orderly
development of Echo in mind. Her story seems to have gotten tossed around
like a chef's salad.
OBS
Arbitrar Of Quality
> "Arbitrar Of Quality" <tsm...@wildmail.com> wrote in message
> news:hfn9g8$pa6$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>> I've never seen _Twin Peaks_, but apparently the role he played in
>> _Reaper_ was basically taking his TP persona to its ultimate conclusion.
>> [I see _Reaper_ as more of a rental/online streamer than something to
>> buy - most episodes are the kind of fluff where you watch once, enjoy,
>> and move on. But mileage will vary.]
>
> Yeah, I've heard that. A lot actually. That's why I haven't run to watch
> it. It's just that I keep bumping into it and it's making me feel
> culturally incomplete or something.
If everyone was watching a show about people jumping off a bridge, would
you?
>> Good point. As was also metnioned by someone else, I think this is the
>> first time we see a person use the system to be in two places at once.
>> It's the next step, after "Haunted."
>
> I was thinking Belle Chose myself. There were two living Terry's then
> too. Sure, one of them was comatose, but they were still discarding
> notions of one body at a time.
Yes, forgot about that. It's a definitie progression, one of the few ways
in which the show has (so far, anyway) clearly laid out an obvious line
between poitns A and B .
> As far as Glau's part goes, I'm fine with that too. I'm not so sure about
> all the other loose ends that might conceivably be left as final now.
> Will we ever learn more about Caroline's missing two years? Is Perrin out
> of the picture? Is that it for November? There's only so much left to
> the series now and I don't think more is absolutely required of any of
> that. Surely there are greater priorities. But I'd still be a little
> more comfortable with further closure. Especially for November, however
> tragic that may prove to be.
I don't actually know, since I don't follow the casting news and the
spoilers. As a naive unspoiled viewer, my guesses are that Bennett could go
either way, we'll learn more about the two years but only in snippets, and
November will absolutely appear again and remain a semi-regular. If all was
as it seemed at the end with Daniel Perrin, that's the last time we'll see
him; if there was more going on, scratch that.
>>> I can't express enough how much I've come to appreciate the development
>>> of Echo the person over the course of the series - the lack of which has
>>> been one of the most persistant criticisms of the series by others.
>>> I've always been intrigued by that myself, but real appreciation I think
>>> requires taking in the whole scope of the series run.
>>
>> I ocassionally go through an ocassional "why weren't we here (Echo's
>> gradual awakening and agency) a long time ago?" instead of having
>> deferred that for basically an entire season. Then I wonder if asking
>> questions like that is misunderstanding what the show is trying to do.
>> In any case, now that we've waited long enough to "earn" it, it's
>> meaningful.
>
> I struggled with that a lot mid S1, but I think I got past it as she
> started insinuating herself more into what was going on at the Dollhouse.
> Spy in the House of Love really changed my perspective.
>
> I also became more suspicious of episode order (or order of concept when
> episode content may just be muddled). Add the cannibalization of the
> original pilot and the really weird swapping of episodes 2 & 3 this
> season, and I'm not so sure anymore that there wasn't always a pretty
> orderly development of Echo in mind. Her story seems to have gotten
> tossed around like a chef's salad.
A lot of the stories got jumbled around last year too, and it was clear that
episodes had been shuffled around in concept even if they eventually did air
in order. I've been trying to work out a way to make "The Target" be
episode 7 (or 6, really - it has to come before "Echoes" or else Echo being
influenced by her past self while within an imprint is no longer special) as
originally planned, for its effects on Boyd and the development of the Alpha
storyline that seem to belong later in the season than the other one-offs.
It doesn't seem to totally work, though. More details possibly during an
off week, but I'd probably end up shuffling around some Paul scenes to make
it either #3 or #4 (as much as it would involve not putting the show's best
foot forward, "Gray Hour" may belong second, after some scene redistribution
in the subplots).
-AOQ
Wes
> A reminder: Please avoid spoilers/discussion of unaired episodes in these
> review threads.
> .
> .
> Season Two, Episode 6: "The Left Hand"
> Writer: Tracey Bellomo
> Director: Wendy Stanzler
>
>
> congressional testimony scene, by the way - the gradual revelation of what's
> going on is good, the proclamation of "There! Is! No! Dollhouse!" not so
> much. But maybe the biggest disappointment is that he gives in at all. The
> show leaves us on Echo asking him to trust her. If we take the ending at
> face value - who the hell knows in this show, but I'll take it at face
> value - then he couldn't do it, not after killing his wife/handler. If
> anything, it's a bit of a betrayal of the hopes that Echo puts in him, that
> he's not strong enough to be what he chooses rather than what other people
> make him.
>
I'll plead ignorance in advance because i don't know what it means,
but Topher's line: "It looks like Bennett somehow rigged his S and S
into his higher functions." sounded like it was supposed to 'explain'
why Perrin continued with the Rossum plan.
Maybe not, but thought was how I heard it.
Wes
Wes
...*that* was how I heard it.