In the fifth episode of the second season of Dollhouse, Y’ALL ARE EVIL FOR MAKING ME WATCH THIS SHOW. FOR REAL, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME? Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to Dollhouse.
I AM DONE. I AM JUST SO DONE.
- This episode was a fucking experience. My god.
- The cold open reveals the name Senator Perrin received in that mysterious file when MADELINE WALKS OUT DURING HIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO STATE THAT SHE WAS A VICTIM OF THE DOLLHOUSE WHAT IS THIS EPISODE GOING TO DO TO ME.
- I hate Mr. Harding so much. I know I’m supposed to, and I don’t care. He represents everything that is despicable about the Rossum Corporation: their lack of morality, their endless quest for profits, their callous and reckless behavior, and their thirst for power. I hate him.
- What’s so initially fascinating about this is that Adelle is quick to realize that the only reason Rossum would even allow this to happen is to shame/take down the Los Angeles Dollhouse. It’s very personal for her, and I initially didn’t think she was wrong about this.
- And then Ballard is watching that video with the Senator and his wife, and the Senator says that it’s like his wife was “made” for him and HOLY SHIT, THIS EPISODE JUST GOT SUPER RIDICULOUS IN THE BEST WAY. His wife is a Doll? This is going to destroy him, which is just unfortunate because I’m watching Angel, and Alexis Denisof is busy being destroyed over there, too. OH WELL.
- Oh god, we’re going to get to see another sleeper doll, aren’t we? IS THIS REAL LIFE?
- And then I’m immediately reminded of how fucked up this is. Madeline is shown evidence of what she did as a Doll, by Perrin. Oh god, she’s a Doll, and it’s so awkward and terrible. Even worse, Perrin purposely makes Paul Ballard out to be an enemy in a way. (But more on that later.)
- Okay, so now Topher has created a way to disable Dolls. I’m kind of scared to see what other tech is going to pop up on the show. I also didn’t realize until after the episode ended that Kilo was played by Maurissa Tancharoen!
- The first of MANY mistakes and misjudgments occurs when Adelle sends Echo to act as blackmail against Senator Perrin. Adelle didn’t take into account the fact that Perrin could recognize a Doll, and everything turns into a disaster. Well, for real, it’s hard to pinpoint a single moment as the thing that sends down this house of cards. It’s like everything goes wrong at once, honestly. But Perrin believes he’s been given a blessing in disguise and wants to use Echo as evidence. I can’t believe I didn’t put this together, but Ballard was at the Perrin residence, trying to “rescue” Madeline, and now Senator Perrin was heading there with Echo. How did I not realize this was going to get messed up? We already saw that Topher’s device had a much larger radius than he intended, so that meant it was going to take out Madeline, Echo, and Mrs. Perrin at once. Well, that would be chaotic, but at least Ballard could try and deal with th–
- but
- but
- no
- no
- no
- no
- no
- no
- NO THAT IS JUST 100% IMPOSSIBLE
- NOPE
- NOPE
- DONE
- THIS IS SO FUCKED UP
- HOW IS SENATOR PERRIN A DOLL????
- This is a logistical nightmare!!!! How do you program a Doll to win a fucking election???? He was ostensibly elected, so how the fuck is this even possible???
- Oh my god, the wife is the handler.
- Oh my god, OMEGA IS LOOSE. HOLY SHIT, ECHO IS CYCLING THROUGH ALL OF THE PAST IMPRINTS SHE HAS HAD. THIS EPISODE COULD NOT GET ANY MORE SUSPENSEFUL.
- Oh, of course it could. There’s that tense and nail-biting scene where Perrin’s handler tries to kill Echo and the two escape. ONLY TO HAVE THE HANDLER ACTIVATE THE PULSE SHE STOLE FROM PAUL BALLARD. GREAT. GREAT.
- It’s really important to pay attention to the scene at LAX between Ballard and Madeline. I don’t know what the hell Rossum is planning here, but despite that Ballard wants to paint himself as the good guy standing up against the corporation, Madeline still brings up Ballard’s obsession with her. He’s still complicit in what happened to her as a Doll, and that doesn’t make him better. Yes, his intentions are good, but she makes it a point to state that she needs to do this her own way, even if it is a mistake. That’s the beauty of human life. We can choose to be wrong, and if Madeline went back with Paul, she would risk giving that up.
- Hahah, fuck, that whole “white knight” shit is the subconscious key to controlling Perrin.
- WHAT THE FUCK, PERRIN IS PERRIN. He is an imprint of himself.
- There is no way I could have ever guessed this. Ever. Ever.
- Wait, is that
- Is that Summer Glau.
- IS THIS
- IS THIS ANOTHER DOLLHOUSE
- OH MY GOD, IT’S THE DOLLHOUSE IN D.C.
- oh my god WHO THE FUCK IS BENNET. Shit, she’s the master programmer, isn’t she? Holy shit, I barely recognized Summer Glau. SHE IS INCREDIBLE HERE.
- It’s also immediately clear that the D.C. staff is nowhere near as morally ambiguous as the L.A. staff. Here, they are far more ruthless, brutal, and unquestioning.
- God, the whole thing is a con, isn’t it? Take out the L.A. Dollhouse and draw attention away from Rossum in the process. Fuck.
- Perrin’s frightened cries not to be erased are so heartbreaking.
- HOWÂ
- HOW THE HELL
- HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT BENNET KNOWS CAROLINE????? WHY IS SHE TORTURING HER?
1000000000000% done with Dollhouse. I don’t know that my heart can withstand another plot twist on this show, but I know there must be a billion more of them. This show is so good, y’all.
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