Sunday, February 15, 2009

FOX's 1-2 Punch: Sarah Connor and Dollhouse


Image from source, ScreenRant

I've long raved about Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles here on the blog, and was thrilled with its return on Friday night. But I was equally eager to see Dollhouse, the new show by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Both shows were heavily promoted, using the "hot kick-ass chicks" theme--which is logical, given the stars--and even contained promotional bumpers during their premieres, with Eliza Dushku and Summer Glau interacting out of character.

This gives me hope for both shows, since they are airing on Fridays, a traditional "death slot" for TV. If FOX is giving them this much of a push, I'm encouraged that both shows may be allowed to grow for more than a few weeks. The problem with science fiction shows--especially on FOX--is that as soon as you get invested in them, they're abruptly cancelled. Of course, with both these series, there is a potential for continuation elsewhere if FOX pulls the plug.

T:TSCC opened with a quirky episode, with Sarah hallucinating fan-favorite Kyle Reese, while she was suffering from a gunshot wound. I worried that the episode was a bit too cerebral for the show's return, turning off casual viewers. Fortunately, the villain of the show is a liquid metal Terminator, who went on a savage killing spree. Hopefully, that was enough to keep people tuned in!

Dollhouse was sufficiently entertaining to keep me interested, and anxious to see what happens next week. Dushku--who played Faith the evil vampire slayer on Buffy--stars as a "doll," a woman who can be programmed to be anybody, and do any task. This apparently includes hostage negotiator as well as paid escort. Hinky as that is, it was intriguing. Why do people volunteer to have their memories wiped to do this job? How do people find the Dollhouse, if the FBI thinks it is just an urban legend? Why do the girl and boy "dolls" shower together? And can we see more of that? Heh.

Dushku performed admirably in the pilot episode. She was very Faith-like in the opening bit, then was suitably "blank" when at the Dollhouse, then convincing as the prim hostage negotiator. I was surprised to read reviews that slammed her acting. I remember watching and thinking, "man, she's got that blank stare down pat!" when she was memory-wiped. This is a Whedon show, so I am willing to give it time. I'm waiting for the crackling, snarky, "Whedonese" language. I'm hoping for some familiar faces from Buffy and Angel (Tony Head, Alyson Hannigan, Seth Green, Charisma Carpenter, Nick Brendan. . .please?). And I like Tamoh Penikett (Helo from Battlestar Galactica) as the FBI agent. A lot.

Anyway, here's hoping that both shows are given room to breathe, and that low expectations on Friday nights allow both shows to prosper. They're both worth a look, so look, won't you? Because the headline on the excerpt below gives me a wiggins.

[Excerpt]

Dollhouse & Sarah Connor Ratings: Mediocre To Awful

At first glance, the ratings for the show are just not that impressive and if the networks are consistent in their responses to the antiquated ratings system, both Dollhouse and The Sarah Connor Chronicles seem lacking, though some call Dollhouse’s ratings a success. . .

Read more at: ScreenRant


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